We have to soak in every minute of football action we can. After 18 weeks, the NFL regular season is over, and most teams are left licking their wounds. However, the 14 teams left standing dial things up a notch, competing for glory and the chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Here’s what the playoff brackets would look like if the postseason started today.
NFC
| No. 1 – San Francisco 49ers | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Philadelphia Eagles | No. 7 – Dallas Cowboys |
| No. 3 – Detroit Lions | No. 6 – Atlanta Falcons |
| No. 4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers | No. 5 – Seattle Seahawks |
We knew the San Francisco 49ers would be good, but I don’t know anybody who expected them to look this good. The Niners are undefeated through five weeks, covering the spread in all but one of those outings. More impressively, San Francisco has a massive +99 point differential, nearly double the closest team. However, their success can’t continue to be measured in regular season accomplishments, and they need to get over the playoff hump. The 49ers would start in the Divisional Round if the playoffs started today.
The Philadelphia Eagles are hot on the Niners’ tail. Philly is the only other undefeated team in the NFL, albeit with a 3-1-1 record against the spread and a more modest +37 point differential. As we saw last year, nothing can slow them down as long as they stay out of their own way. The opposite is true for their potential first-round opponent, the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas has looked lost at times this season, but they’ve been effective enough to hold onto the final postseason berth.
The momentum from the end of last year has followed the Detroit Lions into this season. Since Week 9 of 2022, the Lions are 11-3, covering the spread in 11 of 13 matchups. Home field has been an invaluable advantage, with the Lions going 6-2 at Ford Field, averaging 31.0 points per game over that stretch. That gives them the edge to escape the Atlanta Falcons in the opening round.
Who would have thought removing Tom Brady was the answer to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ issues? The Bucs are leading the NFC South five weeks into the season. Granted, the level of competition isn’t great, but it also hasn’t changed much from last year. Like the 49ers, Tampa Bay needs to prove they can win in the playoffs, and they’d have an intriguing matchup against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round.
AFC
| No. 1 – Kansas City Chiefs | First-Round Bye |
| No. 2 – Miami Dolphins | No. 7 – Buffalo Bills |
| No. 3 – Pittsburgh Steelers | No. 6 – Baltimore Ravens |
| No. 4 -Jacksonville Jaguars | No. 5 – Indianapolis Colts |
Surprise, surprise, the Kansas City Chiefs are leading the AFC again. KC is up to its usual shenanigans, opening the year 4-1 while holding opponents to a combined 80 points. As we’ve seen in the past, it takes a special team to knock the Chiefs off their stride, although a few squads may be able to accomplish the feat this year.
Look no further than the second seed for a team that could beat the Chiefs at their own game. The high-flying Miami Dolphins have unlocked their full potential, with Tua Tagovailoa operating the offense. Their first-round clash against the Buffalo Bills could be a matchup for the ages, as two familiar opponents stand toe-to-toe and trade blows. Moreover, that is a recurring theme throughout the AFC side of the bracket.
The Pittsburgh Steelers versus the Baltimore Ravens is one of the best rivalries in football. Both franchises have established themselves as defensive forces. Further, the Steelers and Ravens meet twice yearly as divisional foes. If these teams meet in the first round, it would be appointment viewing.
Likewise, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts are acquaintances with a much-less storied history. Nevertheless, these AFC South counterparts rank fourth and fifth, respectively, setting them up for an opening-round battle. The Jags have the upper hand, but we can’t look past Anthony Richardson, who has almost single-handedly revived the Colts’ offense. Whichever team claims the division has the most straightforward route of advancing to Round 2.
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