By Noah Levin ‘27 and Braden Forchheimer ‘27
Playoffs:
With the NFL playoffs fast approaching, we can look at who is in and who is out. With promising starts to the season for teams such as the Vikings, Commanders, Cardinals, Chargers, and Broncos, the playoff picture looks a lot different than what most people thought.
Rookies:
First-pick Caleb Williams’s opening games for the Bears were promising, but those playoff hopes have drained due to poor coaching and a sea of unfortunate events. On the other hand, Rookies Bo Nix for the Broncos and Jayden Daniels for the Commanders have shocked the NFL with their skills. The Commanders have started 8-5 for the first time since 1996. As for the Broncos, this is their first time
starting 8-5 since the Peyton Manning era.
Disappointments:
This year’s underperforming teams include the Cowboys, 49ers, Dolphins, Jets, Bengals, and Browns. These teams have been successful in the past but have been disappointing throughout the season. Sophomore Cash Golden, who is the son of a Cowboys fan, said, “I didn’t expect them to be bad at that scale, but they didn’t address any issues from the past, so I’m not that surprised, and Jerry Jones is terrible.”
Hot takes:
Most of this year’s playoff spots are still up for grabs. According to ESPN, ” Seven teams are already eliminated from the postseason, while four more have already clinched berths: the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.”
Teams like the Dolphins and the Colts are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, while poor teams last year, like the Cardinals, Chargers, Vikings, and Broncos, are more likely to make the playoffs. Sophomore Sinjin Bromer said, “I think the Dolphins will win and make the playoffs because their players are healthy now.”
The Commanders are also barely still favored to make the playoffs. Sophomore and Commanders fan Flynn Fountain said, “The Commanders will make it to the NFC Championship.”
Some teams not winning their division may still clinch a spot. The Ravens are in second place behind the Steelers but are still likely to make the playoffs. The Packers are in third place in their division but are also expected to clinch a spot. The Buccaneers, second behind the Falcons, will also likely make the wild card.
The Super Bowl winner this year is between two teams for most NFL fans: the Kansas City Chiefs or the Detroit Lions. Freshman Matthew Borsos said, “The Chiefs are winning the Super Bowl,” which many NFL fans believe. Both of these teams are 11-1 and have beaten high-quality teams.
The NFL looks a lot different this year than what people envisioned, but this year’s playoff spots are still very much up for grabs despite the season coming to an end. The playoffs this year are likely to be very entertaining, with many unexpected teams in and many teams expected to have made it missing out.