I am ready to get hurt again.
Yes, it’s a self-inflicted wound. But it’s an axe that must be swung. Unlike the one that Jack Del Rio once put in the Jacksonville locker room.
Every year, everyone who covers the NFL makes predictions for the season. If you don’t, you’re not really covering the NFL, are you?
The good news is that the results of the season in relation to the predictions do not operate as a disqualifying event. Otherwise, there would be very few people covering the NFL.
Here are the playoff predictions from all PFT writers. Fortunately, by the time the playoffs roll around, no one will care if we’re wrong or right.
Josh Alper
AFC
1. Bills; 2. Chargers; 3. Colts; 4. Ravens; 5. Chiefs; 6. Raiders; 7. Dolphins.
Wild card: Chargers over Dolphins, Raiders over Colts, Chiefs over Ravens.
Divisional: Bills over Raiders, Chiefs over Chargers.
Conference championship: Bills over Chiefs.
NFC
1. Packers; 2. Eagles; 3. Saints; 4. Rams; 5. Buccaneers; 6. 49ers; 7. Cardinals.
Wild card: Eagles over Cardinals, Saints over 49ers, Rams over Buccaneers.
Divisional: Rams over Packers; Eagles over Saints.
Conference championship: Eagles over Rams.
Super Bowl: Bills over Eagles.
Michael David Smith
AFC
1. Bills; 2. Chiefs; 3. Ravens; 4. Colts; 5. Broncos; 6. Chargers; 7. Bengals.
Wild card: Chiefs over Bengals, Chargers over Ravens, Broncos over Colts.
Divisional: Bills over Chargers, Chiefs over Broncos.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Bills.
NFC
1. Buccaneers; 2. Packers; 3. Cowboys; 4. Rams; 5. Vikings; 6. Eagles; 7. Cardinals.
Wild card: Packers over Cardinals, Cowboys over Eagles, Rams over Vikings.
Divisional: Buccaneers over Rams; Cowboys over Packers.
Conference championship: Buccaneers over Cowboys.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over Buccaneers.
Myles Simmons
AFC
1. Bills; 2. Chiefs; 3. Ravens; 4. Colts; 5. Bengals; 6. Raiders; 7. Chargers.
Wild card: Chiefs over Chargers, Raiders over Ravens, Bengals over Colts.
Divisional: Bills over Raiders, Chiefs over Bengals.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Bills.
NFC
1. Buccaneers; 2. Rams; 3. Eagles; 4. Packers; 5. 49ers; 6. Saints; 7. Cowboys.
Wild card: Rams over Cowboys, Saints over Eagles, Packers over 49ers.
Divisional: Buccaneers over Saints; Rams over Packers.
Conference championship: Buccaneers over Rams.
Super Bowl: Buccaneers over Chiefs
Charean Williams
AFC
1. Bills; 2. Colts; 3. Bengals; 4. Raiders; 5. Dolphins; 6. Chargers; 7. Steelers.
Wild card: Steelers over Colts, Bengals over Chargers, Raiders over Dolphins.
Divisional: Bills over Steelers, Raiders over Bengals.
Conference championship: Bills over Raiders.
NFC
1. Eagles; 2. Rams; 3. Packers; 4. Saints; 5. Buccaneers; 6. 49ers; 7. Cardinals.
Wild card: Rams over Cardinals, 49ers over Packers, Saints over Buccaneers.
Divisional: Eagles over 49ers; Rams over Saints.
Conference championship: Eagles over Rams.
Super Bowl: Bills over Eagles.
Mike Florio
AFC
1. Chiefs; 2. Colts; 3. Bills; 4. Steelers; 5. Bengals; 6. Raiders; 7. Chargers.
Wild card: Colts over Chargers, Bills over Raiders, Steelers over Bengals.
Divisional: Chiefs over Steelers, Colts over Bills.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Colts.
NFC
1. Buccaneers; 2. 49ers; 3. Eagles; 4. Vikings; 5. Packers; 6. Rams; 7. Cowboys.
Wild card: 49ers over Cowboys, Rams over Eagles, Packers over Vikings.
Divisional: Buccaneers over Rams; Packers over 49ers.
Conference championship: Packers over Buccaneers.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over Packers.