The Los Angeles Rams missed their best chance at a second Super Bowl under Sean McVay thanks to an expected run from the Seattle Seahawks. Who will be the next surprise NFC playoff team in 2026?
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Seahawks have +750 odds to repeat next year, followed by the Rams at +800. Five of the teams with the highest Super Bowl odds reside in the NFC, yet as this season has proved, anyone could come out of nowhere. The conference also featured four different playoff teams from
a year ago, including the top-seeded Seahawks, and No. 2 seed Bears.
New Orleans is a possible contender, as they won four of their last five to finish the season, and play in the painfully bad NFC South. The Saints will play a last-place schedule and have a chance to tee off against weaklings like the Browns, Cardinals, Raiders, Giants and of course, their dreadful division. They already have some believers out there.
The Giants are also a strong possibility, given they hired former Super Bowl champion coach John Harbaugh this offseason. While Harbaugh suffered a heartbreaking end to his time in Baltimore, brighter days seem to be ahead for him in the Big Apple. Before New York hired him, the sentiment around the league was that Big Blue was an elite head coach away from making some noise. With loads of promising young talent already on the roster, it’s hard not to feel that way.
Who do you think will be next year’s surprise NFC playoff team? Will it be the Saints, Giants, or someone else? Let us know in the comments!
