National Football League

Which NFL teams will make the playoffs this year? Colin Cowherd weighs in

Updated Sep. 7, 2021 11:40 a.m. ET

The NFL kicks off this week, but it's never too early to start thinking about the postseason.

Colin Cowherd has some thoughts on which teams will make it that far, and some of his picks might surprise you.

On Monday's "The Herd," Cowherd played a game called "Playoff or Takeoff?" in which he chose 13 teams and sorted them into those he believes will make the playoffs this season and those he thinks are headed for an early vacation instead.

Here's how the list shook out.

San Francisco 49ers

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "They had 31 players last year on the injured reserve list. That's the most in the league, so they had to overcome insane injuries, including to their quarterback. Probably won’t happen again. They also have — and this is hard to imagine based on the division they’re in — the easiest schedule in the NFL based on last year’s opponents’ records. … As long as [Jimmy] Garoppolo can get you to about Week 8, we’ll see what Trey Lance becomes. I say they’re a playoff team."

Chicago Bears

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Here’s the problem: They ended the season poorly, they have a quarterback dilemma, they were 1-7 against teams above .500 and made the playoffs last year. … I also think Minnesota in [this] division will be, arguably, the most improved team in the league, so I don’t think the Bears will get there."

Cincinnati Bengals

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Obvious reasons: They’re still in the middle of a rebuild, and it's arguably the best division in sports. I think their offensive line and wide receiving corps are getting steadier, but until they show me they can protect Joe Burrow — and they were so bad at that last year — I don’t see them as a playoff team."

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Cleveland Browns

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Third-easiest schedule in the league, and they return all 11 offensive starters. You have a Coach of the Year (Kevin Stefanski), bring back the same unit. They’re gonna score a lot of points."

Arizona Cardinals

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Lost six of nine to close out the year, open three of four games on the road, so all of a sudden, you find yourself in a little bit of a hole. I will say the front office built this team to win now, A.J. Green, J.J. Watt … [but] I don’t see it."

Indianapolis Colts

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Frank Reich has made the playoffs two out of three years. They were one of the few teams in the league last year — only five — that were top-10 offense and defense. … I think this is one of the more intriguing teams to watch because they really have one of the deeper running back sets in the league … The offensive line [is] good, and they’re not terribly quarterback-centric."

Dallas Cowboys

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "After the Tampa game, they don’t play a playoff team from last year until Nov. 21, so they’re facing either rebuilding teams, new coaches, new quarterbacks, new staffs. They have the second-easiest schedule in the league. It’s a bad division. So you don’t have to love Dallas — and I don’t — for them to peel off nine or 10 wins."

Philadelphia Eagles

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "They were fine against average teams, 3-3-1 against non-playoff teams. They were terrible against playoff teams, 1-8. Now, I will say this: Tight end and wide receiver units will be strong. If their offensive line — it’s old — can stay healthy, they should be able, in that division, to move the football. … There’s too much noise inside this operation. I don’t see them as a good football team at all."

Jacksonville Jaguars

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "They not only lost, they had the second-worst point differential in the league. … Outside of wide receiver, not a single unit that is even good. … There are some promising young players in the defensive front, and the division [is] bad, so I think they’re gonna lose a lot, but can they lose close and competitively? That’s a win for them."

Carolina Panthers

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "This is very much in the air. They got two things going for them. They were 3-8 in games decided by one possession. That was the most in the league. The way it works in the NFL, if you win a lot of one-possession games one year, it evens out. If you lose a lot of one-possession games, it evens out. Their schedule [is] not terribly difficult — rebuilding Saints, rebuilding Atlanta, they open with the Jets — but this is a rebuild … I don’t think this offensive line can match up with the teams on their schedule to be a playoff team."

New England Patriots

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "It’s an easy schedule. … Seven of their first nine opponents, non-playoff teams. … This team spent $122 million on free agents. The offense is gonna have more juice. So if they can give you 24 points a weekend, which is reasonable, it looks like to me a 10-, 11-win team."

New Orleans Saints

Playoff or takeoff? Takeoff

Colin’s thoughts: "Emmanuel Sanders, gone. Michael Thomas, not around early. Jared Cook, gone. I don’t know what they have at wide receiver. I think this is the weakest wide receiving corps, until Michael Thomas comes back, in the league. They have a long road. They got a quarterback who can throw over the top, [but] they don’t have a receiver who can go over the top."

Washington Football Team

Playoff or takeoff? Playoff

Colin’s thoughts: "First of all, two good receivers. They also acquired Curtis Samuel, and the offensive line is good enough. Antonio Gibson had 11 touchdowns as a rookie. I don’t see the holes on this team. I think they solved the corner issue. Their defensive front is great. … I think in a bad division, they’re the best of bad. This is the team I like more than everybody else in the universe."

Watch Cowherd's full breakdown below.