The NFL season begins this week and ends with Super Bowl 61 next February in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Rams, a NFC finalist last season, are the Super Bowl betting favorites after adding Myles Garrett and the un-retired Aaron Donald to its defense.
But it's never that easy.
The Tennessee Titans are a clear fourth in the AFC South among betting odds, with the Texans as division favorites.
The Tennessean makes its NFL season picks, compiled before the Patriots-Seahawks game on Sept. 9:
NFL predictions for 2026, Super Bowl picks
Nick Suss, Titans beat reporter
AFC picks
- AFC division winners: Steelers, Texans, Bills, Chargers
- AFC wild cards: Broncos, Patriots, Chiefs
- AFC title game: Broncos over Texans
NFC picks
- NFC division winners: Lions, Panthers, Cowboys, Rams
- NFC wild cards: Seahawks, Packers, Bears
- NFC title game: Rams over Lions
Bold prediction, Super Bowl pick
- Bold prediction: The state of Pennsylvania will be caught in deep, complicated confusion as the Steelers emerge as the NFL's least-watchable, least-eye-popping 13-win team in decades while the Eagles will collapse under the weight of their own turmoil and miss the playoffs.
- Super Bowl prediction: Rams over Broncos
Gentry Estes, columnist
AFC picks
- AFC division winners: Bengals, Texans, Bills, Chargers
- AFC wild cards: Patriots, Chiefs, Broncos
- AFC title game: Bills over Patriots
NFC picks
- NFC division winners: Bears, Buccaneers, Eagles, Rams
- NFC wild cards: Packers, Seahawks, Lions
- NFC title game: Rams over Packers
Bold prediction, Super Bowl pick
- Bold prediction: Picking the Bills to finally win a Super Bowl feels pretty dang bold, I'd say.
- Super Bowl prediction: Bills over Rams
Nick Gray, trending reporter
AFC picks
- AFC division winners: Ravens, Texans, Bills, Chargers
- AFC wild cards: Chiefs, Bengals, Patriots
- AFC title game: Ravens over Chiefs
NFC picks
- NFC division winners: Lions, Panthers, Cowboys, Rams
- NFC wild cards: Seahawks, Vikings, 49ers
- NFC title game: Rams over Seahawks
Bold prediction, Super Bowl pick
- Bold prediction: Other than the Rams being good? The NFL MVP race comes down to Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and Lions QB Jared Goff, though neither will make the NFC Championship Game.
- Super Bowl prediction: Rams over Ravens
Tom Kreager, Tennessean sports director
AFC picks
- AFC division winners: Ravens, Texans, Bills, Broncos
- AFC wild cards: Chiefs, Patriots, Bengals
- AFC title game: Chiefs over Bills
NFC picks
- NFC division winners: Lions, Buccaneers, Eagles, Rams
- NFC wild cards: Seahawks, Cowboys, Bears, 49ers
- NFC title game: Rams over Seahawks
Bold prediction, Super Bowl pick
- Bold prediction: Patrick Mahomes starts slow but gets the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl one year after his knee injury.
- Super Bowl prediction: Rams over Chiefs
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Our NFL predictions are in — can Titans shake up AFC South hierarchy?
Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. It is your sole responsibility to act in accordance with your local laws.
Gambling involves risk. Please only gamble with funds that you can comfortably afford to lose. While we do our utmost to offer good advice and information we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of gambling. We do our best to make sure all the information that we provide on this site is correct. However, from time to time mistakes will be made and we will not be held liable. Please check any stats or information if you are unsure how accurate they are. No guarantees are made with regards to results or financial gain. All forms of betting carry financial risk and it is up to the individual to make bets with or without the assistance of information provided on this site and we cannot be held responsible for any loss that may be incurred as a result of following the betting tips provided on this site. Past performances do not guarantee success in the future and betting odds fluctuate from one minute to the next. The material contained on this site is intended to inform, entertain and educate the reader and in no way represents an inducement to gamble legally or illegally or any sort of professional advice.
Prediction Markets: Certain prediction markets are event contracts regulated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) or other applicable regulatory authorities and are legally distinct from traditional gambling and sports betting. Eligibility requirements to participate in prediction markets differ from those for sports betting and gambling — you may be required to be 18 or older (or such other age as the applicable platform requires) and to satisfy other eligibility criteria established by the relevant platform and governing law. Prediction market trading involves financial risk and may not be available in all jurisdictions. The legal and regulatory status of prediction markets varies by jurisdiction and by platform. It is your sole responsibility to confirm that participation is lawful where you reside and to comply with all applicable laws and platform terms.
