NFL 2025 AFC Playoffs
Jan 06 2026
NFL 2025 season is done and we can look at the final standings.
AFC East - New England Patriots (14-3, #2 seed) are one of the two big surprises. QB Drake Maye has become really good passing and running. Last year he kind of struggled on a bad team but in his second year he's been stellar.
Buffalo Bills (12-5, #6 seed) had a good not great season and seemed to lose a couple of games they shouldn't have.
AFC North - Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, #4 seed) won the division with QB Aaron Rodgers at the helm and Rodgers has looked old. He can make plays and has good stats but asking him to carry a team to come from behind and win is not really a thing anymore.
Both Baltimore Ravens (8-9) and Cincinnati Bengals (6-11) had QB injury problems and it certainly killed Cincinnati's season. Baltimore even with a healthy QB Lamar Jackson and great RB Derrick Henry still seemed to maybe give up too many points that their offense could compensate for.
AFC South - Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4, #3 seed) QB Trevor Lawrence is having a great year. For some reason doesn't look like an elite QB when I see highlights but still I think was worth the #1 pick especially since the other 9 QBs in the 2021 draft are all at best backup-level.
Houston Texans (12-5, #5 seed) I really like QB CJ Stroud and he was out a few games so their record is better than I would have expected.
AFC West - Denver Broncos (14-3, #1 seed) is the other big surprise and QB Bo Nix has had two good seasons. Third year Broncos coach Sean Payton looking to maybe win a second Super Bowl (last one was 16 years ago with New Orleans Saints).
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6, #7 seed) had some great wins (vs Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles) so might surprise in the playoffs.
Looking at the bracket I am slightly afraid of Buffalo and Los Angeles getting an upset but not two upsets so Denver looks safe to get to the AFC Championship and probably win it. Still, I'm going with New England.
AFC East - New England Patriots (14-3, #2 seed) are one of the two big surprises. QB Drake Maye has become really good passing and running. Last year he kind of struggled on a bad team but in his second year he's been stellar.
Buffalo Bills (12-5, #6 seed) had a good not great season and seemed to lose a couple of games they shouldn't have.
AFC North - Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, #4 seed) won the division with QB Aaron Rodgers at the helm and Rodgers has looked old. He can make plays and has good stats but asking him to carry a team to come from behind and win is not really a thing anymore.
Both Baltimore Ravens (8-9) and Cincinnati Bengals (6-11) had QB injury problems and it certainly killed Cincinnati's season. Baltimore even with a healthy QB Lamar Jackson and great RB Derrick Henry still seemed to maybe give up too many points that their offense could compensate for.
AFC South - Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4, #3 seed) QB Trevor Lawrence is having a great year. For some reason doesn't look like an elite QB when I see highlights but still I think was worth the #1 pick especially since the other 9 QBs in the 2021 draft are all at best backup-level.
Houston Texans (12-5, #5 seed) I really like QB CJ Stroud and he was out a few games so their record is better than I would have expected.
AFC West - Denver Broncos (14-3, #1 seed) is the other big surprise and QB Bo Nix has had two good seasons. Third year Broncos coach Sean Payton looking to maybe win a second Super Bowl (last one was 16 years ago with New Orleans Saints).
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6, #7 seed) had some great wins (vs Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles) so might surprise in the playoffs.
Looking at the bracket I am slightly afraid of Buffalo and Los Angeles getting an upset but not two upsets so Denver looks safe to get to the AFC Championship and probably win it. Still, I'm going with New England.