How does the FSN NFL rooting guide work?

FSN measures how each other game in the current week changes a team’s simulated playoff, division, No. 1 seed and Super Bowl outcomes, then ranks the results that help most.

Why is my team’s own game not included?

Winning your own game is already the most direct way to improve your position. The rooting guide focuses on the other games fans should care about.

Do NFL rooting interests change every week?

Yes. Rooting interests rebuild with the FSN season forecast as standings, tiebreak paths and game probabilities change. Weekly snapshots preserve the pre-week picture.

2026 NFL · WEEK 2 · FSN-ROOT-1.0

NFL Week 2 Rooting Guide: Who Should Every Team Root For?

Pick your team for Week 2. FSN ranks every other unplayed game by how much each result helps your playoff path—using the same 5,000 full-season simulations behind the Playoff Predictor.

Playoff Control Center →Playoff Predictor →Game Simulator →

PICK YOUR TEAM

Who should you root for in Week 2?

Team

WEEK 2 ROOTING INTERESTS

Detroit Lions fans: here’s who to root for

Your own game is excluded. Winning that one is still the best possible rooting strategy.

Current playoff odds63.2%11 meaningful outside-game impacts

Huge impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

PITPittsburgh Steelers @ NENew England Patriots

ROOT FOR New England Patriots over Pittsburgh Steelers

+5.7 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New England Patriots wins65.1%Playoff odds

If Pittsburgh Steelers wins59.4%Playoff odds

Playoffs65.1%vs59.4%

Division25.7%vs24.1%

#1 seed9.1%vs8.8%

Reach SB8.3%vs7.2%

Win SB3.4%vs3.2%

Huge impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

MINMinnesota Vikings @ CHIChicago Bears

ROOT FOR Minnesota Vikings over Chicago Bears

+5.3 pts Division odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Minnesota Vikings wins28.6%Division odds

If Chicago Bears wins23.3%Division odds

Playoffs62.2%vs63.7%

Division28.6%vs23.3%

#1 seed9.3%vs8.9%

Reach SB8.2%vs7.7%

Win SB3.6%vs3.2%

High impact Sun 8:20 PM ET

INDIndianapolis Colts @ KCKansas City Chiefs

ROOT FOR Kansas City Chiefs over Indianapolis Colts

+2.6 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Kansas City Chiefs wins64.1%Playoff odds

If Indianapolis Colts wins61.5%Playoff odds

Playoffs64.1%vs61.5%

Division25.6%vs24.3%

#1 seed9.3%vs8.5%

Reach SB8.4%vs7.0%

Win SB3.5%vs3.1%

High impact Sun 4:25 PM ET

SEASeattle Seahawks @ ARIArizona Cardinals

ROOT FOR Arizona Cardinals over Seattle Seahawks

+2.7 pts No. 1 seed odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Arizona Cardinals wins10.8%No. 1 seed odds

If Seattle Seahawks wins8.0%No. 1 seed odds

Playoffs62.4%vs63.6%

Division25.3%vs25.0%

#1 seed10.8%vs8.0%

Reach SB8.0%vs7.8%

Win SB3.4%vs3.3%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

GBGreen Bay Packers @ NYJNew York Jets

ROOT FOR New York Jets over Green Bay Packers

+2.1 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Jets wins64.3%Playoff odds

If Green Bay Packers wins62.2%Playoff odds

Playoffs64.3%vs62.2%

Division26.4%vs24.1%

#1 seed8.7%vs9.2%

Reach SB8.3%vs7.6%

Win SB3.6%vs3.2%

Meaningful impact Mon 8:15 PM ET

NYGNew York Giants @ LARLos Angeles Rams

ROOT FOR New York Giants over Los Angeles Rams

+2.1 pts Division odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New York Giants wins26.4%Division odds

If Los Angeles Rams wins24.3%Division odds

Playoffs63.6%vs62.9%

Division26.4%vs24.3%

#1 seed9.2%vs8.9%

Reach SB7.7%vs8.0%

Win SB3.4%vs3.3%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CARCarolina Panthers @ ATLAtlanta Falcons

ROOT FOR Atlanta Falcons over Carolina Panthers

+1.3 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Atlanta Falcons wins63.9%Playoff odds

If Carolina Panthers wins62.6%Playoff odds

Playoffs63.9%vs62.6%

Division25.4%vs24.9%

#1 seed9.1%vs9.0%

Reach SB8.3%vs7.7%

Win SB3.7%vs3.1%

Meaningful impact Sun 1:00 PM ET

CINCincinnati Bengals @ HOUHouston Texans

ROOT FOR Cincinnati Bengals over Houston Texans

+1.1 pts No. 1 seed odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Cincinnati Bengals wins9.7%No. 1 seed odds

If Houston Texans wins8.6%No. 1 seed odds

Playoffs63.5%vs63.0%

Division25.5%vs24.9%

#1 seed9.7%vs8.6%

Reach SB7.9%vs7.9%

Win SB3.6%vs3.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

MIAMiami Dolphins @ SFSan Francisco 49ers

ROOT FOR San Francisco 49ers over Miami Dolphins

+1.9 pts Division odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If San Francisco 49ers wins25.5%Division odds

If Miami Dolphins wins23.6%Division odds

Playoffs63.2%vs63.2%

Division25.5%vs23.6%

#1 seed9.1%vs8.6%

Reach SB8.0%vs7.7%

Win SB3.2%vs3.7%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

JAXJacksonville Jaguars @ DENDenver Broncos

ROOT FOR Denver Broncos over Jacksonville Jaguars

+1.0 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Denver Broncos wins63.8%Playoff odds

If Jacksonville Jaguars wins62.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs63.8%vs62.8%

Division25.1%vs25.2%

#1 seed9.1%vs9.0%

Reach SB7.7%vs8.0%

Win SB3.6%vs3.2%

Meaningful impact small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

PHIPhiladelphia Eagles @ TENTennessee Titans

ROOT FOR Philadelphia Eagles over Tennessee Titans

+1.1 pts Division odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Philadelphia Eagles wins25.5%Division odds

If Tennessee Titans wins24.4%Division odds

Playoffs62.9%vs63.7%

Division25.5%vs24.4%

#1 seed8.9%vs9.3%

Reach SB8.3%vs7.2%

Win SB3.5%vs3.1%

Small edge small model edge Sun 4:25 PM ET

WASWashington Commanders @ DALDallas Cowboys

ROOT FOR Washington Commanders over Dallas Cowboys

+0.9 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Washington Commanders wins63.7%Playoff odds

If Dallas Cowboys wins62.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs63.7%vs62.8%

Division25.1%vs25.1%

#1 seed9.2%vs8.9%

Reach SB8.3%vs7.7%

Win SB3.3%vs3.4%

Small edge small model edge Sun 4:05 PM ET

LVLas Vegas Raiders @ LACLos Angeles Chargers

ROOT FOR Los Angeles Chargers over Las Vegas Raiders

+0.6 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Los Angeles Chargers wins63.4%Playoff odds

If Las Vegas Raiders wins62.8%Playoff odds

Playoffs63.4%vs62.8%

Division25.4%vs24.8%

#1 seed8.9%vs9.2%

Reach SB8.1%vs7.6%

Win SB3.6%vs2.9%

Small edge small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

CLECleveland Browns @ TBTampa Bay Buccaneers

ROOT FOR Cleveland Browns over Tampa Bay Buccaneers

+0.9 pts Playoff odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If Cleveland Browns wins63.8%Playoff odds

If Tampa Bay Buccaneers wins62.9%Playoff odds

Playoffs63.8%vs62.9%

Division25.4%vs25.0%

#1 seed9.1%vs9.0%

Reach SB7.7%vs8.0%

Win SB3.2%vs3.4%

Small edge small model edge Sun 1:00 PM ET

NONew Orleans Saints @ BALBaltimore Ravens

ROOT FOR New Orleans Saints over Baltimore Ravens

+1.0 pts Division odds for Detroit Lions in the preferred-result branch

See the simulation impact

If New Orleans Saints wins25.9%Division odds

If Baltimore Ravens wins24.9%Division odds

Playoffs62.8%vs63.3%

Division25.9%vs24.9%

#1 seed9.6%vs8.8%

Reach SB8.2%vs7.8%

Win SB3.2%vs3.4%

ALL 32 TEAMS

Top rooting interest at a glance

This server-rendered table gives every fan base’s strongest current outside-game rooting interest. Use the picker above for the full slate.

TeamRoot forAgainstImpact

WEEKLY ARCHIVE

Rooting guides change as the playoff picture changes

Saved weekly checkpoints let fans revisit what helped their team at that point in the season.

Week 1 →Week 2 →Week 3 →Week 4 →Week 5 →Week 6 →

WHY THIS IS DIFFERENT

It measures the impact instead of guessing at rooting interests

For each unplayed Week 2 game, FSN looks at the season simulations where the away team won and the simulations where the home team won. Then it compares what happened to every other team’s playoff path.

The ranking gives playoff qualification the most weight for bubble teams. For strong contenders, division and No. 1 seed leverage becomes more important. Super Bowl paths remain a smaller secondary signal so the guide does not tell a 5–8 team to root for an exotic championship path instead of the result that actually helps it reach January.

Because these are Monte Carlo estimates, very small differences can move from refresh to refresh. FSN explicitly labels those as small or minimal rather than pretending a tenth of a percentage point is destiny.

FAQ

NFL rooting interests, explained

Why isn’t my team’s own game listed?

Because winning your own game is already the strongest direct way to improve your position. This tool answers the harder question: what should you want to happen everywhere else?

Does “+4.7 points” mean the result guarantees my playoff odds rise by exactly 4.7 points?

No. It is the difference between two conditional Monte Carlo branches in the current forecast. It is a useful estimate of leverage, not a guaranteed future update.

Will the rooting guide update after games are played?

Yes. The live guide follows the current unplayed slate. Weekly archive pages preserve the checkpoint from that week so later results do not rewrite what fans were supposed to root for beforehand.