We finally made it to yet another year blessed with Football on Sundays (Mondays and Thursdays too!) Last year’s playoff race came down to the wire, with two top-seeded powerhouses facing off in Super Bowl 59. Most of this year’s teams have revamped rosters, which could bring in some interesting competition come playoff time. Lets have a look at who I think is going to punch their ticket to the playoffs in 2025!
Super Bowl Contenders
Bills,Ravens,Eagles,Lions
The Eagles are my current favorite to win it all, with the Ravens coming in a very close second. Saquon probably won’t run for 2k again, but he will indeed come very close. The Lions are still contenders even after losing Ben Johnson to Chicago. They boasted 33.2 points/game in 2024.
The Bills finally look like they are coming together after beating the Ravens in the AFC Divisional in 2024. They ended up roadblocked by the Chiefs, but their roster looks better from top to bottom compared to the Chiefs and their ongoing suspensions recently.
Playoff Bound
Texans, Buccaneers, Bengals, Broncos, Rams
The Houston Texans have the highest probability of this group to reach the Super Bowl. However they did not make the cut due to early season injuries that may limit them early on. This defensive unit is too powerful (Top 5 in sacks + takeaways in 2024) for the Texans not to be contending.
The Buccaneers and Bengals are in a similar boat. Both have high-powered offenses with a few holes in their defense. A championship game is not out of the question for these two teams.
The Broncos are relatively young on offense, but that didn’t stop them from securing a playoff spot with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. His rushing upside this season combined with Sean Payton could be a recipe for success.
Squeeze em in!
Chiefs,Commanders,49ers,Steelers
Let’s be brutally honest, if you’re barely squeezing into the playoffs then your squad probably is a long shot to win it all. That doesn’t mean we can’t ponder at the possibility of an Eli Manning-like breakthrough in the playoffs.
The Commanders are my prediction to be that team. Just like last year’s rapid success (NFC Championship game) This year’ schedule is not like last, as the Commanders have the 8th toughest schedule in the league for 2025. This is why I believe they will barely squeeze in.
It is looking like the Chiefs are going to have a much harder time than anticipated to start the year, and their schedule doesn’t get any easier down the road. Mahomes still carries this team, which is why he will find a way in.
Superbowl Prediction: Texans 27 vs Lions 24
Lefty Sports 