Predicting the 2023 NFL playoffs
Let's break out the crystal ball and make some NFL postseason predictions we can laugh about later.
It’s almost time for Super Wild Card Weekend. The first slate of 2023 NFL playoff games kicks off Saturday afternoon with the Seattle Seahawks taking on the San Francisco 49ers at 4:30 p.m. ET. The night game will feature the Los Angeles Chargers facing off against the Jacksonville Jaguars at 8:15 p.m. ET.
We’ll have three games on Sunday: Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. ET), New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET), and Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals (8:15 p.m. ET).
The Wild Card round wraps up with a Monday Night Football showdown between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Before all of the action, I wanted to share my predictions for the entire postseason so you can bet on the other team and win yourself some money. I’ll even throw my final score predictions for each game just for shits and gigs. I’m sure these will be fun to look back on next month.
AFC Wild Card
No. 7 Miami Dolphins at No. 2 Buffalo Bills
Anyone taking the Dolphins here is just trying to be cute. The Bills should win this one handily with Tua Tagovailoa out, and they’d probably still win decisively if Tua was healthy.
Prediction: Bills 27, Dolphins 13
No. 6 Baltimore Ravens at No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals
It doesn’t look like Lamar Jackson will start for Baltimore, so this is another easy pick. The Bengals should sleepwalk to a Wild Card win.
Prediction: Bengals 30, Ravens 17
No. 5 Los Angeles Chargers at No. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars
The Chargers are road favorites despite the Jaguars’ recent surge. I think that’s a mistake. Trevor Lawrence shows on a national stage that he has arrived, and this is only a preview of what’s to come for the next several years.
Prediction: Jaguars 35, Chargers 30
NFC Wild Card
No. 7 Seattle Seahawks at No. 2 San Francisco 49ers
Geno Smith vs. Brock Purdy just as we all expected last summer. Credit to Smith for his spectacular run with Seattle this season, but it’s Purdy’s time to shine. The 49ers are simply the better all-around team. The Seahawks are running into a buzzsaw here.
Prediction: 49ers 28, Seahawks 20
No. 6 New York Giants at No. 3 Minnesota Vikings
My first upset pick as far as the seedings go. I’ve never been a believer in Kirk Cousins and the Vikings despite their impressive regular-season record. I see the Giants exposing them on Sunday in a tight matchup.
Prediction: Giants 24, Vikings 23
No. 5 Dallas Cowboys at No. 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As I mentioned in my Week 18 NFL Quick Takes, I fully expect Tom Brady to remind the world why you never count out a team that has him as their quarterback. It’s been tough sledding this season for Tampa, but this team is the healthiest it’s been all year and Brady is at his best in January. Can’t bet against TB12 here.
Prediction: Buccaneers 27, Cowboys 24
AFC Divisional
Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs
I really wanted to pick the Jaguars here. I just wasn’t brave enough to pull the trigger with this game being played at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes reminds Trevor Lawrence he still has some work to do to compete with the Chiefs’ high-powered offense.
Prediction: Chiefs 35, Jaguars 28
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills
This one will be interesting. A rematch of the Damar Hamlin game. No shot I’m picking against Buffalo in this scenario. It’ll be a hell of a game, but the Bills get the job done with a performance that will make Hamlin proud.
Prediction: Bills 40, Bengals 30
NFC Divisional
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles
The Giants come back down to earth when they visit Jalen Hurts and the Eagles. I don’t think this one will be all that close if it happens.
Prediction: Eagles 34, Giants 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers embarrassed Brady and the Bucs when they faced off in the regular season. I’m not anticipating a lopsided matchup this time around, but San Francisco still gets the job done by holding off a last-ditch effort from Brady.
Prediction: 49ers 27, Buccaneers 23
AFC Championship
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs
The AFC championship being played at a neutral site (Atlanta) is a tremendous factor. I’m sure Chiefs fans will travel well, but Kansas City can’t be pleased with this game not being played at Arrowhead.
But even if it was in Kansas City, I’d still take Buffalo to win in the rematch of last year’s Divisional Round matchup. It’ll be a back-and-forth game with Josh Allen making just one or two more plays than Mahomes to get Buffalo back to the Super Bowl.
Prediction: Bills 38, Chiefs 31
NFC Championship
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles
The Brock Purdy experience comes to an end in the NFC championship as he won’t be able to keep up with Hurts and the Eagles. It was a hell of a run.
Prediction: Eagles 31, 49ers 21
Super Bowl LVII
Buffalo Bills vs. Philadelphia Eagles
I think we’re in for an instant classic if this turns out to be the Super Bowl matchup in Arizona. There’s the Damar Hamlin angle, of course, but these also have been two of the NFL’s best teams all season long. There would be no shortage of fireworks with Josh Allen vs. Jalen Hurts and I’m rooting for it to happen.
As for the winner, how could you not take Buffalo at this point? I think it’d be close, but everything points toward this finally being the Bills’ year. What a story that would be.
Prediction: Bills 38, Eagles 35