The excitement of the NFL playoffs is finally upon us, and with the wild-card round kicking off this Saturday, fans are buzzing with predictions and hopes for their favorite teams. Our team of football editors has weighed in on their forecasts for each playoff round leading up to the highly anticipated Super Bowl LX, and you won’t want to miss their insights!
AFC Wild-Card Round
As we look at the AFC wild-card matchups, it seems that there’s a strong consensus among our editors that the Texans will continue their impressive nine-game winning streak as they take on the Steelers in the playoff's first round. However, the outcomes of the other two games are much more uncertain. The matchup between the Bills and the Jaguars has divided our panel evenly, with four votes each, indicating that it could go either way. Meanwhile, the Chargers narrowly secured the edge over the high-scoring Patriots, making for an intriguing contest.
NFC Wild-Card Round
Turning our attention to the NFC, the Rams, despite facing some challenges in the latter part of the season, have garnered confidence from our editors, who believe they are ready to make a significant playoff push. On the other hand, while the Bears may not have finished the regular season strong, it is their remarkable tenacity that some believe will carry them past the Packers in this crucial matchup. Additionally, the reigning champions, the Eagles, are widely expected to move forward with their title defense.
AFC Divisional Round
In the divisional round of the AFC playoffs, star quarterback Justin Herbert has shown resilience despite dealing with a hand injury, leading four of our editors to predict that the Chargers will reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time since 2007. Several editors also foresee the Bills making their second consecutive appearance in the AFC title game, while New England garnered three votes to advance. Surprisingly, only two of our editors are convinced that the top-seeded Broncos will manage to progress beyond this round.
NFC Divisional Round
The potential for the Seahawks to return to the NFC Championship Game after almost a decade has fans buzzing with anticipation, and we're just as excited! The Rams, a formidable force, also received strong backing from our editors. The Bears earned a couple of votes to make their way to the NFC title game for the first time since 2010, while a few of us believe the Eagles will get a shot at defending their NFC championship.
AFC Championship Game
When it comes to predicting which team will represent the AFC in Super Bowl LX, our editors are split down the middle. Half envision either Houston or Jacksonville making their inaugural Super Bowl appearance, contrasting with the other half who favor Buffalo or New England.
NFC Championship Game
History may very well be on the side of the Rams, who previously defeated an NFC West opponent to secure their spot in Super Bowl LVI. Most of our editors are optimistic that Sean McVay's squad will book another ticket to the Super Bowl. Interestingly, the Eagles were only predicted by one editor to make a return to the grand finale.
Super Bowl LX
As for our predictions for Super Bowl LX, two editors believe that the Rams will claim their second championship under Matthew Stafford. The Bills received a couple of votes as well, with hopes of finally raising the Lombardi Trophy. Additionally, Seattle is projected to earn two selections, aiming for the franchise's first championship since their victory in 2013. A win on February 8 would grant New England its seventh title, while the Jaguars could achieve the milestone of securing their first championship.
