The 2024-25 NFL season kicked off on Thursday September 5. Here’s what the experts at the Voice are predicting for this season…
Ben Jakabcsin
Super Bowl: YOUR DEEEEEEETROOOIIIT LIIIIOONS defeat the Kansas City Chiefs
NFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: 49ers defeat Rams, Eagles defeat Cowboys, Packers defeat Falcons
Divisional: Lions defeat Packers, 49ers defeat Eagles
Conference: Lions defeat 49ers
AFC Playoffs:
Wildcard: Chiefs defeat Bills, Ravens defeat Browns, Texans defeat Bengals
Divisional: Chiefs defeat Ravens, Texans defeat Dolphins
Conference: Chiefs defeat Texans
As The Voice’s *original* Lions fan (that’s right, Andrew), it brings me great pride (haha, get it, like a pride of lions, haha) to FINALLY feel good enough about my home-state team and pick them to win something. Just a year ago, I was the lone Lions-to-the-Super-Bowl-er, but picked them to lose in the big game because…well, they’re the Lions, that’s why…or rather, they were. This year’s Detroit team returns with virtually everything that made last year’s team the wagon they were, plus some notable reinforcements along the defensive line and in the defensive backfield. Behind Jared Goff’s arm, Penei Sewell’s awe-inspiring blocking, and Amon-Ra St. Brown being Amon-Ra St. Brown, this year’s team has all the pieces to finish the job this time. Don’t forget, while Detroit may have broken through a season ago, this team is full of leaders who remember what it’s like to be the league’s laughingstock. The dawg in them has gotten them this far; next stop, the Lombardi. Apologies to all my second-semester professors in advance, as I *absolutely* will be skipping your classes without regret to be in Detroit for the parade.
Ok *exhales* off my soapbox and now onto the other 15 teams in this projection. As you’ll note, the Jets are not in this projection as I’m projecting an early darkness retreat for Mr. Rodgers for the second year in a row. Fight me on it, I dare you. Outside of that, this projection is pretty chalk from a seeding standpoint. I think the AFC has a clear top-four squad (sorry, Bills, but Khalil Shakir as the potential WR1 just isn’t doing it for me), and I think they all manage to find their way to the divisional, at which point I think any are capable of making a run to the Championship. On the NFC side, it’s a bit murkier, as every contender outside of the Lions and 49ers seems to have some major questions. I was tempted to slide in the Commanders or Bears into the 7-slot as both have easy paths there, but the Rams offense led by a healthy Stafford was too compelling.
Tl;dr: Lions are here, baby. Either get on the bandwagon or prepare to have your kneecaps rolled over.
Sam Lynch
Super Bowl: 49ers defeat Ravens
NFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Eagles defeat Cardinals, 49ers defeat Rams, Packers defeat Buccaneers
Divisional: Packers defeat Lions, 49ers defeat Eagles
Conference: 49ers defeat Packers
AFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Dolphins defeat Jets, Bengals defeat Jaguars, Ravens defeat Texans
Divisional: Ravens defeat Chiefs, Dolphins defeat Bengals
Conference: Ravens defeat Dolphins
Because I need a new Super Bowl winner, and both years I’ve picked against the Chiefs they have won, I should probably pick them this year to end the curse. But I still can’t bring myself to do it, so I’ll say it again: this is the year the Chiefs hit a roadblock, this time in the form of a surging, revenge-seeking Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round matchup. I predict the Ravens will take a slow start as they adapt to their diminished defense and new star running back, Derrick Henry. Still, Coach John Harbaugh (the better Harbaugh brother) will get this team to click at the right time and finally put last year’s Zay Flowers goal-line fumble demons to rest. However, that will not be enough to best the 49ers in the Super Bowl. Bringing back all their key players against all odds, this will finally be the year that Kyle Shanahan does not choke and delivers a Super Bowl to their veteran core of George Kittle and Deebo Samuel, who will not have to endure a third heartbreak (yes, I did watch Receiver, why do you ask?).
As for the rest of my postseason field, most of the usual suspects are there, but I shuffled them around a little. I’ll highlight the Dolphins and Packers as two teams I believe will go further than last year, losing in their respective conference championships, because I believe in Jordan Love and Matt LaFleur. I think the Dolphins are too talented on offense, even with an iffy defense, not to make a significant splash (I also gave them no matchups in cold weather so they could win). I have the Jets, Jaguars, Bengals, and Cardinals as playoff newcomers from last season through bounce-back quarterback play, while the Bills just miss out because their receiving corps gives me no confidence at all.
Bradshaw Cate
Super Bowl: Chiefs defeat Lions
NFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Lions defeat Rams, 49ers defeat Cowboys, Packers defeat Buccaneers
Divisional: Lions defeat 49ers, Packers defeat Eagles
Conference: Lions defeat Packers
AFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Ravens defeat Bills, Dolphins defeat Chargers, Bengals defeat Texans
Divisional: Chiefs defeat Bengals, Ravens defeat Dolphins
Conference: Chiefs defeat Ravens
As the only Voice writer with 100 percent accuracy at picking Super Bowl champions, I am picking the Chiefs to have the three-peat this year. I find it hard not to pick the Ravens, as their addition of Derrick Henry makes their offense look terrifying. As a Chiefs fan, however, I am sticking to my guns. Patrick Mahomes is the greatest quarterback of all time. In a quarterback-centric league, that’s all you need. I would also like to apologize to Dan Campbell and all Lions fans. Y’all deserve the world. Still, I cannot pick the Lions in good conscience this year. The expectations are too high and I have read the script NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has in his office.
Okay it’s time to address why I left some teams out of the playoffs in the funniest way possible. Bears: Too hyped up, I want to see tape on Caleb Williams at the NFL level. Falcons: Kirk Cousins sucks. Saints: Derek Carr sucks. Jets: Aaron Rogers will be too busy doing extracurriculars. Browns: Until DeShaun Watson is off that team, I hope they fail. Titans: Not really expected to make the playoffs anyway, but I’m mad they fired Mike Vrabel.
Andrew Swank
Super Bowl: Lions defeat Ravens
NFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: 49ers defeat Cowboys, Eagles defeat Seahawks, Packers defeat Falcons
Divisional: 49ers defeat Eagles, Lions defeat Packers
Conference: Lions defeat 49ers
AFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Chiefs defeat Texans, Colts defeat Jets, Bengals defeat Dolphins
Divisional: Ravens defeat Bengals, Chiefs defeat Colts
Conference: Ravens defeat Chiefs
As a Lions fan, I know from experience that getting my hopes up never ends well. However, Detroit is perfectly poised to make a run this year with a good coaching staff and strong roster. Sure, Jared Goff is not a truly “elite” quarterback. But an elite roster and a coaching staff that knows how to play to their quarterback’s strengths can effectively overcome Goff’s imperfections, as they showed last year (up until the second half of the NFC Championship game). I have the Ravens meeting them in the Super Bowl because their offense, especially now with Derrick Henry, seems unstoppable.
Outside of the Super Bowl, I believe Joe Burrow and Anthony Richardson will have strong seasons and bring their teams to the playoffs. I also predict a slight sophomore slump for C.J. Stroud. In the NFC, I think the 49ers will be very difficult to beat, and I think the Eagles will be much stronger with the addition of Saquon Barkley. Finally, the Bears are not making the playoffs. Caleb Williams will be good, but he cannot turn the team’s fortunes around that fast. I’m sorry to all my Chicagoland friends, but we all have to face the facts eventually.
Henry Skarecky
Super Bowl: 49ers defeat Texans
NFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Bears defeat Seahawks, Rams defeat Eagles, Lions defeat Falcons
Divisional: 49ers defeat Rams, Bears defeat Lions
Conference: 49ers defeat Bears
AFC Playoffs:
Wild Card: Chiefs defeat Browns, Texans defeat Bills, Bengals defeat Dolphins
Divisional: Bengals defeat Ravens, Texans defeat Chiefs
Conference: Texans defeat Bengals
It seems like these days the NFL has been dominated by the usual suspects: the Chiefs, the Ravens, the Bills, the 49ers, and the Eagles, and I don’t think those teams will be any different this season. As for the other teams (i.e. the interesting ones), I think the Falcons will escape from a struggling NFC South while Caleb Williams leads the Bears to an NFC North title and an exciting playoff run. Ultimately, in the NFC, the 49ers won’t have much competition in the conference this year and will cruise to a Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, in the AFC, the Texans will only improve in their second year with CJ Stroud, while the Ravens will do what the Ravens do best and bow out of the playoffs far earlier than they probably should. Joe Burrow will lead the Bengals back to the playoffs after he was injured halfway through the season last year, and the Bills, Dolphins, and Jets will create an exciting fight for the AFC East title, with the Dolphins ultimately squeaking out the division and the home playoff game.
