Week 6 is in the books. That means more than half of the teams in the league have already played 33 percent of their games this season. It feels like the season just started, yet we’re already a third of the way through the 2026 NFL regular season.

Now that we’re a third of the way through the year, we have a pretty good idea of what every team is about. We know who’s good, who’s bad, who’s fraudulent, and who’s underperformed, so I thought it would be a good time to go through and make my updated playoff predictions.

AFC Playoff Predictions

1. Buffalo Bills (14-3)

2. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (11-6)

I have the Cincinnati Bengals just edging out the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Both teams finish with an 11-6 record in my predictions, but the Bengals get the tiebreaker and claim a top-three seed and the home game that comes with it. And, spoiler alert, their opponent in the Wild Card Round is the Ravens, so they definitely need the advantage.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6)

Jacksonville has gotten off to a hot start this season, but they did just lose a disappointing game to Houston, who was 1-4 coming into last Sunday. The Texans are obviously better than their record indicates, but starting 5-1 could’ve all but guaranteed they win the AFC South. Still, they’re able to fend off Houston and secure the four-seed and get home-field advantage in the Wild Card.

5. New England Patriots (12-5)

6. Baltimore Ravens (11-6)

7. Houston Texans (11-6)

The Bubble

8. Denver Broncos (10-7)

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)

10. Las Vegas Raiders (9-8)

11. Cleveland Browns (9-8)

NFC Playoff Predictions

1. San Francisco 49ers (14-3)

I don’t think anyone is surprised to see San Fran on top of the NFC. They’re 6-0 despite a slew of injuries, and once the 49ers start getting injured players back, they should only get better. I almost had them at 15 wins, but a meaningless Week 18 matchup means they rest their starters and suffer a loss to a Cardinals team trying to end the year on a high note.

2. Chicago Bears (12-5)

3. Dallas Cowboys (9-8)

4. New Orleans Saints (8-9)

5. Green Bay Packers (11-6)

The Green Bay Packers come up short in the NFC North, but they still get to go on the road to face the Saints in the Wild Card, which is arguably easier than the game Chicago will have to play (more on that later). The 5-seed position in the NFC has been a gift for the past few seasons, because the 4-seed has always been underwhelming, so Green Bay should get a free ride to the Divisional Round.

6. Los Angeles Rams (11-6)

7. Seattle Seahawks (11-6)

The Bubble

8. Minnesota Vikings (11-6)

9. Detroit Lions (10-7)

10. Carolina Panthers (8-9)

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