What Would The Playoffs Look Like If The Season Ended Today: Tyler Sarge’s prediction

With Week 13 behind us, there are five more weeks until the conclusion of the NFL regular season. Plenty can unfold in the next five weeks, but it is never too early to take a look at what  the playoffs might look like. This article will do exactly that, as I will predict how the playoffs would unfold if the regular season ended today. 

At this point, here are the teams who would be in the playoffs: 

NFC: 

(1) Philadelphia Eagles: 11-1, 1^st NFC East 

(2) Minnesota Vikings: 10-2, 1^st NFC North 

(3) San Francisco 49ers: 8-4, 1^st NFC West 

(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-6, 1^st NFC South 

(5) Dallas Cowboys: 9-3, 1^st NFC Wildcard 

(6) New York Giants: 7-4-1, 2^nd NFC Wildcard 

(7) Seattle Seahawks: 7-5, 3^rd NFC Wildcard 

AFC: 

(1) Buffalo Bills: 9-3, 1^st AFC East 

(2) Kansas City Chiefs: 9-3, 1^st AFC West 

(3) Baltimore Ravens: 8-4, 1^st AFC North 

(4) Tennessee Titans: 7-5, 1^st AFC South 

(5) Cincinnati Bengals: 8-4, 1^st AFC Wildcard 

(6) Miami Dolphins: 8-4, 2^nd AFC Wildcard 

(7) New York Jets: 7-5, 3^rd AFC Wildcard

As a reminder, the number one seed in each conference will receive a bye in the Wildcard round,  meaning there will be three games in each conference during the opening weekend of the  playoffs. The matchups are as follows: 5-seed vs 4-seed, 6-seed vs 3-seed, and 7-seed vs 2-seed. 

In the Divisional round, the 1-seed will face the lowest remaining seed and the second-highest  remaining seed will face the second-lowest remaining seed. 

WILDCARD ROUND

(5) Cowboys at (4) Buccaneers: At this point, the Buccaneers lead the NFC South with a  mediocre 6-6 record. As for the Cowboys, they are 9-3 with their most recent victory being a 54- 19 thrashing of the Colts. It should be noted that these two teams played in Week 1, with the  Bucs winning that game comfortably by a score of 19-3. However, the growth of the Cowboys  has been evident throughout this year; I have no doubt they are now the better of these two  teams. I hate to bet against Brady when it is playoff time, but I think the Cowboys would win  this matchup.

Prediction: Cowboys 27 Buccaneers 20 

(6) Giants at (3) 49ers: This past weekend, the 49ers lost their quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo  for the season with a broken foot. Even with Jimmy Garoppolo being out for most of the game, the 49ers won 33-17 over a very good Dolphins team.

Their backup quarterback Brock Purdy was solid, completing 25 of his 37 passes for 210 yards. Whether the 49ers stick with Purdy or  turn to another quarterback for the rest of the season, I trust they will still be elite without the  services of Garoppolo. I do not trust the Giants, and I would expect the 49ers to dominate if this  were the matchup.

Prediction: Giants 10 49ers 31 

(7) Seahawks at (2) Vikings: The Seahawks and Vikings are two of the better stories in the NFL  this year. The Seahawks are definitely the biggest surprise of the NFL this year, going 7-5 in a season when most experts predicted they would finish at the bottom of the NFC West.

The Vikings are 10-2, finding a way to go a perfect 9-0 in one-score games. I would expect more of  the same from the Vikings if they played the Seahawks in the playoffs; it would be a back-and forth game, but the Vikings would find a way to win.

Prediction: Seahawks 24 Vikings 27 

(5) Bengals at (4) Titans: This game would be a rematch of Week 12, when the Bengals  knocked off the Titans 20-16. It would also be a rematch of last year’s Divisional Round game  between the two teams, when the Bengals defeated the Titans 19-16. I do not think the third time  is the charm for the Titans.

I am fully convinced that the Bengals are the better team with the better quarterback. In a game that should come down to the wire like the last two, I expect Joe Burrow to make the big play that Ryan Tannehill will not.

Prediction: Bengals 23 Titans 20 

(6) Dolphins at (3) Ravens: I went back and forth on this one. It feels like the Ravens should  win this game, especially at home. Then again, the Dolphins are 8-1 when Tua Tagovailoa starts  and finishes the game. Although the Ravens can compete with anyone when they are on their A  game, they have been extremely inconsistent this year. The Dolphins are an emerging team, and I  will take them to squeak by the Ravens here.

Prediction: Dolphins 28 Ravens 27 

(7) Jets at (2) Chiefs: This one is simple. The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes. The quarterback  for the Jets will likely either be Mike White or Zach Wilson. The Chiefs also have one of the top  home field advantages in the NFL. In a matchup of these two teams at Arrowhead, the Chiefs  would win comfortably.

Prediction: Chiefs 27 Jets 10 

DIVISIONAL ROUND

(5) Cowboys at (1) Eagles: The Eagles already defeated the Cowboys 26-17 this year on their  home turf, but it remains to be seen what the outcome will be when the two play at Jerry’s World in a few weeks on Christmas Eve.

I would suspect that the Cowboys will defend their home turf in a game they will be highly motivated to win, but the Eagles will take care of business when it  matters most in the playoffs.

Prediction: Cowboys 20 Eagles 24 

(3) 49ers at (2) Vikings: As I mentioned earlier, the Vikings are 10-2 but only one of their wins  came by a margin of more than one score. Their point differential is only +10. They are dead last  in the league in opponent yards per pass attempt, allowing an average of 7.6 yards per attempt.  The 49ers are the better team, regardless of who their quarterback is. I think the 49ers would win  this game by a touchdown or more.

Prediction: 49ers 27 Vikings 20 

(6) Dolphins at (1) Bills: I actually think these two teams are pretty even. That was evident in  their matchup earlier this year, when the Dolphins narrowly defeated the Bills by a score of 21- 19.

However, one factor that cannot be ignored when it comes to this matchup is the home-field  advantage Buffalo would have. It is anyone’s guess how cold and windy it would be, and snow is a possibility. The Bills are built for that type of weather. Miami is not. In a matchup between evenly matched teams, that could make the difference.

Prediction: Dolphins 23 Bills 28 

(5) Bengals at (2) Chiefs: The Bengals have defeated the Chiefs three times in the last calendar  year. The Bengals won 27-24 this past weekend, 27-24 in the AFC Championship game, and 34- 31 in Week 17 of last year. It is undeniable that Burrow has had Mahomes’ number.

However, if this matchup came up again, I would expect Mahomes to finally get his revenge. I will take the Chiefs by a field goal.

Prediction: Bengals 24 Chiefs 27 

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

(3) 49ers at (1) Eagles: The Eagles have stood atop the NFC this entire year and seem primed to  hold the number one seed. They are a solid team. However, I strongly believe the 49ers are the better of these two teams. Yes, there is a quarterback question for San Francisco but their roster is so good that it is built to withstand an injury at the quarterback position.

There is a reason the  49ers were willing to deal a haul of draft picks in order to acquire Christian McCaffrey at the  trade deadline. They know they are built to win now. Even with the game being played at  Lincoln Financial Field and Jimmy Garoppolo being out for the season, I would expect the 49ers  to win this game and advance to their eighth Super Bowl.

Prediction: 49ers 24 Eagles 17 

(2) Chiefs at (1) Bills: Outside of maybe the Bengals, these two teams are the ones we would  expect would meet in the AFC Championship Game. Of course, it would be a rematch of last  year’s AFC Divisional Game when the Chiefs won the overtime thriller by a score of 42-36. It is also a rematch of the AFC Championship Game from two years ago, when the Chiefs defeated the Bills 38-24.

Those two previous playoff matches between the two teams came at Arrowhead.  As currently seeded, the Bills would be the home team this time around. With that said, I still lean towards the Chiefs. Josh Allen is a generational talent, but I trust Mahomes more than I do Allen to avoid making the big mistake and to find ways to win close games.

Even with the game at Buffalo, the Chiefs would find a way to advance to their third Super Bowl in four years in  another thriller.

Prediction: Chiefs 31 Bills 28 (OT) 

SUPER BOWL

(2) Chiefs vs. (3) 49ers: I am predicting it will be the Chiefs and 49ers squaring off in Super  Bowl LVII, a rematch of Super Bowl LIV. In that matchup, it was the Chiefs who overcame a 10-point-deficit to defeat the 49ers 31-20. This time around, I think the 49ers are the more well rounded team.

At the quarterback position, it is an obvious mismatch: Patrick Mahomes for the  Chiefs and Brock Purdy or some other bottom-tier quarterback for the 49ers. I went back and  forth because of the disparity at the quarterback position, but I think the 49ers are superior at just about every other position. As a result, I am taking San Francisco to win on a last-second field  goal, putting the 49ers alongside the Patriots and Steelers atop the leaderboard with six Super  Bowl victories.

Prediction: Chiefs 24 49ers 27