2026 NFL Preview
If you follow the NFL closely, you probably know the Denver Broncos have been to eight Super Bowls, tied for the second most of any team and behind only New England’s 11 appearances.
What you may not know is that in the Broncos eight Super Bowls, they have faced eight different opponents — New York (loss), Dallas (loss), Washington (loss), Green Bay (win), Carolina (win), Atlanta (win), San Francisco (loss) and Seattle (loss).
Why does this matter for the 2026 NFL season?
Because the Broncos are going to go to their ninth Super Bowl and play their ninth different opponent.
Keep reading to find out who and why.
First, let’s break the season down division by division.
NFC East
This is still the Eagles division until it isn’t. A year ago, the Eagles became the first team to repeat as NFC East champs, since they also did so from 2001-04. While this year may not be as easy as last year when they were the only team to finish over .500, the Eagles remain the most talented team in the division. Yes, the team has made significant changes on both sides of the ball. Their top receiver (A.J. Brown) was traded, and they will be without offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland for the first time since 2012. The East is still theirs for the taking.
Dallas and New York are both improved and could battle for a wild-card spot, while Washington, just one year removed from the NFC title game, might just need to get and stay healthy. The Cowboys have not missed the playoffs for three consecutive years since 2000-02. They have missed the postseason the past two years. The Giants going from Brian Daboll to John Harbaugh as head coach is a major step up for them.
Player to Watch: Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Coach on the Hot Seat: Dan Quinn, Commanders
Projected Finish
Eagles
Cowboys
Giants
Commanders
NFC North
People may forget the Green Bay Packers were 9-3-1, were the No. 2 seed in the NFC and led Denver by nine points in the second half before edge rusher Micah Parsons tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Already without their best inside DL (Defensive Lineman), Devonte Wyatt, tight end Tucker Kraft and tackle Zach Tom, they didn’t win another game after that. If the Packers get healthy, they should not just make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, but win the division for the first time since they did a three-peat from 2019-21.
Detroit went from the NFC Championship Game in 2023, to being upset as the No. 1 seed by Washington in the playoffs in 2024, to not making the playoffs in 2025. The Lions have had a bit of a rough offseason, but still have the talent to get back to the postseason and their last-place schedule sure doesn’t hurt.
Chicago was the story a year ago as the Bears under rookie head coach Ben Johnson and second-year quarterback (QB) Caleb Williams won the division for the first time since 2018. The Bears were also the Comeback Kings, winning eight times when they trailed in the fourth quarter. Those types of miraculous finishes aren’t always sustainable. Just ask the Vikings, who did it in both 2022 and 2024, then missed the playoffs the following seasons. Speaking of Minnesota, they went with Kyler Murray over J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz as their QB1. Maybe the Vikings hope that between the three of the oft-injured QBs, they can get 17 games total from them.
Player to Watch: Jordan Love, Packers
Coach on the Hot Seat: Dan Campbell, Lions
Projected Finish
Packers
Lions
Bears
Vikings
NFC South
Carolina may have had the best offseason in the league with free agent additions Jaelan Phillips and Devin Lloyd at linebacker and a strong draft that included tackle Monroe Freeling and defensive tackle Lee Hunter. The Panthers may have also had the worst start to a training camp, losing linebacker Nic Scourton and wide receiver Chris Brazzell for the season. Still, if QB Bryce Young continues to progress, the Panthers defense will be enough to win the league’s weakest division.
Atlanta made a good move in hiring former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, but it’s going to take him more than a year to guide a team that hasn’t made the playoffs or even had a winning record since 2017. Tampa Bay saw its streak of four consecutive division titles and five consecutive playoff appearances end last season when the team collapsed. That may be the start of something bad. New Orleans is in year 2 of its rebuild under head coach Kellen Moore.
Player to Watch: Devin Lloyd, Panthers
Coach on the Hot Seat: Todd Bowles, Bucs
Projected Finish
Panthers
Bucs
Saints
Falcons
NFC West
Los Angeles made it to the NFC Championship Game behind the league’s most valuable player (MVP) Matthew Stafford and then traded for the league’s best defensive player in Myles Garrett and one of the best cornerbacks in the league in Trent McDuffie. Then Aaron Donald decided to prolong his Hall of Fame induction by coming back after a two-year retirement. If Stafford can stay healthy one more year, the Rams will win the division and maybe a lot more.
When you win the Super Bowl, you expect some key losses and that’s what happened in Seattle, where running back and Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker bolted for Kansas City and offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was hired as head coach in Las Vegas. The Seahawks are still good, just not good enough. San Francisco always seems to find a way even when they have some of the worst offseasons in the league. We’ll see what happens this year. Arizona is the worst team in the league playing in the best (or 2nd best) division in the league. The Cards are on a March for Arch (Manning).
Player to Watch: Matthew Stafford, Rams
Coach on the Hot Seat: None really, but Sean McVay could retire if the Rams win it all.
Projected Finish
Rams
Seahawks
49ers
Cardinals
AFC East
Buffalo saw its run of five consecutive division titles end when New England pulled off a worst to first last season. The Bills, under rookie head coach Joe Brady, will be back on top this year. Imagine that a guy named Brady taking over the AFC East.
Through no fault of their own, New England won last year thanks to a really easy schedule and every break imaginable in the playoffs. That’s not going to happen again. The Pats might be just as good as last year, but it won’t show in wins and losses. Miami is in full rebuild mode, while the Jets will make it an unfathomable 16 straight years of missing the playoffs.
Player to Watch: Josh Allen, Bills
Coach on the Hot Seat: Aaron Glenn, Jets
Projected Finish
Bills
Patriots
Jets
Dolphins
AFC North
One of these years QB Joe Burrow is going to stay healthy, and the Bengals are going to win the division. It might just be this year.
Baltimore is starting a new era with Jesse Minter as its head coach. The Ravens may not be as good as you, or most people, think. Pittsburgh is also starting over with Mike McCarthy as head coach. The Steelers might be the hardest team in the league to figure. Cleveland isn’t. They are still the Browns.
Projected Finish
Bengals
Ravens
Steelers
Browns
Player to Watch: Joe Burrow, Bengals
Coach on the Hot Seat: Zac Taylor, Bengals
AFC South
If Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud would have taken a knee every snap in his team’s playoff loss to New England, his team may have had a shot because of its defense. Instead, he threw four interceptions and fumbled and the Texans lost. Houston’s defense will be just as good this year. Will Stroud be any better is the big question.
Trevor Lawrence had his best season; Jacksonville made a great run and won the division last year. The Jaguars look more like a wild-card team this year. The Colts and Titans do not.
Projected Finish
Texans
Jaguars
Colts
Titans
Player to Watch: Will Anderson, Texans
Coach on the Hot Seat: Shane Steichen, Colts
AFC West
This is going to be a fun division to watch. Denver is really good. If QB Bo Nix doesn’t get hurt on the next-to-last play of a playoff game, or if they had a better backup QB, the Broncos would have gone to the Super Bowl last year. Now they added a real playmaker in WR Jaylen Waddle. The Chargers are also one of the best teams in the league and it’s head coach Jim Harbaugh’s second year in charge. Kansas City isn’t what it was, but Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are still around. So, there’s that. And the poor Raiders will be much better, but in this division you might not even notice.
Projected Finish
Broncos
Chargers
Chiefs
Raiders
Player to Watch: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
Coach on the Hot Seat: None
NFC Playoffs
Rams, Packers, Eagles, Panthers, Seahawks, Lions, Cowboys.
NFC Champion: Rams
AFC Playoffs
Broncos, Bills, Texans, Bengals,
Chargers, Jaguars, Chiefs
AFC Champion: Broncos
Super Bowl Champion: Rams
Awards
MVP: Josh Allen, Bills
Defensive MVP: Will Anderson, Texans
Rookie of the Year (Off): Jadarian Price, Seahawks
Rookie of the Year (Def): Caleb Downs, Cowboys
Coach of the Year: Dave Canales, Panthers. n
