NFL playoff predictions: Picking eight division winners, six wild-card teams for 2024 season

(10 votes: Band, Blair, Cersosimo, Gonzales, Grant, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Rank.)

T-2) Buffalo Bills (+190) | 9 votes: Abdoo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Patra, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross.

T-2) New York Jets (+165) | 9 votes: Baca, Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Okada, Parr, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.

The AFC East is projected to be the most competitive division race by far, with our analysts basically split between three teams. Miami, which holds the narrowest of leads among our analysts, was atop the division entering Week 18 before losing to Buffalo in the final game of the 2023 regular season. As a result, the Bills captured their fourth straight AFC East crown, while the Dolphins extended their streak to 15 seasons without a title -- fourth-longest league-wide and second only to the Jets (21 seasons) within the division. If the Bills, Dolphins and Jets all were to earn a postseason berth -- a realistic possibility, per our analysts -- it would be the first time three AFC teams from the same division made the playoffs since 2020 (AFC North).

(15 votes: Abdoo, Baca, Battista, Bhanpuri, Blair, Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Rank, Reuter, Ross, Shook.)

2) Cincinnati Bengals (+145) | 11 votes: Band, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Patra, Rosenthal, Walker, Zierlein.

T-3) Cleveland Browns (+525) | 1 vote: Bergman.

T-3) Pittsburgh Steelers (+750) | 1 vote: Magdziuk.

One of the most consistently dominant divisions in the NFL, the AFC North is projected to be a slugfest yet again in 2024. Each of the four teams received at least one first-place vote this year -- the only division for which that was true. While our analysts favor either the Ravens or Bengals to take the group, the Browns, fresh off an 11-win season, will look to snap a league-worst 31-season stretch without a division title. The Steelers have an unfavorable streak of their own to erase, as they’re one of just seven teams since 2017 without a playoff win. They’ll have to get into the tournament first, though. Despite 11 postseason appearances in 17 seasons under Mike Tomlin (all at .500 or better), Pittsburgh is viewed as the biggest underdog in the pack. Whoever takes the North, expect that team to win at least 10 games in 2024; the AFC North is the only division whose champion has hit double-digit wins in every year since the 2002 realignment.

(25 votes: Abdoo, Baca, Band, Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Blair, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Parr, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal, Ross, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)

2) Jacksonville Jaguars (+300) | 3 votes: Cersosimo, Jones-Drew, Okada.

One year after finishing at the bottom of the conference, the Texans earned a playoff berth on 27 of 28 ballots and received all but three first-place votes in the AFC South. In fact, they earned the second-most first-place votes of any division winner this year (only the Chiefs had more). How quickly things change! Although most of our analysts (like most of the football world) are high on DeMeco Ryans’ group, several also reserved spots for the Colts (appeared on seven ballots) and Jaguars (five) in this year’s playoff field.

UNANIMOUS PICK

The Chiefs’ dominance within the AFC West (and across the league) is expected to continue this season, with all of our analysts picking Kansas City to win its ninth consecutive division title. In fact, Patrick Mahomes and Co. were the only unanimous selection this year. It's not all Kansas City among the four West squads, though, as the Chargers appeared as a wild-card team on eight ballots, with two analysts picking L.A. to earn the AFC’s sixth seed in Year 1 of the Jim Harbaugh era.

(24 votes: Baca, Band, Battista, Bergman, Bhanpuri, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Patra, Rank, Rosenthal, Ross, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)

2) Dallas Cowboys (+185) | 4 votes: Abdoo, Blair, Parr, Reuter.

The NFC East hasn’t had a repeat champion since the Eagles won three straight following realignment in 2002. Our analysts see that trend continuing this season (sorry, Cowboys!), with Philadelphia receiving 24 first-place votes and earning a playoff spot on all 28 of our analysts’ ballots. Dallas is still predicted to be the conference’s fifth seed, receiving the most total points among all NFC wild-card contenders. A playoff berth would be nothing new for Dallas, which is one of just 10 teams with double-digit playoff appearances this millennium. However, of those 10 teams, all but the Cowboys have advanced to a conference title game; in fact, the other nine have all won at least one Lombardi Trophy since 2000.

(20 votes: Band, Battista, Bhanpuri, Blair, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Filice, Florio, Grant, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Reuter, Rosenthal, Shook, Zierlein.)

2) Green Bay Packers (+240) | 7 votes: Abdoo, Baca, Bergman, Gonzales, Patra, Ross, Walker.

3) Chicago Bears (+350) | 1 vote: Rank.

After winning their first division title in 30 years last season, the Lions enter 2024 as the overwhelming favorite among our analysts to win the NFC North. But Detroit is expected to have plenty of competition, with the Packers appearing on 25 of 28 ballots, including as the top team in the division on seven of them. A strong second half in 2023, a new franchise QB and several big-name offseason additions have propelled Chicago into the playoff conversation, as well. After appearing on just six ballots last season, the Bears earned a spot on 11 this year -- the majority picking Caleb & Co. as the NFC's seventh seed. With expectations sky high in the Windy City, the Bears will look to snap their 13-year skid without a playoff win -- a streak that's three times as long as the next-closest team in the division (Minnesota at four).

(20 votes: Baca, Band, Battista, Bhanpuri, Cersosimo, Chadiha, Edholm, Florio, Gonzales, Grant, Jones-Drew, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Ross, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)

2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+280) | 8 votes: Abdoo, Bergman, Blair, Filice, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Rosenthal.

The arrival of Kirk Cousins and Raheem Morris in Atlanta has dramatically changed the complexion of this division race from a season ago, with the Falcons receiving 20 first-place votes after totaling just 12 this time last year. With NFC North and West teams monopolizing wild-card spots on our analysts' ballots, the South is widely predicted to have only one playoff rep this year. But that one rep can do plenty of damage, as the champion of the NFC South has won at least one postseason game in 11 of the past 15 seasons.

(21 votes: Abdoo, Band, Battista, Bergman, Blair, Chadiha, Edholm, Gonzales, Grant, Kownack, Magdziuk, Mariucci, Okada, Parr, Patra, Rank, Reuter, Ross, Shook, Walker, Zierlein.)

2) Los Angeles Rams (+350) | 6 votes: Baca, Bhanpuri, Cersosimo, Filice, Florio, Jones-Drew.

3) Seattle Seahawks (+600) | 1 vote: Rosenthal. 

The 49ers' vice-grip on the division (and, perhaps, the conference as a whole) appears to be slipping, with 75 percent of voters picking them to repeat as champs after 88 percent predicted that outcome last year. Still, San Francisco appeared on all 28 ballots, selected as the top wild-card team when it wasn't picked to win the West. The Rams also received a share of first-place votes in the division but they are mainly predicted to finish as the sixth or seventh seed. The rest of the league should take notice of whoever comes out of this cluster, though, as the NFC West champ has earned a trip to the conference title game in 10 of the past 13 seasons and the Super Bowl in four of the past six.