NFL Playoffs instant predictions for Divisional Round matchups

The 2026 NFL Playoffs started with a Wild Card Round that produced nothing but bangers. The first four games of the playoffs all essentially came down to the last possession, and the fantastic finishes set up some even better matchups in the Divisional Round this upcoming weekend.

The Buffalo Bills visit the top-seeded Denver Broncos after out-lasting the Jaguars (whoops, there goes my AFC champion pick). The Seattle Seahawks take on their divisional rival San Francisco 49ers coming off the bye, and now SF won’t have George Kittle, who drowned his injury sorrows with tequila. The Chicago Bears host the Los Angeles Rams in a potential showstopper, while the Houston Texans’ ferocious pass rush sets its sights on Drake Maye and the New England Patriots.

I went 5-1 in my picks during the Wild Card Round, but the Jacksonville miss was a big one. Let’s predict every game of the second round of the playoffs now that the matchups are set.

The Broncos have a lot going for them: a week of rest, homefield advantage, the best defense in football led by arguably the best cover corner in the sport, a tremendous coaching staff, etc. The Bills have Josh Allen. Somehow, that’s enough to make Buffalo the early favorite in the betting markets. Denver is right to find this disrespectful. How many times do you see the No. 1 seed as a home underdog in their first playoff game? This is mostly a vote of doubt to Bo Nix, the sophomore QB who has been solid-but-unspectacular in a game manager role. Josh Allen has to be an absolute superhero to win this game, and honestly, I think he has it in him. This has to be the year for the Bills without the grim reaper that is Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs.

Pick: Bills

The NFC West rivals split the season series with the road team taking both games. The 49ers have suffered an unfathomable amount of injuries, and Kittle is the latest blue-chipper to go down for the season with a devastating Achilles tear. How Kyle Shanahan keeps this team rolling with such a long IR list is beyond me, but he has my NFL Coach of the Year vote. The Niners offense has been awesome since Brock Purdy’s return, but doing it against a mighty Seattle defense without Kittle feels like an impossible task. I picked San Francisco in this game in my pre-playoffs predictions last week, but I’m going to flip it after yet another injury. I just trust Seattle’s offense to score enough against what should be a shaky Niners’ defense, and despite how great San Francisco’s offense is, Seattle’s defense is right there with Denver’s as the game’s best. The best-on-best drives for the 49ers’ offense vs. Seattle’s defense will be must-see TV, but I’m now thinking Seattle comes out ahead in the aggregate.

Pick: Seahawks

This is a good way to sum up the Bears-Rams matchup:

The Bears have been making these ridiculous fourth quarter comebacks all year, and I still can’t believe they pulled of that last one against the Packers. As a lifelong Bears fan, I love nothing more than Ben Johnson’s shit-talking and Caleb Williams’ crunch-time magic. I was really rooting for them to play the Eagles in this round, though. Johnson and Williams are ascending, but Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford are already at the mountaintop. LA’s wide receivers should dust the Bears’ secondary, and I have no faith in Chicago’s pass rush to put consistent pressure on Stafford. Young teams usually have to take their lumps in the playoffs before breaking through, and this Bears season is already an A+++ for so many reasons. The Bears will be back, but this feels like the Rams year. Los Angeles was my Super Bowl pick before the playoffs for a reason. Hope I’m wrong.

Pick: Rams

Drake Maye had a season for the ages for the New England Patriots, but he’s about to face one of his toughest tests yet with a ferocious Texans’ pass rush staring him down in the Divisional Round. Houston’s defense punished Aaron Rodgers at every opportunity, and Maye will have to use every ounce of mobility to extend plays and find explosives with a somewhat shaky offensive line in front of him. Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter will be ready to tee off on the likely MVP, but I just don’t trust the other side of the ball for the Texans. Houston found some running success against Pittsburgh, but C.J. Stroud just doesn’t look very inspiring in the passing game right now. With Nico Collins’ status looking uncertain with a possible concussion, I just don’t believe in the Texans’ offense to score enough to win this game. Maye will need to put on his superhero cape, but that’s just the type of quarterback he is. Give me a Drake Maye vs. Josh Allen AFC Championship Game, please.

Pick: Patriots