NFL Week 3 Picks 2026 (Thursday 24th September-Monday 28th September)

Playing two games out of a seventeen game schedule is not going be a time when you can declare one team a Super Bowl contender nor another being one that is on the brink of elimination, but those starting at 0-2 will be feeling some pressure.

A team like the Miami Dolphins have very low expectations and so the record is not as important as developing young players and then looking to add important names in the next NFL Draft.

However, for others like the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, the 0-2 start is a big disappointment and there will be some pressure building on them as they have failed to meet the kind of expectations that so many had for them. The Chargers have very few excuses having lost to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders and something will need to change pretty quickly for a team that plays in the same Division as the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.

Injuries will also dictate how fans feel about their team- the Washington Commanders losing Jayden Daniels to another serious looking injury means the 0-2 position feels that much worse.

Much like last season, injuries have dominated the NFL headlines over the last week with a number of starting Quarter Backs expected to miss time, although the defending Champions Seattle Mariners could have Sam Darnold back behind Center in Week 3 having escaped what had the potential of being a serious injury in Week 1.

The key for teams is steering clear of the injuries that can severely disrupt a season, while there have also been plenty of upsets over the first couple of weeks of the season that suggest the 2026 season could potentially play out similar to 2025.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Miami Dolphins Pick: All eyes were on Patrick Mahomes as he returned to action in Week 1 following a serious injury at the end of the 2025 season,

184 passing yards with a couple of Touchdowns and an Interception would not have impressed, but the Quarter Back led the Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) to a win and has followed up by dissecting the Indianapolis Colts to keep his team unbeaten. Patrick Mahomes threw for 382 yards in the Week 2 win over the Colts and added 3 Touchdowns without throwing an Interception and Kansas City did what they had to do to remain unbeaten and looking like one of the real contenders to bounce back and earn a Playoff spot the season after missing out completely.

An early Bye Week is coming up for the Kansas City Chiefs who have opened the 2026 season with two home wins, but now have to play back to back games on the road.

Overlooking the Miami Dolphins (0-2) after coming through an Overtime victory may be the biggest obstacle for the Kansas City Chiefs to overcome- they do have to play the surprising Las Vegas Raiders on the road in Week 4 who are a Divisional rival and one that is also sitting at 2-0. That can be a problem for teams, even this early in the season, but it feels like something drastic will have had to change for both the Chiefs and Dolphins for this to be anything other than a road win.

The layers feel the same with the Chiefs being asked to lay a lot of points on the road, but it cannot be a surprise considering Miami have lost both games by double digits and have looked every bit as bad a team as many anticipated they would be.

The Dolphins have shifted some of the big contracts, but that has meant having to deal with dead money on the salary cap and also a change in philosophy with a young group being asked to try and lift the fanbase. In reality Miami will be targeting a very high selection in the next NFL Draft and the early performances suggest they could be the prime contender to pick up the Number 1 selection.

Malik Willis has been signed to play Quarter Back, but the Offensive Line have really had a hard time making any plays for Willis or for Running Back De'Von Achane and that has made it very tough for the Dolphins all around. Running the ball would have been the main ambition for the Dolphins as they look to make use of the best Offensive player left on the roster, but the Offensive Line have not had much success early and now face a Chiefs Defensive Line that have opened 2026 looking strong up front.

Playing from behind the chains has made things tough for Malik Willis, but it also should be said that he does not have the best supporting cast in the skill positions. This has perhaps been part of the reason Willis has been holding onto the ball longer than would be expected and that has led to the Sacks piling up and the Miami Dolphins showing very little consistency when it comes to moving the chains.

The heat of South Florida can be a leveller and that may help the Dolphins if the pass rush is slowed by increasing fatigue, but it is perhaps asking a lot of this Miami team to pile up enough points to earn the upset, despite the number of those already seen in the NFL.

It will be that much tougher to score enough points if the Kansas City Chiefs pick up from where they left off in Week 2 as a balanced Offensive unit takes to the field.

Kenneth Walker III earned the Super Bowl MVP before leaving Seattle to sign with the Chiefs and he has been part of a team that have been rushing for 5.6 yards per carry early in the season. Two games is a small sample, but the Chiefs are making use of having a Running Back that teams will respect and especially one playing behind a Quarter Back like Patrick Mahomes.

The Quarter Back is capable of moving the ball with his legs too and he will be pretty happy with the early season form shown by the Offensive Line when it comes to pass protection as well as run blocking. Patrick Mahomes is facing a Miami team that have struggled to get any pressure up front, which has exposed the inexperienced Secondary, and you have to believe Kansas City will be able to do what they like when they do have the ball.

The Chiefs beat Miami twice in the 2023 season, including in the Playoffs, while they also won on their last trip to Miami back in December 2020.

Laying this kind of number with a road favourite is never a great position to be in, but Miami could be a team that struggles to win more than once this season and the Kansas City Chiefs have the momentum that could see them pull clear in the second half.

Carolina Panthers @ Cleveland Browns Pick: Both of these teams enter this non-Conference game in Week 3 with the same 1-1 record having bounced back from Week 1 losses.

The Carolina Panthers (1-1) really impressed by going into Atlanta and crushing the NFC South rivals, while the Cleveland Browns (1-1) upset the odds as a big underdog when beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. These wins are impressive considering the way the Panthers and Browns were beaten in Week 1 and Cleveland will be looking to build on the success in the home opener.

That brings motivation, but the Browns have to make sure they are focused and not thinking to the Week 4 game against AFC North rivals Pittsburgh Steelers, which is set to be played on Thursday Night Football.

Deshaun Watson remains the starter for the Cleveland Browns, but the Quarter Back will be aware that there are plenty of critics ready to call for him to be removed as soon as he hits a rough patch. In the win over the Buccaneers, Watson had almost 240 passing yards to go with the 2 Touchdowns thrown, while avoiding an Interception is a huge positive for the Quarter Back and the Cleveland Browns.

He will be confident heading into the first home game of the 2026 season, but Deshaun Watson will be keen to see the Offensive Line pick up their play and start opening up significant running lanes to keep him in positive field position. An injury on the Line does not help, but Cleveland are facing a Panthers Defensive Line that had been gashed in Week 1 and that will offer them some encouragement.

It will help Deshaun Watson, who is going to be facing a Carolina Secondary that have performed pretty well through the opening two weeks.

They have been helped by the pass rush pressure that the Panthers have been able to generate and the Cleveland Offensive Line have struggled when it comes to giving Watson the time he may need at the Quarter Back position. This is going to be important for the Panthers as they bid to get the ball in the hands of Bryce Young and an Offensive unit that has impressed through the opening two games, even if the record says those games have been split.

Balance is the key for the Carolina Panthers and they have found that Offensively with the team able to run the ball as well as Bryce Young has been able to throw the ball.

The Carolina Offensive Line will believe they can impose themselves on this Browns Defensive Line and keeping the Quarter Back in third and manageable spots will give the Panthers the edge. It will mean slowing down any pass rush that the Cleveland Browns can generate and Bryce Young has shown that he has grown into the system with his own performance in the opening two games having helped the Panthers into the Playoffs last season.

Cleveland could be without a couple of key Secondary performers if they do not want to risk those with issues ahead of a Thursday Night Football, and that should give Bryce Young an opportunity to continue his strong start to the year.

Conditions should be comfortable for the Carolina Panthers and the added balance on the Offensive side of the ball should be the key to giving the road team the edge.

The Panthers have not always been the best on the road with Bryce Young under Center, but the win last week in Atlanta should have given them plenty of momentum and they may do enough Offensively to give Deshaun Watson and the Browns too much to do.

MY PICKS: Kansas City Chiefs - 10.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Carolina Panthers - 2 Points @ 1.85 Coral (1 Unit)

Houston Texans - 1.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Buffalo Bills - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Seattle Seahawks - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 8.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Week 2: 3-4, - 1.31 Units (7 Units Staked, - 18.71% Yield)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

NFL Week 2 Picks 2026 (Thursday 17th September-Monday 21st September)

No one will be placing too much stock into a Week 1 performance, but there is no doubt that teams will be feeling much better at 1-0 rather than 0-1.

Week 2 offers an opportunity to bounce back, but it is also a developing season and that means the key is to avoid falling too far behind those who are going to be pushing for the Playoff.

Thursday Night Football kicks off Week 2 with a big non-Conference game, but there are plenty of good looking games to be played across the weekend.

Detroit Lions @ Buffalo Bills Pick: Thursday Night Football is a feature of the NFL regular season and Week 2 of the 2026 season will see the Buffalo Bills (1-0) open their new home against the Detroit Lions (1-0).

Both teams earned wins in Week 1, although they came in very different fashion.

The Buffalo Bills won on the road against the Houston Texans who are another AFC team expected to push towards the Playoff and it is all the more impressive when you think of the issues Josh Allen has had when facing Houston in the past.

New Head Coach Joe Brady has to be really happy with what he saw from the Bills Offensively, but he will also be aware that there has to be some improvement Defensively if Buffalo are finally going to crack through and reach the Super Bowl.

The Detroit Lions were bigger favourites than the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, but they needed Overtime and then a stop on a two point play to earn the victory against the New Orleans Saints. This is a team that has played well under Head Coach Dan Campbell and one that steps up when they are set as the underdog, but a short week after an Overtime game to open the season places the Lions in a difficult spot.

However, they have to be happy with the way the Offensive Line played in opening up the running lanes and the Lions are going to look to keep the Bills quiet on the sidelines by handing the ball to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Last season the Bills Defensive Line struggled to stop the run, but they have made an encouraging start to the 2026 season. This is a big test for that Line to see where they stand, but failing to stop or slow the run would open up the Secondary to be attacked by Jared Goff and the Detroit passing game.

If the Bills can rush the Quarter Back as they did last week, that will help, but the Detroit Lions should feel they can have some success in Buffalo's new home.

Of course you have to expect plenty of success from Josh Allen and the Buffalo Offensive unit.

There was little wrong with the way the Lions Defensive Line played up front against the run in the win over New Orleans, but the Secondary were banged up last season and Detroit's Defensive Backs struggled in Week 1. Allowing the Saints to put up almost 400 passing yards is not ideal preparation for the Buffalo Bills, although the Lions will feel the pass rush can get into the backfield and at least force the Quarter Back to go through his reads that much quicker than he may want.

Even then, Josh Allen and company should be comfortable moving the ball and this could end up being another shootout as was the case when the teams met in December 2024.

That ended with both teams surpassing the 40 point mark in a game played in Detroit and both Offenses have to believe they can move the ball with confidence in this Week 2 clash in 2026.

The short week should make it that much more difficult for the Defensive units to make the adjustments needed after the issues in Week 1 and that should allow Jared Goff and Josh Allen to lead their team to plenty of successful drives and these two teams may end up surpassing the total points line set.

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears Pick: Week 1 of the NFL season concluded with three NFC North teams opening at 1-0 and the Minnesota Vikings (1-0) are the reason that the Green Bay Packers were the only team that failed to open with a win.

Since then, the Detroit Lions have dropped to 1-1 and that does mean either the Vikings or the Chicago Bears (1-0) can finish up Week 2 leading the Division as the only unbeaten team (assuming this game will not finish in a tie).

The Vikings were perhaps a little fortunate that the Green Bay Packers capitulated as they did in Week 1 and they will be aware that they will need to be a lot better to beat a Chicago Bears team that have been speaking excitedly about the Offensive unit before the season had begun. An early statement was made by Caleb Williams and the Bears when scoring 59 points in a road win over 2025 NFC South Champions Carolina Panthers, while also putting up over 550 Offensive yards.

No one associated with the Bears can expect to see that kind of output every week, but the Quarter Back has been speaking confidently about the standards Chicago want to set.

They did whatever they wanted against the Carolina Panthers, but this should be a more challenging game against a Minnesota team that had focused on improving the Defensive personnel. Last week the Vikings Defensive Line were able to win at the Line of Scrimmage and prevent the Green Bay Packers from getting consistency from the run game and they will be looking to at least slow a Chicago team that were picking up huge yards on the ground.

However, Caleb Williams will have taken note of the holes that Jordan Love attacked in the Vikings Secondary and the Quarter Back can pick up from there.

Caleb Williams is likely going to be put under some pressure if the team are not able to keep him in third and manageable positions on the field, but he has shown he can move out of the pocket and continue to make plays down the field. Avoiding turnovers is key, but the Bears should be confident they can move the ball with some consistency and that will put the pressure on Minnesota to try and keep up on the scoreboard.

Brian Flores will have his Defensive unit make some plays, but they will need those turnovers to make things easier for an Offense that is going to be led by Carson Wentz rather than Kyler Murray.

A concussion has forced Murray out, but the Minnesota Vikings have an inexperienced Quarter Back coming into the lineup and one who had over 1200 passing yards with 6 Touchdown passes last season.

239 total yards were produced by the Vikings last week as they took advantage of the mistakes made by the Green Bay Packers, but that is asking a lot for that to happen again.

Carson Wentz did have a good game at Quarter Back and the Vikings have talented Receivers who will have seen the Chicago Secondary struggle to make plays last week and that will offer the road team encouragement. The Vikings can also expect a bit more balance in the Offensive play as they are expected to establish the run against a Bears Defensive Line that struggled last season and who have opened up the 2026 season by allowing the Panthers to pick up big yards on the ground.

The Bears will be playing with some revenge on their mind having lost the home opener at Soldier Field to the Minnesota Vikings last year, but they will have a lot of respect for this Divisional rival.

Nothing ever comes easy in the NFL and Chicago cannot expect to be as strong as they were in Week 1, but they may still do enough to force a couple of mistakes from this Vikings Offense and stall some drives. That may be enough to give the Bears the edge and they may just edge past this spread set to move to 2-0 in the Division.

Cleveland Browns @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: If you know anything about Baker Mayfield, you can guarantee that he has been looking forward to this Week 2 game as soon as the schedule came out in May.

He was the incumbent Quarter Back with the Cleveland Browns (0-1) when the team decided to make a huge trade to bring in Deshaun Watson and that led to Baker Mayfield leaving the team and then ultimately end up with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-1). The Quarter Back has led Tampa Bay to the Playoffs in 2023 and 2024, but injuries made it very tough for Baker Mayfield in 2025, although the decision made by the Browns continues to be one that has them on the wrong side of the trade.

Both teams are looking to bounce back and Baker Mayfield vs Deshaun Watson will be leading the headlines, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a lot more competitive in the Week 1 defeat than the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns Defense may have lost Myles Garrett, but they still have a lot of quality on that side of the field, although winning games will mean needing more from the Quarter Back.

Time definitely feels like it is ticking on the Watson era at Cleveland and it would not be a huge surprise if there is a Quarter Back change during this game if he continues to struggle. Poor decisions were made in the loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars and you do have to wonder if Deshaun Watson will ever reach the levels he had shown with the Houston Texans before the controversy from his personal life ended up impacting his play on the field.

Deshaun Watson has to be better, as he will admit, but he will need support after the Offensive Line struggled in Jacksonville- that was not solely the case in pass protection, but the Browns did not open up the running lanes like the Quarter Back would have wanted and that puts all the pressure on Watson.

Failing to hold onto the ball is on Deshaun Watson, as is the Interception thrown, but there will be some opportunities for him to make plays against this Secondary. However, that will also need his supporting cast to step up and it could be a tough day again on the road for the Cleveland Browns.

They can at least point to the Defensive unit as being able to keep them in this game, but a balanced Tampa Bay approach could still keep Cleveland on their toes.

Last week the Buccaneers showed that balance against the Cincinnati Bengals, although they made too many mistakes on this side of the ball and that ultimately cost them. Cleaning those up should make things easier for the home team, although they will also want to see improvement from the Offensive Line when it comes to protecting Baker Mayfield.

Piling up the points against this Browns team will not be easy, but creating short fields would help and you just know Baker Mayfield is not going to want his team to ease off the throttle if they are in a position to score.

Cleveland cannot really be expected to be as poor as they were in Week 1, but even some improvement may not be enough to keep this game much more competitive when all is said and done. The whole of the Buccaneers team should be motivated as they bid to bounce back from an opening defeat and led by a Quarter Back with a point to prove and that should give Tampa Bay a chance to cover this wide spread.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tennessee Titans Pick: The opening schedule for the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0) looks pretty testing, but this perhaps the game that looks 'easiest' on paper and it is really important for the team to find a way to motivate themselves.

After opening with a Divisional win, the Eagles will be facing the Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams and then travel to London after Week 2 and that means playing in three high-profile spots. With that in mind, it can be easy for players to overlook a team like the Tennessee Titans (0-1) who finished with a 3-14 record in 2025 and who have already been beaten at home by the New York Jets.

A new Head Coach will be hoping he is going to be given some time to help turn things around for the Titans, but Robert Saleh will know he needs some positive signs to just ensure the team back him. In recent years, the Titans have not really been patient with the Head Coach employed, and back to back three win seasons will be hard to surpass considering the schedule and the Division in which they play.

Robert Saleh will need more from Cam Ward at Quarter Back if he is going to guide Tennessee to at least four wins to show some progress, but the sophomore player has to develop quickly. Last season saw some mixed performances from Ward in his rookie season, but there will be a real disappointment about the Week 1 performance from the Quarter Back who threw for just 140 yards against the Jets.

There had been some help offered by the Offensive Line when they set up to run block- the Titans will want to have more than the fourteen attempts from Week 1, but have to be encouraged by picking up almost 5 yards per game. Doing that against this Eagles Defensive Line will be challenging, especially if Cam Ward does not give Philadelphia something more to respect in the passing game.

Last week the Eagles Secondary began the season in good form and it may be difficult for Cam Ward to have a much stronger game than he managed in the loss to the Jets. One positive is that Ward may have more time in the pocket when he does step back to throw, but even that may not be enough reason to believe he can lead the Titans to a lot more successes than they had in the opening defeat.

Philadelphia will definitely be more confident in their ability to establish the run with consistency, although they have lost a key piece of the Line when Landon Dickerson was placed on IR. Those changes will perhaps take some time bedding in and that could allow the Titans to have success at the Line of Scrimmage having rebuilt that part of the Defense around Jeffery Simmons.

Despite that, the Jets were able to get things going on the ground and the Eagles will feel they still have enough about them to do the same.

Jalen Hurts can move the ball with his legs from the Quarter Back position and is still backed up by Saquon Barkley and that may keep the Eagles in front of the chains.

The Quarter Back will be aware that the passing game will be another work in progress after the Eagles traded away AJ Brown, although this whole part of the Offense can be opened up by establishing the run. DeVonta Smith is a very solid Receiver, but it is important for the Eagles to find a consistent performer opposite him if they are going to have a big season.

There should be opportunities for the Eagles to make plays in the passing game and that gives them the edge on the road.

Tennessee will be expecting a much stronger performance after the disappointing effort in Week 1, but they may not be able to get that burst from the Offensive side of the ball that will be needed to earn an upset.

Instead it is perhaps where the Titans will come up short again and that could allow the Philadelphia Eagles to win this one by around a Touchdown mark.

Las Vegas Raiders @ Los Angeles Chargers Pick: If you were to say that one of these AFC West teams would be heading into the Week 2 Divisional clash at 1-0, most would have suggested the Los Angeles Chargers (0-1) would be that team. Instead it is the Las Vegas Raiders (1-0) who travel to the City of Angels unbeaten thanks to a comfortable success over the Miami Dolphins on the same day the Los Angeles Chargers were inexplicably losing at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Division is one of the most competitive in the NFL and so the defeat suffered by the Chargers will have really hurt.

The next four games ahead of the Bye Week will see the Los Angeles Chargers face Buffalo, Seattle, Denver and Kansas City and so there is a real pressure on the team to bounce back immediately from the disappointment of Week 1. Back to back eleven win seasons meant the Chargers came into the 2026 season with big expectations on the shoulders of the players to take the next step and have a deep impact in the Playoffs, and that does mean the team need a response.

Las Vegas will make the short journey to Los Angeles in confident mood, but this is a team that is transitioning and that means avoiding throwing Fernando Mendoza straight into action in his rookie season. He was the top Pick in the NFL Draft, but the Raiders will begin the season with Kirk Cousins at Quarter Back and new Head Coach Klint Kubiak has to be really happy with the start made by his team.

This is a big step up for the Raiders who have won seven games across the last two seasons, but who will be looking to surpass the three wins secured in 2025.

Running the ball is going to be tough against this Chargers Defensive Line and that will put a bit more pressure on Kirk Cousins, who had a much more comfortable match up last week.

It is expected that Brock Bowers will miss another game, which is a significant blow for the Raiders passing game, while it is not being disrespectful to say the team are missing a lot of standout Receivers outside of the Tight End. This did not matter against the Dolphins, but Kirk Cousins did not have to do a lot from the Quarter Back position and the veteran may find it tough to exploit the Chargers Secondary without consistent players to throw to.

Kirk Cousins made a couple of mistakes in the win over Miami, and those could be much more costly in a game like this one.

The Raiders have to be prepared to be facing a Chargers team that will have had criticism ringing in their ears following the Week 1 defeat to the Cardinals, but the home fans will expect a reaction.

Justin Herbert leads the Offensive unit that has a new Co-Ordinator in Mike McDaniel, but they did not seem to be in sync in Week 1, which was a real disappointment.

Everything begins at the Offensive Line after the Chargers struggled to establish the run with any consistency in the opening game and that has to change to just open up the playbook for the new Offensive Co-Ordinator to get the best out of the Quarter Back. Much more will be expected of Omarion Hampton and the Offensive Line and they can show a lot more life in this game.

Doing so should make things pretty comfortable for Justin Herbert and the Quarter Back will be looking to take more care of the ball.

One concern for the home team has to be the performance of the Offensive Line to give Justin Herbert time to allow routes to develop down the field and that has to be improved. This is especially the case against the Raiders, who were able to break into the backfield relentlessly in the win over the Dolphins, although it should always be pointed out how poor Miami looked.

There should be some urgency about the Los Angeles Chargers performance and they have won the last four games against this AFC West rival.

It would be a huge surprise if Head Coach Jim Harbaugh has not gotten into his players and cannot extract a reaction from them, while the Las Vegas Raiders are missing the best Receiver and may struggle to move the ball with a lot of consistency. That could come together to see the Chargers secure a solid win and get themselves ready for a four game run that may determine how this season will shape up for them.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills-Detroit Lions Over 54.5 Points @ 1.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears - 4.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Chargers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys - 3.5 Points @ 1.87 Bet365 (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 13.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 1: 2-4-1, - 2.23 Units (7 Units Staked, - 31.86% Yield)

NFL Week 1 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 9th September-Monday 14th September)

Super Bowl LV is in the books and six months have passed in the off-season, which means it is time to go again in the NFL in 2026.

Last season was a strange one with so many of the top teams being held back as injuries piled up, while a number of those involved in the Playoffs can be considered as surprise contenders.

You'd have been hard pressed to find too many people tipping up the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots as the teams that would reach the Super Bowl and that means these teams will be playing under very different pressures in 2026.

Further to those two teams, you could argue that Divisional Winners Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were all surprising teams to go along with Seattle and New England and all of those mentioned will have to contend with raised expectations.

Going into 2026, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are some of the leading names that will look for a big bounce back season, especially if they can benefit from better health to key players.

Changes have been made by those like the Buffalo Bills who have felt they have hit the ceiling under previous Head Coaches and they are very much one of a number of teams in Super Bowl or Bust mode. You could add the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers to that list!

As has been stated every year, making Super Bowl selections in September can look very foolish by December when injuries and other factors come into play.

The expectation is that it will be a season that is not as impacted by the kind of injuries we saw in 2025 and that should make it another memorable one.

If they can stay healthy, Baltimore Ravens look like a team that could go far, but they are another making a move from a long-term Head Coach like the Buffalo Bills.

Teams like the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans could grow having had Playoff experience, while this might finally be the season when a good looking Dallas Cowboys team can put it all together.

Much like some of the top teams in the NFL, 2025 was a disappointing year for the NFL Picks and so a bounce back is required for the pages as well as for those players heading to the field.

Picks from Week 1 will be added to this thread over the next few days with the rare Wednesday start to the season perhaps catching some unaware. There is a full round of games from Wednesday through to Monday and hopefully this is the start of a very good season both on these pages and across all the Stadiums that will be used heading towards Super Bowl LXI which will be hosted at Sofi Stadium.

Both Los Angeles teams will be hoping to be involved in that Super Bowl in the home Stadium, but the season will begin at the home of the defending Champions.

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Almost exactly six months have passed since the Seattle Seahawks crushed the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX and the two teams will meet again in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

In a very rare situation, Week 1 will get underway on Wednesday rather than the traditional Thursday, but that is not going to be an excuse for either of these teams that have been retooled for another crack at the Championship.

Despite being the defending Champions, the Seattle Seahawks have to be extremely frustrated that all of the talk ahead of this season has been about NFC West rivals Los Angeles Rams. Big moves have been made by the Rams to try and get past Seattle, and the rest of the NFL, but the Seahawks beat them twice in three games last season and keeping hold of the majority of the Offensive unit has to be a confidence booster.

One who has departed is Super Bowl LV MVP Kenneth Walker III, but the Seahawks are still going to be confident they can run the ball effectively enough to open up the passing game for Sam Darnold at Quarter Back. That was certainly the case in the Super Bowl win, although the Seattle Seahawks will be hoping they have ironed out any lingering issues in converting drives into Touchdowns rather than having to settle for Field Goals.

There will be a confidence about Seattle thanks to the Offensive unit largely being kept together, but there has been a change in the Offensive Co-Ordinator position and that is something the fans may be feeling a little uncertain about. The previous Co-Ordinator, Klint Kubiak, is now the Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but Brian Fleury will not want to shake things up too much to ease the transition for the team.

The home team can keep this tough New England Defensive unit guessing about what is coming up, although the Patriots will feel they did enough to try and keep the team in the Super Bowl in February.

Instead the pressure will be on the New England Offense to show what they have learned from the huge struggles in the Super Bowl and that has included giving Drake Maye new weapons in the passing game. AJ Brown is the big player coming in from the Philadelphia Eagles and that gives the Quarter Back a legitimate Number 1 Wide Receiver, while bringing in Romeo Doubs looks a smart piece of business.

The Offensive Line has to be able to give Drake Maye time and it will be remembered that Seattle racked up six Sacks in the Super Bowl win.

All of that began from the fact the Seahawks Defensive Line shut down the run and forced Drake Maye into obvious passing situations, which also meant allowing the pass rushers to get out quickly and put the Quarter Back under pressure. The Patriots Offensive Line is healthier than it was in the Super Bowl, but an inability to establish the run could make this another tough experience for a team having to travel across the country for the road opener.

The Seahawks do have some injuries in the Secondary that can be exploited by the Patriots, but it is never easy throwing from third and long spots and Drake Maye will also be well aware of the pressure that is likely to collapse the pocket around him. The Quarter Back is likely to better than he was in the Super Bowl, but that may not be enough to bridge the double digit gap that the final scoreboard showed in February.

Super Bowl rematches in the following season have been won by the same team that picked up the Championship on nine of twelve occasions it has occurred and Seattle are very good at home.

New England should be better this season as a team, although unlikely to match the regular season record of 2025, but this is a very tough opener and a late play or two made by the Seattle pass rushers may end up being the difference on the day.

The Seahawks finished 8-2 at home in 2025 on the way to the Super Bowl success and they look capable of winning this one by around a Touchdown mark.

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers Pick: Much like so many other sports, the NFL are continuing to expand their appeal well outside of the North American borders.

In the last several years, it has become common place for the NFL to play a handful of regular season games in Europe with Germany and Spain added to the games played in London.

However, Week 1 will see two NFC West rivals travel around 8000 miles to Melbourne, Australia to open the 2026 season when the Los Angeles Rams 'host' the San Francisco 49ers. The game is going to be played in the morning as far as the local time is concerned, but that will keep this is kick off at around the usual Thursday Night Football time slot as far as those in the United States are concerned.

This is going to be another challenge for experienced Head Coaches who know that Week 1 can be a difficult game regardless, but adding the travel time to Melbourne only makes it that much harder to plan. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have headed over a few days before Sean McVay and the Rams and it is a game that is going to be as much about acclimatisation as it is about the quality on the field.

Both teams made the post-season in 2025 and that underlines the strong units that both have, although the Rams are the favourites to win the Super Bowl having added Myles Garrett in a trade from the Cleveland Browns and then seeing Aaron Donald come out of retirement to play alongside the top Defensive player in the NFL.

Aaron Donald will not be travelling for this game, but the Los Angeles Rams still look really strong having retained the core of the Offensive starters and added that strength on the Defensive Line. They may be arriving in Melbourne for a short business trip, but the Rams are arriving in pretty good shape and good health is very important for any team that wants to win the Super Bowl.

Injuries have become an ongoing issue for this San Francisco 49ers team that has experience and strong units on both sides of the ball, but also an ageing team that may struggle to shake off those problems. Nick Bosa and George Kittle are returning after serious injuries from the 2025 season, but both are still pretty limited, while the 49ers Defensive Line may not be as strong as hoped in this Week 1 contest.

This could mean the 49ers struggle to prevent the Rams from finding a good balance in the plays being called on the Offensive side of the ball, while veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford continues to operate at a really high level. He is certainly not ready to hand over to the surprising First Round Draft Pick made by the Rams when selecting Ty Simpson and the likelihood is that Stafford has a very strong opening game.

San Francisco will be expecting plenty from their own Offensive unit this season as Brock Purdy returns at Quarter Back with a shiny new weapon in Mike Evans at Wide Receiver. However, the news that Ricky Pearsall will miss the season and Christian Kirk is ruled out of Week 1 will have really stung and may just make things a bit more difficult for the 49ers in what could develop into another shootout between these rivals.

Fans will not be happy that the Rams have given up home field advantage for this Divisional clash, but Los Angeles have lost three of the last four when hosting San Francisco, including last season. Three straight road wins over the 49ers suggests it will not be a massive problem for Sean McVay's team and they do deserve the edge as long as the plan to arrive as late as they are does not completely backfire.

Melbourne should enjoy a really good show and one that the Los Angeles  Rams can win with a cover of this handicap number set.

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts Pick: No one will ever downplay the successes under Head Coach John Harbaugh, but the Baltimore Ravens may also have felt the team had lost some freshness after missing out on the post-season last year.

They decided to move on from Harbaugh after more than a decade since the last Super Bowl win and the challenge for the new Head Coach is finding a way to help Lamar Jackson and the Ravens produce the best Football in January. Since winning the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, the Baltimore Ravens are just 4-7 in Playoff games and Jesse Minter will be getting the opportunity to build on what John Harbaugh left behind.

Better health for the Quarter Back will be important, but the Ravens will also need someone to step up in the Receiving corps to give Jackson somewhere other to look than at Mark Andres and Zay Flowers. The latter has only just been cleared to play in Week 1, while Baltimore will still lean on the Offensive Line and look to establish the run to open up the passing game.

Running against the Indianapolis Colts was a challenge for teams last year, and so it may be up to Jackson at Quarter Back to try and help establish the ball on the ground.

If he can do that, the Ravens will feel they can make enough plays to push the ball through the air and they are facing an Indianapolis Colts team that are under pressure after capitulating down the stretch in the 2025 season. The Colts opened at 7-1, but finished the season with a losing record and missing out on the post-season, although that was largely down to losing the starting Quarter Back to injury.

Daniel Jones had been revitalised in moving to Indianapolis, but he will be looking to show all that he has recovered fully from the achilles injury that cost him significant time last season. The Quarter Back is very happy with the Colts, but Michael Pittman Jr will not be around to throw to and Daniel Jones is going to be very comfortable leaning on Jonathan Taylor and the run game.

Indianapolis can take confidence from the way Jonathan Taylor ripped through the Los Angeles Chargers, who had Jesse Minter as Defensive Co-Ordinator, while the Ravens are going to be missing their best run stopper. The Colts are almost certainly going to be looking to run the ball as often as they can and keep the pressure away from Daniel Jones as he eases back into competitive action, but they will be confident they can do that.

This is an early chance for both of these teams to show they can improve on 2025 and reach the Playoffs in 2026 and the expectation is both are going to look to grind this out on the ground.

Questions have to be asked about Daniel Jones and his health, but the Colts have to feel they can run the ball perhaps more effectively than the Baltimore Ravens and that makes the points they are receiving feel very appealing.

Baltimore could blow past the line if Lamar Jackson has one of his better games, but the Indianapolis Colts can run the ball effectively and keep Jackson on the sidelines for long enough to perhaps pull the upset.

Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: The AFC North has long been headlined by John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens and Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but both of those teams are under new Head Coaches in 2026.

Mike Tomlin may not have been able to add to the Super Bowl won in 2008, but he did finish up his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers by avoiding having a losing season in any of the nineteen that he was Head Coach of the team.

However, the poor recent Playoff results had frustrated the fans and so Tomlin is out and Mike McCarthy comes in as he is reunited with Aaron Rodgers as his Quarter Back.

Mike McCarthy is perhaps fortunate to have been given this opportunity and he can be thankful to Rodgers, but he has big shoes to fill. The Head Coach and the Quarter Back have to be grateful for the moves the Steelers have made to bolster an Offense that did not operate as well as the team would have hoped.

Michael Pittman Jr and Rico Dowdle have both been signed to give the Steelers new weapons, but the hope will be that the Offensive Line has developed well enough to create more room for the team to pound the ball on the ground. Everything good for this team will come by running the ball and giving Aaron Rodgers a chance to make quick throws, while also opening up play-action opportunities to attack teams down the field with Pittman Jr and DK Metcalf.

Pittsburgh will be confident they can push the ball on the ground against the Atlanta Falcons Defensive Line, even the revamped line, and that may allow Aaron Rodgers to have another strong Week 1 performance.

Like the Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons have a new Head Coach in Kevin Stefanski and this is a team that will be expecting to challenge for a post-season spot having improved from seven wins in 2023 to eight in 2024, but then failing to improve that mark last season and missing out on a Playoff spot through various tie-breakers.

They play in the relatively weak NFC South, although the Falcons are going to begin this season without Michael Penix Jr at Quarter Back.

Tua Tagovailoa has been signed, but looked out of sorts in the pre-season and that has meant the Falcons have decided to go with Cooper Rush in the opener. He played for the Baltimore Ravens last year and started a couple of games, which also means being familiar with the Pittsburgh Steelers and what they want to do, but Cooper Rush may simply be asked to hand the ball to Bijan Robinson and look for the Running Back to dominate the touches.

Cooper Rush does have some very solid Receivers to target when he does step back to throw, but the question will be whether he will be given enough time by the Offensive Line to allow those routes to develop.

Pittsburgh will look to get after Rush and see if they can force mistakes from the Quarter Back.

You also have to wonder if the Week 2 game against the Carolina Panthers will be a potential distraction for the Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers may be able to come out with enough intensity on both sides of the ball to earn the win and cover.

Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers Pick: A losing record was enough for the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC South and earn a spot in the Playoff, but it is the performance against the Los Angeles Rams in the post-season that will give the fans confidence to take into 2026.

The NFC South remains wide open and the Panthers will be encouraged by the improvement of Bryce Young at Quarter Back after looking like he was going to be a player that would not live up to his hype in the pros.

There is some real talent on the Offensive side of the ball, although the Offensive Line will have to show they have improved if only to give Bryce Young more time when he steps back to throw. More consistency out of the Quarter Back position is going to be needed for the Panthers to earn another go at the Playoffs and Bryce Young will have a chance to show what he can do in Week 1 when taking on the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago fans will not be happy to hear about the owners pushing for the team to move to Indiana, but the Bears are the NFC North Champions having earned eleven wins last season. The Bears will feel they should have beaten the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the Playoff, but there is also a huge amount of excitement about what this team can do over the next few months.

Caleb Williams had almost 4000 passing yards to go with his 27 Touchdown passes and just 7 Interceptions in 2025 and the Bears have a franchise Quarter Back that has set some high targets for himself this season.

Chicago's Offense is well-balanced, which makes them tough to stop, although the Bears are going to need the Defensive unit to step up if they are going to progress in the months ahead. They will certainly be confident in putting a balanced attack together against the Carolina Panthers Defensive unit and Caleb Williams may be given enough time to dissect this team, even on the road.

Winning road games is never easy in the NFL, but the Chicago Bears may have the firepower to pull clear in this one.

The Bears have won seven of the last eight in this series with the Carolina Panthers, including a blowout win in 2024.

The two Divisional Winners from 2025 will both be confident, but the Bears have that slight edge and the more consistent Offensive performers, which can be the difference in Week 1. Mistakes made by the Quarter Back can be costly and Caleb Williams is likely going to have the cleaner game than Bryce Young and that can see the Bears come away with a victory.

MY PICKS: Seattle Seahawks - 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indianapolis Colts + 3.5 Points @ 1.81 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers - 5.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears - 3 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys - 2.5 Points @ 1.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

NFL Playoff Picks 2026- Conference Championship (Sunday 26th January)

It has been a remarkable season and we are now just hours away from learning which two teams will be heading to the home of the San Francisco 49ers to compete for the Super Bowl.

Injuries have been a big factor throughout the 2025 season and those continue to have a big impact on the outlook for teams, even this late into the year.

The Denver Broncos lost their starting Quarter Back in the win over the Buffalo Bills, while the Seattle Seahawks have a Quarter Back fighting through the pain. Offensive Linemen and Defensive Linemen absentees can be so important at this time of the season when winning at the Line of Scrimmage is so very important.

Both Championship Games to be played on Sunday are intriguing with the factors around them, but it still feels like the winner of the NFC Championship will be a big favourite to win it all in two weeks time.

The AFC Champion is going to have something to say about that, but the focus has to be on the opponent in front of each team this Sunday and both games look like they can produce drama.

It has been a difficult season for the NFL Picks after a decent last few years, but my thoughts on the Conference Championship Games can be read below.

New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos Pick: There was some controversy attached to the end of the Denver Broncos (15-3) win over the Buffalo Bills with a long debate over whether the road team should have been awarded a catch in Overtime that would have put them in a position to win the game. If the decision on the field had ruled Brandin Cooks down with the ball, there would unlikely have been an overturn on the review, but that is in the books and it is the Broncos who will be hosting the AFC Championship Game as the Number 1 Seed.

Fans would have left the Stadium in buoyant mood, but that would have changed very quickly.

Quarter Back Bo Nix was quickly ruled out for the season having suffered an injury on the penultimate play of the Divisional Round win over the Bills.

All of a sudden, the Denver Broncos are going to be heading into the Conference Championship Game with a backup at the most important position of any sport.

Making it all the more challenging is that Jarrett Stidham has not thrown a pass in the NFL since Week 18 of the 2023 regular season.

Head Coach Sean Payton is backing his Quarter Back to come in and do what is needed for the Denver Broncos and there will be plenty of respect for Stidham on the other sideline considering he was Drafted into the League by the New England Patriots (16-3).

He played under the guidance of Josh McDaniels and that should help the Patriots plan for what they may see from a Quarter Back that is the first since 1972 to have his first start of a season in the Conference Championship Game.

Josh McDaniels will be passing all of the data over to the New England Defensive unit, but he will also be focusing on making sure Drake Maye and company have a good plan to deal with what has been one of the top Defensive units in the NFL.

The Patriots have done just enough Offensively, but the run through to the Championship Round has been based on the performance on the other side of the ball. Drake Maye has had a very strong season at Quarter Back, but his two Playoff appearances this season have been erratic to say the least and he has to make sure he has better control of the football when he is being hit.

Turnovers could be a huge part of the outcome of this AFC Championship Game and so the Quarter Back has to be careful.

He will be looking to lean on the New England rushing attack, which has been operating well, and there looks to be an advantage on the Line of Scrimmage in favour of the Patriots. For much of the season the Broncos have been very good at stopping the run, but they have struggled towards the end of the regular season and into the Playoffs and keeping Drake Maye in front of the chains would give the Number 2 Seed a real advantage.

Third and manageable compared with third and long will be a huge difference for the New England Offensive unit.

Putting Maye in a position where he can make quick throws to keep the chains moving would be a distinct advantage, but holding onto the ball too long will allow the Denver pass rush to have a big impact in the contest. The Patriots Offensive Line have been very good at establishing the run, but the pass blocking has been something of a weakness and Drake Maye will not want to attempt to attack this Denver Secondary with the pocket collapsing around him.

You have to imagine the Broncos Defensive players have been focused this week in producing their absolute best to give the injury hit Offensive unit a boost.

They look capable of at least slowing down the New England Offense, which has not exactly been lighting up the scoreboard in the two Playoff wins, and that will give Jarrett Stidham an opportunity.

It would not surprise anyone if Sean Payton has a solid plan for his backup, but you have to believe the Broncos are going to want to get behind this Offensive Line and at least make sure they can establish the run.

JK Dobbins looks set to miss out again, which is another blow for the Offense, and the Broncos will have noted how effective this New England Defensive Line have been at playing the run in recent games. They have made things very difficult for the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans and so the game plan may be to get Jarrett Stidham comfortable and ask him to make some quick, easy throws to settle in, especially while New England anticipate plenty of early runs.

Head Coach Mike Vrabel has really put together a strong Defensive unit and they have a team that will feel they can shut down the Broncos.

If they can keep Denver in third and long, the New England Secondary will be full of confidence and belief in their Secondary having made Justin Herbert and CJ Stroud look very ordinary. They have also been turning the ball over with great success in the two Playoff wins, although Jarrett Stidham may be given a bit more protection behind the Denver Offensive Line than either Herbert or Stroud were afforded.

Those Interceptions being created by the Patriots have to be respected and New England do look capable of winning this one on the road.

However, there have only ever been 10 Road Favourites of 4 or more points in the Conference Championship Round and those teams are a perfect imperfect 0-10 against the spread.

Hosts that have been set as the underdog are on a 14-3 run against the spread in the NFL Playoffs over the last decade too.

Good teams do have a habit of stepping up their level to offer as much support as possible to a backup Quarter Back, while Denver are hosting, which should also be a big help.

Most are going to back the New England Patriots against Jarrett Stidham, but this Broncos Defensive unit can make this a low-scoring, competitive affair and that makes the points being given to the hosts appealing. The AFC hosts have tended to be the stronger at covering the spread in the Championship Game and the Denver Broncos will have a point to prove after the injury to Bo Nix and can keep this one close thanks to the Defensive unit going up against Drake Maye and company.

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: For the third time this season, the Seattle Seahawks (15-3) and Los Angeles Rams (14-5) face off, but this time with a place in the Super Bowl on the line.

If the previous two games are anything to go by, this is going to be an exciting, competitive contest that will come down to the final snap of the ball.

The Los Angeles Rams beat Seattle by 2 points when hosting them earlier in the season, but the most recent game in Week 16 of the regular season saw the Seahawks recover from a big deficit and earn a home win. This ultimately led to them finishing with the Number 1 record in the NFC and is the reason that the Seattle Seahawks host the Championship Game.

You want to know how competitive the games were in the regular season? The Rams had a single point advantage in the two games played and just ONE Offensive yard more than the Seahawks.

Seattle had been favoured when hosting in Week 16 and they are going into the Championship Game as a slightly stronger favourite- they played on Saturday in the Divisional Round and so have an extra day of rest, while the Rams had a very tough road game on Sunday that they could have easily lost in Overtime in frigid temperatures in Chicago.

That has been factored into the spread, while the Seahawks are also holding home advantage, which has been a key to the outcome of the majority of recent Conference Championship Games.

However, things are not exactly going smoothly for Seattle- Quarter Back Sam Darnold is playing through an injury, while Running Back Zach Charbonnet has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury suffered in the blowout of the San Francisco 49ers. There are still some issues on the Offensive Line, even though Charles Cross is back in practice to protect Darnold's blindside, and this is a match up that has been tough for Seattle in two regular season meetings.

Kenneth Walker III had a big outing at Running Back behind a powerful Seattle Offensive Line, but he will have a different test without his partner to come in and give him some time to rest. This week Walker III is also running against the Los Angeles Defensive Line, which is much stronger than the one he was facing last week, although the Seahawks will have confidence they can establish the Running Back.

This looks to be an important factor in the outcome of the game, especially as we are still not sure how healthy Sam Darnold is at Quarter Back- the Divisional Round blowout of the 49ers began very early and so Darnold was not under much pressure to drop back and throw the ball, but it is unlikely to be that comfortable in this game agains the Rams.

Any time Sam Darnold and the Seahawks are in third and long, the Rams pass rush is likely going to put the Quarter Back under significant pressure and that has not always been a position in which Darnold has thrived. There have been holes in the Rams Secondary that have been exploited in this Playoff run, which have been exploited by Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, but Seattle are a run first Offensive unit and the main ambition for Sam Darnold is to avoid giving this game away.

Instead he will be happy to play the field position and lean on a fantastic Seattle Defense that has continued to perform at a top level all season.

In recent games, the Seahawks Defensive Line have proved to be stout at clamping down on the run, while the Secondary have stepped in front of passes and turned the ball over.

However, Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams have a potent passing game and talented Receivers who will feel they can break clear of some of the Defenders to be faced and offer up passing lanes down the field. Matthew Stafford has been dealing with a finger issue and Sean McVay admitted he did not give his Offensive unit the best game plan to deal with the Chicago Bears, but both are expected to be improved on Sunday.

Giving the Rams most confidence is the fact that they put up almost 600 Offensive yards and Matthew Stafford had over 450 passing yards in the narrow loss in this Stadium in Week 16.

They did blow that lead, but it will offer Stafford and company encouragement about what they can do in the Championship Game and he will also have Davante Adams available for this one. That gives the Rams another crease on the Offensive side of the ball and Los Angeles do have a very good balance in the team.

If the spread moved to the key number 3, it would be an easy choice to back the Los Angeles Rams in what should be another game that comes down to the wire.

On the current line, the Rams still look worthy of being selected with the points they are being given, but it could come down to a final Field Goal and it is a dangerous line.

NFC home teams are just 8-10 against the spread in the Championship Game, while home teams facing Divisional rivals are just 13-17 against the spread.

Blowing out the San Francisco 49ers will have caught the eye, but everything went right for the Seahawks from the opening kick off and NFL teams that have won home games by at least 35 points are 14-26-1 against the spread in the next game played.

There has been so little between the teams throughout the course of the season that it feels unlikely to be much different on Sunday so the points being given to the Los Angeles Rams looks the best play.

MY PICKS: Denver Broncos + 4.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams + 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Divisional: 2-2, - 0.26 Units (4 Units Staked, - 6.50% Yield)

Wild Card: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 18: 3-4, - 1.51 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.57% Yield)

Week 17: 5-6, - 1.45 Units (11 Units Staked, - 13.18% Yield)

Week 16: 3-5, - 2.28 Units (8 Units Staked, - 28.50% Yield)

Week 15: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 14: 0-1, - 1 Unit (1 Unit Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 13: 3-4, - 1.50 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.43% Yield)

Week 12: 1-5, - 4.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.50% Yield)

Week 11: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.67% Yield)

Week 9: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 8: 4-3, + 0.52 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7.43% Yield)

Week 7: 3-2, + 0.69 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.80% Yield)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

2025 Season: 50-65, - 20.31 Units (115 Units Staked, - 17.66% Yield)

NFL Playoff Picks 2026- Divisional Round (Saturday 17th January-Sunday 18th January)

If you wanted to sum up how this season has seemed to go for the NFL Picks, seeing the late drama in a number of the Wild Card Games all working against the selections summed it up.

As a fan you couldn't help but be excited not only by what we were watching, but what kind of drama that may still await with the final eight teams now set.

However, for the selections, seeing the Rams and Packers blow big leads on their way to non-covers or outright defeats and then followed by the Jacksonville Jaguars losing deep in the Fourth Quarter and the Eagles somehow failing to win their own games on Sunday, it all added up to another bitter blow in what has been a poor season for the selections.

At this point, I would be happy to see more quality games and there is no doubt that picking a winner remains incredibly difficult.

The Buffalo win in Jacksonville is huge, but they have to play a well rested Number 1 Seed on the road, while the Seattle Seahawks look well balanced, although who would trust Sam Darnold in a really big moment?

Out of all the teams remaining, the Los Angeles Rams look best on both sides of the ball, but a road game in Chicago in January is always going to bring its challenges.

New England's win over the Los Angeles Chargers was a solid one, but Drake Maye will need to be better and the Patriots continue to look like a team that is overachieving thanks largely to the schedule that has been given to them.

As for the others, there are plenty of plusses and minuses around them and this really feels like a small window for many of those teams as far as Super Bowl success is concerned with a stronger looking field expected to be involved in twelve months time.

Over the next couple of days, the Divisional Round of the Playoffs will be completed and that means there are now just seven games left in the 2025 season.

The Picks from the four games to be played can be read below, although it has been the kind of season when picking the other side might make sense for readers.

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos Pick: You could make a reasonable argument to say the winner of this AFC Divisional Round Game will be the favourite to reach the Super Bowl.

The Buffalo Bills (13-5) would have to sweep their way through two more road games, but you would likely set them as favourite against either New England or Houston even in that spot. First they have to beat the Number 1 Seed in the AFC, although the well rested Denver Broncos (14-3) will feel they have something to prove having been completely crushed by the Bills in the post-season twelve months ago.

With the spread as short as it is, the Broncos will be taking plenty of motivation from the lines from Vegas too.

Coming into this Divisional Round after a Bye Week has to be a bonus and you also cannot ignore how well Sean Payton has prepared his team with rest. This is also a relatively short week for the Buffalo Bills who were winning on Sunday in the Wild Card Round, and that is something the Broncos have to make count.

However, there are questions to answer for the Number 1 Seed and most are in relation to the Offensive problems they have had for much of the season. The Broncos have found a way to win games, which cannot be dismissed, but Bo Nix and company have been erratic to say the least and Sean Payton was not very happy with the Week 18 efforts from his players on this side of the ball.

Earlier this season, the Broncos Offensive Line were really powering things, but that has not been the case in recent games. JK Dobbins has been a miss and is set to be absent on Saturday, even as he continues his rehab on the field, while too many mistakes have been committed by the Linemen which has kept the Broncos behind the chains.

Running the ball against the Bills has been a successful game plan for much of the last several months, but you have to believe they are going to be looking to force Bo Nix to beat them with his arm. The Quarter Back is one who is happy to scramble for First Downs when he has needed to do that, but this Buffalo team are well aware of those kinds of players thanks to Josh Allen and so there is a belief the Bills can clamp down on the run.

Trevor Lawrence did show what can be achieved by throwing 200 yards and adding 31 rushing yards so there is some encouragement for Box Nix, although he has to hope the Broncos can keep him in front of the down and distance.

We have seen Bo Nix produce some very good looking numbers from the Quarter Back position, but the last couple of starts have not been amongst those. This Bills Secondary has played well over the course of the season and there will be a feeling in Buffalo that they match up well with the Broncos on this side of the ball, which has to offer plenty of encouragement to the team.

The Bills also have Josh Allen.

Despite multiple injuries, Josh Allen willed the Bills to a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars as looks to make sure the absence of the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens is not a missed opportunity for his team. The Quarter Back is going to put it all on the line, but he has unfortunately lost a couple more Receivers and that leaves Buffalo stretched, which makes things that much tougher against an elite Defensive unit like the one Denver have.

Like the opposition, Denver have to feel they know how to play a mobile Quarter Back pretty effectively and they will not want Allen to beat them with his legs.

James Cook can have some success running the ball and there is a suggestion that the slight edge at the Line of Scrimmage is with the Buffalo Offensive Line rather than the Denver Defensive Line. This is going to be the key to the outcome of the game with the Bills looking to keep the team in front of the chains and somewhat negate the powerful pass rush the Broncos bring onto the field.

Any time Josh Allen and company are behind the chains, you have to feel the Denver pass rush will have a big impact on the game and especially with Buffalo being down multiple Receivers. There are still those that can make plays, but this is a productive Denver Secondary and quicker throws may be the best way to move the chains.

The Broncos Secondary ended the season looking very comfortable, but Josh Allen is a special Quarter Back and that is what may give the road team a narrow edge.

Turnovers are going to be absolutely crucial to the final outcome and this looks a game that will come down to the wire.

Number 1 Seeds have tended to struggle in this spot when facing a 6 or 7 Seed, while those teams who earned wins on the road in the Wild Card Round have a strong covering record in the Divisional Round.

Effectively this is a game that is set as a pick 'em and hosts have tended to find a way through to the Championship Round, albeit not necessarily with a very good covering record. The outright winner is likely to cover either way and the narrow edge has to be with the superior Quarter Back, while the Bills look like they match up pretty well with this Denver team.

San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: A Bye was earned by beating the San Francisco 49ers (13-5) in Week 18 of the regular season, but the Number 1 NFC Seed Seattle Seahawks (14-3) have suffered a scare.

On Thursday, it was announced that Sam Darnold had been placed on the injury report and considered Questionable to start this Divisional Round Game, although the Quarter Back has downplayed suggestions that he would not suit up.

Two regular season games were split by these NFC West rivals, although the second one was the most important with the Seahawks beating the 49ers on the road and securing the top Seed. However, San Francisco can take confidence from the win in Seattle back in Week 1, while there will be little sympathy for an injury suffered by the hosts considering what the 49ers have been through in the campaign.

Another one was suffered last week in the Wild Card upset of the Philadelphia Eagles- George Kittle is out for the rest of the Playoff run, while Fred Warner is not going to be ready to suit up this week as he was hoping.

Brock Purdy found enough connections with his makeshift Receivers to earn passage past the Philadelphia Eagles, but now has to lead the San Francisco 49ers to find a way to move the ball against a very good Seattle Defensive unit. Just two weeks ago, San Francisco had fewer than 200 Offensive yards against Seattle, although the return of Trent Williams is a big boost for the Offensive Line.

Trent Williams is not at 100%, but it may help in the run blocking against a stubborn Seattle Defensive Line.

Getting anything from Christian McCaffrey on the ground would be considered a boost for the San Francisco Offense, although it is clear that the Running Back is going to be most effective as a catcher coming out of the backfield.

There has to be a huge amount of respect for how the Seahawks have played on the Defensive side of the ball, but Kyle Shanahan will have used the short week to at least find some ways to get his team to move the chains.

The short week is far from ideal- the 49ers are also coming off a game on the East Coast, but they will feel they can have a little more success than they produced in the Week 18 defeat.

Importantly the San Francisco 49ers look capable of keeping this one close on the scoreboard with the way they match up with the Seahawks on the other side of the ball.

If Sam Darnold is limited, that will certainly help, while an appearance from Drew Lock would certainly tighten the margins.

Everything that is happening in the Quarter Back room should only have strengthened the approach that the Seahawks will take to the game- they are going to pound the rock over and over again against a 49ers Defensive Line that has been worn down by injuries and who continue to allow teams to have considerable success on the ground.

Two weeks ago, Seattle had 180 rushing yards against the 49ers and they will be looking to pick up from where they left off and just keep the pressure on this NFC West rival.

That should keep the pressure from the Quarter Back, regardless of who it may be, and gives the Seahawks the edge in the straight up market, but perhaps not the spread.

A strong Head Coach like Kyle Shanahan will have new looks for the Seahawks and San Francisco may only need 13 points to earn a cover.

For all of the problems San Francisco have had, they only allowed 13 points in the Week 18 loss and they allowed the same number when they met in Week 1.

Brock Purdy is expected to be better with Trent Williams on the Offensive Line and road teams are 4-2 against the spread when facing Divisional rivals in this Round of the Playoffs.

Road underdogs of between 3.5 and 9.5 points are also 29-17-1 against the spread in the Divisional Round of the post-season.

Number 1 Seeds have had poor records covering in recent years in the Divisional Round, as already mentioned, and the San Francisco 49ers are strong enough to keep this one competitive, even in a losing effort.

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots Pick: Two of the top Defensive units in the NFL meet in this Divisional Round Game on Sunday when the New England Patriots (15-3) host the Houston Texans (13-5).

They were both set as relatively narrow favourites in the Wild Card Round, but both the Patriots and Texans dominated behind these Defensive units.

However, it is Houston who have drawn the short straw by having to play on Monday Night Football in the Wild Card Round and that means having to compete on the road on a short week.

Much is going to depend on the Houston Defensive unit and they will take a huge amount of encouragement from the Drake Maye struggles against a more than competent Los Angeles Defense last week. The Texans will feel they have an even better unit than the Chargers and will be looking to confuse the young Quarter Back.

Running the ball is going to be the first target for the New England Patriots and they have had success doing that behind this Offensive Line, although rarely going up against a unit like this Houston Defensive Line. This battle at the Line of Scrimmage is going to be important in cold conditions and the Patriots will be keen to place Drake Maye in positive yardage situations, while also being able to slow down the fierce Houston pass rush.

There will be opportunities for Maye and the New England passing game if they are able to stay in third and manageable spots, although nothing is going to come easy in these conditions.

It will be tough for the hosts, but it is also going to be hugely challenging for the road team who are used to much warmer conditions than they are likely to find in Foxboro.

One of the big criticisms of the Houston Texans has been the performance of the Offensive unit and there is pressure on them to find enough points to help out the Defense.

The Texans will be looking to do the same as the Patriots and that is establish the run, but the Offensive Line have not played at the same level as the one New England will run out on the field. So while the Patriots will have belief in what they can do at the Line of Scrimmage, it may be tougher for the Houston Texans against a Patriots Defensive Line that have clamped down on the run.

CJ Stroud may be able to move around to clear away from the pass rush pressure, which can be something to slow this New England rush, but he is also going to be severely challenged when it comes to throwing against this Secondary.

Not only does it look like Christian Gonzalez is going to suit up for New England, but Houston are set to be without Nico Collins who is the big target for Stroud and that could make things very difficult.

The Fumbles in Pittsburgh were not punished and the Quarter Back is going to have to be close to his best if he is going to lead the Texans to a second consecutive road win.

There is a positive history for those teams chasing second road wins in succession in the Divisional Round, while it has been noted that hosts have been good at winning, but not necessarily covering.

However, the slight edge has to be with the New England Patriots to be able to do enough, as they did in the Wild Card Round, and the feeling is that Drake Maye can out-perform CJ Stroud in a game that could come down to the passing game.

Turnovers could change the entire momentum of this game, which is going to be close, but the New England Patriots can cover even in a relatively low-scoring win to progress to the AFC Championship Game.

Los Angeles Rams @ Chicago Bears Pick: If you were to suggest the most likely winner of the Super Bowl because of the balance of the team, you may point out the Los Angeles Rams (13-5) as the team to beat.

However, a couple of slips late in the season has meant the Rams have had to enter the post-season as one of the Wild Card teams and has meant having to win at least twice on the road.

Despite an injury suffered by Matthew Stafford, which had slowed down the Rams and looked to be a costly issue in the eventual win over the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles have made it through to the Divisional Round.

Now they have to pack the bags and travel to the Chicago Bears (12-6) who produced a historic Playoff comeback to beat the Green Bay Packers last week.

As you may expect in January, it was always going to be cold in Chicago.

However, the temperatures are going to be exceptionally cold on Sunday evening when this game kicks off and there will be snow flurries too, which is going to make it very challenging for Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

The Quarter Back has huge experience of playing in cold weather having been a part of the Detroit Lions in the NFC North before heading to a warmer climate in Los Angeles. That will help Matthew Stafford prepare, mentally if nothing else, but even compared with previous standards of road games in Chicago and Green Bay, this is going to be something unique.

Some of the Rams have already been downplaying the weather, but it is a huge factor in this one.

In normal conditions or in a Dome setting, you would really like how the Rams match up with the Chicago Bears on the Offensive side of the ball.

While they will usually go as far as Matthew Stafford takes them, the Rams Offensive Line have been very productive at setting the tempo by winning at the Line of Scrimmage and putting a strong running game on the board. The likelihood is that the Los Angeles Rams will want to keep the ball on the ground at times in the conditions expected and they are expected to have success when they do that.

This Offensive Line also gives Matthew Stafford protection and he would carve up this Chicago Secondary, but again the weather is going to be a factor when it comes to throwing and catching.

After the huge comeback put together by the Bears in the Wild Card win over rivals Green Bay, Ben Johnson and the fans will have a lot of faith in Caleb Williams at Quarter Back. Some of the Bears Receivers have also stepped up and Williams plays behind an Offensive Line that will offer him some time, although the same problems with the conditions will have to be overcome.

Much like the opposite unit, the Chicago Offensive Line have been very strong this season and they have been important in opening up the running lanes for the Bears.

Recent outings have been more challenging, but the Bears will have noted the success teams have had in the last few games against this Rams Defensive Line. Keeping that powerful Offensive unit on the sidelines to really feel the cold would be a huge win for the Chicago Bears and there is every chance that they can put a game plan together to keep this one close.

Sean McVay has admitted he will be speaking to his close friend Matt LaFleur, who happens to be the Green Bay Head Coach, but ultimately this is a Head Coach with a Super Bowl Championship on the resume. You have to expect the Rams will have a good plan, even in the poor conditions, but they are a road favourite and those teams are just 1-4 against the spread in the last five Divisional Round Games in that situation.

The Rams do look like having all of the ingredients to win another Super Bowl, but having a hook over a key number 3 makes the Chicago Bears worthy of backing to avoid a blowout defeat.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills + 1.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers + 7 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

New England Patriots - 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears + 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Wild Card: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 18: 3-4, - 1.51 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.57% Yield)

Week 17: 5-6, - 1.45 Units (11 Units Staked, - 13.18% Yield)

Week 16: 3-5, - 2.28 Units (8 Units Staked, - 28.50% Yield)

Week 15: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 14: 0-1, - 1 Unit (1 Unit Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 13: 3-4, - 1.50 Units (7 Units Staked, - 21.43% Yield)

Week 12: 1-5, - 4.17 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.50% Yield)

Week 11: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.67% Yield)

Week 9: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 8: 4-3, + 0.52 Units (7 Units Staked, + 7.43% Yield)

Week 7: 3-2, + 0.69 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.80% Yield)

Week 6: 3-4, - 1.09 Units (7 Units Staked, - 15.57% Yield)

Week 5: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 4: 2-3, - 1.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22.80% Yield)

Week 3: 5-3, + 1.56 Units (8 Units Staked, + 19.50% Yield)

Week 2: 3-2, + 0.67 Units (5 Units Staked, + 13.40% Yield)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

2025 Season: 48-63, - 20.05 Units (111 Units Staked, - 18.06% Yield)