NFL Playoffs instant bracket predictions for 2026 Super Bowl matchup and champion

The NFL regular season is over, and it ends without anything resembling a true Super Bowl favorite entering the playoffs.

Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL, and the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t in the playoff bracket. The Detroit Lions also didn’t make the playoffs after being a popular pick to win the NFC before the season. Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens didn’t even make the playoffs, and Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills were shaky from the jump. The defending champion Philadelphia Eagles were solid but unspectacular all season. While long-time powers started to fall or show signs of weakness, new teams took the league by surprise to assert their will. Raise your hand if you had the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks as the No. 1 seeds in each conference heading into this year. I don’t see any hands up.

The 2026 NFL Playoffs are wide open, and with the bracket set, it’s time to make some predictions. Let’s make picks through the NFC and AFC playoffs, and speculate on who’s going to win the whole thing.

NFC Wild Card predictions

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson said he was going to beat the Packers twice during his introductory press conference, and now he has the chance to do it. Micah Parsons’ torn ACL kills the Packers’ chances of being a trendy Super Bowl pick, but this roster is still pretty solid top-to-bottom. The Bears won the last matchup between these two teams on the greatest pass in franchise history from Caleb Williams to D.J. Moore. This one will come down to the wire again like almost every other Bears game this year, but I’ll go with Chicago to pull out the victory. Yes I’m biased, but whatever.

Pick: Bears.

San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles

The 49ers’ offense has looked electric in December … at least when they’re not playing the mighty Seahawks’ defense. The Eagles just don’t have the same juice they had last year when they won the Super Bowl, with Jalen Hurts failing to complete a pass in the second half of multiple wins this year. That’s no way to live in the playoffs. I don’t see the Eagles’ offense being good enough to match San Fran point-for-point even against a shaky Niners defense.

Pick: 49ers

Los Angeles Rams vs. Carolina Panthers

It’s hilarious that the Panthers are hosting this game after finishing below .500 on the season. Such is life in the NFC South, which I correctly predicted before the season. Rams by a million.

Pick: Rams.

AFC Wild Card predictions

Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots

This one could get interesting. The Patriots rolled through the AFC all year behind possible league MVP Drake Maye, but their schedule was paper soft. Jim Harbaugh will have his Chargers team ready to play, and it’s totally possible Justin Herbert could out-play Maye. Is it crazy to think these are the two best quarterbacks in the NFL right now? Ultimately, Herbert just doesn’t have the protection up front or the weapons to show a national audience how good he really is.

Pick: Patriots.

Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags started this season 5-4, and they haven’t lost since. First-year head coach Liam Coen has turned Trevor Lawrence into an MVP candidate, but Jacksonville’s defensive evolution has been just as important. It also helps that the Jags have a kicker with the two longest kicks in NFL history. Josh Allen still feels like the best football player in the world to me now that Mahomes has a torn ACL, but I don’t trust Buffalo’s coaching or defense.

Pick: Jags

Houston Texans at Pittsburgh Steelers

This game is going to be ugly offensively, but I trust C.J. Stroud more than 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers at this point. Houston’s defense is awesome, and their pass rush is going to make Rodgers’ life miserable.

Pick Texans.

NFC Divisional Round predictions

No. 5 seed Rams vs. No. 2 seed Bears

The Rams looked like a juggernaut until the last few games of the season, when their performance was downright worrying. Davonte Adams should be healthy if the Rams make it this far, and I just don’t see how a limp Bears defense stops the Rams’ passing attack. Chicago just can’t put any pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, and Matthew Stafford is too good if he’s given time. I’m a Bears fan born and raised, but I also have to be a realist. Please forget about this prediction entirely if the Bears somehow pull out another clutch win.

Pick: Rams

No. 6 seed 49ers vs. No. 1 seed Seahawks

The 49ers’ offense is amazing. The Seahawks’ defense is even better. In a best-on-best matchup, Seattle’s defense limits the Niners just enough to let Sam Darnold and the running game score enough to win.

Pick: Seahawks

AFC Divisional Round predictions

No. 3 seed Jaguars vs. No. 2 seed Patriots

Football fans would be blessed if they got to watch Lawrence vs. Maye after getting Maye vs. Herbert in the Wild Card round. Maybe the Jags peaked too early, but I’m starting to get Team of Destiny vibes from them. I’m fully sold on Lawrence as an elite QB at this point, and I think the Jags’ defense can limit the Patriots’ offense at least a little bit. Give me the team with the kicker who can boot 70-yard bombs. Jacksonville might need one in this game.

Pick: Jags

No. 4 seed Texans vs. No. 1 Broncos

A matchup of two elite defenses. Houston can rattle Bo Nix, but ultimately I just feel like Denver is the more complete team.

Pick: Broncos

NFC Championship Game predictions

Rams vs. Seahawks

The Rams and Seahawks gave us two thrillers in the regular season, and their Week 16 matchup — which the Seahawks won in overtime — has a case for The Game of the Year. Round 3 should be every bit as tense with a dominant Seattle defense going against Stafford’s high-powered Rams passing game.

Pick: Rams

AFC Championship Game predictions

Jaguars vs. Broncos

The Jaguars already won convincingly at Denver just a few weeks ago. It’s totally possible the Denver defense takes over this game and shuts down Jacksonville’s fairy tale second-half, but ultimately I trust Jacksonville’s defense more than Denver’s offense, and think Coen and Lawrence can muster up enough offensive success to give the Jags the win.

Pick: Jags

Super Bowl LX predictions

Jaguars vs. Rams

Matthew Stafford gets his storybook ending and rides off into the sunset. There will be speculation that Sean McVay will follow him into retirement, but I’m not buying that one yet. I’ll predict Rams 31, Jaguars 27 in what’s considered a modern Super Bowl classic.

Pick: Rams