NFL Preseason – After a very eventful offseason, players are getting ready to hit training camp at the end of July and now is a perfect time to give a prediction of how I believe things will shake out. Join me as I delve into the predictions and storylines that will shape the upcoming NFL campaign, analyzing each division’s prospects and potential surprises on the road to Super Bowl contention.
Way too early Division Predictions
AFC West Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
The AFC West is a very bad division outside of the Chiefs. The Raiders, Broncos, and Chargers are all just entering or are in the early stages of a rebuild. I believe the Chargers and Broncos have more promise than the Raiders but compared to Head Coach, Andy Reid and QB, Patrick Mahomes, these teams still need some time before they are on that level to compete with them.
AFC East Winner: New York Jets:
The AFC East is a division with three really good teams and one really bad one. The Patriots are at the start of a very much needed rebuild while the other three teams can easily make it to the AFC title game or Super Bowl. The Dolphins with a healthy roster can compete with almost anyone. The Bills will still be a playoff contender even with a huge offload of players during free agency. If QB Aaron Rodgers, and the rest of his offense can stay healthy, then I think the Jets can win the AFC East. It is still the Jets we are talking about so do not get your hopes up.
AFC North Winner: Cincinnati Bengals:
The AFC North gave us one of the best divisions last year with every single team having a winning record. This year will not be like the previous. The Bengals get QB Joe Burrow back from injury and I believe he comes back with a vengeance and leads the Bengals to win the AFC North. The Steelers will struggle with new quarterbacks, giving head coach, Mike Tomlin, his first losing season ever. The Browns and Ravens will fight for second in this division and also a playoff spot, where I have the Ravens beating out the Browns. The Ravens have better QB play and a better coach which ultimately gives them the edge.
AFC South Winner: Houston Texans:
The AFC South is one division that I find very easy to predict. The AFC South consists of two good teams and two not so good ones. The good teams are the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Houston Texans. The not so good teams are the Indianapolis Colts and the Tennessee Titans. Between the good teams, the Texans are better than the Jaguars. Between the not so good teams, the Colts are better than the Titans. The Texans have a much better roster than the rest of the division, spending lots of money this offseason on talent. In my eyes, they are the clear cut winners of the AFC South.
NFC North Winner: Detroit Lions:
The NFC North is a division that has a lot of promise for the next five to ten years. As it stands right now, the Detroit Lions have the best roster and coach in this division. That could be subject to change in the next couple of years.
The Chicago Bears drafted QB prodigy Caleb Williams to be their franchise in this most recent draft as well as added massive running back and wide receiver talent in free agency.
The Green Bay Packers have found their future in QB Jordan Love who had a breakout second half of last season. Even Minnesota who lost their QB in free agency drafted QB J.J. McCarthy early in the first round to take over the reins as their starter. All in all, this division will be a lot of fun to watch in the coming years but as of right now, my money is on the Lions.
NFC East Winner: Dallas Cowboys:
The NFC East will play out a lot like last year. The Giants will be absolutely nowhere. The Commanders will still be rebuilding, I do love the pick of QB Jayden Daniels though. The Eagles and Cowboys will fight it out for winner of the division. With the loss of Center Jason Kelce, I think the Eagles will be a much different team. The Cowboys will once again be amazing in the regular season and flame out in the playoffs.
NFC West Winner: Los Angeles Rams:
I believe that every team who loses in the Super Bowl always deals with a phenomena known as the “Super Bowl Hangover”. The San Francisco 49ers lost last year’s Super Bowl and I think they will have an alright season but nothing as dominant as last year. The Los Angeles Rams were a very solid team last year making it to the playoffs and giving the Detroit Lions a run for their money. The Rams will have an even better year, capitalizing on the struggles of the 49ers and winning the NFC West. The Cardinals will be better than last year but not as good as the Rams or 49ers. I predict the Seahawks have a down year under a new coach.
NFC South Winner: New Orleans Saints:
I think this division will once again be a dogfight between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons with the Carolina Panthers still stuck in the background. Out of the three options, the Saints make the most sense. They have the best defense in the division and a new offensive mind which will shake up a struggling offense.
The Falcons have an aging QB coming off a very serious injury and a defense with tons of holes as well as a brand new head coach. The Buccaneers have lost some key pieces on the offensive line but still have in my opinion the second best odds to win this division. The Saints take my vote and win this very hard to watch and struggling division.
Way too early Super Bowl Prediction
Kansas City Chiefs vs Detroit Lions:
I have counted out the Chiefs too much and will not do so any more. No matter what drama is going on off the field, as long as the Kansas City Chiefs have QB Patrick Mahomes, they have a chance to win it all. He is the best player in football and I am done doubting him. I have the Chiefs meeting the Detroit Lions in Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. I thought that last year was the Lions year to win it all but they suffered a crushing loss to the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. This Lions team will have another chance to get to the big game and I believe they will not disappoint. Now for my prediction of who wins. I have the Chiefs beating the Lions and winning three Super Bowls in a row.
Exact score: Chiefs-38 Lions-28
As I conclude my NFL preseason predictions, one thing is for certain, the NFL season promises to deliver excitement, surprises, and unforgettable moments. I hope everyone enjoyed my opinions and predictions of how this upcoming NFL season will go. I am extremely excited for this season to start and cannot wait to see how my predictions work out!