Fans Spot the Next Big Contenders
Football fans across the nation are already guessing which squads will crash the NFC playoff party next season. A recent poll asked readers to pick the new teams that’ll make the cut in 2026. The voting results show a clear shift in how people view the league standings. According to Blogging The Boys, the Panthers were seen as the team most likely to miss the playoffs again. They took 36.6% of the votes for this dubious honor (the highest percentage by far). The Eagles came in second with 17.8% of the vote. The Packers and Bears also faced tough odds in the eyes of the fans.
But the real story lies in who’s expected to rise up. The poll suggests a new order is coming to the NFC. If you flip the votes, the LA Rams look like the top seed. Chicago might grab the second spot. An unidentified NFC East team could take the third seed. This early look at the standings shows how fluid the race really is. Fans are betting on big changes before the season even starts.
LA Rams first?
That’s the projection if you reverse the “most likely to miss” logic from the fan survey. Chicago could grab the runner-up spot, while an unnamed NFC East franchise might snag the third seed. This early look at the standings shows how fluid the race really is. Fans are betting on big changes before the season even starts.
DraftKings Numbers Set the Stage
Bookmakers have released win projections for the 2026 season that tell a different story than the fan poll. According to Blogging The Boys, the Detroit Lions are projected to win 10.5 games. That number puts them as the third-ranked team in the NFC. The Dallas Cowboys sit at 9.5 wins, which ranks them eighth in the conference. This projection is based on their 7-9-1 record from the 2025 season.
Other teams are fighting to prove they’re better than their past records. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings both have 8.5 win projections. The New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, and Washington Commanders all sit at 7.5 wins. Even the Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals have a shot, though their odds are lower. The Cardinals are projected to win only 4.5 games. These numbers show just how much work these teams have to do. Nine wins might be enough to make the playoffs now, but it’s still a tall order for many.
Can 9.5 wins get Dallas in?
That’s the exact number DraftKings assigned to the Cowboys, placing them eighth in the conference despite their 7-9-1 record from the 2025 season. While the Lions look locked in at 10.5, teams like Tampa Bay and Minnesota are hovering around 8.5, creating a crowded middle pack where every single game matters.
The Road to the Super Bowl
History tells us that about three new teams make the playoffs in each conference every year. This rule opens the door for surprise teams to break through. The Green Bay Packers squeezed in with just nine wins last year. The Panthers needed only eight wins to get a berth. This trend suggests that the bar for entry is actually lower than most people think. But for the teams listed in the poll, improving to nine wins is a massive challenge.
The fans can vote for up to three teams they think will make it back. The poll includes nine teams that failed to make the playoffs in 2025. It’ll be interesting to see if the DraftKings numbers match up with fan hope. Some teams have slim chances, but the expanded field gives them a fighting shot. The race for the NFC title is far from over before a single ball is kicked. These projections and polls are just the beginning of a long journey. The real test will come when the games start playing out on the field.
Only eight wins needed?
That’s the exact number the Panthers required to secure a berth last season, proving the entry bar is lower than you’d expect. With the Packers squeezing in at nine wins, history suggests about three new teams break through every year, giving the nine non-playoff squads from 2025 a legitimate fighting shot.
