2026 Nfl Predictions: Super Bowl 61 Opponents, Winner

Week 1 of the NFL’s 2026 season is upon us, and all 32 teams are still holding hope that this could be their special year. Us in Detroit have been holding that hope longer than almost anyone, but it no longer feels like a distant dream. The Detroit Lions have been in the Super Bowl conversation for four years running, which is more than the previous six decades combined.

But will this finally be the year that we can use the words “Detroit Lions” and “Super Bowl” in a sentence that doesn’t involve the words “never,” “missed,” or “crazy”?

Here are our staff’s predictions for Super Bowl 61:

Previous 2026 Detroit Lions predictions:

• Offensive MVP predictions
• Defensive MVP predictions
• Breakout Player of the Year
• Rookie of the Year
• NFC North winner, Lions’ 2026 regular season record

Who will win Super Bowl 61 for the 2026 NFL season?

Morgan Cannon: Lions over Bills

After the Lions narrowly take care of business against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game, they meet another team that is on the search for their first Lombardi trophy in franchise history: the Buffalo Bills. And after a back-and-forth game where there are plenty of fireworks between the two high-powered offenses, the Lions emerge victorious in a 38-31 win over the Bills. 

The championship parade down Woodward becomes the stuff of legend, and Detroit finally gets to celebrate the way they deserve to.

Al Karsten: Lions over Texans

The Detroit Lions will battle the Houston Texans in Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium, just two weeks after the Lions beat the Rams in that very same stadium in the NFC Championship Game and after the Texans went through the Bills at their new Highmark Stadium.

It’ll be a grind-your-teeth-down, bare-knuckle fight for three quarters, with both defenses holding the advantage before the Lions’ offense finally breaks through and erupts for two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Detroit will capture its first Lombardi Trophy with a decisive 24-13 victory, while Jared Goff takes home Super Bowl MVP honors, narrowly edging out Aidan Hutchinson—who will have made a nest and raised a family while living in the Texans’ backfield for four quarters.

Brandon Knapp: Rams over Ravens

Feels like this is the first super team I’ve seen in the NFL, and it’s the Rams last shot before they have to take things apart to get back up. I believe Matthew Stafford, Aaron Donald, and Davante Adams all retire after this season, and the Rams are doing everything they can to send them out on top.

Anthony Balaj: Broncos over Lions

Sean Payton vs. Dan Campbell is the storyline. Broncos win by a field goal. 

Ryan Mathews: Bengals vs. Lions

The Super Bowl will be a contest between the Cincinnati Bengals and Detroit Lions. The winner will be the one who scores more points than the other team.

John Whiticar: Ravens over 49ers

The Rams and Seahawks are favorites to come out of the NFC, but I think the 49ers are a legitimate challenger too; they were surprisingly good for how snakebit they were last season. As for the AFC, I think the Ravens might finally get over the hump with a new head coach; I think their offense and defense could both be top five units. Give me the Ravens to win it all.

Erik Schlitt: Rams over Bills

I’m going to keep things chalk with my prediction this season (according to most gambling sites) and pick the Rams beating the Bills in the Super Bowl. I’m not as in love with the Rams as most NFL media is, but on paper right now, it’s hard to bet against them.

Jeremy Reisman: 49ers over Broncos

Full disclosure: I’m the only one who made their picks after the first few Week 1 games, so I’m a cheater and a phony. But to be fair, I’ve always been a pretty firm believer in the 49ers and Kyle Shanahan (and I picked them to beat the Rams). If they can get even just a smidge of injury luck this year (off to a bad start), they’ll be as good as anyone. For the second straight year, I’m taking the Broncos as the AFC Super Bowl contender, because they probably should’ve made it last year, and they’re arguably even better on paper this season.