The NFL playoffs are upon us, which means Super Bowl LIX is just a few weeks away. Fourteen teams remain alive after they battled for months to make the playoffs and are set to embark on a month-long sprint to try and earn a berth in New Orleans and hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Seven teams on each side of the bracket means we've got 49 different possible Super Bowl combinations available to us, along with odds for each matchup as well as exactas for who beats who.
Why not rank every single one!?!? The odds you see below, courtesy of FanDuel, are for just those two teams to meet in the Super Bowl, not who wins. Which is kind of wild, considering a matchup between various teams was probably not even that high before the season.
Such is life when there's a top-heavy group of teams in the AFC and plenty of stout contenders on the NFC side of things as well.
What follows below is a not-so-scientific ranking of all 49 possible matchups plus some pithy commentary. Let's be clear on a few things, though.
One, all Super Bowl matchups are mostly good and/or great. I don't really see a ton of these head-to-heads that I don't actually like, if I'm being honest. But (two), there are definitely some less appealing games when it comes to scoring and that's reflected below to a degree. Third, I love uniform combos! If you don't want that included, make your own list. Four, coaching matters and I want to see some fun coaching matchups (if only we could still get a HarBowl). Fifth, I'm going to try and avoid any major blowouts in the Super Bowl because a close game throughout is better than anything else.
Without further ado, every single possible Super Bowl matchup, ranked:
49. Steelers vs. Commanders (600-1): Look, Jayden Daniels in the Super Bowl his first year would be wild and Steelers fans would travel like crazy, but aesthetically I'm not sure this is what we're looking for. I'm sorry.
48. Broncos vs. Lions (70-1): There's just not a good chance the No. 7 seed with a rookie quarterback is competitive with the Lions in this spot.
47. Texans vs. Commanders (550-1): This would certainly be a boon for the future of the quarterback position in the NFL, but let's not pretend this would be an enthralling matchup for the general public.
46. Broncos vs. Buccaneers (320-1): Only if both teams promise to wear their throwback uniforms. Mile High Orange vs. Creamsicle. Wait, maybe we shouldn't do that, after all.
45. Steelers vs. Eagles (150-1): Saw this in the regular season and don't need to see it again.
44. Texans vs. Buccaneers (320-1): Am I allowed to not want a Super Bowl matchup strictly because the uniform combo won't be attractive? Of course I am.
43. Broncos vs. Commanders (550-1): We've never seen a rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl before so why not make it two?!.
42. Broncos vs. Packers (320-1): Two blue-chip franchises squaring off should probably rate higher but there's just something about this matchup that lacks the necessary sex appeal.
41. Chiefs vs. Buccaneers (25-1): This wasn't a particularly great Super Bowl when Tom Brady was playing for the Bucs and I'm not sure it would be a stupendous game this time around either, just for opposite reasons. Mayfield vs. Mahomes is spicy for college reasons but that's about it.
40. Chargers vs. Commanders (230-1): The ratings, they will not be good.
39. Steelers vs. Vikings (250-1): An aging Russell Wilson vs. a revitalized Sam Darnold in a Super Bowl would be quite the fever dream.
38. Broncos vs. Rams (430-1): Kind of a sneaky coin-flip matchup, but also kind of meh.
37. Steelers vs. Buccaneers (370-1): Russell vs. Baker to kick off Short King Spring.
36. Texans vs. Vikings (210-1): I picture all these games in my mind and when I picture this I make a face like my dog George is sleeping next to me and just cut the cheese.
35. Chargers vs. Buccaneers (130-1): Grinder of a game, might be a bit of a tough watch.
34. Steelers vs. Rams (500-1): I should probably have this even lower tbh.
33. Broncos vs. Vikings (210-1): Denver's just frisky enough, particularly on defense, to keep this one close if they can pressure Sam Darnold.
32. Texans vs. Rams (430-1): It's my list and even I think I might have ranked this one too high.
31. Chiefs vs. Vikings (16-1): A little worried this gets out of hand.
30. Chargers vs. Eagles (50-1): I don't think the Chargers can really get blown out, but this would not be a high-flying matchup.
29. Steelers vs. Lions (80-1): The uniforms are an elite combo and the fanbases would flood NOLA for this matchup, even if the Lions would be massive favorites.
28. Texans vs. Packers (320-1): Two young quarterbacks who were mentioned in the MVP race before the season but disappointed a bit, the streakiness here would be fun to watch.
27. Broncos vs. Eagles (120-1): The upside here would be incredible theater between Sean Payton and Nick Sirianni leading up the game and possibly during it.
26. Chargers vs. Rams (180-1): I looooooooooove LAAAAAAA (and, man, would this be an interesting matchup given what's going on out in Los Angeles right now; thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the wildfires).
25. Ravens vs. Buccaneers (38-1): Todd Monken Revenge Game!!
24. Chargers vs. Vikings (90-1): The uniform matchup is oddly appealing here to me.
23. Chiefs vs. Commanders (44-1): The present vs. the future.
22. Texans vs. Eagles (120-1): If the Texans got here it would mean C.J. Stroud was balling out.
21. Bills vs. Buccaneers (35-1): Alpha male matchup between Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield.
20. Ravens vs. Vikings (25-1): Deeply concerned with a possible blowout here.
19. Texans vs. Lions (70-1): I'm always intrigued by two teams trying to win their first Super Bowl and the stakes involved.
18. Ravens vs. Rams (50-1): This is where we start to get into the blowout concerns even though the coaching and QB matchups are high level.
17. Steelers vs. Packers (370-1): Low-ranked longshot here but the fanbases would be crazed and it harkens back to 2011, albeit with perhaps less impressive offensive production.
16. Chargers vs. Packers (130-1): Maybe I'm higher on the Chargers than everyone else, but I think they're kind of live to make a run this postseason. Same with the Packers. Justin Herbert vs. Jordan Love is pretty spicy for legacy purposes.
15. Bills vs. Vikings (23-1): A little worried the Bills might roll, but same deal with first-ever Super Bowl.
14. Chiefs vs. Rams (34-1): Matthew Stafford with a chance to seal his Hall of Fame legacy going against Mahomes trying to threepeat.
13. Bills vs. Commanders (60-1): Really unlikely matchup, but the combo of two elite rushing QBs clearly gets my engine going.
12. Ravens vs. Packers (38-1): This is just a sneaky fun matchup, wasn't even planning on having it this high.
11. Chargers vs. Lions (28-1): Dan Campbell vs. Jim Harbaugh means the world will have no more brick walls because they'll have been run through in the leadup to this game.
10. Bills vs. Packers (35-1): Do you like GUNSLINGING? Because this is a shooting range, with echoes of Jim Kelly and Brett Favre.
9. Ravens vs. Commanders (65-1): Major blowout possibility, but Lamar Jackson vs. Jayden Daniels 2.0 for all the marbles would be SOMETHING.
8. Bills vs. Eagles (13-1): Another matchup of two of the greatest rushing QBs ever going head-to-head in their prime.
7. Chiefs vs. Packers (25-1): A rematch of the OG Super Bowl. Beautiful uni combo, too.
6. Bills vs. Rams (48-1): I'm biased here because I love Matthew Stafford and I picked this before the season, but it would be an awesome game between two outstanding quarterbacks.
5. Chiefs vs. Eagles (+950): A rematch from two years ago that delivered an incredible Super Bowl plus the added bonus of Andy Reid once again taking on his old team at the highest level looking for a three-peat.
4. Ravens vs. Eagles (14-1): The first-ever ALL BIRD Super Bowl; the pressure and stakes for Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts would be incredible here.
3. Chiefs vs. Lions (+480): We've seen these two square off before, with Detroit winning the opener in K.C. The ultimate "Final Boss" for the Lions as they try to win their first-ever actual Super Bowl.
2. Ravens vs. Lions (+750): Major, major shootout potential here with all the explosive weapons on both sides. The Ravens defense has improved significantly down the stretch, but I'm not sure anyone is slowing down the Lions' lethal offensive attack. Conversely, the defensive injuries to Detroit would likely allow Lamar to cook.
1. Bills vs. Lions (7-1): Two all-time fanbases, accustomed to years of losing, neither with an actual Super Bowl victory. New Orleans filled with rabid Bills and Lions fans would be incredible and the matchup is just as good.
