Tag: preview

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.

Super Bowl LVII Preview and Prediction

Super Bowl LVII is finally here, featuring one of the best, most star-studded matchups we could ever ask for. Here’s my in-depth preview of what could be an instant classic, including my pick to win it all.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday. The 2022 season has come and gone in the blink of an eye, featuring some of the best games, plays, and storylines in recent memory, and we have one game left to decide a champion. These playoffs have been a blast, and our two 1 seeds remain to battle in what could be an instant classic. Tonight, the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona. Let’s take a look at each team’s journey to get to the big game.

How the Chiefs Got Here

After falling apart in last year’s AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs had a lot of questions to answer and a lot of soul-searching to do. Trading away perhaps the best WR in football in Tyreek Hill, letting go of key veteran defenders in favor of starting rookies, and continuing to rebuild their broken offensive line led many people, including myself, to believe that Kansas City was heading for a mini-rebuild. I still thought they’d be just fine, considering they have the best quarterback of all time, an all-time mastermind head coach, and perhaps the best receiving tight end to ever play the game. But none of us saw them being this good again. Despite all of the aforementioned losses, all the Chiefs did this season was put a better product on the field en route to a nearly spotless 14-3 campaign led by QB Patrick Mahomes winning his second MVP in runaway fashion after accounting for the most total yards of any player in NFL history with 5,250 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns and 358 yards with 4 scores on the ground to boot. They don’t have a real WR1, but nobody needs one when you have Travis Kelce, who dominated defenses once again to the tune of 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns. The WRs essentially operate by committee, but Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Kadarius Toney are all capable when they’re on. The offense is completely surgical, bleeding out the opposition with a thousand paper cuts. The unit has adapted and become even more effective without an explosive element, which has terrified every single defense they’ve played this season. They’ll need to bring their A-game against perhaps the best one yet, including the best pass defense in the NFL.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes put together a masterful 2022 campaign en route to his second career MVP and perhaps his second ring. (h/t Yahoo! Finance)

The defense might be young, but the vets are still doing their thing. DT Chris Jones was by far the best interior defensive linemen this season with 15.5 sacks with two key ones in the AFC title game to help the Chiefs get to this point. The rookies have shown some promise, but they will need to step up and play key roles in this game if they want to contain a well-balanced machine of an offense that the Eagles possess. It’s going to be a battle in the trenches all game long, but with the way Kansas City’s defensive front is playing, I wouldn’t be shocked at all if they can get pressure and keep the rushing attack limited.

Star Chiefs DT Chris Jones has put the defense on his back with the best season of his incredible young career. (h/t KC Kingdom)

The Chiefs have the talent and the identity to win any football game in any fashion. Betting against Patrick Mahomes is a mistake that always comes back to bite. Not many people are giving them a chance in this game, which might not be smart. But it also might be warranted when you consider the team that’s lining up across from them.

How the Eagles Got Here

Like most people who pay even the slightest attention to this league, I thought the Eagles would be pretty good this year. They had an incredible offseason, making amazing moves to fill positions of need on the roster and build one of the best teams from top to bottom in the NFL. I said they would win the division with a 13-4 record, but fizzle out in the playoffs. I thought they were great but young, lacking in the experience and perhaps the talent to compete with the veteran teams of the NFC. All these months later, they have the chance to stamp themselves as one of the greatest teams of the 21st century.

It all starts with Jalen Hurts, the third year QB who took the league by storm in 2022. Many people, including myself, have doubted his ability to be an effective thrower of the football in this league. For the longest time, I was unsure of whether or not he had what it took to be a franchise guy. Any and all doubts were put swiftly to bed with his amazing, near-MVP campaign featuring 3,701 passing yards and 22 touchdowns paired with 760 yards and a whopping 13 scores on the ground. A shoulder injury derailed the end of his season and a shot at a potential MVP, but everyone knows what Hurts is capable of when he’s clicking. The shoulder may limit him in this game, but he is as competitive and determined as any athlete in all of sports, and I guarantee that he’s going to step up and show out on the biggest stage.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts broke out in his third season, becoming one of the best, most effective dual-threat signal callers in football. (h/t Andscape)

It helps that the offense around Jalen is so spectacular. The Eagles had massive holes to fill at WR dating back to 2021. They drafted Heisman-winning WR DeVonta Smith last year to help, but they still needed a bonafide WR1 in the offense. So this past draft night, they made a huge splash to trade for star pass-catcher A.J. Brown from Tennessee. The combination of Brown and Smith has proven deadly, as both finished in the top 10 for receiving yards (1,496 and 10 TD for Brown, 1,196 and 7 TD for Smith). Dallas Goedert also provides some of the best complementary play from the TE position in football. But where this team really makes its money is in the run game. The three-headed monster coming out of the backfield is headlined by Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell. Sanders leads the way with 1,269 yards, but the guys behind him put in work whenever their numbers are called. Having one of the best offensive lines in football certainly helps with that. All five starters up front could end up being Hall of Famers, and they have been far and away the best line in football this year. It’s damn near impossible to see the possibility that they crack at all, even against a great Chiefs front.

The two-headed monster at WR of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith has proven itself as one of the best receiver duos in football. (h/t Bleeding Green Nation)

And then there’s the defense, which has been one of the best in football all year long. They’re deep, they’re stacked all over the place, and they’re impossible to move the ball on. The front is malicious, led by edge rushers Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham, as well as interior men Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox. The LB core, which was previously one of the worst in the league, now bolsters names like Haason Reddick, who was second in football this year with 16 sacks, Kyzir White, and T.J. Edwards. The secondary was the best in football this year, giving up less passing yards than any other team in the league (179.8/game). DBs like Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox have been locking it down for a while in Philly, but newcomers James Bradberry and C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who the Eagles got for pennies on the dollar, have pushed this unit over the top en route to being the best in the league.

LB Haason Reddick has emerged as one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL with an ability to break the game at any given moment. (h/t Yardbarker)

The Eagles haven’t broken a sweat all year long. They get ahead in games and then bleed you to death with their run game and defense. They gave up just seven points in each playoff game, winning both by a combined score of 69-14. That’s as nice as it gets in this league. I recognize that they’ve gotten some breaks along the way, but that doesn’t make this team any worse. Nothing can do that. They are the best team in football and have been all year long. Their tallest test stands in front of them, but they are more than capable of getting the job done once again.

Key Matchups

Championships are won in the trenches. The matchups up front on both sides of the ball are going to determine this game, just as they have determined almost every Super Bowl I’ve ever watched. To me, the biggest matchup in this game is the Chiefs defensive front vs. the Eagles offensive line. It’s strength on strength: the areas in which both teams make their money. The Eagles line hasn’t been beaten once all year long. Two weeks ago, they made rather light work of one of the best defensive fronts I’ve ever seen when they pushed the 49ers around for 60 minutes. They have an admittedly easier but still very difficult task in front of them with the Chiefs front, which boasts the like of Frank Clark and Chris Jones. If Philly can push them around and open up lanes for the run game as well as keep Jalen Hurts upright long enough to make the necessary throws, then the Eagles could run away with this game. But if the Chiefs can penetrate and make Hurts and the offense uncomfortable, then the Birds will have a big problem on their hands. They love being the more physical team, getting out to an early lead, and then pounding you into the ground. If they can’t run the ball or if Hurts can’t throw with his shoulder injury, then they are finished. They do not want to fall behind in this game under any circumstances. If they do, I don’t know if they have what it takes to come back and beat Patrick Mahomes.

Another extremely imperative matchup to watch is the Chiefs young secondary going up against the plethora of weapons on the outside for the Eagles. They have struggled more than they have thrived this season, especially in the playoffs. The Jaguars gave them fits, and the Bengals shredded them. That being said, they have also made key plays when it counts, including three key interceptions in big moments across those two playoff games. I don’t think the Eagles possess a better core of weapons than Cincinnati did, but I know for a fact that this defense is susceptible to getting torn apart, and that Philly offense is more than capable of doing that to them. If they can’t contain A.J. Brown and/or DeVonta Smith, then Jalen Hurts will take advantage and throw the ball all over the yard. I still have my reservations about his shoulder issues, but he can make the easy throws. If those throws are there, then the Chiefs won’t be able to keep up. But if they can limit the passing attack and let their defensive front handle the load by dealing with the rushing attack, Kansas City might have an easier time keeping things under control and letting their offense do the heavy lifting.

I would say Patrick Mahomes going up against the best secondary in the league is something to watch, but I think we all know he’s more than capable of shredding any secondary at any time on any stage. I am never ever going to doubt his abilities, especially when the lights are brightest. It’s going to be difficult, but between his incredible ability and Andy Reid’s ability to gameplan after two weeks of preparation, I feel comfortable saying that Mahomes is going to get his game off. It’s honestly just a matter of how the other side of the ball performs.

My Pick

Last Week: 1-1

Season Total: 181-99-2

Before I get into my pick for the game, I think it’s worth noting that I have not picked a Super Bowl correctly in seven years. The last team to not let me down was the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. It has been downhill ever since. I feel fairly confident in my pick for this game, but I’ve been swayed back and forth over the last two weeks. It’s a very difficult pick to make when both teams match up so well with one another. It’s even more difficult when one team is so deep, but the other has the best football player ever lining up at QB. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop, crunching the numbers, micro-analyzing every matchup at the most granular levels, and reading into superstitions. But after all that, I’m sticking with what my gut has told me since the Championship Games went final on January 29th.

Eagles 27-20 Chiefs

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, FOX

Simply put, the Eagles are the better football team in this game. They have the better roster from top to bottom with far less holes, if any. They execute flawlessly on both sides of the ball, and when they’ve been fully healthy like they are in this game, they’ve only been beaten once (and it was at the hands of your Washington Commanders!). I recognize that the Chiefs have more experience, perhaps the best coach in the league, the best QB to ever touch a football, and so many signs point in their direction. I told myself two weeks ago that I’d never bet against Patrick Mahomes again, but I can’t even bring myself to pick them when they’re the clear side as a 1.5-point underdog on a neutral site. I just don’t see the Eagles losing this game. Moreover, a ton of trends are in their favor. The top-tier defense almost always beats the top-tier offense in the Super Bowl. The MVP curse is real in the Super Bowl; nobody to win the award has won the big game in this century. On top of that, the three previous times that the MVP runner-up has faced the winner in the Super Bowl, the runner-up has won. Jalen Hurts is more than capable of making it four.

I do have some worries about the Eagles in this game, though. The main one lies with Jalen Hurts’ shoulder injury, which has limited him severely as a passer since he returned to the lineup. He hasn’t needed to throw the ball whatsoever in the games leading up to this point, but if Philly is to win this game, he will need to make all the requisite throws in big time spots. I don’t know if the run game will be able to carry the entire load on its shoulders. Moreover, the Eagles lack Super Bowl experience in key spots. The only people on the offense who have been to this game are on the offensive line, and the only defenders who have are the rotational defensive linemen. Experience can play a very big factor in a game like this, especially when you’re facing the Chiefs, whose QB has been to 3 Super Bowls and whose coach has been to 4. They know what it’s like to lose, and they know what it’s like to win. They’ve made mistakes, and they’ve learned from them. That’s a pretty scary sight for a team full of guys in Philly who have had it pretty easy all year long.

To me, it all boils down to one thing: Patrick Mahomes will need to be Superman for the Chiefs to win this game. If they are to emerge victorious, he will have to put together the piece de resistance of his young career. I don’t think his defense has what it takes to contain the Eagles offense, so he’s going to have to put the team on his back and cut up the opposing defense and outscore Philly. He’ll likely get no favors from his run game, so it’s going to be a 50 to 60 pass attempt-type of game. As much as I know for a fact that Mahomes is capable of doing such a thing, I just feel like the wheels are going to come off at some point or another. The Eagles are a team that is built to win a championship from top to bottom. The Chiefs have too many holes to ignore, and I think that will be their undoing in this game. It pains me immensely to say it, but I have already surrendered to the idea that the Eagles are going to win their second Super Bowl in the last six years. Help me, Patrick Mahomes. You’re my only hope.

I just want to close this out by saying a huge thank you to everyone for another fantastic season. This was the first time in my three years of doing this that I was able to cover the NFL every single week from the preseason all the way to the Super Bowl, and it was a blast from start to finish. Thank you to everyone and anyone who read a piece, clicked a link, retweeted an article, or even gave me the slightest time of day. It truly means a lot as I continue to grow and try and get better at providing the best content that I possibly can. It has been amazing, and I can’t wait to keep moving forward. I hope you all had a great year, and have a great Super Bowl Sunday. I’ll see you guys in a few weeks for March Madness and the start of the baseball season. Until then!

All stats taken from ESPN.

NFC and AFC Championship Picks

Championship Sunday is finally here with two titanic matchups to determine the matchup in Super Bowl LVII. Here are my picks to get to Glendale in two weeks’ time.

Cover photo taken from NBC Sports.

Last Week: 3-1

Season Total: 180-98-2

Eagles 23-20 49ers

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, FOX

At the start of both the regular season and the playoffs, the 49ers were my pick to win the NFC. I said they were the best team in the conference, and I saw them getting to Glendale in two weeks’ time. But it feels much tougher to pick them now then it was a few weeks ago. That’s almost entirely due to how the Eagles looked last Saturday night against the Giants. After ending the regular season a bit battered and sluggish, I didn’t have a lot of faith in them to look like the team that ran circles around the league in the regular season. But they looked so much better than I could have anticipated. They look like a team on a mission. They are so damn explosive offensively, and their defense looked as good as it has all year long. Jalen Hurts’ injury is no longer a concern, and the Birds are back to looking terrifying on all fronts.

That being said, so are the Niners. They willed themselves to victory last Sunday against the Cowboys in a total team effort. It was really cool to watch. The defense was obviously remarkable and continues to be the unit that makes every difference in their games. But their weakest link has made itself apparent, and it’s Brock Purdy. He had his moments and made some nice throws last week, but he also got away with a lot that he likely won’t get away with on the road against the best defense he has ever played. If the Cowboys defense had any brains, they likely could have won the game off of those mistakes. I just don’t know what to expect out of Purdy in a spot like this. He has been a great story, but can he go on the road to an extremely hostile environment and win a playoff game against what could be the best team in the league to go to the Super Bowl? I have my doubts.

That’s one of two key matchups for me in this game; the other is in the trenches with San Francisco’s defensive front against the Eagles offensive line. Both of those units are the best in the league at their respective positions, and whoever gains the advantage will likely sway the game in the favor of their team. While I would give the edge to the Niners’ defense, I think Hurts and the offense can move around and still execute their game to put points on the board. The SF defense will get their game off as well, but does the offense have what it takes to keep up when they’re led by Brock Purdy in this spot? To a point, yes. They probably do. But I trust Jalen Hurts and the Eagles more to make the plays late to win the game. Purdy will make some mistakes, and the Birds will take advantage, even against San Francisco’s incredible defense. And they will fly all the way to Arizona.

Bengals 27-24 Chiefs

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS

At the start of the playoffs, the Bengals were my pick to win it all. I said they were the best team in the league, and I saw them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in two weeks time. Despite all the temptation in the world and so many signs to do so, I am not backing down on that now. But man, this is a hard pick on all fronts.

For starters, everyone and their mothers are backing the Bengals all of a sudden. Last week’s thumping of the Bills has everyone worshipping Joe Burrow and the rest of this team, and that makes it very difficult to pick them. Right in conjunction with that is all the doubt surrounding Patrick Mahomes after he sprained his ankle last week. This line got all the way down to Bengals -2.5 because of it. But we all know the truth. Patrick Mahomes on one leg is still better than most QBs in this league, and he will still play just fine in this game, hence the line moving back in the other direction to Chiefs -1.5. That “injury” isn’t what concerns me about the Chiefs at all. In fact, it kind of makes me more scared to pick against them. Mahomes will definitely be limited in terms of his mobility, but making him a pocket passer limits his mistakes and might make him even more surgical. Kansas City will get their game off on that side of the ball via the quick passing game. They won’t be erratic and so focused on downfield shots like Josh Allen and the Bills were last week. And I don’t know if Cincinnati will be able to stop that in Arrowhead.

On the other hand, I have no faith in KC’s ability to stop the Bengals offense. Everyone loves bringing up the stat that Joe Burrow is 3-0 against the Chiefs with three great performances, including in this very spot last year. He is just on another level in the playoffs, as is the rest of the offense. Even with the beat up offensive line, he gets the job done. In fact, the backups did their thing last week in Buffalo, pushing around that defense and opening up all sorts of possibilities for the run game. If they can replicate that performance against this Chiefs front, then the Bengals could have their way once again on offense. Even if they don’t, I have no doubt in the ability of the passing game to put up huge numbers and points as they always do against this secondary.

The biggest question is what Mahomes and the Chiefs offense can do in response to that. People forget that they were absolutely dominating for the first half of last year’s title game before inexplicably falling apart in the second half. That was a different offense, but this one might be even better. I find it extremely difficult to bet against Patrick Mahomes in a spot like this, even on a bum ankle. But at this point, it might be harder to pick against Joe Burrow. All he does is win, and I have to see him lose to the Chiefs to believe that it’s even possible. When you combine that with the fact that I’ve been backing the Bengals for so long now and picked them to win the Super Bowl, I have to pick them in this game. It’s arduous, but necessary.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Divisional Round Picks

Only eight teams remain as we head into an absolutely stacked weekend. Here are my picks to make next week’s Championship games.

Cover photo taken from Sportcasting.

Last Week: 4-2

Season Total: 177-97-2

Chiefs 27-20 Jaguars

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, NBC

In analyzing and/or picking this game, there are really only two statistics to consider. The first of which is that Andy Reid is the greatest head coach off a bye in the history of the sport. He boasts a record of 27-4 following an off week, including a perfect 3-0 record in the AFC playoffs with the Chiefs (1-1 in Super Bowls). The second of which is that both the Chiefs and every other 1 seed ever largely struggle as large favorites in the Divisional Round. 1 seeds have gone 13-25-1 ATS in this round in the last 20 years, and 8-22-1 ATS when favored by 10 or less. Some books have this spread to 8.5 or 9. So, you can bank on the Chiefs winning this game, but don’t be surprised if it’s closer than you or Vegas think. Moreover, we pretty much know what we’re going to get out of these teams. The Jaguars are an amazing story and are good enough to give any team in the AFC fits. Their offense is certainly capable of putting up both yards and points on an underwhelming, continuously underperforming Chiefs defense, especially through the air with Trevor Lawrence slinging it all over the yard. But they don’t have what it takes to go to Arrowhead and beat Kansas City off a bye, especially considering how dominant the Chiefs have been and how incredible Patrick Mahomes has been playing this season. The MVP-to-be enters this game after putting up the most offensive yards in a season in the history of the league. Everyone on offense is getting involved, and it all starts with the greatness of #15. After seeing how Jacksonville’s pass defense has fared in recent games, I don’t trust them to limit Mahomes in any capacity. Jacksonville might be able to keep up for a while, but this is simply too tall of a task for a young team that has overachieved this season.

Eagles 24-20 Giants

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, FOX

If last week’s divisional contests (with the exception of the last 20 or so minutes of the Seahawks-49ers game) were any indication, we’re in for a close game on Saturday night. Another reason to support that is what I said above about how 1 seeds perform ATS in the Divisional Round. Combine that with the uncertainty around Jalen Hurts’ shoulder and the general feistiness of the Giants, and you have the makings of a physical divisional bloodbath. Both of these defenses will show up and show out on the big stage. In my opinion, this game comes down to whichever offense can execute better in key moments down the stretch. New York’s offense looked surgical from start to finish last week in Minnesota, but that was against one of the league’s worst defenses. On a cold night against a fantastic Philly defense, they will have a tougher time. While there are questions around Hurts and his injury, I think he has had more than enough time off to heal and get ready for this game. If the Birds offensive line can keep him upright and get enough push on the Eagles’ patented run plays, then they could win this game comfortably. It will be tough against a stout Giants front, but I like Philly in that matchup. It will take a few key plays late from Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense, but they will be the ones celebrating by the end of the night en route to the title game.

Bills 30-27 Bengals

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, CBS

This is easily my most anticipated matchup of this round, if not this entire season, and I think it’ll easily be the best game of the weekend. That’s exactly what I said when these teams met three weeks ago. I’m just as excited now as I was then, and I can’t wait to see them play a full playoff game against one another. However, my pick is different this time, and it’s hard to explain. I still think the Bengals are the better team, and I still think they’re the best team in the league. I think people who believe they’re somehow worse because they struggled in primetime against a division rival are vastly misguided. I think Joe Burrow is better than Josh Allen. I think Ja’Marr Chase might be better than Stefon Diggs. The Bengals can actually run the ball with a good backfield whereas the Bills can’t run the ball with anyone but their QB. And at this point, Cincinnati might have a better defense. On top of everything, Joe Burrow might be the best QB as an underdog in the league right now, and he has proven time and time again that he can go on the road and win these huge games against great teams. So why am I switching up now and picking Buffalo? The biggest reason is the injuries to Cincinnati’s offensive line. They will be without their three best linemen after they had spent all regular season healthy. Last week, Burrow was under duress quite a lot against a pass rush that’s only slightly better than the ones the Bills possess. Again, Burrow has proven that he can overcome this, but the Bengals have also proven that this can be their downfall in a big spot. But more than anything, the Bills just feel like they’re in the midst of a special run. They are playing inspired and the entire city of Buffalo is rallying behind them. They did not play a sharp game last week, but I think they’ll look much better on Sunday afternoon. If Josh Allen plays clean, mistake-free football (which I don’t feel comfortable with expecting), then the Bills have the offensive capability to win this game comfortably. All they have to do is get after Joe Burrow. If he has enough time to throw, he will make them pay. I just don’t see that being possible without his two starting tackles and best interior lineman. He has done it before, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he leads Cincy to another improbable victory. But I can’t bank on that right now.

49ers 31-20 Cowboys

Sunday, 6:30 PM, FOX

This is the big brand game of the weekend, and rightfully so. Cowboys-49ers in the playoffs is as classic as it gets and always seems to deliver. It certainly did last year in a thrilling Wild Card game in Dallas that ended on one of the most mind-boggling late-game plays and execution sequences in recent memory that sent the Cowboys home early and propelled the Niners to a near-Super Bowl run. This game feels quite different with San Francisco being the hottest team in the league, having won their last 11 games and barely breaking a sweat despite having to turn to Brock Purdy. The rookie continues to ball out with perhaps the best weapons in the league and easily the best defense in football behind him. The Cowboys, on the other hand, were overlooked by quite a lot of people, myself included, before going to Tampa and smacking the Bucs last Monday. They’re the underdogs in this game, but you can guarantee that they won’t go down without a fight. However, I feel like Monday night’s performance is once again swinging the pendulum of our perception of the Cowboys completely in the other direction. All of a sudden, people think they’re the best team in the NFC that can go on the road to play perhaps the best team in the league and win. I think we need to pump the brakes there. I think Dallas might be the most overmatched team in this entire round. They looked great against a Buccaneers team that we all knew was awful. How are they going to look against the 49ers? Will Dak Prescott be able to replicate his performance from last week against the best defense in the league? I say no. Will Dallas’ own defense be able to slow down San Francisco’s offense, which no one else has been able to do? I say no again. I think Purdy and company will have their way with the Cowboys’ susceptible defense, and Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and the defense will lock up Dak and the Dallas offense for the most part en route to another fairly easy win for the Niners for them to get back to the conference title game.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Wild Card Weekend Picks

The playoffs are upon us with six great games on tap in a stacked schedule that spans the whole weekend. Here’s some spoilers on how it’ll play out.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 12-4

Season Total: 173-95-2

49ers 24-13 Seahawks

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks come into this game as big underdogs after sneaking into the playoffs following the final events of the regular season. Even in a divisional playoff game, which are always so close, nobody is giving Seattle a chance. That’s a perfectly fair assessment if you ask me. Not only are they arguably the worst team in the entire postseason field, but they’re going on the road to play the hottest and perhaps the best team in the entire NFL. San Francisco has been a freight train ever since the midway point of the season, and they haven’t blinked en route to a season sweep of the team they face on Saturday. While some may say that they’re bound to cool off, I assure you that it won’t happen in this game. I don’t even see them slowing down. Their defense is the best in the league and their offense is firing on all cylinders. With Deebo Samuel back in the fold, it’s only going to be harder to stop them on that side of the ball. I love the Seahawks offense and their young pieces on defense, but I just think they’re going to be overwhelmed in what is Geno Smith’s first playoff game. Unless their corners can step up and make plays to force Brock Purdy into some turnovers, the Seahawks are going to have a long afternoon in the Bay. With Tariq Woolen dealing with an ankle problem, that seems like it’ll be the likely outcome.

Jaguars 23-20 Chargers

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC

It’s both very rare and extremely cool to see a playoff matchup between two of the young elite QBs that will likely run this league for years to come so early in their careers. I have no doubt that Trevor Lawrence vs. Justin Herbert will live up to the hype in their respective playoff debuts. Both the Jaguars and the Chargers carry some winning momentum into this game, going a combined 9-1 in their last five games (with the Chargers’ loss coming in a game where they “rested” starters), and Jacksonville will be electric once again just one week after hosting the division-winning game against the Titans. But the news isn’t entirely good on both sides. Los Angeles’ star WR Mike Williams will miss this game, and likely the entire postseason if they were to move on, with a back problem that emerged while he was playing in the Chargers’ meaningless game last week in Denver. That will be a huge detriment to their offense, which we saw struggle mightily when not at full strength in the regular season. But Herbert will still have Keenan Allen on the outside and Austin Ekeler behind him, so the Bolts will still be able to do damage on offense. I just don’t know if it will be enough to overcome Jacksonville on the road. As I said earlier this week, the Jags essentially got their playoff jitters out of the way last week in a de facto play-in game. I think they’ll be much, much sharper on Saturday night, and I think Trevor Lawrence can have a big day against a maligned Chargers defense. Herbert will keep LA in it from start to finish, and this game could likely come down to whichever QB has the ball in their hands when the clock hits triple zeros. I just happen to trust the home team a little bit more in almost every other area.

Bills 30-13 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If Tua Tagovailoa was playing in this game for the Dolphins, perhaps it’d be worth talking about. We all saw how thrilling the primetime clash was between these two teams just a few weeks ago when Miami was at full strength. Alas, it will be Skylar Thompson once again for the Fins, which means they don’t stand a semblance of a chance. You’d think that any QB can step in and run that star-studded offense to perfection, but that’s simply not the case here. The Dolphins are infinitely worse without Tua, and it has shown in every single game he has missed. It took until the final moments of the final game of the season for them to win a game that Tua didn’t start and finish. That’s a pretty staggering statistic. Even if he were playing in this game, I don’t think it would have been enough to pick against Buffalo. The Bills are riding high into this matchup and playing inspired football, as we saw in last week’s amazing display for Damar Hamlin. They are simply better on both sides of the ball, and you can’t expect me to believe that Josh Allen won’t launch the ball all over the place once again in the playoffs. I think he’s in for what could be a special postseason run, and I think the Bills will once again put on a show en route to another emphatic victory over a division rival.

Vikings 26-23 Giants

Sunday, 4:30 PM EST, FOX

This could very well be the most fun game of the weekend, which is pretty hilarious given the QB matchup and the nature of these two teams. The Giants are a trendy sleeper pick in these playoffs despite finishing the year going 3-6-1 in their final 10 games. The Vikings are the team that everyone expects to bow out early due to their flukey nature when they play at a time other than 1pm and/or against good teams. Quite literally anything can happen in a matchup like this. They played just three weeks ago in this exact same spot and it was wild from start to finish with Minnesota walking it off on an improbable 61-yard field goal. New York was the better team in nearly every facet in that game and still came up short. Who’s to say that it won’t go the other way this time? It really wouldn’t shock me if the Giants were to flip the script. The Vikings aren’t that much better despite having a better record and the gift of playing at home. Plus, you just never know what you’re going to get out of Kirk Cousins. Rest really isn’t a factor when you consider that both of these teams rested their starters last week. So, what gives? I say experience. Experience matters in the playoffs. Kirk Cousins has played in this spot before in much tougher environments against much tougher teams. Daniel Jones’ toughest postseason test has been… the 2018 Independence Bowl? It just feels too inconceivable to see this young, inexperienced Giants team go on the road and knock off a more skilled Vikings team. I know their defense is awful, but I don’t believe the Giants have the offensive firepower to take advantage of that. Plus, all Minnesota has heard throughout the last few weeks is how awful they are and how they’ll be one and done. That’s bulletin board material for them. I think they’ll play this game with a chip on their shoulder, and while it might not be the most convincing win in the world when it’s all said and done, they’ll be the ones moving onto San Francisco in a week’s time.

Bengals 26-14 Ravens

Sunday, 8:15 PM EST, NBC

Remember what I said about Bills-Dolphins up there? Apropos of that here. The Ravens will once again be without Lamar Jackson as he misses his sixth straight game with what they said was a one-to-three week injury. Feels fishy, doesn’t it? Their reward for this medical mishap is going back on the road with their backup QB to play perhaps the hottest and, in my opinion, best team in the league who they just got smacked by one week ago with their own chip on their shoulders caused by the decision-making of the NFL. At least this time it’ll be Tyler Huntley, right? Who cares. Huntley has looked awful all year long, especially in divisional games. It might look prettier than Anthony Brown’s performance last Sunday, but I assure you, this will still be a wash for Cincinnati. The Bengals have so much to prove in so many ways, and Joe Burrow is going to light it up in an electric home primetime playoff atmosphere. It will honestly be awesome to see, and I can’t wait for it. I do have my reservations about the trenches for the Bengals on both sides of the ball. Their makeshift offensive line will have to keep Burrow upright against a solid Ravens front. But if he can get the ball out quick to his playmakers, then Cincy will absolutely cruise into a highly anticipated rematch with the Bills.

Buccaneers 20-17 Cowboys

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

Let me get this straight. Tom Brady is hosting a playoff game against a notoriously awful playoff team, quarterback, and head coach in a primetime spot having never lost to said team… and he’s an underdog? Yeah right. To bet against Brady and the Bucs in a situation like this would be dubious at best. They may have fallen backwards into the playoffs. They may be the only team in the field with a losing record. They may have been awful for the better part of the season. And yes, I may have slandered them all year long. But I would be a complete idiot to pick the Dak Prescott and Mike McCarthy-led Cowboys to go on the road and beat Tom Brady in the playoffs. I do think Dallas is the better team in this game, but it just doesn’t make sense. They ended the year on a pitiful whimper in DC last week, and Dak has had perhaps the worst year of his career. Their offense looks worse by the game and their defense isn’t doing enough to make up for that. A team like Tampa will make you pay for those kinds of mistakes. They don’t inspire the most faith in the world, but their division-clinching win over the Panthers showed me that this team shows up when it matters. Tom Brady looked incredible in that win, and if he looks even half as good as that on Monday night, then the Cowboys are positively screwed. I don’t know if that will happen; this will probably be a tight game from start to finish that’s dominated by the defenses. In that case, I’m not picking against the Bucs defense against the turnover machine known as Dak. And I’m not picking against Tom Brady.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2023 National Championship Preview and Prediction

After the best College Football Playoff semis of all time, it’s time to crown a national champion. Here’s my preview of the title game and my pick to hoist the trophy in Los Angeles.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

After months of tremendous games, countless storylines, and the best College Football Playoff of all time, it’s time to crown a national champion. Tonight in Los Angeles, the top-seeded Georgia Bulldogs look to become the first back-to-back champs in over a decade as they take on the unlikely underdogs from Fort Worth: the 3rd ranked TCU Horned Frogs.

For UGA, this is just another game. They have only lost one game in the last two years, and despite having to pull off an improbable comeback against Ohio State in a 42-41 Peach Bowl win, there was little to no doubt that they would make it to the title game. Their typically elite defense struggled mightily with the star-studded Buckeyes offense, but QB Stetson Bennett and the Dawgs’ own offense went to work and were scorching hot in the passing game to help get them to this game. But that’s not a position that Georgia wants to be in. They pride themselves on their defensive greatness, and if they bend like that, they might just break. They got away with a lot last Saturday and could have lost the game by all means. Their offense bailed them out, but that’s not guaranteed to repeat itself, especially against a better TCU defense that excels at getting after the passer and forcing turnovers. It’s safe to say that Kirby Smart will have his guys ready to play a much sharper game on Monday night.

TCU, on the other hand, has had one of the more improbable runs to the title game. They weren’t even ranked to begin the season before going 12-0 in the regular season. Despite losing the Big 12 title game, they reached the Playoff and erased any and all doubt about their legitimacy as a contender by outlasting Michigan in an absolutely electrifying 51-48 Fiesta Bowl victory. The defense scored two touchdowns and forced plenty more turnovers to make life easy for Max Duggan and the offense, who did what they had to do as well. The performance helped bring light to the fact that TCU isn’t just any old underdog. They are a real team that can compete with, and perhaps beat, any team in the country on any given day. They have the grit and the identity that every college football program yearns for. The only question that remains is: can that get them on top of the mountain? TCU is still being disrespected by everyone; not many folks are giving them a chance in this game. The 12.5-point spread is the largest I think I’ve ever seen in a title game. This team deserves more respect than that. We’ll see if they can go out and take it.

My Pick

Georgia 38-27 TCU

Monday, 7:30 PM EST, ESPN

Some Davids aren’t meant to slay Goliath. While I think TCU has one of the best shots to become an underdog that wins a title, this feels like too steep of a mountain to climb. However, unlike many, I think they’ll be competitive from start to finish. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to compete with Georgia and their 5-star players. Their offense is operating at an extremely high level with their exquisite run game, and their defense swarms to the ball to force turnover after turnover. The Dawgs looked pretty vulnerable the last time we saw them, and I think Sonny Dykes and the Frogs can exploit a lot of the flaws in their game, especially attacking their defense. It wouldn’t shock me if we saw TCU control this game for a while. But the superior talent and coaching of Georgia will prevail in the end. They’ll likely have a similar 4th quarter to the one they had against Ohio State to pull out a late win. Maybe this is a bit too large of a point differential, but I can see UGA pulling away late to make it look more convincing than it actually was. To me, it’s a matter of attrition with these two defenses. If TCU’s defense can hold throughout the game, they’ll have a great chance to win it. But if they slowly fold like they did against Michigan, Georgia will take advantage. If the Dawgs defense plays like they did on New Year’s Eve, they will be in deep trouble. But if they return to their status quo, then Stetson Bennett and the offense can do their thing. I see the latter being much more likely, and I see Georgia lifting the trophy when it’s all said and done to become the first repeat champions since Alabama ten years ago to continue proving themselves as the new perennial power in college football.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 18 Picks

The final week of the 2022 regular season is upon us with a plethora of different playoff scenarios and postseason-deciding matchups that could allow this great season to end on a high note.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

Last Week: 10-5

Season Total: 161-91-2

Chiefs 27-20 Raiders

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

The only reason that I feel like this game will be remotely close is because of how much the Chiefs have struggled as big favorites this year and throughout Patrick Mahomes’ tenure in KC. As 9.5-point road favorites, a close game feels imminent. The Raiders certainly have the offensive talent to keep up with Kansas City, even if Jarrett Stidham is still the starting QB. Expect another huge game out of Davante Adams, who lit up the Chiefs secondary in primetime early in the season. But I have no doubt that the Chiefs will come away with the win. For starters, Mahomes has still never lost a road divisional game, which is one of the most staggering statistics in league history. He’s probably going to light up the statsheet in another massive performance. Moreover, the Chiefs know that the 1 seed is on the line, and they have to win to ensure homefield advantage for at least one of their playoff games. They will do what they have to do on Saturday evening in Paradise.

Jaguars 20-19 Titans

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN/ABC

I feel like everybody thinks the Titans are going to get whacked in this game. Honestly, I feel that sentiment. But I know more than anything that Mike Vrabel always coaches the Titans to play their best ball in these moments. Even on the road with their 3rd string QB, I know I can expect Tennessee to fight their tail off with the division on the line. But it feels impossible to pick against the Jaguars in this spot. They have a golden opportunity to usher in a new era of football in Jacksonville and finally crown Trevor Lawrence as the savior, taking them to their first division title in his first real year of play. I think it’s going to be a slugfest throughout, and I actually think that Lawrence and the Jaguars offense will largely struggle against the stout Titans front. I feel like it’ll be the Jags’ young defense that steps up and makes a play against Josh Dobbs and the Titans offense to seal it in the end.

Buccaneers 20-10 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game is one of the most irrelevant and meaningless of the week. The Buccaneers are locked into the NFC’s 4 seed no matter what happens here. The Falcons should honestly just throw the game in hopes for a better draft pick. They’re so bad that, even though I’m sure they’re going to try their best, it’s going to look like they’re doing just that.

Bills 31-20 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I find it impossible to talk about this game. It’s so difficult to talk about the Bills in any capacity right now. But as the days pass, we receive more and more great news about Damar Hamlin. On Friday, we received word that he can speak and called his teammates to cheer them on for this game. That is extremely powerful stuff. I think this whole situation has brought the Bills together, and this good news will give them the strength to go out and dominate for their brother. I think they will be uplifted in a way we rarely see in sports. The Patriots are a worthy opponent and could put up a fight as they play for their season, but it’ll be no match for a Buffalo team that is doing more than just playing football. It could truly be one of the greatest sights in sports history.

Vikings 26-16 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game is also pretty irrelevant other than the fact that the Vikings could be the 2 seed by the end of the day. But we all know that’s not going to happen. I don’t think they’ll rest any starters, but even if they do, they’re not going to lose to a Bears team without Justin Fields that looks like they’re ready to have the #1 pick in the draft fall into their lap.

Bengals 26-13 Ravens

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is a bit of a strange circumstance. This game could have been the AFC North-decider. Regardless, I think this would have been a wash for the Bengals in any situation. The Ravens are still starting Tyler Huntley at QB, which means they are guaranteed to do absolutely nothing for sixty minutes on offense. Cincinnati is at home coming off an extremely emotional, difficult situation on Monday night. I think they’ll come out and be prepared to dominate just like I think the Bills will be. It won’t take much on either side of the ball to beat this boring, overrated Ravens team, but I’m very excited to see what they have in store. I hope Joe Burrow and the offense puts on a show as they head into the playoffs, where I will certainly be rooting for them.

Texans 20-10 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If the Texans are smart, they’ll essentially throw this game. But I don’t see them doing that. Not because I don’t think they’re smart, but the Colts might just be smarter. If you’re Indianapolis, you have nothing to play for. You want to improve your own draft stock while hurting your division rival’s chances at bagging a generational franchise QB in April. I can totally see the Colts being the ones to throw the game and improve their own standing. I also feel like the Texans are just generally the better team, but we’re comparing trash to garbage here. I’m just excited to see this generational tank-off.

Dolphins 20-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Ah, yes. Skylar Thompson vs. Joe Flacco. Just how we want to be spending our Sunday afternoon. Neither of these teams deserve to make the playoffs. However, it feels like the chips are going to fall the Dolphins’ way. I’d have to believe that they can beat the Flacco-led Jets, who haven’t put together a performance worth a damn in months. I don’t trust them with any backup QB, but there is simply no excuse to lose a game in this spot at home. With this win and the Patriots loss, Miami will be in. They better hope Tua can come back in a week’s time.

Saints 17-13 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

With both of these teams being eliminated last week, this game means absolutely nothing. I feel like the Saints are playing slightly better football right now, especially defensively, and they don’t have to worry about winning tanking their draft pick, since the Eagles own it. Their momentum will carry them to a nice home win to close out the season, while the Panthers’ year ends on a whimper rather than a roar.

Steelers 13-10 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The only thing I can guarantee in this game is that it will be a low-scoring, defensive slugfest. I typically like the underdogs in games like this, and should have learned my lesson with the AFC North after both Steelers-Ravens games. But I just feel like the Steelers are the better-coached team. They’re honestly the better team overall. It’s hard to see them losing at home with their season on the line. But I really wanted to flip this pick. The Browns would absolutely love to play spoiler against their bitter rival, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they’re the ones to come away with the close win. I’m just trusting logic on this one. Because that always gets me so far, right?

Broncos 21-17 Chargers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The Chargers largely have nothing to play for in this game. By the time it kicks off, they will see that the Ravens will have lost and that they will be locked into the 5 seed for a matchup with the AFC South winner next week. I can see them taking it a bit easy and likely resting their starters for the second half, if not the entire game. That feels like a very Chargers thing to do. The Broncos, meanwhile, have shown a lot of fight since firing Nathaniel Hackett, and I can see them closing out this tumultuous year on a high note going into what will be a very strange offseason.

Eagles 28-16 Giants

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Regardless of any and all other outcomes on Sunday, the Giants are locked into the 6 seed in the NFC, and will likely be going to Minnesota next week. They have absolutely nothing to play for and will likely be resting their starters. Meanwhile, the Eagles are getting Jalen Hurts back as they try to lock up the NFC East and the 1 seed. So, being a 14-point road favorite makes a lot of sense. I don’t know if they cover that, but they should be able to win convincingly against the Giants’ B team as they head into their well-earned bye.

49ers 27-10 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The 49ers are still in play for the 1 seed, and while they likely won’t get it, the 2 seed is a plenty good consolation prize. Regardless of any of that, they are playing one of the worst teams in football in the comfort of their own home. They will end their fantastic regular season on a high note by dismantling a Cardinals team that is starting their 4th string QB yet again. Their defense might put up Wilt numbers as they lock in the 2 seed in the NFC.

Seahawks 23-20 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks will be fighting for their lives on Sunday evening. With a win and some help from the Lions, they’ll hold the 7 seed in the NFC and fall backwards into the playoffs. While the second part of that equation is a little less likely, I think Seattle will do what they have to do and get the necessary victory at home against a competitive Rams team. I don’t have much faith in the Seahawks as of late, but I think their coaching and generally superior talent should allow them to prevail in this spot. Whether or not they get the requisite assistance from Detroit in order to make the postseason is a different story.

Cowboys 27-14 Commanders

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

You know, at least the coaching staff has the decency to start Sam Howell at QB in this game. We might as well see what we have in the rookie before the eventual crapshoot of this offseason. It won’t help that he’s playing a great team that has something to fight for in this game. It’s going to be an embarrassing sight to say the least. FedEx will be packed with Cowboy fans and the team will get smacked in what we can only hope and pray is Dan Snyder’s final game as owner of the franchise. And this awful, painful season can finally come to a close… and I can finally rest.

Packers 23-20 Lions

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This was the game the NFL decided to flex into Sunday night to be the final game of the 2022 regular season. And I can’t wrap my head around it. Before this game even kicks off, the Lions will know whether or not they are eliminated depending on the results of the Seahawks game. If Seattle were to lose, then this is a winner-take-all game for the 7 seed. But if they don’t, then the Lions have nothing to play for. Unfortunately for Detroit, the latter seems far more likely. In any case, they can’t overcome the most powerful thing in the entire NFL: the script. The script has been out and about for the last month or so for the NFL’s beloved Buccaneers and Packers, and nothing is stopping both of those teams from making the playoffs. While I doubt either are capable of doing anything worth a damn once they get there, the league will do what they have to in order to ensure that their brands and ratings are thriving. The Lions are a better team than the Packers and should win this game by all means. It’s hard to go into Lambeau in a spot like this and win, but I think they can do it. Their offense can move the ball in the cold, and their defense might just show up against a Packers offense that is finding its stride. But we all know the NFL would much rather have Green Bay in the playoffs than Detroit. So the outcome has already been decided. What a sorry way for this incredible season to come to a close.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 College Football Playoff Preview and Predictions

The 2022 College Football Playoff is finally here with four worthy participants and two fascinating matchups. Here’s my preview of the teams and games before tonight’s contests to decide next Monday’s title game.

Cover photo taken from NCAA.com.

An incredibly fun, wild, and unpredictable college football season filled with upsets and amazing storylines has led to this: a classic New Year’s Eve College Football Playoff slate on Saturday night. This year’s Playoff features some familiar faces, as well as one newcomer, but the outcome of these games is anything but a forgone conclusion. Anything can happen in these final few matchups as we inch closer to crowning a champion in Los Angeles next Monday night. Before I pick Saturday night’s Playoff games, let’s take a look back on each of our contestants and how they got to this point.

#1 Georgia Bulldogs (13-0)

The defending champions have not slowed down for a second and have been the best team in college football all season long. While there was some debate in the middle of the year, the Dawgs left no doubt that they are still the cream of the crop. They enter the Playoff at 13-0 with all but one win coming by double digits and as champions of the SEC, perhaps the best conference in the sport. They moonwalked through everyone they faced this year, bookending the season with massive wins in Atlanta against Oregon and LSU. It’s only fitting that their playoff game comes in the same stadium. Georgia’s formula is nearly identical to last year’s, but the main difference is that the offense is starting to pick up the slack. The defense is still elite, but maybe not as much as the legendary 2021 unit. The other side of the ball is vastly improved with QB Stetson Bennett putting together his best season yet in his final campaign in Athens with over 3,500 total yards and 27 total touchdowns: good enough to be a Heisman finalist. The running back committee of Kenny McIntosh, Daijun Edwards, and Kendall Milton has done its thing while Brock Bowers, the best tight end in football, handles most of the pass-catching duties. The defense is still stacked with returning stars like Kelee Ringo and Christopher Smith locking down the secondary while future top 5 pick Jalen Carter mauls offensive linemen up front. The Dawgs are simply better than everyone else and can beat you in every which way. It’s extremely difficult to see a world where they don’t repeat as champions and establish themselves as the next great power in college football.

#2 Michigan Wolverines (13-0)

Coming into the 2022 season, there were many questions about whether or not Michigan could live up to their incredible 2021 which featured their first real win over Ohio State and Big Ten title since the turn of the millennium as well as a trip to the Playoff. Many people, myself included, had a lot of doubts that the Wolverines could replicate such a great year, especially with so much talent leaving for the NFL. And all this team did was have an even better season with an even better team. Michigan has looked the part of not only a Playoff team, but a Playoff contender and a true blue blood in the sport all season long. A borderline embarrassing non-conference schedule clouded what was actually a fantastic team. After JJ McCarthy won the starting QB job over Cade McNamara, it took a while for the offense to get going. But a combination of McCarthy’s development and the greatness of the backfield duo of RBs Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards helped propel this offense to be one of the best in the country. Corum was on a Heisman pace with a near-1,500 yard season with 18 rushing touchdowns, but a knee injury sustained in the second to last game of the regular season cut his campaign short. However, Edwards has picked up the slack with two massive games against Ohio State and Purdue. It helps that the defense didn’t lose a step after losing its stars to the draft. It’s now a more balanced, deeper unit that’s even better than its predecessor. The balance and slow burn nature of the Wolverines led them to victory in every game this season, capped off by yet another dominant win over the Buckeyes. Simply put, this team has everything it takes to win a national championship. It’s just a matter of them finally climbing that peak.

#3 TCU Horned Frogs (12-1)

This team did not begin the season in the AP Top 25. In fact, they didn’t begin the season with a single vote. Nobody believed in first-year head coach Sonny Dykes or QB Max Duggan, who had dealt with so many health problems in his career. Nobody thought they would be anything special. And here they are, the lone first-time contestants in the CFP. TCU has been one of the best stories of the year on so many fronts. Dykes has done a tremendous job with this program, and Duggan has been as incredible of a leader and player as any program could hope for, accounting for 36 total touchdowns en route to a second-place finish in the Heisman voting, the highest of any player in the Playoff. It helps that he has been throwing to future first-rounder Quentin Johnston. They also have a tremendous run game headlined by RB Kendre Miller, and Duggan provides plenty of support with his legs as well. The Frogs had a perfect regular season filled with dramatic, thrilling wins, but unfortunately weren’t able to capture the Big 12 title after a heartbreaking OT loss to Kansas State in the title game. However, it didn’t impact their playoff standing, and they now sit in the Playoff as the 3 seed. They have a tremendous opportunity to make up for the snubs and shortcomings of past TCU teams like the ones in 2011 and 2014, and they can do so with virtually no expectations or weight on their shoulders. If they can play their style of tough, physical football, and get the ball in Max Duggan’s hands to end a game, then they can truly emerge victorious on any given afternoon against any team in the country.

#4 Ohio State Buckeyes (11-1)

It has been an absolute roller coaster of a season in Columbus. As if I should have expected any different. Expectations were sky high all offseason long as the Bucks returned one of the best teams in the country on paper. I fully expected this team to be one of the best Ohio State squads of my life. The returning trio of CJ Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and TreVeyon Henderson was supposed to continue to tear college football to shreds while the vastly improved returning defense locked things down on the other side of the ball. Things ended up going a bit differently. The defense did get a huge boost as DC Jim Knowles was brought in and was able to make an immediate impact. It’s a much better unit than 2021’s, especially in the front seven, but the secondary is still a massive issue. The corners simply aren’t good enough for the scheme and make the defense worse as a whole. That really hurts, considering how great guys like Tommy Eichenberg and JT Tuimoluao have been up front. The other side of the ball has been much crazier. A hamstring injury sustained on his second catch of the year prematurely what could have been a legendary campaign for JSN. Injuries too plagued the season of Henderson, who will miss the CFP with a foot issue. CJ, however, has been just fine, throwing for 3,340 yards and 37 TDs, and that’s in large part to the weapons that have stepped up in JSN’s absence. No one has had a bigger impact than sophomore WR Marvin Harrison Jr., who replaced the consensus best WR in the sport by becoming the consensus best WR in the sport. I told everyone that Harrison would burst onto the scene in a huge way; it was pretty easy to anticipate that out of an incredible athlete like him. The Philly Freak tallied 72 catches for 1,157 yards and 12 TDs and proved to everyone just who WRU is. The other receiver who made a massive splash was fellow sophomore Emeka Egbuka, who also eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark while hauling in 9 scores. Workhorse RB Miyan Williams has largely been able to make up for Henderson’s absence, and true freshman Dallan Hayden provides a great spark off the bench. The Buckeyes boast perhaps the best offense in the country despite the injuries, but the thing they can’t seem to avoid is their own mistakes. This team shoots themselves in the foot more times than I can fathom, and it’s largely due to head-scratching schemes and playcalling from head coach Ryan Day, who has had a puzzling season to say the least. It caused many games to be way closer than they should have been, and it caused the team to lose yet again to Michigan, this time in embarrassing fashion at home. But, they now get a “second lease on life” as the coach loves to say thanks to USC’s loss in the PAC-12 title game. I could write a whole nother piece on Day’s shortcomings in 2022, but I’ll save that for later. But it should not be ignored. It will be the deciding factor in what this team is capable of doing in this Playoff. If they can truly live up to their potential and limit their own mistakes, then nobody is capable of stopping them. But at this point, I just fail to see that happening. It would only be fitting for our season to end because we couldn’t get out of our own way.

These teams are genuinely so close to one another, and I think these matchups are going to be truly fantastic to watch on Saturday night. All that’s left is to to pick the games. Here’s how I see the CFP playing out.

Michigan 24-20 TCU

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl — Saturday, 4:00 PM EST, ESPN

Vegas seems to think that this game won’t be as close as the Peach Bowl. I can’t wrap my head around that. I don’t see how this game will be anything but physical, low-scoring, and close. These teams play nearly identical styles of football with both programs priding themselves on running the ball down the opponent’s throats and physically dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. I think TCU has the personnel and the talent to compete with Michigan, which most seem to disagree with. But what I can’t argue with is the fact that Michigan’s talent is generally superior on both sides. They have the better athletes and they have the better players at almost every position. I would give TCU the edge at QB, and I know that Max Duggan will never go down without a fight. I trust in his ability to keep TCU in this game from start to finish, but at some point, the brakes are going to come off. Michigan will be able to establish the run with Donovan Edwards, and I think JJ McCarthy will make the necessary throws to allow the Wolverines to separate, similar to his performance in Columbus. Moreover, I trust Michigan’s defense more than TCU’s, which got gashed in the Big 12 title game against Kansas State. They also have what it takes to be the differentiating factor in this game. As much as I would love TCU to pull the upset and emerge victorious, it just feels to unlikely. But this team will not go gentle into that good night. They will rage against the dying of the light. I just don’t think it will be enough.

Georgia 38-24 Ohio State

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl — Saturday, 8:00 PM EST, ESPN

For four weeks, I have tried time and time again to convince myself that we can win this game. I just can’t bring myself to have that level of faith. In fact, I don’t even know if we can keep this close. This is simply a perfect storm for Georgia. This is their third game of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta after having won the first two by a combined score of 99-33. This is practically another home game for them. They are coming into this game scorching while the Buckeyes fell backwards into the 4 seed after being thumped yet again by their bitter rivals. And they simply matchup up perfectly with Ohio State. The Bucks offense is certainly a juggernaut, but they will not be at full strength against a UGA defense that eats people alive. The Dawgs offense is more than capable of doing damage against a battered OSU defense which hasn’t strung together many great performances as of late. As I said before, if the Bucks come out and play a perfect game by limiting their own self-inflicted mistakes and executing their offense the way they want to, then no one can stop them. When they attack defenses, they emerge victorious every time. But this is just too tough of a test, and I don’t know if these guys are up for it. I want to win so badly, but I’m not going to let that blind me from the truth. This is a good Buckeyes team that refuses to live up to expectations and has simply gone soft as the season has progressed. Their reward for their continued shortcomings is going to be a Bulldogs beatdown on Saturday night in Atlanta. And my 2022 will end on the quietest of whimpers.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 17 Picks

The penultimate slate of the regular season and final one of 2022 features some of the biggest matchups of the season that can and will have immense impacts on the playoff race.

Cover photo taken from ESPN.

Last Week: 10-6

Season Total: 151-86-2

Cowboys 24-13 Titans

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

It’s only fitting that we get such a dud as the final Thursday nighter of the season. The Titans are starting Josh Dobbs at QB for whatever reason, so this one might be even more of a blowout than I expected. You gotta feel bad for Malik Willis. The Cowboys won’t have to do much in this game to come away with a win, even on the road in primetime. They do have some injuries to key players like Tony Pollard, but they should still be able to run the ball just fine. And I trust Dak Prescott to limit his mistakes and make the necessary throws to win the game. Unless Tennessee comes out and plays their best game of the season on defense, they really don’t stand a chance. That’s just fine for them, since their season comes down to next week.

Falcons 16-13 Cardinals

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is an abhorrent game between two of my least favorite teams in the league to watch. I want absolutely nothing to do with it. It’s important for draft positioning, I suppose, but other than that, it’s a complete waste of time. So, I’m just giving you this pick and moving on to more pressing matchups.

Lions 27-24 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Lions are probably very happy to be back home after a stretch of tough road games. Ford Field is where they thrive, especially against a putrid team like Chicago. Their offense should be firing on all cylinders once again. But their defense still concerns me. They were absolutely shredded on the ground, and now face an even better rushing attack led by Justin Fields and David Montgomery. That’s why I think that this will be close at the very least. Fields will likely run wild in this game and keep the Bears in it with his legs. But we all know Chicago simply lacks the offensive firepower in a spot like this. They don’t have it in them to win a road game against a divisional opponent fighting for their season. The Lions know what they have to do, and I think they’ll get the job done in the end.

Chiefs 27-10 Broncos

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Remember how scorching hot the Chiefs were in that first half in Denver a few weeks ago? Yeah, I’m seeing a repeat performance of that back home at Arrowhead. This is going against one of my patented philosophies of teams bouncing back after getting embarrassed on national TV like the Broncos were on Christmas, but that philosophy only applies to teams worth a damn. Denver is not. They are going to get smacked once again by a vastly better team. It’s going to be ugly. I can’t wait to see it.

Patriots 20-17 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Dolphins will likely be without Tua Tagovailoa in this game. If the games he missed earlier this year were any indication, Miami is rather screwed without him. I think Teddy Bridgewater is a plenty capable backup, do we think he can go into Foxboro and win this pivotal divisional clash with both teams jockeying for a playoff spot? I don’t. It’s extremely hard to put any faith in the Patriots, but I feel like they can win in a spot like this, especially at home. Teddy will have his hands full with a solid Patriots defense that flies all over the place. If he can get the ball out quick to his playmakers, the Dolphins can win. It’s just hard to bet on that happening.

Giants 22-14 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I put my faith in the Colts to keep it close on Monday night. I will not make that mistake again. I do think the Giants are much worse than the Chargers are, but I don’t see a world where the Nick Foles-led Colts go on the road and beat a playoff team. Perhaps it will be closer than their last game, but they won’t come out on top. The Giants put up a good fight last Sunday, as I presumed they would, and I think they’ll be eager to get back in the win column against a lowly Indianapolis team that looks like they’re tanking. It should be an easy one.

Eagles 27-14 Saints

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Regardless of who starts under center for the Eagles in this game, it should not be close. The Saints are a nice story and have been playing well as of late, but they haven’t faced a team like Philly in a while. To expect them to go on the road and win is foolish, even if the Birds are starting Gardner Minshew again. The backup QB did his thing last week and I’m plenty confident in his ability to lead this team to wins, even against a tough New Orleans defense. I am a bit concerned about Philadelphia’s own defense, but this is a great chance for them to bounce back against Andy Dalton and a poor Saints offense. The Eagles want to lock up that 1 seed, and I think they’ll do so emphatically.

Panthers 23-16 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I told you all on Tuesday that I am fully convinced the Panthers will win this division. It all comes down to this game. If Tampa Bay wins, then they are going to the playoffs as champions of the NFC South. Carolina needs to win their final two games in order to stop that. It is remarkably difficult to go on the road and beat a division rival, especially when they’re led by Tom Brady. But I have eyes. I have watched these two teams as of late. While the Panthers have new life and play rather inspired football, the Buccaneers have never looked more dead. I don’t think they have it in them to rise to this occasion and assert themselves to clinch the division title. I think the Panthers will be able to get after Brady and the lifeless Bucs offense, doing just enough offensively to put themselves over the top in the clutch. And this division race will come down to the final day of the season.

Commanders 23-10 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Every time I pick us to beat an opponent convincingly, it goes awfully. I have not learned my lesson. This one feels a bit more justifiable, though. The Browns have looked awful since Deshaun Watson has returned, not being able to muster more than 13 points on offense. Now, they go on the road and play one of the more stout defenses in the league. There has been a lot of discourse around the starting QB for the Commanders, but it doesn’t matter in this game. I assure you that our defense will be the differentiating factor. I am totally in favor of Carson Wentz starting for the rest of the year, and I don’t think he’ll have to do that much to win this one. Just make the necessary throws and let your run game and defense do the rest against a team that is absolutely reeling to stay alive in the playoff picture. It is so simple. Please don’t let me down again… please.

Jaguars 19-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Jaguars have a very easy, simple path to the playoffs in front of them. This game virtually doesn’t even matter; all they have to do is beat Tennessee next week. For that reason, I think the Jags will make the mistake of looking ahead to Week 18 and struggle a bit in this game against a clearly capable Texans team. I have no doubt in their ability to come away with a win, but this will definitely be a slugfest. People forget that the Texans’ lone win before last week came against this very Jaguars team earlier this season. Jacksonville has improved greatly since then, as has Trevor Lawrence, but I think this will be a classic close divisional game. I expect Lawrence to make the plays at the end of the game to put his team over the top. But, like I said, this game is largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

49ers 34-10 Raiders

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

The Raiders have thrown in the towel on the 2022 season. Derek Carr has been benched in a strategic move that essentially ends his tenure in silver and black. It’s almost sad, but this franchise has nothing to blame but itself. Jarrett Stidham will be their starting QB for the last two games, and his first test is against the best defense in years. It’s not going to be pretty. San Francisco will control this game from start to finish and absolutely embarrass their former Bay Area neighbors.

Seahawks 24-20 Jets

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

This is a remarkably intriguing game, even though it may not seem like one on paper. Like MIA-NE and CAR-TB, this game essentially decides the season for both of these teams as they continue to fight to sneak into the playoffs. And it feels so hard to pick. These teams match up with each other really well and have had nearly identical seasons up to this point. Great rookie classes have these teams vastly overachieving, but as the season has moved forward and injuries have racked up, they find themselves on the outside looking in. So, what gives in such an even matchup? I would say home field advantage, but the Seahawks haven’t won in Seattle since before Halloween, which is pretty staggering. I would say the run games, but neither one is particularly effective. I would say the defenses, but like everything else, they are almost identical. I would give the Jets the slight advantage due to their front seven, but both of these defenses have found themselves struggling in recent weeks, and it’s hard to put faith in either one. So, it comes down to the offenses. Do you trust Mike White or Geno Smith more? It’s a very even split. With both of these teams spiraling downwards so steeply, I’d be better off flipping a coin for this pick. But I’m taking the Seahawks because I trust their coaching and their offense just a tiny bit more than I can trust New York’s. The tiniest bit more.

Vikings 23-20 Packers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

This has been one of the most impossible picks of the season. I haven’t stopped going back and forth all week. Vegas sees the Packers as the better team in this game, and that’s not a completely irresponsible take. Green Bay has strung together some nice performances to keep their season alive. Any more losses and they’re done. They need to play their best game of the year by a solid margin against a team that embarrassed them in Week 1. At home in a massive spot like this, it’s hard to envision them not coming out and doing just that. But will it be enough? The Vikings have been the chosen ones of this season, winning every game by the skin of their teeth and improbably coming out on top week after week. I don’t know when their luck is going to run out, but I don’t think it will be here. It is immensely difficult to go to Lambeau and beat the Packers in a spot like this where Green Bay has infinitely more to play for. But I just can’t pick against the Vikings while they continue to pull out win after win. I genuinely think the Packers will win this game, but I just have a sneaking suspicion that Minnesota is not quite yet out of miracles.

Chargers 26-14 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The battle for Los Angeles looked infinitely better on paper in the offseason than it is right now. What should have been a potential Super Bowl preview has been reduced to another easy win for the Chargers. I do think this game can be fun though. I always enjoy watching both teams play in their own stadium. But the Chargers are infinitely better than the Rams, and I don’t see them getting complacent after clinching a playoff spot last week. They won’t have to do too much to assert themselves. If Justin Herbert continues playing lights out and their defense continues their dominant ways against a Rams offense that has looked solid but we all know is awful, they will win without breaking a sweat.

Ravens 13-10 Steelers

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Nothing like Steelers-Ravens in primetime late in the season with so much on the line. This is football heritage. We still don’t know if Lamar Jackson will be playing in this game for the Ravens, but in my opinion, that is largely irrelevant. Just a few weeks ago, we saw this matchup in Pittsburgh, and Baltimore came away with a convincing win without Lamar. At home in primetime, why can’t they do the same? Well, it’s hard to beat any team twice. It’s even harder to beat your bitter rival twice. At the very least, this game will be extremely low-scoring and close, dominated by both defenses as the lowly offenses struggle. I’m picking the Ravens because I believe their defense is ever so slightly better, and I can see them making life hell for Kenny Pickett and the Steelers. If Tyler Huntley and Baltimore’s offense puts together just enough good offensive possessions, they will win. A Justin Tucker walkoff field goal feels inevitable in a spot like this.

Bengals 30-27 Bills

Monday, 8:30 PM EST, ESPN

There aren’t many games that I’ve been looking more forward to this season than this clash of giants in primetime. Getting this matchup after the Rose Bowl on Monday evening is better than any Christmas present. These are two Goliaths of their conference and the league as a whole, and feasibly could have been the AFC Championship Game last year. Perhaps it’s a preview of this year’s title game. In any case, I just know that this is going to be a classic between two of the best teams in football. It’s easy to say that it could go either way, but that’s the truth of it. The spread is paper thin for a reason. These teams match up perfectly with one another with each boasting star-studded offenses led by their stellar young QBs in Joe Burrow and Josh Allen and superstar WR1s in Ja’Marr Chase and Stefon Diggs. Both defenses are going through it with injuries but are still plenty capable. While I like Cincinnati’s offense more than Buffalo’s, I give the edge to the Bills’ defense over the Bengals’. It makes this game so hard to pick. But I have to give the edge to Burrow and the Bengals at home. These guys simply win every massive game they play in. They have been much better than the Bills in the last 3 months or so. And I trust Burrow more than I trust Allen. He is far more cautious with the ball, and he has more weapons at his disposal. The Bills will not back down, and their offense will certainly do their thing against a battered Cincy defense, but I just don’t see a world where the Bengals lose a game of this magnitude at home. Their playmakers will do what they have to do down the stretch to set up a late win in an incredible primetime environment. It’s going to be a sight to behold. I can’t wait for it.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 16 Picks

The Christmas weekend slate is more naughty than nice, but this week still has plenty of potential with some pivotal matchups as the playoff picture continues to take shape.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Last Week: 13-3

Season Total: 141-80-2

Jaguars 23-16 Jets

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

These teams are trending in completely different directions. With Zach Wilson starting again for the Jets, they are going nowhere fast and crashing out of the playoffs. The Jaguars, meanwhile, are primed to make a push for the division title, and a massive win on primetime would go a long way in getting there. This is going to be a very tough road test for them against a stout New York defense, but I have the utmost faith in Trevor Lawrence to get the job done. He has been one of the best QBs in the league in the last couple of months, and I think he’s going to put together another great game en route to a victory. He might not put up the biggest numbers in the world, but it won’t be necessary. There’s a better chance than not that Zach Wilson just hands Jacksonville this game on a silver platter.

Bills 27-19 Bears

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Bears have been the same team for several weeks now. They’re competitive thanks to Justin Fields’ dominance and they play everyone close, but they never win. That’s pretty much what I expect to see happen again on Sunday. The Bills are definitely good enough to put away a team like Chicago early, but for some reason, the Bears love hanging around, making them such a difficult team to bet. But there’s no way they win this game, so that makes the straight up pick significantly easier.

Browns 16-10 Saints

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Have you guys seen the forecast for Cleveland on Sunday? It’s going to be frigid, snowy, and ugly. Just take the under in this game and call it a day. In conditions like that, I have to trust the more physical team with a better run game, which is very clearly the Browns. The Saints can definitely push teams around on their best day, but they don’t have many of those nowadays. I do think this game will be extremely competitive as both teams have something to play for, with the Browns still in Wild Card contention and the Saints just a game out of first place in the division. I just like the Browns defense more, and at home, in the awful conditions, I just see Cleveland running it down New Orleans’ battered defense’s throat all game long to eke out a close, hard-fought victory.

Titans 23-17 Texans

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is gross. I want no part of this. I was this close to picking the Texans to win this game, considering how close they played Tennessee in their first matchup. While the Titans keep falling apart, I just don’t think they’re going to stoop that low. This is going to be a tough battle from start to finish for both teams, and I wouldn’t really be shocked if the Texans came away with the win. I just find it too difficult to pick against Tennessee in a spot like this. They need a win desperately, and this is a golden opportunity for them to get one at home.

Chiefs 31-20 Seahawks

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

On paper, this might seem like it could be a super entertaining shootout at Arrowhead. While I think plenty of points will be scored, “shootout” seems like a bit of a stretch. While I hate the Chiefs pass defense, the Seahawks are struggling mightily on offense. This is a golden opportunity for them to get back on track, but it’s not easy to do that on the road against Kansas City. Regardless of how their offense performs, I just don’t know if they’ll be able to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense. He has had to carry them on his back in recent weeks, but I think they can get it going again at home after a couple of tough road games. If Seattle looks like the team we saw a few weeks ago, then they have a great chance at pulling this upset. I just don’t see that happening in a spot like this.

Vikings 26-23 Giants

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Vikings let everyone hang around. They are incapable of winning a game convincingly. So this will naturally be close. But they are the better team and will win this game late, as they always do.

Bengals 24-20 Patriots

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Everyone, including me, thinks this game is going to be close. But I really don’t have a reason why. Going on the road to play the Patriots no longer poses the threat it did when I was growing up, and while their defense is very solid, they aren’t particularly good on offense. The Bengals are great on both sides of the ball and are one of the most complete teams in the league. By all means, they should blow the Pats out of the water. But going on the road in this league is difficult, no matter who you play. After the embarrassing loss last week, it only feels right that New England will hang around in this game. I don’t think they have it in them to get over the top and pull off what would be a mammoth upset to drastically alter the trajectory of the seasons of both of these teams, but they’re not going to go down without a fight.

Lions 20-17 Panthers

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is perhaps the weirdest game of the week to predict. Once again, the Lions are on the road against a feisty defense in a matchup that they could easily lose. Last week, it was the late-game execution of their offense which got the job done, and I don’t see why they can’t do that again. But what I’m looking forward to seeing in this game is their defensive performance. The Panthers couldn’t run the ball whatsoever last week, putting the game in the hands of Sam Darnold, which was obviously a disaster. If the Lions can replicate that, then this one really shouldn’t be close. The problem is that the Lions have the seventh worst run defense in the league. Carolina will be able to establish the run game and run their offense, so it will come down to whichever offense out-executes the other. It’s hard to pick against the Lions in that regard. Moreover, I just can’t pick Sam Darnold again. I do think the Panthers have a great shot to win this one, but I learned my mistake last week and will not make it.

Ravens 13-10 Falcons

Saturday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Ravens are still without Lamar Jackson, meaning Tyler Huntley will start once again in what should be one of the uglier games of the year on Sunday in Baltimore. There might not be 200 combined passing yards in this game between Huntley and Falcons rookie QB Desmond Ridder. It’s going to be a lot of running and a lot of defense for sixty minutes; think of a repeat of the Broncos-Titans game from a few months ago. Like the Browns-Saints game, I think this comes down to the better run game and defense, which both lie with the Ravens. With JK Dobbins back, their run game can hurt you in a multitude of ways, and I don’t see a rookie QB being one to break their defense. It’s going to be close and a disaster to watch, but I have no doubt that Baltimore will pull this out.

49ers 23-10 Commanders

Saturday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

This is probably our toughest game of the season. We were able to go on the road and beat the undefeated Eagles in primetime, but this feels different. Many think the 49ers are better than Philly, and playing their defense is a recipe for disaster, especially with #4 under center. I can already see the multitude of turnovers that he’s going to commit as the offense stays in quicksand for sixty minutes. It feels like San Francisco won’t really have to do that much on either side of the ball to come away with a win here. They’ll have their hands full with our defense, but they might put up more points with their own defense, so it simply will not matter. My only hope is that we can bounce back from this inevitable loss well and close out the season with two strong games at home. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

Eagles 27-24 Cowboys

Saturday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

I know what you’re thinking. How can I pick Gardner Minshew to beat the Cowboys on the road? Well, my answer is pretty simple. The Eagles are still the best team in the NFL across the board, so a backup QB with multiple years in the system can probably step in and execute pretty well. Also, let’s not act like Minshew is a bum. He’s a solid player and he can certainly operate this offense effectively. The Eagles know what’s on the line; they clinch the division and 1 seed with a win. They’re going to come out and play inspired football on both sides of the ball despite the injury to Jalen Hurts. Moreover, this just feels like such a typical Cowboys loss, especially when you consider the trajectory of this team right now. They struggled mightily with the Texans at home and got embarrassed by the Jags last week. People might think they’re going to seize this opportunity to beat a backup QB and keep on pushing for a division title. But that’s not going to happen. Minshew won’t have to do much as his run game and defense carries the Birds to a win and a clinching of the best record in the NFC.

Steelers 23-20 Raiders

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, NFL Network

The tragedy of Franco Harris’ death right before this game can’t be put into words. This game would have been a celebration of one of the most iconic moments in football history as the 50th anniversary of The Immaculate Reception, and Harris would’ve rightfully been honored very well. I’m sure the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh will do everything they can to honor him in a different way. It’s truly an immeasurable loss, and he will be severely missed. It’s hard to even talk about this game because of that. I think Pittsburgh would have been my pick regardless. I like the way they looked last week in Carolina, especially defensively. I do think they will struggle with defending Davante Adams, but if they can replicate their performance against the run to limit Josh Jacobs, then all they have to do is execute their offense with little to no mistakes, and they’ll be fine, regardless of who starts under center.

Dolphins 30-20 Packers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is certainly the best game on Christmas, but the bar is extremely low. This isn’t even that good of a game on paper. By all means, the Dolphins should have their way with the Packers. Their passing game should thrive back at home against a porous defense, and their own defense shouldn’t have too much of a problem with Green Bay’s mixed bag of an offense. I’m expecting a massive day from the Tyreek Hill-Jaylen Waddle duo against the softest secondary they’ve played in a month.

Broncos 17-16 Rams

Sunday, 4:30 PM EST, CBS

It’s really a cruel joke that the NFL’s Christmas present to its fans is this game. Nobody wants any part of this disgusting game between two of the worst teams in the league. This is one of those picks that I just drop here and move on. The only thing I know is that Baker Mayfield is going to struggle mightily against that Broncos defense. That’s the key matchup in this game, and that’s why I’m taking Denver to win.

Buccaneers 24-9 Cardinals

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

There’s really not much to say here. The Cardinals are starting their third string QB in Trace McSorley in primetime against a tough Bucs defense. Despite the memes, everyone knows he’s not very good. It’s hard to envision another 3rd stringer beating Tom Brady this season. Even in a tough road environment in primetime, I think the Buccaneers will dominate from start to finish. They need to string together some good performances if they want to hold onto this division lead, and this is a great chance for them to strengthen their grip at the top. I’d be truly shocked if they let this one slip.

Chargers 23-20 Colts

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Like the Texans and Bears, the Colts are a team that plays everyone close for some reason, but never comes away with wins. Giving up the largest comeback in the history of professional football after their star RB suffered a season-ending injury last week can’t be good for their morale. Perhaps that’s why they’re making yet another QB change, this time starting Nick Foles over Matt Ryan. I don’t know what to expect from Foles in the year of our lord 2022, but I know Indianapolis has it in them to compete at home, and I know that a Team like the Chargers will certainly let them hang around. But I’m not picking against LA right now. They’re one of the hottest teams in the league, and nobody wants to see them now that they’re getting healthy. Justin Herbert will make the plays he needs to for the Chargers to win this game.

All stats taken from ESPN.