Ranking the final eight NFL teams – Bills can dream of Super Bowl but this NFC team is playing its last game

Aaron Rodgers and Trevor Lawrence did not make the cut.

Josh Allen definitely did, while C.J. Stroud had a little help from his super-talented defense.

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Who is winning Super Bowl LX and when is it?

With a thrilling Wild Card round wrapped up, the NFL moves into the Divisional Round on Saturday and Sunday.

Only eight teams remains in the 2025 season: The Denver Broncos, Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

Only one franchise can win Super Bowl LX, and a world champion will be crowned on February 8, 2026 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

If the Patriots face off vs the 49ers in the big game, Brock Purdy will take the field earning $220 million more than Drake Maye.

Some fanbases have a legitimate chance at winning Super Bowl LX as the playoffs enter the second round.

But 24 other teams are already preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft, which could feature college quarterback prospects Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) and (Dante Moore) taken with the top picks.

Below, talkSPORT ranks the final eight Super Bowl contenders and predicts the Divisional Round outcomes.

8. Chicago Bears (12-6)

The Bears could end up making the Super Bowl — and they could win again on Sunday — so there’s no shame in being last right now.

But they trailed Green Bay 21-3 despite Micah Parsons being out of action and the Rams are too good to blow that big of a lead.

The first round of the playoffs were perfectly impossible to predict.

Maybe Caleb Williams can create magic again at Soldier Field.

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7. San Francisco 49ers (13-5)

Congrats on barely beating the Eagles.

Now win again without George Kittle, while playing a rested opponent that won the NFC West outright.

If Seattle has a massive letdown in the Divisional Round, San Francisco will keep living the dream.

But the injuries have kept mounting and the 49ers’ season should end in Mike Macdonald’s hands.

6. Houston Texans (13-5)

The Texans have won 10 consecutive games and they just forced Mike Tomlin to call it a career in Pittsburgh.

Not bad for a team that started 0-3, then was 3-5 in November.

The Texans’ defense has carried the team’s start-and-stop offense all season.

C.J. Stroud must perform like a No. 2 draft pick if the Texans are going to finally reach their first AFC Championship game.

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5. Denver Broncos (14-3)

Sean Payton has built it and the Broncos have followed.

Payton deserves Coach of the Year consideration, and the former New Orleans Saints leader was spot on in predicting that Bo Nix would be the ideal QB for Denver.

The Broncos are 24-10 the last two years with Payton and Nix leading the way.

Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is now only two wins away.

But Denver’s season-long problem (offense) could be a big problem with Josh Allen and the resilient Bills in town.

4. Buffalo Bills (13-5)

Josh Allen was the MVP of the Wild Card round.

Buffalo also won the best game of the weekend, trading punches with Jacksonville for four quarters and surviving a thriller on the road that only ended when Trevor Lawrence was picked off in the final minute.

Denver has home field and a super defense.

But the Bills have the better quarterback and 66 years of heartbreaking history to fix.

Prediction: Bills 23, Broncos 17

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3. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

Matthew Stafford threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, while the Rams produced 411 yards of offense in their 34-31 Wild Card road win over the Carolina Panthers.

Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Tyler Higbee, Kyren Williams and Sean McVay will be too much for the Bears defense in Chicago.

And the Rams are backed by a top-10 defense that will have Caleb Williams in its crosshairs.

Prediction: Rams 27, Bears 24

2. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)

Sam Darnold made it this far last year, then was seriously outplayed by Matthew Stafford in the playoffs while the Minnesota Vikings watched their season flame out.

This time, Darnold is backed by an elite defense, a top-notch wide receiver and a fervent fanbase — the same scenario that surrounded the former No. 3 overall draft pick last year.

He also just received a week of extra rest and was able to watch the first round of the playoffs on TV.

Now it’s time for the Seahawks to feast.

Prediction: Seahawks 28, 49ers 24

1. New England Patriots (15-3)

Justin Herbert couldn’t do anything against the Patriots.

How much better will C.J. Stroud be in New England?

The Texans’ best hope, obviously, is their NFL-best defense attacking an inexperienced Drake Maye.

The real battle will be between Mike Vrabel and DeMeco Ryans on the sidelines.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Texans 17

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