Who will win Super Bowl & be MVP? NFL pundits' predictions

The new NFL season is upon us and that means it is time for our American football experts to make their predictions on the key issues.

Who will win the Super Bowl? Who will be the league's MVP? Who will be the surprise package to watch out for? And who will be the biggest disappointments?

To get the answers to all these questions, and more, we've assembled a panel of BBC gridiron experts.

We got BBC Sport correspondent Nesta McGregor and presenter Hugh Ferris, BBC Radio 5 Live presenters Rob Staton and Mike White along with BBC Sport journalists Paul Higham and Ben Collins to make their picks.

So let's see what they are predicting for this season.

Hugh Ferris: Buffalo Bills

Get past the Chiefs (or avoid them altogether) and who knows? Surely it's time for their long wait for a first Lombardi Trophy to end, particularly with the 2024 league MVP on offence, and a defence bolstered by the draft and free agency.

Runners-up: Detroit Lions.

Nesta McGregor: Baltimore Ravens

This is a pick more with my heart than my head, so desperate am I to see Lamar Jackson crowned a champion. Every year he seems to improve and add something to his game. Let this be the year the Ravens go all the way.

Runners-up: Philadelphia Eagles

Rob Staton: Cincinnati Bengals

It's probably a brave choice but if Joe Burrow can play the way he did at the end of last season, with all their key stars returning, perhaps they can make it back to the Super Bowl and this time come out on top?

Runners-up: Green Bay Packers

Mike White: Baltimore Ravens

Picked with an element of trepidation due to Lamar Jackson's play-off history but a running quarterback who also passes for 40+ touchdowns speaks for itself and with the players at his disposal, plus a respected defence, this will be the year he gets over the line.

Runners-up: Green Bay Packers

Ben Collins: Buffalo Bills

With the Chiefs' challenge fading, Josh Allen makes his Super Bowl breakthrough and the Bills finally claim their first NFL title.

Runners-up: Green Bay Packers

Paul Higham: Green Bay Packers

Matt LaFleur is criminally underrated as a head coach - making the play-offs with the youngest squad in the NFL the last two seasons. They're the young guns again, but Jordan Love has found his feet, they drafted a receiver in the first round and, oh yes that's right, they pulled off that blockbuster trade for Micah Parsons! It's time to back the Pack.

Runners-up: Buffalo Bills

Hugh Ferris: Joe Burrow

He should have been more a part of the conversation last year after single-handedly almost overcoming an appalling defence to drag the Bengals into the play-offs. With wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins being signed to big new deals in the off season, he has his weapons for the long term.

Nesta McGregor: Saquon Barkley

He deserved to win it last year. Should his numbers even come close this season, the voters will have no choice. Sidenote: If another quarterback wins the award this season can we please have a separate award for all other positions.

Rob Staton: Joe Burrow

Nobody was playing better football at the end of last season. He's got all of his weapons back and it could be Burrow's year to reach the pinnacle.

Ben Collins: Joe Burrow

It was only the Bengals' defence that denied Burrow a legitimate shot at last season's award but this year he will earn the recognition his talent deserves.

Paul Higham: Lamar Jackson

The two-time MVP arguably played better than Josh Allen last season and not much has changed. The best running quarterback we've ever seen also threw 41 touchdowns last season, and more of that will strengthen his case further to win it for a third time.

Hugh Ferris: Cincinnati Bengals

Burrow plus a better defence = a deep play-off run?

Nesta McGregor: Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow & Co, if you're reading this, how about starting the season off strongly instead of always playing catch up? Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins got paid - with job security you can either coast or thrive. Make it the latter!

Rob Staton: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The NFC looks wide open so there's a chance for the Bucs, Commanders or Seahawks to make a jump here.

Mike White: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

They picked up some big wins last season on their way to a wildcard loss to a Washington side with momentum. Fancy them to go further this year.

Ben Collins: Cincinnati Bengals

After missing out last season, the Bengals' defence improves enough to get back into the play-offs, only to be edged out by the Bills.

Paul Higham: Denver Broncos

The Rams and Bucs could upset a few in the NFC, but I'll go with the Bo Nix Broncos to make a run in the AFC. Sean Payton is a master who can bring Nix along even further and has a stellar defence to lean on too.

Hugh Ferris: Dallas Cowboys

Would a poor season really be a letdown any more? They're 'America's Team' in terms of franchise value and nationally televised games, but the Cowboys haven't really matched that hype in years, and have just traded away one of their two best players.

Nesta McGregor: Kansas City Chiefs

If only a clown would bet against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes - then pass me my make-up and colourful costume. All good things must come to an end. And as good as Mahomes is, my biggest concern is: Who's he throwing the ball to?

Rob Staton: San Francisco 49ers

It feels like they're on the decline after a great run, with ageing stars and injuries that are already stacking up.

Mike White: Kansas City Chiefs

I know full well this is going to bite me on the backside but I'll go for the Kansas City Chiefs, who have a competitive AFC West to contend with. They rode their luck too many times last season and it ran out in February against the rampant Philadelphia Eagles.

Ben Collins: Kansas City Chiefs

They say you can never go against the Chiefs, but I'm going to stick my neck on the line and do just that. It's the end of an era.

Paul Higham: Dallas Cowboys

It's tough to know what the expectations are in Dallas this year, but they've got Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb on huge contracts so the play-offs are a must - but I think they could miss out.

Hugh Ferris: Omarion Hampton

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to run, run, run and with Najee Harris injured, Hampton is going to do the bulk of the work. He has looked good in what he's put on tape so far.

Nesta McGregor: Travis Hunter

Having spoken to his former coaches, they are convinced he can replicate what he produced in high school and college in the NFL. But we must remember they do say it's a different game when the person tackling you has bills to pay.

Rob Staton: Emeka Egbuka

He carried himself like a pro at Ohio State, is a better athlete than people realise, and he'll have a chance to be an impact player in year one with injury questions surrounding Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan.

Mike White: Travis Hunter

Overall number one pick Cam Ward seems to be the forgotten man at the less-than-exciting Tennessee Titans, while second generation passer Shadeur Sanders attracts a lot of attention for obvious reasons. I'm more curious to see what Travis Hunter's dual-threat of playing offence and defence can do.

Ben Collins: Travis Hunter

I can't wait to see how well Travis Hunter does as a receiver to Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence - but could he also become the NFL's first true two-way player in decades?

Paul Higham: Josh Williams

Watch out for running back Ashton Jeanty doing a great Marshawn Lynch impression at the Raiders, but I'll go a bit left field, or left tackle I should say, with a player possibly unfamiliar to some - Josh Williams. The Chiefs spent a first-round pick on him to protect Patrick Mahomes' blindside in an area that's cost them two heavy Super Bowl defeats. So no pressure there then!

Hugh Ferris: Cleveland Browns

Easy. Cleveland. No Joe Flacco fairytale run this time.

Nesta McGregor: Atlanta Falcons

Michael Penix Jr may not be the guy after all.

Rob Staton: Cleveland Browns

It just feels like a mess with the potential for drama at quarterback. Tennessee could be an outside bet to get the number one pick again unless Cam Ward can have a fast start.

Mike White: New Orleans Saints

Hard to choose between the Cleveland Browns, the Tennessee Titans and the New Orleans Saints, but I'm leaning towards the Saints - which could well lead to their number one draft pick being used on hometown quarterback Arch Manning, following in the footsteps of grandfather Archie.

Ben Collins: New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr's retirement after the draft left the Saints scrambling for a quarterback and having to name former fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler as their starter.

Paul Higham: Cleveland Browns

The Saints are ones to watch here, because if they start badly they'll have their eye on Arch Manning in the draft. But the Browns won three games last season and I'm not projecting many more this year with a tough schedule including the NFC North as well as their own division. The added attention on that messy quarterback room won't help either.

Hugh Ferris: Aaron Glenn

This award usually goes to the head coach of a team that's improved, rather than just one with the best record, and I think that's what Glenn will do with the Jets. Maybe there'll even be a surprise play-off place to put to an end the current longest post-season drought in US sport.

Nesta McGregor: Nick Sirianni

Right up to winning Super Bowl LIX the doubters were still vocal. They are less so now and another good year should silence them once and for all.

Rob Staton: Matt LaFleur

The Packers will ride the Micah Parsons trade to a stronger year in 2025, earning LaFleur the honour

Mike White: Mike Vrabel

New England Patriots' descent from the top has been jarring to their fans while probably delightful for everyone else. Vrabel stops the decline as he returns to the team he enjoyed so much success with as a player.

Ben Collins: Matt LaFleur

With Jordan Love established as quarterback of a hungry Green Bay roster and Micah Parsons having just been added on defence, LaFleur leads the Packers back to the Super Bowl.

Paul Higham: Mike Vrabel

It could be a perfect storm in New England as Drake Maye looks the business at quarterback, and Vrabel will toughen them up and make them hard to beat. He did wonders at Tennessee without a star quarterback, so he should get the Pats to make a big leap this year.