NFL · 1 year ago

Predicting All 8 NFL Division Winners and Their Postseason Performance

Zack Cook

Host · Writer

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AFC East: New York Jets (+160)
With Aaron Rodgers back under center for the New York Jets, it's pretty easy to get excited about the team's prospects this season. Even if Rodgers only plays at a league-average clip, pairing the future Hall of Famer with an elite defense should do wonders for this group. The Jets will have challengers in the AFC East in Miami and Buffalo, but their defense ultimately puts them over the top.

Playoff Forecast

Having an elite defense can carry you to success in the playoffs. Quarterback play will always be a factor, but a good defense will play any time of the year. The Jets have a chance to be a factor in January. The issue is there are teams around them that are just as good, if not better. The Jets return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 but ultimately bow out in the Divisional Round.

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AFC South: Houston Texans (+100)
After a breakout rookie campaign in 2023, C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are here to stay. Even though the Jacksonville Jaguars might be better than many expect this year, the AFC South is the Texans to lose, and we don't envision them doing that.

Playoff Forecast

After making multiple moves this offseason via free agency and trade, the Houston Texans are well-positioned to make a deep run in the postseason. With Stroud still on his rookie deal, this was the ideal path. The Texans have the type of roster to make a real run at the Lombardi this season, but we envision them falling just to a familiar face in the AFC Championship Game.
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals (+155)
After seeing a first look at the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1, it's hard to have much confidence in their offensive line holding up. That doesn't factor in personnel on defense, which also might be a concern with the turnover this team saw on the field and their coaching staff. Enter the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow is back and appears healthy, and although we have some questions about the team on defense, the pieces are there for this offense to be one of the most dynamic in the NFL.

Playoff Forecast

We've already seen Burrow lead the Bengals on a run to the Super Bowl. Can he do that again? He'll have to go through plenty of high-end AFC contenders to do that. With teams like the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs around them, we'll differ on the Bengals and look for them to regroup and go deeper next season.
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs (-280)
We got an early look at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, and all that did was confirm our prior beliefs. The Chiefs will be an electric offense with much more diversity than we saw last season. Patrick Mahomes is Patrick Mahomes, and this defense will still find unique ways to pressure you under Steve Spagnuolo.

Playoff Forecast

The Chiefs have added different layers each year to help them find a new level, and this version of the team is no different. It's hard to envision the Chiefs being an easy out in the postseason, barring any significant injuries. It's Chiefs should again find their way into the AFC Championship Game, and we won't start betting against Mahomes now.
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NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (-140)
It's a coin flip in the NFC East regarding which team ultimately comes out on top. Unfortunately for us, the Sportsbooks are giving a slight nod to the Philadelphia Eagles, which offers this price tag with a little more juice than we'd like. Still, the Eagles are due for a resurgence in 2024, and a big reason for that is offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. This offense got stale last season down the stretch, and that'll no longer be the case under Moore. The offense will push the Eagles to a division crown over America's team, the Dallas Cowboys.

Playoff Forecast

Once you get late into January, there are only so many chairs, and it's going to be tough to predict how this NFC will ultimately play out. The Eagles feel like a team that should find regular-season success, but it's hard to know if this core group has another deep playoff run in them. The Eagles will make some progress from last year but ultimately fall short of their goal in the Divisional Round.
NFC South: Atlanta Falcons (-140)
After the Atlanta Falcons added Kirk Cousins in free agency, it was easy to see the team's path to winning the NFC South this year. Although this team is by no means perfect, the competition around them isn't either, which will be a significant benefit come December.

Playoff Forecast

The Falcons have some real talent on offense, and it will be interesting to see how they utilize these pieces this season. They certainly have the pieces to pull off an upset in January, but it's hard to pick them straight up against some of these NFC powerhouses. The Falcons win the NFC South but have an early playoff exit in the Wild Card Round.
NFC North: Detroit Lions (+125)
It's easy to get excited about what the Detroit Lions are building. The Lions fell just short of playing in the Super Bowl last season and will use that as motivation this time. Having the top seed in the NFC will be a priority for this group, knowing the impact playing in a dome has on this unit. The Lions will have some stiff competition around them, with the Green Bay Packers making a charge for the top spot and the Chicago Bears being a team to watch. Sorry, Minnesota Vikings fans, you can sit this one out this year.

Playoff Forecast

With the crowd we expect at the top of the NFC, taking down this side of the bracket will be challenging. The Lions proved last year that they have what it takes to make a deep run. There are no guarantees they'll make it as far as they did last year. We'll go out on a hunch and say they will, but they won't like the outcome of playing against a division rival in the NFC Championship Game. We have the Green Bay Packers playing for the Lombardi this year.
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (-190)
Although the San Francisco 49ers have some quality teams in their division, not one comes close on a pure talent and resume standpoint. The 49ers have Super Bowl aspirations, and as much as the other three teams in the NFC West would like to make that same statement, they can't do so honestly.

Playoff Forecast

Anything less than a Super Bowl for this version of the 49ers would be underwhelming. Having high expectations can be damaging, but it's hard to look at this situation any other way, considering how close this team has continues to get. The 49ers have another deep playoff run in them, but the challengers around them are also getting strong in the NFC. If you're not Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, it's hard to get back to the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons, and the 49ers will figure that out in 2024.

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AFC East: New York Jets (+160)
With Aaron Rodgers back under center for the New York Jets, it's pretty easy to get excited about the team's prospects this season. Even if Rodgers only plays at a league-average clip, pairing the future Hall of Famer with an elite defense should do wonders for this group. The Jets will have challengers in the AFC East in Miami and Buffalo, but their defense ultimately puts them over the top.

Playoff Forecast

Having an elite defense can carry you to success in the playoffs. Quarterback play will always be a factor, but a good defense will play any time of the year. The Jets have a chance to be a factor in January. The issue is there are teams around them that are just as good, if not better. The Jets return to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 but ultimately bow out in the Divisional Round.

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Predicting All 8 NFL Division Winners and Their Postseason Performance

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