The NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday, January 11. Twelve teams competed in the wild-card round for one of the eight spots in the divisional round. The top teams in each conference were exempt from competing in the wildcard round. After the divisional round further eliminates teams, the conference championships hosts the two remaining teams from each conference. The winner of each conference then faces off in the finale: the Super Bowl. 

The wild-card round saw upsets, narrow victories, and many blowouts. The Washington Commanders took a narrow win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning 23-20 with just one field goal. Bucky Irving (Buccaneers) was a standout player who took the record for the franchise high of single-game rushing yards by a rookie in the playoffs. Still, the team’s defense and head coach Todd Bowles faltered against the Commander’s quarterback Jayden Daniels. In another upset victory, the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12, with quarterback Justin Herbert (Chargers) throwing a staggering four interceptions and leading his team to a loss. Despite their defeat, rookie wide receiver Ladd Mcconkey (Chargers) set the record for the most receiving yards by a rookie in a playoff game. 

In the divisional round, the Commanders continued to surprise us with an impressive 45-31 victory over the Detroit Lions, the top seed. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continued to dominate with 299 passing yards with the Lion’s defense proving to be ineffective. In contrast, the Commander’s defense, which had performed poorly in the regular season, forced five turnovers. The Philadelphia Eagles won 28-22 against the Los Angeles Rams in a game that had viewers on the edge of their seats. Playing in the snow, both teams struggled to get passing yards and committed many turnovers. Running back Saquon Barkley, who has been an ace for the Eagles all year, led the offense with a 78-yard touchdown. 

These teams have certainly made the road up to Super Bowl LIX interesting but more surprises are in store for the coming weeks. The conference championships feature tough matchups, making the Super Bowl anyone’s game. Here are our predictions for the winners of the conference championship and Superbowl. 

For the NFC championship match, the Philidelphia Eagles defeated the Washington Commanders 55-23. The Commanders had an upset victory over the Detroit Lions in the divisional round and a great season overall, going from 4-13 last season to 12-5 this season. However, the Commander’s offense turned the ball over four times while their defense struggled to stop runs from Eagles running back Saquon Barkley. Wide Receiver AJ Brown (Eagles) also had a standout performance, gaining 96 yards throughout the game. 

The Kansas City Chiefs won against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championships in a close game that ended 32-29. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) is an all-time great quarterback who led the team to victory. The Chief’s defensive coordinator Steven Spagnuolo was also successful at blitzing, or rushing the opposing team’s quarterback, putting pressure on the opposing offense. Although the Bills quarterback Josh Allen had the greatest season of his career this year, his performance during the championships was mediocre. The Bill’s defensive line also struggled to defend Mahomes and the Chief’s offense. 

Superbowl Predictions:

The Super Bowl will be a tough matchup between the Eagles and the Chiefs, as the Eagles seek revenge for 2023. The Chiefs have a better record, at 15-2 while the Commanders are sitting at 14-3. However, this marginal difference doesn’t seem to be a deciding factor. Eagles recently signed star running back Saquon Barkley who seems to be the missing piece for them. He has excelled throughout the playoffs and will be credited with much of the Eagles’ success if they win. The Chiefs are a strong, well-rounded team with Patrick Mahomes having won 3 superbowls in the past. However, Mahomes arguably has not been at his best this season, throwing 11 interceptions. The turnover battle will be crucial as the Eagles haven’t turned the ball over in the playoffs yet. We predict that the Chiefs will win, accomplishing the first three-peat in history.

Regardless of the outcome of the Super Bowl, many teams played exceptionally in the playoffs and regular season. These teams were aided by skilled players and leaders who are being recognized in various awards. Here are our predictions for the awards for this season. 

MVP: 

Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills) is our pick for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Although there are certainly other great players in contention, Josh Allen was great overall in the regular season. He threw 3731 yards this season, with 28 touchdowns, and ran for 531 yards with 12 touchdowns. He lifted his team up not only with his athleticism but also as a cultural leader and reliable teammate.

Offensive Player of the Year:

Saquon Barkley (Philidelphia Eagles) is a strong favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year. With a pattern of the award not going to the quarterback, Barkley is clearly the frontrunner. He had 2,005 rushing yards, breaking the Eagle’s single-season rushing record. 

Defensive Player of the Year: 

For Defensive Player of the Year, our pick is cornerback Patrick Surtain (Denver Broncos). Surtain was a standout player on the Broncos this season. He guards wide receivers extremely well and was instrumental in the Broncos making the playoffs.