Super Bowl 2024: The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII for their fourth NFL championship in the Super Bowl era. Can Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes do what no one ever has and win three in a row? That’s only one of the major talking points as the 2024 season kicks off.
We have our typical Super Bowl favorites and long shots, but we also have a few surprises thrown in to impact a competitive playoff picture. Below, we dive into our early playoff predictions for the 2024-25 football season, going division by division, complete with our predicted Super Bowl outcome.
Who will be the Super Bowl 2025 winner? Check out Sportsnaut’s predictions, which are updated each week during the regular season.
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Predicting NFL playoff teams, Super Bowl 2025 winner
AFC West champions: Kansas City Chiefs
After winning back-to-back Super Bowls and retaining their top players aside from L’Jarius Sneed, how could we pick against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes? Winners of the AFC West every year dating back to 2016, the Kansas City Chiefs have returned as one of the NFL’s best teams in 2024. Xavier Worthy gives Mahomes a speed demon again, while Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins provide more reliable options. They may no longer be undefeated, but now the Chiefs can push that distraction aside and focus on the threepeat.
As great as the Chiefs have been, the Los Angeles Chargers are taking a sizable leap forward under Jim Harbaugh. Justin Herbert is one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the league, and he still has more room for growth. Yet, it’s their top-ranked defense that’s been a far bigger story thus far. They’ve mostly passed the test on both sides of the ball, but that’s to be expected with Coach Harbaugh in town.
Stay up to date on the latest Los Angeles Chargers news and rumors
The Denver Broncos’ future is in Bo Nix’s hands. Sean Payton finally gets his young quarterback, who’s already 24. The oldest of this year’s rookie quarterbacks to earn a start so far, Nix is doing a good job of avoiding turnovers while operating a safe offense. Protecting the football while boasting a top-five defense, allowing just 16.3 PPG will keep the Broncos in the mix for a playoff spot.
Until a better QB than Gardner Minshew arrives, the Las Vegas Raiders will be behind the competition, thanks to a lack of coaching experience. Antonio Pierce might be able to create a spark, but the Raiders don’t have enough playmakers on offense to make a difference. This team might need a new head coach by season’s end.
AFC West prediction
- Kansas City Chiefs – Division winners
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Denver Broncos
- Las Vegas Raiders
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AFC North champions: Baltimore Ravens
While the Steelers are ahead right now, as long as Lamar Jackson is healthy, the Baltimore Ravens will always be considered a top threat in the AFC North. An 0-2 start put the Ravens in a tough hole to dig out of. But they’ve steadied the ship since. With the NFL’s best rushing offense, Baltimore should only get better as temperatures drop.
Mix Mike Tomlin and Russell Wilson + Justin Fields? It sounds perfect on paper. Tomlin”s streak of zero losing seasons in 17 years will extend to 18. We expect the Steelers to compete for the top seed in the AFC playoffs, but facing the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs from Weeks 15-17 could determine Pittsburgh’s fate.
After a slow start, we didn’t get a fair look at the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023 once Joe Burrow was lost for the season. But all that’s in the past now. Or so we thought. We’ve seen the offense come alive at times, but the Bengals are still in the race. These big cats have the potential to bounce back once they’re up to full speed, but they have a lot of catching up to do.
Expected to return to being one of the NFL’s best defenses, the Cleveland Browns have been shaky, ranking as a bottom-tier unit. Much of their success depended on whether Deshaun Watson could become more consistent. Yet, now that he’s out for the season with a torn Achilles, Cleveland’s playoff chances have disappeared.
AFC North prediction
- Baltimore Ravens – Division winners
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
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AFC South champions: Houston Texans
The Houston Texans’ new additions have been on full display, with Stefon Diggs flashing greatness. But he pales in comparison to Nico Collins, who led the NFL in receiving yards before going on injured reserve. Despite three of their losses coming against red-hot NFC North teams, the Texans are well on their way to another AFC South division title.
Anthony Richardson has shown signs of being a superstar, but he’s also completing just 48.4% of his passes. Yet, Joe Flacco might be the best quarterback on this team, for now anyway. With Richardson showing he still has some growing to do before the Colts become a threat, their best hope is snagging an AFC Wild Card slot, at best.
There’s no doubt the Jacksonville Jaguars underachieved last season, and we’re not sure if they’ve improved the roster enough since. With one of the NFL’s worst defenses, plus becoming trade deadline sellers, we can safely stick a fork in the Jaguars.
The Tennessee Titans were in a position to win in Week 1 before Will Levis literally threw the game away. The story was the same in Week 2, Week 3, and Week 6, where Levis had yet another crucial turnover to lead to easy points. The Titans look like a team that deserves the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This year is all about evaluating Levis and identifying hidden gems because they’re not going anywhere.
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AFC South prediction
- Houston Texans – Division winners
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tennessee Titans
Related: 2024 NFL Power Rankings
AFC East champions: Buffalo Bills
Through 11 games without Stefon Diggs, Josh Allen looks no worse for the wear. While there have been some consistency issues, he’s thrown just four interceptions, and even though it sounded crazy in the offseason, the Bills might be better off in the long run without their All-Pro receiver. The receiving corps is still a work in progress, yet Amari Cooper could provide a long-term boost. The Bills have a bonafide Super Bowl contender in Orchard Park.
Mike McDaniel, Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle make for a dangerous quartet. Yet, Miami’s oft-explosive offense has been missing in action, and they lost too many pieces on defense to overcome a tough start as a result of Tagovailoa’s injuries. This team has a lot of potential, but we haven’t seen it come together this season.
The New York Jets may or may not have had a playoff roster a season ago. We never got to find out. But Aaron Rodgers is back with a vengeance in 2024. Yet, the Jets’ offense is still a mess, with Rodgers not on the same page with his receivers. After firing Robert Saleh, the Jets’ defense has completely fallen off. Plus, it’s too little and too late for Davante Adams to do any damage opposite Garrett Wilson.
Jerod Mayo seems more than equipped to spark a quick turnaround, but does he have the roster to match? The Patriots had one of the NFL’s most surprising upsets with a Week 1 win over Cincinnati. Yet, without identifying a playmaker who’s capable of taking a game over, we’ll pause on predicting New England to maintain this momentum in a crowded AFC East division. At least now we can all see that Drake Maye is the Patriots’ franchise quarterback.
AFC East playoff prediction
- Buffalo Bills – Division winners
- Miami Dolphins
- New York Jets
- New England Patriots
Related: Updated NFL defense rankings
AFC Wild Card spots: Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos
Again, we love the Steelers’ set-up. Their leaders are far too competitive to be anything but focused on improving from their effort a season ago, and this roster does have a good mix of star talent and youth brimming with potential. So far, so good.
Jim Harbaugh had Justin Herbert on a run-based offense diet, and it’s working quite well for the Los Angeles Chargers. For now, the rushing attack looks competent, and the Chargers’ defense is actually stopping their opponent at an elite rate. This looks like a playoff team.
It’s hard to pick anyone other than the Denver Broncos, who boast one of the NFL’s best defenses and a rookie quarterback who’s protecting the rock. With Sean Payton craving a chance to get back to the postseason, this Broncos team looks good enough to get the job done.
Related: Super Bowl odds: Every team’s championship futures for 2024 NFL season
NFC West champions: San Francisco 49ers
Just like in 2023, the San Francisco 49ers were expected to return as one of the NFL’s best teams in 2024 too. But they’re off to a tough start at 5-5. Brock Purdy is taking game management to the next level by having the deepest average depth of target in the NFL. With Kyle Shanahan pressing the buttons on offense, the 49ers shouldn’t have any issues scoring points. The same goes on defense, with one of the most fearful front sevens in football. Even without Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers’ rushing offense didn’t skip a beat, but they need to get healthy to return as NFC favorites.
Jonathan Gannon had the Arizona Cardinals playing inspired football last season. That carried over into 2024 with Kyler Murray back to making magic, but now he has a new toy by the name of Marvin Harrison Jr. Once this young roster realizes what they’re capable of, the Cardinals could make some real noise, it could even happen in the playoffs this season.
The Los Angeles Rams are usually in a good place with Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford at the helm, and Les Snead has a knack for discovering gems. But not even McVay or Snead could prevent the early rash of injuries that hit the Rams. When healthy, with some of the very best players in the NFL, the Rams have a very high ceiling, which could be enough to get them back in the playoff conversation.
Stay up to date on the latest Los Angeles Rams news and rumors
Thanks to Mike Macdonald, the Seattle Seahawks may someday have a defense capable of competing for the division crown. Geno Smith is off to a strong start, and if the rushing game can be a consistent strength, the Seahawks could become threats again in the NFC West. A positive start had Seattle on pace to get back to the playoffs, but everything’s still up in the air with no teams separating from the pack in this division.
NFC West prediction
- San Francisco 49ers – Division winners
- Arizona Cardinals
- Los Angeles Rams
- Seattle Seahawks
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NFC North champions: Detroit Lions
Jared Goff has shown he’s equipped to lead an explosive scoring attack, and as scary as it sounds, these young Detroit Lions are poised to keep improving. Boasting one of the best offensive lines leads to an elite rushing offense, and Detroit’s defense is showing signs of growth, too. The Lions are the best team in the NFL, and it’s hard not to be impressed with the team they’ve built.
Sam Darnold has been one of the league’s best success stories through 11 weeks, ranking fifth in passing touchdowns, and that’s mostly come without T.J. Hockenson. Aaron Jones breathes life into the running game, providing a much-needed boost. The remade pass rush is consistently getting home too. Can the Vikings maintain this success? With Kevin O’Connell in command of the offense and Brian Flores on defense, this team is in good hands as they eye a playoff spot.
Stay up to date on all Minnesota Vikings news and rumors
One of the youngest rosters in 2023 is expected to take another leap forward as they gain more experience in 2024. The Green Bay Packers added a much-needed playmaker to the secondary by signing Xavier McKinney, who ranks second in the NFL with six interceptions. Not even an injury to Jordan Love slowed down Green Bay’s momentum, but there’s stiff competition in the NFC North.
Teams who pick this high this often are usually set up for a big year, eventually. That could happen in 2024 for the Chicago Bears. Caleb Williams was labeled as a generational talent, and he already has two 300-yard games through 10 starts. If he can continue showing signs of growth, Chicago’s top-ten defense could help carry their rookie to a playoff spot, but competing in the NFC North won’t be easy.
NFC North prediction
- Detroit Lions – Division winners
- Minnesota Vikings
- Green Bay Packers
- Chicago Bears
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NFC South champions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The gang’s back in town with the return of Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, which gives the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a high floor. They came back with a vengeance with a 37-point game in Week 1. After winning a Wild Card game last season, the Bucs may be ready to prove they’re better than everyone gives them credit for. But they’ll still need to find ways to be more consistent after dropping both matchups to the Falcons and four games in a row.
It’s a whole new world with Kirk Cousins plugged in as the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback. Suddenly this offense went from being among the NFL’s worst to one with the potential to be one of the best. The Falcons have already seen both sides of the coin, with Cousins showing some mobility flaws and a tendency to make risky throws. However, that’s also included a never-die-easy mentality that led to two game-winning drives. We don’t know what to expect from this Falcons team yet, but they need to create more pressure on defense to do anything.
While there are ebbs and flows, Derek Carr is a good quarterback, and Chris Olave is a great receiver. But the New Orleans Saints are always fighting themselves when it comes to consistent play, and injuries have played a big factor. The Saints may have gotten back-to-back wins after losing seven in a row, but they’re still out of playoff contention.
The Carolina Panthers already benched Young just 18 starts into his career. The anonymous NFL exec was right, this team is a disaster. The offense enjoyed a short spurt with Andy Dalton, but reaching the playoffs isn’t a realistic objective this season. At least Young’s gotten the first back-to-back wins of his career.
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NFC South prediction
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Division winners
- Atlanta Falcons
- New Orleans Saints
- Carolina Panthers
NFC East champions: Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley has been an early positive, completely changing this Eagles offense. Jalen Hurts is back to scoring through the air and on the ground, but more importantly, the defense is finally playing well too. The Eagles have emerged as one of the NFC’s best.
With a new franchise quarterback in D.C., it’s all sunshine for the Washington Commanders. Having an electric playmaker like Terry McLaurin is leading to a better rookie QB experience for Jayden Daniels, and this isn’t Dan Quinn’s first time whipping a defense into shape. Daniels has easily been the best of the rookie QBs so far, and he could be on track to become an MVP candidate in the very near future.
Hate ’em or love ’em, the Dallas Cowboys have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but they’re beaten up this season. Their playoff hopes are dead after Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring injury, but perhaps it can help Dallas return with a stronger pool of young talent in 2025.
Even if New York Giants fans are calling for a replacement, Daniel Jones hasn’t lost any of the traits that helped him win a Wild Card playoff game in 2022. Yet, Brian Daboll’s scheme isn’t doing the Giants quarterback any favors, and it doesn’t help that they no longer have Saquon Barkley soaking up attention in the backfield either. Hopefully their NFL-best pass rush can continue making enough of a difference to salvage the defense too.
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NFC East prediction
- Philadelphia Eagles – Division winners
- Washington Commanders
- Dallas Cowboys
- New York Giants
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NFC Wild Card predictions: Minnesota Vikings, Washington Commanders, Green Bay Packers
Where did this Vikings team come from? No one expected Sam Darnold to be among the NFL’s passing touchdown leaders or for the Vikings’ defense to be among the league’s best. Yet, suddenly, this looks like one of the most complete teams on both sides of the ball, and it all starts with the schemes Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores operate.
In a competitive NFC playoff field, the Commanders will have to fight like heck to secure a playoff spot. Yet, with Jayden Daniels leading a top-five offense, plus what’s suddenly become an above-average defense, we like Washington’s chances.
While there have been challenges, Green Bay continues to punch back. Jordan Love can put up points in a hurry, and the rushing offense is bulldozing opponents, too. With a defense that’s creating turnovers, the Packers should be able to snag a Wild Card spot.
Related: NFL Q&A: Super Bowl LIX start time, channel, date, and how to watch
Who will win Super Bowl 2025?
Who will hoist the Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LIX? We look at our predictions for the NFL Playoff bracket.
Who is predicted to win the Super Bowl? Let’s project the path to Super Bowl LIX.
NFL playoff bracket: Full postseason predictions for AFC and NFC
AFC Playoffs
- Chiefs
- Ravens
- Bills
- Texans
- Steelers
- Chargers
- Broncos
- Wild card round: Ravens over Broncos, Bills over Chargers, Texans over Steelers
- Divisional round: Chiefs over Texans, Ravens over Bills
- AFC Championship Game: Chiefs over Ravens
Related: Top 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates
NFC Playoffs
- Lions
- Eagles
- 49ers
- Buccaneers
- Vikings
- Commanders
- Packers
- Wild card round: Eagles over Packers, 49ers over Commanders, Vikings over Buccaneers
- Divisional round: Lions over Vikings, Eagles over 49ers
- NFC Championship Game: Lions over Eagles
Sportsnaut predicts that the Detroit Lions will defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, while the Kansas City Chiefs top the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.
It will set the stage for an interesting Super Bowl LIX matchup between two teams with storied histories for very different reasons. The Lions have never even made a Super Bowl appearance, while the Chiefs have won three out of the five times they reached the final stage.
We don’t see that changing in February when Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes show what the NFL’s best QB can do.
- Super Bowl 2025: Kansas City Chiefs 34, Detroit Lions 24
