These NFL Teams Will Punch Their Playoff Ticket in 2025
It’s prediction time in the NFL, with the regular season five days away. The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys will get things cracking on Thursday night.
These NFL teams will punch their playoff ticket in 2025. From rising contenders to proven powers, here are the squads built for the postseason.
Recently, the NFL playoff field has undergone a turnover of about 50% per season, indicating impressive parity throughout the league.
To get on record, these are predictions for NFL playoff teams in 2025.
Predictions: NFL Teams Headed for the Playoffs in 2025
The teams that will march into the mid-January tournament.
Arizona Cardinals
It’s go-time for Jonathan Gannon and Arizona in Year No. 3 of his coaching tenure. The Cardinals’ offense will click as Marvin Harrison Jr. rises to power, running back Trey Benson eventually takes over RB1, and Kyler Murray turns back into 2021 Kyler Murray.
Arizona eeks out a Wildcard spot.
Baltimore Ravens
So long as Lamar Jackson stays mostly healthy, the Ravens will contend for a Super Bowl annually. He alone propels the offense, and the defensive depth chart is peppered with impressive talents.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills are most folks’ fashionable pick for the Super Bowl, because if not now for Buffalo, when? Buffalo should also take on a pretty flimsy divisional opponent docket.
NFL.com’s staff wrote about the Bills this week: “The Bills, who locked up the AFC East on Dec. 1 last season, are the only unanimous selection this year by our analysts, who predict a sixth consecutive division title for Josh Allen and Co.”
“The Pats and Jets, both of whom introduced new head coaches this offseason, did appear on several ballots (seven and four, respectively), but neither finished higher than the AFC’s sixth seed. The Dolphins, meanwhile, were one of four teams that did not receive a playoff vote.”
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals’ offensive line is still a bit strange, and the defense wasn’t fundamentally fixed. However, in 2025, Joe Burrow and friends will finish 10-7 or so and return to the postseason.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas has been left for dead in the court of public opinion following Thursday’s trade of Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. But if one looks under the hood of the roster, it’s fairly talented. The Washington Commanders will find a sophomore slump, and Dallas will earn a Wildcard berth.
Detroit Lions
Detroit must circumvent the departures of Aaron Glenn and Ben Johnson; that won’t be easy. Yet, like the Philadelphia Eagles, the Lions’ roster is stacked.
Dan Campbell and Co. will finish 11-6 or 12-5.
NFL.com on the NFC North: “Bears, Lions and Vikings fans weren’t the only ones muttering expletives under their breaths Thursday night, as several of our analysts were forced to rip up their ballots to account for the trade of the summer. The late-breaking Micah Parsons news not only delayed the publishing of these predictions but upended the NFC totals, with several voters either switching their division selection from Detroit to Green Bay or promoting the Packers from the playoff bubble into a firm wild-card slot.”
“Although Matt LaFleur’s club might be the darling of the moment, expectations remain sky high for the division as a whole: The North was the lone group to have all four of its teams represented on at least nine ballots. (No other NFC division had more than two teams.)”
Houston Texans
Houston’s offensive line is terrible on paper for an otherwise promising team. But because of a weak slate of AFC South opponents, the Texans will win their division and probably get bounced in Round 1 of the postseason.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Liam Coen is going to click in Jacksonville. And he will make Trevor Lawrence click, more importantly. Utilizing rookie Travis Hunter all over the place and enjoying Brian Thomas’ continued rise to superstardom, the Jaguars will finish in second place in the AFC South and play meaningful January football.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Eagles humbled the Chiefs 6.5 months ago, and Kansas City will use that as a reality check to resume its dynasty. Don’t be dumb and bet against the Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh arrived on the scene in 2024 and promptly guided the Chargers to an 11-6 record. Why would they regress in 2025? They won’t, and their record may improve to 12-5.
Minnesota Vikings
Led by J.J. McCarthy, who will perform well most of the time as a first-year starter, Minnesota will navigate a bonkers-tough schedule, finishing 10-7 and on tap to play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wildcard Round. And Kevin O’Connell will notch his first playoff victory on that day. On the road.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ roster has no weak spots. Period. End of story. Onlookers aren’t wondering if they can reach the playoffs. It’s whether they can repeat as champions. Probably not.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are due for a bounceback year, and they will effectuate precisely that. Kyle Shanahan’s teams don’t stay down for long. San Francisco will rebound, finish 11-6 or so, and win the NFC West.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay will perform exactly as it did in 2024: good enough to win the NFC South, good enough to turn heads, but not talented enough to be a serious Super Bowl contender.
The Buccaneers may find themselves in a situation where they reach the playoffs, lose their first game, and consider a head coaching change.
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