2024 NFL Playoff Predictions: NFC
Photo from Getty Images
Professional football is back tonight.
Yippee!
Though I will say, I audibly groaned when I saw last night we were 24 hours away from kickoff at 8:20 P.M.
Am I getting old?
Whatever. Not the point.
Today, we’ll cover the NFC.
We’ll find out who will face the Baltimore Ravens in the Super Bowl, and I’ll predict who wins that game.
So let’s get after it.
1. Detroit Lions
First of all, the NFC North is good, but a bit overrated. The Lions, in my humble opinion, are clearly the best team here.
Second of all, a big fault of Jared Goff is that he needs a great offensive line and great conditions to succeed.
The offensive line is great, and the Lions play 14 of their 17 games this year in a dome.
Goff should have a huge year.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Controversial? Maybe!
But I like the Rams this year.
Stafford has shown, when healthy, that he and McVay can make magic happen.
The Rams offensive line is projected to be good, and even though they no longer have Aaron Donald to torment opposing QBs, the defense looks to be solid as well.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have so many weapons in a weak NFC South that not winning the division would be an unmitigated disaster.
Thankfully, the Falcons have never fallen flat on their face before!
Maybe I should pick the Bucs here…
Ah well. I’ll leave it.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
The NFC East is weird.
The Giants will likely be terrible. The Commanders could be good, but are still very young and inexperienced. The Cowboys had a miserable offseason that wound up with them pissing off more of their players than they brought in in free agency.
And then we have the Eagles, who seem to have a head coach and QB who don’t get along and two new coordinators again.
But hey, someone has to win the division.
I’ll just go with the team who has the most talent on paper.
5. San Francisco 49ers
The Niners had a messy offseason, even if everything is fixed now, and Super Bowl hangovers exist for a reason.
They’ve also been very lucky on the injury front, which may change.
Despite all of that, this team is still insanely talented and should easily make the playoffs.
I just think they’ll drop the division.
6. Green Bay Packers
As I said earlier, I think the Packers are being overrated to an extent.
They had a good back half of the season, facing some pretty bad teams, one excellent playoff game, and one bad playoff collapse.
Much like the Texans, they’re being picked as a trendy Super Bowl pick. And I just don’t see it.
But these are the Green Bay Packers.
They’re one of the most well run organizations in football.
Overrated or not, I’d be stunned to find them not in the postseason.
7. Seattle Seahawks
Yeah yeah yeah. Call it bias if you want.
Just hear me out.
Two years ago, the Seahawks had multiple games lost due to terrible defense, and yet they went 9-8.
Last year, in a “down year,” the Seahawks had multiple games lost due to terrible defense, and went 9-8 once again.
Now, they bring in former Ravens coordinator Mike MacDonald to solve the defense.
It’s up for debate if he does or not, as there’s no guarantee a good coordinator turns into a good head coach, but if he does, with the weapons the Seahawks still have on the offensive side of the ball, there’s no reason this team can’t win 9 or 10 games and make the playoffs again.
Teams Missing The Cut
Dallas Cowboys
I don’t like their run game. I don’t like their coaching. I don’t like that Jerry Jones did nothing but piss off Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons all offseason.
This year just screams “disaster” to me before the Cowboys clean house.
Chicago Bears
I like their defense. I like their weapons. I like Caleb Williams’ talent.
But he is a rookie, and also a Bear. So there’s no guarantee he succeeds.
I also don’t love Matt Eberflus as a coach.
I hope I’m wrong, though. I like the Bears.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Todd Bowles is 17-17 with two playoff appearances in his tenure in Tampa, and that’s all well and good, but it was mostly due to an extremely weak division.
Now, with Atlanta having a big offseason, the Falcons pose an instant threat to Tampa’s run, and I can’t see the Bucs making it.
But then again, it is the Falcons!
Super Bowl Prediction
I like the Lions.
I like their fanbase. I like their coach. I like their whole team, really.
They have exactly what they need to make the Super Bowl.
Plus, a Ravens vs Lions Super Bowl would be really fun! I would enjoy who won either way, and could sit back, relax, and enjoy the game.
But that’s not how the Super Bowl regularly works in my life.
I always seem to end up having a rooting interest, whether it be in favor of, or opposed of.
So that can only mean one thing.
The Los Angeles Rams win the NFC.
So it comes down to the Ravens and the Rams.
And one thing I know, is that Lamar Jackson is insanely good against NFC opponents.
Teams that don’t see Lamar as often, really have no chance of stopping him.
That’s all I need.
The Baltimore Ravens win the Super Bowl.
