Supercomputer predicts the NFL standings after just one preseason game

If NFL fans think they can predict the final standings — and a possible playoff picture — after just one preseason game, they're sorely mistaken. Who could've guessed at this time last year that the Kansas City Chiefs were going to miss the postseason? Or that the Seattle Seahawks, with free-agent retread quarterback Sam Darnold, would win the Super Bowl? The correct answer is no one.

The 2026-27 season is sure to bring much of the same unpredictability. Will the Seahawks and Rams, far and away the most talented teams in the NFL on paper, really play up to par? Can those same Chiefs rebound, or will the AFC West gauntlet get the best of Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes once and for all? I don't have a time machine, and thus cannot answer those questions truthfully. However, our handy supercomputer, based on Opta projection models, can offer as close to a guarantee as possible after just one preseason game.

Supercomputer predicts the final AFC standings

I should warn NFL fans that the Opta keeps its cards close. That is, no team in the AFC is projected to win more than 10 games as of this writing. That...likely won't hold up, and Opta will change its projections during the season. Odds are, one of the Patriots or Bills will reach double digit wins, if not both. Even the AFC North-winning Steelers had 10 wins last season thanks to a last-second victory over the Ravens in Week 18.

The biggest surprises in the AFC aren't necessarily the teams they predict to make the playoffs, but those who could miss out entirely. The Bills and Chiefs with losing records? Sure, why not. The Ravens falling off the face of the earth? Seems unlikely, but I'm here for it. A loaded AFC South? Doubtful, but who am I to judge?

AFC East

AFC North

AFC South

AFC West

AFC Playoff Picture

The Patriots won the AFC last season, and are favored to do so again in 2026-27 with a loaded wide receiver room and a defense that still reeks of Vrabel. Additions like AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs should go a long way in helping New England secure that No. 1 seed from the likes of Buffalo and Kansas City, two teams still hungry for Super Bowl glory. Yet, you'll notice in the projected playoff picture below that neither Buffalo nor Kansas City are slated to make the postseason. Add in the absence of Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, and this Wild Card round would surely lack some star power.

Supercomputer predicts the final NFC standings

The NFC is the Rams and Seahawks, and then the rest. Sure, usual contenders like the Eagles, Lions, Packers, Bears and 49ers could make some noise, but are they really up to par with Los Angeles, which traded for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie to add to their loaded defense? It helps that Chris Shula, a prominent head coaching candidate, stood pat as well.

Unlike the projected AFC standings, the NFC doesn't offer as many surprises. The Lions resurgence would make for a compelling storyline, alongside the battle for the NFC West, which could feature three playoff teams in 2026-27.

NFC East

NFC North

NFC South

NFC West

NFC Playoff Picture

In this scenario, the Rams earn the first-round bye, and if Opta is correct, it won't be particularly close. The Rams are projected to have the best record in the NFL by two full games. Wild Card round matchups between the Lions and 49ers — two teams that met in the NFC Championship Game not all that long ago — along with the Seahawks defending their Super Bowl crown on the road in Carolina, make for great TV.

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