University of Kwazulu-Natal

Nfl Playoff Predictions 2026 Bracket And Wild Cards

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
nfl playoff predictions 2026 bracket and wild cards

December still says regular season, but the standings already smell like January, and NFL Playoff Predictions 2026 starts with that truth. Denver owns the conference lead at 12 and 2, and the entire AFC keeps circling one question: who forces the Broncos to play a full four quarters in the cold. A bartender flips RedZone on mute and you can still hear the groans. Fans count wins on their fingers, then count tie breakers like they are reading legal fine print. That is the part nobody admits out loud: once two teams share a record, the conversation turns to head to head, division record, then conference record, then common games, then strength of victory. Seattle and the Rams drag the NFC West into a three team puzzle, because San Francisco refuses to go away.

Tampa Bay and Carolina share the same 7 and 7 mark in the NFC South, which turns every Sunday into a referendum. So yes, the calendar reads mid December. The math reads Wild Card Weekend. Denver leads the AFC West and already locked up a playoff berth, while New England controls the AFC East at 11 and 3 and Jacksonville owns the AFC South at 10 and 4. Pittsburgh leads the AFC North at 8 and 6, which tells you how chaotic that division has been. The NFL Playoffs are back in 2026 with a full lineup of exciting matchups.

Fans across the country are getting ready for the biggest weeks in football. This year’s playoff format sticks to the 14-team setup. Seven teams from each conference will compete for a spot in Super Bowl LX. This guide gives you everything you need to know. You’ll find key playoff dates, the full schedule by round, the current playoff bracket, and how the format works. We also cover projected matchups and which teams are expected to stand out this year.

Stay updated with the latest playoff picture as the road to Santa Clara begins. The NFL regular season ends on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Right after that, the playoff race begins. Here are the important dates: Each round is packed with action and sets the stage for the next. The road to the Super Bowl moves fast.

Fans and teams must stay ready. We're only three games into Week 17, but we've already seen some significant developments that impact the NFL playoff picture. While Thursday's opener between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders was largely meaningless, the day's two other contests were playoff-relevant. The Detroit Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their loss against the rival Minnesota Vikings. The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the nightcap to maintain a grip on the AFC's No. 1 seed.

Here's a look at where every playoff hopeful stands, what could transpire over the weekend, and some predictions for the 2025-26 postseason bracket. .css-1582m2i{margin:0;font:inherit;font-weight:700;}Division Leaders With Week 17 approaching, the playoff race is shaping up across both conferences. Based on the current standings, here’s how the AFC and NFC playoff brackets would look if the season ended today – including first-round matchups, potential upsets, and Super Bowl predictions. If the playoffs started today, fans would be treated to elite quarterback matchups, hostile road environments, and multiple upset opportunities. While nothing is locked in yet, the current standings suggest a postseason filled with balance, depth, and unpredictability-exactly what makes the NFL playoffs must-watch football.

Record-Breaking At-Bat: The Longest in Baseball History Xtrfy H3 Wireless Review: Comfort, Battery Life & Gaming Performance Lokomotivfører slått ned på tog i Oslo – Politiet etterforsker Susan Boyle & Hollywood Star: Heartwarming Gift Revealed Ukraine Overnight Attacks: Deaths, Damage & Power Outages No team has earned a spot in the NFL playoffs yet, but the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams have a chance to clinch postseason berths in Week 15.

The Broncos and Patriots are tied atop the AFC. While the Jacksonville Jaguars and Steelers are clinging to their division leads. The Los Angeles Rams are currently on top of a tight race in the NFC. While the Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hanging on to division leads. There are four weeks remaining on the NFL’s 2025 regular-season calendar and plenty left to settle. Here's an early look at some predictions and picks to win the AFC, NFC and which team will be the Super Bowl 60 champion.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 3,083 passing yards, 22 touchdown passes and 12 rushing touchdowns this season. He’s the first player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards, 20 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons (2023-25) and three career seasons. The Bills are too reliant on Allen, but I predict he’ll have plenty of assistance against the Patriots in an all-AFC East championship game. Do you want to know the current scenarios of the NFL Playoff Bracket? Here, you can get the latest updates and download the 2026 NFL playoff bracket in printable and PDF formats. The 2026 NFL Playoffs season will start on Saturday, January 10, 2026.

The Wildcard games are scheduled from January 10th to January 12th. The Divisional Playoff games will take place on January 17th and 18th, and the Conference Championship games are set for Sunday, January 25th, 2026. Finally, the two remaining teams will meet in the championship game, Super Bowl LX, which will be held on Sunday, February 9, 2026, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The NFL playoffs bracket comes into play after the regular season, with the top-ranked team from each conference receiving a first-round bye. A total of 14 teams, 7 from each conference, will compete in the playoffs. To track your team’s progress, the NFL playoffs bracket is essential.

It presents the current scenarios of the race, showing which teams are out and which teams advance to the next stage. Jamie is an experienced content writer specializing in iGaming and sports betting. Jamie has previously covered sport for the likes of ESPN, AOL and MSN,… Alexandra is a Senior Content Editor at Techopedia with 10+ years of experience in covering tech, finance, crypto, igaming, and esports. Previously, Alex served as… The NFL regular season is nearing its conclusion, which means that the playoffs will soon be under way and it will not be long until fans are celebrating the arrival of the Super Bowl.

NFL betting becomes very popular at this time of the year, so for anyone wondering how NFL playoffs work, read on for our full guide to the NFL playoffs 2026. NFL playoffs 2026 will work in a slightly different way to previous seasons because the postseason has been expanded to include two more teams.

People Also Search

December Still Says Regular Season, But The Standings Already Smell

December still says regular season, but the standings already smell like January, and NFL Playoff Predictions 2026 starts with that truth. Denver owns the conference lead at 12 and 2, and the entire AFC keeps circling one question: who forces the Broncos to play a full four quarters in the cold. A bartender flips RedZone on mute and you can still hear the groans. Fans count wins on their fingers, ...

Tampa Bay And Carolina Share The Same 7 And 7

Tampa Bay and Carolina share the same 7 and 7 mark in the NFC South, which turns every Sunday into a referendum. So yes, the calendar reads mid December. The math reads Wild Card Weekend. Denver leads the AFC West and already locked up a playoff berth, while New England controls the AFC East at 11 and 3 and Jacksonville owns the AFC South at 10 and 4. Pittsburgh leads the AFC North at 8 and 6, whi...

Fans Across The Country Are Getting Ready For The Biggest

Fans across the country are getting ready for the biggest weeks in football. This year’s playoff format sticks to the 14-team setup. Seven teams from each conference will compete for a spot in Super Bowl LX. This guide gives you everything you need to know. You’ll find key playoff dates, the full schedule by round, the current playoff bracket, and how the format works. We also cover projected matc...

Stay Updated With The Latest Playoff Picture As The Road

Stay updated with the latest playoff picture as the road to Santa Clara begins. The NFL regular season ends on Sunday, January 4, 2026. Right after that, the playoff race begins. Here are the important dates: Each round is packed with action and sets the stage for the next. The road to the Super Bowl moves fast.

Fans And Teams Must Stay Ready. We're Only Three Games

Fans and teams must stay ready. We're only three games into Week 17, but we've already seen some significant developments that impact the NFL playoff picture. While Thursday's opener between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders was largely meaningless, the day's two other contests were playoff-relevant. The Detroit Lions were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their loss ag...