1 Bold Prediction for All 8 NFL Divisions Heading into the Season

In three weeks' time, the 2026 NFL campaign will get underway with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots at Lumen Field.

That places us in the heart of prediction season.

With the preseason continuing and training camps entering later stages, here is one bold take per division for 2026.

NFC East

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Dak Prescott

Prediction: It's a legit four-way fight in December

The Eagles just became the first team to win back-to-back NFC East titles since 2004, but I have a feeling the division will be a four-team race in 2026.

Philadelphia's margin for error has narrowed, and there is a wild-card element to the team, with a rookie essentially replacing veteran receiver A.J. Brown and the Eagles preparing to work with their fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.

There's no denying the offensive talent in Dallas, and the Cowboys have at least proactively addressed the defense this offseason.

The John Harbaugh-coached Giants are one of the most enticing young teams in football, with intriguing weapons at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and edge-rusher.

Let's also not forget that when Jayden Daniels was fully healthy just 20 months ago, the Commanders went all the way to the NFC Championship Game. 

The NFC East has produced plenty of Royal Rumble-style races, and another could be on the way. Washington and Dallas should rebound and close the gap on Philadelphia, while New York could take a major step forward to make this a four-team dogfight.

NFC North

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Micah Parsons

Prediction: The Packers finish last despite a winning record

It is the wrong division at the wrong time for a talented Packers team with the personnel, coaching and experience to remain competitive, but Green Bay could be without superstar Micah Parsons for a significant portion of the 2026 campaign.

The Bears should continue to improve and build on an 11-victory division-winning season in Year 2 for Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams together.

The Lions might actually be the most talented team in football and should bounce back from an off year.

If the Vikings managed to go 9-8 with an inconsistent J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, their ceiling is considerably higher with Kyler Murray expected to have Justin Jefferson for a full season.

Just as we shouldn't forget that Washington made an NFC title game appearance in 2024, we shouldn't overlook the fact that Minnesota went 14-3 that season. 

The Packers are a good team, but they still lack a clear-cut No. 1 target. Their offensive line struggled in pass protection last season and underwent changes that are not guaranteed to solve the problem. They also could be without Micah Parsons for a while.

It's just not a good recipe. 

NFC South

AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

Todd Bowles

Prediction: The Saints run away with the division as Buccaneers blow it up

The Saints owned this division for much of the Drew Brees era, with the Buccaneers taking over a soft NFC South once Brees retired. Now, each team's trajectory indicates they're about to swap the crown again. 

The Bucs are relatively old, as key players from their 2020 Super Bowl team continue to decline or depart. Their coaching staff appears stale, and their quarterback may have reached his ceiling. Those concerns were evident in their 2-7 record after the midseason bye in 2025.

Meanwhile, 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough posted a 103.8 passer rating in his final four games and frequently showed signs that he could be the long-term option under center in New Orleans as the Saints went 4-1 to wrap up the 2025 campaign. 

Technically, the Bucs finished tied for first (despite their 8-9 record) in 2025, while the rebuilding Saints finished last after a slow start.

With quarterback situations still murky in Atlanta and Carolina, and significant issues remaining elsewhere on both rosters, expect New Orleans to climb back to the top of the division. The fading Buccaneers could then be headed for an offseason reset that ends the Todd Bowles era.

NFC West

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Matthew Stafford

Prediction: The Rams do not win the division

Following an offseason acquisition spree, the Rams are a sizable Super Bowl favorite. 

But don't forget that they didn't actually win this division despite an MVP performance from quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2025. 

The mission should theoretically be easier with Myles Garrett likely providing an upgrade over Jared Verse and the secondary looking stronger, but Stafford is 38 and may have peaked in that campaign.

In 2026, he will be relying on a top-heavy receiving corps led by 33-year-old Davante Adams and Puka Nacua, who has spoken publicly about the positive impact of rehabilitation meetings on his life.

The 49ers matched the Rams' win total last season despite far worse injury luck than the rest of the division. Yet they may not even be Los Angeles' biggest threat, with the defending Super Bowl champion also residing in the NFC West.

I'm expecting Los Angeles to be in the mix as always, but I also believe folks on this hype train will be let down when they see the Rams struggle with what will be a very treacherous path. 

AFC East

AP Photo/Mark Stockwell

Mike Vrabel

Prediction: Only the Bills make the playoffs

This is really an indictment of the Patriots' outlook: They are primed for a post-Super Bowl hangover after a distracting offseason and now face an uphill battle with a target on their back in 2026.

New England benefited from one of the league's easiest schedules in 2025, but it is expected to face a significantly more difficult slate in 2026. The Patriots also ranked as the league's healthiest team by adjusted games lost in 2025, a level of availability that can be difficult to sustain from one season to the next.

They are not even the favorite to win their division, as there's a good chance the Buffalo Bills will bounce back to capture their sixth AFC East crown in a seven-year span in 2026. 

And that just may leave New England out of the dance entirely, as I'm expecting the veteran Ravens, Chiefs and Bengals to rebound from off years and join the Broncos, Chargers, Jaguars and Texans in the AFC conference-championship picture. 

Right there, the math starts to work against a wild-card Patriots squad. 

That said, New England is still better off than the rebuilding Dolphins or a Jets team that has plenty of pieces in place but will be relying on a post-prime turnover machine as a bridge quarterback. Those teams lost a combined 24 games in 2025 and should be expected to join the Pats on the golf course come the middle of January. 

AFC North

AP Photo/David Banks

Todd Monken

Prediction: The Browns are not terrible

The pecking order seems somewhat obvious in the AFC North, with Baltimore widely expected to take care of business, the Bengals and Steelers expected to battle in the middle and Cleveland predicted by many to be one of the worst teams in the NFL following the Myles Garrett trade. 

And while that's easy to understand considering that this is a 5-12 team that dealt away the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, don't overlook the return there in 2024 Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse. 

On top of that, there's new energy surrounding this team with straight-shooting Todd Monken's regime taking over. They at least have several interesting options at quarterback, several intriguing new talents at the skill positions and a shaken-up offensive line. 

There will be growing pains, but don't be surprised if this retooled Browns squad takes advantage of a weak schedule and low expectations and performs a lot better than expected in 2026. 

AFC South

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

Daniel Jones

Prediction: The Colts crash and burn

The Jaguars finished last season as one of the hottest teams in the NFL and are on a great track entering Liam Coen's second year.

The Texans might have the most skilled defense in the NFL and could be even better than their 12-5 2025 record if C.J. Stroud can rediscover his old groove.

Even the rebuilding Titans looked like they had turned a corner with 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward late last year before bringing in Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll this offseason. 

Where does that leave the Colts in the AFC South? 

I'm afraid they're in trouble. 

After their Week 11 bye in 2025, the fast-starting Colts were held to 20 or fewer points five times in seven games. And even before going down with an Achilles injury that could very well impact his play this season, quarterback Daniel Jones had already fallen off a cliff with an 84.2 passer rating in his final five starts last year. 

I don't think he's the answer, but the desperate Colts paid him that way anyway. And I'm not sure Shane Steichen is the guy to lead this team out of football purgatory (they've gone 9-8 or 8-9 in four of their last five campaigns). 

There's really nothing special about this squad, which featured a bottom-12 scoring defense while sliding late last season. 

Watch for it all to hit the fan in 2026 as the Steichen era concludes. 

AFC West

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Fernando Mendoza

Prediction: Fernando Mendoza is starting by November 1

New Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak continues to back veteran offseason addition Kirk Cousins as the team's No. 1 quarterback, and there has been a sentiment in Las Vegas that the team won't rush things with top pick Fernando Mendoza. 

And that makes sense considering Cousins' presence. This is a guy the front office actively pursued, rather than some lingering remnant from the 2025 roster. 

Cousins will turn 38 this season and has not consistently played at a high level since his age-35 campaign. The Raiders have plenty of exciting young talent and need to keep their fanbase engaged.

If Cousins hits a rough patch—as he very well could in September or October—the pressure to turn to Mendoza could become difficult to resist.

The schedule is daunting between Weeks 2 and 7 anyway, which is why I'm targeting the team's Nov. 1 Week 8 matchup with the soft Jets for Mendoza's debut as a starter. 

That's if they can even hold off that long.