With the start of the 2017 season days away, theScore's NFL staff has assembled to predict which team will remain standing as the confetti falls at U.S. Bank Stadium on Feb. 4.
AFC Championship Game
| EDITOR | PREDICTION |
|---|---|
| Amato | Patriots def. Chiefs |
| Belbeck | Steelers def. Texans |
| Browne | Patriots def. Titans |
| Chippin | Patriots def. Raiders |
| McClymont | Steelers def. Raiders |
| McLaren | Patriots def. Raiders |
| Perego | Raiders def. Patriots |
| Sanderson | Patriots def. Titans |
| Srinivasan | Patriots def. Steelers |
NFC Championship Game
| EDITOR | PREDICTION |
|---|---|
| Amato | Seahawks def. Falcons |
| Belbeck | Packers def. Seahawks |
| Browne | Seahawks def. Falcons |
| Chippin | Seahawks def. Packers |
| McClymont | Giants def. Seahawks |
| McLaren | Falcons def. Packers |
| Perego | Packers def. Cowboys |
| Sanderson | Packers def. Giants |
| Srinivasan | Seahawks def. Giants |
Super Bowl LII
| EDITOR | PREDICTION |
|---|---|
| Amato | Patriots def. Seahawks |
| Belbeck | Packers def. Steelers |
| Browne | Seahawks def. Patriots |
| Chippin | Seahawks def. Patriots |
| McClymont | Steelers def. Giants |
| McLaren | Falcons def. Patriots |
| Perego | Raiders def. Packers |
| Sanderson | Packers def. Patriots |
| Srinivasan | Seahawks def. Patriots |
Michael Amato: Patriots 31, Seahawks 20
In a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, the Patriots don't make it nearly as nail-biting. It's hard to imagine there's a team in the AFC this year - or the league, for that matter - that can out-coach Belichick and get the best of Brady.
Dane Belbeck: Packers 34, Steelers 27
A repeat of Super Bowl XLV sees Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers take down the Pittsburgh Steelers yet again. The talented trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell, and Antonio Brown get the AFC North club to the big game, but Rodgers' MVP-winning season culminates with a masterful performance in the Super Bowl, cementing his legacy as one of the best to play the game.
Jack Browne: Seahawks 24, Patriots 21
Who doesn't want to see these teams go at it again? Off the back of an MVP-type campaign, Russell Wilson is the puzzle that Bill Belichick can't figure out. Tom Brady rallies New England, but this time around, it's not enough, as the Legion of Boom gets the best of the future Hall of Famer in the final few minutes. Is it Jimmy G's time now?
Alex Chippin: Seahawks 24, Patriots 20
Brady and Belichick again find a way to navigate the AFC, before meeting a Seahawks club out for revenge from three years back. Julian Edelman's absence in the middle of the field allows Seattle's retooled defense to execute the formula the Giants twice made famous - get to Brady without blitzing - and Pete Carroll makes sure his team runs the ball this time.
Michael McClymont: Steelers 23, Giants 17
Fellow 2004 draftees Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning meet on the big stage for the first time. The Steelers enjoy a full season from their Killer Bs and avoid the Patriots on their way through the AFC playoffs. The Giants hide their offensive deficiencies long enough to reach the title game but fall short of a third Super Bowl triumph under Manning.
Esten McLaren: Falcons 28, Patriots 3
The Atlanta defense is much improved on last year, with a healthy Desmond Trufant, the drafting of Takk McKinley, and an extra year of development for several other key young defenders compensating for any regression on offense. Combine this with Julian Edelman's injury, and the Patriots will be held to just a field goal as the rematch ends in a rout.
Dylan Perego: Raiders 30, Packers 24
The Oakland Raiders have built a team that's among the league's elite, and 2017 will be their time to knock off the New England Patriots' empire. Aaron Rodgers will once again take his team deep, but the Packers' defense won't be able to stop the upstart Raiders.
Mitch Sanderson: Packers 31, Patriots 27
The NFL's best quarterbacks make a rare appearance on the same field in one of the most enjoyable Super Bowls to watch for anyone who likes completed passes, and, for the second time in a row, Aaron Rodgers outduels Tom Brady. As the Patriots' injuries mount through the season, New England still conquers the AFC, but the chemistry Rodgers develops with Davante Adams and Martellus Bennett, on top of his longtime targets, will be too potent for Bill Belichick to stop.
Arun Srinivasan: Seahawks 31, Patriots 30
In a dramatic arc that would make Shakespeare proud, the Seahawks exact revenge against an 18-0 Patriots team, ending what would've been the greatest season of all time. Russell Wilson is more cautious at the goal line and the vaunted Legion of Boom cements itself as the greatest defense of its generation.
