Week 1 of the 2026 NFL Season, and for any season, is sometimes a liar. We did see an insanely prolific showing on offense, which was rather unexpected. Typically, defenses have the advantage early in the season, but that wasn't the case here.
In Week 2 and beyond, things will begin to sort themselves out. The teams that are truly a threat will emerge as one, and those that are pretenders ill show it more. With each NFL team still having 16 games left, this marathon is only just beginning.
As we started last week and will continue throughout the season, let's dive into our weekly NFL playoff predictions for both conferences.
Updated NFL Playoff Predictions following Week 1 action
AFC Playoff Team Predictions
1. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills and Houston Texans got into an unexpected shootout in Week 1, and in unsurprising fashion, Josh Allen ended up making just enough plays to win. Sure, Buffalo's defense had a rough showing, but the high-stakes win can further prove Buffalo isn't going anywhere.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville looked awesome against the Cleveland Browns, but it was also the Browns. With that said, Trevor Lawrence has been playing out of his mind dating back to the end of the 2025 season, and if Lawrence is prepare to take a huge leap forward, the Jaguars are going to be a handful.
3. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore didn't have to break much of a sweat to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. The Ravens probably have the best overall squad in the division, and if the roster health is there, they'll win the AFC North
4. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City blew out the Denver Broncos and simply did not allow this team to do much of anything on either side of the ball. Sure, the Chiefs will probably come back down to earth at some point, but if the Chiefs can genuinely be that threatening on offense thanks to the addition of Kenneth Walker, and the defense doesn't regress, they'll get back to the top of the division.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati did not play the cleanest game, but a win is a win. The Bengals are off to a 1-0 start and do have enough roster talent to make the playoffs, which is primarily thanks to the defensive overhaul they made this offseason.
6. Denver Broncos
The Broncos looked like a limp, uninspired football team on Monday night. With that said, they might just have the best roster in the conference, and they did start 1-2 last year, so Denver still feels like a safe bet to make the playoffs.
7. Houston Texans
Speaking of a team with a loaded roster that started slow last year, Houston was 0-3 to begin the year, but finished 12-5. If the Jaguars are for real, the Texans could have to settle for a Wild Card spot, as CJ Stroud is not in the same tier as Lawrence.
Add us as a preferred source on Google