After another long and eventful offseason, the 2024 NFL kickoff game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens is almost here.
In the final week before kickoff for 2024, we decided to use PFN’s Playoff Predictor to simulate the upcoming NFL season, and the results were shocking. Today, we take a look at the simulation’s predictions for the NFC playoff picture.
Predicting the 2024 NFL Regular-Season Standings in the NFC
NFC East
- Philadelphia Eagles (10-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (8-9)
- New York Giants (7-10)
- Washington Commanders (6-11)
For the 20th straight season, the NFC East will not feature a defending champion. Philadelphia will unseat Dallas as the division champions in 2024 by being the only team within it with a winning record. Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio, the Eagles’ new offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, will lead Philadelphia to a resurgent season and a home playoff game.
Dallas, New York, and Washington will all finish with losing records. Additionally, major changes could be coming to the Cowboys and Giants next offseason after the simulation’s projections of both teams falling short of expectations again in 2024.
NFC North
- Detroit Lions (12-5)
- Minnesota Vikings (9-8)
- Green Bay Packers (8-9)
- Chicago Bears (7-10)
The simulation likes the Lions to prove that 2023 was not a fluke by duplicating their record in 2024. Despite losing Kirk Cousins to free agency, the Vikings will scratch and claw their way to a winning record in 2024 at 9-8. Meanwhile, despite extending Jordan Love this offseason, Green Bay will take a slight step back and finish under .500 at 8-9.
Caleb Williams will look to revolutionize the position in Chicago in his rookie season in 2024. Despite a much-improved roster, the simulation has the Bears duplicating their 7-10 record from 2023.
NFC South
- Atlanta Falcons (11-6)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9)
- Carolina Panthers (6-11)
- New Orleans Saints (6-11)
Following the Cousins’ signing, the Falcons return to the postseason with an 11-6 record and an NFC South division title. Their championship will end Tampa Bay’s streak of three straight NFC South titles, as the simulation has the Buccaneers finishing 8-9 for the second time in three seasons.
Carolina and New Orleans are both projected to finish 6-11. That’s three fewer wins for the Saints than in 2023 but a four-win improvement for the Panthers from 2023.
NFC West
- Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
- San Francisco 49ers (12-5)
- Seattle Seahawks (6-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-14)
The simulation buys into the Rams’ resurgence last season by projecting them to win the NFC West in 2024 at 12-5. They’ll own the tiebreaker over the 49ers, who will also finish at 12-5 for the second straight season.
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Seattle and Arizona are both projected to finish under .500, which would be the first time in three seasons that the Seahawks end a season with a losing record. Despite having a healthy Kyler Murray and adding Marvin Harrison Jr. to the offense, the Cardinals actually take a step back, losing one more game this season than it did in 2023.
Predicting the NFC Playoff Picture
- Los Angeles Rams
- Detroit Lions
- Atlanta Falcons
- Philadelphia Eagles
- San Francisco 49ers
- Minnesota Vikings
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
For the first time since 2001, the Rams will be the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Playoff Predictor believes in the Rams with their alpha talent in Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Sean McVay.
Tampa Bay will travel to Detroit for a rematch of last season’s NFC Divisional Round matchup, but that may pale in comparison to the other two Wild Card matchups.
Kirk Cousins will face his former team when the Falcons host the Vikings. This would be the first playoff game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium since opening in 2017.
San Francisco and Philadelphia have been two of the NFC’s top teams the last couple of seasons, and a Wild Card matchup between the two could produce some fireworks at Lincoln Financial Field.