Here is one question to ask about every single team still alive in the 2026 NFL Playoffs.
No team is ever perfect, not including the 1972 Miami Dolphins, of course. Every team that has ever existed has gone into the NFL Playoffs with question marks. This year is no different. In both conferences, all teams have one fatal flaw that could stand in their way of collecting the ultimate prize of a Lombardi Trophy.
At FlurrySports, we take a look at each team in the 2026 NFL Playoffs heading into Wild Card Weekend and question what each of them needs to answer to win Super Bowl LX.
Question For Each AFC Team in 2026 NFL Playoffs
Denver Broncos
Can Denver continue to win close games at the current rate?
The Denver Broncos are currently 11-2 in one-score games this season. While it certainly is good for their future prospects that they have shown the ability to win close games, they have been on the right side of multiple close games that could have ended much differently. Out of their 13 one-score games, seven of them have come against the likes of the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, New York Giants, Washington Commanders, the Kansas City Chiefs without Patrick Mahomes, and the Las Vegas Raiders twice. They have a habit of playing down to their competition, and that could come back to bite them come playoff time.
New England Patriots
Can the Patriots beat elite teams?
The New England Patriots have only won two games against teams with a winning record. They will suddenly be thrust into a position where they need to string at least two of those same wins together back-to-back to even get to the Super Bowl. While it is certainly far from impossible, the quick step up in competition will be one the Patriots need to figure out fast.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Is Trevor Lawrence good enough?
Trevor Lawrence went on an absolute tear to end the 2025 NFL regular season. Unfortunately, the 2026 NFL Playoffs are a different breed and one he hasn’t had much success with. He is just 1-1 in the playoffs in his career, and while that one win was an impressive 31-30 comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers, he was a big reason they found themselves down 27-0 in the first half to begin with. The AFC is loaded with elite defenses, so he’ll need to continue his recent form of success for the Jags to go far.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Can Aaron Rodgers turn back the clock?
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense and defense have looked bad for long stretches of time this season. To get to the Super Bowl, either the offense or defense needs to step up for Pittsburgh. While the defense has some great impact players like TJ Watt, their offense will be the side of the ball that carries them if they make a long run. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has shown he still has plenty left in his arm, many times this year, but has also had some very uncharacteristic throws that show Father Time is quickly catching up. Does he have enough magic left in his arm, or will the Steelers flame out in the playoffs once again?
Houston Texans
Can Houston’s offense generate enough points?
Outside of the Broncos, there is certainly an argument to be made that the Houston Texans have the best defense not only in the AFC, but in the NFL as well. In their five losses this year, four of them have come against an opponent who has scored 20 points or less. CJ Stroud has regressed slightly this year and will need to be much better to give Houston a chance to make a deep run. While the defense will certainly do the heavy lifting, it is not good enough to survive on its own.
Los Angeles Chargers
Can the Chargers protect Justin Herbert?
The Los Angeles Chargers rank 29th in sacks allowed. Only one other playoff team is below 22nd in sacks allowed. As a lower seed, they will have to travel to face a solid New England Patriots defense. Even if they get past Wild Card Weekend, the Houston Texans could be waiting for them, or any of the aforementioned teams as well. For as good as they can look on both sides of the ball, they can only do so much if quarterback Justin Herbert is constantly running for his life.
Buffalo Bills
Can Josh Allen turn it around?
While Josh Allen’s stats are about where they were last year, he’s looked like a shell of himself the past few weeks. Over the past five weeks, he has averaged just over 191 passing yards per game. While all his other stats are fine comparatively, the Bills need him to be Superman to have a shot. They don’t have a defense like Denver or Houston, and they won’t have home-field advantage for most, if any, of the playoffs either. With all the great defenses in the AFC, someone will figure out how to stuff their running game and force Josh Allen to beat them with his arm. Can he answer the call when needed?
Question For Each NFC Team in 2026 NFL Playoffs
Seattle Seahawks
Which Sam Darnold will we get?
For as good as the Seattle Seahawks can be, they will still live and die by the arm of Sam Darnold, as no other part of their team is “elite.” Unfortunately, Sam Darnold is one of the most inconsistent quarterbacks in the league. From Week 1 through Week 8, Darnold had over 2,000 passing yards with 16 touchdowns and just five interceptions. From Week 9 through Week 16, he had over 1,700 passing yards with nine touchdowns and nine interceptions. Against the NFC as a whole, he had an 18:11 touchdown to interception ratio and a 101.0 quarterback rating. Against divisional opponents, he had just four touchdowns and seven interceptions with a quarterback rating of 81.2. If he can’t give Seattle more consistent play, they’re in a world of trouble.
Chicago Bears
How long can the luck continue?
Before any Chicago Bears fans come at me for this, let’s be honest with each other: the Bears are quite literally three plays away from being .500 right now. At 11-5, the Bears had a point differential of just +29 heading into Week 18. That is lower than that of the Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts and is good for 15th in the NFL. They’ve lost by 31 in Week 2 to the Detroit Lions and lost by 14 to the Baltimore Ravens without Lamar Jackson. Chicago has beaten the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Giants by a combined 11 points. Combined, those four teams had a record of 15-49 heading into Week 18. With much tougher competition on deck in the 2026 NFL Playoffs, will the Bears be able to continue to get the bounce of the ball, or will fate catch up with them?
Philadelphia Eagles
Can the offense figure it out?
The Philadelphia Eagles may be atop the NFC East, but their offense has looked like that of a team about to pick in the top five of next year’s draft at times. In the last eight weeks, Philadelphia has scored less than 20 points in five games. While some of those games have come against tougher defenses, this is the same offense that scored at ease on the Kansas City Chiefs in last year’s Super Bowl. For as good as their defense is, it won’t matter if the offense continues to struggle to score 20 points per game at the least.
Carolina Panthers
Are they just a product of the NFC South?
While the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South, one thing is for certain: it is only because of the division’s own incompetence that they made the playoffs. The New Orleans Saints’ recent winning streak covers up their 2-10 start, the Atlanta Falcons only play well when they’re eliminated and would’ve been in if they hadn’t lost to the 3-13 New York Jets, the Carolina Panthers were so bad they had fans stop recording team podcasts for their own sanity, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went 2-8 from Weeks 7 through 17. Carolina has shown flashes that they might be able to surprise fans for an upset in the Wild Card round, but is that due to poor competition, or is it for real?
San Francisco 49ers
Can you stay healthy?
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: The San Francisco 49ers are one of the most talented teams on paper, but are decimated by injuries this year. With Fred Warner and Nick Bosa just two of the many big names out for the 49ers, their defense is already in rough shape. One more injury on either side of the ball can be the straw that finally breaks the camel’s back.
Los Angeles Rams
Are you slumping, or have the last six weeks been a fluke?
The Carolina Panthers have beaten some good teams this year; however, nobody expected them to beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13. In the four games after, up until Week 18, the Rams went 2-2 with a win over the Arizona Cardinals and the Detroit Lions, but also losses via a blown lead to the Seattle Seahawks and an embarrassing 21-0 halftime hole to the Atlanta Falcons they couldn’t quite get out of. The Los Angeles Rams have shown an inability to play a full 60-minute game of football as of late. In the 2026 NFL Playoffs, that can and will be deadly to their chances of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy again.
Green Bay Packers
Who’s Left?
If you thought the injuries to the San Francisco 49ers were bad, try looking at the Packers’ injury report sometime. Not only is star edge rusher Micah Parsons out, but so are stud defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins and star tight end Tucker Kraft, just to name a few. Over the past few weeks, especially in their drubbing at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in Week 17, it’s clear that the Packers are a team that is running on empty, and to be completely honest, barely even has the bodies left to field an NFL-caliber team. This season might already be over as it stands, but any other injury of any kind on the defensive side of the ball will all but seal it.
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