The 2024 NFL regular season is entering the final four weeks of action, and teams are beginning to secure playoff berths and even division titles.
Four teams have secured playoff spots: The Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) and Buffalo Bills (10-3) have clinched their divisions. In the NFC, the Detroit Lions (12-1) and Philadelphia Eagles (11-2) have clinched playoff berths.
The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will kick off the final four weeks of the season with ‘Thursday Night Football,’ the outcome providing more clarity for the playoff picture, particularly in the muddied NFC West.
The NFL playoffs will begin in one month, and while there are still 10 of 14 playoff spots up for grabs for 25 teams entering Week 15, here’s an early look at some predictions and picks to win the AFC, NFC and which team will be the Super Bowl LIX champion.
AFC standings
Kansas City Chiefs – 1st AFC West (12-1)
Buffalo Bills – 1st AFC East (10-3)
Pittsburg Steelers – 1st AFC North (10-3)
Houston Texans – 1st AFC South (8-5)
Baltimore Ravens – 1st wild card (8-5)
Los Angeles Chargers – 2nd wild card (8-5)
Denver Broncos – 3rd wild card (8-5)
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AFC championship predictions
Bills over defending champs
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 seed and a bye in the wild-card round, but they don’t appear as dangerous as their recent Super Bowl runs. Mahomes and Andy Reid have been terrific in the face of adversity but their offensive struggles in 2024 will come to the surface against the MVP-favorite Josh Allen and Bills offense.
Mahomes is on pace for his fewest passing touchdowns in a single season (26), his most interceptions in a season (14), his lowest passing-yard total since 2019 – a season in which he played just 14 games – and the worst passer rating of his career (92). The Chiefs fell short against Allen and the Bills in Week 11 which has been their only loss at this juncture. Kansas City followed the loss with three consecutive wins against the Panthers, Raiders and Chargers. However, the defending Super Bowl champs narrowly escaped in all three games.
Josh Allen is one of the most creative quarterbacks and finally will claim an MVP and a Super Bowl birth in 2024. He is protecting the ball, throwing just five interceptions compared to 14 through 13 games last season. The Bills’ offensive line is dominant in the trenches. The defense has faced injuries and an overhaul of personnel following cuts last offseason, leading to multiple leaders stepping up. Taylor Rapp, Rasul Douglas and Terrel Bernard have become staples, to name a few.
Allen will ultimately be the best player on the field and the difference between Buffalo and Kansas City in 2024.
NFC standings
Detroit Lions – 1st NFC North (12-1)
Philadelphia Eagles – 1st NFC East (11-2)
Seattle Seahawks – 1st NFC West (8-5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1st NFC South (7-6)
Minnesota Vikings – 1st wild card (11-2)
Green Bay Packers – 2nd wild card (9-4)
Washington Commanders – 3rd wild card (8-5)
NFC championship predictions
Eagles represent the NFC in the Super Bowl over Detroit
Some NFL fans were quick to forget Philadelphia entered last December with the best record in the NFL at 10-1 but finished the season at 11-6 after dropping five of its last six games. The Eagles have replicated their early season success in 2024 and are top contenders with one of the NFL’s deepest and most talented rosters. It’s easy to envision Philadelphia playing in Super Bowl LIX at the Superdome in February.
The NFC East has not had a repeat division champion for 19 consecutive seasons, and Philadelphia is one win away from making it 20. Despite continuing to win games, Detroit has a growing list of injuries across its defense.
Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ennis Rakestraw, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Malcolm Rodriguez, Marcus Davenport, Mekhi Wingo, are all on injured reserve. Levi Onwuzurike, DJ Reader, Josh Pascal and Alim McNeill are all banged up. The Eagles’ strength is running the ball, and Detroit will fail to stop Philadelphia if these injuries continue to pile up.
The “Super Bowl runner-up” theory is relevant here as well. The Eagles lost Super Bowl 57 and failed to return the following season (50 of the 57 Super Bowl losers — 87% — failed to return the following season), and just one of the previous 29 losers have returned to the big game. In other words, history suggests the NFC will have a new team representing this season and history wasn’t on their side last season.
The Eagles will soar their way to Super Bowl 59 behind a prolific offense and defense that’s ranked fourth in defensive DVOA, according to FTN.
Super Bowl LIX predictions
Eagles 31, Bills 27
The Eagles re-tooled the defense and tinkered with some other positions, but no move this offseason was bigger than bringing in superstar Saquon Barkley. The former No. 2 overall pick is as explosive and electric as it comes in the backfield and gets to run behind an offensive line that has managed the most rushing yards before contact (3.9).
With a star-studded offensive lineup including Jalen Hurts, surrounded by talents like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and the explosive Barkley, the Eagles have the firepower to keep pace with the league’s best. The Bills defense allows too many big plays (third-most plays of 10 yards or more) in the NFL allowed. Barkley leads the NFL with 37 runs of at least 10 yards entering the season’s final month.
The last time a non-quarterback earned NFL MVP honors was in 2012, and Barkley has made a strong case to shake up the status quo in 2024. The Eagles failed to lift the Lombardi Trophy two seasons ago against the Chiefs, but their dynamic weapon out of the backfield will be the difference in 2024.
The Eagles will control the tempo just long enough to outlast Allen and the Bills, who lack a true difference-maker outside of Allen.
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Super Bowl LIX odds breakdown
According to the current betting odds at BetMGM, the Detroit Lions are +260 favorites to win this season’s Super Bowl.
NFL playoff schedule
Wild card round: Saturday, Jan. 11 to Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
Divisional round: Saturday, Jan. 18 to Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025
Conference championship: Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025
Super Bowl: Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025