Do The Chiefs "Threepeat"? My Official 2024 NFL Standings & Playoff Predictions

Do you smell that? It is the smell of football back in the air. The 2024 NFL season should be another exciting year for fans across the league and after months of prep, I am ready to unveil my official 2024 NFL standings and playoff predictions. In this piece, I will break down how I see the season unfolding and which teams will surprise, which may disappoint, and who will be our Super Bowl LIX champion in February. Will the Chiefs continue their reign and win a third straight title, or is a new champion ready to take the belt? Let’s dive in.

AFC East:

1. Buffalo Bills 11-6

2. Miami Dolphins 9-8

3. New York Jets 9-8

4. New England Patriots 4-13

I’m predicting the AFC East to finish with the Bills on top, followed by the Dolphins, Jets, and the Patriots once again at the bottom, the same order as last year. While I wouldn’t be shocked if the Dolphins or Jets manage to take the division, I have still have serious questions about both teams, and I have them both missing the playoffs. The Bills might have lost some key offensive pieces, like Stefon Diggs, but as long as Josh Allen is their quarterback, I’m picking them to win the division until he proves otherwise. As for the Patriots, they simply don’t have the talent to compete with the rest of the division, and I have serious doubts about Jerod Mayo’s ability to lead as head coach. I would not be surprised if Mayo is one and done in New England, especially with Mike Vrabel still on the open market.

AFC North:

1. Cincinnati Bengals 11-6

2. Baltimore Ravens 11-6

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-9

4. Cleveland Browns 7-10

For the AFC North, I've got the Bengals taking the top stop, followed by the Ravens, Steelers, and Browns. Every year, you need to find a team to go from worst to first, and with Joe Burrow back healthy, Cincinnati is primed to make that jump. The Ravens still make the playoffs, but with Mike MacDonald no longer leading the defense, I expect them to take a slight step back on that side of the ball. As for the Steelers, Mike Tomlin will finish with his first losing season ever as Pittsburgh realizes Russell Wilson or Justin Fields isn’t their long-term answer at quarterback. Lastly, while Cleveland’s defense was historically good in 2023, I see a major regression coming their way, also I doubt we’ll ever see the Deshaun Watson of old.

AFC South:

1. Houston Texans 12-5

2. Jacksonville Jaguars 10-7

3. Indianapolis Colts 8-9

4. Tennessee Titans 6-11

In the AFC South, I've got the Texans repeating as division champs, where then we have the Jaguars, Colts, and Titans. I don’t expect CJ Stroud to take any step back in his second year, especially with the Texans now loaded on both sides of the ball. The Jaguars will return to the playoffs as Trevor Lawrence proves he’s still on track to be one of the league’s elite quarterbacks with a strong bounce-back season after a disappointing 2023. The Colts could end up being the biggest wildcard in the conference, before the preseason, I thought they could compete for the division title, but a brutal early schedule and seeing Anthony Richardson still being quite raw could lead to a slow start for Indy. As for the Titans, they’re the kind of team that can beat anyone on any given week, but I think they lose a lot of close games this season.

AFC West:

1. Kansas City Chiefs 13-4

2. Los Angeles Chargers 10-7

3. Denver Broncos 7-10

4. Las Vegas Raiders 6-11

Unless Patrick Mahomes gets injured, the Chiefs will win this division for the ninth straight year. After KC, the division will be rounded out by the Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders. As they chase history, the Chiefs will stay focused throughout the regular season as they try to secure home-field advantage for the postseason. The Chargers see the Jim Harbaugh effect work right away, with Justin Herbert back healthy, LA returns to the playoffs. Despite a lack of overall talent, Bo Nix has a solid rookie year under Sean Payton, who gets the most out of his young Broncos team, as I really love this rookie class. As for the Raiders, while I’m not saying Antonio Pierce won’t succeed, letting the players essentially pick their coach doesn’t sit well with me. I expect Davante Adams to be traded at the deadline as the losses and frustration begin to pile up.

AFC Playoff Seeds:

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. Houston Texans

3. Buffalo Bills

4. Cincinnati Bengals

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Los Angeles Chargers

7. Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC East:

1. Philadelphia Eagles 10-7

2. Dallas Cowboys 9-8

3. Washington Commanders 6-11

4. New York Giants 4-13

As a lot of us know, no team in the NFC East has repeated as division champs since 2004. With that in mind, I think the trend will continue in 2024. After an awful end to last year, the Eagles bounce back and win the division. The Cowboys finish in second, Washington moves up to third, while the Giants come in last. Despite the concerns I have about head coach Nick Sirianni, I trust the Eagles as an organization, and with the addition of Saquon Barkley, they’ve added another star to what might be the best roster in football. With the Cowboys, there’s always noise in Dallas, but this year it’s louder than ever. With Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott both in contract years, I think the Cowboys underperform and miss the playoffs. The Commanders have generated buzz as a sleeper playoff team by many, and while I believe Heisman winner Jayden Daniels will help them improve, their roster is still very flawed. The Giants, on the other hand, have one of the least talented rosters in the league, I expect Daniel Jones to be benched midseason as their year unravels.

NFC North:

1. Detroit Lions 12-5

2. Green Bay Packers 11-6

3. Chicago Bears 9-8

4. Minnesota Vikings 5-12

The NFC North might just be the most fun division in football this year, with the Lions, Packers, Bears, and Vikings all having a reason to tune into them every Sunday. The Lions are still the most complete team in the division with the fewest question marks. After last year’s heartbreaking loss in the NFC title game to the 49ers, I expect them to come back strong and secure the #1 seed in the NFC. I’m very high on Jordan Love, and I think the Packers will carry their strong finish from last season into 2024, proving they’re a real contender in the NFC. In Chicago, the Bears are now led by number one pick Caleb Williams, Chicago is the team I’m most excited to watch this season, and, while they’ll have a winning season I think they miss the playoffs, as this year will set the foundation for the future in Chicago. As for the Vikings, despite not looking like a 5-win team on paper, a tough schedule will lead to plenty of losses. And I’m not sold on Sam Darnold as their quarterback.

NFC South:

1. Atlanta Falcons 9-8

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-10

3. New Orleans Saints 5-12

4. Carolina Panthers 4-13

While the NFC North might be the most fun division in football, the NFC South is the complete opposite. With the addition of Kirk Cousins and some key defensive pieces such as Justin Simmons, the Falcons should be the best team in this division. While I still have some doubts about them as a true contender, I believe they’ll come out on top in the NFC South. In Tampa, I love Baker Mayfield, but the Bucs didn’t make any significant improvements while other NFC teams did. With a first-place schedule, I think they take a step back this year. I’ve said all offseason that I don’t like the Saints at all this year, I think Dennis Allen gets fired midseason, while Derek Carr could get benched, likely leading to his release in 2025. Lastly, I feel for Bryce Young, as the Panthers’ roster is simply terrible. I think new coach Dave Canales will do his best to help Young develop and we will see improvement from the 2023 number-one pick, but they’ll need to wait until they can add more receiving talent through trades, free agency, or the draft this offseason.

NFC West:

1. Los Angeles Rams 11-6

2. San Francisco 49ers 11-6

3. Seattle Seahawks 10-7

4. Arizona Cardinals 7-10

I have the NFC West sending three teams to playoffs in 2024, I have the Rams finishing first, followed by the 49ers, Seahawks, and Cardinals. I wasn’t feeling the Rams all offseason, but something has changed (maybe because I have Nacua & Kupp in fantasy ;) in the last two weeks. I believe they could have the best offense in football this season if we can get a full season of Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua on the field together. Also, with Sean McVay and Matt Stafford, they might have the best coach and quarterback combo in the conference. As for the 49ers, I flirted with the idea of them missing the playoffs entirely, as most of their offseason couldn’t have gone worse. However, with Brandon Aiyuk’s extension now signed, I think they find a way to get back to the playoffs, though the Super Bowl hangover could lead to a slow start, especially with Trent Williams likely to miss a game or two, I still expect them to return as a wildcard. The Seahawks, under new head coach Mike MacDonald, make the playoffs as he revamps the defense, while Geno Smith returns closer to his 2022 self in Ryan Grubb’s new offense. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Cardinals find a way to sneak into the playoffs, as I remain a big fan of Kyler Murray, and I think Marvin Harrison Jr. will be elite from the jump. However, while I believe Jonathan Gannon is a great defensive mind, the personnel on that side of the ball just isn’t there as of now.

NFC Playoff Seeds:

1. Detroit Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. Atlanta Falcons

5. Green Bay Packers

6. San Francisco 49ers

7. Seattle Seahawks

Wild Card Weekend:

AFC:

2. Houston Texans Def. 7. Jacksonville Jaguars

In this AFC South Wildcard showdown, the Texans' high-powered passing attack will overwhelm the Jaguars' questionable secondary. C.J. Stroud has a field day throwing the ball, while the pass-rushing duo of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter beat up the Jags offensive line and put relentless pressure on Trevor Lawrence. The Texans move on to the Divisional Round for the second straight year.

3. Buffalo Bills Def 6. Los Angeles Chargers

Despite reaching the postseason in Jim Harbaugh's first year, the cold conditions in Buffalo will prove to be too much for Justin Herbert and the Chargers. In the first-ever playoff duel between Herbert and Josh Allen, the Bills win at home, setting up a Divisional Round showdown with Stefon Diggs and the Texans in Houston.

4. Cincinnati Bengals Def 5. Baltimore Ravens

For the second time in three years, the Bengals and Ravens meet in the Wild Card round, and once again, Cincinnati comes out on top. Joe Burrow has proven that come January, he is one the quarterbacks you can most trust come playoff time. While on the other hand, Lamar Jackson has not. The Bengals win and set the stage for a third postseason showdown with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

NFC:

2. Los Angeles Rams Def 7. Seattle Seahawks

In yet another divisional matchup on Wild Card Weekend, unfortunately for me, I have the Rams taking down the Seahawks. I expect the Rams' offense to potentially be the top-ranked unit on that side of the ball this season, and while I do believe Mike MacDonald will improve the Seahawks' defense right away in 2024, Matt Stafford and his weapons will be too much to handle for this young Seattle defense. The Rams move on to the Divisional Round.

6. San Francisco 49ers Def 3. Philadelphia Eagles

In my first road victory of Wild Card weekend, I have the 49ers flying cross-country to take down the Eagles in Philly. Two years ago, San Francisco lost quarterback Brock Purdy almost immediately in the NFC Championship game, but as they return to the scene of the crime that potentially cost them a Super Bowl berth, Kyle Shanahan’s game plan will overwhelm the Eagles as the 49ers advance once again.

5. Green Bay Packers Def 4. Atlanta Falcons

In this hypothetical Wild Card slate, this would be the pick I'm most confident in. What do we know about Kirk Cousins? He's not to be trusted in big games. Jordan Love and the Packers head into Atlanta and get the win, setting up a Divisional Round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

Divisional Round:

AFC:

1. Kansas City Chiefs Def. 4. Cincinnati Bengals

   In the rubber match and the third installment of the Chiefs-Bengals playoff saga, Kansas City wins an epic duel while potentially ending an era of Bengals football, making their return to the AFC title game for a seventh straight season.

3. Buffalo Bills Def 2. Houston Texans

In a showdown against his former All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs, Josh Allen leads the Bills into Houston and takes down C.J. Stroud and the Texans. Buffalo advances to the AFC Championship for the first time since 2020, setting up another January clash between Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. This time, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

NFC:

1. Detroit Lions Def 6. San Francisco 49ers

   In a rematch of the NFC Championship, the Lions and 49ers face off again, in what would also be their second meeting in about a month after their Week 17 game in December. After falling short last year, the Lions exact revenge and take down San Francisco to advance to the NFC Championship Game for the second straight season.

5. Green Bay Packers Def 2. Los Angeles Rams

This might be the first time where a road team actually seems to have a home-field advantage in a postseason game. The Cheeseheads will make their presence known at SoFi Stadium as the Packers go into Los Angeles and get the upset victory. A Packers win would then set up an NFC North rivalry matchup in the Conference Championship Game.

Championship Sunday

AFC:

1. Kanas City Chiefs Def 3. Buffalo Bills

   As much as it would warm my heart to see Josh Allen finally get over the hump and Bills Mafia enjoy a two-week Super Bowl tailgate, I simply cannot go against Kansas City in this matchup. Until I see the Bills takedown Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs, I’m picking Kansas City to beat Buffalo for a 4th straight time when these two franchises have faced off in the playoffs. The Chiefs move onto New Orleans and win the AFC for a third consecutive year.

NFC:

1. Detroit Lions Def 5. Green Bay Packers

   Detroit, stand up! Because your Lions will be heading to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. In this NFC North clash, the Lions pull off an all-time classic win, setting up a showdown with the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs, who at this point, would be one win away from history.

Super Bowl LIX: Kansas City Chiefs Def. Detroit Lions

As much as I’d love to see how wild the city of Detroit would get if the Lions brought home the Lombardi Trophy, in Super Bowl 59, I have the Kansas City Chiefs taking down the Lions to secure their third consecutive championship.

As boring as my pick might be, this would be a historic sports moment as we would see the NFL’s first-ever threepeat. With this win, Patrick Mahomes once again proves why he’s the best quarterback in the league, edging even closer to challenging Tom Brady as the greatest of all time. Detroit’s remarkable run comes to a bitter end, but they should hold their heads high after making their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Mahomes wins another Super Bowl MVP as Kansas City cements itself as one of the all-time great dynasties in the history of sports.