2026 NFL Season Predictions: Part Two — The NFC

Yesterday, we tackled the AFC and ended with the Denver Broncos representing the conference in Super Bowl LXI.

Now it’s time for the NFC.

Just like with the AFC, I didn’t start with a projected win total and work backward. I went through the 2026 schedule game by game, picked a winner in every matchup, and let the standings build themselves.

And somehow, the NFC ended up even crazier.

I have three teams winning at least 14 games, two teams finishing 15–2, a division champion with a losing record, and—apparently because one winless prediction wasn’t enough—another team going 0–17.

Here’s how I see the NFC playing out.

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles — 13–4 — Division Champions
 2. Dallas Cowboys — 10–7 — Wild Card
 3. Washington Commanders — 7–10
 4. New York Giants — 5–12

Philadelphia takes the NFC East at 13–4 and once again establishes itself as one of the best teams in the conference.

But Dallas isn’t far enough behind to disappear.

I have the Cowboys finishing 10–7, which is enough to grab the final NFC wild-card spot and give the East two playoff teams.

Washington finishes 7–10, while the Giants fall to 5–12.

The Eagles are clearly the best team in this division in my projections, but as we’ll get to later, winning 13 games doesn’t guarantee them a long postseason run.

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions — 14–3 — Division Champions
 2. Chicago Bears — 10–7
 3. Green Bay Packers — 9–8
 4. Minnesota Vikings — 5–12

I’m extremely high on Detroit.

14–3.

That gives the Lions the second-best record in the NFC and makes them a legitimate Super Bowl contender from the beginning of the season.

Chicago also has a strong year at 10–7, but the NFC wild-card race gets crowded enough that ten wins still isn’t enough to get them into the tournament.

Green Bay finishes 9–8, Minnesota falls to 5–12, and Detroit separates itself from the rest of the division.

But the Lions aren’t just winning the North in my predictions.

They’re going deep into January.

NFC South

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9 — Division Champions
 2. Carolina Panthers — 6–11
 3. New Orleans Saints — 5–12
 4. Atlanta Falcons — 4–13

And then there’s the NFC South.

Someone has to win it.

I have Tampa Bay doing exactly that at 8–9.

Yes, a losing record wins the division.

Carolina finishes 6–11, New Orleans goes 5–12, and Atlanta bottoms out at 4–13.

It isn’t pretty, but division winners get into the playoffs regardless of record. That gives Tampa Bay the No. 4 seed and a home playoff game despite finishing below .500.

Their reward?

One of the best teams in football.

Good luck.

NFC West

1. Los Angeles Rams — 15–2 — Division Champions / No. 1 Seed
 2. Seattle Seahawks — 15–2 — Wild Card
 3. San Francisco 49ers — 13–4 — Wild Card
 4. Arizona Cardinals — 0–17

This division is completely absurd.

The Rams finish 15–2.

Seattle finishes 15–2.

San Francisco finishes 13–4.

That means I have three teams from one division combining for a ridiculous 43 wins.

The Rams ultimately win the division on the tiebreaker and claim the NFC’s No. 1 seed, leaving Seattle as possibly the most terrifying wild-card team imaginable.

Then there’s San Francisco.

In almost any other division, 13–4 wins comfortably.

Here?

It gets you third place.

And then, somehow, on the other end of the same division sits Arizona.

0–17.

That means I’m officially predicting two winless teams in the same NFL season, with Cleveland doing it in the AFC and Arizona doing it in the NFC.

Do I expect both teams to literally go winless?

Probably not.

But just like Cleveland, I went matchup by matchup with Arizona and never found a game where I felt confident enough to give them the win.

So until proven otherwise, 0–17 stays on the board.

NFC Playoff Picture

That leaves my NFC playoff field looking like this:

1. Los Angeles Rams — 15–2
 2. Detroit Lions — 14–3
 3. Philadelphia Eagles — 13–4
 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — 8–9
 5. Seattle Seahawks — 15–2
 6. San Francisco 49ers — 13–4
 7. Dallas Cowboys — 10–7

Just look at those records.

Seattle goes 15–2 and has to play on Wild Card Weekend.

San Francisco goes 13–4 and is the sixth seed.

Meanwhile Tampa Bay goes 8–9, wins its division, and hosts a playoff game.

NFL playoff seeding can be cruel.

Wild Card Round

San Francisco over Philadelphia

This is my first major NFC upset.

Philadelphia wins 13 games and takes the NFC East, but drawing a 13–4 San Francisco team as the sixth seed is about as bad a first-round matchup as you could ask for.

I have the 49ers going into Philadelphia and ending the Eagles’ season.

Seattle over Tampa Bay

Seattle wins 15 games and somehow has to travel for the opening round.

Tampa Bay gets the benefit of winning its division, but that’s where the advantage ends.

I have Seattle advancing comfortably.

Detroit over Dallas

Dallas gets into the playoffs at 10–7, but Detroit is simply on another level in my projections.

The Lions move on.

Divisional Round

Los Angeles Rams over San Francisco

San Francisco survives Philadelphia, only to run directly into the No. 1 seed.

The 49ers know the Rams. The Rams know the 49ers. There won’t be many secrets here.

But over the course of this season, I have Los Angeles proving itself to be the better team.

The Rams advance.

Detroit over Seattle

This might be the best game of the entire NFC playoffs.

A 14–3 Detroit team against a 15–2 Seattle wild-card team.

Either one could realistically represent the conference.

I’m taking Detroit.

The Lions survive Seattle and punch their ticket to the NFC Championship Game.

NFC Championship Game

Los Angeles Rams over Detroit Lions

And that leaves us with the matchup I ultimately kept coming back to.

Detroit has a phenomenal season.

They win 14 games. They take the NFC North. They survive Dallas and then knock off a 15-win Seattle team.

But their run ends in Los Angeles.

The Rams finish the regular season 15–2, earn the NFC’s No. 1 seed, beat San Francisco in the divisional round, and then take down Detroit with the Super Bowl on the line.

The Los Angeles Rams are my 2026 NFC Champions.

Which means we officially have our Super Bowl LXI matchup.

From the AFC:

Denver Broncos.

From the NFC:

Los Angeles Rams.

Yesterday we found our AFC champion.

Today we found our NFC champion.

Now there’s only one prediction left to make.

Denver vs. Los Angeles.

Super Bowl LXI.

And next, we pick a champion.

Where Legends Reign.