After nearly seven months of the long NFL offseason, opening night of the 2025 season is finally here. The path to Super Bowl LX begins in Philadelphia, it will end in San Francisco in February, and will either of those teams and the Kansas City Chiefs be involved once again?
Yesterday, we looked at our favorites to win the NFL awards, and you can scroll to the bottom to find links to all 32 in-depth team previews with their best bets from the Eagles back to the Chiefs.
It should be a very interesting season with plenty of storylines to follow along with to the end. Here are some of the stories we have already covered in the offseason:
- Have Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen closed the gap on Patrick Mahomes for the top quarterback spot, or will the Chiefs get back to elite offensive production after drafting left tackle Josh Simmons?
- After a historic 2024 season for protecting the ball, will teams like the Bills, Ravens, Chargers, and Eagles face some significant turnover regression in 2025?
- Can Jayden Daniels build on the greatest rookie quarterback season ever to overtake the Eagles, or will Philadelphia start its own dynasty after reminding us of the blueprint to beat Mahomes and the Chiefs? The Tush Push didn’t get banned yet.
- Circle the calendar in Weeks 16-18 when the Commanders, Eagles, and Bills are playing some of the biggest games of the year against one another.
- Is the NFL turning into a league for no old quarterbacks, or will Aaron Rodgers hold off Father Time for one more year in Pittsburgh, which again dumped its entire quarterback room? The Steelers are chasing a record 22nd-consecutive non-losing season.
- There’s always some key injury that shapes the narrative of each NFL season. What could it be this year?
- Is Jacksonville rookie Travis Hunter going to become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL, or is the dual-threat goal too ambitious?
- Can Joe Flacco keep the job all year in Cleveland, or are we going to see Shedeur Sanders start after his historic draft slide?
- Are we sleeping on Cam Ward in a weak quarterback class? He could be the next to pull off what C.J. Stroud and Jayden Daniels did the last two years.
- Will coaches like Mike McDaniel (Dolphins), Brian Daboll (Giants), and Zac Taylor (Bengals) keep their jobs for 2026, or will the Bengals’ insistence on only paying their passing game burn them?
But the one thing that’s very clear is that there is no clear Super Bowl favorite. The latest Super Bowl LX odds from FanDuel show three teams tied with the best odds with an annual favorite close behind:
- Philadelphia Eagles (+700)
- Baltimore Ravens (+700)
- Buffalo Bills (+700)
- Kansas City Chiefs (+800)
Those are the usual suspects, but you can’t ignore Green Bay (+1300), our pick last year, after the trade for Micah Parsons. You also never know if Jayden Daniels gets Washington one step closer (+2200) in his second year, or if the Bengals (+2000) and Rams (+1900) can give us a rematch from 2021 as two of the only teams who have been able to break up the Chiefs-49ers-Eagles round robin that’s largely existed since 2019.
But no Super Bowl favorite with better than +700 odds? That hasn’t happened since 2010, the year Aaron Rodgers’ Packers beat Mike Tomlin’s Steelers. Maybe a good sign for the Steelers there.
You also have to go back to 2017 to find the last time the No. 4 team in the preseason had +800 odds, and that was the year the Eagles (+4000) won it all, so maybe that’s a good omen for a Philadelphia repeat.
After the Chiefs and Lions won 15 games last year, expect to see a more competitive field in 2025. There may not even be a team that wins more than 13 games this year as both conferences look so competitive that we’re going to have to leave out some solid teams for the playoffs.
Buckle up.
Table of Contents
2025 NFL Division Winner Picks
We have made our final pick for the winner of each division this NFL season.
AFC West
Every year more people pick against the Chiefs in the AFC West, and one of these years they’re going be right. You can’t win the division for eternity, but the Chiefs have done quite well with the second-longest streak in NFL history at nine seasons.
While the division is in good shape and sent three teams to the playoffs last year, I’m still picking Kansas City until proven otherwise. Technically, the Chiefs should be a stronger team this year after so many injuries to key skill players and starting four players at left tackle. They still went 15-1 with starters doing that.
Denver is the biggest threat with balance and a chance for Bo Nix to ascend in Year 2, but I’m still going with the Chiefs who can win games in any fashion.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 AFC West Winner – Kansas City Chiefs (-110 at FanDuel)
AFC South
The Colts are a mess at quarterback, the Titans have a long way to the top, so it should come down to Houston and Jacksonville. The Texans have won the division the last two years, but they did not take the big leap I thought they would in 2024. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik went from next head coach candidate to fired. Stefon Diggs went to New England and Tank Dell suffered a gruesome leg injury.
I think this is the best spot for a new winner and that’s Jacksonville. Rookie coach Liam Coen will get the best out of Trevor Lawrence the way he did with Baker Mayfield in Tampa Bay last year, and Travis Hunter will have an impact one way or the other (or both).
The Jaguars were 8-3 two years ago before Lawrence was injured, so he just needs to stay healthy and I like them to get it done this year.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 AFC South Winner – Jacksonville Jaguars (+310 at BetMGM)
AFC North
This is a tough division but it’s still hard to deny the Baltimore Ravens, who almost never lose by more than one score. They’re going to be in every game, Lamar Jackson is in his prime, Derrick Henry was a perfect fit last year, and that defense added talent in the secondary and should start the year much stronger than it did last year.
The Steelers have a ton of new pieces to implement and many are players over 30, so we’ll see how that goes. But Aaron Rodgers is coming off his two worst seasons and they have way more tight ends than wide receivers, which isn’t ideal for him.
The Bengals had a shot to win this division last year but basically lost the same shootout twice to the Ravens. I’m still not sold the defense changed enough to get this team to win 12 games or whatever, so I’m still rolling with the Ravens here.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 AFC North Winner – Baltimore Ravens (-150 at FanDuel)
AFC East
The Bills have turned into the Patriots with their control of the AFC East, and a sixth-straight win could be more likely than ever with a favorable schedule that has the Bills facing all of their toughest foes at home where they were 10-0 last year.
The Dolphins just don’t spark any fear, the Jets are relying on Justin Fields, and the Patriots are all potential and nothing proven yet. It’s setting up nicely for Buffalo, so let’s not make this one hard.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 AFC East Winner – Buffalo Bills (-270 at FanDuel)
NFC West
It’s probably the toughest call this year as you can make the case for all four teams:
- Arizona: Added some defensive talent and Marvin Harrison Jr. might explode in Year 2 for Kyler Murray.
- Seattle: Maybe Sam Darnold is just good now and they won 10 games last year for Mike Macdonald.
- San Francisco: Can’t be any more injured than 2024 and still boast some of the most talented players in the league for coach Kyle Shanahan.
- Los Angeles: Proven track record of winning under Sean McVay, added Davante Adams, and the front seven is loaded with young talent.
The odds have been razor thin close at the top this year, but the 49ers have gained more of an edge in recent weeks. I’m going with them if only because of the difference in a last-place schedule for the 49ers and a first-place schedule for the Rams.
That means the 49ers get to play the Giants, Browns, and Bears while the Rams have to play the Ravens, Eagles, and Lions. That’s enough for me in a close race, but I’m also not against the idea that the 49ers’ window closed in the overtime Super Bowl loss.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 NFC West Winner – San Francisco 49ers (-190 at FanDuel)
NFC South
Similar to the AFC South, this is probably the weakest division in the conference. Like the Titans, you have a rebuilding team with an unproven quarterback in New Orleans. Like the Colts, the Panthers aren’t sure if their 2023 quarterback (Bryce Young) or young offensive coach is the real deal yet.
The Buccaneers have a tenuous hold on this division, winning it the last four years. But the Falcons are on the rise, and they even swept the Bucs last year. I think Michael Penix Jr. has a strong debut season as the full-time starter, the Bucs take a step back after last year’s offensive success with Liam Coen, and the Falcons end their playoff drought by winning the division after fixing the pass rush in the offseason.
Another one where it’s just time for a change.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 NFC South Winner – Atlanta Falcons (+225 at BetMGM)
NFC North
It was arguably the best division in NFL history last year with the Vikings, Lions, and Packers all winning 11-plus games and making the playoffs. Yet they all went 0-3 in the playoffs while the Bears may have hired the best rookie coach (Ben Johnson).
But I’m going with Green Bay’s stability at coach and quarterback, and I felt this way even before the Micah Parsons trade, the final cherry on top. The Vikings have a strong roster but we have no real data on J.J. McCarthy yet, and Kevin O’Connell has produced some very volatile results in three years.
The Lions are still in the mix, but let’s see what happens when Dan Campbell is relying on lesser coordinators. Give me Green Bay, and it starts this week with the Packers hosting the Lions in a big one.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 NFC North Winner – Green Bay Packers (+180 at Caesars Sportsbook)
NFC East
Finally, it’s the only division that hasn’t had a repeat winner since 2004. The funny thing is there’s a good argument for that unbelievable streak to continue in 2025.
It’s as simple as this: Philadelphia doesn’t respond as well with a target on its back as the champs, they miss some of those veteran defenders and depth pieces, Saquon Barkley doesn’t hit as many long runs, and the Washington Commanders win the East because Jayden Daniels is your MVP, and the defense really has nowhere to go but up from 2024.
That’s the vision I wanted to bet on this year, but I’m still skeptical of the talent gap in these teams. It’s also going to be a much tougher schedule for Washington, they’re not sneaking up on anyone this year, and there’s no guarantee that Daniels improves on his historic rookie success.
That’s why I’m still going to pick the Eagles to break the streak and repeat in the NFC East. Repeat as Super Bowl champs? That’s a different story.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 NFC East Winner – Philadelphia Eagles (-145 at Bet365)
Full Playoff Team Picks
We have included our full picks for the playoff fields in the AFC and NFC this year.
AFC Playoff Teams
We know from the division winners above that we have the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, and Jaguars in the tournament. What about the three wild cards?
While I’m still not convinced the Bengals fixed the defense, I think they manage turnovers better, Joe Burrow has a couple of clutch wins, and they turn that 9-8 record into 10-7 or better to get into the tournament again. Zac Taylor’s job should be on the line.
I think a team like the Patriots have made good hires in the coaching staff, TreVeyon Henderson is a rookie to watch, and Drake Maye has potential. But while the schedule can help them to 9-8 record, I think they fall just short of the postseason.
I see the Steelers, Texans, Chargers, and Broncos battling for the final two spots.
- Houston has very few offensive players in their prime outside of the connection of C.J. Stroud to Nico Collins, so I could see that team taking a step backwards and finishing 8-9 or 9-8.
- The Steelers are a bold experiment, and I think they can win the Week 10 Sunday Night Football Game in Los Angeles against the Chargers, which could prove vital in the end.
- The Chargers have the potential to get better in Year 2 for Jim Harbaugh, but the Rashawn Slater injury is a big one, and Justin Herbert’s receivers outside of Ladd McConkey still don’t look like the best.
- The Broncos are the most well-built roster here, but they didn’t do well against quality offenses last year, and we don’t know if Bo Nix is going to be as consistent as Sean Payton needs his quarterback to be.
At the end of the day, I think the Chargers lose key games to the Steelers and Broncos (Week 18 in Denver), and that’s enough to give the Steelers and Broncos the last two spots.
- Cincinnati Bengals (-150 at FanDuel)
- Denver Broncos (-134 at FanDuel)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (+138 at FanDuel)
NFC Playoff Teams
We know from the division winners above that we have the Falcons, Packers, Eagles, and 49ers in the playoffs. In fact, that’s the four teams I picked in 2024 and was 1-for-4 on. Maybe I was just a year too early.
For the wild card teams, I still trust Sean McVay to get it done even if Matthew Stafford’s 37-year-old back has given some pause for concern. I also trust Dan Campbell’s aggression, the offensive talent, and the return of Aidan Hutchinson to get that team to 10 wins and a wild card.
For the final spot, that’s me trying to decide between the Commanders, Buccaneers, Vikings, and Ben Johnson’s Bears. I may end up being wrong on J.J McCarthy this year, but I’m trusting my gut and going with Jayden Daniels to get double-digit wins and take a wild card spot. It could actually end up being the Rams who give way to a Tampa Bay or Minnesota playoff return should Stafford not stay healthy.
- Washington Commanders (-124 at FanDuel)
- Detroit Lions (-170 at FanDuel)
- Los Angeles Rams (-150 at FanDuel)
Super Bowl LX Picks
Finally, we have made our picks for who will be in Super Bowl LX and who will win the championship.
NFC Champion
Other than inexperienced Atlanta getting humbled at home in a wild card playoff game, I could see any of the other six teams I picked for the playoffs making a Super Bowl run.
- The 49ers have the track record and the game is in their building this February.
- The Rams have been there twice under McVay and played the Eagles better than anyone in the playoffs last year.
- The Commanders have the next big thing at quarterback and were already in an NFC title game with Daniels.
- The Lions were a blown 17-point lead in San Francisco two years ago from winning the NFC under Campbell, and I think Hutchinson is a difference maker.
- The Packers are a consistent winner under Matt LaFleur, and they’ve made unorthodox moves this year that should help them.
- The Eagles are obviously the champs and still loaded on both sides.
But I am going with my same pick from last year and taking the Packers to get it done. They take back the NFC North after not getting swept by Minnesota (inexperienced quarterback) and Detroit (lost coordinators) again. They get to host the Eagles in Week 10, and they start the year hosting Detroit and Washington, so they’ll be battle tested with a lot of key home games. A No. 1 seed is possible.
Maybe it’s the chance for ultimate Jerry Jones schadenfreude, but I think Micah Parsons helps put the defense over the top, and Jordan Love has his most complete season yet with rookie Matthew Golden opening up the offense.
LaFleur and Love get it done.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 NFC Champion – Green Bay Packers (+650 at FanDuel)
AFC Champion
Doesn’t it probably come down to the trio of Chiefs, Ravens, and Bills again? I actually believe the Chiefs have the most ground to improve this year over those teams since they had all the injuries and turnovers early in the year while not getting many takeaways on defense.
But the Rashee Rice suspension is a bummer since the Chiefs have to play the Chargers, Eagles, Ravens, and Lions without him. That’s a ridiculous schedule with four top contenders in the first six games. If the 2024 Chiefs were the 2020 Chiefs, what if the 2025 Chiefs were the 2021 Chiefs? That means a 3-4 start before getting to 12-5 and still losing in the AFC Championship Game (overtime) to the Bengals.
But I’m really not going there. The Bengals don’t have the defense yet, and the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since 2016. The Broncos are a wild card, but they weren’t impressive in that Buffalo loss in their first playoff game since Super Bowl 50.
Ultimately, it comes down to Baltimore or Buffalo saying enough is enough, let’s beat the Chiefs in January. By any means necessary. Block a Harrison Butker field goal. Get lucky cause Xavier Worthy drops a pass that would have won the game. Anything to get a win. No team should be going to four straight Super Bowls (and six out of seven) in this era.
While the schedule sets up nicely for Buffalo to get the No. 1 seed, that doesn’t mean we have to trust them to get over the hump in January. We’ve seen them lose to the Bengals (2022) and Chiefs (2023) there.
Think of it this way. The Bills added Josh Palmer, Joey Bosa, and the return of Tre’Davious White (not what he used to be). They’re just hoping Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid improve. Meanwhile, the Ravens added Jaire Alexander, rookie safety Malaki Starks, DeAndre Hopkins, and they’d like to see corner Nate Wiggins make a leap in Year 2. They’ll also hope to have WR1 Zay Flowers healthy for the playoffs he missed last year.
If one of these teams is going to break their curse and get past the Chiefs to a Super Bowl, I’m going with Baltimore to do it. Just please stop throwing the ball to Mark Andrews in big spots.
NFL Pick: 2025-26 AFC Champion – Baltimore Ravens (+340 at FanDuel)
Super Bowl LX Champion
That gives us Super Bowl LX in San Francisco between the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, a matchup we’re actually going to see in Green Bay in Week 17, so that’s a great late-season litmus test.
Historically, Lamar Jackson has owned the NFC in his career. It’s been the AFC that’s been his problem, but I think he has a real chance to slay the dragons of the Chiefs and Bills this year and get it done. He’s started so poorly in the playoffs in his career, but there has been modest improvement the last two years.
I don’t think the Chiefs or Bills will have a really strong defense this year, and the Ravens will. They also still have Henry on their side. The last time Baltimore’s season ended after a brutal dropped pass (Lee Evans) and they got a rookie kicker (Justin Tucker) to replace their bum, it was 2012 and they won the Super Bowl.
It’s a bold pick when you consider the Five-Year Rule where no team has won its first Super Bowl by starting the same quarterback for the same coach for more than five seasons. This is Year 8 for Jackson with John Harbaugh, but it’s also Year 8 for Josh Allen and Sean McDermott. That’s the impact of sharing the AFC with Kansas City.
But no more sharing. The Ravens finally get it done in Super Bowl LX after Parsons whiffs on a potential Jackson sack, giving Jerry Jones his first smile in five months.
- NFL Pick: Super Bowl LX Matchup – Baltimore vs. Green Bay (+3000 at FanDuel)
- NFL Pick: Super Bowl LX Champion – Baltimore Ravens (+700 at FanDuel)
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