2025 NFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff Picks

The 2024-2025 NFL regular season is over. Seven teams in each conference have a chance to win the Vince Lombardi championship trophy. For those unfamiliar with the updated playoff format, an extra team was added. That means there’s one bye week for the top seeded team in each conference and a Monday night playoff game. Everyone wants to know which three teams in the NFC advance to the divisional round, so here are the best picks come Sunday.

#7 Green Bay Packers v. #2 Philadelphia Eagles

Talk about a nightmare end to the regular season for Green Bay. The loss of Christian Watson to a non-contact knee injury will have Philadelphia’s defensive front feasting on the Packer offense. Runningback Josh Jacobs should soften some of the blows, but it’ll be a long day for quarterback Jordan Love. If it wasn’t lopsided enough, the Eagles will play all their rested offensive starters. A fresh Saquon Barkley will run rampant through a Packers defense that could be on the field most of the game.

Prediction: Eagles win 31-13

#6 Washington Commanders v. # #3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The last time an NFL team from Washington D.C. won a playoff game, it was in 2006 against the Chris Simms led Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Much has changed in 20 years, including the team favored to win. The Commanders had a great season under head coach Dan Quinn and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, but the Buccaneers are better. Head coach Todd Bowles has plenty of tricks, schemes and disguises he didn’t use in the week one matchup against Washington. He also has the defense to snuff out the Commanders run game.

On the flip side, Tampa’s offense is superior to Washington’s defense. The feel-good story for the Commanders is nice, but they aren’t the better and more disciplined team.

Prediction: Buccaneers win 31-13

#5 Minnesota Vikings v. #4 Los Angeles Rams

By far the best wildcard matchup in the conference, many think this will be closer and kinder for the road team. That’s hard to believe when Los Angeles dominated Minnesota at the line of scrimmage in their regular season matchup. In many ways, last weekend’s whooping by Detroit’s defense was similar to how the Rams shut down the Vikings in late October. Minnesota’s defense also struggled against veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles offense. Stafford exploited one-on-one coverage matchups against receivers Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. When Minnesota did counter the pass, runningback Kyren Williams averaged four yards a carry and wore out the Vikings defensive line.

Something else to watch is how Minnesota receiver Justin Jefferson plays against an aggressive defense. He was terrible in his last playoff performance (two years ago when the Vikings lost at home to the New York Giants) and was held to three catches for 54 yards in Minnesota’s most important game in the regular season. It’ll be interesting to see the takes on Jefferson if he disappears against a defense he had eight catches and 115 yards against almost three months ago.

Upset prediction of wildcard weekend: Rams win 35-24

2023 regular season playoff picks record: 4-3