The NFL season is just days away and the excitement is palpable. The Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens begin the 2024 regular season with an AFC Championship rematch that will feature a banner ceremony for the back-to-back. Super Bowl champions
Last year, the best division in football was the AFC North, but will that be the case again? We asked the CBS Sports staff to predict the best division in football for 2024, along with their Super Bowl confrontation and choose to win it all.
The team at CBS Sports also gave their boldest predictions for the season, from the Packers winning it all to the Rams being the best NFC team. These bold predictions will either bring us to “worst takes” at the end of the season, or we’ll get the last laugh.
Note: Staff members Shanna McCarriston, Tyler Sullivan, Jordan Dajani, John Breech, Garrett Podell, Bryan DeArdo, Cody Benjamin and Jared Dubin participated.
Best division predictions
Most popular choice: AFC North
It’s no surprise that the AFC North is the most popular choice. All four teams had a winning percentage above .500 last season, the only division in the league to achieve that. With Joe Burrow returning for the Bengals, Lamar Jackson coming off an MVP season, the Steelers having new quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and the Browns hoping for a breakout year from Deshaun Watson, every team is set up for success this year.
The Bengals and Ravens are both +145 to win the division, with the Browns following at +525 and the Steelers at +750.
Super Bowl matchup and winner predictions
- McCarriston: Chiefs over Lions
- Sullivan: Packers over Jets
- Dajani: Lions over Chiefs
- Rear: Bengal over Lions
- Podell: Packers over Ravens
- DeArdo: 49ers over Bengals
- Benjamin: Eagles over Bengal
- Dubin: Chiefs over 49ers
Most popular choice to achieve Super Bowl: lions
Most popular choice to win Super Bowl: bosses
The Chiefs are the favorites to win it all again this year (+575), with the 49ers at No. 2 (+625), followed by the Ravens (+900), Lions (+1000), Eagles (+1300) and Bengal (+1300).
Three writers have the Lions headed to New Orleans and they are arguably the biggest up and coming team. Their historic season in 2023 and retention of their stars make them a good choice to take that next step and reach the biggest stage in American sports. They came close last season, losing to the 49ers in the NFC Championship.
Bold predictions for 2024 season
McCarriston: Jets miss playoffs
The Jets are favored to win the AFC East at +165 and are -180 to make the playoffs. They have the sixth best odds to win it all at +1700.
Sullivan: Seahawks reach playoffs, win playoff game
The Seahawks have the third best odds to win their division at +600 and are +170 to make the playoffs.
Dajani: Jets win the AFC East
The Jets return their Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, who missed the entire season last year.
Rear: Rams get #1 seed in NFC
The Rams aren’t even favored to win their division, never mind having the top spot in the conference. LA is +350 to come out on top of the NFC West.
Podell: Jordan Love wins NFL and Super Bowl MVP
The Packers have slightly better odds than many may think, coming in the top 10 to be crowned Super Bowl champions at the end of the year (+1700). Love has certainly shown he has potential in this league and is tied for the sixth best odds to win league MVP along with Brock Purdy (+1500).
DeArdo: Ravens miss playoffs
The Ravens are not only expected to make the playoffs (-270), but have the third best odds to win it all (+900), so this is indeed a bold prediction.
Benjamin: The Seahawks are emerging as a top contender in the NFC
The Seahawks are a popular choice as a surprise team to perform well this season. CBS Sports predicted that Seattle will go 9-8 this year.
Dubin: The Saints bottom out and have a top 5 pick next year
CBS Sports predicts the Seahawks will go 6-11 and they have problems in many areas, specifically their offensive line.
