Category: Sports

2023 NFL Awards Predictions

I give my picks for the 2023 NFL award winners, from some chalk selections to some surprising ones.

Cover photo taken from NY Post.

Most Valuable Player: Patrick Mahomes

Every single season that Patrick Mahomes plays in this league, I will pick him to win MVP. To suggest anything else is foolish.

And let’s be real, even if someone else ends up having a surge that wins them an MVP like Jalen Hurts almost had last year, we all know Mahomes is the best player in football. He’s the best player I’ve ever seen, and the best quarterback to ever throw a pass on an NFL field.

He’s entering his second year with a lot of the new weapons he was throwing to in 2022, he still has Travis Kelce, and Andy Reid is still dialing up the plays. There’s no reason why he shouldn’t have just as good of a season as he did last year — where he threw for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns and broke the single-season record for total yards — if not a better one.

Considering that the Chiefs will likely once again be the 1 seed in the AFC, and there really isn’t any other choice for MVP.

Offensive Player of the Year: Ja’Marr Chase

I don’t have it on the record, but my predictions for Justin Jefferson in 2022 were perfect. I told everyone I knew with a No. 1 overall pick in fantasy to take him because he was going to post insane numbers and win the OPOY award. Nobody listened, of course.

I was right, of course.

This year, my crystal ball points me to none other than his former LSU teammate Ja’Marr Chase, who might just be my favorite player in the NFL. If you still haven’t drafted yet, I’d ask you what you’re doing, but then I’d tell you to take him if you have the No. 1 pick. Chase has had an incredible start to his career with an incredible rookie year in 2021 and a 2022 season that saw him catch 87 passes for 1,046 yards and 9 touchdowns despite missing five games due to injury.

He has proven himself as one of the top receivers in the league, and his repertoire with Joe Burrow makes them one of the deadliest duos we’ve seen. If Chase stays healthy this season, he’ll have his best year ever. Even in an offense littered with playmakers, Chase stands out as the top weapon. In his third year — just like Jefferson was last year — I think he’ll put together the best season of any receiver in the league.

Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa

In my opinion, Nick Bosa is the best defensive player in the league and the second best player in football. What he has done in his four years in the NFL thus far — 43 sacks in 51 games — is nothing short of remarkable, especially considering he missed almost all of 2020 with an ACL tear. It all culminated in an 18.5-sack DPOY campaign in 2022 and a fresh $170 million bag, making him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history. So why not make it back-to-back?

Bosa isn’t going to slow down just because he got paid. After all, he is the star edge rusher on the best defense in football. I don’t see him slowing down at all. In fact, I think it’s very possible that he could make a run for Michael Strahan/T.J. Watt’s single-season record of 22.5 sacks. There are some very talented pass-rushers in this league — Watt, Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett to name a few — but Bosa stands out above the rest, and I think we’re in for his best season yet.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Biased pick? Maybe. But I’m not going to apologize.

I went into the draft saying that JSN was the best non-QB on the board, and I still believe that was the case. Although he hurt his wrist in the preseason, he doesn’t look like he’s going to miss any time. And although Seattle has two other great receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, I think the Ohio State product is going to rise to the top as Geno Smith’s favorite target in this prolific offense, making catches left and right with his precise route-running and using his shiftiness after the catch to rack up yards.

I just think JSN fits this offense like a glove and provides the type of skillset that will make him extremely deadly. 1,000+ yards is certainly on the table, and although there will be some other offensive rookies with great numbers like Bijan Robinson and Jordan Addison, it’s hard to believe doing that on a playoff team wouldn’t lock up the award.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson Jr.

I honestly had no idea where to go with this pick. I feel good about a lot of defensive rookies this year — Joey Porter Jr., Devon Witherspoon, Emmanuel Forbes, Christian Gonzalez, Jalen Carter, and so many others. But I settled on Will Anderson because I think he’s in a situation where he can thrive more than anyone else.

He’s the guy off the edge for Houston, and he was hand-picked by new head coach Demeco Ryans because he knew that Anderson could be molded into one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL. Under the tutelage of Ryans, I think the former Alabama star is going to wreak havoc, especially in a division littered with terrible offensive lines. He has a real chance to get upwards of 15 sacks, which should easily land him this award.

Comeback Player of the Year: Damar Hamlin

This is a pretty simple calculus. The first snap Damar Hamlin plays in 2023 will win him this award.

After collapsing on the field in Week 17 of last year against the Bengals and nearly losing his life, Hamlin made the 53-man roster in Buffalo and is going to return to the field for the start of this year. That’s just incredible. The entire sports world rallied behind Hamlin when he first went down, and it’s going to be quite the sight when he goes in for his first snap. His ability to recover and bounce back from such a scary incident is really inspiring.

I personally don’t know if I’d ever play football again if something like that happened to me. But Damar Hamlin is coming back, and that fact alone should win him this award.

Coach of the Year: Doug Pederson

As I said yesterday, I think the Jaguars are going to take a massive leap in year two under Doug Pederson. They’re my AFC 3 seed, and I think they can make a real push at both the 1 seed and even the Super Bowl. Those are things I have never said about the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Pederson’s first season was a resounding success as the Jags won the division and a playoff game before being bounced by the eventual-champs in Kansas City. With an improved offense behind Trevor Lawrence, who is only getting better, and a defense that’s continuing to develop, the Jags will be at the forefront of NFL discussions all year long.

If they beat some of the top teams on their schedule and finish in front of teams like Cincinnati, Baltimore, Buffalo, or the New York Jets in the standings, then Pederson should have this on lock.

2023 AFC Preview and Predictions

With its abundance of young quarterback talent and stacked rosters, the AFC figures to be just as great and entertaining as it was a year ago. But, when it’s all said and done, it should play out just how it always does.

Cover photo taken from CBS Sports.

AFC East

1st: Miami Dolphins (12-5)

It was pretty difficult for me to come to a decision on who’s going to win this division, but I settled on Miami for a few different reasons.

I think their offense will once again be one of the best in football. I feel confident in Tua Tagovailoa to run this offense, and you’d have to imagine there will be a very, very heavy emphasis on keeping him upright this season after last year’s concussion fiascos. If anything happens to him, this team will come under very heavy fire. Even if he goes down, this offense is elite enough to survive. Tyreek Hill is simply the most dynamic offensive player in football and Jaylen Waddle is as good as a WR2 can get. Together, they formed arguably the best receiving duo in football. I do worry about the running game, which was pretty terrible a year ago and hasn’t improved much since. Raheem Mostert will be the lead back with rookie Devon Achane behind him. If Achane splashes, then this offense could be unstoppable. But with the offensive line in a weird spot, it’s hard to see that happening.

The good news is that the Dolphins definitely improved defensively, highlighted by the acquisition of Jalen Ramsey. He did get hurt in camp and will be out until December, but that just means he’ll be healthy and rested in time for Miami’s playoff push and/or run. I also really liked their second round pick in Cam Smith out of South Carolina — a very physical corner who fits the defense very well. The newcomers join a defense with studs like Jevon Holland and Xavien Howard in the secondary and monsters up front like Christian Wilkins, Jerome Baker, Jaelan Phillips, and Bradley Chubb. 

This is simply one of the best rosters in the league, and even though this division should be a tough one, I like the Dolphins’ chances in year two under Mike McDaniel. If Tua is healthy throughout the year, they have no excuse to not win the division. 

2nd: Buffalo Bills (11-6)

I had sky high expectations for the Bills in 2022 and they let me down in a massive way. I picked them to go 15-2 and win the Super Bowl, and although they had a good regular season, they laid their biggest egg to date in an embarrassing home loss to Cincinnati in the Divisional Round. So, I’m going to temper my expectations a bit here.

This team has become extremely predictable in recent years. They’re going to dominate the regular season and light up the stat sheets. Josh Allen is going to dazzle us with his incredible playmaking abilities. They’ll probably beat the Chiefs in the regular season because that’s the only game they care about. Then they’ll make the playoffs and get dealt with thanks to their inability to win in January. The only thing that’s different this season is that I don’t even think they’re going to win the AFC East, but that’s in large part due to them having a tougher schedule than the Dolphins. 

This is essentially the exact same offense as last year with a few minor changes. James Cook is taking over as the full-time RB1, which should help take some of the burden off Josh Allen in the run game. They should also get a boost from a couple rookies: O’Cyrus Torrence at guard and Dalton Kincaid at tight end. I liked both picks, but it might be a bit early for them to make instant impacts. Kincaid probably won’t even start over Dawson Knox, but he should catch a lot of passes. Regardless, this offense is still the same. Josh Allen will force feed Stefon Diggs and run all over the place — a formula that works extremely well until it doesn’t.

The defense is also pretty much the same except for the addition of Leonard Floyd, which should help limit the damage until Von Miller returns from his ACL injury. It’s an elite defense — which was fifth in yards and second in scoring in 2022 — with playmakers all over the place. Even with a very difficult schedule, they should dominate against most teams. 

Again, it’s only in the playoffs that this team forgets how to play football. And I can guarantee it happening once again this January.

3rd: New England Patriots (9-8)

I feel good about this Patriots team, but it only feels right that they’ll essentially be the exact same team we saw a year ago. I just haven’t seen enough improvement across the board to believe they’ll be anything more than mediocre — a fringe playoff team.

The biggest question mark in New England is the quarterback position (still feels weird to say that) as nobody knows whether or not Mac Jones is the guy. The team would have you believe that’s the case considering they released the other QBs on the roster — Bailey Zappe and Malik Cunningham — at the end of the preseason. This is Macaroni’s do-or-die year. He has to return to his 2021 form, or he’s done in this league. He got a weapon this offseason in Juju Smith-Schuster, but I don’t think he’s exactly a bonafide WR1. In fact, I don’t think the Patriots have one at all. Juju, Devante Parker, and Kendrick Bourne are all just… there. I love Rhamondre Stevenson out of the backfield, and I think the addition of Ezekiel Elliott should make them better in the redzone. But this offense is going to be average and straight up boring all year long. Luckily for them, boring works just fine.

New England had a top-10 defense in 2022, and they could be even better this season. I absolutely loved their first round selection Christian Gonzalez, who should bolster that secondary which has been missing its CB1 since Stephon Gilmore left. The trio of Joneses — Jack, Marcus, and Jonathan — are also solid playmakers in that secondary. The defensive line is stacked with Matthew Judon, Deatrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, and Lawrence Guy. I do worry about the middle of the defense, which doesn’t feature very good on-ball linebackers. But I feel good about every other area.

The Patriots are the Commanders of the AFC, but with much better coaching. Their great defense and mid offense will keep them in most games, but ultimately lead them nowhere as they miss out on the playoffs and end up with a mid-tier draft pick.

4th: New York Jets (9-8)

I’m sick of hearing about the Jets. I’m sick of talking about the Jets. The hype is warranted, but we need to start being realistic about what this team is actually going to be in 2023. 

Yes, the young talent on this roster is astounding. Yes, they have the reigning OROY and DROY in Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner — two of my favorite players in football. Yes, they have one of the best defensive tackles in football in Quinnen Williams and perhaps the most underrated corner in the league in D.J. Reed. And yes, they added Aaron Rodgers — one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time — to try and lead them to a Super Bowl. 

No, I do not care.

Let’s stick to the facts. The most important thing to consider here is that Aaron Rodgers is coming off a season where he posted the worst passer rating of his career and his off-the-field weirdness clouded anything he did on the field. He hasn’t thrown for 300 or more yards since 2021. He’s going to turn 40 this year. It’s not exactly bold to assume that he’s not magically going to return to form. But that’s not the only problem I have with this offense. Outside of Garrett Wilson, I don’t feel good about anything the Jets have going on. Breece Hall is a great player, but coming off an ACL tear. Their WR2 is… Allen Lazard? And the offensive line is an injury-prone mess. I liked the Dalvin Cook pickup, but considering the Jets rushed for less than 100 yards per game last year, I don’t think he’ll provide much out of the backfield from a rushing perspective. Him and Hall will catch a lot of passes, but that’s only going to take you so far. And it certainly doesn’t help when you don’t exactly have an offensive head coach and your offensive coordinator is one of the weirdest personalities in football who just had perhaps one of the worst head coaching stints in recent memory. I wouldn’t be remotely shocked if this offense straight up sucks for a while until they get their bearings set. 

I do love this defense, however. As I said, Sauce Gardner is one of my favorite players in football, D.J. Reed is criminally underrated on the other side, Quinnen Williams is a beast up front, and C.J. Mosley is a commanding presence in the middle. This defense was in the top four in yards, passing yards, and scoring last year without forcing many turnovers for a reason. Maybe if the defense does get more takeaways, they can be the best in the league. 

Combine all of this with the fact that the Jets won’t win a game until October, and you simply don’t have a playoff team. They’ll lose to the Bills, Cowboys, Patriots, and Chiefs to open the year, and when they sit at 0-4, there will be a lot of questions to answer. And when your QB is Aaron Rodgers, an 0-4 hole isn’t easy to dig out of. He’ll quit on your team at the earliest convenience. 

AFC North

1st: Cincinnati Bengals (12-5)

There really isn’t much to say about the Bengals that hasn’t already been said. I’m pretty sure my preview of them from last year could suffice today. They are still the class of the AFC North — even if some other teams are starting to catch up with them — and they will be very, very hungry to win.

The 2023 Bengals offense will be largely similar to last season’s as Joe Burrow continues to lead the charge with the assistance of the consensus best WR trio in the league of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. I think Burrow and Chase are in for their biggest season yet, but that’s a story for tomorrow. Joe Mixon is back in the backfield after taking a paycut, and Burrow might have finally found a rock defending his blindside in Orlando Brown Jr. Let it be known that I was not a fan of this move, as I don’t really like Brown as a pass-blocker. But I trust Joe Burrow more than all but one quarterback in this league, and even with him suffering a calf strain in camp, I think he’ll be just fine. This offense will continue to be elite, especially with Chase hopefully being healthy for a full season, and it should win them most games.

The biggest changes in the defense are the emergence of two second-year players as impact starters — safety Dax Hill and corner Cam Taylor-Britt. These two former Big Ten stars ended last year very well, and Hill has had a great camp and preseason as the Jessie Bates replacement. While the secondary has struggled at times, I think they will be elite this year. If guys like Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton can put together solid years, this could be one of the best pass defenses in the league after a tough 2022.

The AFC North is bound to cannibalize itself this year, but I think the Bengals have the experience and talent to come out on top. I trust them more than any other team in the division, and I think they’re destined for greatness in 2023. 

2nd: Baltimore Ravens (11-6)

I don’t know if it’s an overstatement to say that the Ravens haven’t had expectations this high in the Lamar Jackson era. After a fantastic offseason that saw Jackson finally get the bag and some weapons to throw to, Baltimore is one of the favorites to win it all this year. 

The key additions in the Charm City are Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers who join Rashod Bateman to form the most boom-or-bust receiving trio I’ve ever seen. Bateman has flashed when healthy, but he has missed far more games than he has played since being drafted in the first round in 2021. Beckham hasn’t played a football game since tearing his ACL in Super Bowl LVI, and he has always had his own injury problems. Flowers is an undersized but lightning-quick rookie who could be Baltimore’s version of Tyreek Hill. Mark Andrews is coming off a down year, but is still one of the best tight ends in the league. If these guys stay healthy and Flowers ends up being the caliber of player the Ravens had in mind when selecting him in the first round, this could be a top passing offense in football. They also need new OC Todd Monken to prove that he’s more than just a great college coordinator, which might be a tall task. But everyone has injury concerns, including the QB himself and even the running backs on the roster like J.K. Dobbins. In each of the last two seasons, injuries have completely ruined the Ravens, who could have accomplished so much more if they were healthy. It’s simply not a given that they’ll be completely healthy, and that’s why I can’t pick them to win this division.

The other side of the ball should be as solid as ever. The Ravens defense was top three in scoring and rushing yards a year ago, and they could be even better this year. They have what is likely the best linebacking core in the league with Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Odafe Oweh, and Jadeveon Clowney, which gives them the perfect blend of pass-rushing and run-stopping ability. The secondary is highlighted by Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Williams, and I liked the addition of Rock Ya-Sin. If 2022 first-rounder Kyle Hamilton develops into the generational safety talent that he was at Notre Dame, this could end up as a much improved unit, which would be a massive leap after being the seventh-worst pass defense in 2022. 

I think this roster is good enough to contend for a division title. But I just don’t know what to expect out of their offense, and that makes me hesitant to claim them as anything other than a Wild Card team. But, this is the wild AFC North, and anything can happen down the stretch.

3rd: Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6)

In short, the Steelers are like a better version of the Patriots. They have a young QB who thrived in college and could develop into a solid starter in the pros. They have one of the best coaches in NFL history who refuses to lose. They have a great defense that will keep them in most games. But the difference in Pittsburgh is that their offense actually looks like it’s ready to take a leap.

Kenny Pickett had a great preseason, and although I’ve been rude to him in the past, I think he’s poised to make a big leap this year. It helps that he has plenty of weapons at his disposal. George Pickens is an absolute freak out wide, Diontae Johnson is one of the most underrated receivers in the league, Pat Friermuth is a very solid tight end, and Najee Harris should have a bounce-back year behind a potentially improved offensive line. I loved the move to trade up and snag Broderick Jones, who they hope is their franchise left tackle in the making. With Pickett having a year under him and a full preseason as the starter, I think this offense should be much better than the mess it was in 2022.

As always, Pittsburgh’s defense will be elite. They have two of the best defensive players in the sport in T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, the ageless wonder Cameron Hayward in the defensive interior, a new solid edge rusher in Larry Ogunjobi, a budding star in the middle in Alex Highsmith, and a potentially improved secondary with additions like Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace. A better defensive backfield will help take the Steelers over the top, and I think at the very least they should be better than last year. 

Combine all of these improvements with the fact that the Steelers play one of the easiest schedules in football and are coached by Mike Tomlin and it becomes pretty obvious that this team will be contending not just for a playoff spot, but a division title. Unfortunately for them, I have them just missing out due to the way the rest of the conference shakes up as well as tiebreakers. But it wouldn’t shock me at all if one or two games went their way to help get them into the dance. 

4th: Cleveland Browns (6-11)

Do I have to? Fine.

The Browns are a solid football team. But that’s about it. They’re okay, probably average and nothing more. I’m not going to talk about their quarterback because I’m sick of doing that. Their offensive line and run game needs no explanation as it was the sixth-best in the league last year thanks to the dominance of their elite front five and star RB Nick Chubb. The rest of the offense, however, was rather terrible thanks to shoddy quarterback play no matter who was under center and no real playmakers other than Amari Cooper — who is still just incredible at what he does. I don’t think this offense will be as poor as they were a year ago, but I don’t think they’ll be anything special either. The quarterback’s best days are far behind him, and the running game will only take them so far.

The defense is still solid and should be better with some key additions up front like Shelby Harris and Za’Darius Smith. Myles Garrett will wreak havoc on backfields as always, and the secondary is actually sneaky elite. The Browns had the sixth-best passing defense in the league last year, which I find really interesting. Denzel Ward is obviously elite, but other guys like Grant Delpit and Greg Newsome have come along well. I think the addition of Juan Thornhill back there will also help out. 

So, Cleveland has a very meh offense with a solid defense. In a division where that can work, you’d think they’d do better than just six wins. But I think you really need a good offense to compete in this division. With them having the worst one of these four teams, I think it’s fairly obvious that they’ll be in the basement yet again. You’ll hear no complaints about that from me.

AFC South

1st: Jacksonville Jaguars (12-5)

The Jaguars are going to be so, so good this year. It helps that they play in the worst division in football where the other three teams are each going to be picking in the top 10 of next year’s draft. But more than anything, this is one of the most exciting young teams in football that should build off a wildly successful 2022 and contend for the conference title this year.

Doug Pederson proved to be one of the best head coaching hires of last year as he helped get Trevor Lawrence to elite QB status and the new offensive weapons proved to be great additions as Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Travis Etienne all had good years. Now, they get Calvin Ridley back from a suspension to be their bonafide WR1, and I think that’s absolutely massive for this offense. Lawrence to Ridley could be one of the top duos in all of football this year. In fact, I’d be shocked if it wasn’t. The offensive line isn’t great, but the run game was still effective last year, and should be better this year with the addition of Tank Bigsby — a physical back to complement Etienne perfectly — through the draft. Considering how terrible some of the defenses in this division are, this offense should be one of the best in the league. 

The defense also proved their worth last year, as they’re the ones who really got the Jags into the playoffs in their division-clinching Week 18 victory over Tennessee. There’s playmakers everywhere, especially in the linebacking core. Josh Allen and Travon Walker are great pass rushers — and Walker still has the chance to develop into a superstar after being taken first overall a year ago — and Devin Lloyd and Foye Oluokun are tackle machines in the middle. The secondary certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but they had their moments last year. They really need someone to step up and be the leader of that unit. I was surprised they didn’t address it more through the draft, and it could really hurt the Jags in the playoffs, but they have a while to figure it out.

Jacksonville gets six free wins and should win five or six more elsewhere. They’re probably the biggest lock for the playoffs in the entire NFL. Once they get there, I think they could even more damage than they did a year ago.

2nd: Tennessee Titans (6-11)

I think the Titans could truly be one of the worst teams in the league, but they have one of the best head coaches in football in Mike Vrabel and a truly elite defense. Even when you think they’re going to be awful, they just find ways to win. So I’m not going to predict them to be totally terrible, even if they lost seven straight games to close out the 2022 season and had a very boring offseason.

This offense was bottom-five in total yards, passing yards, and scoring a year ago largely thanks to an injury to Ryan Tannehill and terrible QB play in relief of him combined with a complete and utter lack of playmakers. Even with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins — which means virtually nothing, by the way — this is probably the worst skill position group in football. DHop’s best days are behind him, and the millionth straight year of riding Derrick Henry just doesn’t seem like it’ll be as fruitful as it has been in the past, especially behind such a dreadful offensive line. Tannehill’s time will be up soon, whether that’s due to injury or ability isn’t a concern. They drafted Malik Willis last year and Will Levis this year because they know they need a QB. Unfortunately for the Titans, I don’t have much faith in either of those guys to be a franchise QB. I think this team is pretty much doomed on that side of the ball.

The defense should still be really good thanks to an absolutely stacked front seven and very solid secondary. Jeffrey Simmons is one of the best defensive tackles in the league, Denico Autry and Harold Landry are great pass-rushers, Azeez Al-Shaair was a great free agent pickup, and Kevin Byard is still holding it down at safety. But nothing this defense does will be able to make up for how poor the offense is. 

The combination of the defense with Mike Vrabel’s coaching will win them games, especially against the younger rebuilding teams in the division. But I think the Titans could be a sneaky awful team this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if they dealt Derrick Henry at some point this season. And I’d support a move like that. The sooner they kick this rebuild into high gear, the better. 

3rd: Houston Texans (5-12)

The Texans made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason when they selected C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 pick in the draft to be their franchise quarterback before trading all the way up from No. 12 to No. 3 to select Will Anderson to be their franchise edge rusher. New head coach and hometown hero Demeco Ryans has his two key players to build a team around, and I fully support him. I will say that not having a first round pick this year certainly hurts considering how stacked the incoming draft class is at the top, including Stroud’s former Ohio State buddy Marvin Harrison Jr. But I generally like the direction the Texans are going in.

In Stroud’s rookie year, the offense is likely going to struggle. He doesn’t have much to work with to be fair. His WR1 is Nico Collins for crying out loud. Luckily, his offensive line is very solid, and he has a workhorse RB in Dameon Pierce, who should have a very solid sophomore campaign. The defense — which was one of the worst in football a year ago — will probably be bad once again, but they’re starting to put some pieces together. Anderson joins a unit with two studs in the secondary in Jalen Pitre and Derek Stingley, but the rest of the defense is just a bunch of guys. The good news is that Demeco Ryans can squeeze great play out of any defense, so I think they should at the very least be better than they were in 2022. But that’s a very low bar. 

I’d say the rebuild is off to a solid start in Houston. We’ll need to see some solid evidence of that this year to justify giving up their top selection in this April’s draft. As it stands, the Cardinals are licking their chops at the prospect of having both the No. 1 and No. 2 picks. Please don’t let that happen.

4th: Indianapolis Colts (4-13)

I think the Colts will be the second worst team in football this year, allowing them to select Marvin Harrison Jr. to come home and play for his pop’s old team. Between that and the Rams letting Caleb Williams stay in Hollywood, the NFL script is starting to get a bit obvious, isn’t it?

All jokes aside, the Colts are the worst team in the AFC, but that doesn’t mean they’re not trending in the right direction. Much has been made of the selection of Anthony Richardson with the No. 4 pick in the draft, but no one is doubting that he has the potential to be a great QB in this league. He’s an incredible athlete with a generational arm. If he gets sculpted into an actual NFL quarterback, he will undoubtedly be a franchise player in Indy. It doesn’t help that the won’t have his elite running back behind him as Jonathan Taylor is still injured and might not even end up playing for the Colts if they don’t pay him. Seriously, what is Jim Irsay doing? Is it safe to say he’s now the worst owner in pro football? I think so. Anyhow, a RB tandem of Deon Jackson and Zack Moss in Taylor’s absence isn’t exactly inspiring. Neither is a receiving core consisting of Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, and Isaiah McKenzie, although I loved the selection of Josh Downs in the third round. Even the offensive line doesn’t look great, even with one of the best guards in the league in Quenton Nelson holding down the middle. With Richardson’s development being the emphasis of this offense, I think it’s possible that they end up as the worst in the league.

Then there’s the defense, which seemingly has no business being bad, but was the fourth-worst scoring defense in football a year ago. You’d think with guys like Kwity Paye, Shaquille Leonard, and DeForest Buckner up front that this defense would cook. Quite the opposite! The secondary is simply terrible outside of Kenny Moore, but the Colts did a good job of addressing that through the draft by selecting JuJu Brents in the second round and Jaylon Jones in the seventh. With luck, the defense won’t be as porous as they were last year. But with the offense in a very sorry state, I think these guys will just be gassed down the stretch. 

All of this adds up to Indianapolis being one of the worst teams in football. It just makes too much sense. But that’s not a problem for the Colts. As long as Richardson shows signs of development and they sort out the front office nonsense, this season will be a success. And if they wind up with the No. 1 pick and get to trade it away for a king’s ransom? They’ll be set.

AFC West

1st: Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

The defending Super Bowl champions who have the best quarterback ever, one of the best tight ends ever, and one of the best coaches ever are going to run through the AFC yet again en route to another 1-seed. Shocking, right?

To put it in the simplest possible terms, as long as Patrick Mahomes quarterbacks this team, they will be division winners and guaranteed to be in the AFC Championship Game. His MVP season and playoff run last year — which was primarily on one damn leg — was astonishing. It didn’t matter that they lost Tyreek Hill. It didn’t matter that their WRs were largely below average. It didn’t matter that the rest of the AFC West spent over $500 million on key free agent acquisitions to stop him. He can’t be stopped. And he won’t be stopped this year either. Even with the WRs being largely the same, he’s guaranteed to cut up defenses all year long. It helps that Travis Kelce continues to dominate the NFL, even as he enters his mid-30s. This week’s news about his knee injury is definitely a cause for concern, so we’ll see how that shapes up as the week progresses. But as it currently stands, there’s no reason to believe that they won’t continue to be the most dominant duo in the NFL that carries this offense to New Heights (sorry, I had to).

As it stands, the defense isn’t in the best spot as Chris Jones continues to hold out and still hasn’t returned to the team. But the Chiefs are a well-run organization that’s smart enough to realize that they should pay their best defensive player. He’ll be back soon enough. I have high hopes for this defense though, considering they just won the Super Bowl while starting rookies all over the place. Those young guys like George Karlaftis up front and Trent McDuffie in the secondary have experience under their belt now, and I think this defense will be much improved from a year ago. Once Jones returns, they have the chance to be elite.

Like I said, it’s a simple calculus. Mahomes. Reid. Kelce. Jones. 1 seed. Sixth straight AFC Championship Game at home. Back-to-back Super Bowl titles? Very, very likely.  

2nd: Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

The Chargers, man. They never change. A blown 27-0 lead in last year’s Wild Card game in Jacksonville certainly led this franchise to do some soul searching in the offseason. Luckily, I think this summer was a good one in Los Angeles.

The biggest success of the offseason was locking up Justin Herbert with a massive long-term deal, which was due. He is in the upper echelon of QBs in the NFL no matter what narratives people like to push, and he deserves every penny. I do wish the Chargers gave him some better receivers to work with — I wasn’t a big fan of taking Quentin Johnston in the first round when guys like Jordan Addison and Zay Flowers were on the board — but Keenan Allen and Mike Williams will still do their thing. It certainly helps that Austin Ekeler is back after requesting a trade. He continues to absolutely decimate defenses out of the backfield, and is easily the most important skill position player on this team. Getting him back was massive for this offense. With an improving offensive line and the addition of a real offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, I have no doubt that LA should boast one of the top offenses in the NFL this year.

The defense was a massive letdown in 2022, and I honestly have no idea what to expect from it this year. Injuries did bite them, and the secondary was actually pretty solid, but this feels like it has to be the year for these pieces to come together and form an elite unit. When you have guys like Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack up front with J.C. Jackson, Asante Samuel Jr., and Derwin James in the secondary, there’s no excuse to be anything but great. Luckily, Derrick Ansley is here to save the day. He was clearly a fantastic coordinator in Tennessee and should help whip LA’s defense into shape. 

So, the Chargers are doing some good things. They will certainly be a playoff team. But at the end of the day, they’re still the Chargers. They’re guaranteed to fall apart when it matters most. It’s really a damn shame for a team that I really, really like.

3rd: Denver Broncos (6-11)

The Broncos are a joke. And the joke sucks. I truly hate talking about them. It’s a shame for such a proud organization to be going out so sad.

It’s crystal clear that last year’s Russell Wilson trade was a complete and utter disaster that could go down as one of the worst trades in NFL history. It didn’t help that they also made one of the worst head coaching hires ever in Nathaniel Hackett, who didn’t even make it to New Year’s before being told to kick rocks. Enter Sean Payton, who comes out of retirement to clean up this mess. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not very confident that he can. I have no faith in this roster, and I don’t have much faith in him as a coach these days either. I know he’s supposed to be this quarterback guru, but let’s be real here — Russell Wilson is beyond saving. His arm is shot, his confidence is shot, he lacks the mobility that made him truly great, and he’s just so weird off the field. There’s a reason that the internet enjoys making fun of Russ more than any other player in football. The rest of the offense isn’t even bad — the offensive line was improved in free agency through the additions of Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers, the receivers are solid, and Javonte Williams is back. But you have to dig deeper to see the problems. McGlinchey completely fell off a cliff in the last couple of years in San Francisco, Jerry Jeudy can’t stay healthy, Marvin Mims is an unproven rookie, and Javonte Williams is coming off an ACL tear. Even when this team was healthy, they were the single worst offense in the league. There’s nothing here to convince me that’s going to change. 

However, this defense is truly special. It was their only saving grace for most of last season. There was a time where they had the top scoring defense in the league and the worst scoring offense in the league. That’s just unheard of. But there’s simply studs all over this unit, even with some key losses like Dre’mont Jones. They added Frank Clark to go alongside Randy Gregory off the edges, Josey Jewell holds down the middle, and the secondary is stacked to the brim with Pat Surtain II — perhaps the best corner in football — Justin Simmons, and others. I don’t know if they’ll be the best defense in the NFL or even the AFC, but they will certainly be near the top.

So I guess the 2023 Broncos will just be a slightly better version of the 2022 Broncos. Spoiler alert: that’s still pretty bad.  

4th: Las Vegas Raiders (5-12)

The Raiders are essentially in the same spot they were last year, but slightly worse. They still have so many elite players, but they have nothing else outside of them, and they will be sabotaged by their abysmal coaching staff. I think they’ll be firmly in the running for the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The offense will look vastly different now that Derek Carr is gone. All of those downfield throws will be replaced by dinks and dunks over the middle as Jimmy Garoppolo takes over under center, reuniting with his old buddy from New England Josh McDaniels. Josh Jacobs is back on a new deal, which is absolutely huge for this offense, as he made this abysmal offensive line look elite en route to leading the NFL in rushing last year. And of course they have one of the league’s best wide receivers in Davante Adams, who should inhale targets like Kirby this year. But the rest of the offense is just sad. As I said, the line is terrible, and they don’t have any other real pass-catchers now that Darren Waller is gone. Maybe Michael Mayer emerges as a solid rookie tight end or Jakobi Meyers becomes a bonafide WR2. But there’s not much reason to believe any of that will happen with McDaniels leading this team.

The defense has perhaps the best edge-rushing duo in the league in Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones with a great defensive tackle in Jerry Tillery and an athletic freak at linebacker in Divine Deablo. The secondary isn’t much to look at, but I wouldn’t say it’s terrible by any means. Despite all of this, the Raiders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year, statistically speaking. With Patrick Graham back at defensive coordinator, I don’t see that changing, even with the abundance of talent in the unit. 

I think the Raiders are more talented the Broncos in bunches, but they’re just worse overall and have a much worse defense. So, when it comes down to it, this is your last place team in the AFC West. And they might end up being one of the worst teams in the AFC as a whole.  

Playoff Picture

1 – Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

2 – Miami Dolphins (12-5)

3 – Jacksonville Jaguars (12-5)

4 – Cincinnati Bengals (12-5)

5 – Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)

6 – Buffalo Bills (11-6)

7 – Baltimore Ravens (11-6)

Wild Card Weekend

Dolphins over Ravens: If last year’s matchup between these two teams is any indication, this would be a thriller. I do think both defenses are better now than they were in that game, but in any case, these two teams matchup very well with one another and would provide a fantastic contest. I simply like Miami’s roster better from top to bottom, and I’d have to give them the edge in a very close one.

Jaguars over Bills: Death. Taxes. The Bills unceremoniously going out earlier than expected in the playoffs. This one just feels right. The Jags are trending upwards at an exponential rate while the Bills just seem to be plateauing. This is the type of game that establishes Jacksonville as one of the NFL’s premier teams and puts Trevor Lawrence on the podium as one of the league’s three best quarterbacks.

Bengals over Chargers: This game would be simply awesome. Two of the best young QBs in the NFL duking it out in the playoffs is essentially what the AFC has turned into, but we haven’t gotten this matchup just yet. I’d have to give the edge Cincinnati being the home team with the better roster. I think the Bengals are starving to get back to the Super Bowl, and they’re not going to let the NFL’s living embodiment of a choking hazard stand in their way.

Divisional Round

Chiefs over Bengals: Simply put, the winner of this game will win the Super Bowl. It’d be a damn shame if this wasn’t the AFC Championship for the third straight year. Alas, I’ll settle for another classic in the Divisional Round. We know the Bengals are capable of beating the Chiefs anywhere on any field. We know they’re going to be desparate for revenge after last year’s title game. But I learned my lesson in January and February of this year. I’m not picking against #15 in a spot like this. He has proven time and time again that he just wills his team to win. And I think he’d do that to the Bengals once again. For as long as this rivalry exists, I just don’t think we’ll see a game like the 2021 AFC Championship Game again. Patrick Mahomes won’t let that happen.

Jaguars over Dolphins: I think Florida might collapse in on itself if this ends up being a huge playoff game. I also think that it’d be one hell of a matchup. Two of the best young offenses in football going at it is something that the AFC playoffs are made for. Although I think the Dolphins have a better defense than the Jaguars, I think Trevor Lawrence is the difference in this game. When the going gets tough, I trust him far more than I trust Tua Tagovailoa. I think he’ll once again lead his team to victory and carry the Jags to their first AFC title game since the infamous 2017 matchup against the Patriots.

AFC Championship Game

Chiefs over Jaguars: This game would essentially be apropos of the 2022 Divisional Round matchup, except Patrick Mahomes would be healthy for the whole game. That means that Kansas City would probably win comfortably. I love what the Jaguars are doing, but this is the tallest task in the NFL. One does not simply beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead in the playoffs. Maybe one day they’ll get there. But I don’t think this is that day.

So it’ll be a Super Bowl LIV rematch this February in Las Vegas with the Chiefs taking on the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. Bold prediction on my part, I know. Simply put, I’m never going to pick against Patrick Mahomes. So I’ve got the Chiefs going back-to-back as Mahomes wins his third ring in six years as a starter and Kansas City establishes their dynasty behind the best quarterback to ever play the sport.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2023 NFC Preview and Predictions

The NFC is still the more top-heavy of the two conferences, but I think that it will be much improved in 2023, featuring some teams that are bound to surge or resurge, and some that are going to crash.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

NFC East

1st: Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

We begin with the defending conference champions, who most keen observers had being a great team last year, but not many had in the Super Bowl. I thought they lacked the experience to be a contender, but they were simply so dominant across the board that it didn’t matter. A lot of people have pointed to their subpar schedule of opposing QBs in 2022 — which included Josh Johnson after Brock Purdy was knocked out of the NFC Championship Game against the 49ers — but we all know the Eagles were still the class of the conference. After giving Jalen Hurts the extremely well-deserved bag and once again nailing the offseason, the Birds appear to be in prime position to make amends and chase after that elusive second Lombardi Trophy.

The offense, which was top three in yards and scoring a year ago, is somehow even better thanks to the addition of D’Andre Swift from Detroit via a draft day trade. All of the key skill position players are back, and the offensive line is once again ready to be one of the best in football. The only “key” loss was Miles Sanders to Carolina, but the offensive scheme in Philly should be able to make Swift just as effective as Sanders was out of the backfield. OC Shane Steichen departed for Indianapolis, but his replacement Brian Johnson knows this offense in and out. They will still be just as efficient and prolific as they were a year ago when Jalen Hurts nearly won MVP and A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith each caught 80+ passes for 1,100+ yards.

I expect the Eagles defense to take a step back defensively with the loss of DC Jonathan Gannon combined with a first-place schedule. But there’s still ballers all over the place that will make this an elite unit. First round DT Jalen Carter — who many believed was the best player in the class, but fell to the No. 9 selection due to off-the-field issues at Georgia — joins an already loaded defensive front which feasted all year long in 2022. Last year’s third round steal Nakobe Dean will take over for Kyzir White and T.J. Edwards in the middle and should feast. The secondary got a lift by bringing back James Bradberry, but other than him and Darius Slay, there isn’t a lot to like in the defensive backfield. I think Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks could develop into stars, but they don’t figure to see. the field much in their rookie seasons. They showed just how much they struggled against real QBs in the Super Bowl when Patrick Mahomes diced them up. After all, it was a defensive holding on Bradberry –which was 100% the right call — that lost them the game. Against much tougher opposition, I think that unit could hold the Birds back a bit in 2023.

Still, the Eagles have the talent across the board and the culture under Nick Sirianni to thrive. Hurts is continuing to blossom into one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL, both sides of the ball are stacked, and we know what they are capable of. They’re a surefire contender.

2nd: Dallas Cowboys (11-6)

It’s very difficult for me to say this, but the Cowboys might be the best team in the entire NFC… and even the entire league. They had a great offseason coming off another solid regular season that ended in a disappointing playoff loss to the 49ers. Some might say that this is just a repeat of last year which doesn’t inspire much confidence in a team that hasn’t done so in damn near three decades. And that’s totally fair. But I just get the feeling that this is the year it comes together for the Cowboys.

I’ve been a Dak Prescott pessimist — even a hater — for a long time now. He led the league in interceptions last year with 15 despite missing five games. That’s pretty impressive. But he’s still a capable starter. And if he doesn’t make it work with this offense, then I just don’t know what to do with him. Brandin Cooks joins CeeDee Lamb — one of my favorite players in football — and Michael Gallup to form one of the best WR trios in the sport. Ezekiel Elliott is finally gone and Tony Pollard is now the RB1, where he can thrive as one of the premier pass-catching backs in football. And of course the offensive line needs no introduction. I worry about the tight end position after Dalton Schultz hopped across the state to join the Texans, but the young guys like Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker figure to fill his role very well. They were drafted high by a typically good drafting organization for a reason.

But it’ll be the defense that takes Dallas to the next level in 2023. They selected Michigan DT Mazi Smith to beef up their interior alongside Osa Odighizuwa while Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons wreak havoc off the edges. The middle of the defense is questionable, but the secondary is now loaded thanks to the acquisition of Stephon Gilmore from Indianapolis. I’ve really liked what I’ve seen from Trevon Diggs lately as he learns to actually be a corner and not just a ballhawk. Combine those two with guys like Jourdan Lewis and Malik Hooker, and this defense will do what it does best — force turnovers. In a division and a conference with some pretty solid passing offenses, that can and will put them over the top.

But the problem with Dallas is and always has been Mike McCarthy. He’s just such an inept in-game coach, which goes disastrously when combined with Dak’s in-game ineptitude that usually rears its ugly head when the going gets tough. I think those two will always be what holds this team back in its biggest moments.

3rd: Washington Commanders (7-10)

To put it simply, the Commanders will never be anything more than a 7 to 8-win team under Ron Rivera. I said the same thing last season when I also predicted a 7-10 record, and they went 8-8-1. Under Rivera, Washington has won 7, 7, and 8 games, and I don’t see much to assuage me of the notion that nothing is going to change. We are never going to be good enough to contend, and we are never going to be bad enough to get a franchise-changing player in the draft. We will just be… mid. And this purgartory-esque cycle will only continue as long as Rivera is the head coach.

Let’s get the obvious stuff out of the way. The energy around this team has never been higher thanks to the new ownership, which I’m very thankful for. I think it will be truly awesome to see the fanbase show up and show out this season as we enter a new era of football in the District.

We all know how great this defense is, and I think the selection of CB Emmanuel Forbes Jr. in the first round was a tremendous pick as he gives the secondary a playmaker that was previously lacking. Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne will continue to be the best defensive interior duo in football while Montez Sweat and Chase Young figure to ball out off the edges in contract seasons — we’ll see how healthy Chase stays. The linebacking core is… not great, which has been the case for Rivera’s entire tenure. You’d think a former linebacker would figure this out by now. Unless Jamin Davis finally develops into the guy this staff saw in him when they selected him in the first round, he and Cody Barton figure to hold the unit as a whole back. But there’s only so much they can or can’t do. Every other unit is stacked, and this should be an elite defense once again.

Then there’s the issue of the offense, which figures to take a leap under new OC Eric Bieniemy — a two-time Super Bowl champion with Kansas City. The wide receiver trio is well-respected with Terry McLaurin being the guy and finally getting the bag this offseason, Jahan Dotson being a widely-recognized stud who is only going to get better, and Curtis Samuel continuing to be a Swiss Army knife. The backs are also solid with Brian Robinson Jr. being the workhorse and Antonio Gibson catching passes out of the backfield. The offensive line is rather terrible and a massive concern that has rather suspiciously not been remotely addressed in recent years. Acquiring Andrew Wylie — who was one of the worst right tackles in all of football in 2022 — is not exactly a marquee move. But all eyes are on the man under center. Sam Howell enters the fray at QB after a wild ride since his sophomore year at North Carolina. We all know he’s had a great camp and preseason, but I really still need to see it to believe it. It’s one thing to make plays in practice and against backups. It’s another thing to do it in the regular season against stout competition. I have faith in Sam, and I really hope he works out. But with a certain USC QB looming in the 2024 draft, I also wouldn’t mind if this offense led us down the gutter.

4th: New York Giants (6-11)

The 2023 New York Football Giants are like James Harden at the top of the key — guaranteed to take a step back.

I do want to proceed with caution here. I picked the Giants to go 2-15 and finish with the No. 1 overall pick in 2022. They ended up with a 9-7-1 record en route winning a road playoff game against a 13-4 Vikings team. Brian Daboll’s first season was a resounding success and he was named AP Coach of the Year. But I’m here to tell you that I do not care.

For starters, I still don’t buy Daniel Jones. Yes, he had a good season last year. But how good do we really think he is? He threw 15 touchdowns in 16 games. Yes, he was tremendous on the ground, but I have a feeling that defenses will actually know how to stop him this year. It definitely helps to have Saquon Barkley back, but can the running ability of a QB and RB make up for the complete lack of weapons at WR? Because something about a receiving trio of Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Parris Campbell doesn’t move me. Hodgins had a very nice year in 2022, but Campbell is too injury-prone and Slayton is too inconsistent for me to be impressed. Unless rookie Jalin Hyatt learns that there’s more to the position than running fast in a straight line, I don’t see this passing offense being threatening. And I think the run game could definitely hit some snags, especially if Barkley can’t stay healthy like he was able to last year.

The good news for New York is that the defense is still really good. The front seven is absolutely loaded with guys like Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, Azeez Ojulari, Bobby Okereke, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. That unit alone will carry them to the top half of all defenses in football. But man, I have some reservations about this secondary. Xavier McKinney had a nice 2022 and Adoree Jackson saw a mini-resurgence, but the Giants will be inserting two rookies at corner with first rounder Deonte Banks — who I loved out of Maryland — and sixth rounder Tre Hawkins. I just can’t get behind these guys.

Maybe they prove me wrong again. Maybe Daboll coaches his ass off yet again and the Giants sneak in once more. But I think the rest of the NFC should be much improved, and I think this team is simply going to take a very natural step back.

NFC North

1st: Green Bay Packers (12-5)

Have I learned my lesson? Absolutely not. Do I care? Absolutely not. The Packers are coming back in 2023, and they’re coming with a vengeance.

My love for Jordan Love is well-documented, and I believe he’s going to lead Green Bay back to where they want to be. I genuinely believe this team has upgraded at QB by getting rid of Aaron Rodgers and finally handing the keys to the franchise to the young star. He’s had three years to sit and learn and should absolutely thrive in this offense. He has the talent to make every throw, and I believe he will do just that. It helps that the offensive skill position players are young and talented as well. When your veteran in that regard is Aaron Jones, you’re in a good spot. Jones will be able to do his usual work and then some thanks to the emergence of young WRs like Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs along rookies like Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks. I wish they took Jordan Addison or Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the draft, but they decided to spread the wealth by spending three later picks on pass-catchers, including TE Luke Musgrave out of Iowa, who could also prove to be a huge receiving threat. The Packers have finally invested in the WR group, and I think it’s going to pay dividends for them.

I still think this defense is great. I absolutely despise DC Joe Barry, but this unit had times last year where they reminded you what they’re capable of. There are simply playmakers all across the board from Kenny Clark to De’Vondre Campbell to Rashan Gary to Jaire Alexander. If the young guys like Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker can splash, this can be one of the best front sevens in football. I do worry about the secondary outside of Alexander, but I feel good about every other area of this team.

With an easier schedule than last year and everything seemingly trending upwards, I think Love is going to prove himself in a huge way and lead the Packers back to the playoffs, where they can certainly do more damage.

2nd: Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

The 2023 Vikings can be summarized in four succinct words: regression to the mean.

In 2022, Minnesota went 11-0 in one-score games. That’s unheard of. They won every game decided by eight points or less while going 2-4 in games decided by more than eight points. The former is simply not sustainable. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime statistic. By subtracting less than half of those one-score wins, I arrived at this record. There’s a chance they’re even worse than this.

So why am I still picking them to finish second — above the fan-favorite Lions — and sneak into the playoffs? Well, I think they can win shootouts against almost any other team in the league. And they’ll probably be in a lot of shootouts, because their offense is fantastic whereas their defense is anything but. While the offense boasts the eternally-underrated Kirk Cousins, arguably the best WR in football in Justin Jefferson, a rookie bound to break out in Jordan Addison, and a new RB1 in Alexander Mattison, the defense isn’t much to look at. There are some solid players — Harrison Phillips, Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport, Harrison Smith, and Byron Murphy to name a few. But those don’t exactly equate to an elite defense. Everyone is expecting this bottom-five defense from 2022 to be great all of a sudden because the Vikings hired Brian Flores as their DC. I’d be shocked if he can even turn them into a top-15 defense. That’s a tall task for anyone, even a supposed defensive genius like him.

Combine the defensive shortcomings with a first-place schedule — the sixth-hardest in the league by SOS — and the Vikings are simply a fringe wild card team. But they could just be straight up bad. They could be terrible.

3rd: Detroit Lions (7-10)

I’m not going to apologize for this. I’m not going to fall head-over-heels for this team that hasn’t accomplished anything yet. I understand this division isn’t the strongest on paper. I understand the Lions ended last season on a tear. I understand their culture is one of the best in the league. I genuinely hope the Lions have a great season — they deserve it more than any other team in football.

The one guarantee I have for this Detroit team is that their offense will continue to be prolific. D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams might be gone, but Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are very solid replacements. Gibbs could end up being the the next Alvin Kamara if he turns into the player the Lions had in mind when selecting him with the No. 12 pick. They seemingly have their T.J. Hockenson in Sam LaPorta who was selected in the second round out of Iowa — Hockenson’s alma mater. The offensive line is arguably the best in football. They have one of the best and most dependable receivers in the league in Amon-Ra St. Brown, who is only getting better with every passing season. And once speedster Jameson Williams returns from a gambling suspension, they figure to form one of the better duos in football. As long as QB Jared Goff doesn’t turn into a pumpkin — which I don’t think will happen, but he tends to do when the going gets tough or when he has to play outside — this will once again be one of the top offenses in football.

But this defense is still just one giant question mark. The front seven only really has Aidan Hutchinson, Charles Harris, and Alex Anzalone. Jack Campbell was a really weird selection in the first round when the secondary should’ve been addressed instead. Detroit did rework that area by adding Emmanuel Moseley, Cameron Sutton, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the fold and drafting Brian Branch in the second round, which I thought was a great pick. But it just feels like a weird amalgamation of pieces that are going to take too long to gel.

We could see a situation similar to 2022 where the Lions struggle for a bit — especially defensively — before turning it up down the stretch. To me, that’s not good enough to make the playoffs.

4th: Chicago Bears (6-11)

I think I’m being a bit generous to the Bears here. Six wins would be a huge accomplishment with a roster this terrible.

The biggest problem remains the offensive line, which was somewhat addressed through the draft where Chicago selected Darnell Wright in the first round to be their franchise right tackle. But that means Justin Fields’ blindside is still in a bad spot, as is the rest of the line. I love Justin and always have, but he’ll still be running for his life. That obviously isn’t always a bad thing, as he had one of the most prolific rushing seasons of all time last year. But it will hinder the passing game. The Bears did finally get him a proper WR1 by trading for D.J. Moore, who will definitely help elevate him as a passer. But the rest of the offense is just so… meh. I feel like Justin can only carry them for so long before the wheels fall off

The defense is also still terrible, but the Bears placed a heavy emphasis on it by selecting five defenders in the draft, including four to fill the box. They also beefed up at linebacker by signing T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds — necessary additions after trading away Roquan Smith. But the secondary still leaves a lot to be desired, even if the safety combination of Eddie Jackson and Jaquan Brisker is a good one.

This is still an ongoing rebuild, and I think this team is taking the right steps. But it’ll be a while longer until they get where they want to go. The important thing is continuing to develop Justin Fields and protect him by surrounding him with weapons and a competent offensive line. They still have some work to do there.

NFC South

1st: New Orleans Saints (9-8)

In a division full of mid, the Saints stand out as the best team. But this was not an easy choice by any means. They have given me plenty of reasons to believe they won’t even be good.

For starters, I still think their coaching staff is absolutely dreadful. Dennis Allen is simply not a real head coach in my eyes, and Pete Carmichael is one of the worst offensive coordinators in the league. It does help that the offense has the talent to be good. The addition of Derek Carr at QB is an interesting one given his recent declines, but perhaps he sees a mini-revival in the Big Easy. But Chris Olave has proven to be worth the trade-up, and the RB room should stay afloat while Alvin Kamara serves his suspension with the additions of Jamaal Williams in free agency and Kendre Miller in the draft. If — and this is the biggest if in the world at this point — Michael Thomas is healthy, they can be a great offense. But all signs point towards them being middle of the pack.

The good news for the Saints is that the defense should still be great. Jordan Cameron and Demario Davis are still kicking it up front, and I really like their secondary. I think in a division filled with very mediocre offenses, this defense can help separate them from the rest of the pack. That’ll be good enough to win this division, but almost certainly not good enough to do much else.

2nd: Atlanta Falcons (6-11)

The Falcons are the trendy pick to win this division, and that’s warranted. They are finally free from the shackles of Marcus Mariota, selected one of the most dynamic RB prospects in recent memory in Bijan Robinson with the No. 7 pick, and have all the pieces they need to see a breakout on both sides of the ball.

This was one of the top rushing offenses in the league last year — a natural result of running the ball more than any other team in football with one of the best offensive lines in the league — and now they boast a stacked running back room that is guaranteed to do a ton of damage. But I don’t buy into any passing attack in Atlanta. I don’t believe in Desmond Ridder at all, and even if he ends up being good, he’s only throwing to Drake London and Kyle Pitts. Seriously, name me who the WR2 is on this team. Mack Hollins? Khadarel Hodge? It doesn’t matter. This will be another run-heavy season for the Falcons, which took them nowhere last year. Even with someone as talented as Bijan Robinson, that figures to happen once again in 2023.

I will say I like what the Falcons are building on defense. I liked the acquisitions of Jeff Okudah and Jessie Bates to continue building a solid secondary around A.J. Terrell. And they’ve bolstered the defensive line with guys like Calais Campbell, David Onyemata, and Bud Dupree. But the linebacking core might be the worst in the league, and I have a feeling that this defense will get gashed up the middle.

Even though the Falcons have the easiest strength of schedule in the league, this team simply isn’t going to the playoffs, no matter how many narratives are pushed in the media.

3rd: Carolina Panthers (6-11)

The Panthers rebuild has gotten the biggest possible boost thanks to the team trading all the way up to the No. 1 pick in the draft and selecting Bryce Young to be their franchise QB.

I think they might have given up a bit too much considering they are rebuilding, but there’s no doubt that Young is a fantastic centerpiece for any franchise to have. He’s going to be a great player in this league for many years to come. Carolina has done a good job of surrounding their new franchise player with solid talent by adding Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Hayden Hurst, and Miles Sanders in free agency while selecting Jonathan Mingo in the second round. The offensive line is still iffy, but there’s time for Ikem Ekwonu to develop into their rock at left tackle. With Frank Reich at the helm, I’m confident that this offense will be good, and could be great in a few years.

The Panthers also made some solid additions on defense by adding Justin Houston and Frankie Luvu at linebacker as well as Vonn Bell and Xavier Woods at safety. They have a bonafide CB1 in Jaycee Horn, star LB in Brian Burns, and very good DT in Derrick Brown. And Shaq Thompson is still doing his thing up there too. This defense was one of the worst in football last year. If their newcomers can splash, then I think they can turn it around.

So, with seemingly so much positivity, why the poor record? Well, it’s still early for all of these pieces to come together, and although Bryce Young is fantastic, he’s just a rookie. I think it’ll still be a year or two before this team contends for a division championship. But I see them as the new Jaguars of the last couple years. With a star top-overall selection at QB and a resurging culture, they’ll be just fine.

4th: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-12)

The Bucs are starting Baker Mayfield at quarterback, so this really doesn’t need much of an explanation. You’re not going anywhere if that guy is lining up under center. It’s that simple. 

But there’s plenty else to dislike with the Buccaneers. The wheels absolutely fell off down the stretch last year thanks to injuries, so maybe they return to being average across the board. But I just don’t buy into this team — and certainly not this coaching staff — with Tom Brady gone. The offensive line is dreadful even if Tristan Wirfs is one of the best tackles in the league. Mike Evans should still produce, but Chris Godwin can’t stay healthy, and their WR3 is… who exactly? And while I like Rachaad White, I’m not sure how much I like their run game. Even last year with Leonard Fournette, it was absolutely putrid — the worst in the league. This offense will likely be terrible. 

While the defense still boasts a ton of talent, it feels like their best days are behind them. The front seven has key guys like Vita Vea, Shaq Barrett, and Devin White, and I think Calijah Kancey and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka could develop into solid edge rushers. But the secondary still leaves a lot to be desired. When your CB1 is Jamel Dean, you’re probably not a good unit. Even if it’ll be hard to run on the Bucs, teams will definitely be able to throw all over them, and I think that’ll be their undoing in close games. 

Tampa is diving head-first into a rebuild and it shows. Their best bet is to just tank this season and pray you get a top QB in April’s draft. 

NFC West

1st: San Francisco 49ers (14-3)

It’s not a hot take to say that the 49ers are the best team in the NFC, nor is it to say they’re the best team in the league. This is the best roster in the NFL from top to bottom and it’s probably not close. Last season ended so unceremoniously that you’d have to imagine these guys come out with a vengeance and light up the regular season from start to finish.

I don’t really want to talk about Trey Lance — especially considering how things went the last time I did — so I’ll keep the QB situation brief. The Niners are trusting Brock Purdy to continue to be the guy despite only starting a few games last year and having his UCL obliterated in the NFC Championship Game. I think it’s fair considering he has never lost a game, but this better work. To give up what they did for Lance just to ship him away after four starts is just insane. Luckily for them, I think Purdy is more than capable of being a competent starter, which is all this team needs to go places. The rest of the offense is an embarrassment of riches that need no introduction. The best tackle in football (maybe ever?) in Trent Williams, the ultimate Swiss Army knives of Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, a fantastic WR2 in Brandon Aiyuk, and one of the premier tight ends of the last several years in George Kittle pretty much ensure that this offense is going to thrive no matter who lines up under center. 

Then there’s the defense, which was the best in football last year and obviously will be once again. It helps when you have the best defensive player in the sport in Nick Bosa. Surely they figure out how to give him a blank check, right? They beefed up the interior by adding Javon Hargrave from Philly. They have the best LB in the league in Fred Warner and a very solid player in Dre Greenlaw beside him. I definitely have my concerns about the secondary outside of Talanoa Hufanga, who has blossomed into one of the league’s best safeties, and it doesn’t help that Demeco Ryans isn’t here anymore to make up for any shortcomings. But I loved the Steve Wilks hire, and I don’t think this defense will take a step back under him.

This is the best team in the NFL on paper and anything short of a Super Bowl berth should be considered a failure. If they can avoid the injury bug — especially at QB — they will be playing a football game in Las Vegas on February 11th, 2024.

2nd: Seattle Seahawks (10-7)

I never thought I’d say this, but I think I’m being a bit too mean to the Seahawks. This is one of my favorite teams in football this year. You have no idea how much it pains me to say that. 

After trading away Russell Wilson, Seattle’s front office proved that they pulled the ultimate fleece as Russ turned into a pumpkin and the Seahawks soared into the playoffs thanks to a resurgent Geno Smith — who won Comeback Player of the Year — and young playmakers all over the place on both sides of the ball. Now, those young guys have more experience, and Geno is back on a huge deal. The offense could be even better now that Jaxon Smith-Njigba — who I thought was the best non-QB in the draft — completes perhaps the best WR trio in football alongside DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Zach Charbonnet was selected with their second round pick to form a thumping one-two punch at RB alongside Kenneth Walker. 

On the other side of the ball, it’s clear what the Seahawks are doing: rebuilding the Legion of Boom. Riq Woolen (still getting used to that name change) and Coby Bryant were absolute studs as rookies — which anyone who saw them play in college saw from a mile away. Quandre Diggs continues to be the most underrated safety in the league. And who knows, maybe Jamal Adams remembers how to play football. On top of all this, they add the No. 5 overall pick Devon Witherspoon — who was selected with the pick so generously provided to them by the Broncos — to the mix, who is a freakish, long corner that complements Woolen perfectly. The front seven isn’t as good, but guys like Jordyn Brooks and Boye Mafe have come along brilliantly, and they added Dre’mont Jones for a pass rushing lift in free agency. I think this defense has a chance to not just be one of the best in the NFC, but the entire league. Of course, it’ll be hard to top their NFC West counterparts above them in this prediction, but they have all the potential in the world.

The combination of the youth movement with Geno Smith — who has truly overcome the odds and proven himself as a high-quality starting QB — and the incredible coaching of Pete Carroll has me very excited for what this Seahawks team can do. It’s a fairly easy schedule, and even though perhaps the best team in the league is in their division, this will be a playoff team. And no one will want to see them once they get there.

3rd: Arizona Cardinals (4-13)

This is where the NFC West goes from amazing to absolutely unwatchable garbage that I don’t want any part of. 

You might be shocked to see me put the Cardinals anywhere but last, but I have a good reason for it. Signs are pointing towards Kyler Murray returning for the end of the season, and with Jonathan Gannon trying to build a new culture in Arizona, this team is going to fight down the stretch to throw away a generational QB prospect just like the Jets did in 2021. I honestly think that’s a perfect comparison. They’ll suck for the entire season then go on a meaningless run at the death to watch Caleb Williams fall into another team’s hands (more on that later).

But that’s the whole story of this Cardinals team. We’re only watching to see how bad they can be. Will they have the first overall pick? The first two picks in the draft courtesy of the Houston Texans? Is this the end of Kyler Murray in a Cardinals uniform? These are all in the realm of possibility. But it’s too predictable. The team that finishes with the worst record in the league is hardly ever the one we think it’s going to be. Plus, I think the Cards have enough good players to not be the worst team in the league. They’ll be basement dwellers for sure, but they still have guys like James Conner, Hollywood Brown, and Zach Ertz. The offensive line is… kind of starting to come together with the addition of Paris Johnson Jr. No one has any idea what they’re going to do at QB until Kyler returns, but like I said, it won’t matter. Once he gets back, this team will play themselves squarely out of the opportunity to save their franchise with Caleb Williams. And honestly? It’ll be really funny.

4th: Los Angeles Rams (3-14)

Here it is. Perhaps my boldest take of the season. The Los Angeles Rams — who are one season removed from a Super Bowl victory and boast one of the best QBs of our generation, one of the best WRs in the league, and perhaps the best defensive player of all time — are going to finish with the worst record in the NFL. And none of those three players will be in Los Angeles this time next year.

Just hear me out. Last year, the Rams were dreadful for a plethora of reasons. The injury bug bit them all over as Matt Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and countless others went down due to injury. They had one of the worst offensive lines in the league, an anemic offense, and a defense severely lacking in anything other than playmaking ability from Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey. Here we are at the start of the 2023 season and Matt Stafford is still nagged by his elbow, Cooper Kupp has hamstring issues, the offensive line wasn’t addressed in any way other than taking a guard in the draft, Aaron Donald wants to stop playing the sport, and Jalen Ramsey is gone. On top of all this, the Rams didn’t improve in any areas — they made no splashes in free agency and their draft was really puzzling. Therefore, I’m going to assume that the exact issues that plagued them last year will rear their ugly heads again in 2023, but it’ll be so much worse. And that puts them squarely in the running for the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Sean McVay is a smart guy who needs a reason to keep coaching this team. He knows that if he gets Caleb Williams, it could be curtains for the league. And what’s a better story than the Heisman winner staying in Hollywood and bringing the Rams back to relevance? I think it makes too much sense, and I’m shocked more people aren’t thinking like me.

Then there’s the issue of those aforementioned three key players leaving. I think Matt Stafford is almost done in this league. I think the injuries are starting to catch up to him, and even if he can play, there’s no way he stays in LA in this scenario. He’s not going to be a backup. He’ll go somewhere to die like Matt Ryan in Indianapolis or Philip Rivers in Indianapolis… is Matt Stafford going to Indianapolis? Probably not. Cooper Kupp is undoubtedly a commodity at WR and one of the game’s best playmakers, but if the Rams want to acquire the draft capital necessary to get this rebuild going, they’re going to deal him. They can get a very good return for him, even with the injury problems. And with Aaron Donald, I simply don’t see a world where he ends this season on the Rams. He’ll either be traded or retire. Take it to the bank.

All of this culminates in the Rams going from the absolute pinnacle of the sport to its dumpster. But luckily for them, Caleb Williams will drag them out with swiftness. Could you imagine winning the Super Bowl and landing that caliber of a QB in a two-year span? I’m jealous.

Playoff Picture

1 – San Francisco 49ers (14-3)

2 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

3 – Green Bay Packers (12-5)

4 – New Orleans Saints (9-8)

5 – Dallas Cowboys (11-6)

6 – Seattle Seahawks (10-7)

7 – Minnesota Vikings (9-8)

Wild Card Weekend

Eagles over Vikings: As I said above, the Vikings are going to sneak into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and get immediately blasted. This trip to Philly in January could end in a very, very embarrassing loss for them as they likely move on from Kirk Cousins and try to move into a new era that, hopefully for them, is more fruitful than this one was.

Seahawks over Packers: This is really hard for me. I really love what both of these teams are doing. I think the Packers have a very bright future with Jordan Love, but this might be too tall of a task in his first playoff game, even at home. Lambeau has ironically been Green Bay’s house of horrors in the playoffs lately. I think the Seahawks win a thriller to move on.

Cowboys over Saints: Yeah, this one won’t be close. Next!

Divisional Round

49ers over Seahawks: This would truly be a hell of a game. I think the Seahawks can match up with their division rivals, and we’ve seen time and time again how the three-match in the playoffs can be so close. But we saw this matchup in the Wild Card last year, and San Francisco dominated. With the Niners coming off a bye here, it’s just impossible to pick against them, no matter how much I like the Seahawks.

Eagles over Cowboys: I really do think this is a tossup. Last year showed that the Cowboys match up so well with the Eagles, and I think Dallas had a better offseason. It’s just too difficult for me to place my faith in them in the playoffs, especially considering how the last two have gone for them. It would admittedly be very funny if Mike McCarthy shenanigans get them eliminated for the third straight year.

NFC Championship Game

49ers over Eagles: Revenge. It’s that simple. The 49ers are going to be out for blood in 2023 after how their season ended in Philadelphia in January, and there’s nobody who they want to beat more than the Eagles themselves. Despite the fact that the Birds can go toe-to-toe with the Niners, I think winning this game in the Bay just isn’t happening for them. The 49ers have been waiting for so long to finally win another Super Bowl, and I get the feeling that this team has the best chance of any in the last several years. They get their revenge against the Eagles and get to Las Vegas, where a certain unstoppable force will await them on the biggest stage yet again. But I’ll get into that tomorrow.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Ranking All 32 Uniform Sets in the NFL

In light of all the new uniforms we’ll see around the NFL this season, I decided to rank every single wardrobe in the league while picking out each team’s best uniform ahead of the 2023 season.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

This might have been the most eventful offseason for uniforms in NFL history. Nearly half the league unveiled new throwbacks, alternates, and helmets, including one complete wardrobe overhaul. As someone who cares about uniforms way too much, I thought it would be fun to give my input on which NFL teams are the best dressed from top to bottom, while also shouting out the best set in the collection. The only real criteria I use is how much I like the unis from an aesthetic standpoint, so feel free to yell at me if you disagree on a more technical level.

1 – Chargers

Best Uniform: Blue on Gold

h/t Sports Injury Central

Before the Chargers even took the field in their new uniforms in 2020, they snatched the crown for having the league’s best unis. The new sets looked absolutely incredible when they were unveiled, and in the three seasons since, they only look better and better. Every set is absolutely gorgeous with colors that pop on the field and that modern but exciting numbering. I’ve heard some pushback on having the numbers on the helmets, but I’ve always loved that on any uniform. I’m extremely fond of every single combo the Chargers have brought out since 2020, but the blue/gold home set is by far my favorite. I’m a huge fan of the gold pants, and combining them with the powder blue makes for the most beautiful uniform in all of football.

2 – 49ers

Best Uniform: Red on Gold

h/t Draft Kings

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. These Niners digs have never looked like anything but the cleanest, most classic uniforms in the league. The same can be argued for the team I put right below them, but I’m much more fond of San Francisco’s throwbacks, which were definitely considered for the nod of the team’s best unis. I adore both the home and road throwbacks for how simple and clean. they are while remaining faithful to the originals. No matter which set the Niners roll out in, they are almost guaranteed to be the best-looking team on the field.

3 – Raiders

Best Uniform: Black on Silver

h/t NFL Spin Zone

Apropos of what I said about the 49ers. The Raiders have boasted what might be the league’s most classic and clean uniforms for decades now, and they should never change them. They’re as gorgeous as they are unique. Even their color rush/alternate is pretty great, although I definitely prefer their primary sets. I’ve always wondered what an all-black Raiders alternate would look like, especially in the old Black Hole in Oakland, but I don’t think that would serve a purpose in Vegas.

4 – Bears

Best Uniform: White on Navy

h/t The Athletic

The Bears are one of the only teams in the NFL with better road uniforms than home ones, although I think it’s close. I’ve just always loved how clean the white tops are with the orange trim on the numbers and the shoulder stripes. I think they’re simply nicer to look at than the navy tops that they wear at home. Regardless, both uniform sets are some of the best in the league, and like so many other franchises which stay true to their roots, the Bears should never deviate from this classic look.

5 – Packers

Best Uniform: Green on Yellow

h/t Cheesehead TV

There’s not much that I can say about the Packers uniforms that haven’t been said a million times over. It’s the definition of classic and iconic and one of the most unique looks in sports. I have always loved the green and yellow color scheme, although the white/yellow road sets aren’t exactly the prettiest unis. in the league. Regardless, it’s a timeless look that is synonymous with NFL heritage.

6 – Browns

Best Uniform: Brown on White

h/t Cleveland.com

The Browns returning to their classic look with a modern flair was one of the best uniform decisions that any NFL team has made in recent years. It’s like a better version of what the Buccaneers have done. These are simply gorgeous uniforms that are faithful to the Browns’ history and I will always love them. It’s not easy to make brown and orange look good, but Cleveland has managed to do it. Turns out all it takes is not making horrendous unis like the ones they wore for the back half of the 2010s.

7 – Vikings

Best Uniform: Purple on White

h/t Daily Norseman

The Vikings and the Chargers are the gold standard of modern uniform tweaks. Minnesota was able to take an already classic uniform and change it ever so slightly to usher in a new era while remaining true to the franchise’s roots. I’ve preferred these unis over the old ones ever since they were unveiled ten years ago, and I hope they stay for a while. I love the throwbacks that the Vikings will debut in Week 1, but for its unique and clean style, the base home set still reigns supreme for me.

8 – Chiefs

Best Uniform: Red on White

h/t Pro Football Network

Like many teams above them on this list, the Chiefs boast some of the most classic unis in football. They have looked fantastic forever and are now essentially synonymous with success and championships. The only reason they’re lower than some other teams is because I feel like these uniforms are a little more basic. Red and white might be the most common colors in all of sports, and while the yellow helps the unis pop a bit, it’s not enough to lift the wardrobe as a whole.

9 – Bengals

Best Uniform: All White (NOT the alternates)

h/t OutKick

It definitely took me a minute, but I have fully come around on the new Bengals uniforms. I wasn’t really sure what to make of them when they were released in 2021, but seeing them in games that season made me realize how awesome they are. Some sets are much better than others, but as a whole, it’s a very good collection. I wish they’d wear the all-black set more, but regardless, the all-whites are by far my favorite. I even prefer it over the “White Bengal” look, mostly because the numbers are much cooler. In my opinion, if the Bengals opted to wear their white helmets with this uniform set, it might be the best uniform in the league.

10 – Bills

Best Uniform: Blue on White

h/t Bleacher Report

The Bills are essentially the same as the Chiefs in my mind when it comes to uniforms. I actually think their home unis are better than Kansas City’s. But I’m not as fond as the rest of the wardrobe. I’m not a fan of the all-blue that the Bills insist on wearing all the damn time instead of the much better blue/white set, and I don’t care for the all-red alternates either. If the Bills really want to impress me, they should bust out the red throwback helmets. Those would look gorgeous.

11 – Colts

Best Uniform: Blue on White

h/t Blue Stampede

See: Minnesota. The only difference here is that the Colts dropped one of the most puzzling alternates this summer that is both horrendous and meaningless. I hate pretty much everything about that set, which is a shame because Indy’s regular home and away sets are almost perfect.

12 – Buccaneers

Best Uniform: White on Pewter

h/t BroBible

See: Cleveland. I debated putting the Buccaneers higher on this list considering how much I love how clean and unique almost all of their sets are. It also helps that they’re bringing back the Creamsicles this year. I’m just ever so slightly more partial to some of the teams directly above them.

13 – Cowboys

Best Uniform: Navy on White

h/t Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The Cowboys are puzzling. They seemingly have perhaps the most iconic uniforms in the league with their white on blue sets, but those same uniforms might be the worst in their entire wardrobe. Both their home and away throwbacks are nicer, but the seldom-worn navy tops are by far my favorites. Whether they’re paired with the white or silver pants, these unis look fantastic and have a lot more personality than the boring “classic” uniform. I wish they brought these out much more often.

14 – Steelers

Best Uniform: ’70s throwbacks with WHITE numbers

h/t VSiN

The Steelers could skyrocket to the top of this list if they made an extremely easy change: add those block numbers to the primary uniforms, reverting to their old, classic look. We got a taste of how great it looks when they brought out the throwbacks late last year. If they wore them full-time, it would be perfection. It’s that simple.

15 – Broncos

Best Uniform: Navy on White

h/t Keeping It Heel

I’m convinced that I like the Broncos uniforms way more than most people do. I recognize that they’re a bit outdated, but I’ve always been fond of all their looks. In fact, I miss the pre-Nike says when the navy was their primary home jersey rather than the orange. I just think it’s a gorgeous combination of two colors that I personally love. But the Broncos could use a modern overhaul a la Minnesota and Indianapolis. I would love to see these iconic colors and logos with a new, modern flair.

16 – Eagles

Best Uniform: Kelly Green throwbacks

h/t Eagles/X

Until recently, the Eagles were the epitome of mid when it came to uniforms. I like the midnight green, I like the unique numbering and lettering, and the all-black alternate is obviously iconic. But it wasn’t until last week’s highly-anticipated reveal of the Kelly Green throwbacks that the Eagles catapulted to the top half of this list. Fans have waited for these for over a decade, and it was worth the wait. These might just be the best throwbacks in the league with how clean and perfect they look. I cannot wait to see them on the field again.

17 – Dolphins

Best Uniform: Throwbacks

h/t Miami Herald

The Dolphins are like the Steelers in the sense that they could boast the NFL’s best wardrobe if they wore their throwbacks full-time. Both the home and road ones are drop dead gorgeous from top to bottom. Miami has some solid primary unis too, especially since they slightly changed the coloring a few years ago. But you can’t top a look as incredible as those throwbacks are.

18 – Lions

Best Uniform: Blue on Silver

h/t Detroit Jock City

The Lions’ modern uniform overhaul is pretty solid, but I just find their sets to be so boring. None of them do anything for me. I think it would help if they tried out having white numbers on the home unis. They’d be a bit higher on this list if they didn’t unveil the very strange blue alternate helmets that they’re wearing for a select couple of games this season. They definitely could have made better use of the alternate helmet rule.

19 – Panthers

Best Uniform: All Black w/ black helmet

h/t WSOC TV

Despite their semi-low placement on this list, I really like Carolina’s uniforms. They’re pretty clean, and the alternate black helmets are fantastic. I just have a couple of gripes with these sets. For starters, I truly despise how uncomfortably small the numbers on the shoulders are. At this point, they could just be removed altogether. I also feel like they could move away from all the gray in the color scheme and move towards a modern, primarily black and blue look. I think it’d be clean and fitting.

20 – Saints

Best Uniform: Color Rush w/ base helmet

h/t Yahoo! Sports

For what it’s worth, the Saints are towards the top of the league in two categories: helmets and alternate uniforms. The fleur de lis is iconic, and the white and gold color rush unis have been beloved by fans for years. Unfortunately, I’m not very fond of everything else with the Saints. I just can’t find myself gravitating towards any of their looks. I don’t like the black pants, but I also don’t like the gold ones, and I certainly don’t like the white ones with the black tops. The all-white look is clean, but I simply prefer the color rush. The throwbacks are great, but the shade of gold on the numbers and pants clashes with that of the helmet. Worst of all is the simply dumb black alternate helmet that they sullied the color rush uniforms with last year in London. A couple of tweaks could bump the Saints up a bit, but I don’t think I’ll ever like their entire wardrobe.

21 – Rams

Best Uniform: White on Gold

h/t Bleacher Report

I definitely feel like I’m underrating the Rams uniforms, but something about them always throws me off. For starters, they’ve shown off some truly puzzling looks like bone on gold/blue or blue on bone. The strangest thing about that is how they didn’t even wear the all-bone look — which was their primary road uniform for several years — in 2022. At least the other sets look pretty good. I love the all blues as well as the blue on gold, but nothing tops when they wear the white jerseys. They look great with the blue pants and best with the gold ones. I’m forever thankful that they wore those in the Super Bowl two seasons ago.

22 – Ravens

Best Uniform: Purple on White

h/t Pro Football Network

The Ravens fit into the same category as the Broncos for me, but I prefer everything about Denver’s uniforms. Baltimore could definitely use some new digs, or at least stick to what works. In recent years, they’ve insisted on wearing strange looks like all-purple or black on purple which just look strange. The purple on black works for me considering how much of it I saw while growing up, and the all-black is one of the best in the league. I’ll always be partial to the cleanliness of the basic purple on white look, but the truth is that I’ve been over these unis for a while now. I don’t see the Ravens switching things up any time soon, but I would like to see it.

23 – Texans

Best Uniform: Navy on White

h/t Chron

Apropos of the Ravens. The Texans have had the same uniforms for their entire existence. They’re nice, but I think it’s time for a change.

24 – Giants

Best Uniform: ’80s throwbacks

h/t Sportsnaut

The nicest thing I can say about the Giants uniforms is that they’re classic. Despite that, they’re extremely boring. The Giants are very much like the Dolphins in the sense that their home and away throwbacks look infinitely better than their primary sets, and a return to these looks could catapult them to the top 10 of this list. Make it happen.

25 – Seahawks

Best Uniform: Throwbacks

h/t KOMO News

See: Philadelphia. The difference between these bird teams is that I have never liked the Seahawks unis that Nike broke out when they took over NFL uniforms in 2012. They’re weird and ugly and jarring and I just can’t get behind them. These throwbacks, however, are perfect in every sense of the word, and I can’t wait to see them in action this season.

26 – Jaguars

Best Uniform: All Black

h/t NJ.com

The Jaguars confused cleanliness and minimalism with being extremely boring. These unis are certainly modern and “clean” while featuring some gorgeous colors. They’re infinitely better than the previous Jags sets, but that bar is extremely low. These are just very dull uniforms that could use some more flair. I think a blend of these uniforms with the old ones with the Jaguar on the shoulders could make Jacksonville one of the best-dressed teams in football. I liked the Jags’ decision to make teal their primary home uni, but I still think the all-black is their best look. It just feels very “Jaguars” to me.

27 – Cardinals

Best Uniform: All White

h/t AZCentral

It’s hard to judge these new Cardinals uniforms without seeing them in-game, but at this point, they’re the same as the Jaguars to me. Yes they are modern, yes they are clean, but above all else, they are boring as hell. I feel like there was a lot more potential with this uniform overhaul. I’m very disappointed, but maybe my opinion will change once I see what these look like on the field.

28 – Patriots

Best Uniform: Navy on Silver

h/t BVM Sports

The Patriots did a very rare thing by having a uniform overhaul be a complete downgrade when they unveiled these new sets in 2020. I think the weirdest part of this is how everyone was upset that they ditched the silver pants, then they brought them back for a single game — instantly making it their best look — only to never wear them again. Just make these the primary home pants! It’s not that difficult!

29 – Titans

Best Uniform: Oilers Throwbacks

h/t NFL.com

The Titans uniforms in the last several years have felt like one giant swing and miss. I’ve always thought they were fine, but in recent seasons, I can’t stand the sight of them. I give them credit for being unique, but I would not mind seeing another change. Thankfully, the Titans are finally bringing back the beloved Oilers throwbacks (which is weird considering the history, but that’s a different story), which are already some of the best in football along with the Eagles and Seahawks. I think a return to this color scheme and style would do wonders for the Titans. I’m ready to move away from the bland navy looks.

30 – Commanders

Best Uniform: Burgundy on White

h/t Washington Times

I have talked about our uniforms ad nauseam over the last 18 months or so, so I’ll keep this brief and simply repeat my sentiments about them. They are fine, but infinitely worse than the old, classic look of the Redskins/WFT. A return to those uniforms would make everyone happy. Until then, these uniforms will remain weird and tacky and I don’t think anyone will ever come around on them. At this rate, considering all of the changes and sentiments around the franchise, a change wouldn’t shock me at all.

31 – Falcons

Best Uniform: Throwbacks

h/t Atlanta Falcons

See: New England. The difference with the Falcons is that their new uniforms are really, really bad. I hate the numbering, I hate the style, I hate the dumb “ATL” across the chest. Just wear the throwbacks full-time and call it a day.

32 – Jets

Best Uniform: N/A

Ever since their uniform change several years ago, I have held the belief that the Jets have the absolute worst unis in football. I feel like I hate them now more than I did then. I truly believe that every single uniform is a disaster. I don’t even like the new throwbacks. If I had to choose a best set, that would be it, but I’m not giving the Jets the satisfaction. If they want me to respect them, they need to return to their roots and make me forget that this era of uniforms ever happened a la Cleveland. The sooner, the better.

Ranking All 32 Starting Quarterbacks in the NFL

Inspired by Netflix’s new series ‘Quarterback’, I decided to rank every starting QB in the NFL and divide them into tiers based on what I think of them heading into the upcoming 2023 season.

Cover photo taken from Sharp Football.

This week, Netflix released their highly-anticipated series Quarterback: an eight-part look into the lives and seasons of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins, and Atlanta’s Marcus Mariota during the 2022 season. I have been watching the show and thoroughly enjoying it, and it got me thinking about quarterbacks as a whole. More specifically, how would I rank every QB in the league right now? So that’s what I’ve done here: all 32 starting signal callers ranked in order and divided into specific tiers that accurately reflect what I think about them and their peers as we inch closer towards the 2023 season.

Tier 1: The Best Ever

1 – Patrick Mahomes

2022 stats: 5,250 yards, 41 TD, 12 INT, 358 yards rushing, 4 rushing TD (won MVP and Super Bowl MVP)

I have been singing Patrick Mahomes’ praises since his final year at Texas Tech. While I thought he would be the best QB in the 2017 draft class, I never could have envisioned him becoming what he is today: the best quarterback to ever play this game. Now, there’s a difference between being the best ever and the greatest ever. Mahomes has a long way to go in terms of accolades and accomplishments before he can dethrone Tom Brady as the GOAT. But his talent speaks for itself, and it’s plain to see that his skillset and unique abilities on the field make him the best ever. Even if you disagree with that sentiment, you can’t disagree that he’s currently the best quarterback in football. Last year’s MVP campaign and subsequent title run put any doubt about that swiftly to bed. Even without the most explosive player in football in Tyreek Hill, Mahomes was surgical all season long and put the team on his back in the playoffs to secure his second MVP, Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP. He continues to redefine the game on a weekly basis, and we should all be so lucky to see it happening in real time.

Tier 2: The Best of the Rest

2 – Joe Burrow

2022 stats: 4,475 yards, 35 TD, 12 INT, 257 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD

I have held the belief that Joe Burrow is second to only Patrick Mahomes since the 2021 AFC Championship Game. I feel like most people would put Josh Allen in this spot, but I refuse to do that. I think Burrow is much more careful with the ball and has already had infinitely more playoff success, including a dominant win over Allen and the Bills in January. If a few more things went Cincinnati’s way, he might have wound up as a two-time Super Bowl champion. Regardless, Burrow has been mightily impressive since tearing his ACL in his rookie season three years ago, continuing to put up amazing numbers and wowing us with his playmaking ability. His blend of talent, determination, leadership, and swagger make it clear that he is destined for long-term success in this league.

3 – Josh Allen

2022 stats: 4,283 yards, 35 TD, 14 INT, 762 rushing yards, 7 rushing TD

Josh Allen is one of the most unique QB talents I have ever seen, which speaks for itself on a weekly basis. He has incredible athleticism and strength for his giant 6-foot-5 frame. Whether he’s launching the ball 60 yards through the air or hurdling defenders like a running back, he truly is must-see TV. I would definitely like to see him be a lot more careful with the ball, as he has been one of the most turnover-prone QBs in football in his career due to his style of play. I think an increased emphasis on his ball safety could have be very fruitful long-term for the Bills.

4 – Justin Herbert

2022 stats: 4,739 yards, 25 TD, 10 INT

The eighth wonder of the world is why Justin Herbert gets so much hate. I’ll never understand it. All he has done since entering the league in 2020 is ball out. He is off to the most prolific start to a career in NFL history in terms of his passing stats while playing for the league’s equivalent of a traveling circus. Everyone loves to blame him for the Chargers’ implosion in January’s Wild Card game where they blew a 27-0 lead to the Jaguars, but that’s hardly fair. I might be crazy, but I don’t think a defense allowing 31 points in just over a half of football is the quarterback’s fault. Regardless of whether you love or hate him, Herbert’s arm talent cannot be denied. He makes ridiculous throws every game with perhaps the best deep ball in the league. I can’t say I’m confident in how successful he can be while he plays for such a snake-bitten franchise, but Herbert will certainly be getting his game off as one of the league’s best QBs for years to come.

5 – Trevor Lawrence

2022 stats: 4,113 yards, 25 TD, 8 INT, 291 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD

A lot of people might think I’m nuts for putting Lawrence this high, but I’m fully sold on him. I have been for a very long time. I wasn’t going to let a bizarro rookie season littered with off-the-field drama change my mind. In his first real season, Lawrence was absolutely outstanding en route to a division title and a playoff win. He was finally able to showcase his arm talent with a proper skill group around him, and it was very impressive. Things are only going to get better next year as Calvin Ridley enters the fold. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for the former #1 pick.

6 – Lamar Jackson

2022 stats: 2,242 yards, 17 TD, 7 INT, 764 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD (missed five games due to injury)

I hope that a couple of injury-riddled seasons haven’t made you forget about how good Lamar Jackson is. He was on a tear to start the 2022 season before a nagging leg problem derailed him and the Ravens. When he’s fully healthy, Lamar is one of the most dynamic players in the sport with his lightning-quick abilities as a ball carrier and incredible arm talent (yes, he is a great passer, don’t kid yourselves). I don’t think anyone doubts that he has what it takes to return to his unanimous MVP form from 2019. With a revamped offense and a new, improved scheme, this is the year to do it.

7 – Jalen Hurts

2022 stats: 3,701 yards, 22 TD, 6 INT, 760 rushing yards, 13 rushing TD (missed two games due to injury)

Jalen Hurts was 2022’s breakout star with his jaw-dropping play and video game numbers, leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl and being a few plays away from winning it. He was a sprinkle of Patrick Mahomes greatness away from being an MVP and a Super Bowl MVP. Alas, he’s still a consensus top QB in the NFL and got a very, very large bag from the Birds, and for good reason. Hurts is like a less explosive but more refined and stronger version of Lamar Jackson. He has the arm to make any throw, the speed to burn any defense, the strength to run over defenders, the IQ to outsmart any defense, and the determination and leadership ability to win rings. For all of those reasons, he is one of my favorite players in the league, and despite the fact that he plays for the Eagles, I’m always going to root for him to succeed. He has everything it takes to be one of the most successful QBs of this generation.

Tier 3: Show Me Again

8 – Aaron Rodgers

2022 stats: 3,695 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT

2022 was a massive step backwards for Aaron Rodgers. After winning back-to-back MVPs, he had the worst passer rating of his career (!!!) while throwing for the fewest yards since 2015 and second most interceptions in his career. Oh, and the Packers finished below .500 and missed the playoffs thanks to losing the season finale. Now, he gets a fresh start with the Jets and their fantastic young core. I think we’ll see Aaron return to form this year, but I have serious doubts about whether or not he can fully look like the Aaron of 2019, 2020, and 2021. It’s a serious problem when your off-the-field antics get more attention than your on-the-field performance.

9 – Matthew Stafford

2022 stats: 2,087 yards, 10 TD, 8 INT (missed eight games due to injury)

I’m giving Matt Stafford the benefit of the doubt here. He’s coming off a potentially career-derailing injury after playing half a season of garbage football. 2021 showed us how great he can be, but 2022 might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. I don’t know what to expect from Stafford this year on an anemic offense with only one real playmaker, but I have a feeling I won’t see anything special. He has been one of the most fun, talented QBs to watch over the last decade or so, but I think we’re seeing the last of Matt Stafford in the NFL.

10 – Deshaun Watson

2022 stats: 1,102 yards, 7 TD, 5 INT (missed 11 games due to suspension)

I am also giving the benefit of the doubt to Deshaun Watson, who I don’t even feel like talking about. After serving a suspension that was far too short, he didn’t look anything like the star QB we saw in Houston. But perhaps that’s the result of entering a new system in November after months of not practicing with a new team. I’m expecting a much better season from Watson in 2023, but I’m not sure if we’ll ever see the Texans version of him again.

11 – Kyler Murray

2022 stats: 2,368 yards, 14 TD, 7 INT, 418 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD (missed six games due to injury)

Kyler is likely to miss most, if not all of the 2023 season after suffering a torn ACL last November. For a QB with his play style, you’ve got to wonder how that is going to affect him when he returns. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. The Kyler Murray we know is a lightning-quick runner with a hell of an arm who just hasn’t been able to fully live up to his potential. His talent is undeniable, but his play on the field just hasn’t been what it can be, and his off-the-field antics aren’t great either. Despite all his talent, the Cardinals might have dug themselves a $250 million hole.

Tier 4: “Would You Rather Be Underpaid or Overrated?” – Jay-Z

12 – Jared Goff

2022 stats: 4,438 yards, 29 TD, 7 INT

Jared Goff is starting to be so underrated that he might be overrated at this point. I don’t think that’s true, and I have always liked Goff, but I think social media can chill with flaunting his stats and calling him “underrated”. Guys like Kirk Cousins and Dak Prescott also have great stats and tend to shrink in big moments just like Goff does, but they don’t play for lovable teams like the Lions, so instead social media hates them. It’s no secret that Goff essentially had a career-reviving season in Detroit last year, which is more proof that he can be a truly great QB when surrounded by good talent in a good scheme. I expect to see similar numbers out of Goff this year, and hopefully the Lions see the success that has eluded them for the last… checks watch… well, forever.

13 – Geno Smith

2022 stats: 4,282 yards, 30 TD, 11 INT (won Comeback Player of the Year)

The 2022 Comeback Player of the Year was one of the best stories in football last season. After waiting years to get another shot as a starting QB, Geno Smith shocked the world en route to being one of the most prolific passers of the year and leading the Seahawks to the playoffs in their first year of a supposed rebuild. He flashed amazing arm talent and pinpoint accuracy all season long and was rewarded with a massive, well-deserved contract extension. With the offense getting a huge boost this offseason through free agency and the draft, I expect Geno to continue putting up big numbers. I think he’ll be in people’s top 10 lists by January.

14 – Kirk Cousins

2022 stats: 4,547 yards, 29 TD, 14 INT

The narratives surrounding Kirk Cousins have been beaten into the ground at this point, so I’ll keep this brief. Kirk is a much better QB than most people realize. I know a lot of his stats are empty. I know he sucks after the sun goes down (most of the time). I know he has limited playoff success. But he’s as good as you can ask for in this league. I have defended him for years and years, and I hope the Quarterback series gave people the appreciation for him that I have. I’d welcome him back to DC in a heartbeat.

15 – Tua Tagovailoa

2022 stats: 3,548 yards, 25 TD, 8 INT (missed four games due to injury)

Last season was the first time we saw what Tua was capable of when he’s surrounded by the talent and scheme that lets him cook. He might have gotten a lot of help via YAC from Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but he led the league in TD% and passer rating (105.5) all while being one of the most accurate QBs in football. The concussion problems are a very scary concern, but if Tua stays upright with the talent he has around him, he’ll be perfectly fine to put up big numbers. I just question whether or not he has what it takes to take the Dolphins to where they want to be.

16 – Dak Prescott

2022 stats: 2,860 yards, 23 TD, 15 INT (missed five games due to injury)

Dak has been perfectly average, if not above average for his entire career. But last season was not a good look for him. He led the league in interceptions while having the second worst passer rating of his career. He had a fantastic 2021, so perhaps we can place some blame on his injury last year, but I need to see it to believe it this season with Dak. It feels like the window is closing rapidly in Dallas, and it’ll close even quicker if he doesn’t return to form.

Tier 5: Make or Break Year

17 – Russell Wilson

2022 stats: 3,524 yards, 16 TD, 11 INT, 277 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD (missed two games due to injury)

Last year was the worst season of Russell Wilson’s career by any and every metric. It was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish that was widely publicized and criticized. But I think a lot of that has to do with how generally awful the Broncos were on offense under Nathaniel Hackett. Russ has a real chance to get back on track under Sean Payton. I don’t know how much he has left in the tank, but I know for a fact that his 2023 can’t go any worse than 2022 can.

18 – Derek Carr

2022 stats: 3,522 yards, 24 TD, 14 INT (missed two games due to being shut down by LVR)

It’s hard to make heads or tails of Derek Carr these days. Yes, he puts up good numbers, but it hasn’t translated to wins much lately. Yes, he can make any throw in the world, but he forgets how to do so inside the 10-yard line. Yes, he gets a fresh start in New Orleans, but it’s under an abysmal coaching staff. I know he still has plenty of talent left in the tank, but I believe things can get ugly for Derek Carr very soon.

Tier 6: So Much Potential

19 – Justin Fields

2022 stats: 2,242 yards, 17 TD, 11 INT, 1,143 rushing yards, 8 rushing TD (missed two games due to injury)

Justin Fields is perhaps the most polarizing QB in football right now. Everyone either thinks he’s the next Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts or thinks he’s the worst QB in the league. There’s no in between. My love for Justin obviously goes back to his college days, so it’s clear where I stand. It took everything I had to not place him higher on this list. But he clearly needs to show more development as a passer. I do think a lot of his faults in that regard lie with the scheme and complete lack of talent around him. Both of those will improve this year, so hopefully he makes a huge leap with his arm. His rushing talents need no explanation, as he led all QBs in rushing yards and finished seventh in the league among all rushers, becoming just the third QB to ever rush for 1,000 yards in a season. He might just be the fastest player in football with extremely underrated strength. If he can get his act together as a passer, Justin will take the league by storm. I’m hoping and praying that it happens.

20 – Brock Purdy

2022 stats: 1,374 yards, 13 TD, 4 INT (five games as starter)

I wasn’t really sure who to put as the 49ers QB in this list, but I assume that the QB1 job currently belongs to Brock Purdy after his efforts last season. He might not start in Week 1, and I personally feel like Trey Lance is the better option, but he gets my nod here. Purdy was one of the best stories in football last year, going from being Mr. Irrelevant to leading the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game before an unfortunate elbow injury ended his season. Regardless of whether or not he’ll be ready to play or start for the Niners in September, he deserves our respect. He was a perfect fit in their offense with fantastic accuracy and playmaking ability, all while keeping the ball safe. If he does end up being the QB of the future in San Francisco, I think he has what it takes to lead them to greatness.

21 – Daniel Jones

2022 stats: 3,205 yards, 15 TD, 5 INT, 708 rushing yards, 7 rushing TD (missed one game due to rest)

I think I’m putting Danny Dimes a tad low on this list considering the great year he had in 2022. But I’m just not as moved as everyone else is. I think he will be a solid starting QB for the Giants for the next few years. But there isn’t a lot about 15 passing touchdowns in 16 games that makes me fawn. He’s a solid passer with a decent arm and fantastic athletic ability that honestly almost makes up for his shortcomings as a passer. The potential is there, but he’ll never be anything special in my eyes.

Tier 7: Panera Bread

22 – Jimmy Garoppolo

2022 stats: 2,437 yards, 16 TD, 4 INT (missed six games due to injury/being backup)

I’ve been a supporter of Jimmy G for a very long time. I think he’s a perfectly fine QB that will always produce and be successful when put in the right spot. San Francisco was that right spot for a while. I don’t know if Las Vegas will be. But he has everything he needs to be successful, including one of the best WRs and RBs in football and his old buddy as his head coach. He still won’t blow anyone away, but all the ingredients are there. We’ll see what this new era of Jimmy looks like.

23 – Ryan Tannehill

2022 stats: 2,536 yards, 13 TD, 6 INT (missed five games due to injury)

For what it’s worth, Ryan Tannehill was having a decent year in 2022 for about 10 weeks before the wheels completely fell off. Now, he’s a 35-year old coming off a tough injury on a team with not a lot of offensive talent. With the Titans spending a second round pick on a QB in Will Levis, it’s easy to see that Tannehill is nearing the end of the road.

24 – Mac Jones

2022 stats: 2,997 yards, 14 TD, 11 INT (missed three games due to injury)

This is a huge year for Macaroni. The Patriots are more than ready to move on from him if he doesn’t produce. Last season was a bit of a disaster that included a nagging ankle problem and a benching in favor of Bailey Zappe, who New England fans often chanted for when Jones struggled. While I had high hopes for Macaroni when he entered the league, it’s clear that he’s not exactly being put in a position to succeed. He hasn’t shown many flashes of talent either. If it doesn’t happen this season, we won’t be hearing his name much anymore.

25 – Baker Mayfield

2022 stats: 2,163 yards, 10 TD, 8 INT (12 games as starter for CAR/LAR)

I wanted to put Baker much, much lower on this list. It’s a real possibility that he is the worst starting QB in football. It just didn’t feel right putting him below guys who are either very inexperienced or have never played a snap in the NFL. Still, my opinions on Mayfield have been clear for years now. I don’t like him as a person, I don’t like him as a player, and I think his time in the NFL is running out. I would not be remotely shocked if he loses the starting job before Thanksgiving.

Tier 8: New Kids on the Block

26 – Kenny Pickett

2022 stats: 2,404 yards, 7 TD, 9 INT, 237 rushing yards, 3 rushing TD (13 games as starter)

Look, I like Kenneth Pickett. I think he’s a great story and I find it very easy to root for him. But I just don’t know if he can be a franchise guy. It doesn’t help that the Steelers offense isn’t exactly budding with talent, but they are improving. I think Pickett can make a leap in his sophomore campaign, but to me, his ceiling is Tier 4 or 5.

27 – Jordan Love

2022 stats: 195 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT (appeared in four games)

There might not be a QB in this tier that I have higher hopes for than Jordan Love. He has had three years to sit and learn under Aaron Rodgers and now finally gets his shot to lead the Packers. I think he has all the talent in the world to lead them to success. With great arm talent and mobility, he has the perfect skillset to succeed in today’s NFL. He has shown flashes of it in his few appearances over the last two years. Green Bay still has the talent around him that can allow him to thrive, and I think he’ll do just that. I expect big things out of him in 2023.

28 – Bryce Young

2022 stats: N/A

The 2023 #1 pick out of Alabama is one of the most unique QB prospects in recent memory. The concerns about his size are valid, but he has some of the best playmaking ability that we’ve seen in a long time. He has immense talent that I think can translate well to the NFL, and the Panthers are putting themselves in a position such that he can succeed early and often. I’m looking forward to watching his development this season.

29 – CJ Stroud

2022 stats: N/A

CJ was probably the best all-around passing prospect in April’s draft, and the Texans were very happy to snag him at #2 overall. He’s a prototypical pocket passer with the arm and accuracy to make any throw and an extremely underrated pocket presence. His mobility is also an under-looked part of his skillset and will only get better in the NFL. I can’t wait to see what he can do in Houston as they continue their rebuild.

30 – Anthony Richardson

2022 stats: N/A

Richardson was the most polarizing QB prospect in this year’s draft. He has jaw-dropping raw talent as both a passer and a runner, but it remains to be seen if those skills can be refined and translated into success in the NFL. I believe in the Colts organization and their coaching staff as well as the talent on that offense, so I think Richardson can see some early success in the pros. But it’s clear to everyone that this is a project, and one with an extremely high upside.

31 – Sam Howell

2022 stats: 169 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT (one game as starter)

Our fanbase is absolutely head over heels for Sam Howell because he was once heralded as the best QB prospect in college football (over two years ago) and beat the Cowboys in his lone NFL start with one or two highlight plays. Perhaps we should temper our expectations a bit. I think Sam is immensely talented and is in a great position to do good things in our offense. Everything is right in front of him to seize this opportunity and be a solid NFL starting QB. But we really need to pump the brakes with this “franchise QB” stuff. I have to see it to believe it. Maybe I’m just a pessimist. But when it comes to this franchise, can you blame me?

32 – Desmond Ridder

2022 stats: 708 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT (four games as starter)

To put it nicely, I have no faith in Desmond Ridder as an NFL starter. He was an average passer and runner at Cincinnati, and it’s safe to say that he’s below average in both categories at the professional level. He’s still very inexperienced, but I just don’t see a world where he is Atlanta’s quarterback of the future. He simply lacks the talent to be a successful QB in this league.

All stats taken from Pro Football Reference.

Post-Week 14 Power Rankings

Another wacky week caused plenty more mix-ups in this week’s Power Rankings as we head into the final month of the regular season.

Cover photo taken from Idaho Press.

1 – Eagles (12-1)

The Eagles keep on asserting themselves as the best team in the NFL by a seemingly solid margin. They became the first team to clinch a spot in the playoffs in an emphatic win over the Giants, and once again looked unstoppable in every facet of the game. It was another party on the ground for the run game, and Jalen Hurts has never looked more like the MVP. The defense had their way as they almost always do, and the Birds never broke a sweat. I know that the Giants aren’t exactly a tough test, but you don’t see road wins against divisional opponents that are this dominant in the NFL very often. It is a testament to this team’s greatness.

2 – Bengals (9-4)

Joe Burrow finally got the monkey off his back and beat the Browns, and it wasn’t even close. This really impressed me for two reasons. The first of which is that, although I picked the Bengals to win, I figured it’d be pretty close given the nature of the rivalry. It wasn’t, and that’s in large part due to Burrow’s continued excellence as well as the defense’s dominance highlighted by rookie DB Cam Taylor-Britt’s emergence. The second reason is that Tee Higgins didn’t even play due to getting hurt in warmups. For Cincy to lose one of their key offensive players and still look unstoppable is really impressive. I hope he’s ok moving forward, but apparently they don’t even need him. As long as Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase do their thing, nobody is stopping this offense.

3 – Chiefs (10-3)

I think a lot of people are overreacting to the Chiefs “almost” blowing a 27-0 lead. Let’s pump the brakes please. For one, the fact that they went up 27-0 on the road against one of the best defenses in the league speaks for itself. They were clicking in all three phases and it was poetry in motion. They got very careless afterwards, highlighted by a whopping three very poor and uncharacteristic interceptions by Patrick Mahomes, but when it came down to crunch time, they were the better team and executed to come away with the win that was really never in doubt. This team is still fantastic, they just got in their own way a bit. I will say that their pass defense concerns me since it has shown very little to no signs of improvement over the last month or so. They will not win this conference with its current level of play.

4 – 49ers (9-4)

All aboard the Brock Purdy train. The rookie QB has looked brilliant in his two games this year, beating two very capable defenses without breaking a sweat. I understand that the offense is pretty easy to run when you have the roster that San Francisco has, but Purdy has looked very comfortable and solid as the QB, and I have no more doubts that the 49ers can continue to dominate, especially with their defense playing the way that they are. The injury to Deebo Samuel really scared everyone, but apparently he’s going to be ok and might return before the regular season is over. If that’s true, then this team is going to moonwalk to a division title and might just be the scariest squad in the entire playoffs.

5 – Cowboys (10-3)

As much as I’d love to bump the Cowboys down for squeaking by the worst team in football, I just can’t. It doesn’t feel fair considering the teams below them. Anything can happen in the NFL on any given Sunday. At least Dallas came away with a win. Not only that, but they put together a fantastic 98-yard touchdown drive to do so. They didn’t play their best game, but we know this is a great team, and I don’t think the wheels are falling off anytime soon. Only time will tell if this was a sign of things to come. I just don’t think it was.

6 – Bills (10-3) 2

The Bills looked pretty solid all around on Sunday in absolutely awful conditions in Orchard Park. There’s not much more that can be said. What I liked most about their performance was their defense’s dominance. They played fast and extremely hard all game long, which is exactly what I wanted to see out of them. Since Von Miller’s injury, they’ve looked great, so I have no more doubts in that area. I still think they’re far too reliant on Josh Allen to make plays with his legs on offense, but as I’ve said time and time again, he’s built for that, and it works. Buffalo follows their formula to a T, and if it keeps translating to wins, I won’t doubt it.

7 – Dolphins (8-5) 1

I think Sunday night was worst-case scenario all around for the Dolphins. Tua looked absolutely dreadful, the run game was once again non-existent, and the defense got completely shredded by an elite QB. None of those things will fly in the playoffs. I don’t want to say this team has been “exposed” in their last two games, but now any team with a competent coaching staff knows what they have to do to stop this team. Just play man and make Tua beat you with his arm. Spoiler alert: he can’t. I’m not going to write this team off, but it could start going south really quickly for the Dolphins. They need to get it together ahead of this week’s massive game in Buffalo.

8 – Vikings (10-3) 1

I won’t be too mean to the Vikings after losing a game on the road to a divisional opponent that I picked them to lose. I would have been much meaner if they didn’t put together perhaps their best game through the air, with Kirk Cousins throwing for over 400 yards and Justin Jefferson setting a franchise record with over 200 receiving yards. But there are two aspects of this team that really worry me that I know will be their undoing in January. The first of which is their now-nonexistent running game. Dalvin Cook can’t exactly get anything going, and while they can rely on Kirk and Jettas to make plays, they definitely don’t want to be in that scenario for 60 minutes. The second thing is that their defense is simply atrocious. It has gone from bad to worse in Minnesota on that side of the ball, and I don’t see it getting better anytime soon.

9 – Chargers (7-6) 8

Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in. Against all odds, the Chargers looked nothing short of elite on Sunday night, and it really wasn’t in the fashion that I anticipated. Justin Herbert looked marvelous with his full supporting cast available, but that wasn’t surprising. We know what he’s capable of when the offense is healthy. What stunned me was how great this injury-riddled defense looked. I mean, these guys were starting Alohi Gilman in the secondary and made the NFL’s most prolific passing offense look like they belonged in Saturday’s Army-Navy game. It could be a one-game thing, but if the Chargers can keep up that level of play defensively, then nothing is stopping this team from making a playoff push.

10 – Commanders (7-5-1) 1

For the first time in history, Washington makes my top 10. But it doesn’t feel right. It’s mostly a product of the mess that’s around them in this week’s Power Rankings. We had the week off ahead of one of the biggest games in recent memory as the Giants come into town for a primetime showdown on Sunday night. I cannot wait for that, and I’ll get more into it on Thursday.

11 – Jets (7-6) 1

I’m starting to feel bad for the Jets. All this team does is compete their tails off, but that has gotten them nowhere in the last few weeks. The injuries are continuing to rack up as Mike White is dealing with problems with his ribs after being smacked around by the Bills defense and standout DT Quinnen Williams has a calf issue. The good news is that the offense still looks solid and the defense did their thing for the most part on Sunday. I still feel confident in this team’s capabilities, but the AFC Wild Card race is heating up all of a sudden, and this team might get lost in the mix if they can’t get back on track ASAP.

12 – Lions (6-7) 2

Simply put, not many teams are playing better football in the last two months than the Detroit Lions. Yes, their secondary sucks. Yes, that’s a problem. But everyone else is operating at an immensely high level. The offense is simply unstoppable right now, and just like I predicted, getting Jameson Williams healthy gives them a level of explosiveness down the field. The front seven is actually pretty solid, and the #2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is starting to make a DROY push. This team has momentum and a ton of character, and I think that’ll go a long way as they try to make the playoffs. The remaining schedule is tough, but not impossible to do well against. Considering how flimsy the NFC Wild Card hopefuls are, who says this team can’t sneak into the dance?

13 – Ravens (9-4) 3

I still hate everything about what this team has going on, especially offensively, but I will respect the ability to go on the road and beat your bitter rival on the backs of a great defensive performance. Moreover, to win with your 3rd string QB playing for a solid chunk of the game means something. But what the Ravens did on Sunday won’t fly against most teams in this league. They cannot throw the ball, so don’t be fooled by their run game’s good numbers. The defense is playing really well, and that’s a good sign, but it means nothing if the offense is this bad. I’m just patiently waiting on them to finally drop a game and let the Bengals rightfully take over as the division leaders.

14 – Patriots (7-6) 4

The Patriots simply won’t go away, and it’s honestly getting annoying. I have no idea what to expect from this team in any given week. Will they look absolutely awful on offense? Will they somehow turn practice squad RBs into stars? Will their defense live up to their potential or get gashed? It’s a total coinflip from game to game. But they’ve gotten good luck on those coinflips to now sit in the playoff picture as the 7 seed once again. I don’t know how long it will last, but I don’t imagine it’ll be for long with their very intense remaining schedule.

15 – Seahawks (7-6) 6

I think the wheels have officially fallen off the Seahawks. They have now lost 3 of their last 4 games, Geno Smith is playing uncharacteristically sloppy, and the defense is getting gashed week in and week out by great rushing attacks. Even at home, where they’re supposed to be at their best and most formidable, this team just doesn’t play well at all. They’re playing their way out of the playoffs, which is honestly what they deserve. This is not a playoff team at all right now.

16 – Titans (7-6) 4

I don’t want to talk about the Titans. They are one of the biggest eye sores in all of football, and the fact that they are inevitably going to get a playoff spot just angers me. Even though I predicted them to lose, the manner in which it happened was flat out embarrassing and a sign that this team just doesn’t have what they once did. They’ve now lost three in a row and just look lifeless. Let’s just fast forward to their first round exit already.

17 – Giants (7-5-1) 4

I’m so glad that the Giants are continuing to prove me right every single week. This team is flat out bad, and now you all realize that. Even when this team was 6-1, I never had an ounce of faith in them, and they’re finally showing us who they truly are. They were never some sleeper team that could do damage in the playoffs. They were always complete frauds who were immensely lucky against an awful schedule. They might sit in a playoff spot right now, but we all know that’s not going to last. I can’t for them to get embarrassed once again on Sunday night.

18 – Raiders (5-8) 3

Come on, guys. You finally regained my trust and my faith and you go out and do that? I thought you were better than that. Unfortunately, the Raiders season ended on a complete whimper, blowing a 13 point lead in a matter of minutes to a QB who hadn’t spent more than 48 hours with the team. That has to be the most Raiders thing I’ve ever seen. They didn’t even look bad for most of the game, but they simply fell apart and lost their grip on the game, and effectively, their season. Just another week for the silver and black.

19 – Jaguars (5-8) 5

The Jaguars might not accomplish much this season, but they have to feel great about what they’ve been able to accomplish in the last few weeks. Trevor Lawrence is continuing to string together sensational performances, and the former #1 overall pick is finally emerging as the elite QB we all knew he could be. The rest of the offense isn’t anything special, but they simply get the job done. Meanwhile, the defense continues to look solid as well, and this year’s #1 pick Travon Walker looked like a real game-wrecker on Sunday. If the Jags can somehow make a push for the division title, I would absolutely love it. I just don’t think it’s likely. Still, I really like what’s going on in Jacksonville, and I’m excited for the future.

20 – Browns (5-8) 1

For the second consecutive week, the Browns looked much worse than I expected them to. I don’t know what the common denominator is, considering Deshaun Watson actually played a decent game on Sunday. I can’t pinpoint the exact problems with this team, but they should just be so much better than they are. On paper, they can be one of the best in the league. Instead, they’re a lifeless, uninspired, boring team that I don’t want to watch.

21 – Packers (5-8)

Thankfully for our eyes, the Packers had the week off. Unfortunately for our eyes, we have to watch them in primetime this Monday night against the Rams. Curse you, schedulemakers!

22 – Buccaneers (6-7) 2

It’s over. The Buccaneers are over. The Tom Brady era in Tampa was fun and all, but it’s time to blow it up. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a game more indicative of an era coming to a close as Sunday’s beatdown by Mr. Irrelevant and the 49ers. It was almost poetic to see Brady go home and essentially give up against the team he might end his career with. So, let him go do whatever he wants to do and start preparing for the future. Get healthy for next year and find your next QB. You won’t be awful considering this roster is pretty good when fully healthy, but it’s pretty clear that you won’t have the GOAT.

23 – Panthers (5-8) 5

I’ve noted the competitiveness of the Panthers all year long as one of their strengths. Well, it’s finally starting to translate into wins, and all of a sudden, Carolina is a game out of first place in the division. They already beat the brakes off the Bucs once this year, so who’s to say it won’t happen again? The defense is balling out and the offense has finally found itself. It’s weird that it took Sam Darnold coming back for that to happen, but if it works, then so be it. I really like the way this team plays, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they end up making a run at the division title. It’s just so strange to imagine that after they spent so long being one of the worst teams in football.

24 – Steelers (5-8) 2

I feel bad for the Steelers and their fans. Having your rookie QB get hurt and having to deal with Mitch Trubisky again is something that I wouldn’t even wish on my worst enemies. Having four drives stall in enemy territory thanks to a blocked field goal and three interceptions is just brutal. Having all of that happen against your biggest rival makes it that much worse.

25 – Falcons (5-8) 2

After their bye, the Falcons are finally making the QB switch to Desmond Ridder thanks to an injury sustained by Marcus Mariota. I have no idea how the rookie is going to look, but I have high hopes for him. At the very least, the offense should look better than it did with Mariota under center. But that’s a very, very low bar.

26 – Cardinals (4-9) 1

Having Kyler Murray tear his ACL at the end of a completely lost season is such a shame. I feel awful for Kyler, and I’m hoping he makes a speedy recovery. I just hope this injury doesn’t cloud the awful job done by this coaching staff. The two best things this franchise can hope for going into 2023 is that Kyler gets healthy and they have a new head coach.

27 – Colts (4-8-1) 1

The Colts were on a bye this week ahead of a fascinating matchup with the Vikings on Saturday. I don’t know what to expect out of this team at this point, but I think they’re certainly going to be competitive in Minnesota.

28 – Rams (4-9) 1

I have no earthly idea how Baker Mayfield and the Rams pulled off their incredible comeback on Thursday night, but you can’t help but feel good for them. This is a player and franchise that desperately needed a win like that, and it showed. I have no doubt that the season will only go downhill from here, but at least they got to experience that happiness before this inevitably awful final month of the year.

29 – Bears (3-10) 2

For the first time in nearly two months, the Bears didn’t lose! Good work, Chicago! As I keep saying, the best-case scenario for this team is losing out and securing a top pick in the draft. They don’t exactly have any winnable games left on the schedule, so they should be able to do that with ease.

30 – Broncos (3-10) 1

The good news is that the Broncos were very competitive against a great team on Sunday and put together their best offensive performance of the year by a good margin. The bad news is that they had to fall behind 27-0 in the first half in order to do that.

31 – Saints (4-9) 1

Mercifully, the Saints didn’t play this week, and we should all be grateful for being spared from watching Andy Dalton play QB. If only the coaching staff was competent enough to finally bench him for good. Unfortunately, Dalton will still be starting this week. So I advise you to stay away from this team’s game against Atlanta at all costs.

32 – Texans (1-11-1)

The Texans looked like their September/October selves on Sunday, losing to. a great team after being very competitive for most of the game. You could honestly make the argument that they actively lost the game down the stretch, and you’d probably be right. But that’s a good thing for Houston. They’re now on the verge of clinching the #1 overall pick and finding their franchise QB. That’s what we call a great success!

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 14 Picks

After my first ever undefeated week, I feel pretty good about predicting the upcoming slate of somewhat boring and average matchups.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 14-0-1 (!!!)

Season Total: 120-72-2

Raiders 27-17 Rams

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

The Rams are a complete mess at QB right now. It doesn’t matter whether it’s John Wolford or Bryce Perkins or even Baker Mayfield. They aren’t going to win this game. The Raiders are playing great ball lately and are seeing their fourth straight win. If they stick to their bread and butter of feeding Josh Jacobs and letting Davante Adams dismantle opposing corners, they’ll be fine. Jalen Ramsey is obviously a tough test, but Adams has toasted him before, and I think he’ll do it again on Thursday night. As long as Vegas’ defense does its job against an anemic Rams offense, the Raiders should win comfortably.

Bills 24-20 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Vegas thinks this is going to be a complete wash for the Bills, and I don’t get it. For starters, the Jets beat this Bills team when they had Zach Wilson starting just a month ago. Division games are always close, especially when two great defenses are at work. And Buffalo will still be without Von Miller against a team that can run the ball pretty well. New York will certainly be competitive in this game unless Mike White turns into a bum, which I don’t see happening. If he can keep feeding Garrett Wilson and the RBs do their thing, then they definitely have a fighting chance. I don’t think it’ll be enough to win in a very tough road environment, though. Josh Allen has been playing better football in recent weeks, and that’s all the Bills need to win football games. I’m excited to see how they look, but regardless of what that is, I think it’ll be good enough to come away with this key victory.

Bengals 26-23 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

One of the great mysteries of the NFL is how Joe Burrow has never beaten the Cleveland Browns. They just have the young star QB’s number for some reason. However, all good things must come to an end. The Browns should look better on Sunday than they did last week, assuming that Deshaun Watson has gotten his jitters and rust out of the way. But this is going to be an infinitely tougher test. The Bengals are playing some of the best football in the league right now, with both sides of the ball firing on all cylinders. Cleveland has simply looked average at best on both sides of the ball in recent weeks. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt and trusting them to keep it close (and cover), but I don’t see them shutting down Burrow and company again, especially with Ja’Marr Chase back this time.

Cowboys 38-10 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Not talking about this one. There’s a reason this spread is straight out of college football Next!

Lions 30-27 Vikings

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Lions are my absolute favorite pick of the week. This is just a perfect storm for them and everything I have been praising them for over the last month or so. They’re at home on a hot streak in which their offense has been scorching hot and their defense has been better. Jared Goff is great at home. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been unstoppable. The RBs are doing their thing. This could be Jameson Williams’ coming out party as well. I do think their defense will have their hands full with the Vikings’ star-studded offense, but I find it damn near impossible to pick Minnesota in this game. They struggled mightily with Detroit in their first matchup, and that one was in Minneapolis. The Vikes have been extremely lucky in one-score games this year, and maybe a regression to the mean is in order. I think the Lions are simply going to outscore the Vikings in this one and keep the winning ways alive.

Jaguars 22-16 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I didn’t have many upset picks planned this week, but I feel better about the Jaguars than any other underdog on Sunday. They should be thanking their lucky stars that Trevor Lawrence is ok after last week’s scary sight. The Jags still got smacked, but that actually makes me feel better about picking them here. I think they’re eager to bounce back, especially in a game against a division rival. It’s going to be a tough road environment, but the Titans simply haven’t shown me anything to like as a team in recent weeks. As I said on Tuesday, this team doesn’t really do anything well anymore. At least the Jags can move the ball on offense. If their defense steps up and limits Derrick Henry, then I feel great about their chances of winning.

Eagles 24-13 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This kind of goes against my philosophy of road division games, but it feels warranted in a situation like this. The Giants are solid, but the Eagles are simply miles better than they are. I don’t see how New York musters up enough on defense to slow down this offensive juggernaut in Philly, and I think the Eagles defense should be able to limit big plays and keep the Giants at arms length. It could certainly be closer than this, but I just don’t see that happening. Philadelphia is an infinitely better team.

Steelers 13-10 Ravens

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is all sorts of gross. The Ravens will be without Lamar Jackson in this game, but even if he was playing, I think this would still be my exact pick. Baltimore is just so inept offensively, running a 1960s offense and failing completely at it. It’s obviously not their fault that they have no WRs, but it doesn’t matter. They’re not going to be able to get anything going against this stout Pittsburgh defense. The Steelers will certainly struggle on offense as well, but that’s simply in their DNA. However, I think they have what it takes to get the job done at home. They’ll make one or two more plays down the stretch to win this game.

Chiefs 23-10 Broncos

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

The Broncos are an unwatchable disgusting mess of a football team. Patrick Mahomes has never lost a road game to a divisional opponent. It’s a pretty simple calculus, guys. I do think Denver’s defense will stifle the Chiefs a little bit, but it won’t be enough, and it will not matter. There is no way in the world that they can win this game, or even keep it close. Like the Eagles pick, this kind of goes against my typical philosophies, but it’s totally warranted.

49ers 16-13 Buccaneers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

In the preseason, this was my pick for one of the NFC Divisional Round games. A lot has changed since then, but that’s still entirely possible. But it won’t be at all what I envisioned. The 49ers are down to their rookie 3rd string QB in former Iowa State star and 2022 Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy. Purdy looked solid last week when he was thrown into the fire, but this is going to be a much tougher test. The Bucs defense will make life hell for him. The good news is that the 49ers defense is the best in the league by a longshot, and they will make life even worse for Tom Brady and Tampa’s offense. I mean, this is a unit that had 3 points in 55 minutes against the Saints. The Saints! San Francisco’s defense should have a field day, but the game will be close regardless considering the state of their offense. So, this game comes down to the superior defense. Pretty easy pick in that case, isn’t it? It’s going to be ugly and low scoring, but the Niners will certainly come out on top.

Seahawks 24-14 Panthers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This game feels like a total trap with the Seahawks only being favored by 4. I saw that and thought to jump all over it, but it just feels… wrong. Vegas definitely knows something we don’t. So, I won’t touch that line with a ten-foot pole. However, I will pick Seattle to win comfortably. They’re back at home against a Panthers team that has been solid and competitive, but not on the same level as the Seahawks. The loss of Kenneth Walker will hurt their offense, but they can throw the ball all the live long day. I think they’ll do just that and win comfortably.

Dolphins 30-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Once again, I’m abandoning my philosophy here and simply taking the much better team to win. The Chargers just aren’t right, and their offense is pretty tough to watch while their defense gets toasted week in and week out. The Dolphins, on the other hand, have one of the best offenses in football. They just got stifled by the best defense in the league, so they’re probably eager to put on a show in primetime. Their defense might struggle a little bit with Justin Herbert, but it might not matter if their offense lights up the scoreboard. I just don’t think LA has it in them to beat a team like Miami right now, even at home and in primetime.

Cardinals 23-17 Patriots

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

This game is so weird. It’s probably the biggest coinflip of the week. I don’t like what either of these teams are doing, and neither of them inspire confidence to win any given game on any given day. So I’m just going to take the Cardinals for the boring Raza reasons of them being at home in primetime and off a bye. I don’t exactly think their defense poses a threat, but neither does the Patriots offense. All the Cards have to do is limit their mistakes and force feed DeAndre Hopkins and James Conner, and they should be able to win. But, knowing this team, they’re probably going to fail disastrously and hilariously.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 11 Power Rankings

Week 11 was ugly and messy, but told us so much about so many teams. Here’s how I stack it up as we head into Thanksgiving.

Cover photo taken from VSiN.

1 – Chiefs (8-2)

Death. Taxes. Patrick Mahomes beating division opponents on the road. Travis Kelce ripping the Chargers apart and breaking SoCal hearts. We all saw it coming, and it was still awesome. 15 and 87 are simply poetry in motion, and this is still the best team in the league. Sunday night’s game was a bit closer than I anticipated, and despite some heroics by the Chargers and Jerrick McKinnon’s best efforts to give the game away, there was no doubt who would win in the end. This offense is simply too dominant, and the defense is still playing well despite some hiccups on Sunday. The Chiefs are top of the league in total yards, passing yards, and scoring. Oh, and Mahomes has now won an impossible 25 straight games in November and December. So yeah, good luck stopping Kansas City.

2 – 49ers (6-4) 2

I know most of you think I’m insane for continuing to put the 49ers this high, but I don’t care. I feel so strongly about this team, and I think they’re the best in the NFC right now. It’s a pretty tight race between them and the two teams below them, but I feel the most confident in San Francisco at the moment. They are simply dominant on both sides of the ball, and when they are playing the way they want to, you aren’t going to get past them. The defense is obviously one of, if not the best in the league, but the offense is finally starting to get everyone involved, and it’s a beautiful sight. I’d wager that more Niners games down the stretch look like Monday night’s. And that is a terrifying thought.

3 – Eagles (9-1) 1

Philly’s cracks are starting to show. Losing Jordan Davis clearly has a massive impact on their defensive interior, and until newcomers Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh get more acclimated with this defense, their interior run-stopping ability will be hindered greatly. They did a solid job of containing Jonathan Taylor for the most part, but the weakness was clear. The bigger concern was the offense’s inability to move the ball on a Colts defense without its best player. The Raiders had a better offensive performance against Indy than the Eagles did. Perhaps the Commanders laid the blueprint of how to stop this team. They needed a wild JT fumble on a play that could’ve been blown dead to win on Sunday. It shouldn’t have been that close. Until they show us another complete performance, Philadelphia will keep on sliding.

4 – Cowboys (7-3) 3

The Cowboys are back after a single bad quarter/OT a week ago. All they did to respond was put together perhaps the single best performance of any team this year en route to the biggest road victory in franchise history. The defense was sensational, especially up front, as they destroyed the Vikings OL to the tune of 7 sacks. The offense was firing on all cylinders as everyone got involved, namely Tony Pollard, who has proven himself as one of the most dynamic and useful RBs in the league. Dak Prescott looked very comfortable, and the Cowboys looked like a complete juggernaut. They likely won’t have a better performance this year.

5 – Dolphins (7-3)

The Dolphins had the week off ahead of an absolute cupcake against Houston. I expect another offensive explosion out of them this week.

6 – Vikings (8-2) 4

That was as brutal as it gets in this league. I don’t want to throw in the towel and tell everyone who didn’t believe that the Vikings were legit at 8-1 that they were right, but they might have been onto something. I have no idea how you can come home after such a great win and get walloped so badly, but Minnesota didn’t have a semblance of a pulse on Sunday, and it was simply embarrassing. They should be ashamed of themselves. The good news is that they have nowhere to go but up. I don’t see them playing worse than that this season, and they get a shot at redemption in front of the nation on Thanksgiving. It’s going to be another tough one, but they can’t get any lower than this rock bottom.

7 – Bills (7-3) 1

The Bills are still not looking as good as they should be, but they’re back in the win column, and that’s all that matters. I will say that I like the way they’re running the ball lately, but other than that, I don’t see anything that stands out. Josh Allen has still been pretty average over the last month, and the defense continues to play below their standard. Buffalo is about to smack Detroit on Thanksgiving and the national media will start to fawn over them again, but I’d love to see them put together a complete, dominant performance against an actual team before giving them their flowers again.

8 – Titans (7-3) 2

The Titans just keep on winning. I don’t know if there’s a better culture in the league than the one Mike Vrabel has in Tennessee. They just play winning football week in and week out. Derrick Henry is still on a tear, Ryan Tannehill looks very comfortable off his injury, and this defense proved once again why they’re one of the best in the league, especially when fully healthy. Now, rookie WR Treylon Burks is getting involved offensively, which could give a huge boost to their virtually non-existent passing attack. Going into Lambeau and winning that convincingly in a primetime setting isn’t easy. But the Titans made it look like a walk in the park.

9 – Bengals (6-4) 2

Outside of getting thrashed by Cleveland on MNF a few weeks ago, the Bengals really weathered the storm while Ja’Marr Chase was out. They picked up two huge wins, albeit against pretty poor competition, and now sit in prime position to make a run at the division title with Chase returning to the lineup this week. Joe Burrow looked very comfortable without his top target, and even went Joe Mixon went down, Semaje Perine did a great job in relief. The defense did not play their best game by any means on Sunday, but they made all the plays they had to in order to lock it up in the fourth quarter. I feel great about this team now that their best player is returning and I’m super excited to see them make another push to the playoffs.

10 – Ravens (7-3) 2

I’m not going to try to guess or even make sense of Baltimore’s complete dud of a performance on Sunday. It was sloppy, it was ugly, it was lifeless, and it was straight up weird. But, they won, which is all that matters. I still don’t really know what to make of the Ravens at this point, but they keep on winning and still sit atop the division. I just have a feeling that won’t last very long.

11 – Seahawks (6-4) 2

Seattle had their bye this week ahead of a relatively easy matchup with Vegas on Sunday in the desert. It could turn into a shootout, so they should be thankful they got some rest in this week. I’m interested to see if they can keep up their dominance as the season winds down.

12 – Buccaneers (5-5) 3

The Bucs had the week off after the international trip last week. They head to Cleveland for a tough matchup with the Browns on Sunday, but if their defense keeps playing like they did going into the bye, they should be able to get back above .500.

13 – Commanders (6-5) 2

The winning ways are continuing in DC, and the formula keeps on being executed to perfection. It was the defense that stood out above everyone else in Houston, using an absolute dominant performance from start to finish highlighted by a handful of sacks and a pick six by Kendall Fuller to suffocate the Texans all game long. The offense also did its thing, as Taylor Heinicke played a very solid game and the run game continued to dominate. It was as complete of a performance as you could ask for. Now, Chase Young finally returns to give the defense another huge lift. I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks have in store.

14 – Patriots (6-4) 2

It wasn’t pretty by any means (in fact it was nothing short of miraculous), but the Patriots continued their win streak on Sunday thanks to a dominant defensive performance and one of the most clutch punt return touchdowns in recent memory. Mac Jones actually played quite well against a solid Jets defense, but a combination of wind blowing kicks and passes all over the field left the offense with virtually nothing to show for it. Still, the Patriots showed plenty to like on Sunday, and now sit in a playoff spot with seven games to go. The remaining schedule is tough, but at this rate, I like their chances.

15 – Jets (6-4) 3

I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times. Zach Wilson is by far the worst starting QB in the NFL, and his team is finally starting to agree with me. Robert Saleh knows it, and his teammates are taking notice of the narratives online. It’s only a matter of time before he’s rightfully shoved on the bench. And the Jets will be infinitely better off for it.

16 – Giants (7-3) 3

Is the Giants fugazi run finally coming to a merciful end? It just might be. Getting housed by the Lions in your own stadium is not exactly a promising sight. The offense has finally hit a wall, and the defense got torched, especially on the ground. The remaining schedule isn’t much prettier. New York has a massive Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas on Thursday, then the Commanders and Eagles twice each with tough matchups with Minnesota and Indianapolis sprinkled in. Are we positive that they can win any of those games? Let’s find out.

17 – Chargers (5-5)

I’ll give the Chargers credit: they were a lot more competitive than I imagined they would be on Sunday night. Getting Keenan Allen and Mike Williams back clearly did wonders for Justin Herbert, who was launching the ball all over the joint all game long and looked like his old self again. Even Josh Palmer made huge contributions. At the end of the day, they just couldn’t overcome Patrick Mahomes. So, I won’t be mean to the Chargers. For once, they don’t really deserve it.

18 – Cardinals (4-7)

I realistically should be dropping the Cardinals for Monday night’s absolute stinker, but it’s hard to beat elite teams with a backup QB. I really don’t have much else to say. They should be better when Kyler Murray returns to the lineup, but they’ll still be the same old mid Cardinals they’ve been all year long. They probably won’t look as bad as they did on Monday again, but we know this team is nothing special. Just keep on giving me Nuk fantasy points, and we’re chilling.

19 – Packers (4-7)

I had a lot more faith in the Packers to do literally anything on Thursday night, but they reminded us all that they still don’t do anything particularly well. The comeback against the Cowboys was nothing short of a fluke. The defense was porous once again as Derrick Henry absolutely manhandled them for sixty minutes, and they became the only secondary to allow Treylon Burks to do anything in his career. The offense really couldn’t get going either, despite two more touchdown catches by Christian Watson. Overall, it was just another bad Packers performance, one that we should all come to expect.

20 – Falcons (5-6) 2

The Falcons overcame the Justin Fields freight train in a pretty solid home win on Sunday. It did come at a cost, as Kyle Pitts is now likely out for the year with a knee injury, but he could never get involved enough offensively for me to believe that’s some sort of debilitating hit to that side of the ball. They did get Drake London involved, which is a great sign. And Cordarrelle Patterson broke the record for most kick return touchdowns in a career. On top of that, the defense finally came through and won them a game. It was just a solid afternoon all around in Atlanta.

21 – Browns (3-7)

The Browns keep on losing, but at least they showed some fight on Sunday in Detroit. Having the game moved on short notice didn’t seem to affect them, as they had a bit of a pulse. Amari Cooper continued to feast on opposing secondaries, but it just wasn’t enough as the defense laid a dud and the run game couldn’t really get going. I do think the Browns are going to look a lot better after Deshaun Watson comes back, but they still have one more game to go.

22 – Lions (4-6) 4

Look at the Lions stringing together impressive wins. Sunday’s might have been the best yet, as they smothered the Giants defensively and ran circles around them on the other side of the ball. Jamaal Williams poured in three touchdowns to take the NFL lead, Aidan Hutchinson continued his dominant ways, and the Lions have now won three in a row. They’re getting their groove, and are actually playing good football in outdoor environments. Plus, they should be getting Jameson Williams back soon, and the rookie is primed to make a huge splash. Thanksgiving’s showdown with Buffalo should be a lot of fun.

23 – Colts (4-6-1) 2

By all means, the Colts should have won on Sunday. They controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and outplayed the Eagles for 58+ minutes. But, an unfortunate Jonathan Taylor fumble and the greatness of Jalen Hurts prevented Indy from returning to .500. Still, it’s hard not to feel good about what Jeff Saturday is doing with this team. They’re playing solid, winning football, and using their bread and butter of a running attack as the backbone of their team. I think we’ll see the Colts be a lot more competitive down the stretch with their newfound formula.

24 – Bears (3-8) 4

The Bears finally returned to Earth on Sunday in a tough loss in Atlanta. They simply folded in all three phases, with special teams and the offensive line folding the most. I don’t really think the result of the game or anything that happened in it matters as much as Justin Fields’ shoulder, which got injured in the waning stages of the game. He should be good to go this week, but shoulder injuries always plague QBs, so hopefully he’s able to make a full recovery soon.

25 – Saints (4-7) 5

Good for the Saints to look like a real team again. It’s about time. Andy Dalton looked like a real QB, spreading the ball around and getting everyone involved. Chris Olave had perhaps the best game of his rookie season, highlighted by a long touchdown catch in which he absolutely torched perhaps the league’s best corner in Jalen Ramsey. The defense wasn’t great, bu they did what they had to do down the stretch. It helped that Matthew Stafford left the game with an injury.

26 – Jaguars (3-7) 1

The Jaguars had their bye this week ahead of a really intriguing matchup with the Ravens on Sunday. Believe it or not, I think Jacksonville might have a real shot in that one. But we’ll dive more into that on Thursday.

27 – Raiders (3-7) 5

The Raiders must have heard my slander (and must’ve known I took them +2.5), because their last few minutes in Denver on Sunday displayed more life than I’ve seen from them all year long. The Broncos defense was giving them fits all game long, but Derek Carr put on his big boy pants and led a fantastic drive to tie the game and send it to OT, then hit two huge passes to win it on a beautiful deep ball to Davante Adams. Adams had another big game, and Josh Jacobs got back to his productive ways as well. I’m not going to give this defense props for shutting down the worst offense in football, but that’s always a positive as well.

28 – Steelers (3-7) 1

I have one major takeaway from the Steelers’ performance on Sunday. That takeaway is that Najee Harris might not be completely cooked. He had a great game against a solid defensive front, and finally looked like he did in 2021. I’m not saying that he’s back by any means, but it was promising to see that. Kenny Pickett wasn’t awful either, especially when he was targeting George Pickens, who is easily Pittsburgh’s WR1 at this point. The defense got some key takeaways, but it wasn’t enough to stop the potent Bengals offense. I thought it would be closer, but I still like what the Steelers showed me.

29 – Broncos (3-7) 6

There is no reason to talk about the Denver Broncos in any context. Next!

30 – Rams (3-7) 6

I told you this team would look dreadful without Cooper Kupp. Outside of a long touchdown and maybe one other nice drive, this offense was stuck in quicksand against a Saints defense that isn’t very good. It didn’t help that Matthew Stafford got hurt again, but come on. This team doesn’t do anything well, and they looked completely lifeless, just as I predicted.

31 – Panthers (3-8) 3

You know, at least the Panthers were competitive for most of the game on Sunday. That’s a lot more than I can say for the team below them. Baker Mayfield was pretty bad, but so was the rest of the team, and so was the team across from them. It was just an ugly mess, and the inferior team always loses those kinds of games.

32 – Texans (1-8-1) 1

Yeah, this is way worse than I thought. The Texans are cooked in every aspect, as they can’t get anything going on either side of the ball anymore. Dameon Pierce has disappeared, Davis Mills is a statue in the pocket, and the defense might as well not even be there. Houston is on the fast track to the #1 overall pick, and they better pray they don’t mess it up. They have a plethora of picks and can turn this around pretty quickly. Cleaning house and starting over with a new star QB could do wonders for this franchise. Lord knows they need it.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 11 Picks

Last week’s upsets made for a losing record after several great performances. Let’s try to get back on track this week.

Cover photo taken from Dallas Cowboys.

Last Week: 6-8

Season Total: 86-62-1

Packers 20-17 Titans

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

This week’s Thursday nighter is going to be a strange one. Both of these teams are in weird spots right now, with both picking up wins last week but still in a really precarious spot on the season. Both Green Bay and Tennessee could really use a win here, but the Packers need one infinitely more. I think they have some great momentum from their comeback last week and have found a wrinkle in their offense by getting Christian Watson involved. While I think the Titans defense is probably the best unit in this game, it’s hard to bet against the Packers at Lambeau with everything going right for them. Plus, I just don’t know what to make of Tennessee’s offense right now. This is bound to come back to bite me, but I’m rolling with the hot hand.

Bears 26-23 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I don’t trust the Bears to win a game convincingly to save my life. Hell, I don’t know if I even trust them to win a game at all at this point. But the Falcons are simply a team that’s reeling more than almost any other in football right now. Even at home, I don’t see anything to like with them. At least Chicago has Justin Fields, who has been one of the most unstoppable players in the league for the last month. I don’t know if he’ll be able to continue replicating his incredible performances, but I know I can trust him more than anyone on Atlanta. Maybe, just maybe, this is the one that the Bears finally win.

Bills 17-14 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The big storyline here is the weather. It’s going to be one of the biggest blizzards that someone ever decides to play football in with plenty of wind to boot. So, at the very least, this is going to be low scoring and close (as long as they don’t move the game). I actually wanted to pick Cleveland here, seeing as though the conditions likely favor the better running team. But there’s simply no way I can pick the Browns in a game like this. The Bills need this win badly, and these conditions favor them seeing as though they’re built for it. I know they lost to New England last year in that frigid wind-fest, but I just feel like this one will be different.

Eagles 24-16 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Eagles finally suffered their first loss on Monday night, and I think it’s safe to say they won’t have many more games like that for the remainder of the season. They have a great opportunity to bounce back in this one. If last week was any indication, the Colts will be feisty, especially returning home, so I think this game will be close for a bit. But the Eagles are simply so much better than Indy is on both sides of the ball, and that will prove to be the difference. They won’t let themselves get physically dominated like they did against Washington.

Patriots 25-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Let me get a couple of things straight. I think the Jets are better than the Patriots. I also don’t think this game should be a blowout. But history is simply pulling me in this direction. The Patriots own the Jets so bad that it’s almost embarrassing. Every time you think New York has the team that can overcome New England, they collapse. It happened earlier this year when I picked the Jets, so I’m simply not going to make that same mistake again. I think it’s worth noting that I have only picked one (1) Jets game correctly all year long, and that was when they beat Denver. So, take this with a grain of salt. I just don’t trust Zach Wilson to not give this game away like he always does. He has been awful in every game he has played against the Patriots, and I don’t see that changing. All New England has to do is capitalize on those mistakes, and they’ll be golden.

Saints 19-13 Rams

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Remember when these teams were good? Yeah, those were the days. Now, they’re two of the most unwatchable teams in football that will make this game an eyesore from start to finish. At least the uniform matchup is gonna be great! Simply put, the Rams are going to accomplish absolutely nothing with Cooper Kupp out. He is their entire offense, and they won’t be able to move the ball whatsoever, even against an awful Saints D. New Orleans has nothing promising on offense either, but they certainly have more to like than LA at this point. All they have to do is get Alvin Kamara involved, and they will win. It’s hard to tell whether or not they will, but you just have to pray they use common sense.

Giants 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I wanted to pick the Lions so bad here. I just want the Giants to lose so bad. The question is whether or not I can trust Detroit in a spot like this. All signs point towards a resounding no, but they did put together another nice performance last week in Chicago, and that was a similar road environment to this one. But I just think this all boils down to a very simple matchup to assess. The Giants are the third best rushing team in football with 164 yards/game, led by this year’s top RB in Saquon Barkley. The Lions, meanwhile, have the second worst rush defense in the league, giving up an incomprehensible 160 yards/game on the ground. So, this will come down to whether or not Detroit can stop Barkley and the Giants on the ground. I simply do not see that happening. Maybe they can force Daniel Jones into some mistakes like they did last week with Justin Fields, but New York is simply better defensively than Chicago is, and that will also prove to be a huge factor.

Ravens 27-16 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

A 13-point spread seems a bit harsh, but this should be a blowout for Baltimore. They’re coming off a bye and likely getting some key offensive pieces back like Mark Andrews and Gus Edwards. The Panthers are coming off a mini-bye and a win last Thursday, but this is an infinitely tougher test than that one. Combine that with the fact that Baker Mayfield is starting this game for Carolina, and you have a disaster waiting to happen. The Ravens are way better on both sides of the ball and should control this one from start to finish.

Commanders 22-19 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is a must-win game. We cannot lose to the Texans after what we’ve done in the last 5 weeks. That’s the type of loss that completely derails a season beyond repair. This team has to stay focused and keep the good things going. This is the place where it would be so typical for them to lose. It has to be different this time. Yes, the Texans are a perfectly competitive team, but they also have the worst record in the league. I don’t care what the situation is. You have to win. The defense has to keep playing lights out, and boy would I love to see Chase Young make a huge impact in his return. The run game has to keep on moving the ball and making Taylor Heinicke’s life easier. And he has to keep feeding Terry McLaurin all game long. The formula is there and we should be able to execute it against the worst team in the league. Just… don’t lose.

Broncos 17-14 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

I hate both of these teams so much that I don’t even want to pick this game. I don’t want to even think about this game. I’ll just drop this here and move on.

Vikings 26-23 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

On paper, this is probably the game of the week. Look at the Vikings getting so much national love! Good for them. That’s great and all, but I really need them to pull through and win another one. They are coming off an incredibly draining, emotional win last week in Buffalo. They could either keep that momentum up and come home to pull off another huge win, or they could fall flat on the national stage. While the latter seems more likely, I’m not going to lose faith in this time that I’ve been riding all year long. The Cowboys are coming off a 4th quarter collapse and probably want to bounce back in dominant fashion, but it’s going to be hard. Minnesota is playing great offense and the defense has some mojo now. This is such an air-tight matchup that is so difficult to pick, but I just think the Vikings are the better team, so I have to rock with them. This is another opportunity for them to make a massive statement, and I think they’ll be up to the task.

Bengals 20-19 Steelers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Contrary to what you might think, this game should also be pretty tight. For starters, the first meeting between these teams was absolutely insane, and Joe Burrow had 5 turnovers. So don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion that Cincy will just roll in this game. I think Pittsburgh not having Minkah Fitzpatrick is a huge deal, but having TJ Watt is an even bigger deal. His impact was felt in a massive way last week, and I think the Steelers defense will once again make life uncomfortable for Joe Burrow, especially while he’s still without Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals we saw two weeks ago against Carolina are nowhere close to the Bengals we’ll see this Sunday. This all boils down to whether or not they can out-physical their bitter rival and win a tough road game. They couldn’t do it against Cleveland a few weeks ago. It’s really hard to imagine them doing it this week. But, I can’t trust Kenny Pickett and this Pittsburgh offense. At least the Browns have competent players on that side of the ball. The Steelers have nothing. By all means, this is a must-win game for Cincinnati, and I think their defense will rise to the occasion and make the difference in this game. Just don’t be surprised if it goes the other way.

Chiefs 31-20 Chargers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

These teams are trending in completely opposite directions. The Chiefs are scorching hot and my #1 team in the league right now as Patrick Mahomes continues to shred defenses en route to potentially another MVP. They’re getting everyone involved offensively, and the defense is finally playing up to its potential. The Chargers, meanwhile, won’t stop falling apart, and there’s nothing Justin Herbert can do about it. The defense isn’t good at all and is likely going to get torched once again by this unstoppable Chiefs offense. Precedent would suggest that this will be a close game due to this being the second meeting between these teams and it being in primetime at SoFi and whatnot. To that, I simply say that I do not care. The Chiefs are leagues better than the Chargers, and Mahomes shines on primetime no matter where he plays. Give me KC in dominant fashion.

49ers 23-14 Cardinals

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

We still don’t know who will be starting at QB for the Cardinals in this game, but it doesn’t matter. The 49ers are an infinitely better team that should be able to handle them all game long. Arizona is certainly competent, and either QB gives them a good shot to win, but San Francisco’s defense will simply be too much to overcome. The Mexico crowd should also have a blast watching the Niners run all over the Cardinals’ defense, which gives up the third most points per game in the league. There could be a lot more points scored in this game, but this feels right for where these two teams stand right now.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Post-Week 10 Power Rankings

An incredibly fun, upset-filled week has caused plenty of shuffling in this week’s rankings as we head into the final two months of the season.

Cover photo taken from The Phinsider.

1 – Chiefs (7-2) 1

For the first time in 7 weeks, we have a new #1 team. Kansas City has clawed their way back to the top thanks to another lights out performance. Yes, they were playing Jacksonville, but the way they won was very promising. They got newcomer Kadarius Toney involved, their committee of RBs continues to dominate, Travis Kelce found the endzone for the first time in weeks, and Patrick Mahomes is simply lights out right now. He is the MVP at the moment, and it’s hard to see him falling off that track. It wasn’t perfect, and I’d like to see them limit turnovers as much as possible, but it doesn’t matter as long as they continue to dominate on both sides of the ball like they have since losing to Buffalo. Just to put that dominance in perspective: they can clinch the division this week, and there’s still seven more games after that one. Yes, the division is awful, but this team has risen above the rest in the AFC in recent weeks and absolutely deserves this top spot.

2 – Eagles (8-1) 1

It finally happened, everyone run for your lives! Relax. The Eagles were never going undefeated. No team ever will. They were bound to lose eventually, and while I felt it was coming soon, I didn’t see it being to Washington, nor did I see it being in that fashion. The Eagles were physically dominated for 60 minutes on Monday night as their division rival shoved the ball down their throat for several long drives to dominate time of possession and set the tone throughout the game. It was the first time this year that the Eagles have been outplayed, and it was pretty shocking to watch. I have a feeling that this will be a much needed wakeup call for Philly. The rest of the schedule is still pretty easy, but this loss should give them their edge back ahead of big matchups like their second game against Dallas as well as both of their showdowns with the Giants, a very physical team.

3 – Vikings (8-1) 2

That was truly something. The Vikings won the game of the year on Sunday despite losing it at least three or four times throughout the course of the fourth quarter and overtime alone. They may have been gifted the game by Josh Allen, but they made every play they had to when they needed it most, and they proved to everyone that they’re not frauds like so many people thought. Kirk Cousins delivered one of his best Vikings performances ever, Dalvin Cook stepped up in a huge way, and Justin Jefferson stole the show as always, highlighted by the greatest catch I’ve ever seen. Most importantly, the defense did its thing to bring the Vikings back and eventually win the game late by forcing two redzone turnovers and scoring that incredible touchdown on the fumbled snap at the end of the game. The secondary, which I had plenty of questions about, came through to put a bow on it. It was a coming out party for the Vikings, who everyone should treat like the real deal. They have silenced the doubters.

4 – 49ers (5-4) 2

The 49ers won on Sunday night by playing their bread and butter football. They ran the ball all night long and relied on their defense to step up and make the plays necessary to win the game. Jimmy Garoppolo was practically a nonfactor outside of a rushing touchdown, but that’s not a bad thing at all. Getting Elijah Mitchell back was absolutely massive for this team, as the new duo of him and Christian McCaffrey simply wore down the Chargers defense all game long. While I’d love to see guys like Deebo Samuel get more involved, it’s not necessary at all. This run game is going to be one of the best in the league moving forward, and the defense is back to being elite now that they’re healthy again, as Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga absolutely took over late. I love this team from top to bottom and can’t wait to see what else is in store for them as this season winds down.

5 – Dolphins (7-3) 4

Tua Tagovailoa is shutting a lot of people up, including me. The Dolphins are now undefeated in games that Tua starts and finishes, and his last three have been incredible. He became the first QB in franchise history with three straight games of 3+ TDs and 0 INTs. That’s a remarkable streak, and his efficiency cannot be overstated. He’s the highest rated passer in the league by far. I know that it helps to be surrounded by an embarrassment of riches, but Tua is a huge part of this team’s success. The acquisition of Jeff Wilson continues to prove to be a huge one as he once again dominated, and the tandem of him and Raheem Mostert is a pretty dominant one. Now that this team has a great run game, who is going to stop their offense? I’ll have to see someone do it to believe that it’s even possible.

6 – Bills (6-3) 2

My suspicions were true. We are in that area of the season where the Bills fall apart after winning their Super Bowl by beating the Chiefs in Kansas City. Josh Allen is going on his yearly roller coaster where we have no idea what we’re going to get from him on any given snap. He now has six (6!) redzone turnovers in his last 10 quarters. That is awful. The Bills would have won easily if Allen didn’t commit any of the three absolutely atrocious 4th quarter/OT turnovers that he did. He has been straight up bad for the last 2.5 games, and it’s holding this team back. It doesn’t help that their secondary injuries are starting to catch up to them. Buffalo is just teetering right now, just like they did at this time last year. All of a sudden, they are third in their own division, just a game out of last place, a week removed from being the 1 seed in the conference. It’s not the easiest schedule moving forward, so Josh Allen has to get back on track if they want to get back in first place.

7 – Cowboys (6-3) 4

I really have no idea what happened to the Cowboys on Sunday. They lost their first game in franchise history in which they entered the 4th quarter with a 14+ point lead. They were 195-0 previously! That’s a remarkable statistic. They really had their way on both sides of the ball for three quarters outside of some questionable Dak Prescott throws. But in the fourth, it all fell apart. I get that Aaron Rodgers straight up owns this franchise, but it was pretty shocking to see this team that has been so sound all year long just fall apart like that, especially against a team that had lost 5 straight games and has looked awful for months. I think they’re going to be fine, but that was not a very promising sight.

8 – Ravens (6-3) 1

The Ravens had a much-needed bye this week as they try to get healthy offensively. This week, they should be getting big pieces like Mark Andrews and Gus Edwards back. Even if they don’t, they should have an easy time on Sunday at home against the Panthers.

9 – Seahawks (6-4) 1

The Seahawks were stifled practically all game long on Sunday in Munich. It was honestly weird to see, considering how dominant they’ve been on that side of the ball for the last month or so. But I wouldn’t say that Seattle had a bad game by any means. They ran into a good defense that is in the midst of a hot streak, and they lost a close, hard-fought game in another continent. I’m not so sure they would have lost if the game was in Seattle. Even if their defense was slightly better, they likely could have won. I still think this is a very solid team all around, and I expect them to be better in the coming weeks.

10 – Titans (6-3)

Sunday’s game taught me virtually nothing about the Titans. I will say that I loved their defensive performance despite being without two of their best defensive linemen in Bud Dupree and Jeffery Simmons. At the same time, it doesn’t take much to dominate the Broncos offense. Tennessee’s own offense was absolutely inept for the most part, needing a couple of big plays to win the game. It’s good that they got those plays, but they really don’t have anything else to show for their offensive performance. Ryan Tannehill looked fine in his return, which is more than they can ask for. The next few weeks are brutal, so we’ll see how far this formula can take the Titans.

11 – Bengals (5-4)

The Bengals had the week off, and not much happened around them. It’s still unlikely that Ja’Marr Chase will be back for the next couple of weeks, which definitely hurts. There are some toughies coming up, so they could use all the help they can get. But, I have faith in Joe Burrow and the rest of the team to compete and stay afloat in this tight AFC playoff race.

12 – Jets (6-3)

The Jets had their bye this week and were the massive beneficiary of the Bills losing to catapult them to 2nd place in the AFC East by virtue of their head to head win against them from Week 9. They should feel a lot better about their playoff chances now. They’ve got some tough games ahead, including an inevitable loss to the Patriots this week, but I still think the Jets have what it takes to stick around in the playoff mix for the next month or so.

13 – Giants (7-2)

I am so sick of talking about this team. It’s the same thing every week. Look, the Giants beat another awful team super unconvincingly! It was a boring game that nobody cared about! What a great team! No. I don’t care. Neither do you. While I love Saquon Barkley and have him in my top 5 MVP candidates right now, even he can’t get me to think this team is worth a damn. They can certainly prove me wrong in the next few weeks, but I severely doubt that happens.

14 – Buccaneers (5-5) 4

Post-divorce Tom Brady might be something special. Ok, maybe not, but the Bucs are playing pretty well since that split. Their biggest strength has been their resurgent defense, which has played back to back great games. Shutting down the Rams isn’t exactly impressive, but they had their way with a Seahawks offense that had been dominant for months coming into Sunday’s game. Tom Brady has played some nice games as well, despite the plethora of injuries around him, and the offense has seemingly found a wrinkle with Rachaad White coming out of the backfield. He’s more effective at this point than Leonard Fournette, so the run game could find a huge boost. This is still the second worst rushing team in football, so they could use that boost in a huge way.

15 – Commanders (5-5) 6

I’ve been trying to find the words to describe Monday night’s game for a while and I just can’t find them. I’m still so shocked at what I saw, but more importantly, I am so proud of this team. They went on the road on primetime in a spot where they always fold and absolutely dominated the best team in the league all game long to hand them their first loss. That’s so impressive, and actually inspires confidence in this team, which I haven’t had in a while. I won’t get my hopes up too high, but it’s hard not to feel good about where we stand right now. The defense continues to play lights out thanks to their dominant front, which is only getting better now that Chase Young is returning, and a surging secondary highlighted by the emergence of Benjamin St-Juste. The offense has been physical and dominant, which was on display all night long in Philly. The run game is working thanks to Brian Robinson’s toughness and Antonio Gibson’s dynamic ability. Terry McLaurin has been absolutely feasting in recent weeks and has been the best player on the field for several weeks now. Taylor Heinicke tried his best to give the game away, as always, but at the end of the day, he helped us win. The winning formula involves limiting his mistakes and physically setting the tone in the trenches. We’ve done that for the most part in recent weeks, and I feel great about our chances of doing so in the next two as well. This is the type of win that catapults teams to runs, like our win against Tampa last year, so we’ll see where this roller coaster takes us next.

16 – Patriots (5-4) 1

The Patriots had the week off ahead of a huge divisional matchup against the Jets. All of a sudden, the Patriots are only a game behind the Bills, which was unfathomable two weeks ago. If they can keep physically dominating in the next couple of weeks, then they will find themselves in the thick of the wild card race. It will be very difficult, as this is likely the hardest section of their schedule.

17 – Chargers (5-4) 3

The Chargers were about as competitive as I imagined they would be on Sunday night, but after their opening drive touchdown, they were pretty much inept for the rest of the game. Justin Herbert was just ok, the injury-riddled offense was anemic for the most part, Austin Ekeler couldn’t do anything, and the defense got pounded all night long. It was slightly worse than I anticipated, but I don’t expect anything out of this team anymore. Against great teams like San Francisco, they are just going to look outmatched. Prepare for a repeat of that this Sunday night against the Chiefs.

18 – Cardinals (4-6) 2

To put it plainly, the Cardinals are very good when they have to turn to Colt McCoy. Dating back to last year, all he does is win games. All that shows is that he is a great backup QB, as he always has been. Beating the Rams isn’t exactly an impressive feat. Beating the Rams with a backup QB is even less impressive. Combine that with the fact that Cooper Kupp sprained his ankle in the middle of the game, and you have one of the most “meh” wins of the 2022 season. Still, the Cardinals got everyone involved offensively, and for that, they should feel good about themselves.

19 – Packers (4-6) 6

I am not going to overreact and declare that the Packers are back or anything close to that, but they showed more fight in the 4th quarter on Sunday than in all of their previous 5 games combined. That means a lot. Their defense finally remembered how to play football, and their offense got massive contributions from Aaron Jones and, for the first time, Christian Watson. The rookie caught 3 huge touchdowns from Aaron Rodgers, who finally found touch on his deep ball again. The comeback was a truly great one, and the Packers should be proud of themselves. I have no idea what this could lead to for them with a brutal remaining schedule, but they finally have one thing on their side: momentum.

20 – Bears (3-7) 2

The Bears keep on moving up despite the fact that they keep on losing. Why? Well, Justin Fields continues to play like one of the most dynamic players in the league. Not just QBs, but all players. And losing is good for the Bears! They need that draft pick as high as possible to snag a great WR! Blowing a lead like that is quite embarrassing, and Fields’ pick six was a bad one, but for him to bounce back with another incredible TD run like he did is proof that this kid is the real deal. I love watching him play, and the Bears’ best-case scenario of him dominating while losing is coming to fruition every week. It’s truly remarkable that they became the first team in NFL history to lose 3 straight games in which they scored 29+ points. I don’t see any problems!

21 – Browns (3-6) 4

The Browns are back to being awful. To come out of their bye and get dismantled like that is pretty bad, even if they were on the road against one of the league’s best teams. Jacoby Brissett is really struggling, but the good news is that there’s only two more games of him. The bad news is that the season is pretty much over.

22 – Falcons (4-6) 6

Even though I picked the Falcons to lose on Thursday, I’m pretty embarrassed at how bad it was. They have simply devolved into a team that does nothing well on either side of the ball. They have the sixth worst total offense and third worst passing offense in the league. I don’t even think they want to try to throw it anymore. Drake London and Kyle Pitts continue to be absolutely wasted in Atlanta. Defensively, they’re second worst in total yards and sixth worst in points. Losing AJ Terrell effectively ended any hopes they had of being remotely viable on that side of the ball. The Falcons had a fun thing going for a bit, but the wheels have completely fallen off, and they are 100% cooked.

23 – Broncos (3-6)

This is the only thing I’ll say about the Broncos. If they scored just 18 points in all of their games this year, they’d be 8-1. Yes, you read that right. Eighteen points per game. Instead, they are the single worst scoring offense in football with a poor 14.6 PPG. Meanwhile, they’re the best scoring defense in the league, giving up just 16.6 PPG, in addition to being the 2nd best total defense and best passing defense. How is that even possible?! This team is a joke that is only getting worse, and I’m just about sick of talking about them.

24 – Rams (3-6) 5

This is the only thing I’ll say about the Rams. They just lost Cooper Kupp, who is going on IR with an ankle injury that will require surgery. Do not be surprised if they turn into the worst offense in football without him. They won’t be able to overcome him with Ben Skowronek as their top passing option, and they won’t be able to move the ball on the ground with their dead-last-ranked run game. They are going to be the most unwatchable team in the league moving forward. Mark my words.

25 – Colts (4-5-1) 4

Jeff Saturday proved me wrong. He proved us all wrong! Major props to him, and good for the team to find their edge that had been missing for so long. Saturday went back to Matt Ryan and it paid off in a huge way. Most importantly, he finally unlocked Jonathan Taylor, who had his best game since Week 1 and finally looked like his old self. Maybe the Colts will be a frisky team under Saturday for the rest of the year. Either that, or they just notched a one-score win over the worst team in the NFL.

26 – Lions (3-6) 1

The Lions actually played a good game in the outdoors. I was just as shocked as you were. They showed up in every phase of the game, and I was impressed. It definitely helps that guys like Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift are healthy again, and it also helps that Jeff Okudah has emerged as the CB1 they envisioned when they drafted him 3rd overall in 2020. Detroit has found themselves again, and it’s fun to watch.

27 – Jaguars (3-7) 1

The Jaguars were about as competitive as I expected they’d be on Sunday, if not more. Trevor Lawrence played a solid game, and Christian Kirk had a dominant performance. Their defense just couldn’t overcome the buzzsaw that is the Chiefs. I really don’t know what to make of the Jags at this point, as they show us something different every week, but I still feel like this is a solid young core. They might not have many wins left this year, but I like what’s going on in Jacksonville.

28 – Panthers (3-7) 2

I think the Panthers have themselves a gem in D’Onta Foreman. He has proven himself as a physical, dominant RB1 that can be a workhorse. They’re going to need him to keep that up now that they have to turn to Baker Mayfield once again thanks to PJ Walker sustaining an injury. All they have to do is take the ball out of Baker’s hands and put it into Foreman’s while their defense keeps doing its thing. Unfortunately, that might be tough this week against a very good Baltimore team.

29 – Steelers (3-6) 2

Just as I predicted, the Steelers got themselves another win because Mike Tomlin is absolute money coming off a bye. They weren’t impressive at anything other than their defense shutting down an anemic Saints offense with some of the worst QB play in the league. This team isn’t very good, but at the very least, they’re incredibly reliable in certain spots thanks to their great coach.

30 – Saints (3-7) 6

The Saints going from one of the most promising teams in the league to one of the worst, most unwatchable teams in the league has been extremely sad to watch unfold. I know they have injury problems out the wazoo, but it’s so much more than that. Dennis Allen has been an awful HC, Pete Carmichael might be the worst OC in the league, their QB play has been abysmal, they continuously forget that they have Alvin Kamara, and the defense just hasn’t been good enough. So much of what’s going on in New Orleans is laughable, and they desperately need to hit the reset button this offseason, if not sooner.

31 – Texans (1-7-1) 1

Despite being virtually not competitive at all in yet another loss, the Texans are being bumped up this week because there’s one team in this league that’s simply more embarrassing than the rest.

32 – Raiders (2-7) 4

That’s right. The Raiders are the worst team in the NFL right now. They are a complete and utter embarrassment, a weekly dumpster fire, and an unmitigated disaster across the board. Derek Carr has fallen off a cliff, Josh Jacobs has run into a wall, the defense might as well not exist, and the coaching staff is just laughably bad. Josh McDaniels could get outcoached by me, and my highest level of coaching is a flag football team for kids. The personnel decisions continue to make no sense and it continues to show on a weekly basis. Everyone needs to be fired; hell, the franchise should just disband at this point. The Raiders should be absolutely ashamed of themselves on all fronts.

All stats taken from ESPN.