NFL Wild Card Weekend Predictions (2026)
Quarterback Jordan Love #10 of the Green Bay Packers, and Quarterback Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears embrace after an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, at Lambeau Field, in Green Bay, WI. The Packers defeated the Bears, 28-21. (Getty Images)
Here. We. Go.
After a wildly entertaining and unpredictable ride (including an absolutely wild game between the Ravens and the Steelers to decide the final playoff spot), the 2025 NFL regular season has officially come to a close. And now, the road to Super Bowl 60 begins, with only 14 of the league's 32 teams remaining in the hunt for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
There are some familiar faces in this year's tournament, including the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, who are looking to become the first NFC team to win back-to-back Super Bowls since the Dallas Cowboys achieved the feat in 1992 and 1993. However, this postseason is shaping up to be one of the craziest in recent memory, featuring plenty of newcomers crashing the party (including the Bears, Patriots, and Jaguars, three teams that won less than six games last season).
Will the Eagles repeat? Can the Seattle Seahawks (who are the Super Bowl favorites heading into the playoffs) capitalize on having home-field advantage in the NFC and make it to the Super Bowl for the first time since their infamous collapse in Super Bowl 49? And lastly, with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs for the first time since 2014, can Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (who have infamously lost four times to the Chiefs in the playoffs over the last six seasons) take advantage and get to the "Big Game" for the first time since 1993? I can't wait to find out!
There are plenty of blockbuster matchups that will be taking place on Wild Card Weekend this week, including a classic rubber match between two long-time bitter rivals (Packers-Bears), a blockbuster matchup between the last two NFC champions (49ers-Eagles), and a Sunday night showdown between two of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL (Chargers-Patriots).
Teams on bye week: Broncos, Seahawks
Saturday Games:
Quarterback Matthew Stafford #9 of the Los Angeles Rams is sacked by Derrick Brown #95 of the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, at Bank of America Stadium, in Charlotte, NC. The Panthers defeated the Rams, 31-28. (Scott Kinser/Imagn Images)
Los Angeles Rams (12-5) @ Carolina Panthers (8-9): 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
On paper, this game should be a mismatch on both sides of the ball. For most of the season, the Rams looked like the best team in football, while the Panthers became just the seventh team in NFL history to make the playoffs with a losing record.
During the regular season, L.A. finished first in total offence and points per game (30.5), led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Matthew Stafford. Stafford has always played at a high level throughout his 17-year career, but he took his play up a notch in 2025, as he led the NFL in both passing yards (4,707) and touchdown passes (46) while only throwing eight interceptions. With the help of running backs Kyren Williams (1,252 rushing yards, 10 rushing touchdowns) and Blake Corum (746 rushing yards, six receiving touchdowns), star wide receivers Puka Nacua (129 catches, 1,715 receiving yards, 10 receiving touchdowns), and Davante Adams (60 catches, 789 receiving yards, 14 receiving touchdowns), and an offensive mastermind in head coach Sean McVay, Stafford enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2025, and will likely finish in the top two in MVP voting (along with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye). So while the Panthers (15th in points allowed per game) do have some talented players on the defensive side of the ball, such as Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown (five sacks, 11 quarterback hits), and Pro Bowl cornerback Jaycee Horn (five interceptions, eight pass deflections), it's safe to say they're going to have their work cut out for them against the best offence in the NFL.
On the flip side of the ball, while the Rams' defence struggled down the stretch (28 points allowed per game over the last four weeks of the regular season), they were pretty good for most of the season, finishing the season ranked 10th in points allowed per game (20.4) and tied for seventh in sacks (47), led by Pro Bowl edge rushers Byron Young (12 sacks) and Jared Verse (7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles) and star defensive end Kobie Turner (seven sacks, one interception). The Panthers struggle with consistency on the offensive side of the ball (27th in total offence), but they are at their best when they can run the football effectively with Rico Dowdle (1,076 rushing yards, seven total touchdowns) and Chubba Hubbard (538 rushing yards, four total touchdowns) to take pressure off of third-year quarterback Bryce Young (3,011 passing yards, 23 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions) and they'll have to establish the ground game early and often in order to slow down L.A.'s dominant pass rush.
These two teams did play earlier this season on November 30 in a game that saw the Panthers surprisingly beat the Rams, 31-28, as they forced three turnovers from Stafford (two interceptions and a forced fumble late in the fourth quarter to seal the deal). However, while the Panthers took a step this season by barely winning the NFC South, I don't think they are in the same weight class as the Rams. Stafford won't turn the ball over three times this time around, and L.A. will win and punch their ticket to the divisional round.
The pick: Rams 31, Panthers 17
Wide receiver DJ Moore #2 of the Chicago Bears catches a game-winning touchdown pass while being covered by Cornerback Keisean Nixon #25 of the Green Bay Packers during an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, at Soldier Field, in Chicago, IL. The Bears defeated the Packers, 22-16, in overtime. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
Green Bay Packers (9-7-1) @ Chicago Bears (11-6): 8:00 p.m. ET (Amazon Prime Video)
The NFL's oldest rivalry will take center stage on Saturday night, as the Packers and the Bears face off against each other for the 212th time (the most-played matchup in NFL history) and for just the third time ever in the postseason. And while the Packers are in the playoffs for the third consecutive year under quarterback Jordan Love and head coach Matt LaFleur, the Bears managed to win the NFC North division title and make the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and 2020, respectively.
Love played the best football of his career in 2025, throwing for 3,381 yards, 23 touchdown passes, and only six interceptions (a career-low), while also compiling a career-best 101.2 passer rating. Despite losing his top target in star tight end Tucker Kraft (32 catches, 489 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns) to a torn ACL midway through the season, Love enjoyed a banner 2025 campaign. Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs (929 rushing yards, 14 total touchdowns) produced despite battling a knee injury for the past few weeks, but overall, Green Bay hasn't been able to run the football as well as they did last season (5th in rushing yards per game in 2024 vs 15th this season), so it looks like the onus will be on Love to carve up a Bears defence that excels at generating turnovers (33 takeaways, most in the NFL), led by Pro Bowl safety Kevin Byard (who led the NFL with seven interceptions), but struggles when it comes to both stopping the pass (22nd in passing defence) and the run (27th in run defence).
Meanwhile, Bears' second-year quarterback Caleb Williams bounced back from a rough rookie season, as he threw for a franchise record 3,942 passing yards, and scored 30 total touchdowns (27 passing, three rushing), while also throwing just seven interceptions. Chicago's first-year head coach Ben Johnson has done an incredible job changing the culture of the team and helping Williams improve in his second season with the help of a great offensive line (top five in both pass-block and run-block win rate) and an elite rushing attack (third in rushing yards per game), led by running backs D'Andre Swift (1,087 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns) and rookie Kyle Monangai (783 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns). And while the Packers' defence still has talent, they've really struggled to stop opposing offences after losing generational pass rusher Micah Parsons for the season with a torn ACL, as they have allowed an average of 26 points per game without him compared to giving up only 19 points per game with him in the lineup.
This will be the third matchup between these two teams in the past six weeks, and the first two were instant classics. The Packers held on for a 28-21 win during the first meeting at Lambeau Field, while the Bears returned the favor with an insane comeback win during the second meeting two weeks later at Soldier Field. Each of the last four meetings between Green Bay and Chicago has been decided by seven points or less, and with both teams being so familiar with each other, I think this wildcard playoff game will follow suit.
Both teams are evenly matched, but ultimately, I think it will come down to which quarterback plays better. And although Williams has taken a leap this season, Love has been the better and more consistent quarterback this year. The Packers will win a close one in Chicago and book a trip to Seattle for the NFC divisional round.
The pick: Packers 31, Bears 27
Sunday Games:
Quarterback Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills shakes hands with Quarterback Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the coin toss before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, at EverBank Stadium, in Jacksonville, FL. The Jaguars defeated the Bills, 9-6. (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Buffalo Bills (12-5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4): 1:00 p.m. ET (CBS)
I think this is the best matchup on wildcard weekend. On one side, you have a Bills team, led by their reigning MVP quarterback, Josh Allen, playing in the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, going up against a red-hot Jaguars squad that currently looks like the best team in football, as they have won eight games in a row heading into the playoffs.
Allen continued to play like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in 2025, throwing for 3,668 passing yards and 25 touchdown passes while also running for 579 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. However, as good as Allen is, the key matchup within this game has to be between Buffalo's Pro Bowl running back James Cook--who led the league in rushing yards (1,621) and scored 14 total touchdowns--going up against a Jaguars defence that allowed the fewest rushing yards per game (85.6). Defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile has done amazing work during his first year on the job, as the Jags also rank eighth in points allowed per game and second in takeaways (31). If the Jags can slow down Cook and put all of the pressure on Allen, they should be in solid shape, even though Allen certainly can enter "Superman Mode" at any given moment.
With the help and guidance of first-year head coach Liam Coen, fifth-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence will come into this game on a hot streak, as he has thrown 15 touchdown passes to just one interception over his last six games. Coen has done a fantastic job of catering the offence to Lawrence's strengths, while simultaneously minimizing his weaknesses, which is a huge reason why the Jags finished the regular season sixth in total points scored (474), and they've averaged a whopping 34 points per game during their eight-game winning streak. And although running back Travis Etienne (1,107 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns) hasn't played as well to close out the season, I think Coen would be wise to maximize the opportunity of running the football with him against a very bad Buffalo run defence (28th in rushing yards allowed per game).
I love Josh Allen, and I think he will play well in this game, but the Bills got the wrong end of the draw, as I think this is a bad matchup for them on both sides of the ball. When opposing teams have been able to keep Allen off the field by running the football and neutralize James Cook on defence, the Bills have struggled to win games, and the Jaguars are perfectly equipped to play that style. The Bills have not won a playoff game on the road since 1992, and unfortunately, I think that three-decade run will continue on Sunday in typical heartbreaking fashion for Bills Mafia.
The pick: Bills 24, Jaguars 27 (OT)
Quarterback Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers throws the football during the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at Lincoln Financial Field, in Philadelphia, PA. The Eagles won, 31-7, to advance to Super Bowl 57. (Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
San Francisco 49ers (12-5) @ Philadelphia Eagles (11-6): 4:30 p.m. ET (FOX)
Since 2019, the 49ers and the Eagles have been recognized as elite teams, as they are tied for the fifth-most wins in the NFL over the past seven seasons, and notably, no NFC Championship Game has featured neither of them since 2021. And now, both of these playoff-tested squads will face each other for the right to advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.
After missing the playoffs last season, the 49ers are back in the postseason this year, and the play of their star quarterback, Brock Purdy, is a huge reason why. Despite missing eight games due to a turf toe injury, Purdy enjoyed an excellent season, throwing for 2,167 passing yards and 20 touchdown passes in only nine starts. Additionally, with the help of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, who managed to stay healthy and have an amazing season (2,126 total yards, 17 total touchdowns), All-Pro tight end George Kittle (57 catches, 628 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns), and future Hall of Fame left tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco's offence has been extremely potent all season long (7th in total offence). A lot of credit has to be given to head coach Kyle Shanahan, who has managed to work wonders with a team that has suffered tremendously from injuries in 2025.
However, it's safe to say that Purdy and Shanahan will have to be on their "A" game on Sunday, because they'll be going up against an elite Eagles defence (first in fewest passing touchdowns allowed, fifth in points allowed per game). Led by All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter, Pro Bowl cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, and highly esteemed defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Eagles' defence has played very well, and will give the 49ers' offence everything they can handle and then some.
The flip side of this game can be described as the "movable object" going up against the "stoppable force". San Francisco's defence has struggled for most of the season after losing All-Pro edge rusher Nick Bosa to a torn ACL and All-Pro middle linebacker Fred Warner to a broken and dislocated ankle injury (though it's been reported that Warner could make a remarkable return to the team if the 49ers can advance to the NFC Championship Game). San Francisco struggled to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks (20 sacks, fewest in the NFL) and generate turnovers (18 takeaways, tied for 26th in the NFL). Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo have faced a lot of criticism this season for their play-calling, as Philadelphia's offence suffered from startling bouts of inconsistency throughout the season (24th in total offence and third-down conversion percentage), but this is an offence that still has a lot of talented players, such as All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley (1,140 rushing yards, seven touchdowns), star wide receivers A.J. Brown (78 catches, 1,003 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns) and DeVonta Smith (77 catches, 1,008 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns), and versatile tight end Dallas Goedert (60 catches, 591 receiving yards, 11 receiving touchdowns). And of course, we all know about reigning Super Bowl 59 MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts (3,224 passing yards, 33 total touchdowns) and his ability to play at his best when it matters most.
The 49ers will put up a good fight on the road, but the Eagles' title defence will continue for at least one more week.
The pick: 49ers 20, Eagles 27
Quarterback Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass during an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024, at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, MA. The Chargers dominated the Patriots, 40-7, to clinch a playoff berth. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6) @ New England Patriots (14-3): 8:00 p.m. ET (NBC/Peacock)
This is going to be a fun one! The Chargers have made it to the playoffs in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2008 and 2009 seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and will try to win their first playoff game since 2019. Meanwhile, the Patriots are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2021, led by new head coach Mike Vrabel and aforementioned MVP candidate Drake Maye.
In just his second NFL season, Maye was fantastic, throwing for 4,394 passing yards and scoring 35 total touchdowns (31 passing, four rushing), while only throwing eight interceptions. Maye also led the NFL in passing yards per attempt (8.9), quarterback rating (77.2), and passer rating (113.5). Rookie running back Tre'Veyon Henderson (911 rushing yards, 10 total touchdowns) and veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs (85 catches, 1,013 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns) have played well this season, but overall, the fact that Maye performed at an elite level this season without having the benefit of an elite supporting casts speaks volumes about the type of player he is. However, Sunday night will mark Maye's first playoff game, and it will come against a very good Chargers defence (fifth in total defence, ninth in points allowed per game, tied for seventh in takeaways) led by Pro Bowl edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu (13 sacks) and coached up by Jesse Minter, who is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL.
Despite dealing with a broken hand and a very bad offensive line, Chargers Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert (3,727 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, 13 interceptions) played well in 2025, carrying the team to a 12th ranking in total offence. And while Herbert was sacked 54 times and got hit a whopping 129 times this season, this should be a solid matchup for him, as while the Patriots' defence excels at not giving up a lot of points (fourth in points allowed per game), they aren't great at getting to the quarterback (tied for 27th in sacks), which means Herbert should have ample time to throw the ball downfield to Ladd McConkey (66 catches, 789 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns) and Quentin Johnston (51 catches, 735 receiving yards, eight receiving touchdowns).
The Patriots have enjoyed an incredible season, and led by Maye and Vrabel, they should be one of the top contenders in the AFC for the foreseeable future, but I think this is Herbert's time. The talented signal-caller has yet to win a playoff game, but I think that will change on Sunday night. Look for Herbert to narrowly outduel Maye and lead the Chargers to a close win on the road to advance to the divisional round for a third meeting with the AFC West rival and top-seeded Denver Broncos next week.
The pick: Chargers 26 Patriots 23
Monday Night:
Quarterback C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass during an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023, at NRG Stadium, in Houston, TX. The Texans defeated the Steelers, 30-6. (AP Photo/David J. Philips)
Houston Texans (12-5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7): 8:15 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
It looks like we might have a defensive slugfest to cap off Wild Card Weekend, as this game features a Texans team that ranks first in total defence, second in points allowed per game, and tied for seventh in sacks going up against a Steelers defence that ranks sixth in sacks (48) and fourth in takeaways (27).
After starting the season off slowly by losing each of their first three games, the Texans have gone on a hot streak, as they finished the regular season by winning 12 of their last 14 games, including nine games in a row. Their aforementioned elite defence has led the way, with star players such as Pro Bowl edge rushers Will Anderson Jr. (12 sacks) and Danielle Hunter (15 sacks) and All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. (four interceptions, 13 pass deflections) enjoying incredible campaigns.
In his 21st season in the NFL, 42-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers put together a solid season in 2025, throwing for 3,322 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes, while taking great care of the football by throwing just seven interceptions. It will be very difficult for Rodgers to crack the code against this stout Texans' defence, and he is clearly no longer the same player he used to be, but the future Hall of Fame quarterback can still sling the football impressively and come up clutch in big-time moments.
C.J. Stroud will be playing in his fifth career playoff game at just 23 years old, and he has played well in his last five games, throwing eight touchdown passes to just two interceptions. Stroud does have an elite wide receiver to throw to in Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins (71 catches, 1,117 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns), but the Texans struggle to run the football effectively (22nd in rushing yards per game, tied for 29th in rushing yards per attempt), so if the Steelers (13th in rushing yards allowed per game) can neutralize Houston's rushing attack, there should be opportunities for star pass rushing duo of edge rushers T.J. Watt (seven sacks, three forced fumbles) and Alex Highsmith (9.5 sacks) to get after Stroud and potentially force some turnovers.
All in all, although I do think the Texans are the better team, winning this game on the road against a veteran-led Steelers team won't be easy. Pittsburgh incredibly hasn't lost a Monday Night Football game at home since 1991, but I think that streak will come to an end here, as Houston wins a low-scoring game to move on and potentially end Rodgers' storied career.
The pick: Texans 20, Steelers 16
If all of my picks end up proving to be correct, here is what the NFL divisional round would look like next week:
AFC side of the playoff bracket:
- Seventh-seeded Los Angeles Chargers @ first-seeded Denver Broncos
- Fifth-seeded Houston Texans @ third-seeded Jacksonville Jaguars
NFC side of the playoff bracket:
- Seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers @ first-seeded Seattle Seahawks
- Fifth-seeded Los Angeles Rams @ third-seeded Philadelphia Eagles
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