The 2025 AFC Playoffs Are Fully Unpredictable!

This game is arguably the one with the most star power. The 12-5 Buffalo Bills travel on the road to take on the 13-4 Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams have realistic Super Bowl aspirations, but unfortunately, only one of them can advance.

The Jaguars are one of the hottest teams in the league. They finished the regular season on an eight-game win streak, and Trevor Lawrence is playing his best ball.

The Bills have had a standard season. Their 12-5 record is not too different from what they’ve accomplished over the last decade. Josh Allen has been the driving force, as usual.

Who wins this game? I believe it will be the Buffalo. They are the team under more pressure because their biggest foe is not in the dance.

The Kansas City Chiefs both missed the playoffs. The Bills have lost to the Chiefs four times out of the last five years. With them gone, the NFL world expects Allen and this team to make a deep run in the AFC.

With Buffalo being the desperate team, I think they will find a way to win, and the Jaguars might not yet be ready for the next level. They are playing great football and have had a fantastic season, but the postseason is a different animal. The Bills are battle-tested.

(7) Los Angeles Chargers vs (2) New England Patriots

The next AFC matchup features the Los Angeles Chargers traveling to face the New England Patriots on the road. The Chargers have exceeded expectations despite suffering numerous injuries to their offensive line and quarterback. This was a team that needed that break in Week 18.

It’ll be interesting to see how Justin Herbert looks after a week off with that injured left hand. The New England Patriots are a different story. While Los Angeles faced adversity all year, the Patriots had a smooth regular season. They won the last 13 of 14 games and finished as the two seed.

Drake Maye, in his second year, is an MVP candidate and playing incredible ball. What will the outcome of this game be?

New England fans won’t like this, but I am going with the Chargers. Though LA is injured, they face a defense that doesn’t hold a dominant pass rush in the Patriots. Like the Bills, the Bolts are under more pressure because of past playoff failures.

It is hard to see Herbert play three straight poor playoff games. I believe he comes through in this game and outplays Maye. Similar to the Jaguars, the Patriots may not be ready to face adversity yet due to their youth and having one of the easiest schedules.

This is one of the few matchups that works for Hebert in terms of matchups. He is poised to have a breakout playoff game.

(5) Houston Texans vs (4) Pittsburgh Steelers

Wild Card weekend ends with a showdown between the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers. H-town saw their team finish the season on a nine-game win streak, which is the longest of the year.

Houston’s defense is its driving force. They finished top three in many major categories, such as pass yards allowed per game and scoring. It’s just a matter of whether their offense can do just enough to win these games.

The Steelers clinched the AFC North on the final play of the regular season. Aaron Rodgers had another vintage moment in the fourth quarter to get them there. After starting 6-6, this team finished nicely with a 4-1 record and 10-7 overall.

This game, though, might be the easiest AFC matchup to pick. I have the Texans winning handily. This is a horrible matchup for Rodgers and that offense.

Hosuton gave trouble to Allen and Mahomes on back to back week. Rodgers’s lack of mobility is a cause for concern in this game. Pittsburgh is a nice story, but Houston is the much better team.

End Of AFC Rant

These are my predictions for the AFC Playoffs, but with how this season has gone, it is easy for all of them to be wrong. I erred on the side of experience and being battle-tested, but these young quarterbacks and teams are making such huge strides in such a short time.

I don’t remember the last time I chose all road teams to win a round. That just shows you the parity in this league today. It will be fun to see how it all unfolds.