Jan. 9, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET
The 2026 NFL Playoffs have begun. Fourteen teams remain alive in their quest to reach Super Bowl 60. Twelve will open the postseason in the Wild Card round this weekend, spreading six games over three days and one last gasp for Monday Night Football (and another convenient excuse to place meaningful showdowns behind a paywall. The NFL, when watching a butcher process a pig, laments when he wastes the squeal).
That limits this year’s pool of world champions, but in a season where everyone is flawed and no one was truly dominant, the field remains wide open. The top seeds in either conference are vulnerable. The worst teams in the AFC and NFC are both guaranteed at least one home game. There are few outcomes that would be truly surprising this winter.
But, foolish as we are, we’re gonna try and predict it anyway. Here are our Super Bowl 60 picks heading to the Wild Card round.
Christian D’Andrea
AFC Champion: Jacksonville Jaguars
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Jacksonville Jaguars
Hell yes, let’s get weird. The Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the league, and Trevor Lawrence’s quarterback play is a massive part of that (and part of why I don’t quite trust the Houston Texans and C.J. Stroud despite an even longer win streak heading into the postseason). The Rams are a remarkably complete team. The Jags, however, are a complete wagon right now.
Cory Woodroof
AFC Champion: Buffalo Bills
NFC Champion: Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl winner: Buffalo Bills
The Bills are going to finally win the Super Bowl. Now that those pesky Kansas City Chiefs are out of their way, Josh Allen can win his first ring and cement his place in football history. Good luck standing in his way.
Andrew Joseph
AFC Champion: New England Patriots
NFC Champion: Seattle Seahawks
Super Bowl winner: Seattle Seahawks
Wajih AlBaroudi
AFC Champion: Houston Texans
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Los Angeles Rams
Robert Zeglinski
AFC Champion: Jacksonville Jaguars
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Los Angeles Rams
The Rams were, in many respects, the NFL’s best team in every phase all season. If not for an unlikely collapse in Seattle, we’re potentially talking about them as the NFC No. 1 seed too.
They’re deep, talented, experienced, and well-coached. I would be very surprised if they fell short of a second Lombardi Trophy this decade.
Mary Clarke
AFC Champion: Buffalo Bills
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Buffalo Bills
Without Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs standing in the way, this is finally the year for the Bills. If not now, then when? The AFC is theirs for the taking and Josh Allen will finally get his Super Bowl ring.
Prince Grimes
AFC Champion: New England Patriots
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford might lose the regular season MVP to Drake Maye, but not to worry, he’ll get his payback in the Super Bowl. These are two of the most balanced teams left in the playoffs (with quarterbacks I actually trust), and they’ve been playing the most consistent ball throughout the season.
Rams get the advantage as the more veteran squad led by a HC-QB duo that’s already done it before. And this will be a lot more exciting than the last time these teams met in the Super Bowl.
Charles Curtis
AFC Champion: New England Patriots
NFC Champion: Los Angeles Rams
Super Bowl winner: Los Angeles Rams
It’s Drake Maye’s year to ascend to the top of the NFL’s best QBs… but when it comes down to the big game, you have to trust Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ strength on both sides of the ball.