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Ranking All 14 NFL Playoff Teams By Toughest Paths to Win The Super Bowl. Read the Ranking All 14 NFL Playoff Teams By Toughest Paths to Win The Super Bowl
Ranking All 14 NFL Playoff Teams By Toughest Paths to Win The Super Bowl
The postseason picture is set. However, not all paths are created equal. In this ranking, we will determine which teams have the easiest and toughest paths in the postseason. Let’s dive in!
No. 14 - Green Bay Packers
The No. 7 seed in the NFC will have the toughest path in the postseason. The injury-riddled Packers will have to travel to Chicago in the opening round to take on the Bears, who just took them down in Week 16. If they were to pull off the upset in Chicago, they would be forced to travel out to the West to face the Seahawks.
With superstar defender Micah Parsons out for the season and Jordan Love working his way back from a concussion, shoulder, and hamstring injury, the Packers will have the most challenging task awaiting them in this year’s bracket.
No. 13 - San Francisco 49ers
Despite holding the No. 6 seed, the 49ers will have the second-most difficult path in the NFL playoffs. They will embark on their journey to the Super Bowl, traveling to Philadelphia for what could be the toughest opening-round matchup. If they were to march into the reigning Championship home and take them down, they would likely face the Seahawks, assuming the Packers cannot defeat the Bears.
Given that the 49ers will face two of the toughest teams in the entire league (and then Rams or Bears in the NFC Championship), while never hosting a single game, they will be in the No. 13 spot.
No. 12 - Los Angeles Chargers
The No. 7 seed in the AFC will take the next spot on our list. The Chargers will begin their playoff journey facing a young New England team on Sunday evening. Compared to the current NFC bracket, the AFC bracket appears slightly easier for the lower seed, giving Los Angeles a slight boost.
Despite traveling to the No. 2-seeded Patriots, the Chargers enter this game as mere 3.5-point underdogs, suggesting this could be a very competitive contest. They would then travel to Denver, which boasts an elite defense but has an inconsistent offense.
No. 11 - Carolina Panthers
While the Panthers enter the postseason as heavy underdogs to take home the Lombardi Trophy, they do have the honor of hosting a playoff game, which gives them a slight boost in our power rankings. On Sunday, they will host the Los Angeles Rams, a team that they defeated on their home turf early this season (31-28).
In this game, Bryce Young led the way, going 15-for-20 with 206 yards and three scores. If they were there to “upset” on their home field, they could avoid the Seahawks until the NFC title game, if one of the 49ers or Packers upset in the opening round.
No. 10 - Buffalo Bills
While the Bills expect to be one of the last teams standing in the AFC, they will have a tougher path to reach the Super Bowl. In the Wild Card Round, they will travel to Jacksonville to face the surging Jaguars and then likely travel to the top-seeded Broncos, assuming the Chargers cannot upset the Patriots.
Their matchup in the AFC Championship would likely be much easier, facing the Patriots, whom they took down earlier in December, or the Texans or Steelers, both of whom have inconsistent offenses. If Josh Allen can continue to put points on the board, the Bills have a path to return to the AFC Championship Game.
No. 9 - Houston Texans
The Texans fell just short of taking the AFC South title and will instead have to open the postseason as the No. 5 seed, claiming the first Wild Card. In the opening round, they will have one of the “easier” matchups against the Pittsburgh Steelers. While they do have to travel to Pittsburgh, the Texans actually open this game as three-point favorites.
If they were to win, they would have a high chance to avoid facing the top-seeded Broncos until the AFC Championship Game, as the Bills seem poised to upset the Jaguars (entering as 1.5-point favorites).
No. 8 - Los Angeles Rams
Due to their late-season collapse, the Rams were unable to take home the NFC West title and will have to spend most of the postseason on the road. In the Wild Card Round, they have a smash matchup against a young Panthers team. Despite traveling to Charlotte, they enter as hefty 10-point favorites.
However, their path gets much tougher as they will likely face the Seahawks in Round 2 and then potentially meet the reigning champion Eagles (in Philadelphia) or the Bears (in Chicago) for the NFC title. They would only host the NFC title if they face the Packers or the 49ers.
No. 7 - Philadelphia Eagles
Despite being a No. 3 seed, the Eagles have quite a difficult path to return to the Super Bowl in 2026. They will begin their playoff journey, playing host to the potent San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon in what could be the most challenging game to predict in the opening round.
If they were to take care of business, they would likely travel to Chicago to face the Bears (assuming they defeat the Packers in the opening round). In the NFC Championship game, they would then face either the Rams or the Seahawks, which could be another daunting task.
No. 6 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers were narrowly able to claim the AFC North crown, which granted them a home game in the Wild Card and a decent chance to host another postseason contest later in the bracket. In the opening round, they will host the Houston Texans, who have an elite defense but a questionable offense, which opens the door for Pittsburgh to advance.
If they were to win, they would likely travel to Denver to face the Broncos (assuming the remainder of the bracket goes chalk), which would put them in a similar matchup against a top-tier defense with a meidcore offense. With Aaron Rodgers under center, the Steelers could play spoiler multiple times.
No. 5 - Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have a tougher task in Round 1, but playing host puts them into the top-5 on our list. In the Wild Card round, they will meet the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen in Duval County. However, if they were to win, they would have a decent chance to host another game later in the postseason if the Patriots fall to the Chargers.
The Jaguars enter the postseason as potentially the hottest team in the NFL, as QB Trevor Lawrence is playing at an elite level. Over the last six games, the former first overall pick has scored 19 TDs with only one turnover.
No. 4 - Chicago Bears
The No. 2 seed Bears will take the next spot on our list. They have one of the easiest matchups in the Wild Card Round against the injury-riddled Green Bay Packers. Without star edge rusher Micah Parsons and QB Jordan Love dealing with numerous ailments of his own, the Bears should have little trouble taking them down in Chicago.
They would then host another game in Round 2, likely facing the Eagles, as the Rams would travel to Seattle. Given that they would avoid the top-seeded Seahawks and the Rams until the NFC title game, they have a clear path to the Super Bowl.
No. 3 - New England Patriots
The No. 2 seed will take the next spot on our list. Given the current AFC picture is a bit easier, the Patriots will now likely sit above the Bears in our rankings. The Patriots are in the Wild Card Round with a bit of a toucher matchup against Justin Hebert and the Chargers. However, in Round 2, they would avoid the Bills (if they upset Jacksonville) and instead face the winner of the Texans/Steelers matchup, which is far more favorable.
Additionally, they would avoid traveling until the AFC title game, giving them home-field advantage for at least two games.
No. 2 - Seattle Seahawks
As expected, the two top seeds will round out our list. The Seahawks sit just behind the Broncos, given their tougher expected matchups. If the Rams were to “upset” the home-team Panthers and the remainder of the NFC goes chalk in the opening round, the Seahawks would host the high-powered Rams in a tough second-round matchup.
It will not get much easier for them as they would then host the Eagles or Bears in the NFC title game. While they have the talent to contend, the NFC bracket is quite daunting.
No. 1 - Denver Broncos
Holding the final spot on our rankings will be the Denver Broncos. The Broncos clinched the top seed in the conference in Week 18 and will now host all our AFC bracket opponents. In Round 2 (assuming the bracket goes chalk), they would welcome the Pittsburgh Steelers, while the Patriots would host the Jaguars.
This would give them a smash matchup in the Division Round, coming off their bye, and would likely only be tested in the AFC title game, facing either the Patriots or the Jaguars on their home turf.
