NFL Playoff Bracket 2024: AFC, NFC Picture and Super Bowl Predictions
It's hard to believe it's over.
The 2023-24 NFL regular season concluded Sunday night with the results of the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills, which saw the Bills secure the AFC East title and the No. 2 seed.
The rest of the conference took shape over Saturday's games and the Sunday early slate. The Houston Texans, by virtue of defeating the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday as well as by the Jacksonville Jaguars losing to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, clinched the AFC South.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, meanwhile, clinched a playoff berth on Sunday after Jacksonville's loss to Tennessee, a game that proved to send ripples through the entire conference.
In the NFC, the Dallas Cowboys won the NFC East title after defeating the Washington Commanders, relegating the Philadelphia Eagles to the No. 5 seed. In a statement showing, Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Carolina Panthers to clinch the NFC South and the No. 4 seed.
With first-year quarterback Jordan Love playing his best football of the year at exactly the right time, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears to jump into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed, set to face Dallas. The Packers had a chance to face the Detroit Lions as the No. 6 seed, but the Los Angeles Rams' win over the San Francisco 49ers locked them into the No. 6 spot.
AFC Playoff Picture
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AFC Standings
1. Baltimore Ravens (13-4, 1st AFC North)
2. Buffalo Bills (10-6, 1st AFC East)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-6, 1st AFC West)
4. Houston Texans (10-7, 1st AFC South)
5. Cleveland Browns (11-6, 2nd AFC North)
6. Miami Dolphins (11-5, 2nd AFC East)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, 3rd AFC North)
AFC Playoff Bracket
(7) Steelers at (2) Bills
(6) Dolphins at (3) Chiefs
(5) Browns at (4) Texans
Bye: (1) Ravens
NFC Playoff Picture
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NFC Standings
1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5, 1st NFC West)
2. Dallas Cowboys (12-5, 1st NFC East)
3. Detroit Lions (12-5, 1st NFC North)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-8, 1st NFC South)
5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, 2nd NFC East)
6. Los Angeles Rams (10-7, 2nd NFC West)
7. Green Bay Packers (9-8, 2nd NFC North)
*Standings current prior to Sunday Night Football
NFC Playoff Bracket
(7) Packers at (2) Cowboys
(6) Rams at (3) Lions
(5) Eagles at (4) Buccaneers
Bye: (1) 49ers
Super Bowl Prediction
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The AFC has been the Baltimore Ravens' conference for awhile now. At 13-4, Baltimore collected more wins than any other team in the NFL this season.
Things are less top-heavy in the NFC; the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions all finished the season at 12-5. Though the 49ers took a brief stumble early in the season, they are arguably the most balanced team in the league, and a late, one-point loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18, with both teams resting the majority of their starters, doesn't say much about their playoff viability.
True, the Ravens did stun the 49ers with a 14-point defeat on Christmas Day, with San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy throwing four interceptions. To think about that a different way, however, Purdy threw four interceptions and the 49ers didn't stop fighting, mounting a late surge that ultimately fell short. This team has faced adversity and has shown it has the talent and poise to overcome.
Expect the Ravens and 49ers to face off in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, with the 49ers' depth and firepower on both offense and defense giving them a slight edge.
Super Bowl prediction: 49ers 27, Ravens 21
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