January Edition

Usually by this time I’m working on my third first round mock and probably my second Bears full mock, but the Chicago Bears just had one of their most exciting seasons in recent memory, so I’ve been lagging behind on my mock drafts.

Being snowed in today, I thought it was a good time to do my first Bears mock draft. For the first time in years, the Bears aren’t picking in the top half of the first round. I’m also of the belief that this draft will be heavy on the defensive side of the ball.

With that being said, let’s kick it:

Round 1, Pick #25

Kayden McDonald, DT, Ohio State

Houston offered me a pretty attractive trade package to move down just a few spots, but I knew I’d miss out on McDonald if I took it, so I stayed put.

The Bears need help all along their defensive line. Gervon Dexter had a disappointing season. Grady Jarrett came on a bit down the stretch, but he’s clearly on the downside of his career, as is Andrew Billings, who had a decent season as Chicago’s primary early down run stuffer.

McDonald will be the replacement for Billings, perhaps as soon as year one. He’ll be the tone setter on the defensive line that the Bears sorely need.

Known more for his run defense than his pass rush, McDonald has the power and juice to be a force and help make life easier for the Bears primary pass rushers.

Round 2, Pick #57

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Both Bears starting safeties, Kevin Byard & Jaquan Brisker, are free agents and there is a good chance at least one of them will not be back. My best guess is Byard returns while Brisker takes a bigger payday elsewhere.

Thieneman has a skill set that mirrors Brisker. He’s a stout run defender with better than average ball skills. He’s also position flexible as he has the ability to play nickel corner as well.

Replacing Brisker with Thieneman will allow Byard to continue playing the style of safety that earned him All-Pro honors this season.

Round 3, Pick #89

Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M

TJ Edwards fractured his fibula in the Wildcard game against Green Bay & Tremaine Edmunds could be a cap casualty. D’Marco Jackson showed some ability, but he needs to be re-signed. Linebacker is an under the radar need for the Bears.

York is undersized and will need to add some play strength at the NFL level, but he’s a smart and instinctive player. He’s been the defensive signal caller since his sophomore season.

York is equally adept at run defense and in coverage.

Round 4, Pick #129

Tyreak Sapp, EDGE, Florida

Lack of a consistent pass rush has been well noted in Chicago. Montez Sweat is good on one edge & Austin Booker has shown flashes but the Bears need to add more pass rushers.

I think they’ll address that in free agency, that makes this pick more palatable. Sapp is more of a stout edge defender against the run than he is a pass rusher, a lot like Dayo Odeyingbo. He fits the size profile that Dennis Allen prefers for his defensive ends, though.

As a fourth round pick, Sapp should be able to find an early down rotational role with the Bears defense.

Round 5, Pick #163

Aaron Anderson, WR, LSU

DJ Moore could possibly be traded to free up cap space, regardless the Bears could use depth at wide receiver.

Anderson has blazing speed and incredible after the catch ability. Smaller in stature, he projects strictly as a slot receiver, where he would back up Luther Burden III.

Anderson also offers return ability.

It’s never a bad idea to add LSU wide receivers.

Round 7, Pick #239

Drew Allar, QB, Penn State

The Bears are set at quarterback, Caleb Williams established himself as the franchise this season & Tyson Bagent is one of the better backups in the NFL, hence the Bears extended him before the season.

Bagent’s status as one of the best backup quarterbacks is exactly why the Bears taking a seventh round flyer on Allar’s upside is an extremely smart play. Bagent could draw significant interest from quarterback desperate teams.

Or, Ben Johnson can help Allar fix some of his issues and start to realize his vast potential and possibly drawing trade interest himself.

Round 7, Pick #241

Sam Roush, TE, Stanford

Roush could challenge Durham Smythe for the third tight end role. He’s a good blocker and a better receiver than Smythe.

He has the speed to run the seam routes that Ben Johnson seems to favor for his tight ends.

I want to pick Denver at home because everyone is going New England because Bo Nix is out. I thought the Patriots were the beneficiary of the NFL’s softest schedule, but they’ve impressed me in the playoffs. NE (-3.5)

Patriots 20-16

Third matchup between these division rivals, having split their two regular season battles. Sam Darnold wasn’t good in the Rams win, but he led an epic comeback in the Seahawks victory, which Darnold will we get? I’m banking on decent and Seattle’s defense and home field advantage to carry them. SEA (-2.5)

Seahawks 24-21

Playoff Record- 7-3 / 7-3

My Evolving Super Bowl Pick

Seahawks over Patriots

With the Buffalo Bills firing of Sean McDermott, ten NFL teams have made coaching changes since the end of the season (Tennessee & the New York Giants fired their coaches midseason), three have already been filled; John Harbaugh to the New York Giant, Kevin Stefanski to the Atlanta Falcons & Jeff Hafley to the Miami Dolphins.

I’m offering my predictions of what coaches end up where. I’m listing the openings in descending order of what I believe are the best openings.

Buffalo Bills

It’s always somewhat surprising when a playoff team parts ways with their head coach, but I can’t say I’m shocked the Bills fired McDermott. The Bills have hit a ceiling under McDermott, perennial contenders that can never get over the hump.

This season they had their best chance yet, with no Kansas City or Baltimore in their path, yet they’re out after the divisional round. It feels, to me and many others, that Buffalo was squandering the prime years of one of the all time great quarterbacks, Josh Allen. Something had to change.

The aforementioned Allen is the reason why I have this as the number one opening. Every and any prospective head coach has to be tripping over themselves to line up an interview. They would inherit an immediate Super Bowl contender. I also have to wonder if Harbaugh & Stefanski are having second thoughts after accepting jobs before this news dropped.

This is a tough opening to predict, partly because it’s so recent and no rumors are circulating, yet, but also because I’m not sure what the Bills will be looking for.

In many ways, this reminds me of when Tampa Bay moved on from Tony Dungy to Jon Gruden. Like the Bills, Tampa had had success under Dungy but couldn’t get over the hump.

When thinking in those terms, it would seem that Buffalo would want a coach with an established track record. The problem is there aren’t many out there.

Harbaugh and Stefanski have taken other jobs, Mike Tomlin seems like he will take at least a year off. Pete Carroll doesn’t make sense. Mike McCarthy could be an option, but I’m lukewarm on that.

There is one possibility with a long track record of success, and I’m just speculating here because it would be enormous and petty at the same time. Bill Belichick in Buffalo would send shockwaves through the NFL.

The other thing to consider is Josh Allen’s preference. Could Buffalo promote from within and make offensive coordinator Joe Brady their next head coach? Allen did win an MVP under Brady’s leadership. Brian Daboll is another name to consider, Daboll played a big role in developing Allen into the superstar he is now. Daboll was a colossal disappointment as the Giants head coach, though.

I have no insight here, I’m just making a prediction. I’m making this prediction solely because I want the stories this would generate.

My Pick:

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore was my preseason pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl and I wasn’t alone. The Ravens fell well short, completely missing the playoffs and there seemed to be a disconnect between Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson.

Still, the Baltimore job is right there with Buffalo in desirability. They have a superstar quarterback in his prime and a roster built to contend immediately.

Unlike Buffalo, we’ve had time to hear rumors regarding the Ravens job. Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is a hot name, but I question it due to his closeness with the Harbaugh family.

Other names I’ve heard are Seattle offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, though they might have to wait awhile on him, Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady, but Buffalo might just promote him, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel.

Ultimately, I think this will come down to how well they vibe with Jackson. My prediction is just a gut feeling.

My Pick:

Tennessee Titans

The Titans got a jump start on their coaching search when they fire Brian Callahan back in October. We’ve been able to hear rumors regarding this job for months.

The Titans have a lot of holes in their roster, but they appear to have their franchise quarterback in Cam Ward. This won’t be a quick turnaround, though Tennessee does have plenty of cap space to add talent, but there is a foundation for improvement.

My understanding is that Tennessee is down to three finalists, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Kansas City offensive coordinator, Matt Nagy & Green Bay defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.

Because of Titans’ General Manager Mike Borgonzi’s ties to Kansas City, I’ve long thought Nagy was the front runner here. If he learnt from his mistakes as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, this could be a decent hire.

My Pick:

Cleveland Browns

I think the Browns job could be more attractive than many think. They have a ferocious defense and a stellar 2025 rookie class. They also have a plethora of draft capital for this year and next.

The drawbacks with the Cleveland job are twofold. First is the quarterback issue. Is Shedeur Sanders the answer? With a weak quarterback draft, Sanders probably earned himself another season to answer that question. Of course, there is also Deshaun Watson and that albatross contract.

The second drawback is stability. Cleveland has been a picture of instability for years. Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year twice with the Browns, but lost his job due in large part to the gigantic swing and miss on Watson, and I’m not entirely sure how much input he had in that decision.

Any prospective coach has to weigh the pros and cons with the Browns. With that strong defense and average quarterback play, Cleveland could contend in a weak AFC North. However, if Sanders or Watson don’t provide that, Cleveland could be an embarrassment, again.

Some names I’m hearing are former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, former Baltimore offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Jacksonville offensive coordinator Grant Udinski & Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase.

My gut tells me Udinski could be the front runner if he agrees to keep defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and Schwartz agrees to stay as DC. I’m not sure about that, so I think they promote from within and bring in Scheelhaase as OC.

My Pick:

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are the epitome of stability and job security for head coaches. They are embarking on just their fourth head coaching search and their last 3 head coaches resigned or retired, they were never fired. As far as having a longer than usual runway for success, there is no better job than Pittsburgh.

With that being said, this is not an easy fix. The Pittsburgh Steelers remind me of the New Orleans Saints at the end of the Sean Payton/ Drew Brees era.

The Steelers had a long stretch of great success, and they’ve stayed competitive since the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, but they haven’t been true contenders in a decade.

They’ve eschewed a full tear down and rebuild, kicking the can down the road as they keep posting winning records. The bill, however, is coming due.

The Steelers aren’t in the salary cap trouble the Saints were in when Payton walked away, but they do have quite a bit of aging, expensive veterans, especially on defense, and a lot of needs.

First, and foremost, they need a quarterback. I would be shocked if Aaron Rodgers returns without Mike Tomlin involved and they have no viable path to land a quarterback in the draft. There are a couple veterans they could possibly trade for, but I don’t see them going that route.

The Steelers job is going to be tough, but at least the new head coach can have confidence in knowing they’ll be given a long leash to see it through.

The Steelers history says they’re likely going with a young, under the radar guy. Nobody knew who Tomlin was when he landed the job, nor Bill Cowher before him. They’ve also leaned towards defensive minded head coaches, though that could change this time.

I’m not making a prediction on who the Steelers will hire because, honestly, I doubt I’ve heard of him, yet. If, and this is a big if, they do go with a name coach there are two names I’d keep an eye on.

Mike McCarthy is from Pittsburgh and he’s had a successful run with two franchises. Hiring an offensive minded coach would be beneficial in developing whoever is under center for the Steelers.

The other name is Brian Flores. Flores had a cup of coffee in Pittsburgh as their defensive coordinator and he seems to exude the Steeler mindset.

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are the opposite of Pittsburgh as far as job security goes. They’ve been a hot mess for the entirety of the 21st century thus far. No organization has had more head coaches since 2000 than the Raiders, who have had four more than the next closest franchise (Cleveland).

Las Vegas is also notorious for giving their coaches a short leash. They’ve fired several coaches mid season & have also had multiple one year and done coaches.

All that aside, the Raiders have some attraction. They own the number one pick in this year’s draft and they’ll almost certainly take Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. They have young superstars in Brock Bowers & Ashton Jeanty and they have a legend in the front office in Tom Brady.

Brady had a hand in hiring Pete Carroll, but I think it was more of a fall back option after they failed to lure Ben Johnson or Liam Coen to Vegas. I think the Raiders have more to offer this year and Brady will use his many contacts throughout the NFL to get his man.

I think Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak could be a strong consideration here, as could former Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott.

I’ve heard one rumor that makes a lot of sense to me because of a previous connection to Brady. That would be Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores with former Giants head coach Brian Daboll as his offensive coordinator.

My Pick:

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have seen a lot of coaching turnover over the years as well, though not quite as bad as the Raiders or Browns. What makes this job the least desirable, in my opinion, is they have a quarterback problem,

It seems Arizona has finally come to the realization that they cannot win with Kyler Murray. The problem is they’re probably stuck with him. No other team will be willing to take on that contract and Arizona can’t afford to take the dead cap hit by releasing him. To compound matters, this is a weak quarterback draft and the Cardinals aren’t in a position to get a viable franchise option.

Arizona is not without some attractive pieces, but they also play in the toughest division in the NFL. I think it would be smart, on the Cardinals part, to poach the coaching staff of one of their division rivals. That’s why I think Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh & offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak & Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur & defensive coordinator Chris Shula are strong candidates.

Another name to consider is recently fired Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott.

Ultimately, I think the Cardinals may be the last team to name a new head coach because their guy could be coaching in the Super Bowl.

My Pick:

Grading the Hires

New York Giants

The Giants, more than anything, needed a culture change and they moved quickly to hire former Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh after he was fired by the Ravens. Harbaugh brings a winning culture to the Big Apple and the Giants have a lot to build around including quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Malik Nabers, running back Cam Skattebo & edge rusher Abdul Carter.

Great hire by the Giants. My Grade- A

Atlanta Falcons

I love this fit of coach and team. The Falcons have been one of the more underachieving teams over the last several years, while Stefanski has won Coach of the Year twice with the Browns, who have been a hot mess seemingly forever.

Stefanski can build a winner with offensive stars like Bijan Robinson, Drake London & Kyle Pitts (provided they extend him) and an ascending defensive unit, even if he can’t develop Michael Penix Jr into a true franchise quarterback.

The Falcons might already be my favorites to win the NFC South in 2026. My Grade- A

Miami Dolphins

I think the Dolphins made the decision to make a coaching change when John Harbaugh became available, but they never got serious consideration.

Jeff Hafley was one of the hotter names amongst prospective first time head coaches, so it’s a decent fall back option for Miami.

More than anything I think Miami needs a culture change, it’s fair to wonder if Hafley brings that. My Grade- B

AFC

Previous: #1, won at Pittsburgh, 30-6

The Texans defense showed why they’re my pick to come out of the AFC. Defense travels. This team can win on the road and go all the way if CJ Stroud and the offense can limit the mistakes.

Next: at New England

Previous: #3, BYE

Broncos welcome Buffalo to Mile High after a week off. Denver is getting no respect, despite being the number one seed. They have a defense almost as good as Houston, though, and I think that’ll carry them to the next round.

Next: vs Buffalo

Previous: #5, won at Jacksonville, 27-24

Buffalo won a nail biter on the road in the wildcard round, and now they go back on the road to take on the number one seed. With Josh Allen, you can never count the Bills out, but the Broncos have a fierce defense.

Next: at Denver

Previous: #4, won vs LA Chargers, 16-3

New England dominated the Chargers despite an off day for Drake Maye and the offense. Houston is a different animal entirely.

Next: vs Houston

Previous: #2, lost vs Buffalo, 27-24

Jaguars had a shot, but fell short versus Buffalo in the Wildcard round.

Next: Free Agency Frenzy

Previous: #6, lost at New England, 16-3

The Chargers offense didn’t show up for the playoffs.

Next: Finding a new Offensive Coordinator

Previous: #7, lost vs Houston, 30-6

Ugly end to the Mike Tomlin era and possibly to Aaron Rodgers’ career.

Next: Finding a new Head Coach

NFC

Previous: #2, BYE

Seahawks sat back and relaxed, now they welcome an even more depleted San Francisco than the last time they beat them.

Next: vs San Francisco

Previous: #3, won at Carolina, 34-31

Rams survived another sloppy performance against Carolina to earn a trip to frigid Chicago.

Next: at Chicago

Previous: #4, won vs Green Bay, 31-27

Bears pulled off a comeback for the ages to oust their bitter rivals.

Next: vs LA Rams

Previous: #5, won at Philadelphia, 23-19

The Niners keep winning despite all the devastating injuries.

Next: at Seattle

Previous: #1, lost vs San Francisco, 23-19

The offensive issues that have plagued Philly all season ultimately did them in.

Next: Finding a new Offensive Coordinator

Previous: #6, lost at Chicago, 31-27

One of the all-time playoff collapses has Green Bay mulling their future.

Next: Deciding Matt Lafleur’s Fate

Previous: #7, lost vs LA RAMS, 34-31

Panthers acquitted themselves well in the first postseason appearance of the Bryce Young era.

Next: Free Agency Frenzy

Divisional Round Picks

Regular Season: 170-102 / 134-138

Playoffs: 4-2 / 5-1

The Buffalo Bills pulled off a road win against a very good Jacksonville team & Josh Allen is probably the best player left in the playoffs, but going to Denver to play the well rested Denver Broncos and that ferocious defense is a tall task.

The Bills have been the sexy pick in the AFC, but not for me. I’ll take the home dogs to win outright. DEN (+1.5)

Broncos 23-20

The San Francisco 49ers keep winning despite all the injuries, so it’s tough to pick against them. The Seattle Seahawks, however, are the number one seed for a reason. Their defense is elite and they shut down San Fran just two weeks ago.

I’ll pick the Niners to cover in a loss. SF (+7.5)

Seahawks 17-13

Drake Maye was a little shaky in his postseason debut against LA. The New England Patriots cannot afford that against the Houston Texans and that dominant defense.

The game is in New England, and CJ Stroud and the Texans offense have their own issues, but I think the Houston defense will give the Patriots fits. HOU (+3)

Texans 19-13

This game should provide plenty of fireworks because both the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams have high powered offenses and suspect defenses.

On paper, this looks like a mismatch. The Rams have been elite for most of the season, but they have scuffled down the stretch. The Bears are the team you can never count out and it will be frigid at Soldier Field.

I’ll take the home dogs to cover, but LA will probably win. CHI (+3.5)

Rams 35-34

My Evolving Super Bowl Pick

Seattle Seahawks over Houston Texans

I’m doing these rankings a bit differently during the playoffs. I’m going to rank the AFC & NFC teams separately. I’ll do a final, full ranking after the Super Bowl.

AFC

5th Seed

The Texans are my pick to come out of the AFC. There’s no team hotter, they’ve won 9 in a row after a sluggish start to the season. They boast the most ferocious defense in the NFL, and if CJ Stroud & the offense can provide a little bit and avoid mistakes, Houston will be a tough out. I know, as a wildcard, they’ll have to win at least two road games to get to the dance, but I trust this defense to get it done.

First Round: at Pittsburgh

3rd Seed

The Jaguars are almost as hot as Houston, winners of 8 straight entering the playoffs. They’re more balanced than Houston, their offense is humming and the defense, while not as stingy as Houston, is opportunistic. They, too, might have to win two road games to get to the Super Bowl, but at least they start the trip with a home game.

First Round: vs Buffalo

1st Seed

I have a lot of reservations about Bo Nix and the Broncos offense, but there is no doubt that Denver has a championship defense. They’ve got home field advantage throughout the playoffs, but we saw Jacksonville come into Denver and manhandle the Broncos just before Christmas. I’m not ready to pick them to go all the way.

First Round: BYE

2nd Seed

The Patriots have had a remarkable season & Mike Vrabel could get Coach of the Year, and Drake Maye is in the running for MVP, but I just don’t see New England emerging from the AFC to make the Super Bowl, I don’t even see them making it to Championship Sunday. This is a young, inexperienced team that benefited greatly from a soft schedule, I just don’t think they’re ready, yet.

First Round: vs LA Chargers

6th Seed

The Bills are the sexy pick to come out of the AFC because they’re familiar & because of Josh Allen, but I’ve been cooler on Buffalo than most all season. I do think they have a better chance than New England, the only reason I have them ranked lower is because I’m less confident they’ll make it out of the first round. Even if they do, I don’t think they could handle defenses like Denver & Houston on the road.

First Round: at Jacksonville

7th Seed

I like the Chargers, but they have a track record of flaming out in the playoffs and they have a beat up offensive line and a beat up quarterback. They’re capable of stunning the Patriots on the road, but that’s as far as they’ll go. There is no way they’re winning two road playoff games, let alone the three it would take to make the Super Bowl.

First Round: at New England

4th Seed

The Steelers earned their playoff berth and you can never count out an Aaron Rodgers led team, but I’d be totally shocked if they made it past Houston, even if it is at home. If they somehow do, they’d almost certainly have to go on the road in the divisional round and that would be the end of the road.

First Round: vs Houston

NFC

3rd Seed

And you thought it was controversial that I ranked Houston first in the AFC? The Eagles are my pick to make the Super Bowl from the NFC. Why? Because of their defense and their championship pedigree. They are the only team that I think is capable of going on the road and beating anyone, and they’re not going to lose at home.

First Round: vs San Francisco

1st Seed

The Seahawks have the defense to make a Super Bowl run and they have home field advantage. That’s huge for them, because I definitely wouldn’t trust Sam Darnold to win a road playoff games. I think only Philly & the Rams are capable of winning in Seattle, but it won’t be easy.

First Round: BYE

5th Seed

The Rams are certainly capable of making a run to the Super Bowl & a month ago they would have been my number one team, but they’ve looked sloppy down the stretch. They should certainly make it out of the first round, but I have to wonder how they’d fare on the road in Philly or Chicago.

First Round: at Carolina

2nd Seed

Not how I wanted to see the Bears enter the playoffs, on a 2 game skid. Green Bay won’t be easy, but it’s in Chicago & the Bears just beat them there 3 weeks ago. They’re also guaranteed a home game in the divisional round if they win, so the path to Championship Sunday is doable.

First Round: vs Green Bay

6th Seed

The Niners went from a shot at the number one seed to the sixth seed and a trip to Philly. Ouch. The Niners offense can hang with anyone, but their defense can’t stop anyone. Even if they somehow get past the first round, I don’t see them getting past either of their division rivals.

First Round: at Philadelphia

7th Seed

The bad news? The Packers enter the playoffs on a four game losing streak. The good news? Aside from Micah Parsons, they should be at full strength. No Parsons, though, is a huge deal. They do get Chicago in the first round, a team they’ve dominated over the years, but this isn’t the same old Bears.

First Round: at Chicago

4th Seed

The Panthers made the playoffs and they should be proud, even if they backed in. They did beat the Rams, in Carolina, at the end of November, but I’d be shocked if they did it again. Still, they should be proud to have made it this far.

First Round: vs LA Rams

Wildcard Round

The Carolina Panthers beat the Los Angeles Rams in Carolina at the end of November, which might suggest this isn’t as big of a mismatch as it would appear.

The Rams haven’t been playing their best football the last several weeks, which might also suggest that the Panthers have a chance.

Carolina, however, quite literally backed into the playoffs. They are almost entirely devoid of any playoff experience on this roster. The Rams, meanwhile, are loaded with it.

I’m picking the Rams to win, but I’ll take the upstart Panthers & the points. CAR (+10.5)

Rams 31-23

The Green Bay Packers & Chicago Bears meet for a third time after splitting their two regular season games. Each team won on their own home field in two wildly competitive games.

The Packers rested their starters in the regular season finale, while the Bears played theirs in a lackluster effort against the Lions.

Green Bay has to be as confident as any seventh seed can be. They’ve had the Bears number for years, and it took an insane comeback, and some major luck, for Chicago to emerge victorious in their last matchup.

These Bears are different, though. Ben Johnson & Caleb Williams know the stakes of this one. The Bears can completely change the landscape of the NFC North with a victory.

They will. CHI (-1.5)

Bears 24-21

No Kansas City Chiefs, no Baltimore Ravens has a lot of people thinking this is the year for the Buffalo Bills to get over the hump in the AFC. I am not one of those.

First off, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL over the last month & it could be argued that they are the best team in the AFC.

Josh Allen may be Superman, but Trevor Lawrence is playing just as good, right now.

I think the Jaguars defense is the difference. JAX (+1.5)

Jaguars 31-28

That was a costly loss in the season finale for the San Francisco 49ers. Not only did they the number one seed, they fell all the way to sixth. Instead of going to Carolina, they now have to travel to Philly.

The Philadelphia Eagles are the defending champions, but are somehow flying under the radar. Sure, their offense has been disjointed all season, but this is still a stellar defense with plenty of championship level talent on offense.

At home, I don’t see the Eagles getting beat, but San Fran will put up a fight. SF (+4.5)

Eagles 20-17

This matchup is one of the harder ones for me to forecast. The New England Patriots have been a great story this season, and Drake Maye deserves some of the MVP buzz, but they’ve really benefited from a soft schedule & I’m not sure they’re ready for the bright lights of playoff football.

The Los Angeles Chargers, on the other hand, are a team that never seems to be able to get over the hump and out of the first round. The Chargers have the talent, but their offensive line is banged up and so is Justin Herbert.

I’ll take the Patriots at home. NE (-3.5)

Patriots 27-20

The Pittsburgh Steelers earned this berth in the playoffs, and I’d never discount Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs, especially at home. But,

The Houston Texans are maybe the hottest team in football and they certainly have the best defense. The Texans are the scariest matchup for anyone in the AFC.

I just don’t see the Steelers pulling this off. HOU (-3.5)

Texans 20-13

My Evolving Super Bowl Pick

Philadelphia Eagles over Houston Texans