The 2018 NFL playoffs kick off this weekend with four fantastic games on the way to Super Bowl LIII.
We asked 11 of our ESPN NFL experts -- one for each playoff game -- to fill out a postseason bracket and predict the winners for each matchup, from wild-card weekend all the way through the Super Bowl.
Teams had to receive a majority of our experts' votes to move on to the next round, and we reset the bracket after each round. Here's how the bracket ended up, with analysis from our group of experts and projected betting lines courtesy of the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.
Jump to a playoff round:
Wild card | Divisional
Conference title | Super Bowl LIII
Wild-card round
(6) Colts at (3) Texans
Point spread: HOU -1.5
Our prediction: Texans (7 votes) over Colts (4)
Domonique Foxworth, The Undefeated senior writer: Home field might not be much of an advantage in this game. These AFC South rivals split the regular-season series, with each team winning on the road. I expect that trend will be broken in a close game Saturday. Both teams will be able to move the ball and score, but the Colts are more prone to turnovers, with 24 this season to the Texans' 16. The disparity in scoring opportunities, field position and time of possession due to turnover differential will give the edge to the Texans.
(5) Chargers at (4) Ravens
Point spread: BAL -2.5
Our prediction: Chargers (6 votes) over Ravens (5)
Mike Clay, NFL writer: As the voting shows, this was a tough one. On one hand, you have the Chargers, who used one of the league's most talented rosters to produce a 12-4 season, with quality wins over the Seahawks, Steelers and Chiefs late in the season. On the other hand, you have the red-hot Ravens, who are 6-1 since promoting Lamar Jackson to starter, including a 22-10 road victory over the Chargers in Week 16. Both teams are good on defense, but the Chargers hold an edge offensively, averaging three touchdowns per game, which ranks seventh-best in the league. That's compared to 1.9 per game for the Ravens during the Jackson era, which would've ranked seventh-worst over a full season. Having to travel from Los Angeles to Baltimore to play a playoff game at 10:05 a.m. local time surely puts the Chargers at a disadvantage, but expect the better quarterback to be the difference, with Philip Rivers carrying the Chargers to a victory.
(6) Eagles at (3) Bears
Point spread: CHI -6
Our prediction: Bears (10 votes) over Eagles (1)
Matt Bowen, NFL writer: Yes, Bears coach Matt Nagy will dial up some misdirection and use his personnel creatively to open up throwing lanes for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky on Sunday at Soldier Field. But the Bears will advance to the divisional round because of Vic Fangio's opportunistic defense. During the regular season, Chicago surrendered a league-low 17.7 points per game, and it racked up 50 sacks while leading the NFL with 27 interceptions. That's a ball-hawking secondary. Look for this unit to make impact plays against quarterback Nick Foles, while Fangio schemes up different coverage looks to limit Eagles tight end Zach Ertz in critical situations.
(5) Seahawks at (4) Cowboys
Point spread: DAL -2
Our prediction: Cowboys (6 votes) over Seahawks (5)
Field Yates, NFL Insider: These teams are similar stylistically, as both want to run the football on offense. The Seahawks led the NFL in total rushing yards and rushing attempts, while Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott led all players in rushing yards and rushing attempts. This might prove to be a low-scoring affair, but the difference-maker is the home-field edge; the Cowboys -- catalyzed by a young and improving defense -- have won seven of eight games at home this season.
Divisional round
(3) Texans at (2) Patriots
Projected point spread: NE -6.5
Our prediction: Patriots (9 votes) over Texans (2)
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: We've seen this show before. The Texans and Patriots have played 11 times. New England has won 10 of them, including twice by double digits in the playoffs at Gillette Stadium. Yes, Houston arguably has the most well-rounded team. And the 2018 Patriots certainly aren't among the best teams in franchise history. But one thing is certain: The Patriots rarely lose at home in the playoffs. They've won their past nine postseason games at home. This game will be closer than the Texans' previous trips to Gillette, but the outcome will be the same.
(5) Chargers at (1) Chiefs
Projected point spread: KC -4
Our prediction: Chiefs (9 votes) over Chargers (2)
Jason Reid, The Undefeated senior writer: The Chiefs led the league in both total offense (425.6 yards per game) and scoring offense (35.3 points per game) as second-year quarterback Patrick Mahomes has rocketed to superstardom. Mahomes' combination of arm strength, smarts and dizzying improvisational skills makes him one of the game's most difficult players to plan against. As good as the Chiefs are offensively, they're almost equally as bad defensively, at least statistically. They ranked second to last in total defense (404.5 yards per game). Ordinarily, a bottom-tier defense would be too much for the Chiefs to overcome against the well-coached Chargers. But the thing is, there's nothing ordinary about Mahomes.
(3) Bears at (2) Rams
Projected point spread: LAR -6
Our prediction: Bears (7 votes) over Rams (4)
Bill Barnwell, NFL writer: The Rams are banged up. Sean McVay's offense ranked 24th in win probability added from Weeks 13 to 17, which was after the Rams' classic 54-51 win over the Chiefs and their subsequent bye. The offense felt the loss of Cooper Kupp and saw Todd Gurley slowed by ankle and knee injuries. Against a relatively healthy Bears team and a dominant defense, there isn't much margin for error.
(4) Cowboys at (1) Saints
Projected point spread: NO -7.5
Our prediction: Saints (11 votes) over Cowboys (0)
KC Joyner, NFL writer: The Saints' go-to formula has been the ground game, but they will want to change that when facing a Dallas defense that ranked second in yards per carry before first defensive contact (1.4) from Weeks 13 to 16. That game plan alteration should work exceptionally well, as the New Orleans offense ranked second in pass pressure rate allowed (PPR, 18.4 percent) and fourth in quarterback contact rate (QCR, 7.5 percent) in that same time frame. That advantage dovetails perfectly with the Cowboys' pass-rushing woes, as the Dallas defense rated 29th in PPR (24.2), 23rd in QCR (11.2), 28th in sack rate (4.7 percent) and 20th in average time allowed in pocket (2.3 seconds) in Weeks 13 to 16. The Cowboys also don't have an offense that can keep up with a high-scoring passing attack, as their 1.6 points per drive in the last quarter of the season ranked 24th. Add it up and it means the Saints' passing prowess will lead to a vastly different outcome than the last time these teams squared off.
Conference championships
(2) Patriots at (1) Chiefs
Projected point spread: KC -3
Our prediction: Chiefs (10 votes) over Patriots (1)
Mike Sando, senior NFL writer: The Andy Reid-era Chiefs have gone 2-2 with 12 touchdown passes and two interceptions in four games against the Patriots. The two losses were on the road by a combined 10 points. Kansas City's home-field advantage will be critical for the team's one strong suit on defense -- its pass rush -- to prevent Tom Brady from getting to yet another Super Bowl.
(3) Bears at (1) Saints
Projected point spread: NO -6
Our prediction: Saints (9 votes) over Bears (2)
Dan Graziano, national NFL writer: We all know how great the Saints can be on offense. We all know the Bears rely on a killer defense. But what a lot of people aren't realizing yet about the Saints is how good they are on defense. Since their 45-35 shootout with the Rams in Week 9, the Saints are allowing only 16.9 points per game -- fewer than any team in the league except the Colts and, yes, the Bears. Chicago's D is no joke, and if it can clamp down on Michael Thomas, it can limit what Drew Brees can do in the passing game. But the Saints are equipped to win a low-scoring game, too, if that's what it comes to. And especially in the Superdome, it's easier to imagine New Orleans' defense flustering Mitchell Trubisky than it is to imagine Chicago's D smothering Brees.
Super Bowl LIII
(1) Saints vs. (1) Chiefs in Atlanta
Projected point spread: NO -1.5 | Projected over/under: 59.5 points
Our prediction: Saints (8 votes) over Chiefs (3)
Median score: Saints 35, Chiefs 34
Mina Kimes, NFL writer: In a season that began with a scoring binge, it seems only appropriate that two of the league's offensive superpowers would meet in Super Bowl LIII. The bigger difference lies on the other side of the ball; the Chiefs' defense, which has an explosive pass rush and little else, ranks 26th in DVOA, while New Orleans ranks 11th (both teams look better when the results are skewed toward more recent games). New Orleans' secondary might have trouble stopping Kansas City speedster Tyreek Hill, but the team's run defense is incredibly stout, and the Saints have limited tight ends to less than 40 yards per game, which ranks fourth in the NFL. In the end, those strengths could give the Saints an edge in a matchup between the league's two best quarterbacks in 2018.