Author: Raza Umerani

Massive sports fanatic. Sadly a diehard DC Sports fan. Virginia Tech Sports Media and Analytics '24

32 Teams in 32 Days: Buffalo Bills

It’s Super Bowl or bust in Buffalo as Josh Allen and the Bills once again have all the ingredients to win an elusive title — so long as things don’t turn upside down in January again.

Cover photo taken from WROC.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

It took longer than I expected, but we’ve finally reached a 2024 playoff team with the Buffalo Bills, who still have their sights set on their first Super Bowl after once again experiencing the agony of a playoff exit at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Honestly, there’s not much to say about the Bills that we don’t already know by heart. Reigning MVP Josh Allen is an absolute unicorn of unicorns at QB who finally got his recognition with that elusive award last season (even though I would’ve given it to Lamar Jackson), ranking first in EPA/play and QBR. They won the AFC East for the fifth season in a row, doing so faster than any team has won any division in league history. They were truly elite across the board last year, finishing second in EPA/play on offense and 12th on defense, along with ranking in the top six in both pass rush and run stop win rates.

This was pretty damn cool. (h/t WROC)

In the end, it wasn’t enough. Despite 2024 being tabbed as the year that Buffalo finally got over the Mahomes hump, a 32-29 loss in the AFC Championship sent the Bills to a drab 0-4 playoff record against the Chiefs. This team is still trying to get back to their first Super Bowl since 1993 and capture that elusive first Lombardi, but the best player of the generation continues to stand in their way.

It’s no one’s fault — Allen now sits atop NFL history in playoff yards per game and TD-INT ratio and these teams are built to keep up with and defeat the Chiefs. It’s not like the 13 seconds or Damar Hamlin fake punt debacles. Blame a fourth down spot if you want, but if you can’t get a yard convincingly enough with the season on the line, maybe you don’t deserve to win. Especially if you get the ball back and can’t get a first down. It’s the little things. It always is with the Bills.

So, is this the year? It certainly might be. The offense essentially remains the exact same, returning a full offensive line that ranked fourth in pass block win rate a year ago while getting some more juice at WR with Josh Palmer replacing Amari Cooper. Khalil Shakir will continue to be a menace in the slot while Keon Coleman hopefully develops into a true WR1. James Cook led the NFL in touchdowns a year ago with 18 out of the backfield; hopefully he’ll be on the field amidst a contract dispute.

All the while, the defense also remains largely similar, just younger — the Bills spent their first five draft picks on that side of the ball. Unc replaces unc as Joey Bosa replaces Von Miller off the edge while Tre’Davious White returns to the secondary. This unit is eventually what unraveled the championship hopes a year ago, giving up 44 to the Rams, 42 to the Lions — albeit in a win — and 32 to the Chiefs in the final six weeks of the year. Seems like something that HC Sean McDermott should have more buttoned up by now, but alas.

So, Josh will still be amazing. The offense should continue to be a well-oiled machine. The defense has the blend of young studs and veteran talent to rank towards the top 10 once again. They’ll sleepwalk to an AFC East title and will be in contention for a 1-seed. That’s the expectation. That’s the standard.

The only remaining question: is it enough to finally get it done?

X-Factor: The Football Gods
Not again… right? (h/t The Playoffs)

The Bills are easily one of the most snakebitten franchises in professional sports. Wide right. The Four Falls. The Music City Miracle. 13 seconds. Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Josh Allen. Nothing to show for it. It’s almost like they pissed off some higher entity that’s constantly punishing them for it. The fact of the matter is this: the Bills are Super Bowl or bust every year. And they seemingly always have the talent to get it done. But something stupid happens in the playoffs, and it ruins everything. If they can play that one clean game — that one game with no supernatural craziness to spoil the season, they can and will win it all. We’ll see if the Football Gods allow it.

Team MVP: QB Josh Allen

There’s not much more I can say about Josh, who’s simply one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever watched. Every single week I sit down and watch the Bills, there’s one or two plays where I go, “Oh, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Between his arm, legs, strength and size, he’s probably the most unique quarterback the league has ever seen. It’s honestly pretty cool to see how he’s completely shattered the ceiling of the potential he had when coming out of Wyoming six years ago. The best and most recent part of that development has been the long-awaited departure of the horrible turnovers. Gone are the days of forcing throws for no reason and trying to make everything into a big play — Allen only threw six picks last year! So, this selection needs no explanation. The only thing to look out for is how much better he can be after a 3,731-yard, 28-touchdown season (with 12 rushing touchdowns to boot!). Despite a subpar receiving core, the sky remains the limit.

Breakout Candidate: WR Keon Coleman

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t big on Coleman coming out of Florida State last year. I’m honestly still not very high on him. I didn’t think he should’ve been a first round pick, and I doubt his ability to become a true WR1 in this league. But, if there was a time to prove me wrong, it’s now. A rookie season with 29 catches, 556 yards and four touchdowns can be a launching pad to a sophomore campaign with closer to 50-60 catches and perhaps even 1,000 yards. Shakir is still probably the main target for Allen — and even Cook catches a ton of balls out of the backfield — but you could argue that if the Bills are finally going to get over the hump, Coleman turning into a stud would be a huge reason why.

Record Prediction: 14-3

The Bills have the ninth-easiest schedule in football based on 2024 winning percentage in large part thanks to the AFC East being an absolute joke. But, it’s also very manageable outside of the division — Buffalo somehow gets Kansas City, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati and Philadelphia all at home. The toughest road trip is probably at Houston, where I have them dropping a game due to how poor Allen played against that elite defense last year. Anything lower than 12 wins would probably feel like a disappointment. Whether or not 14 is good enough for the 1-seed is an irrelevant issue. The Bills’ schedule starts in the postseason, where they need to beat whoever whenever and finally put themselves in a position to bring a title to Buffalo.

Next up: Miami Dolphins

32 Teams in 32 Days: Cincinnati Bengals

As the Bengals continue to prioritize their offense and ignore their defense, they remain in a position that isn’t conducive to winning. Even with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase setting the league on fire.

Cover photo taken from AP Photo.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The wheel has finally taken us to the AFC — and to one of its most fascinating, polarizing teams in the Bengals. And as much as I’d love to do a deep dive into everything going on in Cincinnati, I don’t really need to. You know what there is to know.

The skinny is this: Joe Burrow is amazing. Ja’Marr Chase might be the best receiver in the league. Tee Higgins is probably the best WR2 alongside him. The offensive line isn’t great. And the defense can’t stop a single gosh darn nosebleed.

Burrow probably would have won MVP last year if his defense was anything resembling competent, having the third ever season with over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with less than 10 interceptions. The other two quarterbacks who accomplished that feat — Tom Brady in 2007 and Aaron Rodgers in 2011 — each took home the award and went a combined 30-1 in the regular season. The 2024 Bengals went 9-8.

And they had to struggle to get there. After once again starting the season looking like they were in training camp with an 0-3 start, Cincy had to climb out of 4-8 hole to stay in the playoff race. They were able to do that, winning their final five games, but it wasn’t enough, inexcusably missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.

You can point fingers at anyone but Burrow, Chase — who won the receiving triple crown — and Higgins. Though the Bengals had the second-highest dropback success rate in the league, the offensive line ranked dead last in pass block win rate and 30th in run block win rate while the defense sat at a measly 27th in EPA/play and 30th in success rate. Trey Hendrickson should be absolved from blame as well, considering he ranked second among all edge rushers in win rate while racking up 17.5 sacks for the second season in a row.

But apparently the Bengals front office disagrees. While fully content to pay Chase and Higgins a combined — and deserved — $70 million per year for the next several seasons, Cincy has completely neglected to play ball with Hendrickson, who’s being paid pennies on the dollar compared to the other pass rushers in his class. While Myles Garrett, TJ Watt and Maxx Crosby have each been rewarded with over $30 million AAV deals, Trey is set to make $15.8 million this season before becoming a free agent. It’s obviously in his and the team’s best interest to pay him like he deserves to be, but here we are on August 8, and there’s still no deal.

Pay the man. (h/t Bleacher Report)

It’s impossible to make it make sense. This defense has been so abysmal that they are defying logic; the Bengals lost four games last year in which they scored 30 or more, the most in NFL history. It’s a unit that has held generational QB and WR play back from even getting to the playoffs, let alone back to the Super Bowl. But no, let’s not pay the best player we have on that side of the ball and risk somehow being even worse than we were a year ago, even if we’ve replaced Lou Anarumo with Al Golden at DC. And don’t even get me started on the Shemar Stewart drama from this offseason.

It’s not just Hendrickson. Go look at the Bengals’ defensive depth chart and find me a single player worth recognizing in this preview. BJ Hill is the only one I’d hear out considering the entire second level of the defense is filled with players who are clearly out of their element. But this team made no moves of note to bolster that side of the ball, choosing instead to continue investing in the offense. Cincy better hope that draft picks Stewart, Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter turn into elite defenders, because they’re otherwise hopeless.

So, it seems like the Bengals are content to have another season of losing games 41-38 and 35-31 while watching other teams with QBs on Burrow’s level aspire to win the Super Bowl. Remember after 2021 and 2022 when we thought this organization was finally free from incompetence and ready to cash in on having generational talent on offense? Those were the days.

X-Factor: The Whole Defense
We can only pray that all hope is not lost for this unit. (h/t New York Times)

I can keep going on and on about this side of the ball, but I won’t. I’ll put a button on it with this — this Bengals team can only go as far as this defense doesn’t prevent them from going. That sounds like word jumble, but what I’m trying to say is that this unit will hold this team back no matter what. It’s just a matter of how much they do so. If they can keep teams to 24 points instead of 28 or 30 instead of 35, Burrow and company might be able to do the rest and get this team to 10 or 11 wins. I’d love to believe that’s going to happen. But I need to see it to believe it. And I don’t have high hopes.

Team MVP: QB Joe Burrow
Pocket God. (h/t AP Photo)

I love Joe Burrow. He’s truly a delight to watch, and it’s a shame that we haven’t seen him in a playoff game in nearly three years. When healthy, he’s arguably the best QB in the entire league — I certainly think that’s true from a pocket perspective. From the pocket, nobody is on his level. It’s the closest thing to Tom Brady I’ve seen in this new generation of quarterbacks. And his deep ball is simply untouchable, delivering the highest percentage of catchable balls on throws over 20 yards in the league. There’s no doubt about how Burrow will perform as long as he’s on the field and Chase and Higgins are lining up on the outside. League MVP is certainly back on the table this year, but with how his defense is set to perform, no amount of individual success is going to be enough. Reminds me of another legendary No. 9 I grew up watching who won a championship in Louisiana.

Breakout Candidate: RB Chase Brown

You can make the argument that Chase Brown already broke out with his awesome sophomore campaign last year, but the casual NFL fan probably still doesn’t know who he is. I think that’ll change this year. Coming off a season with over 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage, Brown is primed for another season as a Swiss army knife out of the Bengals backfield. He’s reliable in the passing game and has some real juice on the ground — enough to keep defenses honest while still having to worry about Chase and Higgins. A solid run game is paramount in this offense, and Brown has proven that he’s a worthy successor to Joe Mixon. If the new additions to Cincy’s offensive line prove to be true upgrades, then Brown should have his first 1,000-yard rushing season and perhaps cement himself as a top-10 back in football.

Record Prediction: 10-7

I hate to continue beating the deceased horse, but 10 or 11 wins feels like Cincy’s ceiling considering their defense. The schedule is hard, don’t get me wrong, but a better D would mean more wins sheerly based on the Bengals’ offensive output. This team won’t be able to stop the likes of Minnesota, Denver, Buffalo, Baltimore or even Green Bay. Heck, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers might mess around and beat them once or twice. If Cincinnati can flip some of those into wins, the division title might be within reach. If not, anything but a playoff berth is unacceptable. And if the Bengals are once again on the outside looking in, then it’s time for a massive, massive change.

Next up: Buffalo Bills

32 Teams in 32 Days: New York Giants

Coming off arguably the worst season in franchise history, the Giants are staring down the barrel of another trainwreck, putting jobs everywhere in the building at stake.

Cover photo taken from Pro Football Network.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

Our first venture outside of the NFC West takes us to the Big Apple with the New York Football Giants. And I’m going to level with you guys here — it will not be easy to be nice to this team.

2024 was one of the worst seasons in Giants history as a franchise record 10-game losing streak led to cutting ties with $60 million QB Daniel Jones and a drab 3-14 record.

Let’s get the ugliness out of the way. As detailed by what’ll likely be the lone version of the offseason’s Hard Knocks, the Giants let their two best players in RB Saquon Barkley and S Xavier McKinney walk in order to uphold the Daniel Jones era only for Barkley to win Offensive Player of the Year and be the best player on the Super Bowl-winning Eagles while McKinney led the league in interceptions in Green Bay. Oh, and GM Joe Schoen couldn’t take his own son’s advice and make a move for a QB in the draft, though I doubt any teams in the top-3 would’ve budged.

So, they already went into the season behind the 8-ball. And boy, did it show. In the EPA/play department, New York finished 28th on offense and 29th on defense. Shuffling between Jones, Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock under center, they finished 31st in dropback success rate and scoring, only in front of the Browns in each department. Not the greatest company to keep.

The worst part? A meaningless win against the Colts in Week 17 threw away their chance at the No. 1 overall pick, dropping them to No. 3 to miss out on QB Cam Ward or the Heisman-winning unicorn Travis Hunter.

That being said, I do think New York made out of the draft with arguably its best player in Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter, who promises to be Micah Parsons 2.0. He rounds out what could be a top-5 defensive line in football, paired up with Brian Burns while Dexter Lawrence holds down the middle. And, for what it’s worth, I liked the Giants’ offseason on defense; Jevon Holland was a great pickup to replace McKinney — albeit a year too late — and Paulson Adebo was brought in to complement Dru Phillips and bolster a secondary that has missed on countless draft picks like Deonte Banks and Tyler Nubin.

Having Abdul Carter in the division for years to come isn’t my idea of fun. (h/t Reuters)

But the real story of the offseason was on the other side of the ball, as it seemingly always is under supposed offensive guru Brian Daboll. With Jones now in Indianapolis, Daboll and Schoen have been given one last shot to figure this out and prove that 2022 wasn’t a fluke. And they have put their faith in… Russell Wilson? Jameis Winston? Maybe not exactly. Russ is in town for one last ride, now on his fourth team in the last five years to be a stopgap for Ole Miss product Jaxson Dart, who the Giants traded back into the first round to select at No. 25 overall. Dart fits the mold for what Daboll wants far more than a 36-year old Wilson, but it’ll be a while before he sees the field. He still has a long way to go as a prospect, and Russ was always going to be the guy to get the ball rolling in the first couple of months.

Regardless of what happens at QB, the rest of the offense isn’t much to look at. Leading the charge is last year’s first-round WR Malik Nabers, who proved his worth with a ridiculous debut campaign, racking up 109 catches — second-highest tally in history for rookies behind Brock Bowers — 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns with horrible QB play. Darius Slayton has proven himself as a solid complement to Nabers as well and decided to run it back in New York this season. And Tyrone Tracy had a solid rookie season of his own to emerge as the lead back, but not exactly a Saquon Barkley replacement (who is, anyways?). Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt have potential, but there’s no clear WR3 in the building. Andrew Thomas has proven himself to be a top-tier left tackle, but the rest of the line leaves a ton to be desired.

With QB play having a low ceiling or and an incredibly low floor and the rest of the roster continuing to lack in clear, blue-chip talent outside of Thomas and Nabers, things aren’t going to get better overnight in New York. Combine that with a brutal schedule, and the Giants could be staring down the barrel of another abysmal season. Daboll and Schoen’s seats are scorching.

X-Factor: QB Jaxson Dart

But not in the way you might think. The reason I list Dart as an X-factor is because a lot of jobs rely on his success this season. Let’s say he takes over the starting job in Week 6. If he performs similar to Drake Maye last season with no eye-popping stats but clear talent and an ability to make plays, that’s a success. If he exceeds expectations and puts together a solid season for himself, that’s even better. He’s not going to be Jayden Daniels or CJ Stroud, but no one is. But for the Giants to have made the deal they did to get Dart, it has to work. It’s the last trick that Daboll can pull before being shipped off to be an offensive coordinator somewhere. I have my doubts about it working sheerly based on the uphill climb facing New York this season, but it’s not impossible.

Team MVP: WR Malik Nabers
This guy is absurd. (h/t northjersey.com)

I already touched on it, but Nabers is truly a remarkable player. I had him as my WR2 in last year’s draft, but I didn’t expect this. For him to have the rookie season he did with the QBs he played with is a testament to his skills. He’s also the only real pass-catching threat on this team, which is proven by leading the NFL in target share last year with a whopping 34.9%. He’s big, long, athletic, ridiculously fast and aggressive at the catch point. There aren’t many corners who can take him one-on-one. When I watch him, I see Ja’Marr Chase 2.0. That speaks for itself. If Dart pants out, they could prove to be a very good duo for years. If not, he’ll still be a great outlet for Russ, who will surely be connecting with him on a number of deep shots this season. In any case, I’m thrilled to watch his sophomore campaign — just maybe not in Weeks 1 and 15.

Breakout Candidate: RB Tyrone Tracy

As I mentioned earlier, Tracy is a pretty solid back who flashed a lot of potential in 2024. With 839 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, he emerged as the lead RB over Devin Singletary by October, and it definitely gave this offense a boost in the run game. Again, he’s no Saquon, but he can definitely be the solidified RB1 in New York for the next several years. Despite the offensive line continuing to be a weakness, Tracy should take a leap this season as the full-time lead back. That being said, rookie Cam Skattebo could eat into that if he proves that he can play in the big leagues, which I still have questions about.

Record Prediction: 2-15

This isn’t an indictment on how poor this roster or coaching staff is. This is more about the absolute gauntlet of a schedule. Just go take a look at it, then come back here and tell me I’m wrong. The NFC East has to play the NFC North and AFC West this season, which is awful news for the Giants in particular as those other two divisions are pretty good at the bottom. Oh, and they have to play San Francisco, who finished fourth last year, but should be much improved. There genuinely might not be a Giants win until the calendar year 2026. Their best chances are at New Orleans in Week 5, at Vegas in Week 17 and the finale against Dallas in Week 18. I gave them the Raiders win, and for some reason I have them beating Minnesota in Week 16 as well. There’s gotta be Ws in there somewhere. But if the Giants become the first team to ever go 0-17, do not color me surprised. Another top draft pick is on the fast track to the Big Apple.

Next up: Cincinnati Bengals

32 Teams in 32 Days: San Francisco 49ers

Coming off their worst season in three years, the 49ers had a tumultuous offseason ahead of a 2025 campaign littered with question marks, but softened by an easy schedule.

Cover photo taken from Deseret News.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like.

Our journey continues with our third NFC West team in as many days as we head out to the Bay Area, where the 49ers are seemingly facing some uncertainty for the first time in several years.

After three straight trips to the NFC Championship game — including an OT loss in Super Bowl LVIII agains Kansas City — San Francisco had a drab 6-11 campaign last season plagued by the injury bug that bit them all over in 2020. Entering the year as the favorite to win a title in perhaps the final season of a clear window, the Niners wound up finishing at the bottom of the division thanks to guys like Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel and others missing extended playing time due to serious injuries.

The offense was able to stay afloat, finishing 5th in total yards per game and 11th in EPA/play, but the defense simply fell apart, being largely unable to stop a nosebleed by the end of the season. The 49ers’ once proud unit finished bottom five in scoring, 26th in EPA/play and 29th in success rate, performing particularly awful against the run.

Thus, San Francisco entered the offseason with a lot of business to handle. The Niners lost a whopping 17 players in the first week of free agency, most notably having DB Charvarius Ward signed away by Indianapolis, trading Samuel to the Commanders for a fifth-round pick and losing both LB Dre Greenlaw and S Talanoa Hufanga to the Broncos. The defensive interior was also weakened by the departures of Javon Hargrave and Maleik Collins.

But the biggest business to handle was that of QB Brock Purdy, who has become one of the more polarizing signal callers in football. I personally think that the former Mr. Irrelevant has become so “overrated” that he’s now underrated. Why he receives the hate he does is beyond me. I used to be in the camp of recognizing him as a product of his environment — and that still very well be true — but he gained a lot of respect last season. To deal with the slew of injuries they had with the worst defense of his career, he still finished 9th in EPA+CPOE and 7th in QBR. That was largely without the likes of CMC, Deebo and Aiyuk. So much for being a product of the system.

GM John Lynch and the Niners front office seemed to agree, giving Purdy a whopping five-year, $265 million contract extension to complete one of the coolest stories in the league. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my doubts about whether you can win a title with Brock under center, but he deserved this payday and deserves to be this team’s franchise QB.

He’s much better than you think. (h/t Deseret News)

Because of that massive payout, they turned to rebuild through the draft and smaller, more team-friendly deals, particularly on defense. Each of the first five rounds saw San Francisco draft a defensive player, headlined by first-round edge rusher Mykel Williams, second-round tackle Alfred Collins and third-round corner Upton Stout. Other selections like Nick Martin, CJ West and Marques Single will help provide depth at key positions to help rebuild what was once an elite defense.

Still, the unit isn’t a very strong one. Even with Nick Bosa leading the charge off the edge and Fred Warner locking down the middle of the field. The secondary is a massive concern with no clear replacement for Ward; guys like Jason Pinnock and Renardo Green don’t inspire a ton of confidence, though I am a fan of Deommodore Lenoir and Malik Mustapha. Williams could develop into a force off the edge to complement Bosa, but I still don’t know what the interior will look like without Hargrave. Collins is pretty raw, but could become a very solid player in due time.

The offense has its fair share of question marks as well, but at least we know what to expect. Trent Williams may be old, but he’s still one of the best tackles in fotball. However, there’s not many other bright spots on the line — though, Jake Brendel had a solid season last year. If healthy, CMC should be the dog he always is. Hopefully Brandon Aiyuk can bounce back from a torn ACL and play up to the potential we saw in 2023, which garnered him his massive contract. Behind him, last year’s first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is bound for a breakout and Jauan Jennings remains one of the best WR3s in football. And then there’s George Kittle, who continues to be an absolute delight to watch at TE, coming off a remarkable season with 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, resulting in a massive four-year, $76.4 million extension. He’s showing no signs of slowing down and will undoubtedly have another huge year as Purdy’s top target.

As seemingly always is the case with this squad, health remains the biggest thing separating this team from reaching its potential. But it’ll be the answers — or lack thereof — to the other questions that will show whether the Super Bowl window has closed or is slowly but surely being reopened.

X-Factor: RB Christian McCaffrey

I was on the record several times in 2023 saying that CMC deserved to be in the MVP conversation over Purdy, and I still believe that I was right. That season, McCaffrey was just so impactful in so many ways, just as he was in 2022 after being acquired from Carolina. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in football. The problem is remaining healthy. Last year was the first he’s had in San Francisco with injury concerns, so hopefully it doesn’t become a trend like it was with the Panthers. Only four games with no touchdowns isn’t a recipe for success for this team. So, I guess more than CMC himself being the X-factor, his health is. Because so long as he’s on the field, this team is much better. Here’s to hoping that’s the case.

Team MVP: QB Brock Purdy

I wanted to put Kittle here, but I’m gonna continue putting respect on Purdy’s name. If he continues his form from last season, he’s in for another big year. San Francisco will need it if they want to return to the postseason, and I think he can provide it.

Breakout Candidate: WR Ricky Pearsall

We all want Ricky Pearsall to succeed. After getting shot before the start of last season, he was able to come back and have a decent rookie campaign, particularly when he was thrust into action following so many WR problems with Samuel and Aiyuk. He was drafted in the first round for a reason — he’s got a solid frame with great hands and he’s fearless at the catch point. Maybe not as polished of a route runner as Aiyuk, but definitely a good complement to him and Kittle in the passing game. In the Kyle Shanahan system, I think Pearsall is bound for a big year two, where he should see upwards of 70-75 targets. If nothing else, with the sheer amount of attention that Aiyuk, Kittle and McCaffrey should and will receive, the door will open for Ricky P to make his mark in 2025.

Record Prediction: 12-5

San Francisco doesn’t feel like a 12-win team until you look at their schedule. Courtesy of finishing in last place, the Niners have the luxury of playing the Browns, Bears and Giants this year in addition to cycling through the two worst divisions in the league — the NFC South and AFC South. Most of those games alone should get them to double digits, and they should be able to compete for a division title. But, that still implies good health and good performance. The former should hopefully come regardless, but the latter remains to be seen. I simply have enough faith in this system and the blue-chip talent they still possess, even after the mass exodus of this offseason. All in all, it’ll be a very telling season to see what the future of this franchise is going to look like.

Next up: New York Giants

32 Teams in 32 Days: Arizona Cardinals

Despite a disappointing end to last season, the Cardinals have put themselves in a position to break through in 2025. But how far can Kyler Murray and a desperately-needed defensive revamp take them?

Cover photo taken from NBC Sports.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like.

Our second leg of the journey keeps us in the NFC West with the upstart Cardinals, who have flown under the radar for quite some time now and could be poised for a breakthrough season.

I’ll start by saying this: Arizona was as good of a sub-.500 team as you’ll find in the league in 2024, at least offensively. They were 10th in the league in offensive EPA/play, Kyler Murray was 9th in QBR and the team was sixth in dropback success rate — notably above each of the league’s final four teams in Buffalo, Washington, Kansas City and Philadelphia. The team was 6-4 heading into their bye before falling apart, losing five of their next six, including very winnable games against Minnesota and Carolina.

What did the Cards in was their defense, which was 24th in defensive EPA/play and a drab 31st in success rate. Considering the defensive nature of head coach Jonathan Gannon, that won’t fly for the redbirds in ’25.

As such, defense seemed to be the emphasis of the offseason in the desert. While the offense gained no new starters, five of the team’s six draft picks were spent on that side of the ball — notably including DT Walter Nolen in the first round and DB Will Johnson in the second, who could each be franchise cornerstones if they stay healthy and live up to their potential. DB Denzel Burke, LB Cody Simon and LB Jordan Burch could also develop into solid pieces and at least provide some defensive depth.

Josh Sweat was signed away from the Eagles to a lucrative deal to bolster the pass rush which was 28th in win rate a year ago. Calais Campbell was brought back home to provide a veteran presence and maybe give the interior some juice. All things considered, this should be an improved unit this season; at least DC Nick Rallis hopes they’ll be in what’s essentially a make-or-break year for him.

Again, this team is practically the same offense as it was a year ago, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering the stats, but I do have some question marks.

For starters, I’m not overly fond of OC Drew Petzing — particularly his lack of emphasis to feed the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. Yes, it apparently isn’t necessary, but it seems like something that could surely elevate the unit. Critics and TikTokers would have you believe that Harrison’s rookie year was a disappointment; I’ll admit that might be true statistically, but film would tell the story of a kid who simply didn’t see the ball enough.

Throw this guy the ball, please. (h/t AZCentral)

Having a star TE in Trey McBride certainly plays a big factor there, considering led all tight ends in target share with over 29% — good for sixth among all pass catchers. For reference, MHJ ranked 42nd, lower than guys like David Njoku and Michael Pittman Jr.

Call me crazy, but I’m in favor of getting the ball to the generational talent you took fourth overall.

I won’t put the blame on Kyler, because I actually think he’s a pretty solid quarterback who gets a little too much hate. But there were numerous occasions where Marv would be wide open streaking down the field and not even get looked at. It’s the small things like that which prevent this offense from being one of the best in the league — which, considering the solid offensive line and pretty good skill position group, is entirely possible.

This was already a solid roster that improved greatly in the areas it needed to. But the fact remains: I need to see it to believe it. I want to believe in this offense, and I’m excited to see what the defense looks like. But, for now, the glass is neither half-full nor half-empty. It just has some water in it.

X-Factor: QB Kyler Murray

If the Cardinals want to return to the postseason, you’d have to picture Kyler returning to a form like we saw pre-ACL tear. Again, last year wasn’t bad for him by any means — in fact, he posted the highest QBR of his career — but it wasn’t enough to get over the hump. That’s not all his fault. But if he can get just a little closer to the peak of his potential, it’ll be good enough to make up for this team’s shortcomings. We all know he has what it takes to be a top-10 signal caller. It just remains to be seen whether or not he can get there.

Team MVP: TE Trey McBride
Who runs a better corner route than Trey McBride? (h/t Reuters)

To put it plainly, Trey McBride is a damn stud. He has clearly emerged as a top-three tight end in football, and on his best day, he’s probably the best in the league. His route running is wildly polished for his size, he’s almost unguardable at the catch point and fairly effective after the catch. McBride has developed into the ultimate safety blanket for Kyler Murray and one of the biggest ball-demanders in football with 111 receptions last season — good for fourth in the league. Only Brock Bowers was a more productive TE last season, which is pretty good company to keep. For his efforts, McBridge was given a four-year, $76 million extension, making him the highest paid tight end in NFL history. So, this was a pretty easy choice. Entering year four, he’s showing no signs of slowing down and should continue to be the primary weapon in this offense. That is, unless, something in particular happens…

Breakout Candidate: WR Marvin Harrison Jr.

This is the year. There should be a much more conceited effort to get Marv the football, and it’s going to pay dividends. I always thought he was the best receiver in the 2024 class; hell, I thought he was the best player in the draft and one of the most unique talents I’ve ever watched. I still believe that potential is within him, and I still think this is a perfect situation for him to be in. If he consistently sees targets — of which there should be at least 80 or 90 — he should explode this season and become the type of receiver we all expect him to be. He may not eclipse his ’24 draft counterparts in Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. just yet, but it’s only a matter of time before that happens. A player of his skillset and athleticism doesn’t dwell for long.

Record Prediction: 8-9

Like I said with Seattle yesterday, this is a very middle-of-the-pack type of schedule. But with too many unknowns on defense, it’s hard to hand out wins in toss-ups where the tie goes to a clearly better, more well-rounded squad. Road games at Dallas, Tampa Bay, Houston and Cincinnati also stand out as steep hills to climb, and the divisional road games figure to be chalked up as losses as well. A double-digit win season is entirely possible. It just needs to be seen to be believed.

Next up: San Francisco 49ers

32 Teams in 32 Days: Seattle Seahawks

An offensive overhaul creates questions that loom larger than the rainclouds over Seattle. What’s in store for the Seahawks in year two under Mike Macdonald?

Cover photo taken from DraftKings.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like.

The squad with the distinct honor of captaining our maiden voyage is the Seattle Seahawks, a team that I once had quite a disdain for, but have grown to respect quite a lot.

That being said, not everything going on in the PNW is making a lot of sense these days.

Seattle was the only 10-plus win team to not make the playoffs in 2024, missing out by a hair courtesy of some wonky tiebreakers in the NFC. The Seahawks were simply so-so on both sides of the ball with EPA/play on offense of -0.013 and -0.018 on defense, clocking in at 20th and 10th in the league, respectively. Losing a couple of very winnable games — namely against the Giants and Vikings — didn’t help either. Still, it felt like a success of a first season under new head coach Mike Macdonald, and one that could be built upon.

But, the big story of the offseason was a recalibration — there’s a word former Seahawks DC Dan Quinn would be proud of — of the offense, spearheaded by trades that sent away QB Geno Smith and WR DK Metcalf to the Raiders and Steelers, respectively. Those two were the anchors of that side of the ball ever since Smith got there in 2022, connecting for 3,380 yards and 24 touchdowns. I’ve always considered Geno wildly underrated and DK rather overrated, but regardless of subjective perception, there’s no denying that the decision to simultaneously move off both was a little puzzling.

The puzzle got slightly harder to decipher when the Seahawks decided to replace Smith with Sam Darnold, giving the former first-round pick a three-year, $100.5 million contract after a career-rejuvenating season in Minnesota that ended with a whimper. To me, that’s a downgrade. I do like Darnold, but one good season that ended with two of the worst games you’ll see in big moments wouldn’t convince me to move off a consistent guy like Geno, even after a 15-interception campaign. Darnold had an incrementally higher EPA+CPOE at 0.121 compared to Smith’s 0.110, which says more about Geno considering that Seattle’s offensive line was 21st in pass block win rate last year. For reference, Minnesota was 2nd. And, of course, the Vikings have arguably the best receiver in football in Justin Jefferson and an upper echelon WR2 in Jordan Addison.

Whether or not the Seahawks upgraded at QB remains to be seen. (h/t NFL.com)

To that end, the Seahawks do still have a solid group of weapons for Darnold to play with, even with the departure of Metcalf — which isn’t as impactful as it seems. DK worked with Geno because of each of their affinities for the deep ball. With Darnold, things will be more short and intermediate with the ball coming out quickly and decisively. That plays right into the hands of third-year WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba — who is poised for one of the league’s biggest breakouts in 2025 — and newcomer Cooper Kupp who returns home to Washington looking for a new spark. Jake Bobo and Marquez Valdes-Scantling don’t round out the world’s greatest WR room, but Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet make up for that out of the backfield. Plus, second-round rookie TE Elijah Arroyo could prove to be another solid safety blanket.

Unfortunately for that side of the ball, the offensive line still figures to be a weakness. The Seahawks spent a first round pick on standout NDSU lineman Gray Zabel to bolster the interior, but the rest of that group still has many questions to answer. Is Charles Cross capable of being a franchise LT? Is Olu Oluwatimi able to live up to his potential? Will the right side be able to stop a gentle breeze from sneaking through? There are just too many questions.

Fortunately for Seattle, the defense shouldn’t have too many questions to answer. At least no new ones. Again, it was a very middle-of-the-pack lineup across the board, but nothing was as offensively bad as the OL (see what I did there?). Leonard Williams found new life off the edge and Demarcus Lawrence will look to do the same, Byron Murphy II has all the potential in the world to be a top-tier tackle and if healthy, Uchenna Nwosu can make a real impact on and off the ball. Losing Dre’Mont Jones hurts, and I wish there was more of an effort to improve the pass rush, but that effort seemed to go to the secondary instead, drafting athletic freak Nick Emmanwori to bolster a unit that was already pretty solid. Devon Witherspoon is an absolute stud on the boundary, Coby Bryant can play at a high level and Julian Love has been consistent. If Riq Woolen can find his old self, this defense can easily find themselves in the top-10 in passing.

Overall, Seattle might not have done enough to make a true jump from year one to year two under a new regime. If anything, this will be the transition year for the Seahawks when we all thought 2024 was. If that’s the case, then this season could go any which way.

X-Factor: QB Sam Darnold

The Seahawks go as Sam Darnold goes. That probably goes without saying. My big question remains: how does he bounce back from the putrid ending to the 2024 season which saw him lose tens of millions? Because while it might seem like Seattle is trusting him to take over for the next few years, that might not be the case. He could be dropped at the first sign of trouble in favor of rookie QB Jalen Milroe, who was selected in the third round out of Alabama. You’ve got to figure that the Seahawks see more of a future in the athletic monster Milroe, perhaps hoping to shape him into their own version of Jalen Hurts. I’m a fan of his, and I can see a path to him starting late in 2025 — maybe after Seattle is knocked out of playoff contention — and even to begin 2026. Darnold needs to play at the level he was at for the majority of last year with the Vikings and not have the falloff. That’s easier said than done. Jefferson and Addison aren’t here; neither is TJ Hockenson or that offensive line or even that defense. Kevin O’Connell isn’t in his ear anymore. This is more of a prove-it situation than it seems for Sam. Will he fold under the pressure again or find away to make it work?

Team MVP: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Draft JSN in fantasy. Thank me later. (h/t DraftKings)

You thought I was going to go this whole time only talking about JSN one brief time? Negative. The breakout was inevitable last year — 100 catches for 1,130 yards and six TD as an alleged WR2 in year two was something to behold. Now, Smith-Njigba is the clear-cut top option in an offensive scheme which will benefit him much more than last year’s. I can easily see JSN being a 115-plus catch receiver with over 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’ll get 10-to-15 targets a game, many of which coming in the quick game, but he can still take the top off the defense for the big play — especially more than any other receiver on the roster. I think he figures to be a consensus top-10 WR in football in six months. And I get to say “I told you so.”

Breakout Candidate: S Nick Emmanwori

You could see what the vision was when Seattle drafted Emmanwori out of South Carolina in the second round. With Woolen, Witherspoon and Bryant, they’ve been trying to rebuild the Legion of Boom. Now, the hope is that Emmanwori can be their Kam Chancellor. No one has ever tested like him, clocking in with the greatest RAS score for a safety in the history of the Scouting Combine, but his lack of polish outside of athleticism caused his slip into the mid-second round. But, if there’s anyone who can mold him into a truly elite safety, it should be Mike Macdonald. I have high hopes for the kid in this system, and I hope it works out. Because we could all use another Kam Chancellor in our lives.

Record Prediction: 9-8

The schedule ain’t hard, but it ain’t easy either. The NFC West is challenging enough as is, especially with the 49ers looking to get back on track and the Cardinals being sneakily improved. Playing the AFC South helps for what should be three free wins, and Houston has to go up to Seattle in the middle of the year. The NFC South also isn’t too difficult, but who knows what Carolina and Atlanta could be? The point remains: this Seahawks team doesn’t show enough improvement — if any at all — to inspire the confidence that they’ll make a jump into the postseason. Nine wins honestly might be generous here. It all comes down to the man under center. And that’s far too big of a question mark.

Next up: Arizona Cardinals

Is This Thing On?

Football is back, and so am I. An update on where I’ve been, plus what’s coming next in what’ll be another unforgettable fall.

*taps the mic*

Is this thing on?

Hey again. Long time no see. Football is back, and so am I.

Last season was a busy one with wrapping up college and being swamped traveling coast to coast covering Virginia Tech football, so this page regrettably got put on ice. Turns out education and employment are important after all.

As much as I wanted to bring it back during down periods and/or after graduation, it felt disingenuous to pick up in the middle of the season after so much time off. Considering how it turned out for a certain team that dons burgundy and gold, I partially regret that. But I’ll get into that plenty when the time comes.

We’ll see if these two are suiting up together in five weeks’ time. (h/t @Commanders/X)

For the time being, the fact is this — we are back. That means the usual Power Rankings and Picks pieces will be returning once the season starts, but I’m going to do things a little differently this time.

Preseason predictions will start today and run every single day leading up to the opener on Sept. 4 — truly can’t think of a better way to spend my 24th birthday than watching that team raise a banner — in a series of 32 teams in 32 days. Part of me wanted to go in inverse draft order or from best 2024 record to worst, but I’ve decided to introduce a little anarchy and leave it up to chance, more colloquially known as a good ol’ wheel spin. First up later this afternoon: the Seattle Seahawks!

As we get closer to kickoff, I’ll also drop some other pieces here and there such as award predictions, bold predictions, preseason position rankings and maybe even the trusty uniform articles.

But, again, I want to do things differently this time. So I’ll be branching out throughout the 2025 season, touching on teams outside of the nation’s capital a lot more and trying out things like film breakdowns and more in-depth, football-brained posts to try and stir the pot a bit. Gotta put that NFL+ subscription to use somehow other than rewatching Jayden Daniels tape for hours on end.

Combine all that with some stuff that’s cooking behind the scenes, and this should be the best football season from a content and analysis perspective that I’ve ever had. It helps to not be in school anymore — who would’ve thought? I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, and now that pigskin season is right around the corner, I can’t wait to get rocking and rolling.

So, now that the dusty microphone is back on, let’s start talking once more. Sam Darnold, you’re up first.

Week 2 Picks

Playoff rematches and high-profile primetime showdowns highlight an exciting Week 2 slate that’s sure to deliver. Here’s how I see it playing out.

Cover photo taken from NBC Chicago.

Last Week/Season Total: 9-7

Bills 27-24 Dolphins

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video

I hate to be one to play trends, but Josh Allen has never lost on a Thursday, and he’s 11-2 in his career against the Dolphins. Not only that, but he’s put up massive numbers against Miami in the last few years.

I understand that Buffalo’s offense looks different now than it did then, but that didn’t stop Allen from being one of the most productive QBs in football last week. And I know Miami’s offense is incredible, but no team knows them better than the Bills. So, I’ll ride the trends.

Cowboys 31-17 Saints

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Again, I don’t know what the Saints are going to look like. I take little to no stock in a blowout win over the Panthers.

But, I do know what the Cowboys are: one of the best, most well-rounded teams in the league that never loses at home. They should have this one easily.

Lions 24-20 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

I’m not sure why Vegas thinks this one won’t be too close, considering the Bucs took the Lions to the brink in the playoffs last year and are coming off a very impressive offensive showing in Week 1. But, they have one thing right: the Lions win was far more impressive.

Combine that with the fact that Detroit has the better roster from top to bottom and are continuing to get better on defense, and I’ll take them to win a close, entertaining game.

Colts 23-17 Packers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

I’m not going to pick a Malik Willis-led football team to win a game against a competent team until I see it actually happen. The Packers defense is good enough to keep them in the game at home, but I think Indianapolis has the QB advantage, and that should put them over the top.

Titans 23-20 Jets

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Titans didn’t give up a point on defense on the road last year, and now come home to play a Jets team that has no idea what they are offensively. Smells like an upset.

I have no faith in Will Levis, and the Titans offense isn’t very good, but this just feels like a spot where they pull out a win. Law of averages, if you will.

Either that, or I’m the Jets’ No. 1 hater. That’s also likely.

49ers 27-17 Vikings

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The 49ers are already a much better team than the Vikings are. Then you remember that Sam Darnold was in San Francisco last year, and the Niners defense will know how to most effectively stop him, and you realize that this game really shouldn’t be close at all, no matter how intimidating Minnesota’s homefield advantage is.

Seahawks 20-17 Patriots

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

I worry about the Seahawks going all the way across the country, and I think the Patriots could ride some momentum from last week’s upset win into their home opener. But this is simply a situation where I’m picking a team that’s clearly better and hoping for the best.

Giants 23-20 Commanders

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

I’ve seen this film before. And I never like the ending.

Picking us to lose to the Giants is like taking candy from a baby. It feels wrong, but it’s just too damn easy.

For some reason, Daniel Jones always decides to play like an NFL QB for two games of the year: the two matchups against Washington. Meanwhile, we decide to play like pumpkins, even at home against a divisional opponent.

It doesn’t matter that all signs on paper point to a Washington win. New York’s front seven will find a way to make life hell for Jayden Daniels in his home debut, and Jones and the Giants offense will somehow put up massive numbers (Malik Nabers breakout game loading?) en route to a win that will make all of us scratch our heads. Again.

Chargers 20-10 Panthers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Do I even need to comment on the Panthers and their matchups on any given week? Not until they show me that I should. Just pick against them and move forward.

Jaguars 22-19 Browns

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

This game is going to be ugly, but I also think it’s going to be fun. Not that it’s fun watching Deshaun Watson play QB, but these are two good rosters and two well-coached football teams that should give us a good game.

That being said, I’m not going to trust the offense led by Waston to win the game. I’d much rather back Trevor Lawrence, especially at home, to get the job done.

Ravens 30-13 Raiders

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Biggest blowout of Week 2 loading… next!

Rams 24-23 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX

It’s a bit of a risk to back the Rams with all of their injury concerns, but as I said earlier, I still trust them under Sean McVay and Matt Stafford no matter what.

The Cardinals looked good last week — that is, until they didn’t — but I think I still need to see more out of their offense. I would love for this to be the game that Marvin Harrison Jr. bursts onto the scene. But more than that, their defense fell apart down the stretch, and I think Stafford, Cooper Kupp and Co. can pick them apart just enough.

Broncos 16-13 Steelers

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

Week 2’s equivalent of NyQuil. I’m just picking the home team with the great homefield advantage and moving on.

Chiefs 27-19 Bengals

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS

The Week 2 Bengals may or may not be better than the Week 1 Bengals, but even if they are, they’re not good enough to beat the best team in the league.

Joe Burrow always plays Patrick Mahomes close, but I think the Chiefs are simply too good to lose this game at home. I hope it’s close and I hope it’s entertaining, but I just don’t think it will be.

Texans 26-20 Bears

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

This is being touted as a high-profile battle between two of the best young quarterbacks in the league. But, what it actually is is a battle between a top-five quarterback in CJ Stroud and a rookie with — until proven otherwise — more hype than substance in Caleb Williams.

The Texans are the better team from top to bottom with the better quarterback and a raucous home crowd in primetime. It’s their game to lose.

Eagles 24-17 Falcons

Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN

The Falcons offense is a mess. I don’t know how they’re supposed to move the ball with Kirk Cousins’ limitations coming off the Achilles injury.

I know the Eagles have question marks of their own with their defense, but at least I know what their offense is. And though Atlanta’s got a good D of their own, I don’t know if they have the offense to overcome Philly on the road.

Post-Week 1 Power Rankings

Here’s how I stack up the league after a wild, wacky start to the 2024 season.

Cover photo taken from KXAN.

1 – Chiefs (1-0)

Imagine winning back-to-back Super Bowls with the best quarterback of all time and an elite young defense… and then clearly improving in the offseason to the point where everyone is questioning how you’re possibly going to be stopped.

Must be nice.

2 – 49ers (1-0)

It’s not surprising to see the Niners pick up where they left off. The important thing is seeing it continue in the weeks and months to come.

3 – Cowboys (1-0)

Dak Prescott deserved the money. CeeDee Lamb obviously did, too. And the defense is obviously incredible, making more plays than any other in the league. Now you’re seeing it all come to fruition.

This team will be dangerous, no matter how many jokes we all want to get off.

4 – Lions (1-0)

My main concern with Detroit entering the year was their secondary, considering the defensive front and entire offense was nothing short of elite. While they definitely had ups and downs, I was impressed by what I saw out of that unit.

This remains one of the more well-rounded rosters in the league, and what Sunday night showed is that, if they choose to, they can beat you any way they please.

5 – Ravens (0-1)

Baltimore will be fine, but I have some early concerns. The defense has clearly taken the step back that I expected them to, and the offense can’t lean on Lamar Jackson like this for an entire season. He’s not Josh Allen.

6 – Bills (1-0)

Speaking of Josh Allen, it’s nice to see that he’s still doing Superman stuff in the month of September.

That’s all fine and dandy, but let’s see if he can do it in January.

7 – Eagles (1-0)

This defense still has numerous question marks, but the signs of life are there across the board.

And it might not matter if Saquon Barkley keeps doing that.

8 – Texans (1-0)

Houston is a team that’s going to keep getting better and better as they continue to gel this season. It helps when you’re led by the most surgical quarterback in the league (yes, I mean it).

9 – Dolphins (1-0)

I really don’t have much to say about Miami that we don’t already know about them. They put up their yards, and their defense bent quite a bit, but didn’t break down the stretch. This will be the case until the first cold breeze of autumn blows through.

10 – Rams (0-1)

The injury bug ripped a chunk out of the Rams in Week 1, and that is quite concerning. But, this is a team that has made quite a lot of of nothing in recent years, and as long as Sean McVay is the coach and Matt Stafford is the quarterback, I will keep the faith in them.

And if Cooper Kupp keeps playing like his 2021 self? Watch out.

11 – Packers (0-1)

The worst sight of Week 1 was seeing Jordan Love needlessly sprain his MCL on a broken play at the end of a lost game. It was a cruel twist of fate.

The Packers are still talented across the board and can win games, but I have little to no faith in Malik Willis as an NFL QB. We’ll see how it goes.

12 – Seahawks (1-0)

Fair play, Seattle. You looked a lot better than I expected you to. Let’s see if you can do it against football teams with real rosters.

13 – Saints (1-0)

I feel like this is a little high for the Saints, but if you win any game in this league by 37 points, you deserve some flowers. I doubt any of this can continue, especially Derek Carr’s level of play, but if it does, then I might have to eat some crow.

14 – Buccaneers (1-0)

Again, I don’t want to take much stock in Baker Mayfield decimating the worst secondary in the NFL (by a good margin, it seems). But the Bucs looked really good across the board on Sunday. This is probably the best team in the NFC South, but it remains to be seen if anyone wants to claim that title with conviction.

15 – Bears (1-0)

Most annoying win of Week 1. Caleb Williams throws for 93 yards on 14 completions and his offense doesn’t score, but the defense and special teams is gifted touchdown after touchdown, so I have to hear about how Caleb “led his team to victory” and nothing about how this offense might’ve been the worst in the league this week.

Give me a break.

16 – Steelers (1-0)

A win is a win, even if you don’t put the ball in the endzone. Just ask the Bears.

On the bright side for Pittsburgh, the defense still looks legit, and TJ Watt still looks like the most impactful defensive player in the sport. The same winning formula remains.

17 – Jaguars (0-1)

You were on the verge of greatness, you were this close!

Ironically enough, I feel better about the Jags after watching that game. They clearly have the talent and coaching to keep up with the big dogs. We’ll see how long they can keep it up.

18 – Colts (0-1)

Anthony Richardson is a demigod, but that isn’t going to be enough to win games in Indianapolis. They need to find a groove on offense, and that starts with Richardson’s ability to complete all of his passes, not just the 60-yard bombs.

19 – Jets (0-1)

I told you so.

20 – Vikings (1-0)

Please, please don’t be fooled by this Sam Darnold performance! The 2021 Panthers are warning you.

21 – Bengals (0-1)

Week 1 Bengals gonna Week 1 Bengals. I can’t explain it, but this is just how it’s going to be, I guess.

22 – Chargers (1-0)

I think if you asked Jim Harbaugh exactly how he wanted to win that game, he’d give you exactly how it happened. That’s going to be who the Chargers are. And it might just work.

(But we all wanna see Justin Herbert let it fly. Please.)

23 – Cardinals (0-1)

Pro tip: throw the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. Or just start by looking his way.

Thanks for listening!

24 – Patriots (1-0)

Not sure how much stock to take in New England beating perhaps the worst Week 1 team in the league, but it was good for Jerod Mayo and Co. to go out there and win that game. Not sure how many more Ws are coming their way in 2024.

25 – Falcons (0-1)

Alexa, play New Person, Same Old Mistakes.

26 – Browns (0-1)

Can we officially say the Deshaun Watson trade and contract are the worst in NFL history? And can Cleveland please start Jameis Winston? This roster and these uniforms do not deserve to be wasted like this.

27 – Raiders (0-1)

Week 1 showed me what I already knew: the Raiders are simply anxiously awaiting their top 5 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they will land their new franchise QB.

28 – Broncos (0-1)

And to think I had that much faith in you. There’s a lesson learned.

29 – Commanders (0-1)

See: Atlanta. Only this was much, much worse than I expected.

Jayden was great, but he shouldn’t have had to run for his life every play. The rest of the offense was lifeless, and the defense might as well have not taken the field.

It was a performance that was all too frequent under the previous regime: a clear lack of preparation and simply no signs of life or effort, especially on defense.

So, we’re off to a great start in this new era!

30 – Titans (0-1)

*insert Will Levis surrender cobra on his knees while his game-losing pick six goes back the other way*

31 – Giants (0-1)

On the bright side: Malik Nabers looks good. He’ll see a monster number of targets and make the most of his opportunities.

On the not-so-bright side: literally everything else.

32 – Panthers (0-1)

Just when you think things can’t get worse, they go and get worse.

Just fast forward to next year. Or next decade.

Week 1 Picks

The NFL is back, and so am I. My fifth season of previews and power rankings begins with my game picks for Week 1. Excited to get the ball back rolling with a fun opening slate of games this weekend.

Cover photo taken from NY Post.

Last Season: 176-99

Chiefs 24-17 Ravens

Thursday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

There will be two important things to consider leading up to Thursday night’s opener.

First off is that the Chiefs are still the Chiefs. Their threepeat journey has to start somewhere. Sure, Rashee Rice has dealt with a world of trouble this offseason and Hollywood Brown won’t play. But that just means a lot of people are going to continue to learn the name Xavier Worthy. Not to mention there’s a certain Travis Kelce lining up out there as well. And let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter who’s catching the football as long as Patrick Mahomes is the one throwing it.

The second thing is that this is not the same Ravens team from a year ago. Several key defensive departures and the smokescreen of a signing of Derrick Henry lead me to believe that Baltimore is going to see a bit of a dropoff. Sure, Henry still has some gas in the tank, but he didn’t run for 100 or more yards against any playoff team on Tennessee’s schedule last year. And we’re about to see firsthand the impact of losing Patrick Queen, Geno Stone and several others.

Lamar Jackson will keep any game close to be sure, but I think Kansas City should feel comfortable from start to finish, dictating the game on both sides of the ball.

Packers 27-20 Eagles

Friday, 8:15 p.m. ET, Peacock

Samba de Janeiro starts playing

The NFL’s first game in Brazil should be a fun one. The media darling Packers — who enter the season with Super Bowl-level expectations — taking on the butt of last year’s jokes in the Eagles, who should be improved this season.

Both of these teams are good with seemingly less holes than they had a year ago. The Eagles shored up their secondary — at least on paper — as did the Packers, who also look elite offensively. So, it seems that not much separates these teams at a glance.

But I’m not picking a team led by Nick Sirianni to win a game like this. Philadelphia is a team I have less and less faith in by the week, and while they match up well here, I’m not going to pick them until they show me that I should.

Falcons 20-17 Steelers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

I officially dub this the “Quarterbacks Drafted Later Than They Would’ve Liked In 2012 To Be Backups But Ended Up Being Great For That Team Then Had Rather Uneventful Stints On Their Second Team Before Finding Themselves On A Third Team Being One Bad Game Away From Being A Celtics Shaq-Type Meme” Bowl.

I feel like I know what to expect from Kirk Cousins — despite this being his first game in almost a full year after recovering from an Achilles tear — while I have no idea what to expect from Russell Wilson. Moreover, I know that Atlanta will be improved on both sides of the ball with their plethora of offseason acquisitions, while Pittsburgh just strikes me as the same old mid team they’ve been for years now.

It’ll be close, and it’ll probably be ugly. But give me the home team with the better offense to pull it out when it matters late.

Bills 30-17 Cardinals

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

Sure, the Cardinals could be frisky this year. But not in this game.

The Bills are far too sound on both sides of the ball and should be one of the most fun teams to watch this season. Arizona will have their time to shine, but this long road trip against a formidable opponent will be a tough one.

That being said, I will be there no matter what for Marvin Harrison Jr.’s professional debut. His Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign has to start somewhere, right?

Bears 24-13 Titans

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

Welcome to the Caleb Williams show. Let’s have some fun, shall we?

Tennessee is a team that could contend for the top pick in the draft next April. Chicago is a team with arguably the single most-improved roster in football and the next great talent under center. This game should not be close.

Bengals 28-10 Patriots

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

See: above.

New England is a mess right now. Nothing about that roster or coaching staff really gives me hope. And while Cincinnati has dealt with some drama this offseason with the Ja’Marr Chase holdout in addition to some uncertainty about Joe Burrow in his first game back, this realistically shouldn’t be too big of a challenge for them.

Colts 23-20 Texans

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

The Texans are unquestionably the biggest media darling in the AFC, and for good reason. They have a bonafide top 5 star QB in C.J. Stroud to lead a supremely talented offense to complement an elite, young defense. And, they’re led by one of the most promising young head coaches in football in DeMeco Ryans.

But the Colts have a good young team too. And this Colts team beat Houston last year when Anthony Richardson was healthy — and nearly did when he wasn’t. Who’s to say it won’t happen again?

Divisional teams know each other extremely well. Shane Steichen knows what Ryans and Bobby Slowik want to do. At home, with Richardson back and a whole host of offensive talent, I like Indy’s chances to pull a mini-upset of sorts. At the very least, I think they’re being overlooked. If nobody else wants to give them some love, I’ll be the one to do it.

Dolphins 28-20 Jaguars

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, CBS

You like offense? Come on down to South Florida. The sun is beaming, the weather is warm, the ghastly cold isn’t anywhere close yet, so the ball will be flying around and the points will be added to the scoreboard with swiftness.

Until our clocks fall back an hour in two months, I feel good about Miami’s chances to win most football games. Anyone should; it’s a remarkably talented team with arguably the league’s best offense.

But I won’t fall for the same fugazi as everyone did last year. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there; I just wanted to get it out of the way early.

Saints 20-13 Panthers

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

You like offense? Don’t come anywhere near New Orleans on Sunday.

I have zero faith in either of these teams to accomplish anything this year, or even anywhere in the near future. Both franchises are doomed in my estimation, largely due to stubborn and/or incompetent management that has failed to build a good roster.

Sure, the Saints are fine on paper from top to bottom, but they’re still trotting Derek Carr out there. (Side note: what’s the over/under on weeks until Spencer Rattler is starting? 4.5? Lower?) And the Panthers… the Panthers are just sad.

To make a not-so-long story short, the better of two bad teams will win a bad football game that nobody wants to watch.

Giants 21-20 Vikings

Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FOX

See: above.

The Vikings, at least, have some reasons to watch them. The biggest one wears No. 18.

The Giants on the other hand, don’t.

But! Something compels me to switch things up a bit here. Nobody expects the Giants to win. Nobody wants to even look at their 100th anniversary throwbacks (which aren’t nearly as bad as everyone thinks). Nobody wants to watch Daniel Jones play quarterback (okay, fair).

I just think Minnesota is going to be worse than people realize. This isn’t the year Sam Darnold is going to magically figure things out. It’s a talented offense, but that’s about it. I can see New York’s defense making some plays here and there to help pull out a bit of a surprise win to open the season. And Giants fans should enjoy it, because there won’t be many more afterwards.

Chargers 17-14 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

Everyone seems to be under the impression that the Chargers will magically turn into a playoff team under Jim Harbaugh. I’m here to tell you that will not be the case. The roster simply has too many holes right now, though I believe Harbaugh will turn them into a contender within the next few years.

That being said, Los Angeles is a better team with far better coaching than Las Vegas. I can respect this game being close with it being in the division — and it being low-scoring with both offenses being subpar — but I feel confident in the Chargers pulling this one out.

Broncos 24-23 Seahawks

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

Another upset! Why not? I’m feeling generous.

Moreover, I know what the Broncos are going to look like. Spoiler alert: it’s a lot like Oregon last year (and apparently this year, for that matter). It’ll be a lot of dink and dunk — death by a thousand papercuts, if you will. And while that didn’t work for Russell Wilson, it’ll work perfectly for Bo Nix.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the Broncos will be very good this year. But I don’t have very high hopes for Seattle, either. Neither team stands out to me much, so I’m just going to roll the dice with another overlooked underdog led by a rookie QB who has experienced a multitude of environments like the one he’s walking into on Sunday.

Cowboys 23-17 Browns

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

I’m very compelled to pick the Browns in most games, considering their elite roster and game-changing defense.

But, when your quarterback is Deshaun Watson, it becomes difficult to pick you to win games.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, have a great roster of their own with a quarterback I trust a lot more (in this spot, at least). Even in a tough road environment against a challenging defense, I’m far more compelled to take Dallas in this game. It wouldn’t shock me to see it go the other way, but I just don’t feel comfortable putting my eggs in that basket.

Commanders 23-20 Buccaneers

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX

To heck with it.

This game gives me the same vibes as the 2012 opener. On the road against a solid NFC South team for the first start for the Heisman-winning No. 2 pick in the draft — a game that looks like a loss on paper, but could wind up being quite the win.

My trend of the week is clearly overlooked underdogs, and I don’t feel crazy saying that we’re one of them. I don’t think Tampa Bay is all that; sure they were fine last year and retained much of the roster, but I don’t have the highest hopes for any team led by Baker Mayfield, although Washington’s defense doesn’t pose much of a threat.

At the end of the day, I don’t see any reason why Jayden Daniels shouldn’t go out there and have a good game en route to a win. The book isn’t necessarily out on him yet just from LSU tape, and I think his effectiveness as a runner could help put Washington over the top for an opening-week win.

Lions 27-24 Rams

Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC

The schedule-makers cooked this one. This playoff game was amazing last year, and the storylines continue to be juicy. Now, both teams are back and better and should deliver us another great one.

On paper, I feel like there’s not much that separates these squads. Neither roster really has any holes, and as we saw in January, they match up quite well with one another. I default to the Lions because of that game, and the homefield advantage, but I wrestled with this one. It could clearly go either way, but I’m not stressing about it too much. It’s just Week 1, after all.

More than anything, I’m looking forward to a banger to kick off Sunday Night Football in 2024.

49ers 27-14 Jets

Monday, 8:20 p.m. ET, ESPN

This is kind of the antithesis of SNF. Both teams that appear good on paper, but only one of them is. Spoiler alert: it’s the one that was one play away from winning the Super Bowl last season.

The Jets weren’t gonna be good last year even if Aaron Rodgers was healthy. And even if he plays this whole year, they still won’t be very good. It’s a roster with no shortage of question marks led by a coach I have concerns about and a 40-year old quarterback who has made infinitely more headlines for off-the-field shenanigans than on-the-field success in the last several years.

The 49ers, on the other hand, are still the class of the NFC and will find themselves back in the Super Bowl in a few months’ time. They’re significantly better than the Jets with a vastly better coaching staff, and it will show on Monday night in the Bay.