NFL Predictions 2020-21 Season NFL

[David76]

CBS Sports has used a "super computer" to predict which teams will make the playoffs

AFC Projection

1. AFC North Champion: STEELERS

With the Ravens losing in Week 10, the Steelers are now basically being viewed as a lock to win the AFC North. According to the computer, the Steelers have a 97.1% chance of winning the division, which is the highest percentage being given to any team heading into Week 11. The Steelers also have the best chance of winning the Super Bowl at 19.47% (The Saints are the next closest at 18.05%).

2. AFC West Champion: CHIEFS

The Chiefs can't officially clinch the division this week against the Raiders, but they can come pretty close. If Kansas City beats Las Vegas, that would give the Chiefs a three-game lead in the AFC West with just six games to play. The Chiefs are already being given a 91.7% chance of winning the division and that number will creep pretty close to 100 with a win on Sunday.

3. AFC East Champion: BILLS

Although the Bills lost on a miracle play, the computer didn't really punish them for the lost. The Bills still have the best shot to win the division, however, the Dolphins are creeping up on them. Miami is being given a 32.1% chance of winning the AFC East, which is up from 18.8% last week. That being said, the Bills still have the best chances of winning the division at 64%.

4. AFC South Champion: COLTS

The Colts were the biggest winner of Week 10 in the AFC and that's because their win over the Titans vaulted them from sixth to fourth in our computer projections. Thanks to the win, Indy is now being given a 58.3% chance of winning the division, which is up from 30.8% last week. That being said, the Colts only have a 72% chance of making the playoffs, which is the lowest number of the four division leaders in the AFC.

5. Wild Card 1: RAVENS

Despite an embarrassing loss to the Patriots, it doesn't seem like the computer has lost any faith in the Ravens. Last week, Baltimore had a 97.5% chance of making the playoffs, and after the loss, those chances only dropped down to 83.4%. Basically, the computer seems pretty confident that not only are the Ravens going to get in, but they're going to get in with the fifth seed.

6. Wild Card 2: DOLPHINS

The computer doesn't have a favourite team, but if it did, it would probably be the Miami Dolphins. The computer was one of the first people/things to jump on the Miami bandwagon as it has been projecting the Dolphins to make the playoffs for the past few weeks. This week, the computer is putting the Dolphins' playoff chances at 71.6%.

7. Wild Card 3: TITANS

If there's any race in the AFC that's going to cause the computer to malfunction, it's the battle for the final wild card spot. Right now, the computer is giving the seventh spot to the Titans, who are being given a 67.8% chance of making the playoffs. The Titans are also being projected to win 9.9 games, which is slightly more than the Raiders (9.6) and Browns (9.5). Basically, the computer feels like Tennessee will get to 10-6 while the Raiders and Browns are more likely to finish 9-7.

NFC Projections

1. NFC South Champions: SAINTS

In what is easily the most surprising news of the week, the computer is still projecting the Saints to get the top seed in the NFC, despite the fact that they might have to play the next few weeks without Drew Brees. A lot of that has to do with the fact that the Saints have four very winnable games coming up on their schedule (Falcons, Broncos, Falcons, Eagles) and the computer is confident that they should be able to win at least two of those, if not more, without Brees.

2. NFC North Champion: PACKERS

Despite a lackluster performance against the Jaguars, the computer still rewarded the Packers this week. Not only did they jump up after being projected as the third seed last week, but they are being given a 87.5% chance of winning the division, which is up from 80.2% last week. According to the computer, the Packers' biggest threat for the division title is still the Bears, although they're not really a threat as they're being given just a 6.9% chance of winning the division.

3. NFC West Champion: RAMS

The Rams win over the Seahawks has vaulted Los Angeles into the top spot in the NFC West. That being said, the computer doesn't really seem to have any idea who's going to win this division. The Rams currently have a 43.6% chance, which is followed by the Seahawks (31.2%) and then the Cardinals (24.9%). Cardinals fans, please send all hate mail to the computer.

4. NFC East Champion: EAGLES

The Giants tried to throw a wrench into the NFC East race with a win over the Eagles, but the computer isn't having it. Despite New York's win on Sunday, the Eagles are still being projected to win the division. According to SportsLine, the Eagles have a 64.4% chance of winning the division, followed by the Giants, who are being given a 21.1% chance.

5. Wild Card 1: BUCCANEERS

Unless the Buccaneers have a total meltdown, the computer sees them landing in the fifth spot and that's because they don't have a great shot of winning the division (17.5% chance), but the computer does view them as a near lock to make the postseason (84.6% chance).

6. Wild Card 2: SEAHAWKS

The Seahawks took the biggest tumble in the NFC this week. Instead of being projected to host a home game as the division winner, Seattle is now being projected to play on the road as the sixth seed. In a twist of fate, they're being projected to play against the same Rams team they lost to on Sunday. Despite the fact that the Seahawks have lost three of four, the computer is still giving them an 88.5% chance of making the playoffs.

7. Wild Card 3: CARDINALS

The "Hail Murray" was the most exciting play of Week 10, but unfortunately for the Cardinals, the computer doesn't deal in excitement, it only deals in numbers, and right now, it still doesn't love Arizona. Although the Cardinals are being given a 75.1% chance of making the playoffs, the computer is giving them less than a 25% chance of winning the NFC West even thought they're currently on top of the division heading into Week 11.

Wild-card round projection

AFC

(7) Titans at (2) Chiefs
(6) Dolphins at (3) Bills
(5) Ravens at (4) Colts

Bye: Steelers (Pittsburgh would host Las Vegas in the wild-card round of a 16-team playoff)

NFC

(7) Cardinals at (2) Packers
(6) Seahawks at (3) Rams
(5) Buccaneers at (4) Eagles

Bye: Saints (New Orleans would host Chicago in wild-card round of a 16-team playoff)

Do you think the computer is right?
How are your own predictions from the beginning of the season playing out?

 

[Birdman]

The NFC West is by far the best division in the NFL. Any of the teams can still win the division but it may be a little too much to ask of the 49ers on this occasion due to their injury list.

I still think the NFC will be contested by the Saints and Packers though it will be interesting to see how the Saints perform without Brees and with Winston at QB. And, I'm not convinced the Packers can win against a top defense - the 49ers dismantled them last year and we've seen the Buccaneers defense put in an exceptional performance that the Packers had no response to - that could scupper their Super Bowl ambitions again this year.

I think the AFC will be between the Chiefs and Steelers. The Ravens have been disappointing at times and Jackson is nowhere near the level he was last year.

 

[Birdman]

Interesting look back at our predictions before the season started

Myself and 8-Ball both correctly predicted 7 outcomes. Micro Dave and Sad Professor both predicted 6 outcomes.

No-one chose the Buccaneers to make the Super Bowl nevermind win it!