With the conference championships set and four teams standing in the 2025 NFL playoffs, football fans are in for an exciting end to the season.
In the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs look to three-peat while the Buffalo Bills aim to finally get past the Chiefs. In the NFC, the Washington Commanders look to continue shocking the sports world while the Philadelphia Eagles aim to reach their second Super Bowl in three years.
Here is who the Northern Star Sports Staff believes will win.
EDISON MILLER, SPORTS EDITOR
WINNER: Buffalo Bills
RUNNER-UP: Washington Commanders
On pace to earn his first career MVP award, Bills quarterback Josh Allen is having the best season of his career. As a result, the Bills look as dominant as ever. I believe Allen and the Bills’ dominance will continue and he will lead Buffalo to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.
Posting 4,269 total yards and 41 touchdowns, Allen has done it all for the Bills this season. On top of Buffalo’s passing game, Bills running back James Cook has also been an x-factor to the team. The combination of Buffalo’s efficient pass game and dangerous run game will ultimately lead to the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory.
As for the runner-up, I believe the Commanders will upset the Eagles, cementing Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels as one of the best rookie quarterbacks of all time. Not to mention, the Commanders and Eagles split wins in the regular season.
KALIN SCHAEFER, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
WINNER: Kansas City Chiefs
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Chiefs are on the hunt for a three-peat, and I believe they can pull it off. Going 15-2 in the regular season, 10 of which were won by 7 points or less. Despite not having the dominance of recent years, there’s something to be said about a team that’s able to pull out close wins.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has not looked like his full self this season, but it’s still hard to bet against him. This team has proven their abilities time and time again, and this Super Bowl will be no different.
The Eagles, with the offensive power of running back Saquon Barkley, have the ability to make even the most talented defensive lines look foolish. However, the Eagles have been in this position before and have not risen to the occasion.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has the ability to throw a perfectly timed interception, and I just don’t think this team has what it takes to defeat the defending champions.
SKYLER KISELLUS, SENIOR SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Buffalo Bills
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
Let me first preface that I’ve not been right once when making these predictions, and I’m 7-for-29 all-time on NFL bets. I’m also aware that wagering against the Chiefs and the living cheat code that is Mahomes usually ends in inevitable disappointment.
With those fun disclaimers out of the way, I think this is the year Buffalo fans have waited their entire lives for. This is the year the Bills bring home the elusive Lombardi Trophy, thus finally shaking the metaphorical monkey riding their back since the George H.W. Bush administration.
In a season where they were supposed to be rebuilding, the Bills have instead been a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the ball. All the while, star quarterback Allen has put together an MVP-caliber season – though that honor should go to Barkley, but this is neither the time nor the place for that debate.
For the NFC, the Eagles should present a tough challenge for Buffalo after winning what will likely be a nail-biter against the Washington Commanders. But by the time the clock hits triple zeroes in New Orleans, it’ll be the Bills on top of the football world with their first-ever Super Bowl title. And when that happens, God help those tables in Buffalo.
JAMES BENNETT, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Kansas City Chiefs
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Chiefs are masters at pulling victory from the jaws of defeat. They’ve had the Bills number in every playoff matchup between the two teams in the Mahomes era and I don’t believe this year will be any different.
From there, the Chiefs will match up against the Eagles in the Super Bowl, and while Philadelphia is a great team with an MVP candidate in Barkley, I think the Chiefs will outlast and out grit them in the typical absurd sort of way that they have against teams all season.
As mentioned, the Eagles are a very good team with a dominant run game led by one of the best backs in the league. They also have a solid defense headed by the likes of defensive tackle Jalen Carter and cornerback Darius Slay and are all around well-coached. I think these tools will be enough to lead them over the Commanders, who are, on paper, a worse team than Philadelphia.
That being said, I think the Eagles will come up short when it matters most. Similar to the 2023 Super Bowl, I think they’ll give Kansas City a lot to handle in the game but will be outplayed in clutch situations and fall short once again.
JOSEPH SEGRETI, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Buffalo Bills
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
This is the season that Allen can finally get over the hump, win his first Super Bowl and bring a championship to Buffalo. Allen has limited his turnovers this season and it has led to him having the best season of his career. Many believed the Bills offense would not look as explosive this season after the team traded star wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, but the Bills offense has looked as good as ever.
Allen and the Bills will continue their gauntlet to get and win the Super Bowl this year after beating the Lamar Jackson-led Ravens, the Mahomes-led Chiefs and the Barkley-led Eagles.
The Eagles have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season following the team’s signing of premier running back Barkley who went on to rush for over 2,000 yards this season. This would be the Eagles second trip to the Super Bowl in three years, but will yield similar results to their previous trip and fall just short of hoisting the Lombardi trophy again.
ERIC AVILA, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Kansas City Chiefs
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
I think the Chiefs will pull a Super Bowl win off again for the third year in a row. They did have some lucky wins during the regular season, but that is no reason to count them out for the playoffs.
Mahomes is a different beast during the playoffs, so I have no doubt that he will lead Kansas City to another Super Bowl victory and the Chiefs fourth Super Bowl win in six years. I also think with the support of Taylor Swift, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will play the best he ever has and score at least 2 touchdowns.
I also believe the Chiefs’ defense will play their best game of the season and allow less than 10 points from the Eagles.
CLAIRE VALENTI, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Kansas City Chiefs
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
I find it hard to deny a team that went 15-2 with scrappy wins that don’t necessarily paint them as one of the best teams in the league. The Chiefs found ways to win, even if it wasn’t their plays that got them there.
I thought it would be the Detroit Lions who gave the Chiefs a run for their money, but the Commanders dashed their hopes. The Eagles have beefed up their offense in the past few years, but I just can’t see this Chiefs dynasty letting a first-ever three-peat in Super Bowl history pass them by.
No matter how bad it may look for KC, I believe that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, Mahomes and company can take down a familiar Eagles team for the second time in three years.
MICAH HUFF, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Philadelphia Eagles
RUNNER-UP: Kansas City Chiefs
It would be to no one’s surprise if Mahomes, Reid and Taylor Swift make another trip to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately for Kansas City, I believe Philadelphia will beat the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
The Eagles are dominant on all three levels of their defense and will bully the Chiefs in the trenches with their dominant offensive line and their monstrous defensive line.
There is concern about Hurts and Philadelphia’s passing attack, but let’s not forget that Hurts out-performed Mahomes in their last matchup.
The Eagles also have the best weapon in the NFL with Barkley. We will see Barkley’s dominance continue against the Commanders as the Eagles move on to eventually win the Super Bowl.
ANDY INBODEN, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Buffalo Bills
RUNNER-UP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Buffalo Bills will finally come through after four consecutive Super Bowls and never finding the ultimate trophy. With the emergence of Allen and the incredible play of their defense, the Bills will take the ultimate prize from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles will defeat the commanders to get to the Super Bowl, however Hurts will not be able to outplay Allen which will be the deciding factor.
For the Bills to make the Super Bowl, they will have to take out the Chiefs. Fortunately for the Bills, the Chiefs offense is not nearly what it used to be, it looks shaky and the Bills are coming in with the utmost confidence.
LOGAN WHITTINGTON, SPORTS REPORTER
WINNER: Buffalo Bills
RUNNER-UP: Washington Commanders
I think the Bills and Commanders upset the Chiefs and Eagles in the NFC/AFC championship games respectively. I have the Bills winning the Super Bowl because of their explosive offense, headlined by MVP candidate Allen.
The Bills also have a dangerous rushing attack with Cook. This season, Cook provided a lot of balance to the Bills offense with 16 rushing touchdowns and 1,009 rushing yards. These superstars highlighted the Bills offense, who averaged 30.9 points per game – 9.5 more points than the league’s average of 21.4.
Although the Bills have an amazing offense, they could very well fall because of their defensive line. In the regular season, the Bills gave up 341.5 yards per game and ranked 17th in total defense. While this is certainly respectable, they currently have the worst defense of the four contending playoff teams.
Despite Buffalo’s shortcomings, I believe the Bills will come out on top.
