This could be some of the more fun and entertaining playoff games in recent league memory. Both conferences appear to be wide open, as even some of the Wild Card seeds could make a run at the Super Bowl in February.
However, the most likely scenario here is that the highest-ranked seeds are the ones standing in the end, as the top two or three seeds in either conference are, for the most part, the best teams in the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos get to sit back and watch, as they earned the top seeds in the conferences and earned the first-round bye.
Let's get into a full season playoff prediction now that the regular season is officially over.
Early 2025 NFL Playoff Predictions with the regular season now over
Wild Card Round
Los Angeles Chargers @ New England Patriots
The Patriots are the new kids on the block, but this team won 14 games for a reason and will be able to do enough to beat the LA Chargers in the first round.
Prediction: Patriots win 24-20
Buffalo Bills @ Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville is a better team than Buffalo. With the Bills also having regressed on both sides of the ball, they won't have a ton of answers for the high-flying Jags offense and the stingy defense. Jaguars win this one.
Prediction: Jaguars win 26-23
Houston Texans @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Houston is going to beat Pittsburgh - the Texans are simply a better team and have one of, if not the best defense in the league. That pass rush is going to suffocate Aaron Rodgers and the offense in a low-scoring affair.
Prediction: Texans win 20-16
Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears
The Bears make it two games in a row against the Green Bay Packers at home. The Packers are limping into the playoffs, and the Bears can eat the clock with a strong run game. Ben Johnson gets his first career playoff win as the Bears beat the Packers by three.
Prediction: Bears win 24-21
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles
The San Francisco 49ers just do not have the personnel to win games in the playoffs this year, and it really just comes down to that. Philly is a very experienced team and will win a no-nonsense Wild Card showdown here.
Prediction: Eagles win 28-21
Los Angeles Rams @ Carolina Panthers
The Rams lost to the Panthers in Carolina a few weeks ago, but that isn't going to be the case here. Carolina has a losing record and won't be able to perform on a bigger stage. Bryce Young has also been below-average this year, but it feels like the media coddles him like a child - the Panthers lose by double-digits.