Sorry, Arizona Cardinals fans. Last year wasn't your year, and 2023 isn't going to be either. This team has some potential with a decent starting defense and a couple of good running backs, but there is still work to be done behind the scenes to turn the Cardinals into true contenders.
Throw in the fact that Kyler Murray is unlikely to play much this season as he rehabs his torn ACL, and it's easy to see why there isn't much excitement surrounding this team this year.
Our prediction: The Cardinals will be lucky to go 2-15 this year, but hey, at least they'll set themselves up for a top draft pick.
The Atlanta Falcons have been quietly building up a team of amazing young talent over the last couple of years, including their recent draft pick, running back Bijan Robinson. Look for Robinson to be the star of this team's offense this year given what's lacking at the quarterback position.
If Robinson and the Falcons do well, they could win the NFC South and a Rookie of the Year award.
Our prediction: We're going to go out on a limb here and give the Falcons a 10-7 record.
Everything seems to be coming together for the Baltimore Ravens. They finally got Lamar Jackson signed, and they brought in superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. during the offseason. Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in the league, and then there's offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
The Ravens signed the former University of Georgia OC after he helped the team win two national championships, and he's expected to light a fire under the team's offense.
Our prediction: If they can overcome a fairly tough schedule, the Ravens go at least 10-7.
The Bills are a great team, but they can't seem to overcome some of their better competition (looking at you Chiefs). We don't expect them to do it this year, either. The Bills have a tough schedule, and we're expecting a few surprise upsets, such as by the Jets or New York Giants.
Throw in the fact that the team's defense is aging, and Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs alone aren't enough to carry the team to the big game or very far into the playoffs.
Our prediction: The Bills do okay and go 11-6, but it's not enough.
Depending on who you ask, the Panthers will be amazing or awful this year. We think they'll fall somewhere in between. They face a tough schedule in 2023, but there's been a buzz in Charlotte since they brought in head coach Frank Reich, and it's the beginning of the Bryce Young era at quarterback.
A lot of their season will depend on how well the number one draft pick out of the University of Alabama does during his rookie year.
Our prediction: Carolina goes 9-8 this year, but they gain some momentum for 2024.
Chicago Bears fans haven't had much to get excited about in recent years, and we don't see this year being much different. What was once one of the best defenses in the league needs a revamp. The coaching staff is unproven. Despite the fact that everyone wants the overrated Justin Fields to succeed, he never does.
The only positive is that Fields does have a good offensive line to work with in 2023.
Our prediction: Unless Fields finally turns it around this year, expect a mediocre losing record. The Bears go 7-10.
The Cincinnati Bengals easily have one of the best offenses in the league. Joe Burrow is good. You can't argue with that, and he may start the season healthy this year. But there are issues. Joe Mixon's legal troubles are some of them. The fact that the Bengals lost several key defensive players this year is another.
They may make it to the playoffs, but they probably won't get past the Chiefs this year.
Our prediction: The Bengals go 11-6 and fall to the Chiefs in the playoffs once again.
There's a lot of uncertainty for the Cleveland Browns this year. That uncertainty has a name: Deshaun Watson. Simply put, if the quarterback plays how he did in 2020, expect big things ? even playoff potential.
If he plays like he did last year, expect a mediocre season. Nick Chubb can't carry this team on his own.
Our prediction: The Browns go 6-11, but Watson is the deciding factor.
There's a lot of talk about the Dallas Cowboys this season, and most of it is positive. They've added some great players to their defense, and the offense looks strong, even though many question Head Coach Mike McCarthy's reliance on the running game. There is one problem, however.
The team has a tough schedule, especially in the last few weeks of the season.
Our prediction: If they live up to all the hype, the Cowboys go 11-6.
The Denver Broncos have a lot of talent on their team, but they're coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Many people blame poor coaching. Many people blame the team for putting too much faith in Russell Wilson. Truthfully, it's probably a little of both. So, can new head coach Sean Payton turn things around? Can his ego and Wilson's ego mesh and be productive?
We'll just have to see but, for now, we're not putting much faith in this team.
Our prediction: The Broncos will go 5-12, and we're being generous with those numbers.
Like the Cowboys, the Detroit Lions have a lot of hype surrounding them this year. The big question is can they live up to it? It wasn't too long ago that they were the laughingstock of the league, but Dan Campbell managed to turn things around last year.
We don't expect the Lions to reach the Super Bowl or anything crazy like that, but we do see a winning season on the horizon.
Our prediction: The Lions live up to the hype and go 11-6.
The Green Bay Packers have only had two quarterbacks for the last 32 years: Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, of course, went to the Jets during the offseason, leaving Jordan Love to take the reins. The Packers have a lot of decent talent on their team, and they've got great coaches. The weapons are in place.
Basically, it's all going to come down to how Love does during his first season as a starter.
Our prediction: It's hard to say exactly how this will go, but we're going to give the Packers a middle-of-the-road prediction with an 8-9 record.
The Houston Texans have a brand new head coach in DeMeco Ryans and a brand new quarterback in rookie C.J. Stroud. This team has made more changes during the offseason than any other team in the league, and we like them.
They may need another year or two to become playoff contenders, but we like the fresh and exciting new direction the Texans are headed after a sad 3-13-1 year.
Our prediction: The Texans are moving on up, and they'll go 7-10.
No one is expecting much from the Indianapolis Colts, and we have to say we agree. The team had a horrible season last year and, this year, they're young, inexperienced, and still trying to find themselves. If rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson lives up to expectations, they could be on the right path.
If not, expect another sad season for the Colts.
Our prediction: Unless Richardson does something amazing, the Colts will go 3-14 ? if they even win that many games.
We think the Jacksonville Jaguars will do quite well this season. They'll easily win the AFC South. How far they'll go beyond that is anyone's guess, but one thing we do know is that it'll be exciting to watch. The Jags have a pretty reasonable schedule, and there is much chatter about Trevor Lawrence being the league MVP this year.
They also have Calvin Ridley and a pretty decent O-line.
Our prediction: The Jaguars pull off an 11-6 season and pull off some surprise wins against big-name teams.
It's kind of boring writing about how great the Kansas City Chiefs are at this point. Patrick Mahomes is arguably the best quarterback in the league. Travis Kelce is arguably the best tight end in the league. Andy Reid is arguably the best head coach in the league. Different year, same story.
We won't say they're going to repeat last year's Super Bowl win, but we won't say they're not going to repeat last year's Super Bowl win, either.
Our prediction: The Chiefs go 13-4. They might make it to yet another Super Bowl, but if they don't, they're the team to beat to get there.
The Las Vegas Raiders thought they could improve upon last season by putting bandages on an injury that required stitches. That involved replacing Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo. Some say that's not even a lateral move, given how much time Garoppolo spends nursing injuries every season. Let's not even talk about their defense.
Josh Jacobs and Devante Adams are not enough to save this team.
Our prediction: The Raiders go 4-13, and that's a generous assumption.
The big talk for the Los Angeles Chargers is the hiring of Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator. The idea is that the team of Moore and quarterback Justin Herbert will be lethal, and that's entirely possible. But the Chargers will need more than that if they want to make it to the playoffs this year. More specifically, they'll need fewer injuries and more defense.
But no one wants to bet on that.
Our prediction: The Chargers might go 9-8.
Although Sean McVay would never admit to it, the Los Angeles Rams are going through a rebuilding year. Two years ago, they won the Super Bowl. Last year, they were plagued with injuries. This year, the team is made up of extremely young guys. They didn't make a lot of major offseason moves. There are some salary cap issues preventing that, though.
But they do have McVay, which gives them a slight edge over similarly stacked teams.
Our prediction: Despite their shortcomings, the Rams go 7-10. It could be much worse.
In July, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill declared that this will be the year that he would set some records with 2,000 receiving yards. Can he do it? Absolutely. Will he do it? Well, we don't know. Tua Tagovailoa's concussions were the talk of last year's Dolphins' season, and they're likely to be the talk of this year's Dolphins' season. Hill's ability to do that will depend on whether his quarterback can stay healthy and play well.
Otherwise, Miami has a stellar team that could go far in the playoffs.
Our prediction: The Dolphins go 10-7. Add a game or two if Tagovailoa stays healthy and take them away if he doesn't.
Some people have thrown a lot of hype at the Minnesota Vikings this year, but fans shouldn't buy into that. The team's own general manager admitted they're doing a bit of rebuilding this year.
Throw in the fact that they face a pretty tough schedule, and we just don't see anything to get excited about here.
Our prediction: Lower your expectations. The Vikings will be lucky to go 9-8.
There was a time when you wouldn't bet against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, but that time has come to an end. The team made some questionable draft picks. There are rumors about Belichick's relationship with quarterback Mac Jones.
The team faces a tough schedule.
Our prediction: Another mediocre season in New England. The Patriots go 8-9.
The NFC South will be interesting to watch this year. While we think the Falcons will probably come out on top, the truth is that the New Orleans Saints are contenders as well. They added Derek Carr during the offseason, which is a big improvement over that strange quarterback situation they had going on last year.
However, we wonder if Michael Thomas can stay healthy and how Alvin Kamara's three-game suspension will affect that offense.
Our prediction: We're going to give the Saints the benefit of the doubt. They go 9-8.
Don't sleep on the New York Giants this year. While we think their best shot is a wild-card spot in the playoffs, we do expect to see some improvements in all areas, ranging from quarterback Daniel Jones's confidence to a more experienced defense.
It's taken a while, but they're finally gearing up for something good in a post-Eli Manning era.
Our prediction: The Giants have a winning 9-8 season.
No team made more offseason news than the New York Jets and that, of course, had to do with their acquiring one of the best to ever play the game, Aaron Rodgers.
Throw in the fact that they have an excellent defense, and it's understandable why many people are talking about the Jets being possible Super Bowl contenders.
Our prediction: There is finally something for Jets fans to get excited about. The team goes 12-5.
The Philadelphia Eagles may be one of the most well-rounded teams in the league. Jalen Hurts leads a talented offense, and the team has spent the last two drafts stacking its defense with some of the best college players from the two-time national champion University of Georgia Bulldogs.
However, the Eagles have a tough schedule this year, but we think they'll pull it off.
Our prediction: The Philadelphia Eagles go 12-5 and may compete in their second consecutive Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season, so we're going to give him the benefit of the doubt again this year and say he ekes it out, especially if T.J. Watt stays healthy and Kenny Pickett keeps growing in his role as starting quarterback like he did last year.
The problem is that there is just too much competition for these guys this year.
Our prediction: The Steelers go 9-8.
The San Francisco 49ers have arguably one of the best rosters in the league. They also have one of the easiest schedules in the league. They have some of the best coaches in the league. Throw all of this together, and you have the potential for these guys to make it pretty far into the playoffs, if not the Super Bowl.
That's a lot considering no one knows exactly what's going to happen at the quarterback spot.
Our prediction: Trey Lance or Brock Purdy ? it doesn't matter. The 49ers go 12-5.
No one predicted what Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks would do last year, but this year, we are going to predict a similar season. Smith has proven himself, and he has some of the best weapons in the league.
The Seahawks have a lot of competition, but we wouldn't be surprised to see them in the playoffs.
Our prediction: The Seahawks go 10-7.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went from Tom Brady to Baker Mayfield this offseason (assuming Brady doesn't surprise everyone and come out of retirement … again).
That pretty much tells you all you need to know about this team that has some stiff competition in the NFC South.
Our prediction: This isn't the Bucs' year. They go 4-13.
The Tennessee Titans fell apart last year, and there are many questions facing the team this year. Big questions. It's hard to bet against Mike Vrabel, but we don't have high hopes for this team.
Our prediction: The Titans go 5-12 and do some rebuilding.
It's been hard to be a Washington Commanders fan over the last few years, but don't worry as things are looking up. The team has one of the best defenses in the league.
While they've made some questionable choices on the other side of the line this year, namely choosing Sam Howell as their starting quarterback for 2023, this team does have potential.
Our prediction: The Commanders shock everyone with an 8-9 season.
