NFL Playoff Bracket 2023: Scenarios and Predictions for Postseason Picture

Just 14 NFL teams remain in contention to be crowned kings of Super Bowl LVII.

That number will be nearly sliced in half over the upcoming weekend.

Only the top seeds from the AFC and NFC—the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles, respectively—were granted a bye that fast-forwards them right into the divisional round. The other dozen clubs, meanwhile, must go through the unpredictable gauntlet that is the wild-card round to get there.

Given the single-elimination format, it's often advisable to expect the unexpected, which can make life a nightmare for prognosticators. Still, we're trudging forward and relying on our statistical evaluations and eye tests to help us see into the future. So, after laying out the set-in-stone playoff bracket, we'll bust out the crystal ball and make a prediction for each conference.

NFL Playoff Bracket

Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images

ORCHARD PARK, NY - JANUARY 08: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills on the field before a game against the New England Patriots at Highmark Stadium on January 8, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)

AFC Seeding

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-3, clinched AFC West)

2. Buffalo Bills (13-3, clinched AFC East)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4, clinched AFC North)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8, clinched AFC South)

5. Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)

6. Baltimore Ravens (10-7)

7. Miami Dolphins (9-8)

---

AFC Wild-Card Bracket

1. Chiefs (bye)

Saturday, Jan. 14

(5) Chargers vs. (4) Jaguars: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC

Sunday, Jan. 15

(7) Dolphins vs. (2) Bills: 1 p.m. ET, CBS

(6) Ravens vs. (3) Bengals: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC

---

NFC Seeding

1. Philadelphia Eagles (14-3, clinched NFC East)

2. San Francisco 49ers (13-4, clinched NFC West)

3. Minnesota Vikings (13-4, clinched NFC North)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9, clinched NFC South)

5. Dallas Cowboys (12-5)

6. New York Giants (9-7-1)

7. Seattle Seahawks (9-8)

---

NFC Wild-Card Bracket

(1) Eagles (bye)

Saturday, Jan. 14

(2) 49ers vs. (7) Seahawks: 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Sunday, Jan. 15

(3) Vikings vs. (6) Giants: 4:30 p.m. ET, Fox

Monday, Jan. 16

(4) Buccaneers vs. (5) Cowboys: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, ABC

AFC Prediction: The Chiefs Don't Win a Game

Jeff Bottari/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 07: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs throws a pass against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of the game at Allegiant Stadium on January 07, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)

Since promoting Patrick Mahomes to be their starting quarterback in 2018, the Chiefs have yet to lose their opening playoff game.

There's a first time for everything, though, and this will be the year in which Kansas City stumbles out of the opening gate and finally fails its first playoff test.

The Chiefs aren't littered with playmakers as they have been in the past. Granted, they still paced the league in points per game (29.2)—because Mahomes is a magician and tight end Travis Kelce is virtually unguardable—but they never found a replacement for Tyreek Hill. JuJu Smith-Schuster was good (78 receptions for 933 yards), but Hill is on a different level of greatness.

The running game relies heavily on seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco and 30-year-old Jerick McKinnon, who doesn't have the cleanest injury history. The defense is leakier than it has been in some time, slotting 16th in points allowed per game—its worst ranking since 2018.

There are reasons to believe this Chiefs team isn't as dominant as recent iterations. If it is, in fact, vulnerable, then a potential divisional-round matchup with AFC West rivals the Chargers could spell disaster.

The Chargers overcame myriad injury issues to post a 10-7 record, which featured a 5-2 closing stretch. Justin Herbert has tremendous arm talent and a bunch of playmakers around him, like running back Austin Ekeler and receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. The defense has stars up front (Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack) and another in the secondary (Derwin James Jr.).

If L.A. can dispatch a red-hot (but inexperienced) Jacksonville team Saturday night, the Chargers could cause all kinds of problems for the Chiefs. While Kansas City won both regular-season meetings, each game was decided by all of three points.

NFC Prediction: The 49ers Win It All

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 08: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up during pregame warm ups prior to the start of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on January 08, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Few teams can afford an injury to their starting quarterback. Losing a second signal-caller would almost certainly be a season-killer.

These 49ers aren't like other teams, though.

While San Francisco is relying on seventh-round rookie Brock Purdy to handle the league's most important position, it's really what's happening around the quarterback that makes this club so dangerous. Now, that's not a knock on Purdy, who's been tremendous since taking over for a hobbled Jimmy Garoppolo, but the rookie is having success because he's not trying to do too much and letting the talent around him take over.

The midseason trade for Christian McCaffrey transformed this team from one with a great defense and a hopefully-good-enough offense to a true two-way juggernaut. The 49ers averaged a forgettable 20.7 points between Weeks 1 and 7. Once McCaffrey snagged a starting spot in Week 8, that average jumped to 30.5. San Francisco was a perfect 10-0 from that point forward.

And it's not just McCaffrey. The 49ers have an elite tight end in George Kittle and two top-flight playmakers out wide in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. When the personnel alone isn't enough to overpower opponents, then coach Kyle Shanahan's playcalling gives this group the final lift to become this unbeatable squad.

The 49ers enter the postseason ranked sixth in scoring offense and first in scoring defense. Their ability to win games on either end of the field will be the ultimate difference-maker that caps this already impressive run with the franchise's first world title in nearly three decades.