NFL

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• AFC predictions: East | West | North | South
• NFC predictions: East | West | North | South
• NFL playoff predictions
• Super Bowl 61 picks

How might the AFC and NFC division races all play out during the 2026 NFL regular season? What might be the latest surprises with the 14 total playoff teams?

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After the Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60 to end last season, anything can happen again in the race toward winning Super Bowl 61. The Seahawks did it with dominant defense. The Patriots won the AFC with a breakout young QB, Drake Maye.

There are many teams who fit the profile of top contenders in ’26 because of defense, an MVP-caliber franchise QB, or a fine blend of both with a strong overall supporting cast. Who will get back to battling for a ring and who won’t? Will either the Seahawks or Patriots have a Super Bowl hangover?

Sporting News looks into our crystal ball again to make our boldest predictions for how the latest NFL season will play out through Feb. 14, 2027, when Los Angeles plays host to Super Bowl 61:

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NFL season predictions 2026

Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

AFC East

1. Buffalo Bills (12-5)
2. New England Patriots (10-7)
3. New York Jets (5-12)
4. Miami Dolphins (2-15)

Buffalo fell just short of beating Denver in the AFC Championship Game, setting up New England well to get to Super Bowl 60. The Bills will learn well from losing that game and the division, with some overall needed rejuvenation with promoted offensive-minded coach Joe Brady. The Patriots will come back to earth with a tougher schedule but still have the talent led by Maye’s offense and coach Mike Vrabel on defense.

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AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens (11-6)
2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (3-14)

The Steelers won the weakened division in 2025 with a final winning season under Mike Tomlin. The Ravens disappointed in the final season under John Harbaugh thanks to injuries. The Bengals were lost as soon as Joe Burrow got hurt. Baltimore will rebound well in the new offense working for defensive-minded coach Jesse Minter. Burrow will come out firing to give Cincinnati a reasonable return to the playoffs.

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6)
2. Houston Texans (9-8)
3. Indianapolis Colts (7-10)
4. Tennessee Titans (6-11)

The Jaguars will repeat as division champions thanks to Trevor Lawrence staying hot in Liam Coen’s offense with a new-look running game and a more active playmaking defense. The Texans have offensive inconsistency issues to bring down DeMeco Ryans’ top defense. The Colts seem headed for big changes, while the Titans will flash well ahead of improving in 2027.

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)
2. Denver Broncos (10-7)
3. Los Angeles Chargers (8-9)
4. Las Vegas Raiders (5-12)

The Chiefs made some offensive adjustments to help a recovering Patrick Mahomes, with Eric Bieniemy back to support Andy Reid and a new dedication to the running game with Kenneth Walker III. They will go back to their grinding ways to reward Travis Kelce’s return with a playoff rebound. The Broncos will show they are a steadier team than the Chargers with less reliance on crazy comebacks.

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NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-5)
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-7)
3. New York Giants (8-9)
4. Washington Commanders (6-11)

The Eagles will see a more relaxed Jalen Hurts at quarterback, minus A.J. Brown, who will also fall back into the groove running with Saquon Barkley in a new offense. The defense alone makes them the division favorites. The Cowboys are getting late hype to exceed expectations but have a transitional defense. The Giants won’t quite be ready with Harbaugh and the Commanders are bound to take a few more lumps.

NFC North

1. Chicago Bears (14-3)
2. Detroit Lions (12-5)
3. Green Bay Packers (11-6)
4. Minnesota Vikings (7-10)

The Bears will deliver on their offensive promise in Year 2 of Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams, with a strong running game as the foundation. The defense will continue to make big plays with a revamped cast. The Lions should also reward the energy of Dan Campbell with their bounceback while the Packers’ vibes seem off with Matt LaFleur. The Vikings will be more competitive with Kyler Murray and defense, but this tough division will limit them under Kevin O’Connell.

NFC South 

1. New Orleans Saints (8-9)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-11)
3. Carolina Panthers (5-12)
4. Atlanta Falcons (3-14)

The Saints will be the latest team to take a weak division with a losing record. There’s some worthy buzz for QB Tyler Shough in the second year of offensive-minded coach Kellen Moore. The Brandon Staley defense also can have more impact. The Bucs are set for a fade with Todd Bowles, while the Panthers will regress from their surprise spike. The Falcons are too much of a QB mess to put higher than last place.

NFC West 

1. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
2. Seattle Seahawks (12-5)
3. San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
4. Arizona Cardinals (4-13)

The Rams are heavy favorites to win both the NFC and Super Bowl 61 at home in Los Angeles, repeating their feat from five years ago in Super Bowl 56 with Aaron Donald returning to the defense and being joined by Myles Garrett up front. The Seahawks and 49ers will once again make it tough for them to roll to big record in the regular season, however, with their fair share of championship makeup and experience.

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AFC playoff predictions

1. Buffalo Bills
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. New England Patriots
6. Denver Broncos
7. Cincinnati Bengals

Wild-card round: Chiefs over Bengals, Jaguars over Broncos, Patriots over Ravens

Divisional round: Bills over Patriots, Chiefs over Jaguars

AFC championship: Bills over Chiefs

Neither the Bills nor the Chiefs played in the AFC Championship Game last season, and that will be corrected to renew their rivalry after a one-year hiccup. It’s only appropriate that Allen gets over the conference title hump once again, dueling Mahomes. The Jaguars and Ravens will be teams to watch to jump up in next season’s playoffs.

NFC playoff predictions

1. Chicago Bears
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Seattle Seahawks
6. San Francisco 49ers
7. Detroit Lions

Wild-card round: Eagles over Lions, Rams over 49ers, Seahawks over Saints

Divisional round: Bears over Seahawks, Rams over Eagles

NFC championship: Bears over Rams

The Bears will flex with the most complete team they have had in years and will be further boosted by having the No. 1 seed and home-field advantage at Soldier Field. Their rematch with the Rams will be more fruitful with Williams having his big moment against a tough defense.

MORE: Why SN picked the Bills to win Super Bowl 61

Super Bowl 61 prediction

• Bills over Bears, 27-24

The Bills needed a little shake-up and offensive spark to get more out of their entire team in the playoffs. They are overdue to get it all right with Allen and will be determined and driven through the AFC playoffs. Buffalo has plenty of rushing attack and defense to get the job done, with Williams falling just short in his superstar third-year turn. The Bears will make it a classic in Los Angeles, representing the NFC well in place of the Rams.

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