Playoff predictions: NASCAR.com staff make postseason picks

RELATED: Printable Playoffs grid | Up to Speed: 16 drivers, 16 hopes NASCAR.com staffers go out on a limb to make their daring predictions for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs: KENNY BRUCE (@kennybruce) First four out Kasey Kahne – Outside of win at Indy, team has been non-existent for most of 2017. Ryan Blaney – The speed is there but the consistency is not. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Unfortunately, playoffs' lone plate race is in second round. Austin Dillon – Another driver/team that struggles from time to time with consistency. Round of 8 Martin Truex Jr. – If bonus points were frequent flyer miles, Truex would be Quadruple Executive Plutonium on any airline. Kyle Larson – Super fast when it counts most. Matt Kenseth – Can knock off top-10s with the best of them. Kyle Busch – Focus on Cup only will be a good thing, right? Chase Elliott – Team and driver are steady enough to advance this far. Jimmie Johnson – He gets here, but eight will have to wait. Denny Hamlin – Don't look now but FedEx team has been delivering the goods. Kurt Busch – Wasn't best SHR team for much of the year, but has been numero uno recently. Championship 4 Matt Kenseth – Setting up an awkward postseason Christmas party at JGR. Kyle Busch – Has made finals two of three years under elimination format -- make that three of four. Martin Truex Jr. – Has the speed and the consistency to dominate but those bonus points evaporate after this round. Kyle Larson – His two top-five finishes in first go-around at this group of tracks bodes well for the Elk Grove speedster. Champion Matt Kenseth – Because karma is a beautiful thing. HOLLY CAIN (@_HollyCain) First four out Kurt Busch – Could surprise, but streaky this season and been a while since his lone season-opening win. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Restrictor-plate race reassurance comes one round too late for Ricky. Austin Dillon – Happy to be here. Would need to come up with drastic improvement. Matt Kenseth – Veteran and champion, but too little, too late. Round of 8 Martin Truex Jr. – Bonus points, momentum and heart make this inevitable. Kyle Larson – Will show everyone that "the kid" is ready to play with the big boys. Kyle Busch – Of course the 2015 champ is here. Kevin Harvick – The SHR team leader has the drive and focus to "remind" everyone he's a contender. Chase Elliott – Steadiness gets him this far; he's on the verge of hoisting a trophy before season's done. Jimmie Johnson – Don’t ever -- ever -- count "Seven-Time" out. This is when he shines most. Denny Hamlin – Serious about winning this championship. Brad Keselowski – Former Cup champion performs best when it's all on the line. Championship 4 Jimmie Johnson – Cannot ever underestimate this team or this driver. Kevin Harvick – Former champion simply knows how to raise his game. Martin Truex Jr. – An absolute year to remember but must find a way to shine in Homestead. Kyle Larson – Loves Homestead track and has won there before. This will be biggest stage yet. Champion Jimmie Johnson – Yep, No. 8! No matter what's thrown at them, this team succeeds ZACK ALBERT (@zack_albert) First four out Kasey Kahne – A shaky entrance into the Playoffs with no top-10 finishes since his Indy win. Ryan Blaney – Consistency has been tough to find for the No. 21 bunch, with no top-five runs since winning Pocono in June. Austin Dillon – Since Coca-Cola 600 win in May, Dillon has led just two laps in the last 14 races. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Unfortunately for the No. 17 team's sweet spot, no restrictor-plate tracks in the Round of 16. Round of 8 Martin Truex Jr. – Playoff points hoarder keeps pouring it on past the first two eliminations. Kyle Larson – The No. 42 stays in lockstep with the No. 78, moves on. Kyle Busch – Late-season gains keep the No. 18 bunch going to the postseason's midpoint. Jimmie Johnson – The bid for title No. 8 makes it this far, but no further. Kevin Harvick – The fastest Ford in the garage finds a way through to the Round of 8. Denny Hamlin – Toyota's late-season uptick buoys the No. 11 camp. Chase Elliott – Second-year Cup talent sustains the speed. Brad Keselowski – Penske driver will lean on his Talladega expertise and knack for clutch performances. Championship 4 Martin Truex Jr. – It may not be a walk-over, but the playoff-point edge carries the regular-season champ. Kyle Larson – Ganassi driver has tried to match Truex punch for punch all season; he'll get a chance to do it on Homestead's grand stage. Kyle Busch – Speed and some late-season swagger should be plenty to push the No. 18 to the final. Denny Hamlin – He's won at all three Round of 8 tracks (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix), giving Hamlin a favorable lie. Champion Kyle Larson – First-time coronation for Larson, who edges out Truex with his flair for Homestead's well-worn surface. JONATHAN MERRYMAN (@J_Merryman) First four out Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – Chicagoland should be fine for the No. 17 team, but NHMS and Dover are too big of a question mark. Austin Dillon – 19.6 average finish so far in 2017. Kasey Kahne – Made no splash before or after the Indy win. Jamie McMurray – Three playoff points won't be a big of enough cushion to advance. Round of 8 Martin Truex Jr. – Playoff points and Cole Pearn. Enough said. Kyle Larson – The master of 2-mile race tracks has finally won at a short track. Watch out. Kyle Busch – Too stubborn not to advance. Peaking at the right time. Brad Keselowski – Penske is fast enough to make it to the Round of 8, but not out of it. Jimmie Johnson – When the leaves turn, he’s pretty Gr8. (Great +8=Gr8 … Get it?) Kevin Harvick – Done well with the transition to Ford. Playoff run ends in this round. Denny Hamlin – Needs Martinsville in the next round to advance. Matt Kenseth – A salty race car driver is a fast race car driver. Championship 4 Martin Truex Jr. – Fast. Patient. Poised. PEARN. Kyle Larson – Breakout year. Team eliminates small mistakes and they cruise to Homestead. Kyle Busch – Motivation is a powerful thing. Knows he should have more wins this year. Jimmie Johnson – He's the seven-time champ for a reason. Making it here isn't easy but he makes it. Champion Martin Truex Jr. – Homestead starts during the day and ends at night, 78 team's bread and butter. Predicted radio chatter "Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champ… MTJ."