Bold NFL predictions for 2026: Chiefs miss playoffs once more

With the brand new 12 months simply at some point away and the NFL common season about to wrap up, it seems like the right time to take a stab at some daring predictions for the subsequent calendar 12 months.

The crystal ball wasn’t fully defective final 12 months, as I predicted that Mike Vrabel would lead the New England Patriots again to relevance and that Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers would win the NFC South.

Carolina remains to be per week away from making that occur, however the truth that it is even near turning into a actuality, I’m counting it as at the least half a degree.

Unfortunately, we additionally had some large misses, just like the Las Vegas Raiders buying and selling as much as the highest of the draft to pick Shedeur Sanders. You might keep in mind he ended up as a fifth-round decide…

But that is all a part of the enjoyable. Predicting one thing like Josh Allen to win the MVP subsequent season is not precisely daring, given that each time he steps on the sector, he is often the very best participant on it.

These are speculated to be lengthy pictures, which makes it much more rewarding in the event that they do in truth come true.

So, with out additional ado, we provide up 5 daring NFL predictions for 2026.

Chiefs miss playoffs in back-to-back seasons

Can you think about being the one that predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs would miss the playoffs earlier than this season? I’d be sharing that with everybody who would hear.

But how about predicting them to overlook once more subsequent season?

The most essential piece of data for this prediction is Patrick Mahomes’ season-ending ACL damage he suffered in a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Mahomes had surgical procedure on Dec. 15, so with the usual return to play interval being six to 12 months, it is protected to imagine that he shall be again in some unspecified time in the future subsequent season.

Is there a world the place he is miraculously prepared for Week 1 and he makes this prediction look foolish? Absolutely, it is Patrick freakin’ Mahomes.

But let’s simply keep in mind that even when Mahomes was on the sector this season, the Chiefs seemed like a shell of the crew that had made it to 3 straight Super Bowls and 7 AFC Championship video games.

Outside of Mahomes, their different stars are effectively previous their prime. There’s an excellent likelihood that 36-year-old Travis Kelce decides to retire this low season, and Chris Jones, their finest defensive participant, is 31.

Add in the truth that it appears to be like just like the Super Bowl home windows for the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers could be starting, and all of the sudden the Chiefs’ division appears to be like prefer it is perhaps a gauntlet for years to come back.

Since Mahomes got here into the league, it has been a idiot’s errand to guess in opposition to the Chiefs. But possibly, simply possibly, these days are lengthy gone.

Bengals end as AFC’s No. 1 seed

It’s been a tough few years for the Cincinnati Bengals, as 2025 would be the third straight season the Bengals have missed the playoffs.

For a crew that each pre-season is a well-liked Super Bowl decide, it has been a disappointing stretch.

Of course, one of many greatest causes for his or her struggles has been the well being of star QB Joe Burrow.

He had his season minimize brief in 2023 as a consequence of a torn wrist ligament, and this season, he missed a considerable period of time as a consequence of a turf toe damage.

But if you happen to’ve watched the Bengals over the previous two weeks, they’ve put up a mixed 82 factors with Burrow again on the helm and wholesome.

There’s merely an excessive amount of expertise on the offensive aspect of the ball for this crew, and Burrow’s damage luck has to show finally.

It’s additionally obviously apparent that the Bengals’ weak point is their defence, and that ought to make the low season plan easy.

That’s why for the 2026 season, we’re predicting that the Bengals end because the No. 1 seed and that the AFC playoffs will run via Cincinnati.

For a crew that is at finest going to complete with a 4-13 document this season, predicting double-digit wins for the New York Giants could appear out to lunch.

But let’s take a look at the information.

The Giants performed many of the season with out extensive receiver Malik Nabers and working again Cam Skattebo, simply their two finest offensive weapons.

Even with out these two, rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart nonetheless flashed sufficient potential to point out the Giants might have their quarterback of the long run.

New York additionally has among the finest defensive entrance fours within the league, led by Brian Burns, who is probably going going to complete with the second-most sacks within the league this season.

And most significantly, the Giants are as soon as once more going to be armed with a decide close to the highest of the draft.

What this prediction may actually come right down to is that if the Giants make the best head teaching rent this low season.

Just take a look at what Ben Johnson did in his first 12 months as head coach of the Chicago Bears with a second-year QB.

If the Giants can usher in the best coach to mould Dart, there’s completely sufficient expertise on this roster that they might make some noise subsequent season.

Tyler Shough leads Saints to NFC South title

Another 12 months, one other worst-to-first prediction within the NFC South.

But with how New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has performed to finish the season, it is too arduous to go up.

After beginning the season 1-7, the Saints are 5-3 since Shough grew to become the starter and have received their previous 4 video games.

Shough, 26, has handed for two,125 yards, 9 touchdowns and has a QB ranking of 92.1 since he grew to become the starter in New Orleans.

Despite taking part in solely half the season, he is now thought of one of many favourites to deliver residence the offensive rookie of the 12 months award.

There’s actually a case to be made that if the Saints began Shough from Week 1, they might even win the division this 12 months.

But with a last-place schedule seemingly coming in 2026, that looks like the right time for the Saints to finish up again on high of the NFC South for the primary time since 2020.

Rams commerce up for his or her QB of the long run

The Los Angeles Rams are uniquely positioned this season.

Not solely are they a Super Bowl contender, however because of a commerce with the Atlanta Falcons, L.A. holds two first-round picks within the 2026 NFL Draft.

To provide you with a tough thought, if the draft have been based mostly on the present standings, the Rams would have the twelfth general decide (by way of the Falcons) and the twenty fourth.

And with the way in which Matthew Stafford has performed this season, who is aware of when they may ever have this sort of draft capital once more.

It would make a number of sense for Sean McVay and the Rams to bundle collectively their picks, transfer up within the draft, and get their succession plan to the 37-year-old Stafford.

Plus, permitting whichever teen they select to take a seat behind and be taught from a veteran like Stafford for at the least one season could be a blessing that not many rookie QBs are afforded.

It may very well be simply the transfer the Rams have to hold their Super Bowl window alive for years to come back.