Predicting the NFC playoff field for the 2025 NFL season is never straightforward. Unlike the AFC, where elite quarterbacks often make playoff spots predictable, the NFC is loaded with surprises.
Last year, the Vikings finished 14-3 with Sam Darnold, while rookie Jayden Daniels led the Washington Commanders to their best season in the salary-cap era. This season, questions abound:
- Can Dak Prescott thrive under a new coach in Dallas?
- Will J.J. McCarthy emerge as a true wildcard for Minnesota?
- Can Caleb Williams and Chicago’s Ben Johnson make an immediate impact?
From breakout candidates in Atlanta and Carolina to veteran questions in San Francisco and Los Angeles, we break down the seven NFC teams most likely to reach the playoffs, using odds from top-rated sportsbooks like BetOnline (check our BetOnline Review).
Eagles Eyeing NFC East Repeat: Can Philly Break the Division Curse?
One of the wildest, active NFL streaks that bettors should know for the 2025 season is that no team has repeated as NFC East champions since the Eagles did it in 2001-04 when the division was first created. Every other division in the NFL has had multiple repeat winners in that time, but none for the NFC East.
With that said, even if the Eagles took a step back to a team like Washington on their bid to repeat, they should still be in the tournament.
There is simply too much elite talent on both sides of the ball. Vic Fangio returns as defensive coordinator, and Jalen Hurts is used to playing for a new offensive coordinator.
Sure, you may not see as many big takeaways on defense or as many long Saquon Barkley touchdown runs after a record year, but the Eagles should win double-digit games and return to the playoffs with a better than normal shot to repeat.
Packers Poised for NFC North Push as Jordan Love Chases MVP Form
The Packers started and ended their 2024 season by losing to the Eagles, and they were also swept by the Vikings and Lions. That’s not great for their Super Bowl prospects.
However, respect the job coach Matt LaFleur has done as a consistent winner with a 67-33 record through his first 100 regular-season games. He’s only had one losing season (8-9 in 2022), the only time he missed the playoffs.
He now has a talented roster that added a 1st-round pass catcher (Matthew Golden) for the first time since 2002. The defense is going into Year 2 of its new system, and we’re just waiting for Jordan Love to put together his most complete season after finishing 2023 on an MVP-level tear and dealing with injuries last year.
The NFC North is very much there for the taking for Green Bay as well, but the Packers could be a wild card team again, too.
Lions Face Growing Pains but Still Roar Toward Another Playoff Run
Teams that win 15 games are bound to take a step back in the NFL. Even the 1984 49ers finished 18-1, won the Super Bowl, added Jerry Rice in the draft, and finished 10-6 and lost their first playoff game in 1985.
These things happen. And while the Lions are getting Aidan Hutchinson back healthy, they’ll have to replace both coordinators after losing them to head coach jobs.
Dan Campbell seems up to the task, but it is worth pointing out that Jared Goff’s worst seasons in the NFL came in years where he didn’t have Sean McVay or Ben Johnson guiding his offense. The Lions also lost some of that great interior to their offensive line with center Frank Ragnow retiring and right guard Kevin Zeitler moving on.
But the Lions still have so many weapons. Penei Sewell is a favorite for the new Protector of the Year award. Hutchinson’s return is huge for the pass rush.
The schedule is going to be tough, and teams with 15 wins decline by an average of 4-to-5 wins the next year. But Detroit should still find a way to win at least 10 games and make the playoffs again.
Daniels and the Commanders Aim to Break Three-Decade Playoff Drought
If this was just based on quarterback play, the Commanders would rank even higher after the way Jayden Daniels played as a rookie. He was excellent as a passer and runner, he was clutch in the big moments, and he made his teammates better – all the things you’d want to see from a veteran franchise quarterback, let alone a rookie.
But some are concerned the Washington appearance in the NFC Championship Game was a mixture of the schedule, fortunate moments like the Hail Mary against Chicago and Jalen Hurts concussion, and that the defense was still bad despite facing so many underwhelming quarterbacks with a tougher schedule awaiting them in 2025.
There are valid points there, but at the same time, Daniels just may be the next great one who challenges Patrick Mahomes for the best quarterback in the game title. Daniels could do what Dan Marino (1984), Ben Roethlisberger (2005), and Russell Wilson (2013) did by following a great rookie year with a Super Bowl appearance if the Commanders can overtake the NFC East from Philadelphia. They won’t meet until very late in December.
But after adding veterans like Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel, the Commanders should have the firepower behind Daniels to win double-digit games and make the playoffs in consecutive years, something Washington hasn’t done since 1992.
But with Daniels, expect Washington to do a lot of things it hasn’t done in over 30 years.
49ers Walk the Tightrope Between Title Contenders and Total Collapse
The 49ers actually have the 2nd-highest odds (-205) to make the playoffs of any team in the NFC. That’s the result of drawing a very favorable last-place schedule combined with great past success (Super Bowl in 2023) and what should be regression to the mean in injuries after a devastating 2024.
But the 49ers have been facing some injuries in camp already, and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk may not be ready until Week 6. Chrisitan McCaffrey is always an injury concern, but if he stays healthy, he has a great shot to return to elite status.
The NFC West is one of the toughest divisions to pick this year because of the injury concerns surrounding its top teams. Remember, this is a confidence ranking for making the playoffs, so someone has to win the division and will end up with a top 4 seed.
We’ll cautiously pick the 49ers to represent the NFC West and keep their own unique 22-season streak intact where they’ve either reached the NFC Championship Game (7 times) or missed the playoffs entirely without a winning record (15 times).
They are your all-or-nothing team in the NFL.
Rams Betting on Adams, Defense—and Stafford’s Back Holding Up
On paper, this could be Sean McVay’s most balanced team yet thanks to the addition of Davante Adams at wide receiver and some of the best young front 7 talent in the NFL, led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse. Let’s not forget the Rams were 13 yards away from beating the Eagles in the snow in the divisional round, the best anyone played that team in the playoffs.
But the issue is that there’s also paper with Matthew Stafford’s birthdate and medical report, and it’s not looking great for the 37-year-old quarterback right now as he battles a disc issue in his back. He keeps missing practices, but the Rams keep insisting he’d be ready to play if a real game was happening this weekend.
But it’s definitely an issue to keep following as Jimmy Garoppolo is the backup and could have to start this year. That wouldn’t be the worst backup to have by any means, but Garoppolo hasn’t played that well in the last few years.
The Rams also face a 1st-place schedule in comparison to the 49ers, so having to play the Eagles/Ravens/Lions instead of the Giants/Browns/Bears like San Francisco could be the difference in who wins the NFC West this year.
Still, we’ll trust McVay as one of the best coaches in the NFL to get this team into the tournament. It just may need to rely more on the defense than usual.
Flying High Again? Falcons Eye NFC South Shake-Up with Penix in Command
We haven’t touched the NFC South until now as it’s been a somewhat boring division where Tampa Bay has won it every year since 2021, including the last 3 years where the Bucs only won 8-to-10 games. Tampa is known for keeping its roster together and not making huge changes, but that could make it harder to improve, especially when Chris Godwin is still recovering from injury and you lost a good play-caller in Liam Coen.
That’s why the Falcons are the team we’re going to back to upset the Bucs in the division after giving it away last year following a 6-3 start that included a sweep of Tampa. But the Falcons folded after that, benching Kirk Cousins for Michael Penix Jr., a move that probably didn’t come fast enough.
But it’s Penix’s job now and he looked impressive for a rookie. He wasn’t the one allowing game-ending touchdowns in overtime to the Commanders and Panthers to end the season. But Atlanta addressed the defense with a pair of 1st-round pass rushers and adding a veteran like Leonard Floyd.
We’re going to cautiously trust Penix to have a breakout year and lead the Falcons to the playoffs for the 1st time since 2017.
Final Verdict: Betting on the Birds for NFC Playoff Payoff
You might be surprised to see we’re leaving out the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-145 at (check our BetOnline Review)) and Minnesota Vikings (-115) to return to the playoffs again. But Kevin O’Connell’s team has been very up and down in his tenure, and that schedule is very tough for a newcomer like J.J. McCarthy, a wild card for this season.
With Tampa Bay, you have to consider Baker Mayfield still had the most fumbles and interceptions last year with a talented offensive coordinator. He could regress after a career year without that creative offensive design as Mike Evans gets a year older and likely no Godwin to start the season.
But even if you still believe in Tampa Bay over Atlanta, that leaves 7 NFC playoff teams with -140 odds or better of making the playoffs. Not many true coin flips out there this season, and we know the NFC loves a new flash in the pan.
That’s why we’re going to side with Atlanta as the best value bet to make the playoffs. The Falcons may be our lowest confidence pick, but with everyone else at -140 or better odds, we can’t help but take the +140 here. Remember, they could always qualify as a wild card too, so it doesn’t have to be NFC South or bust even if that’s a division that is more likely to get a single playoff team this year.
But the NFC has surprised us many times before.
- Atlanta Falcons to Make 2025-26 NFL Playoffs (+140) at (check our BetOnline Review)
