NFL Picks, Predictions, Start Sit Advice

During Tyler Shough’s inaugural full season as a starter, the New Orleans Saints face difficulties, while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers experience another concerning decline. In this scenario, a second consecutive division championship is secured, which also grants them the top seed in the division. Heading into 2026 (several factors suggest that the Chicago Bears might be the most fascinating team), as both improvement and regression are anticipated. Liam Coen is steadily creating a true contender in Jacksonville, and a second straight division title was clinched with four consecutive victories to end the year. In a competitive battle within the AFC South (the Tennessee Titans just miss qualifying for the playoffs with eight wins), while the Indianapolis Colts fail for the sixth year in a row. Aaron Rodgers has not yet confirmed his commitment to the team for 2026 (and regardless of his decision), the schedule for the Steelers appears challenging.

The Bengals make their return, four years after competing with the Chiefs in consecutive conference hockey betting tips championship games. It is very likely that Carson Beck will have ample opportunities in this scenario, although the team might also seek his immediate successor in the 2027 NFL Draft. It’s difficult not to feel sympathy for the Cardinals, who are competing against three of the NFL’s leading teams for their division. The Buffalo Bills reclaim the top position in their division — as the Patriots register six fewer victories in this simulation compared to 2025. The FPM forecasts just over eight wins for Pittsburgh, and while only five would be a major surprise, it remains a possible outcome. We conducted a simulation for the 2026 season using PFSN’s NFL Playoff Predictor — which predicts each of the 272 games based on PFSN’s strength of schedule and power rankings.

• The Cowboys close the season with games against divisional foes — the Commanders and Giants.
• If the eight divisions play out exactly as we see above in our projected standings, here’s what the 14-team playoff bracket would look like.
• Adding Azeez Ojulari was a pretty nice move (and I like what this team did in the draft), continuing to stock great players.
• Just don’t look at the weeks immediately after — or — for reasons that I will explain next — before.
• The Eagles are going back to the playoffs — and perhaps all the way back to the Super Bowl.

High point: Weeks 1-5.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is a big betting favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The Seahawks’ offensive unknowns seemed to influence the final win-loss decision whenever more stable operations appeared on the calendar. Despite having a week off to prepare (and the added benefit of catching the Commanders on short rest fresh off a loss at Kansas City), the Seahawks are unable to capture a potentially season-altering victory at the midpoint. The win pushes Seattle above .500 for the first and last time in 2025.

The most challenging match to predict: Bears in Week 3.

In all seriousness, both teams failed to make the playoffs last year but should be expected to challenge this year. The Raiders would field plenty of calls for the first overall pick — with the team unlikely to be in the market for one of the draft’s top quarterback prospects. Meanwhile, for only the third time since the 2013 season, the AFC champions will be a team other than the Kansas City Chiefs or the Patriots, as both missed the playoffs. All four teams finish with winning records, as the NFC North maintains its status as one of the toughest divisions in the NFL. The New York Jets show signs of progression with seven wins and have an enviable stack of 2027 draft picks to improve their young roster further.

Realistically — six out of the bottom seven teams could end the year with quarterbacks in their first three years at the helm. With only 0.3 wins differentiating the Jaguars from the Houston Texans — and a mere two wins separating all four teams, the AFC South is anticipated to be the closest division. It also provides the number of simulations in which a team claims the division title and qualifies for the playoffs. For the preseason rankings, it considers how changes in quarterbacks and coaching might affect those teams.

While I would enjoy the narrative of a Detroit win — I find it challenging to predict such an outcome here. Many will be watching the Lions following key coaching staff departures during the offseason, and I expect them to respond positively, starting strong… Amid total chaos in 2024 — Williams threw for 3,500 yards and achieved 20 touchdowns as a rookie.

Although a drop in performance is anticipated after Thanksgiving — I believe many of those December matchups — like the one against Houston and the game against Atlanta — will likely be competitive.

Went back and forth on this game until ultimately siding with Atlanta. The 2025 Panthers could be a prime example of a team that’s better than its projected record. A strong start would do wonders for this franchise. If Bryce Young’s sophomore resurgence carries over into Year 3 and the team’s revamped defense clicks from the jump, Carolina could certainly win at Jacksonville. Unable to translate competitive performances — including this close one at Lambeau — into Ws — the Panthers hit the midpoint with just two wins on their ledger. The floor is pretty high for him, and I thus wouldn’t be surprised if he and his squad undercut my analysis here by making a run to the playoffs similar to what Bo Nix and the Broncos accomplished last year.

Given that teams picking in spots 2-6 are probably searching for a quarterback in this scenario, it’s highly probable that the Jets will need to utilize their draft capital to facilitate a trade. In their opening five games of the season — the Eagles encounter four teams that reached the playoffs in 2024.. . Although I hold the 49ers in high regard, even outstanding teams can have off days. Our conference seeding for the entire playoff field can be found, including our individual selections for the eight division winners and six wild-card teams.

Could Jaxson Dart leap over Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to lead the Giants to the playoffs this year, proving both of us wrong here? Just don’t look at the weeks immediately after, or — for reasons that I will explain next — before. In my scenario (the bad vibes spill over into a rough start that reaches its nadir in this loss to the Panthers), which drops the ‘Boys to 1-5. This stretch could make or break a return to the playoffs if things go a little better than either of us is forecasting during Brian Schottenheimer’s first season.

I like the Vikings’ general approach, and I believe McCarthy is going to be a great quarterback in Minnesota. What better time for the Vikes to pull off a huge win than in J.J. After their transatlantic trip, the Vikings get a bye — then hit a three-game skid. Adding veteran running back Josh Jacobs to the offense worked out great last season, and rookie receiver Matthew Golden is going to be a stud this year. The emotional letdown gives this setback an edge in this category over being swept by the Bears for the first time since 2007. In the end (Rodgers’ former squad stays on an early roll while taking some of the starch out of Pittsburgh’s own encouraging start), dropping the Steelers to 4-3.

A challenging matchup against Tampa at the end of November initiates a grueling series that includes home and away contests against the Rams, along with trips to Houston and Cincinnati. When this team operates at full capacity, it poses a threat to anyone — even the formidable Eagles. However, I would be surprised if this team does not face its share of challenges as it enters a new chapter of Saints football. Nevertheless, I wouldn’t disregard a well-rested Saints team making an impact at home against a rival they dislike.

There are enough veteran leaders on hand for New Orleans to win twice as many games as projected, presuming competent quarterback play. But as promising as the improved pass rush might look on paper — I won’t be convinced the team has fixed its issues in that area until I see it when the games count. It’ll be fun to see what the discussion is around these two teams (and this game), a few months from now. The Packers are a very good team, and they will make the playoffs for the third straight time. The Giants have a window to potentially stack a couple of wins together here — when they host the Chargers (who must endure the dreaded early East Coast start time), then visit the rebuilding Saints.