With the beginning of the NFL season coming this week, which means it is time for everybody’s favourite factor: PREDICTIONS.
Certain, most individuals solely love studying predictions in order that they will make enjoyable of every part you bought improper on the finish of the season, however that is not an issue for me. I am a center baby, so I have been made enjoyable of my complete life.
Earlier than we get to my predictions, let me clarify how issues are going to work right here: I will undergo every division and predict every staff’s closing report. After that, I will be making a daring prediction for every division. When you roll by means of the divisional portion of those predictions, you will see my playoff picks and finally, my Tremendous Bowl champion. In 4 of the previous seven years, I’ve appropriately picked the AFC staff that ended up within the Tremendous Bowl, and in two of the previous seven years, my preseason Tremendous Bowl decide has ended up profitable all of it, so that you may need to scroll down and take a look at my prediction for the Tremendous Bowl to see if I am choosing your favourite staff.
Additionally, since everyone knows that making enjoyable of somebody’s predictions is half the enjoyable of studying predictions, you may ship all of your hate tweets to me on Twitter by clicking right here, and simply so you recognize, Cardinals followers, I am already mentally making ready to your hate tweets.
Lastly, if you happen to’re questioning how I did final season, I predicted the precise win whole of 5 totally different groups. I additionally appropriately predicted your entire NFC divisional spherical of the playoffs. Not solely did I predict that the Packers would play the 49ers, however I additionally predicted that the Rams would play the Buccaneers. Alternatively, I fully whiffed on Philadelphia. I had the Eagles going 5-12 and if you happen to watched any soccer in 2021, you then already know the Eagles did not go 5-12. With a first-year coach, they ended up going 9-8 and making the playoffs. I really feel so dangerous about whiffing on them final 12 months that I will make it as much as them by choosing them to win the division this 12 months…. or perhaps I will not. I do not know, I am unsure but.
You do not care about final 12 months although, so let’s get to the 2022 predictions.
AFC East
1. *Payments: 13-4
2. Dolphins: 9-8
3. Patriots: 7-10
4. Jets: 5-12
AFC East daring prediction: Sauce Gardner wins Defensive Rookie of the 12 months
I haven’t got excessive expectations for the Jets this 12 months, however I do have excessive expectations for Sauce Gardner, their rookie nook who was chosen with the fourth general decide within the NFL Draft. Gardner performs in a division the place a cornerback can thrive and that is as a result of the beginning quarterbacks he’ll be going through within the AFC East all love throwing interceptions. Josh Allen, Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa all completed with double-digit picks final season (Allen tied for the third-most interceptions within the NFL with 15 whereas Jones threw 13 and Tua threw 10). After all, even when he does not win rookie of the 12 months, I do absolutely anticipate him to win coolest endorsement of the 12 months as a result of nobody goes to prime “Sauce sauce.”
A Jets participant doing enterprise with an organization that has “Buffalo” within the title can solely imply that Gardner goes to torture the Payments this season…. or Buffalo goes to torture him. One or the opposite.
AFC North
1. *Ravens: 12-5
2. *Bengals: 11-6
3. Steelers: 8-9
4. Browns: 6-11
AFC North daring prediction: Ravens go from worst-to-first
Yearly, the NFL appears to supply not less than one staff that goes from worst-to-first. Final 12 months, it was the Bengals, and this 12 months, I believe that staff is as soon as once more going to come back from the AFC North with Baltimore. Though the Ravens completed on the backside of the division final 12 months, their 8-9 report was arguably type of spectacular when you think about what number of gamers they misplaced to damage. I might try to record all of them right here, however my keyboard may explode if I attempted to record that many names (There have been quite a lot of them). Not solely did they lose Lamar Jackson for 5 video games, however in addition they misplaced key starters like cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, together with operating backs J.Ok. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. So long as they will keep wholesome, I believe they will win the division.
AFC South
1. *Colts: 10-7
2. Titans 8-9
3. Jaguars: 6-11
4. Texans: 5-12
AFC South daring prediction: Derrick Henry and Jonathan Taylor each prime 1,900 speeding yards
The AFC South has arguably the 2 finest operating backs within the NFL in Henry and Taylor, so I am placing them in a prediction collectively. The rationale this qualifies as a daring prediction is as a result of it is NEVER occurred in NFL historical past. There’s by no means been a season the place two operating backs each rushed for greater than 1,900 yards. The closest it got here to occurring was in 2003 when Baltimore’s Jamal Lewis (2,066 yards) and Inexperienced Bay’s Ahman Inexperienced (1,883) each ran for greater than 1,half of 1 mile. Though Henry has been one of many NFL’s finest operating backs all through his six-year profession, he is solely topped 1,900 yards as soon as. As for Taylor, his career-high got here final season when he led the NFL with 1,811 yards. This 12 months, I will predict they each prime 1,900.
AFC West
1. *Chargers: 12-5
2. *Chiefs: 11-6
3. *Broncos: 10-7
4. Raiders: 9-8
AFC West daring prediction: Each staff within the division finishes above .500
The AFC West is so loaded this 12 months that your entire division might find yourself making NFL historical past. Because the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, there has NEVER been a season the place each single staff in a division completed with a profitable report. There have been a number of seasons the place the final place staff completed 8-8 (most just lately in 2008 NFC East), however there’s by no means been an occasion the place each staff completed ABOVE .500. With Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr at quarterback, it is laborious to think about any staff on this division ending the 12 months with a shedding report.
NFC East
1. *Eagles: 11-6
2. *Cowboys: 10-7
3. Commanders: 6-11
4. Giants: 5-12
NFC East daring prediction: Micah Parsons wins Defensive Participant of the 12 months
I considered choosing the Giants to win the division, simply kidding, no I did not. I simply needed Giants followers to be ok with one thing for a short second as a result of I am unsure there’s going to be a lot to be ok with this 12 months. Anyway, my daring prediction within the NFC East is that Micah Parsons finally ends up taking house the Defensive Participant of the 12 months award. Parsons had some of the electrifying rookie seasons of any defensive participant in NFL historical past and that is an enormous motive why he was voted Defensive Rookie of the 12 months final season. The Defensive Participant of the 12 months award is often reserved for Aaron Donald or somebody with the final identify of Watt, however this 12 months, I will say Parsons breaks by means of and wins it.
NFC North
1. *Packers: 12-5
2. *Vikings: 10-7
3. Lions: 6-11
4. Bears: 4-13
NFC North daring prediction: Romeo Doubs wins Offensive Rookie of the 12 months
Throughout his MVP season final 12 months, Aaron Rodgers focused Davante Adams 169 occasions and with Adams not on the roster, these targets must go someplace else and I am guessing that quite a lot of them can be going to Doubs. The rookie receiver had a powerful coaching camp and though he is struggled barely with drops, I am not too involved about that. I imply, there was a priority about drops with Ja’Marr Chase throughout the preseason final 12 months and every part appeared to work out simply effective for him. This can be a daring prediction as a result of Doubs is at present considerably of a protracted shot to win the award. At 14-to-1, there are 4 gamers with higher odds.
NFC South
1. *Buccaneers: 10-7
2. Saints: 9-8
3. Panthers: 7-10
4. Falcons: 4-13
NFC South daring prediction: Tom Brady units single-season report for many passing yards
Tom Brady already holds almost each NFL passing report, so why not add another? The Buccaneers quarterback threw for five,316 yards final season, which was the third-highest single-season whole in NFL historical past. Though Brady was spectacular final 12 months, apparently he could be even higher this 12 months.
Not even an 11-day trip can gradual him down.
If Brady is throwing it higher than ever, then the NFL ought to simply cancel the season as a result of there is no means he’ll let Tampa Bay lose a single sport. The one concern with this prediction is that Brady may not survive the season enjoying behind Tampa Bay’s battered offensive line. If he does survive, I will not be stunned if he tops Peyton Manning’s report of 5,477 passing yards that was set in 2013.
NFC West
1. *Rams: 11-6
2. *49ers: 10-7
3. Seahawks: 6-11
4. Cardinals: 6-11
NFC West daring prediction: Cardinals end in final place
After watching the Cardinals make the playoffs final season, I am predicting that they completely collapse this 12 months. The 2 issues that fear me probably the most are the lack of DeAndre Hopkins (who’s suspended for the primary six video games) and their depth at nook. On the Hopkins finish, since buying him in March 2020, the Cardinals offense has struggled each time he isn’t on the sphere, which implies they may wrestle to attain factors early within the season. Additionally, they are going to be short-handed at nook with Antonio Hamilton lacking not less than the primary 4 video games of the season. Not with the ability to rating and never with the ability to cease the move might imply hassle early within the season because the Playing cards open the 12 months with consecutive video games in opposition to three high-powered offenses within the Chiefs, Raiders and Rams. If the Cardinals begin 0-3, I might see them absolutely imploding from there.
NFC Playoffs
Groups: 1. Packers 2. Rams 3. Eagles 4. Buccaneers 5. Cowboys 6. Vikings 7. 49ers
Wild Card
(7) 49ers 22-19 over (2) Rams
(6) Vikings 30-27 over (3) Eagles
(4) Buccaneers 34-31 over (5) Cowboys
Divisional
(1) Packers 20-17 over (7) 49ers
(4) Buccaneers 30-23 over (6) Vikings
NFC Championship
(1) Packers 27-24 over (4) Buccaneers
AFC Playoffs
Groups: 1. Payments 2. Chargers 3. Ravens 4. Colts 5. Chiefs 6. Bengals 7. Broncos
Wild Card
(7) Broncos 27-20 over (2) Chargers
(6) Bengals 34-27 over (3) Ravens
(5) Chiefs 31-23 over (4) Colts
Divisional
(7) Broncos 26-23 over (1) Payments
(5) Chiefs 37-30 over (6) Bengals
AFC Championship
(7) Broncos 23-20 over (5) Chiefs
Tremendous Bowl LVII in Phoenix (Fox)
Broncos 31-24 over Packers
Playoffs daring prediction: Broncos shock everybody and win their fourth Tremendous Bowl
The previous two Tremendous Bowls have each been received by a quarterback who was in his first 12 months with a brand new staff (Tom Brady, Matthew Stafford) and you recognize what, I’ve determined I am simply going to trip that practice till it crashes, so I am going with Russell Wilson and the Broncos to win all of it this season.
If I’ve discovered one factor from watching Wilson for the previous 10 years, it is that if you happen to give him a very good protection, a stable operating sport and first rate receivers, there is a good likelihood he’ll get you to the Tremendous Bowl, and the Broncos have all of that.
Throughout Tremendous Bowl week, we’ll be capable to spend seven straight days speaking about the truth that the Broncos are coached by a man (Nathaniel Hackett), who spent the previous three seasons in Inexperienced Bay as Matt LaFleur’s offensive coordinator.
The prediction right here is that Wilson and Hackett the Broncos to a 31-24 win over the Packers, which can be considerably poetic because the win will come 25 years after the Broncos beat the Packers 31-24 in Tremendous Bowl XXXII. I absolutely anticipate this sport to be a thriller as a result of that is principally what occurs any time Wilson and Aaron Rodgers face one another (See: Fail Mary and/or 2014 NFC title sport).
If the Packers lose, I am guessing Aaron Rodgers will spend your entire offseason on a South American psychedelic drug bender, which might be the identical factor I’d do.
Alternatively, if the Broncos find yourself profitable the Tremendous Bowl, Russell Wilson will virtually definitely be spending his complete offseason turning one of many 12 loos in his new Denver home right into a Lombardi Trophy room.
I imply, let’s be trustworthy, nobody wants 12 loos.
As a closing notice, I’ll have you recognize that I’ve solely picked the Broncos to win the Tremendous Bowl one different time since I have been working at CBS Sports activities and that got here in 2015. The excellent news is that I ended up being proper. The dangerous information is that I did not find yourself shifting to Barbados.
Lastly, if my season predictions all pan out — and I am certain they are going to — here is what the highest of the NFL Draft order will appear to be subsequent April.
Order of first 5 picks for 2023 NFL Draft
1. Falcons
2. Texans
3. Giants
4. Bears
5. Jets