2026 NFL Wildcard Weekend Predictions

The NFL Playoffs have arrived with no shortage of great games to start round one. Here are my predictions for the 2026 NFL Wildcard Round as teams begin their fight for a ticket to Santa Clara.

NFC

(2) Chicago Bears vs. (7) Green Bay Packers

This is the game I have the weakest read on. These division rivals are incredibly evenly matched with only one point separating them across two games this season.

The Bears have already had an extremely successful year with first year head coach Ben Johnson. Second year QB Caleb Williams has found success under Johnson but still has inconsistencies that can lead the offence to go stale at times.

On the other side is maybe the most unpredictable QB in the league in Jordan Love. Love missed the final two games of the regular season with a concussion but he’ll be ready to go for the matchup with Chicago. There were rumblings of head coach Matt LaFleur being on the hot seat during the year. Critics believe that without a deep playoff run LaFleur could be out of Green Bay.

I think it will be a tight game that ultimately comes down to Williams’ inexperience for the Bears.

Prediction: GB 24 - 23 CHI

(3) Philadelphia Eagles vs. (6) San Francisco 49ers

One of the best games of Wildcard weekend features the last two NFC teams to make the Super Bowl going head-to-head. The teams have a history and I expect it to get rough out there.

The Eagles seemingly still have questions at QB with Jalen Hurts. And once again this season A.J. Brown caused unnecessary drama that led to a rocky and inconsistent year for the defending champs. Now back in the playoffs, Philadelphia can rely on a defence that was 5th in points allowed during the regular season as their saving grace if the offence is not at the top of its game.

San Francisco is in the playoffs despite another year where the team was ravaged by injuries. Kyle Shanahan managed to win 12 games with his starting quarterback missing 8 weeks and proved once again he is one of the league’s elite Head Coaches. That being said, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s defence has looked shaky in the final few weeks, and the injuries on the defensive side may just be too much to overcome.

I think we get the best of the Eagles here, but with Shanahan game-planning I give the 49ers a real chance at the upset.

Prediction: PHI 21 - 17 SF

(4) Carolina Panthers vs. (5) Los Angeles Rams

One of the biggest stories in the NFL this year was this gutsy Carolina Panthers team that battled hard week after week resulting in their first playoff berth since 2017. Unfortunately for them, they’ve drawn a meeting with the MVP frontrunner Matthew Stafford and his Los Angeles Rams.

The Rams limped to the end of the regular season, losing three of their final five games - including a 31 - 28 loss to Carolina in week 13. But at their best LA looks like a juggernaut gunning for it all. The Panthers best shot at victory will be leaning on the run game and hoping that quarterback Bryce Young makes the right plays at the right time while protecting the football.

Unfortunately for Carolina I think this will be the biggest margin of victory of Wildcard weekend.

Prediction: LA 31 - 21 CAR

AFC

(2) New England Patriots vs. (7) Los Angeles Chargers

Sunday Night Football’s matchup features two franchise quarterbacks battling for their first playoff win.

QB Drake Maye will look to continue his dominant - possibly MVP - season where he led New England to their first season with more than 10 wins since Tom Brady’s departure. Maye will have the opportunity to show what he can do on the biggest stage in his first playoff game. Head coach Mike Vrabel will have something to prove as well. Sunday Night will be Vrabel’s first playoff game as a head coach since 2021.

The Chargers made the playoffs despite a multitude of injuries affecting their ability to protect their star QB Justin Herbert. Herbert sat the final game of the season after playing through a fracture in his non-throwing hand earlier in the year. He’ll be looking to exorcise his playoff demons after throwing 4 interceptions in their loss versus Houston last year.

This Chargers team is a bigger threat to New England than the seeds would suggest and I’m going with the upset.

Prediction: LAC 28 - 24 NE

(3) Jacksonville Jaguars vs. (6) Buffalo Bills

Arguably the best game of wildcard weekend features only the third postseason matchup between the Jaguars and Bills.

The Jaguars enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the league. They’ve won 8 games in a row to complete a 13 win season. First year head coach Liam Coen has implemented all the right changes to turn this Jacksonville team around. He’ll be looking to earn his first playoff victory as a head coach on Sunday.

But this is the moment for the Buffalo Bills. No Patrick Mahomes, no Lamar Jackson, and no Joe Burrow in the AFC playoff picture. It’s unfair, but anything short of their first super bowl appearance in the Josh Allen era will be viewed as a failure. Allen is one of a few players whose play elevates in the playoffs and I expect that to continue in 2026.

The Jags are the more well rounded team, but I can’t bet against Allen going superman mode.

Prediction: BUF 31 - 30 JAX

(4) Pittsburgh Steelers vs. (5) Houston Texans

The Steelers miraculously made the playoffs after Baltimore's mistakes in week 18. But new gained confidence could propel this Steelers team on a deep playoff run. Star receiver D.K. Metcalf will be returning after missing the final two games of the season. Metcalf was suspended after striking a fan on the sidelines in Detroit. The Steelers’ offence struggled without Metcalf in the final weeks. Expect him to be a big factor in this game.

The Texans had one of the weirdest seasons of any team this year. Houston had one of the worst offences for many of the early weeks. But their elite defence seemingly won games all by itself. DeMeco Ryans continued his success as head coach with a third consecutive year of 10 or more wins. Ryans’ suffocating defence will look to make everything difficult for Pittsburgh on Monday Night Football

I’m not willing to say that the Steelers’ offence can operate under the immense pressure that Houston’s defence will bring.

Prediction: HOU 20 - 16 PIT

Thank you for reading.