When it comes to NFL predictions, there are two kinds of NFL predictors. Those who believe that the Patriots won’t be in the Super Bowl, and those who are rational.
The Patriots have been in four of the last five Super Bowls, and but for a missed extra point in early 2016 they may have been in five of the last five.
Sure, it’s fun to think of a more wide open NFL (unless you’re a Patriots fan). But the Patriots are in the midst of what eventually will be remembered as the greatest run of excellence in the history of pro football. So when predicting how one of the seasons played during that run will play out, you can either resist this reality.
Or you can be rational.
As the following predictions for the 2019 playoffs illustrate, only two of the PFT writers are rational.
That said, none of us are flat-out bonkers -- all six contributors have the Patriots extending their run of AFC Championship appearances to nine in a row. For all the playoff picks, read and scroll. Read and scroll.
Josh Alper
AFC
1. Chiefs; 2. Patriots; 3. Texans; 4. Steelers; 5. Jaguars; 6. Browns
Wild card: Texans over Browns, Jaguars over Steelers.
Divisional round: Chiefs over Jaguars, Patriots over Texans.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Patriots.
NFC
1. Eagles; 2. Saints; 3. Rams; 4. Vikings; 5. Cowboys; 6. Seahawks
Wild card: Cowboys over Vikings, Seahawks over Rams.
Divisional round: Eagles over Seahawks, Cowboys over Saints.
Conference championship: Eagles over Cowboys.
Super Bowl: Eagles over Chiefs.
Curtis Crabtree
AFC
1. Chiefs; 2. Patriots; 3. Ravens; 4. Colts; 5. Browns; 6. Texans.
Wild card: Browns over Colts, Ravens over Texans.
Divisional round: Chiefs over Browns, Patriots over Ravens.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Patriots.
NFC
1. Eagles; 2. Rams; 3. Panthers; 4. Packers; 5. Seahawks; 6. Saints.
Wild card: Seahawks over Packers, Saints over Panthers.
Divisional round: Rams over Seahawks, Eagles over Saints.
Conference championship: Eagles over Rams.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over Eagles.
Mike Florio
AFC
1. Patriots; 2. Chiefs; 3. Jaguars; 4. Steelers; 5. Browns; 6. Jets.
Wild card: Jaguars over Jets, Steelers over Browns.
Divisional round: Patriots over Steelers, Jaguars over Chiefs.
Conference championship: Patriots over Jaguars.
NFC
1. Eagles; 2. Seahawks; 3. Bears; 4. Panthers; 5. Vikings; 6. Cowboys.
Wild card: Bears over Cowboys, Panthers over Vikings.
Divisional round: Eagles over Panthers, Seahawks over Bears.
Conference championship: Eagles over Seahawks.
Super Bowl: Patriots over Eagles.
Darin Gantt
AFC
1. Patriots; 2. Chiefs; 3. Steelers; 4. Jaguars; 5. Chargers; 6. Texans.
Wild card: Chargers over Jaguars, Steelers over Texans.
Divisional round: Patriots over Chargers, Chiefs over Steelers.
Conference Championship: Patriots over Chiefs.
NFC
1. Saints; 2. Rams; 3. Packers; 4. Eagles; 5. Panthers; 6. Vikings.
Wild card: Eagles over Panthers, Packers over Vikings.
Divisional round: Saints over Eagles, Rams over Packers.
Conference championship: Saints over Rams.
Super Bowl: Patriots over Saints.
Michael David Smith
AFC
1. Chiefs; 2. Patriots; 3. Browns; 4. Jaguars; 5. Chargers; 6. Steelers.
Wild card: Steelers over Browns, Chargers over Jaguars.
Divisional round: Chiefs over Steelers, Patriots over Chargers.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Patriots.
NFC
1. Saints; 2. Rams; 3. Eagles; 4. Bears; 5. Cowboys; 6. Vikings.
Wild card: Eagles over Vikings, Cowboys over Bears.
Divisional round: Rams over Eagles, Saints over Cowboys.
Conference championship: Saints over Rams.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over Saints.
Charean Williams
AFC
1. Patriots; 2. Chiefs; 3. Jaguars; 4. Ravens; 5. Steelers; 6. Browns
Wild card: Jaguars over Browns, Steelers over Ravens.
Divisional round: Patriots over Steelers, Chiefs over Jaguars.
Conference championship: Chiefs over Patriots.
NFC
1. Cowboys; 2. Saints; 3. Rams; 4. Vikings; 5. Eagles; 6. Seahawks
Wild card: Seahawks over Rams, Eagles over Vikings.
Divisional round: Eagles over Saints, Cowboys over Seahawks.
Conference championship: Cowboys over Eagles.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over Cowboys.