Finally, the 2022 regular season is here! The NFL offseason has been full of speculations, rumors, hype, and continuous hot takes, but this is how I see the season going.
It seems the Buffalo Bills are almost the unanimous pick to win the Super Bowl, they are being picked by a large portion of national media talking heads and are the odds-on-betting favorites in Vegas right now. For good reason too, they are coming off a tough OT loss in the Divisional Round to the Kansas City Chiefs and added Von Miller to their defense which was already pretty stellar. The AFC West is more loaded than ever, however, the team that wins the division might be the most battle-tested.
Things are a little more wide open on the NFC side of things, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers lost Davante Adams in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders. The 49ers are starting first-year quarterback Trey Lance and Tampa Bay has suffered numerous injuries along their offensive line already this offseason.
The NFC is wide open like usual, it will be the team who gets hot at the right time and stays the healthiest that makes their way to the Super Bowl out of the NFC.
Who am I taking to hoist Lombardi at the end of the year? Let’s get started.
NFC
West: San Francisco 49ers
The Rams will be good again but could suffer from the Super Bowl hangover, I think this is the year that Kliff Kingsbury gets fired as well. San Francisco is a well-built team already, they just need Trey Lance to make solid plays with his arm and feet and they should win this division.
East: Philadelphia Eagles
The Cowboys could end up being a total train wreck, I could see McCarthy getting fired if things don’t go well. I think this actually may come down to the newly dubbed Washington Commanders and the Eagles fighting it out for the division. It probably comes down to the quarterback play between those two, and I just trust Jalen Hurts over Carson Wentz.
South: New Orleans Saints
Tampa Bay is going to be very good or middle of the road this year and the Saints are going to be better than people think. They have a good defense and Jameis Winston seemed to be playing solid football before his ACL tore against the Buccaneers last year. Besides his play on the field, Winston is a highlight waiting to happen off of it too, just watch the clip below.
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
As much as I and everyone else who watched Hard Knocks love Dan Campbell, the Detroit Lions are still a year or two away from competing in this division. Minnesota is probably going to be a wild card team, but may not make it because Kirk Cousins is still the QB. Green Bay has been the most steady, so give me Aaron Rodgers and their defense to win this division.
Wildcard teams: Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC Championship: New Orleans Saints over Green Bay Packers
AFC
West: Kansas City Chiefs
Arguably the most loaded division on paper in years, Mahomes is somehow now getting talked about like he is just some random guy. Petty Mahomes season is incoming.
East: Buffalo Bills
All the pressure is on the Bills to win it all this season, they are the consensus favorite. The division is really weak outside of Buffalo, Miami is a huge question mark to even make the playoffs, and New England doesn’t look good. It’s up to them to Buffalo to go prove they are worth all the hype.
South: Indianapolis Colts
This is an interesting division, Derrick Henry comes back from injury for the Titans, but they lose AJ Brown in the off-season and their best pass rusher, Harold Landry, to injury. Also, the Jaguars may be better than people think now that they have some competent coaching in Jacksonville. But the Colts are seen as the clear favorite, as long as Jonathon Taylor and Matt Ryan can stay healthy.
North: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were ravished with injuries and are now fully healthy, they should be really good this season. Lamar Jackson didn’t get the contract extension he wanted, and if he wants to get paid like a top QB, he will need to ball out and he probably will. Cincinnati might not be as good and might not make the playoffs.
Wildcard teams: Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Miami Dolphins
AFC Championship: Kansas City Chiefs over Buffalo Bills
NFL MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive POTY: Josh Allen
Defensive POTY: Nick Bosa
Offensive ROTY: George Pickens
Defensive ROTY: George Karlaftis
Comeback POTY: Jameis Winston
Coach OTY: Andy Reid
Super Bowl: Kansas City Chiefs over New Orleans Saints
For a more in-depth look at each division, you can find it here on ArrowheadLive.com
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