We’re officially past the midpoint of the season, and teams are beginning to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. I have went through the remaining schedules for all notable teams, and in this article, I’ll share my current playoff projections, potential playoff matchups, and, ultimately, my Super Bowl champion prediction. With the trade deadline and nine weeks still ahead, I’ll be reviewing these predictions again before the playoffs.

Current NFL Playoff Teams:

AFC
1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-0)
2. Buffalo Bills (7-2)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
4. Houston Texans (6-3)
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5. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
6. L.A. Chargers (5-3)
7. Denver Broncos (5-4)

Notable teams outside of playoffs: Colts (4-5), Bengals (4-5), Jets (3-6), Dolphins (2-6)

NFC
1. Detroit Lions (7-1)
2. Washington Commanders (7-2)
3. Atlanta Falcons (6-3)
4. Arizona Cardinals (5-4)
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5. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3)

Notable teams outside of playoffs: Buccaneers (4-4), Bears (4-4), Rams (4-4), 49ers (4-4), Seahawks (4-5), Cowboys (3-5)

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Playoff Format

In case you need a quick refresher, The NFL playoffs include seven teams from each conference (AFC and NFC). This includes:

• Four division winners (one from each division in each conference), who earn the top four seeds (#1-4).
• Three Wild Card teams with the best records among teams that didn’t win their division, filling seeds #5-7.

The #1 seed in each conference gets a first-round bye and automatically advances to the second round. After the first round of games, the #1 seed will face the lowest remaining seed. For ALL matchups, the higher-seeded team plays at home.

Throughout the playoffs, matchups are re-seeded each round to ensure the highest remaining seed always faces the lowest remaining seed.

Lets get into it!

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Final Standings Prediction

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Wild Card Round Prediction

AFC

#1 Kansas City Chiefs – BYE

#5 Pittsburgh Steelers def. #4 Houston Texans
#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #7 Denver Broncos
#3 Buffalo Bills def. #6 Cincinnati Bengals

In the first matchup, I have the #5 seed Pittsburgh Steelers storming into Houston and upsetting the Texans on their home turf. Fueled by their playoff experience, I anticipate a classic, last-second victory for Mike Tomlin’s squad. Expect a BIG bounce back year in 2025 for C.J. Stroud.

Lamar Jackson will enter these playoffs hearing plenty about his 2-4 playoff record. The Ravens are playing great football, and with the support of All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, the #2 Ravens should be able to take care of business against rookie Bo Nix and the Broncos.

In the final AFC Wild Card matchup, I have the Bengals getting in as the #6 seed after a strong finish to the season. Unfortunately for them, they face a Bills team that’s riding high. This is likely to be the highest-scoring wild card game, with the Bills squeaking out a victory at home.

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NFC

#1 Detroit Lions – BYE

#4 San Francisco 49ers def. #5 Minnesota Vikings
#7 Green Bay Packers def. #2 Washington Commanders
#6 Philadelphia Eagles def. #3 Atlanta Falcons

The NFC promises the best matchups for Wild Card Weekend. Starting with the 49ers, I have them defeating the Vikings at home. With the exception of Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers should be at full strength for the playoffs. Their experience and drive to return to the Super Bowl should lift them past Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings.

The Washington Commanders have become one of the best stories of 2024. Jayden Daniels has a bright future in this league, but I think the Packers’ defense will be too much for the rookie to handle in his first postseason start. This won’t be the last time we see Daniels in the playoffs.

Then there’s the “battle of the birds.” This one was hard to call, as the Eagles are arguably the better overall team, but Kirk Cousins is playing with a chip on his shoulder. The Eagles, looking to avenge a tough postseason loss and a big collapse to end 2023, go into the playoffs hot after winning the NFC East. Riding that momentum, they defeat the Falcons in the Wild Card round.

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Divisional Round Prediction

AFC

#1 Kansas City Chiefs def. #5 Pittsburgh Steelers
#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #3 Buffalo Bills

We’re going with the chalk picks for the Divisional Round. Chiefs vs. Steelers will be a great showdown between two of the greatest coaches to ever do it. The Chiefs are elite defensively, and we typically see the best of Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs. That combination has me picking the Chiefs to reach the AFC Championship for the 7th straight season.

Through nine games, the Ravens boast the league’s number-one offense, a trend I expect to continue late into the season and carry over into the playoffs. The Bills defense has proved that they struggle in big-time matchups, and going into Baltimore against Lamar Jackson is never easy. I’m picking Lamar to advance, setting up a rematch of the 2023 AFC Championship against the Chiefs.

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NFC

#1 Detroit Lions def. #7 Green Bay Packers
#2 San Francisco 49ers def. #6 Philadelphia Eagles

The Lions are quickly becoming the new “America’s Team.” For fans without a stake in the game, there’s a good chance they’re rooting for Detroit—something last year’s Divisional Round fan map clearly showed here. With home-field advantage at Ford Field, I like the Lions to defeat the Packers and advance to their second consecutive NFC Championship game.

The San Francisco 49ers have battled a plethora of injuries at every position. Brock Purdy has been playing well despite these setbacks, and I anticipate him and the 49ers rolling into the playoffs with plenty of momentum. The return of Christian McCaffrey will push them over the top, and they will defeat Jalen Hurts and the Eagles to set up another Championship game rematch.

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Championship Round Prediction

AFC

#2 Baltimore Ravens def. #1 Kansas City Chiefs

The Baltimore Ravens’ high-powered offense proves too much for the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. Lamar Jackson lifts his playoff record above .500 in the biggest win of his career, silencing critics who claimed he couldn’t perform in the playoffs.

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NFC

#1 Detroit Lions def. def. #2 San Francisco 49ers

Yes, I have predicted both Championship games from last season to be repeated this year, and yes, both will have different results. There is no denying that the 49ers are incredibly talented, but no team in the league has the chemistry that the Lions have. Dan Campbell has the team playing for each other, and Jared Goff has been spectacular this season. The two-headed monster of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are too much for the 49ers to handle, and the Lions advance to their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

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Super Bowl 59 Prediction

Detroit Lions def. Baltimore Ravens

Yes, Lions fans, you’re reading that right: the Detroit Lions win Super Bowl 59. This historic moment marks their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. The watch party at Ford Field would be so loud that the cheers could be heard all the way in New Orleans as the team hoists the Lombardi Trophy in the Superdome. Jared Goff, Dan Campbell, and the entire squad would become legends in Detroit, and this victory would symbolize not just the resilience of the team, but the strength of the entire city. The streets would overflow with ecstatic fans, finally giving the long-suffering Lions supporters a reason to celebrate, and uniting the community in a wave of pride. It would be a fairy tale ending that perfectly captures the essence of sports: hope, perseverance, and the sweet taste of victory.

I exit this article with the image of Jared Goff riding off into the sunset, the cheers of “Jared Goff! Jared Goff!” from the Lions faithful slowly fading behind him—a lasting memory of triumph that will echo for generations to come.