The 2016 NFL regular season schedule is out, and with teams starting to take shape — the NFL draft will not dramatically change the outlook of a lot of teams — we can start to throw out more educated predictions on how teams will finish next season. After going through every single regular season game and predicting a winner, here are our early picks for how the NFL season, including playoffs, will shake out. You can find the final standings below. 

(Home team in CAPS)

Week 1

Panthers 24, BRONCOS 16
FALCONS 30, Buccaneers 27
Vikings 23, TITANS 13
EAGLES 30, Browns 20
JETS 24, Bengals 21
Raiders 27, Saints 24
Chargers 31, CHIEFS 21
Bills 23, RAVENS 16
TEXANS 17, Bears 14
Packers 34, JAGUARS 28
SEAHAWKS 27, Dolphins 10
COWBOYS 37, Giants 20
COLTS 28, Lions 17
CARDINALS 27, Patriots 24
STEELERS 41, Redskins 20
49ERS 23, Rams 13

Week 2

BILLS 20, Jets 13
PANTHERS 34, 49ers 20
Cowboys 27, REDSKINS 24
STEELERS 31, Bengals 28
GIANTS 35, Saints 31
PATRIOTS 37, Dolphins 19
CHIEFS 32, Texans 17
LIONS 24, Titans 23
Ravens 28, BROWNS 20
Seahawks 21, RAMS 17
CARDINALS 30, Buccaneers 23
CHARGERS 28, Jaguars 22
RAIDERS 21, Falcons 13
BRONCOS 23, Colts 17
VIKINGS 27, Packers 23
BEARS 26, Eagles 19

Week 3

PATRIOTS 34, Texans 17
Cardinals 23, BILLS 14
Raiders 30, TITANS 19
REDSKINS 27, Giants 26
DOLPHINS 23, Browns 17
JAGUARS 27, Ravens 21
PACKERS 27, Lions 16
Broncos 20, BENGALS 14
PANTHERS 23, Vikings 9
BUCCANEERS 27, Rams 13
SEAHAWKS 41, 49ers 17
CHIEFS 23, Jets 18
COLTS 37, Chargers 30
Steelers 38, EAGLES 24
COWBOYS 23, Bears 20
SAINTS 31, Falcons 22

Week 4

BENGALS 26, Dolphins 20
JAGUARS 34, Colts 31
TEXANS 27, Titans 23
REDSKINS 28, Browns 24
JETS 19, Seahawks 13
PATRIOTS 29, Bills 19
FALCONS 27, Panthers 21
RAVENS 32, Raiders 17
BEARS 27, Lions 24
Broncos 31, BUCCANEERS 14
CARDINALS 30, Rams 17
CHARGERS 41, Saints 34
49ERS 21, Cowboys 20
STEELERS 27, Chiefs 23
VIKINGS 20, Giants 10

Week 5

49ERS 27, Cardinals 20
PATRIOTS 37, Browns 17
LIONS 23, Eagles 21
COLTS 27, Bears 20
DOLPHINS 34, Titans 12
RAVENS 24, Redskins 13
VIKINGS 24, Texans 19
Jets 23, STEELERS 20
BRONCOS 21, Falcons 16
COWBOYS 26, Bengals 23
Bills 14, RAMS 10
RAIDERS 23, Chargers 21
PACKERS 37, Giants 7
PANTHERS 31, Buccaneers 13

Week 6

CHARGERS 24, Broncos 20
49ers 27, BILLS 17
REDSKINS 31, Eagles 23
Browns 27, TITANS 24
GIANTS 31, Ravens 28
Panthers 32, SAINTS 27
BEARS 23, Jaguars 16
RAMS 27, Lions 21
Steelers 24, DOLPHINS 20
PATRIOTS 34, Bengals 21
RAIDERS 20, Chiefs 13
SEAHAWKS 27, Falcons 13
PACKERS 27, Cowboys 17
TEXANS 34, Colts 23
CARDINALS 28, Jets 20

Week 7

PACKERS 20, Bears 17
RAMS 23, Giants 21
CHIEFS 27, Saints 20
Colts 27, TITANS 6
Vikings 13, EAGLES 6
BENGALS 20, Browns 3
Redskins 20, LIONS 17
JAGUARS 31, Raiders 24
Bills 23, DOLPHINS 21
JETS 20, Ravens 17f
49ERS 31, Buccaneers 27
FALCONS 28, Chargers 24
STEELERS 34, Patriots 29
Seahawks 31, CARDINALS 20
BRONCOS 17, Texans 6

Week 8

TITANS 27, Jaguars 21
BENGALS 26, Redskins 19
COLTS 31, Chiefs 20
BUCCANEERS 23, Raiders 21
SAINTS 30, Seahawks 29
TEXANS 24, Lions 21
Jets 26, BROWNS 23
Packers 27, FALCONS 20
Patriots 30, BILLS 20
BRONCOS 24, Chargers 13
PANTHERS 30, Cardinals 20
COWBOYS 28, Eagles 17
BEARS 20, Vikings 14

Week 9

BUCCANEERS 30, Falcons 27
VIKINGS 23, Lions 10
GIANTS 28, Eagles 23
DOLPHINS 20, Jets 17
CHIEFS 23, Jaguars 13
Cowboys 21, BROWNS 16
RAVENS 20, Steelers 17
49ERS 34, Saints 31
Panthers 23, RAMS 20
PACKERS 30, Colts 28
CHARGERS 31, Titans 13
RAIDERS 17, Broncos 13
SEAHAWKS 31, Bills 0

Week 10

Browns 17, RAVENS 14
JAGUARS 23, Texans 20
SAINTS 24, Broncos 13
JETS 22, Rams 14
EAGLES 27, Falcons 23
PANTHERS 20, Chiefs 10
Bears 24, BUCCANEERS 23
REDSKINS 21, Vikings 13
Packers 45, TITANS 20
CHARGERS 27, Dolphins 19
CARDINALS 34, 49ers 13
STEELERS 33, Cowboys 27
PATRIOTS 30, Seahawks 27
GIANTS 27, Bengals 20

Week 11

PANTHERS 34, Saints 17
BROWNS 20, Steelers 17
COWBOYS 37, Ravens 28
Jaguars 37, Lions 21
COLTS 24, Titans 16
BENGALS 20, Bills 13
Buccaneers 23, CHIEFS 21
GIANTS 27, Bears 20
VIKINGS 27, Cardinals 21
RAMS 13, Dolphins 10
Patriots 38, 49ERS 20
SEAHAWKS 24, Eagles 10
REDSKINS 31, Packers 23
RAIDERS 20, Texans 17

Week 12

Vikings 27, Lions 7
COWBOYS 27, Redskins 17
COLTS 32, Steelers 29
BEARS 21, Titans 10
BILLS 20, Jaguars 16
RAVENS 27, Bengals 24
Cardinals 30, Falcons 21
Giants 23, BROWNS 20
SAINTS 34, Rams 24
DOLPHINS 24, 49ers 21
TEXANS 20, Chargers 17
BUCCANEERS 23, Seahawks 21
Panthers 28, RAIDERS 21
BRONCOS 27, Chiefs 20
Patriots 30, JETS 10
Packers 24, EAGLES 13

Week 13

VIKINGS 23, Cowboys 20
FALCONS 27, Chiefs 21
SAINTS 34, Lions 30
PATRIOTS 42, Rams 10
Broncos 21, JAGUARS 20
PACKERS 26, Texans 14
BENGALS 26, Eagles 20
RAVENS 26, Dolphins 20
BEARS 27, 49ers 17
RAIDERS 23, Bills 20
STEELERS 37, Giants 24
CARDINALS 27, Redskins 17
CHARGERS 30, Buccaneers 20
SEAHAWKS 30, Panthers 17
Colts 24, JETS 18

Week 14

CHIEFS 17, Raiders 13
Steelers 20, BILLS 16
Broncos 24, TITANS 10
BUCCANEERS 34, Saints 20
EAGLES 17, Redskins 14
Cardinals 26, Dolphins 20
PANTHERS 37, Chargers 23
BROWNS 20, Bengals 17
Bears 23, LIONS 21
COLTS 27, Texans 20
Vikings 27, JAGUARS 21
49ERS 30, Jets 22
RAMS 27, Falcons 23
PACKERS 23, Seahawks 15
Cowboys 27, GIANTS 21
PATRIOTS 34, Ravens 27

Week 15

SEAHAWKS 31, Rams 10
JETS 27, Dolphins 10
Packers 24, BEARS 20
COWBOYS 31, Buccaneers 12
TEXANS 26, Jaguars 14
BILLS 23, Browns 13
RAVENS 30, Eagles 28
CHIEFS 20, Titans 7
Lions 28, GIANTS 23
VIKINGS 34, Colts 24
CARDINALS 32, Saints 27
49ers 24, FALCONS 21
BRONCOS 21, Patriots 20
CHARGERS 30, Raiders 23
BENGALS 24, Steelers 20
REDSKINS 30, Panthers 27

Week 16

EAGLES 28, Giants 27
Dolphins 14, BILLS 10
Buccaneers 27, SAINTS 20
PATRIOTS 31, Jets 20
JAGUARS 38, Titans 30
PACKERS 21, Vikings 13
Chargers 22, Browns 14
BEARS 26, Redskins 21
PANTHERS 35, Falcons 8
RAIDERS 20, Colts 18
SEAHAWKS 23, Cardinals 14
RAMS 20, 49ers 14
TEXANS 20, Bengals 17
STEELERS 30, Ravens 21
CHIEFS 20, Broncos 10
COWBOYS 30, Lions 7

Week 17

FALCONS 30, Saints 20
BENGALS 24, Ravens 21
GIANTS 31, Redskins 27
TITANS 31, Texans 27
Panthers 27, BUCCANEERS 14
LIONS 18, Packers 10
COLTS 35, Jaguars 32
DOLPHINS 37, Patriots 30
VIKINGS 20, Bears 17
JETS 23, Bills 13
EAGLES 27, Cowboys 20
STEELERS 21, Browns 10
Cardinals 24, RAMS 14
BRONCOS 24, Raiders 13
CHARGERS 27, Chiefs 20
Seahawks 30, 49ERS 20

The final standings…

Some notes from the regular season…

– Three new playoff teams in the AFC, with the Raiders and Chargers taking up the two wild card spots and the Colts overtaking the Texans in the AFC South. Just one change to the NFC playoff field with the Cowboys replacing the Redskins as NFC East champs.

– The Titans grab the No. 1 overall pick for a second consecutive year. But don’t worry, Titans fans: This team is on the right track after fleecing the Rams. If GM Jon Robinson can take advantage of all of those draft picks, a breakout season should be coming in the next few years.

– The Bears, Chargers and Raiders are our surprise teams in 2016. Chicago, however, just missed out on a playoff berth in a tough NFC.

– The Patriots, and their re-tooled offense, lead the league in scoring at 30 points per game. Mike Zimmer’s Vikings finish as the league’s stingiest defense, allowing just 16.6 points a game — slightly better than Seattle’s 16.9 points allowed per game.

Here’s our playoff field…

AFC

1) Patriots
2) Steelers
3) Broncos
4) Colts
5) Chargers
6) Raiders

The road to the Super bowl goes through New England, where the Patriots finished the season undefeated thanks to a high-powered offense. The Steelers finished one game behind New England’s pace and have the offense to hang with the favorites. The rest of the field is a bit weak. The Broncos offense is inconsistent at best with Mark Sanchez under center. The Chargers can score with anyone but the defense is not playoff caliber. And the Raiders are just happy to be playing football in January again.

NFC

1) Packers
2) Panthers
3) Seahawks
4) Cowboys
5) Vikings
6) Cardinals

Green Bay lands homefield advantage thanks a tie-breaker over the Panthers. Seattle finished the season strong (nothing new for the Seahawks) and will take on the Cardinals for a third time in the wild card round after sweeping the regular season series. The Vikings have to go on the road to Dallas despite winning 12 games.

And our picks for how the postseason will play out…

WILDCARD ROUND

BRONCOS 23, Raiders 6

Denver’s pass rush is too much for the Oakland line, and the Broncos force Derek Carr into two interceptions in his postseason debut.

Chargers 31, COLTS 24

Philip Rivers has his way with the Colts defense, and Andrew Luck’s last-minute interception ends the Colts season.

SEAHAWKS 30, Cardinals 28

The Cardinals keep it close, but Russell Wilson does just enough to outscore Carson Palmer, who finds some success against the Legion of Boom after two difficult regular season games.

COWBOYS 23, Vikings 14

The Cowboys’ balanced offense is able to move the ball effectively against the NFL’s best defense, and, with Adrian Peterson in street clothes due to injury, Teddy Bridgewater struggles in his first road playoff game.

DIVISIONAL ROUND

PATRIOTS 37, Chargers 20

New England intercepts Rivers three times and Tom Brady picks San Diego’s overwhelmed defense apart.

STEELERS 27, Broncos 13

The Broncos’ title defense ends here, as Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell all have big days.

PACKERS 30, Cowboys 21

There’s no controversy this time as the Packers build a big lead early and hold off a Tony Romo-led comeback.

PANTHERS 34, Seahawks 28

Cam Newton out-duels Russell Wilson in what has become the NFL’s biggest quarterback rivalry.

CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND

PATRIOTS 27, Steelers 22

Bill Belichick figures out a way to slow down Pittsburgh’s loaded offense and Tom Brady tosses three touchdowns, two going to Rob Gronkowski.

PACKERS 35, Panthers 24

Homefield advantage makes the difference here. After a slow start, Rodgers figures out the Panthers defense and his two fourth-quarter touchdown passes send Green Bay to Houston.

SUPER BOWL LI

Patriots 29, Packers 23

The two best quarterbacks in the league square off in a dream Super Bowl matchup. Belichick wins the coaching battle against Mike McCarthy, which makes the difference in the end. Brady and Belichick get their fifth Super Bowl ring.