Author Picks Rams, Chiefs as 13-4 Division Winners in 2026 NFL Forecast

6 articles · Updated · SB Nation · May 18

13-4 records for the Rams and Chiefs top the author’s full 2026 game-by-game projection, with Los Angeles taking the NFC’s No. 1 seed and Kansas City leading the AFC.
Schedule-release predictions put Buffalo at 13-4, Cincinnati at 12-5 and Houston at 11-6 atop the rest of the AFC, while Detroit goes 12-5 and Dallas 11-6 in the NFC.
Seven AFC playoff spots go to the Chiefs, Bills, Bengals, Texans, Steelers, Ravens and Jaguars; the NFC field is Rams, Lions, Cowboys, Saints, Commanders, Giants and Packers.
Notable misses in the forecast include the Eagles at 8-9, Seahawks at 9-8 after a Super Bowl season, and the Dolphins at 2-15, one of the bleakest projections on the board.
The exercise follows the 2026 schedule release, extending the early wave of matchup analysis into full division standings, playoff brackets and Super Bowl-contender debate.

As the NFL prioritizes TV ratings, which team's daunting schedule poses the biggest threat to the league's competitive balance this year?

After major injuries, whose comeback—Patrick Mahomes or Daniel Jones—will more decisively shape the 2026 AFC playoff picture?

With the Rams ranked No. 1, can they dethrone the reigning champion Seahawks in their Christmas Day showdown?