* – Division Winner

+ – Wild Card Winner

AFC

1. Pittsburgh Steelers*

2. New England Patriots*

3. Houston Texans*

4. Denver Broncos*

5. Cincinnati Bengals+

6. Oakland Raiders+

NFC

1. Carolina Panthers*

2. Green Bay Packers*

3. Arizona Cardinals*

4. Dallas Cowboys*

5. Seattle Seahawks+

6. Minnesota Vikings+

Wild Card

Texans over Raiders

Bengals over Broncos

Cardinals over Vikings

Seahawks over Cowboys

Divisional Round

Steelers over Bengals

Patriots over Texans

Panthers over Seahawks

Packers over Cardinals

Championship Round

Steelers over Patriots

Panthers over Packers

Super Bowl 51

Panthers over Steelers

The one redeeming factor for the Carolina Panthers this season is that they will have a healthy 6’6″ WR Kelvin Benjamin for this game. He will be the biggest difference maker for the Panthers. Yes, the offensive line will have to learn how to protect the edge against elite pass rushers if they want to win a Super Bowl. Von Miller gave them plenty of tape to watch and they will find success this season. Pittsburgh’s defense isn’t the Steel Curtain of years past, but they have plenty of depth to overcome any weaknesses that may come. Ben Roethlisberger will have Antonio Brown and plenty of support from his running backs, Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams. This should be another entertaining game to watch as two of the games best quarterbacks duke it out against two pretty stout defenses. Alas Carolina will be on top lifting their first Lombardi trophy in their third try in franchise history. Final score: Carolina 28 – Pittsburgh 24.