The NFL season has officially reached the home stretch, and the postseason pictures for both conferences are coming into focus. It’s the perfect time to evaluate the landscape, break down the remaining schedule for the playoff hopefuls, and pinpoint opportunities to plant early flags on which teams will clinch postseason berths.
Here are our top NFL picks and NFL playoff predictions for the 2024 postseason.
NFL Playoffs predictions
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a tough schedule ahead, and the Baltimore Ravens are just a single win back in the AFC North heading into their NFL Week 14 bye. Baltimore hosts Pittsburgh in Week 16, which will probably go a long way toward determining the division's pecking order, and I think the Ravens finish stronger than the Steelers.
A 9-8 finish might be good enough for the Washington Commanders to punch their first postseason ticket since 2020, but losing out and finishing 8-9 probably won’t be. The Commanders don’t have any layups left on the schedule, while the NFC South and NFC West are both wide open with five teams — six if you count the San Francisco 49ers — still in playoff contention.
Best bet: Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North (+140 at bet365)
Longshot pick: Washington Commanders to miss the playoffs (+270 at DraftKings)
No. 1 AFC seed prediction
The Buffalo Bills bookended their bye week by topping the first-place Kansas City Chiefs and running all over the 49ers. The former is most important because it gives Buffalo the head-to-head tiebreaker over KC if the teams finish with the same record.
As a result, I’m actually surprised Buffalo isn’t the favorite to finish with the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
The Bills have a tough road game against the Detroit Lions ahead in Week 15, but the Detroit defense is hampered by injuries, so there’s a potential path to close out the season with five straight wins.
Kansas City, meanwhile, hosts likely AFC playoff teams (Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14 and Houston Texans in Week 16) and then hits the highway three times to finish out the year. It’s unlikely the Chiefs run the table.
Pick: Buffalo Bills to be No. 1 seed in the AFC (+140 at DraftKings)
No. 1 NFC seed prediction
Whatever went on during the Week 5 bye worked for the Philadelphia Eagles. They’re 8-0 out of the layoff, and Philly has a cushy schedule down the stretch with a lone road game against the Commanders. Additionally, the Eagles will be sizable favorites in their home dates with the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, and New York Giants.
Hosting Pittsburgh in Week 15 stands as the biggest test, but Philadelphia trails Detroit in the NFC, and the Lions have multiple tough games and a banged-up defense.
The Eagles soaring to the top seed in the NFC shouldn’t surprise anyone.
Pick: Philadelphia Eagles to be No. 1 seed in the NFC (+190 at bet365)
AFC Wild Card prediction
Hats off to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin for the 9-3 start, but take a peek at this upcoming gauntlet:
- vs. Cleveland
- @ Philadelphia
- @ Baltimore
- vs. Kansas City
- vs. Cincinnati
I expect the Ravens to leapfrog Pittsburgh in the standings and win the AFC North, so we’re landing a decent plus-money price on the Steelers to earn a wild-card berth.
Pittsburgh has won six one-possession games, and as good as quarterback Russell Wilson has been, sustaining a career-high yards per attempt (8.7) is unlikely for the 36-year-old veteran.
Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers to earn a wild card (+135 at DraftKings)
NFC Wild Card predictions
Laying -500 odds on a futures bet isn’t exactly the most fun nod on the board, but it’s the smartest.
In likely a best-case scenario, the Minnesota Vikings will have a chance to win the NFC North by beating the Lions at Ford Field in Week 18. Unfortunately, Minny still has a potentially tough road game against the Seattle Seahawks in addition to home dates with the Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, and Green Bay Packers in between.
The 10-2 Vikings are smiling pretty in the playoff picture, but too much needs to go right to win the NFC East.
Pick: Minnesota Vikings to earn a wild card (-500 at DraftKings)
