It’s that time of year again–NFL time–and here is my list of teams that will rise to the top.
National Football Conference
West, Los Angeles Rams: Fresh off a Super Bowl victory, the Rams are poised to take the divisional crown for the second consecutive year. They had a very successful offseason extending Mathew Stafford and signing star players, including Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner. I predict the Rams will build off last season’s success and breeze into the playoffs for the third year.
Getty Images
North, Green Bay Packers: For the first time in a while, there’s some uncertainty regarding who’ll win the North this year. The Packers lost a lot of key players, and the Vikings are headed in the right direction. But despite having a depleted receiving core, I can’t bet against the reigning MVP Aaron Rogers. The division will be tighter than in years past, but I think Green Bay will find itself atop the division when it’s all set and done.
South, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Is this Tom Brady’s last year in the league? When will the GOAT retire? While these questions remained unanswered, one thing is certain: the Bucs will take the NFC South crown this upcoming season. They kept the bulk of their core, play in a relatively weak division, and I believe Todd Bowles will settle in nicely in his first year as the Buccaneers’ coach.
East: Philadelphia Eagles: Even though the Cowboys finally broke out last year, the Eagles had a great offseason and draft. One reason is that QB Jalen Hurts came into his own during his sophomore season. Pairing star receiver AJ Brown with Devonta Smith will provide balance to the team’s run-heavy offense. Dallas is the only threat in this division, but I expect the Eagles to edge them out.
American Football Conference
West, Kansas City Chiefs: Every team is capable of winning the most stacked division in football. Losing Tyreek Hill hurts, but Patrick Mahomes is still around. And let’s not forget that the Chiefs were three points away from a third consecutive trip to the Super Bowl. Even though every other team in the West made big off-season moves, I still believe the Chiefs will rise to the occasion … again.
Dynamic Duo: Burrow (left) and Chase (photo, Yahoo! Sports)
North, Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals are eager to return to business after a narrow Super Bowl loss. One reason they got there is that Cincinnati finally fielded an O-line that protected Joe Burrow. The O-line upgrade bolstered an already solid roster. What about the rest of the North? The Browns had a fantastic offseason, but Deshaun Watson will miss most of the season. The Ravens will continue to be a threat, but Baltimore lost key receivers this offseason. While I expect this division to strengthen over time, at least for now, the top team is the AFC Defending Champions.
South, Indianapolis Colts: While the AFC West is the division’s best, what is the division’s worst? Hands down, it is the South. The reason? Only the Colts and Titans are contenders. The Colts have the edge, and offseason additions are the reason: veteran QB Matt Ryan, All-Pro cornerback Stephon Gillmore, and Pro-Bowl edge-rusher Yannick Ngakoue. What about Tennessee? The Titans traded their top playmaker AJ Brown to the Eagles and have one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Bottom line? I predict that Indianapolis will have just enough to take its first divisional crown since 2014.
East: Buffalo Bills: After years of being dominated by the Patriots and TB12, the Bills won the East two years in a row. The 2022 roster remains strong with no glaring weaknesses, and QB Josh Allen is the frontrunner for MVP. While I think the other teams in the AFC East are headed in the right direction, none can compete with the Bills quite yet. That means Buffalo will take the AFC East for the third straight year. What’s more, this team looks to be the AFC’s representative in Super Bowl LVII.
