When you look at the rankings. When you looked at the NFL’s ranking for play-off positions as of November 25, 2024, you can see why the bracket below is excited about the Detroit Lions. They are ranked #1 in the National Football Conference. They are 10 – 1, but the Philadelphia Eagles are right behind them at 9-2 in the number two position.
What I find particularly interesting about this bracket is not the prediction that the Detroit Lions are going to win it all. Is that this is the only prediction of which has this scenario. The Chiefs losing to the Buffalo Bills in the Conference Championship, sending Buffalo to be defeated in the Super Bowl.
But then again, let’s look at the current prediction from FanDuel. A repeat with Kansas City taking on San Francisco in the Superbowl. Of course, this chart does not say who will win the game this time around, and let’s consider this …
San Francisco is ranked #11 in the NFC, 4th in the NFC West. With their current record at 5-6, I find it interesting that FanDuel believes that San Francisco will come out with the #1 position at the end of the regular season. Interestingly enough, they will meet the Detroit Lions in the Conference championship.
Current ranked #1 in the AFC, the FanDuel chart has Kansas City entering the playoffs in the #3 position, and taking it all the way back to the Superbowl for a third consecutive time. The top bracket, favoring the Lions have the Kansas City Chiefs in the #1 position. Either is possible, but to be honest, I am more inclined (as much as I would love to see a three-peat) that they will lose to Buffalo unless they find their game again.
And it is still early. The predictions will change as the season progresses. There are still six weeks left in the season, plenty of time for teams to either get hot or fall on their face and change the entire complexion of the playoff in both conferences. And let’s face facts. The Chiefs have not been playing good football this year. Yes, they have managed to find a way to win ten out of eleven games, but it has been an ugly season that has left me saying “I’d rather be lucky than good any day.” Patrick Mahomes needs to find his swagger on the field. We need out star players back and up to speed. We need the magic that has had so many opposition fans hating the Chiefs the past three years. Now I find myself sitting back and wondering if Patrick isn’t starting to fade. And to be frank, I have started to say that IF the Chiefs make it back to the Superbowl, I find it hard to think that they could win.
What is my favorite prediction? Kansas City vs Detroit in the Superbowl. Who will win? Unless things change, Detroit.
