Who will rule the NFC? Full 2026-27 NFL conference preview

The wait is over. The new 2026-27 NFL season is here, with the Seattle Seahawks opening the curtain as the reigning Super Bowl LX champions. Seattle defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium last February, capturing the second Vince Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

This year’s kickoff brings a rematch between the Seahawks and Patriots at Lumen Field, although the teams enter the season in different situations following the moves they made during the offseason. Ultimately, however, both teams have their sights set on reaching the biggest game of the year, which will be played at SoFi Stadium on February 14, 2027.

NFC West: The NFL’s strongest division this season

Los Angeles Rams: The LA team enters the season as the team to beat. Even before the opening kickoff, the Rams are the favorites among sportsbooks to win this year’s Super Bowl, which, incidentally, will be played in their home stadium at SoFi Stadium.

It is no coincidence that the Rams have been given favorite status, as they were one of the teams that made the biggest upgrades over the past several months. With the arrival of Myles Garrett, the defense looks capable of becoming a wall, as the player has remained one of the most dominant defenders in the league and is coming off a season in which he recorded 23 sacks.

The Rams also brought back Aaron Donald, who, despite being 35 years old and having spent two years retired, has always been one of the defining players at his position. They also added cornerbacks Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson to strengthen the secondary.

On offense, Puka Nacua (129 receptions and 1,715 receiving yards) and Davante Adams remain the primary weapons for quarterback Matthew Stafford, now 39, who is coming off a season in which he threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns, numbers that earned him the MVP award. Stafford also has young options behind him, including rookies Ty Simpson and Stetson Bennett, who impressed during the preseason.

Seattle Seahawks: The reigning champions enter the season hoping to defend the title they won last year, first by securing the NFC and earning another trip to the Super Bowl.

Defensively, the Seahawks have largely retained their core, with players such as Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy II, Jarran Reed, and DeMarcus Lawrence, among others. The unit allowed just 17.2 points per game last season.

On offense, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba will look to lead the team’s attack, after finishing 2025 with 1,793 receiving yards and being named the Offensive Player of the Year. Fans will also be hoping quarterback Sam Darnold can remain consistent after leading the team with 4,048 passing yards and 25 touchdowns last season.

There are also some significant losses to account for. Running back Kenneth Walker III, the MVP of Super Bowl LX, left for the Kansas City Chiefs, while Zach Charbonnet is recovering from an injury. As a result, Seattle will turn to rookie Jadarian Price, who will share the backfield with George Holani.

The biggest loss on the sideline will be former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who left to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals remain in rebuilding mode following an extremely difficult season. The team finished with a 3-14 record, and with the arrival of head coach Mike LaFleur, they will look to turn things around.

The team will put its hopes in star tight end Trey McBride, who is expected to lead the offense alongside young talents such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and recently re-signed Michael Wilson, who finished the season strongly. The Cardinals also selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick, giving them another intriguing piece for the ground game.

Questions remain at quarterback, however, after Kyler Murray departed for the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona will now turn to Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, and rookie Carson Beck, who already made his debut in the Hall of Fame Game.

San Francisco 49ers: The Niners could be one of the teams to beat in the conference, but they need to stay healthy, given their long history of dealing with injuries.

Running back Christian McCaffrey remains one of the team’s biggest offensive weapons. He has also shown that he can contribute as a receiver, although his impact will depend in part on how many games he is able to remain on the field. George Kittle is another player who makes a difference, as the tight end remains one of QB Brock Purdy’s favorite targets.

For this season, the Bay Area team is excited about the arrival of Mike Evans from the Buccaneers following his recovery from injury, as well as the return of Deebo Samuel, who comes back after a brief stint with the Commanders.

NFC East: An intense battle with plenty to prove

New York Giants: The John Harbaugh era begins in New York. The head coach arrives after his time with the Baltimore Ravens, putting the spotlight on the team from the Big Apple as the new season begins.

This will be a year of consolidation for QB Jaxson Dart, who showed his hunger for a bigger role for much of last season after beginning the year as a backup. Now, the path is clear for him to take over as the starter. The Giants will also get the return of running back Cam Skattebo and wide receiver Malik Nabers from injury, both of whom were significant losses for the offense. The team has also added Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr.

Washington Commanders: It is difficult to predict what lies ahead for the team from the nation’s capital. Just two seasons ago, they reached the NFC Championship Game, although some might argue that they did so unexpectedly. Last year, they were expected to maintain a similar level of play, but that did not happen, as they finished 5-12.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels is expected to be the team’s X-factor. The Commanders added Stefon Diggs, Rachaad White and Chig Okonkwo to an offense that already featured players such as Terry McLaurin and running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who recorded 805 rushing yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie.

Philadelphia Eagles: The Super Bowl LIX champions have unfinished business with their fans. They had the tools to compete for another championship but were eliminated in the Wild Card Round.

Although they suffered some significant departures, including wide receiver A.J. Brown, the Eagles will rely on their experienced offensive core, led by quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert and an offensive line featuring Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson. The defense also features notable names such as Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, along with the addition of Riq Woolen.

Dallas Cowboys: The Cowboys’ biggest priority this offseason was to rebuild their defensive line, bringing in intriguing players such as Quinnen Williams, Rashan Gary, Caleb Downs, and experienced veteran Von Miller.

The additions are intended to give the team from the Lone Star State a stronger defense after the departure of Micah Parsons created major questions. On offense, led by QB Dak Prescott, the Cowboys have two important pillars at wide receiver in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, who both ranked among the NFL’s statistical leaders.

NFC North: The Lions will showcase their explosive offense

Minnesota Vikings: The Vikings struggled offensively as star wide receiver Justin Jefferson saw a slight dip in his numbers. While his statistics were far from poor, they did decline compared with previous seasons. Jefferson finished with 84 receptions, 1,048 receiving yards and an average of 12.5 yards per reception.

Running back Jordan Mason will also have an important role in the offense after rushing for 758 yards and six touchdowns at 4.8 yards per carry last season.

The Vikings have also named newly acquired Kyler Murray their starting quarterback after he arrived from the Arizona Cardinals, replacing J.J. McCarthy, who had a modest 2025 season with just 11 touchdowns and 1,632 passing yards

Chicago Bears: The reigning NFC North champions have looked sharp, coming off a surprising season in which they finished with an 11-6 record.

QB Caleb Williams had a strong 2025 campaign, throwing for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns, although he also threw seven interceptions and completed 58.1% of his passes.

The running game could be limited early on as the team’s backs work their way back into form, including D’Andre Swift (1,087 yards and nine touchdowns) and Kyle Monangai (783 yards and five touchdowns). The Bears will look to make an impact through the air with Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, Luther Burden and Cole Kmet.

Green Bay Packers: The team has enough talent to compete near the top of the conference, led by QB Jordan Love, who has several options to distribute the ball to, including Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, Jayden Reed, and Romeo Doubs.

On defense, the Packers made a major addition last year in Micah Parsons, while also bringing in veteran Javon Hargrave and rookie Chris McClellan.

Detroit Lions: The Lions have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. They finished last season with 481 points, an average of 28.3 points per game, which ranked fourth in the league.

Jahmyr Gibbs, the highest-paid running back in the NFL, rushed for 1,223 yards and also demonstrated his ability to contribute as a receiver when needed. Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is another key piece after recording 1,401 receiving yards, making him the primary weapon for QB Jared Goff, who threw for 4,564 yards in 2025.

NFC South: The division looking to rise again in the NFL

New Orleans Saints: The Saints have questions on both sides of the ball as they enter the season after being one of the league’s weaker teams, finishing with a 6-11 record.

One of their strengths is pass defense, as they allowed just 3,046 passing yards, the fourth-best mark in the league. They intercepted 10 passes while allowing just 5.7 yards per pass attempt. The Saints also showed strength up front, recording 49 sacks throughout the season, the fourth-best total in the league. Cameron Jordan accounted for 10.5 of those sacks himself.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: QB Baker Mayfield will once again look to lead the offense. In 2025, he threw for 3,693 yards and 26 touchdowns, while also throwing 11 interceptions.

Mayfield will be the central figure after the team extended his contract through 2029 in a deal worth $169 million. Among his offensive weapons will be Emeka Egbuka, who will take on a leading role following the departure of Mike Evans. In the running game, the Buccaneers will rely on Bucky Irving and newcomer Kenneth Gainwell, who enjoyed a productive stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Atlanta Falcons: The Falcons will begin the 2026-27 season with Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback, while Michael Penix Jr. continues to recover from an ACL injury. It marks the sixth consecutive season in which Atlanta will begin the year with a different starting quarterback.

The team’s biggest offensive strength will be running back Bijan Robinson, who produced 1,478 rushing yards, 5.2 yards per carry and seven touchdowns in 2025. He also added 820 receiving yards.

Carolina Panthers: The Panthers will look to defend their NFC South crown, entering the season with a deeper roster than they had a year ago.

Bryce Young has brought renewed optimism to the franchise following a strong 2025 season in which he threw for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns. Joining him is wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who recorded 70 receptions for 1,014 yards and seven touchdowns.

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