2026 NFL predictions: Projecting the 14 teams that will make the playoffs and Super Bowl LXI winner
CBS Sports has published its predictions for the 2026 NFL season, projecting the 14 playoff teams and the Super Bowl LXI winner based on a simulation conducted by data scientist Stephen Oh. The simulation forecasts the Baltimore Ravens as AFC North champions and the Houston Texans as AFC South champions, with Super Bowl LXI set to be played in Los Angeles.
Why it matters
This article provides speculative insights into the upcoming NFL season, generating fan interest and discussion around team performance and potential outcomes. It leverages data science for sports predictions, a growing trend in sports analysis.
The start of the 2026 NFL season is finally here and I don't want to spoil the entire year for you, but we already know who's going to make the playoffs and win the Super Bowl .
OK, that might be a slight exaggeration, but we did simulate the entire 2026 season with the goal of trying to figure out who's going to be walking away with the Lombardi Trophy in February. The simulation was created by our resident data scientist Stephen Oh of SportsLine . For those of you who are not familiar with Oh's work, let me just say this: Oh is the closest thing the human race has to AI.
If Oh's simulation is any indication, then we should be in for a crazy season, especially in the NFC West, where we got a huge surprise.
Also covering this story
2 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in