- May 21, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Lectrician2 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Team logos via ESPN.
The NFL trade deadline passed Tuesday, and the Minnesota Vikings responded by acquiring Kirk Cousins. The move is projected to lift the Vikings from 10 wins to 11, though still only third place in the NFC North.
Analytics expert Stephen Oh simulated the remaining 136 regular-season games plus 13 playoff contests. His projection delivers a historic result: all four NFC North teams reaching the postseason for the first time ever. The division was not capable of such a feat until the 2020 playoff expansion to 14 teams.
The projected NFC field: 1. 49ers (7-1), 2. Lions (6-2), 3. Giants (5-2-1), 4. Buccaneers (3-6), 5. Bears (7-2), 6. Vikings (6-2), 7. Packers (6-3). The Seahawks and Rams are projected to miss at 5-4.
The AFC picture shows unusual stability, with the same seven teams seeded identically for a second straight week: Bills, Jaguars, Broncos, Bengals, Chiefs, Steelers and Patriots.
Oh's simulation crowns a champion: Buffalo, with a 16.94% title probability, the highest in the league.
Mickey's Angle: The NFC North is the story here—four playoff teams would be uncharted territory, and the divisional round could feature three of them. Buffalo's 16.94% Super Bowl probability stands out in a crowded field.
Source: CBS Sports - written by Mickey the Mouth from the original report.