Just one more sleep until the NFL season kicks off on Thursday with a highly anticipated AFC Championship rematch between the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs. The 2024 season also marks the debut of the dynamic kickoff, a change that could lead to higher scoring across the league. Ryan Linkletter and Brady Penn, hosts of The Blitz Angle, have published their playoff predictions and award picks for the season. The postseason picks were previously discussed in more detail in the conference breakdowns below
Breaking Down the NFC Ahead of the 2024 Season
Breaking Down the AFC Ahead of the 2024 Season
Playoff Predictions
AFC Wild Card Round
Ryan – The first matchup in the wildcard round will be the Miami Dolphins traveling to Baltimore to face the Ravens. Miami will be overmatched in this one due to Baltimore’s formidable rushing attack. Miami will also struggle being outdoors in January making this one a blowout. The second matchup is an AFC East dual between the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets. This game will most likely come down to the wire and the last team with the ball will win. The Jets defense might be too much for Josh Allen to overcome alone to win this one. The final matchup is between the Texans and Bengals. I think we get an upset in this one with the Bengals going on the road and winning a shootout in Houston.
Scores:
#7 Miami Dolphins 13 – #2 Baltimore Ravens 28
#6 Buffalo Bills 21 – #3 New York Jets 24
#5 Cincinnati Bengals 35 – #4 Houston Texans 31
Brady – In the first round, on the AFC side of things, we will see familiar faces emerge victorious. Aaron Rodgers will lead the Jets to a home playoff game in their first appearance since 2010. However, Joe Burrow and the Bengals will prevail on the road, perhaps led by their playoff pedigree and experience. In Houston, the Texans will have their second year in a row with a home playoff game, where they will take down the Bills, led to the postseason by a Josh Allen Herculean effort. In the final AFC game, the Baltimore Ravens will beat down the final playoff team in the AFC, the Tennessee Titans, led by second-year QB Will Levis. Burrow, CJ Stroud and Lamar Jackson have 8 combined playoff wins. Make it 11 after the Wild Card Round.Â
Scores:
#7 Tennessee Titans 16 – Baltimore Ravens 34
#6 Buffalo Bills 19 – #3 Houston Texans 27
#5 Cincinnati Bengals 24 – #4 New York Jets 20
NFC Wild Card Round
Ryan – In a tight race ahead of the wild card round, these NFC teams have been battle tested and are ready for playoff football. The opening matchup between the 7th seed Los Angeles Rams visiting the 2nd seed Chicago Bears. I think we get our first major upset of the postseason as the Rams have been battled tested in the playoffs, where the Bears are just getting in for the first time in a few years. The 2nd matchup is between the 3rd seeded Eagles hosting the 6th seed Packers. This seems like another upset brewing as the Eagles will be relying too heavily on their offense this season. The Packers have a way of being efficient and limiting opposing offenses drives. Finally wild card weekend closes with the Falcons hosting the Cowboys. The Cowboys defense overmatches the Falcons offense in this one as Kirk Cousins playoff woes continue.
Scores:
#7 Los Angeles Rams 24 – #2 Chicago Bears #21
#6 Green Bay Packers 28 – #3 Philadelphia Eagles #24
#5 Dallas Cowboys 24 – #4 Atlanta Falcons 21
Brady – Similar to the NFC, there will be a few teams making their first return to the playoffs in some time. One of those is the Atlanta Falcons, who will host the Rams for the first playoff game in the history of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Once again, playoff experience will come into play, with the Rams taking it on the road. Another road team will earn a playoff victory after the Detroit Lions walk into Lincoln Financial Field and beat the Philadelphia Eagles, who will fall for the second year in a row in the first round. Nick Sirianni’s job will be firmly in danger and the Lions will set up a rematch with the San Francisco 49ers. In Lambeau, the warm weather Cardinals will take on the Packers, in a game where the roster depth will be too much. Green Bay cruises while Marvin Harrison Jr scores twice in his playoff debut.Â
Scores:
#7 Arizona Cardinals 17 – #2 Green Bay Packers 30
#6 Detroit Lions 30 – #3 Philadelphia Eagles 23
#5 Los Angeles Rams 28 – #4 Atlanta Falcons 23
AFC Divisional Round
Ryan – All of these teams have playoff experience up and down their rosters which makes these divisional matchups intriguing. The Bengals are traveling to Kansas City again for another showdown between Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow. The Bengals do not have enough firepower like they have in years past to slow down Mahomes as the Chiefs win a high scoring game at home. Now to my favorite matchup in the divisional round Jets at Ravens. This game is going to be low scoring, and I believe no team matches up with Baltimore better than the Jets. So, I have the Jets squeaking out a close victory on the road to advance to the AFC Championship.
Scores:
Cincinnati Bengals 24 – Kansas City Chiefs 31
New York Jets 17 – Baltimore Ravens 14
Brady – The AFC Divisional Round will consist of two rematches. For the second year in a row, the Houston Texans will come into M&T Bank Stadium for a date with the Baltimore Ravens. This time it will be closer, but the Ravens will once again prevail. In Arrowhead, after a year hiatus, there will be another installment of the Bengals-Chiefs rivalry. This will be the first time the matchup is not a one score game, as the Chiefs will roll to their 7th straight AFC Championship Game, in a rematch with a different AFC North Foe.
Scores:
#5 Cincinnati Bengals 21 – #1 Kansas City Chiefs 34
#3 Houston Texans 26 – #2 Baltimore Ravens
NFC Divisional Round
Ryan – After a week where all the road teams won their games could more upsets be brewing in the divisional round? A divisional matchup between the Rams and 49ers was probably the worst-case scenario for the 49ers heading into the week. These teams always play each other tough, and this game is basically a coin flip. It is going to come down to Matthew Stafford with the ball in his hands in the 4th quarter and he will get the job done. Rams will upset the 49ers. Packers are on the road again and heading to Dallas. We know how dominant the Packers have been in that stadium over the last decade and nothing changes. Green Bay has the formula to beating Dallas in what might be Dak’s last game as a Cowboy
Scores:
#7 Los Angeles Rams 27 – #1 San Francisco 49ers 24
#6 Green Bay Packers 28 – #5 Dallas Cowboys 24
Brady – The Green Bay Packers will take on an NFC West opponent in the Divisional Round for the 4th time in 5 years. They faced off against the Rams in Lambeau in the 2020 Divisional Round and will do so again four years later. The Packers, like in 2020, will be victorious, setting up yet another matchup that we saw in the 2023 playoffs. In Santa Clara, the Niners will take on the Lions, a rematch of last year’s NFC Title Game. The 49ers once again will be too dynamic on offense and will find themselves in the NFC Championship for the fourth straight year.
Scores:
#6 Detroit Lions 28 – #1 San Francisco 49ers 33
#5 Los Angeles Rams 20 – #2 Green Bay Packers 27
AFC Championship
Ryan – We finally have our first ever Aaron Rodgers vs. Patrick Mahomes matchup and it just happens to be in the AFC championship. We see the Chiefs always scheme up the perfect gameplan against top ranked defenses and this one will be no different. I do think Aaron Rodgers has a big game making this a QB dual down the stretch. The Chiefs will once again be hoisting the Lamar Hunt trophy at home gearing up for one last game to finish off the 3 peat.
Scores:
#3 New York Jets 24 – #1 Kansas City Chiefs 27
Brady – For the second year in a row, it’s the Chiefs and Ravens to decide the AFC. However, this time it will be back in Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes will continue his quest towards Tom Brady, reaching his fifth Super Bowl in seven years. Lamar and Co. will score more than last year, but the Chiefs juggernaut will get it done and head to New Orleans for Super Bowl 59.Â
Scores:
#2 Baltimore Ravens 20 – #1 Kansas City Chiefs 24
NFC Championship
Ryan – Rams at Packers, the NFC Championship game that many are not predicting in 2024. This one is going to be a great matchup between coaching buddies in Sean McVay and Matt LaFleur. I believe this is the year the Packers finally get over that hump and reach it to the super bowl. The difference in this game will be the turnover battle as both defenses are not stellar. It will come down to Matthew Stafford trying to do too much late in the game sealing a Packers Super Bowl berth.
Scores:
#7 Los Angeles Rams 21 – #6 Green Bay Packers 24
Brady – Last year, the Packers went into Levi’s Stadium and had the 49ers on the rope until Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, and Brandon Aiyuk made some clutch plays to take a late lead before Jordan Love forced a cross-body throw into double coverage that was picked off by Dre Greenlaw for the win. This time, the Packers will finish the job. Jordan Love will find three different targets for 6, including the game-winner to Dontayvion Wicks as the Packers reach their first Super Bowl in 14 years.
Scores:
#2 Green Bay Packers 27 – #1 San Francisco 49ers 26
Super Bowl
Ryan – The Chiefs dynasty could be the first team to ever three-peat. The Packers are looking for their first super bowl since 2010 and Jordan Love is looking to establish his legacy. The Packers beat the Chiefs last season due to many factors, but the main one was Matt LaFleur bullying Steve Spagnuolo last year. The Chiefs will make adjustments, but it still will be tough for them. The deciding factor is Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Those two will find a way to get it done on the biggest stage. The three-peat is complete, Mahomes cements himself as the 2nd best quarterback all time, and Travis Kelce retires on top.
Scores:
#6 Green Bay Packers 24 – #1 Kansas City Chiefs 30
Brady – For the third straight year, the Kansas City Chiefs are in the big one. Coming off of a back-to-back, they will be trying to become the first three-peat in NFL history. As has been the case the last two years, the Packers will control the game until late, when Patrick Mahomes leads a game-winning drive and finds Travis Kelce with time dwindling. Trent McDuffie seals the game with a late sack on a patented Steve Spagnuolo blitz. Mahomes continues to narrow the gap between himself and Brady, in a year where he earned his 3rd MVP along with his 4th Super Bowl MVP and Lombardi. Travis Kelce retires and walks off into the sunset with Taylor, as the Chiefs cement themselves as one of the greatest NFL dynasties ever.
#2 Green Bay Packers 24 – #1 Kansas City Chiefs 28
Award Predictions
Ryan’s Award Predictions
MVP: QB Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs
DPOY: EDGE Maxx Crosby Las Vegas Raiders
OPOY: WR CeeDee Lamb Dallas Cowboys
CPOY: QB Aaron Rodgers New York Jets
OROY: QB Caleb Williams Chicago Bears
DROY: EDGE Laiatu Latu Indianapolis Colts
COY: Matt Eberflus Chicago Bears
Brady’s Award Predictions
MVP: QB Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs
DPOY: LB Roquan Smith Baltimore Ravens
OPOY: RB Bijan Robinson Atlanta Falcons
CPOY: QB Aaron Rodgers New York Jets
OROY: QB Caleb Williams Chicago Bears
DROY: EDGE Laiatu Latu Indianapolis Colts
COY: Robert Saleh New York Jets
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Check out a full breakdown of each division on The Blitz Angle