NFL - 2025 Season Preview And Predictions

The 2025 NFL season kicks off this week and as usual the defending Super Bowl championship team will host the Thursday night opener. This year it will be the Philadelphia Eagles playing host to the Dallas Cowboys to get the new season started. The Eagles throttled the then two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22 behind a huge game from quarterback Jalen Hurts. 

The Eagles are looking real good heading into the new season and could be the second consecutive team to repeat as champions. The teams expected to give them the biggest challenge in the NFC include the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders and perhaps Tampa Bay, San Francisco or the Los Angeles Rams, who gave the Eagles their toughest battle last January in the playoffs during the divisional round in snowy Philadelphia. 

Over in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the team to beat until someone else proves otherwise. The Chiefs will be looking to get back to their fourth straight Super Bowl, which is a feat no team has accomplished since the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990's. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and company are always a tough out and this season should be no different. 

It's baffling to so many teams in the AFC, especially the Bills and the Baltimore Ravens, who probably have the best shot at knocking the Chiefs off in the playoffs. The last team to beat K.C. in the AFC playoffs is the Cincinnati Bengals (back in the 2021 season) and they have the talent to contend for a Super Bowl appearance, but their defense is among the worst in pro football, so there's that. Other teams that appear to be in the mix are the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

When it's all said and done in early January and the regular season is complete, we'll see where the chips lie and then the real fun begins. So here goes nothing in predicting the standings for the 2025 season along with the playoffs and Super Bowl. 

Picks for regular season and playoffs . . . Playoff teams are in bold; Teams in bold italics are wild card playoff teams.  

NFC 

East - 1. Philadelphia 2. Washington 3. Dallas 4. N.Y. Giants 

North - 1. Detroit 2. Green Bay 3. Minnesota 4. Chicago 

South - 1. Tampa Bay 2. Atlanta 3. Carolina 4. New Orleans 

West - 1. San Francisco 2. L.A. Rams 3. Seattle 4. Arizona 

AFC 

East - 1. Buffalo 2. Miami 3. New England 4. N.Y. Jets 

North - 1. Baltimore 2. Pittsburgh 3. Cincinnati 4. Cleveland 

South - 1. Houston 2. Indianapolis 3. Jacksonville 4. Tennessee 

West - 1. Kansas City 2. L.A. Chargers 3. Denver 4. Las Vegas 

 

NFC Playoffs 

Wild Card Round

Detroit over L.A. Rams; San Francisco over Washington; Green Bay over Tampa Bay

Divisional Round 

Green Bay over Philadelphia; Detroit over San Francisco 

NFC Championship Game 

Detroit over Green Bay 

AFC Playoffs 

Wild Card Round 

Baltimore over Pittsburgh; Kansas City over Denver; L.A. Chargers over Houston

Divisional Round 

Buffalo over L.A. Chargers; Baltimore over Kansas City 

AFC Championship Game   

Buffalo over Baltimore 

 

 

 

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