Tag: preview

Week 5 Picks

A month of football is in the books, and things have been as unpredictable as ever. Very little is separating most teams in the league, and that’s showing in how mediocre my picks have been. Let’s try to do better this week.

Cover photo taken from Tom’s Guide.

A month of football is in the books, and things have been as unpredictable as ever. Very little is separating most teams in the league, and that’s showing in how mediocre my picks have been. I had another run-of-the-mill outing in Week 4, going 9-7 to bring my season total to 33-30-1. Any and all improvement is a good thing. Let’s try to do better this week.

Broncos 20-13 Colts

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

This is about as awful of a Thursday nighter as we could ask for. It’s made even worse by Jonathan Taylor being out for Indianapolis. Not like he’s doing anything productive this season anyways. The Broncos will also be without their star RB as they’ve lost Javonte Williams for the season with a knee injury, but I feel far more comfortable picking them thanks to their superior roster across the board. For all the woes of their offense, the other side of the ball has been fairly solid all year. It certainly helps to have one of the best homefield advantages going your way as well.

Packers 26-14 Giants

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST, NFL Network

Imagine telling someone a month ago that both of these teams would come into this game with the same record. Despite that being the case, we all know how much better the Packers are. The Giants may be 3-1, but that record holds no weight at all. They are in for a rude awakening in London. It doesn’t help that they might have to rely on a third-string QB with Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor nursing injuries. Against a defense as elite as Green Bay’s that spells disaster. This could be ugly.

Bills 28-17 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

While I understand the sentiment behind Vegas making the Bills a two-touchdown favorite, it’s a little too hard to see it coming to fruition. This isn’t college football, after all. I do think this should still be a resounding win for Buffalo. It remains to be seen what Kenny Pickett can do for Pittsburgh, but I think the team will play with a higher energy level in his first start. Going up against a defense like Buffalo’s will be tough for him, but I think they can put up some points. For that reason, they should at least cover a 14-point spread. But their defense still can’t stop a nosebleed, and the Bills should tear them apart.

Browns 23-20 Chargers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

How the Browns are an underdog at home against a team as thin as the Chargers are is quite confusing to me. Yes, they threw the game away last week and they didn’t put together their best game on either side of the ball. But the Chargers nearly blew a three-possession lead against the worst team in the league and didn’t look all too convincing either. Now, they have to come out east and play a very solid Cleveland team. I just don’t see them winning with the current state of their roster. The Browns should be able to bounce back and put together a more complete performance to notch a huge win at home.

Vikings 26-10 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

No need to overthink this one. The Vikings have had three weeks of wacky, tough games against solid teams. This is a tune-up that they desperately need. Their defense will finally look like they did in Week 1 thanks to playing the worst offense in football, and their offense will likely explode with some big numbers. Divisional games definitely tend to be close, but I just don’t see a world where this one is.

Lions 24-21 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I have absolutely no idea what’s going on with the Patriots at QB, and I don’t think anyone else does either. That makes it damn near impossible to pick them in this game. The Lions also boast the NFL’s best offense, although Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift will likely still be out. But, Jamaal Williams is as good of a RB2 as you could ask for, and the rest of the pass-catchers are more than capable, as we saw last week. The Patriots hung tough against the Packers, but this one just feels different, especially with the uncertainty at QB. Another close loss seems imminent.

Saints 23-17 Seahawks

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Seahawks have been playing better than the Saints as of late, but going into the Superdome and winning is an extremely tall task. The health of key New Orleans players is still in question, but last week showed us that their depth isn’t too big of an issue. Chris Olave has been great in the absence of Michael Thomas and Andy Dalton isn’t the worst backup in the world. This team has had some rotten luck as of late and needs a big home win like this to get their season back on track. Not many people have been able to stop Geno Smith and the Seattle offense (what a sentence), but I think the Saints can get it done.

Dolphins 22-14 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Dolphins could be starting literally anyone at the QB in this game and they’d still win with ease. I will admit that the Jets are playing solid football right now, but this is their toughest test of the season thus far. I fail to see the possibility that they’re able to slow down Miami’s offense or move the ball on their defense. Zach Wilson looked solid in his return, but not good enough to inspire confidence in him taking down a defense like this. I like Teddy Bridgewater and his electric WRs to cut through the New York secondary all game long for a nice bounce-back win.

Buccaneers 30-17 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Like so many other teams I’ve mentioned, the Falcons are playing solid football right now, but this is just way too talk of a task for them. They won last week with Marcus Mariota completing just seven passes all game long. That is not going to fly against a team like the Buccaneers who are absolutely seething after their primetime embarrassment on Sunday night. I think they’re going to bounce back in a huge way and blow their division rival out of the water. Even with Tom Brady dealing with some injuries on his throwing arm, the Bucs should be just fine. They will dominate on both sides of the ball no matter what.

Titans 23-16 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Believe it or not, I was pretty close to picking us here. I don’t know why, but this just feels like one of those games we win to get the fans back into the season before going on a 10-game losing streak. I just couldn’t talk myself into actually picking it. All I had to do was picture the Titans defensive front against Washington’s thin, porous offensive line and Derrick Henry running against our defense to be assured that Tennessee is going to win this game. They’ve been slowly but surely playing better football. The Commanders are going in the complete opposite direction, and this should be another awful loss that could hopefully bring some change.

Jaguars 28-16 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Like I said the other day, if the Jaguars were playing in clear weather on Sunday, they probably could have won. Alas, they suffered a bitter loss, and now get to take it out on the measly Texans. Good for them. This one should be a blowout from start to finish, and the Jags offense should put up huge numbers. The defense is also going to look a lot better when they’re not facing the best rushing team in the NFL in a monsoon. This is as perfect of a scenario for a bounce-back win as you could ask for.

49ers 24-10 Panthers

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

The Panthers are spiraling out of control and are one of the worst teams in the sport that will likely fire their head coach Matt Rhule in the coming weeks. Maybe it’ll be after this blowout loss at the hands of the 49ers. San Francisco is riding the high of their huge primetime win against the Rams last week and are playing with an extreme level of confidence, especially defensively. This is the #1 total and scoring defense in the league that’s absolutely suffocating everyone they play. It doesn’t take much to suffocate Baker Mayfield and the Carolina offense. The Niners offense won’t have to do too much against an admittedly solid Panthers defense to win this one with ease.

Cowboys 20-17 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

That’s right, I’m rolling with Cooper Rush yet again. The Cowboys just give me way more to like than the Rams do, and that has been on display for several weeks now. Dallas’ offense has been more than competent with Rush at QB, and their defense is playing some of the best football of any other team in the league right now, giving up the 3rd fewest points in the league. The Rams offense has looked dreadful all year long, and I definitely see that continuing against a very good defense. Their offensive line has been the worst in the league, and the Cowboys defensive front will feast all game long. It will be far too much to overcome, so all Dallas has to do offensively is put up enough points, and they’ll be just fine.

Cardinals 27-24 Eagles

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

I know what you’re thinking. What on Earth is the merit to picking an upset like this? And honestly, I don’t really know. It’s just my gut feeling. Every Cardinals-Eagles game is guaranteed to be wacky and wild, and I see this one falling right in line with its predecessors. I think the Cardinals are playing much better in recent weeks and shouldn’t be written off at home despite the quality of their opponent. If there’s any QB that can give the Eagles great defense fits, it has to be Kyler Murray with his mobility. Arizona’s offense has been pretty solid even without DeAndre Hopkins, and their defense has been making tons of plays this season. Combine all of that with the fact that this season has already seen a ton of parity and I just think this game has all the makings of an upset. Obviously the Eagles are the far better team on both sides of the ball, but anything can happen on any given Sunday in this league.

Ravens 23-20 Bengals

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

It may not seem like it, but this game is actually one of the biggest of the year thus far. Both of these teams sit at 2-2 with two pretty inexcusable losses, the winner goes to 3-2 and sits atop the division, and the loser goes to 2-3 with a steep climb back up. A lot is at stake here. It’s really hard to pick against the Ravens and Lamar Jackson at home where they’ve been so great in primetime. This is a team that has trailed for all of 14 seconds all season long. I think the Bengals are playing much better after their 0-2 start, but this may be too tough of an environment for them to win in. I think their offense will put up plenty of numbers, but so will Baltimore’s. I think they walk this one off at the buzzer to atone for last week and get a much-needed return to the win column. w

Chiefs 27-17 Raiders

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

The Chiefs are arguably the NFL’s best team and put the league back on notice with last week’s huge win on Sunday night in Tampa. Now, they come back home for another primetime clash against a Raiders team that only just got their first win. So, I think we know how this one is going to go. I do think Vegas will put up a good fight in this one, as they seemingly always do against Kansas City. It’s a divisional game on primetime, so I think a blowout seems a bit far-fetched. But the Chiefs should be able to keep things under control for the majority of the game and win comfortably. Their offense will obviously be flashy, but look for their defense to make some huge plays to shut down the Raiders offense and shut things down late in the game.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 4 Picks

My picks have been freezing cold, but the 2022 season is off to a blazing start through three weeks, and this one promises to keep that fire burning. Here’s how I see Week 4 playing out.

Cover photo taken from People.

October is somehow already upon us as we approach the end of the first quarter of the NFL season. The 2022 campaign has been off to a blazing start through three weeks, and this one promises to keep that going. Last week was perhaps my worst of all time, going a putrid 7-9 to bring my season total to 24-23-1. Surely this is the week it gets better. Surely.

Dolphins 21-20 Bengals

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

Week 4 kicks off with a banger on TNF: a great game with even better uniforms. These are two of the brightest young teams in football, although they’ve had nearly polar opposite starts to their seasons. Miami is the AFC’s lone unbeaten team coming off two mammoth wins over the Bills and Ravens. Meanwhile, the Bengals sit at a measly 1-2, waiting until last week to get their first win over the lowly Jets. Regardless of that, I think this will be a tight game throughout and should be great. Vegas seems to like the Bengals by virtue of being at home, and it’s hard to picture Cincy losing in that white-out environment. But I’ve seen them struggle so hard against great defenses in their first two games. The Dolphins have a defense that just kept Josh Allen and the Bills at bay. While I think the matchup between Miami’s offense and Cincy’s defense is fairly even, I think the flip side will prove to be the difference. I see the Fins defense making enough plays to close things out late in this one.

Vikings 26-21 Saints

Sunday, 9:30 AM EST, NFL Network

Our first London game of the year is one that looks great on paper, but might not be as good as we thought. These are two teams I’ve been pretty confident in, but haven’t given me much to like since their respective opening wins. They are both beat up and now have to deal with the long trip across the pond. So, I have to give the slight edge to the better team, which is clearly Minnesota. They didn’t play their best game last week, but they showed me infinitely more than New Orleans, who was absolutely dead from start to finish in an embarrassing loss. I just trust the Vikings more on both sides of the ball to make the plays necessary to win the game. It would help them (and my fantasy team) quite a lot if Justin Jefferson can get going again, especially with Dalvin Cook nursing an injury.

Browns 23-17 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I actually think this game has some potential to be good. On paper it looks dreadful, but these are fun teams. The Browns are actually good and the Falcons are always feisty. At home, I don’t think it’s impossible for the Falcons to pull an upset. Their offense is competent enough to put points on the board. But I think Cleveland’s defense is too stout, even though they’ll likely be without Myles Garrett. In any case, I think the Browns are too solid offensively to be stopped by Atlanta, whose defense has been gashed all year long.

Cowboys 28-16 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

We’re unveiling the all-black alternates in this game. That’s cool. Perhaps it’ll make this somewhat easier to watch (spoiler alert: it won’t). I don’t care who plays or doesn’t play for Dallas because our guys won’t be able to do a thing against them. They can’t do anything against anyone. I just want to get this blowout out of the way so I can enjoy the rest of my Sunday.

Lions 30-20 Seahawks

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

You can bank on there being a good amount of points scored in this game. The Lions are one of three teams in the league averaging over 30 points per game, with the other two being Baltimore and Buffalo. They could easily be 3-0 on the back of their offense. Seattle’s defense is pretty porous, so Detroit should be able to do their usual damage. I don’t think it will be enough for a Geno Smith-led offense to overcome, but the Lions defense has been very hit or miss. I think this is a great opportunity for them to get their feet under them, but it remains to be seen whether or not they’re capable of it.

Colts 23-20 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Why does every Colts-Titans game feel exactly the same? It’s always so even, almost as if they’re the exact same team. In a situation like this, I’m busting out ol’ reliable and taking Indy by virtue of being the home team. Yes, I’m unoriginal and boring and basic. They also had a much more impressive win last week than Tennessee, so that helps. Moreover, the Colts should be getting a huge boost with Shaq Leonard returning to the lineup on defense. When they’re fully healthy, they’re a competent team. The Titans have yet to show me that.

Giants 17-14 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Nobody wants to watch this game. Nobody is going to watch this game. Alas, it must be picked. By some grace of the football gods, both of these teams are 2-1, which means someone is going to inexplicably be 3-1 by Sunday evening. I’ll take the Giants thanks to Chicago not knowing how to play offense in any capacity. They’re too heavily reliant on their run game, and with David Montgomery potentially being out against a solid Giants front, I don’t know if they’ll be able to ride it to victory. I somehow trust New York to make more plays on offense. That might be the first and last time I say that this year.

Eagles 26-23 Jaguars

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Do people realize how awesome this game is going to be? Not only is it the Doug Pederson revenge game, but these teams are playing some of the most fun football of anyone in the league right now. This might be my most anticipated game of the week. I think it’ll be much closer than Vegas expects, and if Jacksonville was at home, I’d probably pick them to win it. But on the road, an upset seems a bit too out of reach for such a young squad. Philadelphia is just too great on both sides of the ball to lose a game like this. But, I think it’s going to be highly competitive, and an upset wouldn’t shock me at all.

Steelers 19-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Steelers don’t feel like a team worth talking about until Kenny Pickett starts for them. Unfortunately for them, that likely won’t happen this week. You’d have to imagine Mitch Trubisky can get the job done at home against the Jets who will be fielding Zach Wilson on one leg at QB. Their defense is still a question mark with injuries across the board, but I’m putting enough faith in them to stop a team like the Jets.

Ravens 27-24 Bills

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

What a blessing it is to have such a heavyweight fight this early in the season. These are two teams with very real championship aspirations that should give us one of the best games of the week, and perhaps the whole year. While I believe the Bills are the better team, something in my gut is telling me that this will be the week that the Ravens finally put together a complete performance. I’m riding the hot hand of Lamar Jackson and trusting their defense to somehow stop Buffalo’s offense, who is coming off an incredibly exhausting game. On paper, you’d expect the Bills offense to tear Baltimore to shreds. The Ravens are giving up the most total and passing yards per game in all of football with 458 and 353 yards respectively. Moreover, Buffalo has the best total defense (214), second best total offense (441), and the best passing offense (329) in the league. So, the stats all favor Josh Allen and company. But like I said, sometimes you just have to trust your gut.

Chargers 24-19 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Chargers better hope they come out and win this game amidst all their injuries. With them being as beat up as they are, it doesn’t get much easier for them than this. Yes, it’s a road trip, but it’s one against the worst team in the league. If they lose, they’ll be in a 1-3 hole with injuries across the board, and they will be in a whole heap of trouble. I don’t see that happening, but they can’t let it happen under any circumstances. All their offense has to do is score a few touchdowns and they’ll be fine.

Cardinals 27-21 Panthers

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

These are two teams that I haven’t been able to read all season long. So, what gives in this matchup? Well, I still don’t really know. The Panthers are favored at home, but I have no doubts that the Cardinals are the better team from top to bottom. Even with Carolina coming off an impressive win, I somehow feel better about Arizona, who hasn’t scored a touchdown in two weeks. I just like their offense too much to pick against them in a game against an inferior opponent.

Packers 28-10 Patriots

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

This game was never going to be close. With Brian Hoyer being under center for the Patriots for the foreseeable future, that might be the case more often than not for them. In this game, it just makes the scoring margin even wider. Green Bay boasts one of the NFL’s best defense that will make scoring impossible for New England. Their offense should also be able to have their way against a Pats D that got sliced and diced last week. This is a perfect opportunity for the Packers’ new offensive pieces to continue coalescing and getting better.

Raiders 21-17 Broncos

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

This game is an unmitigated disaster on paper. The Broncos have been a mess all year long, and the Raiders have somehow been an even bigger one. This is the NFL’s lone 0-3 team going up against a Denver squad that hasn’t scored more than 16 points in a game this year. So, avert your eyes when this one is on TV. Still, we must pick a winner, so once again, give me the home team. The Raiders have to get off the schneid eventually, and although the Broncos defense is very sharp, this seems like a great opportunity for them to do so.

Buccaneers 24-20 Chiefs

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This fantastic Super Bowl LV rematch on SNF isn’t even close to the biggest story in Tampa this weekend. We can only hope that it will be safe and that the city is ok. I thought the game would be moved, but the NFL is toughing it out amidst the hurricane. They say it should be out of town by Sunday night, but it still feels a bit weird. I don’t know how much the conditions are going to affect this game, but it wasn’t going to change my pick anyways. The Buccaneers defense is simply incredible, giving up an NFL-best 9 (nine!) points per game through three weeks. Against a Chiefs offense, whose number they clearly have dating back to February 2021, that doesn’t have much big play potential, I think they can limit Patrick Mahomes enough to let their offense win the game. Tom Brady gets his WR1 back as Mike Evans returns from suspension, and Chris Godwin and Julio Jones might be on their way back as well. With enough weapons on offense, I trust the Bucs to put up enough points to win any game that their defense dominates. I’m not saying it’ll be a shutdown performance like the Super Bowl was, but it’ll be enough to win.

49ers 24-17 Rams

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers simply have Sean McVay and the Rams’ number. They always have, and they probably always will. Yes, LA got the best of San Francisco in their last matchup in the NFC Championship Game, but we all know the Niners should have won. So, at home in primetime in a massive divisional showdown coming off a tough primetime loss, I think the 49ers are going to bring it. I think they’ll give the defending champs everything they have and win this game. More than anything, I believe their defense, which is 2nd in total yards (227) and third in points (12.3) is going to continue playing excellent football and shut down a Rams offense that is lacking in the juice they had a year ago. Even with Jimmy Garoppolo under center on offense, that’s just how this rivalry game always goes (in the regular season, at least).

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 3 Picks

Last week was quite brutal for my picks, but we can only go up from here with another great slate of games on tap.

Cover photo taken from Sporting News.

Another week is upon us as the young season continues to grow, and this might just be the best one yet. We have some exciting games on tap this weekend, and I can’t wait to get into it. Last week was another fun one to watch, but it was a brutal one for the Picks. Outside of getting my second ever perfect prediction, things were pretty rough. I had another awful performance in Week 2, going a mediocre 8-8 to bring my season total to 17-14-1. Surely we can only go up from here… right?

Browns 20-17 Steelers

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

Week 3 opens on one of the most mid primetime matchups you could possibly imagine. Not all of us would be spending our Thursday night with Jacoby Brissett and Mitch Trubisky if we had anything else to do. Moreover, both of these teams are beat up and coming off tough losses. It should be close and could be fun, but in no situation do I see Pittsburgh coming out of here with a win. Cleveland has the far better roster from top to bottom, and with the Steelers run defense being as poor as it has been through two weeks, I think the Browns will just ride Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt to victory.

Bears 19-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

As if you thought it couldn’t get any worse, we have this game on the schedule. Both of these teams are awful, we know that. But we also all know the Bears are slightly less awful. While the Texans have been more competitive in each game, they’ve played two awful teams. At least we’ve seen Chicago do thinks against competent opponents. This team could use a pick-me-up win. It’s going to be ugly, but the Bears should back above .500.

Raiders 26-23 Titans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is probably the only game this week in which both teams are virtually cooked with a loss. These two 2021 playoff teams are sitting at 0-2 after two brutal losses, and history isn’t kind to teams that start their seasons with three losses in a row. I really want to pick the Titans here, seeing as though they are at home and Vegas has to come out east for a 1pm kick. But they have shown me absolutely nothing to like this season. At least the Raiders were competitive against the Chargers and should have beaten the Cardinals. They’ve shown me more, and for that, I have to trust them to get the job done.

Chiefs 28-24 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Does this game feel… off for anyone else? Or is it just me? Yes, the Colts just got embarrassed in Jacksonville and couldn’t even beat the Texans. But this is a good home team that knows it needs to show up in a huge game like this. It won’t be enough to win, but I really think that Indy is going to give Kansas City all they can handle in this one. I definitely like them to cover the spread. Still, it’s virtually impossible to beat Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in September, and their superior roster will prove to be the difference. Just don’t be shocked if it’s in question for a while.

Bills 29-21 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

I really wanted to pick the Dolphins here. Everything is pointing towards them pulling off this upset. They had the game of their lives last week and now come back home to host the best team in football in an environment that isn’t easy for any road team to win in. I don’t think any extraneous factors will be in play though. I just think these are two great teams that are going to play a great game, and the better one will find a way to win. It’s that simple. I trust Josh Allen way more than I trust Tua Tagovailoa, and I trust the rest of the Bills roster infinitely more than the Dolphins’, especially defensively. Considering what Lamar Jackson did to Miami last week, this is likely going to be another huge day for Buffalo’s offense.

Vikings 30-27 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This is going to be fun. The Lions have been a very exciting team through two weeks, using their star-studded offense to light up the scoreboard. This is the highest scoring team in football, averaging 34.5 points per game, and their defense has been surprisingly good as well. Meanwhile, the Vikings are coming off an embarrassing loss on MNF. I think that teams who suffer tough losses usually bounce back the following week, especially if they’re as good as Minnesota is, and I trust this team to win a close divisional game. They know they’re not as bad as they looked on Monday, and they’ll be out to prove it. This could very well be the game of the week, and I’m very excited to watch it.

Ravens 20-17 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

While I think the Ravens are a far better team than the Patriots are, everything about this screams close game and a potential upset. New England just isn’t a team that’s going to continue to look as bad as they have in the first two games of the season. Lamar Jackson is also nursing an elbow injury that could limit Baltimore’s now-explosive pass attack. They could be getting JK Dobbins back in this game, which would be huge. Regardless, they should be able to ride their run game to victory. It’s going to be a hard-fought battle, and the better team is going to win it.

Bengals 27-20 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Jets pulled off a miracle last week, but it’s time to return to Earth. This is a very bad team that was down 13 with 90 seconds left last week thanks to a porous defense. The offense has actually been solid with Joe Flacco at the helm thanks to the emergence of rookie WR Garrett Wilson, but now they face a stout Bengals defense. Cincinnati is desperate to get their first win, and this is the perfect opportunity for them to do so. The offense should be able to feast on a horrible Jets secondary en route to a victory. New York could stick around for a bit, but I just don’t think they have it in them to win this one.

Eagles 31-19 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

We all saw the Eagles on Monday night. We all saw the Commanders on Sunday. Does anything else really need to be said? Philadelphia is dominant on both sides of the ball with their dynamic offense and lockdown defense. Washington has an offense that picks and chooses when they want to function properly and one of the worst defenses in football with the worst DC in the league. This one really shouldn’t be close. I know divisional games are usually scrappy fights, but not when one team is as overmatched as the Commanders are here. This will be over by halftime, but the offense will do that thing where they put up some numbers in the second half to make it look respectable. Typical.

Saints 24-10 Panthers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Even in a loss, the Saints showed us what they’re made of last week. This is a very solid team with a fantastic defense and an offense full of playmakers. The Panthers, meanwhile, are an absolute joke on both sides of the ball that simply doesn’t know how to win games. Like the divisional game above, this one should not be close at all. New Orleans is the far better team across the board and shouldn’t break a sweat in pulling off this victory.

Chargers 24-20 Jaguars

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, CBS

This one should be fun. The Chargers have proven themselves as one of the NFL’s elite contenders, and the Jaguars are finally looking like the team they want to be thanks to the impacts of their new signings and draftees and the development of Trevor Lawrence. Los Angeles is definitely the better team, but I have concerns about Justin Herbert’s health after getting beat up last week. I think it could affect how dangerous the Chargers offense can be, and it’ll be enough to let Jacksonville hang around for a while. It’ll be back and forth, but the better team will come out on top. Look for LA’s defense to make some of the game-changing plays.

Cardinals 31-27 Rams

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

This is as big as it gets for a division matchup this early in the season. Both of these teams have been roller coasters through two weeks, and the winner of this game will be feeling much better about themselves than the loser. In an NFC West with a ton of questions, a win is imperative to separate yourself early in the season. Quite frankly, I don’t trust either of these teams to do so. Not only are they playing very questionable football, but I just don’t really think much of either squad. They’re on essentially the same level in my mind. So, I’ll rock with the home team, which has honestly shown me more to like. The Cardinals’ comeback win was more inspiring than anything the Rams have done this season. I think they can carry that momentum into this matchup in a huge way and come away with a much-needed win.

Seahawks 21-20 Falcons

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

Once again, these two teams are exactly the same in my head. I actually think the Falcons are slightly better, but it is very hard to win in Seattle, and I think that’ll make the difference here. While Atlanta has been much more competitive this season, the Seahawks are simply different when they play at home. Even though the team is awful, their home field advantage is real. It will be the only thing separating these two teams on Sunday.

Buccaneers 23-16 Packers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

Simply put, the Buccaneers have the Packers’ number, and it’s largely thanks to their incredible defense. That defense is what’s carrying the team at this point, and it will need to continue to do so this week with WR Mike Evans serving a one-game suspension. Considering how Green Bay’s offense has looked through two weeks, I think they will be able to keep things under wraps and let Tom Brady and the offense win the game. To me, the key piece in this one is Leonard Fournette. We all saw the Packers get gashed on the ground by the Bears last week, and Fournette has been racking up yards like crazy in his first two games. I think Tampa can score enough by relying on their run game, and their defense will do the rest against a Green Bay offense still struggling to find its identity.

49ers 22-17 Broncos

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

This game was a lot more appealing three weeks ago. Now it just feels like a big pile of nothing. The Broncos have been one of football’s most unwatchable teams this year, and the 49ers have Jimmy Garoppolo back at the helm. I think it’s safe to say this won’t be the most entertaining primetime game in the world. I actually feel like the Broncos have the edge in this game with being at home, but that didn’t do much for them last week against the worst team in football. So, I’ll roll with the much better team and roster in the Niners, despite the fact that they’re dealing with a plethora of offensive injuries. San Francisco’s defense could prove to be the difference, which wouldn’t shock me considering the incompetent offense they’re going up against.

Cowboys 20-13 Giants

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

It took three weeks, but we have our first NFC East primetime game of the year! Football fans everywhere rejoice! Cooper Rush vs. Daniel Jones is probably going to be as brutal as it sounds, but this could still be fun. At the very least, it’ll be close, as so many of these games tend to be. The only exceptional unit in this game is the Cowboys defense, which has been more impressive than I could have imagined against two very good offenses. The Giants have scraped by with two close wins that don’t move me, and against an actually good team, they won’t have much going for them. It’ll be scrappy, but Dallas should win this game with relative ease.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 2 Picks

After a remarkably fun first week of football, Week 2 promises to continue the excitement of the young season. Here are my picks for this week’s slate of games.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

The first week of the NFL season is in the books, and it was a doozy. So many crazy things have already happened in just 17 games, and we could be in for some more drama this week. This is a great slate of games that should provide some more great moments as the young season continues to get underway. Amidst all the chaos, I went a measly 9-6-1 in Week 1. Let’s try to have a bounce back week, shall we?

Chiefs 27-24 Chargers

Thursday, 8:15 PM EST, Prime Video

Even against a team as good as the Chargers, picking against the Chiefs in September is sacrilegious, especially in Arrowhead. I think this game is going to be a blast, and it’s always fun to have the week’s best game as its first. Every time Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert face off, fireworks ensue. The promise of this game speaks for itself and is even further amplified by how great both of these teams looked in Week 1. The matchup I’m most interested in is LA’s defense trying to contain the Chiefs offense, which looked as dominant as ever last Sunday. If they can, then it’ll be up to the Chargers without their top WR in Keenan Allen to muster up enough offense to win the game. In Kansas City, with #15 doing what he does, it’s just too hard to visualize that coming to fruition.

Browns 26-16 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Browns looked much better than I thought they would last week, and the Jets somehow looked worse than I imagined. That makes this pick rather easy. New York is easily football’s worst team right now, and continuing to start Joe Flacco at QB doesn’t help that situation whatsoever. I have infinitely more faith in Jacoby Brissett, who looked solid last week for the Browns. Most importantly, Cleveland’s rushing attack and defense are good enough to beat most other opponents on their own, and they should ride both of those to a very easy victory.

Commanders 28-27 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This might be the biggest tossup of the week. The Commanders had a nice game last week in their comeback win while the Lions’ furious attempt at one failed. Both of these teams showed some flashes in Week 1, but their weaknesses were also on full display. The common thread was offensive explosiveness at times but incompetence at others as well as some porous defense sprinkled in. With Washington playing a much more complete game last week, it’s hard to pick against them here. Detroit’s defense was nonexistent whereas the Commanders were able to get consistent pressure and stops to win the game. And while the Lions offense might be a bit spookier, Washington’s playmakers showed out in a huge way last week. Against another weak defense, I can see a repeat performance with them squeaking out another close win.

Saints 23-20 Buccaneers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I am done making the same mistake. I have picked the Bucs to beat the Saints every time since Tom Brady arrived in Tampa, and every time New Orleans manages to pull off a win. So, if the Buccaneers actually manage to win this game, you’ll know why! And if you’re curious, yes, that is the only reason I’m picking the Saints here. I like Tampa better on both sides of the ball, even with Chris Godwin out with yet another injury. That being said, I do think very highly of New Orleans, and their offense showed what they’re capable of last week. If their defense tightens up from how they began that game, then they could very easily give a battered Bucs offense trouble and allow their offense to win the game. That has to be the formula, as it has been every other time they’ve beaten this team in the last two seasons.

Panthers 20-17 Giants

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

This game admittedly looks awful on paper, but perhaps it won’t be the worst game ever. The Panthers showed some flashes at the end of their game last week and arguably should have won, and the Giants actually did pull away with a win thanks to their offensive ability although they arguably should have lost. So, while this game might not look interesting, there’s actually quite a lot going on underneath the surface. While I think New York looked like the better team in Week 1, I just don’t like this matchup for them. They got cut up by Dontrell Hilliard out of the backfield last week, so who knows what Christian McCaffrey has in store for them. While the Panthers run defense was dreadful and Saquon Barkley likely sees food against them, I don’t think the Giants will be able to do enough offensively to make up for their defensive shortcomings. In all honesty, this game comes down to which QB will make the game-losing decision. And though it’s very close, I trust Baker Mayfield just a tad more than Daniel Jones.

Steelers 24-19 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Remember when this game used to mean something? Yeah, those were good times. Now it’s just an absolute eye sore. At least the Steelers put on a very fun show in their Week 1 win and have enough players to enjoy watching them play. The Patriots, on the other hand, looked like one of the worst teams in the league last week, and I have no faith in them to do anything at this point. Against another tremendous defense, Mac Jones and the offense will once again be stifled, even with the Steelers missing TJ Watt. I do think New England’s defense can limit Mitch Trubisky and keep them lingering around in this game, but it won’t be enough to win this game. If there’s any week for the Patriots to fix their image, it’s this one, but I don’t see it happening.

Jaguars 25-22 Colts

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Though the Jaguars lost and the Colts tied last week, Jacksonville showed me more than Indianapolis did. Combine that with the fact that the Colts seem to forget how to play football every time they travel to Jacksonville and you have the perfect recipe for an “upset” on Sunday. I like what the Jags are doing, as their revamped offense looked pretty solid last week despite some mistakes and redzone woes. Their defense still isn’t there, but Travon Walker had a stellar debut fitting for a #1 overall pick. While the Colts came closer to a win, they struggled mightily for three quarters against an awful Texans team. Their offense figured themselves out and the defense was able to take the ball away, but it was all too little too late. If Indy can do that more consistently across the course of this game, they should be able to win with ease. But I just have a feeling about the Jaguars this week.

Ravens 23-17 Dolphins

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

This is one of the better games of the week on paper, but be wary of it not exactly living up to the hype. Both of these teams feasted on vastly inferior opponents in Week 1, so their first games against real teams might be a bit sluggish. Still, the stars will be out for this one, and it should be a fun one. Both Miami and Baltimore won in the exact same fashion last week, using a dominant defense to shut down the other team while the offense did just enough for it to be out of reach. If that’s the formula, then the better offense should be the one to overcome the opposing defense win this game. While the Dolphins probably have the more high-powered offense, I can’t trust Tua Tagovailoa to win a game with his arm. I can, however, trust Lamar Jackson, especially at home. The massive gap between these two QBs is the differentiator in this game.

Rams 29-19 Falcons

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

The Rams need a bounce-back win more than any other team in football after being humiliated in the opener. Luckily for them, the football gods have gifted them the Atlanta Falcons on their schedule. We might not see Atlanta play three quarters better than the first three of their season. I expect most of the rest of their season to be like that fourth quarter, filled with mistakes and incompetence. LA is an angry team right now, and while I still don’t rate them too highly, they can certainly capitalize on playing an awful opponent and grab what should be one of the easier wins of the season.

49ers 24-17 Seahawks

Sunday, 4:05 PM EST, FOX

San Francisco is another team that could definitely use the boost of a win after a subpar Week 1. While the Seahawks might be a tougher out this year than I imagined, I also recognize that there was a level of juice and emotion to their game last week that won’t be present for the rest of the season. This will likely be a tougher game for them, and I trust the Niners to bounce back with an imperative win. The world will once again be watching to see if Trey Lance can live up to the expectations placed on his shoulders. This is a great chance for him to prove the doubters wrong, but if he lays another dud, then there will be a lot of questions to be answered in the Bay.

Bengals 31-13 Cowboys

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

The Cowboys didn’t have a chance to win this game when Dak Prescott was still healthy. With Cooper Rush as their QB, this one will probably be over at halftime. The Bengals played far from their best game last week, especially with Joe Burrow committing a whopping five turnovers, but they still should have come away with a win. Their offense finally buttoned up and got back to their dominant ways. Going up against a secondary as weak as Dallas’ means that everyone in black is in for a huge game. The question here isn’t whether or not Cincinnati will win, but how much they will win by and what kind of stats they can put up.

Broncos 20-10 Texans

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

Considering the performance of both of these teams from last week, this might just be Week 2’s worst game. It should be a boring slog from start to finish on Sunday evening in Denver. No matter what the game itself looks like, I don’t see any outcome other than a Broncos win. Like so many other teams this week, they need a win to feel good about themselves after a poor first game. Playing one of the worst teams in football is always a good way to get that win. Russell Wilson and the offense should be able to bounce back, and when the defense shuts things down for Houston, the Broncos can ride to victory with ease.

Raiders 31-27 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

If you like shootouts, this is your game of the week. There are going to be points all over the place in this one. Neither of these teams possess a very good defense, which was on full display in Week 1. So, this comes down to whichever offense can make more fireworks go off to win the game. To me, the Raiders have the edge there, and it’s in large part thanks to Davante Adams. The best WR in football had a huge debut in the silver and black last week against a secondary much better than the one he’s facing this week. I expect another huge game out of him, and as long as he keeps getting fed the ball, Las Vegas will put up more than enough points to overcome Arizona.

Packers 26-17 Bears

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

Death. Taxes. The Packers beating the Bears on Sunday Night Football. The annual tradition returns this week and football fans everywhere are thrilled! Despite the counter-intuitive records of both of these teams, the Packers are the much better team and should win this game with ease. I was very impressed with the Bears ability to win last week, but going up to Lambeau and replicating that performance will be a challenge. While they were simply the team that made more plays in a monsoon in Week 1, they now have to overcome their nemesis Aaron Rodgers in his own home. Even though Green Bay’s offense isn’t what it once was, that’s not going to happen. I think they’ll be much more polished offensively on Sunday night, especially in the passing game. In any case, their defense should be able to contain Justin Fields and Chicago pretty easily.

Bills 30-14 Titans

Monday, 7:15 PM EST, ESPN

Though the Titans always seem to give the Bills fits, this game feels as lopsided as any in Week 2. It helps that Buffalo looks like the scariest team in football that’s seemingly unstoppable. But Tennessee also lost to the Giants of all teams last week, and though they should have won, I don’t like the way they played at all. Derrick Henry was a non-factor for them, so it’s hard to imagine he’ll be any better against a defense as good as the Bills’. Moreover, if the Titans defense got torched by Daniel Jones, then I can’t imagine what Josh Allen has in store for them. If history repeats itself and this game is much closer, then I won’t be surprised. But this just feels like another blowout in the making for football’s best team.

Eagles 27-24 Vikings

Monday, 8:30 PM EST, ABC

Week 2 concludes with another tremendous heavyweight fight in primetime. These are two of my most hyped teams of this season, and they both did their thing last week. Minnesota may have been much more dominant and impressive than Philadelphia was, but there’s no doubt that the Eagles still have what it takes to compete with the best teams in the league. They’re going to need to play a much tighter game on Monday night if they want to beat a Vikings team that looks as good as any on both sides of the ball. Luckily for them, I think they’ll do just that. Their defense played a great game outside of garbage time where they let up just enough to let the Lions back into the game. Their offense was firing on all cylinders both on the ground and through the air, especially with AJ Brown playing a dominant game. The Vikings looked even better on both sides of the ball, with their defense suffocating Green Bay all day long while Justin Jefferson went bonkers on offense, but it will be hard to replicate that performance in a raucous environment in Philly on Monday night. I think they are the better team in this game, but the circumstance might be too hard to overcome.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Week 1 Picks

The 2022 NFL season finally kicks off tonight, followed by a fascinating slate of games this weekend. Here are my picks for Week 1.

Cover photo taken from Yahoo Sports.

Welcome to kickoff. Our waiting has finally come to an end as the 2022 NFL season gets underway tonight. Week 1 is always a blast, and the opening slate of games this year promise to be no different. It’s time for teams to put all the questions to bed and finally go out and play. And we, the fans, are oh so lucky to watch it all unfold. Let’s get into my picks for the opening week of the season.

Bills 31-23 Rams

Thursday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

The 2022 season kicks off with a potential Super Bowl preview between the defending champion Rams and the title favorite Bills in Los Angeles. I can think of no better way to start the season than with a game like this. We’re getting all the starpower in the world on full display as the first regular action of the season. These teams match up quite well with one another on paper, but as I said yesterday, I don’t like the moves the Rams made in free agency coming off of their Super Bowl win. I think they’re worse defensively, especially up front. It’s quite poetic that they lost Von Miller to Buffalo and now he’s lining up against them in the first game of their title defense. It’s just going to be too hard for LA to stop Josh Allen and company in their very first game with this downgraded unit. Their offense is good enough to keep them in this game, but I think the superior defense of the Bills will prove to be the difference in the clutch. Buffalo opens their potential season of dreams with a win.

Saints 24-10 Falcons

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

The Saints are destined to bounce back from last season’s misery in a huge way. Luckily, the schedule-makers gifted them a free win to start their season. The Falcons are arguably football’s worst team. With New Orleans having one of the best overall rosters in football, this one shouldn’t be close. I’m personally very excited to see their offense back at full strength with Jameis Winston, Alvin Kamara, and especially Michael Thomas and Chris Olave. Look for the rookie to make a huge impact in his NFL debut. Defensively, the Saints should shut down whoever the Falcons throw out on offense all game long en route to one of their easier victories of the year.

49ers 27-13 Bears

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Like the game directly above, this one is a total mismatch. The 49ers boast perhaps the best roster in the NFL, while the Bears might have the saddest one. The biggest question in this game will be Trey Lance, and everyone’s eyes will be fixated on him as he makes his first start as the guy for San Francisco. I think he should thrive in their offense all year long, and it doesn’t get much easier than this for him to settle in. Meanwhile, the Niners defense should feast on a horrible Chicago offensive line and make life hell for Justin Fields, although he had a pretty nice game against them last year. While I’d love for the Bears to make some noise in this game, logic is pulling me in the exact opposite direction.

Bengals 24-19 Steelers

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Everyone is wondering whether or not the Bengals can run back their improbable success from 2021 and build a new powerhouse in the AFC. It all starts with this game against their bitter rival with plenty of questions of their own. The Steelers have made the decision to rock with Mitch Trubisky as their starting QB, and while I think that’s the wrong decision, I don’t think it makes them that much worse. However, Cincinnati might prove to be too tall of a task to open the season. The Bengals have too much firepower offensively, and if the last few weeks of last season was any indication, their defense is pretty stout as well. These AFC North games typically prove to be slugfests, and while I like Pittsburgh’s defense, I’m taking the unit that shows me more to like. And if this one comes down to the wire, it’s no question that I’d rather have Joe Burrow.

Eagles 30-14 Lions

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

I really like the direction both of these teams are heading in, but it’s no secret that the Eagles are a far better squad as of right now. The Lions have a good thing going, but it’ll still be a while before it all comes to fruition. Meanwhile, Philly is ready to seize the moment and show the league what they’re made of this year. I think they’re going to come out with their new-look offense and revamped defense and absolutely thwart Detroit from start to finish in a dominant win. I can’t wait to see what Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, and A.J. Brown do in their first game together. The the other side of the ball should be a delight to watch as well. I wouldn’t doubt the Lions’ ability to move the ball with their offense, but I think points will be too hard to come by for them to keep up for four quarters.

Dolphins 21-16 Patriots

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Even with their flashy new offense, it’s hard to believe this game won’t be a grind for the Dolphins. New England always plays them close and hard, and this game should be no different despite the overwhelmingly new circumstances in Miami. However, I have no doubt that their superior offensive talent will put them over the top in this game. The Patriots are just a weird team on both sides of the ball, and I have no idea what their identity is coming into this game. At least I know what I’m going to get with the Dolphins, and they might shock me offensively. I’m very intrigued to see what their offense looks like with Tyreek Hill, who always seems to pop off against the Patriots. Even if he’s stifled, Miami should be able to make enough plays to win this one.

Ravens 31-17 Jets

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

Joe Flacco facing his former team for the first time has to be the most underrated storyline of Week 1, right? Why is nobody talking about this? Well, perhaps because the Jets are awful and this is a pretty terrible game on paper. The Ravens are the much better team and should handle this game with ease. I am excited to see how their offense looks, and especially interested to see how their defense performs with so many exciting new pieces. But other than that, there’s nothing really to see here. Just a good team beating up on a bad one.

Jaguars 23-20 Commanders

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, FOX

Oh brother. Can you think of any better way for the Commanders era of Washington football to start than a home loss to the worst team in football from the year before? Because I can’t! As much as I’d love to be optimistic about this game and this season, I just know what lies ahead: more embarrassment and sadness. This is how it begins. But, it’s not just the depression that comes with the Commanders. As I outlined the other day, I think the Jaguars had a very good offseason and will bring a level of energy to this game that Washington simply lacks. Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne will likely have their way with a porous defense from a year ago. I can’t put any faith in Carson Wentz to do the same thing considering that the last game he played was the embarrassing loss to Jacksonville. If he led his team to victory in that game, he wouldn’t be my QB today. So, what better way to start his tenure in DC than by kicking it off with the same result as the reason he’s here?

Panthers 20-17 Browns

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

If I’m being completely honest, there’s really no reason for the Browns to lose this game. But, I have agendas to push, and I’d really like to see Baker Mayfield exact his revenge on the team in his first game outside of Cleveland. Carolina does not match up well in this game at all, but it’s a bit hard to put any faith in a Browns team led by Jacoby Brissett. I do think their defense can carry them to victory, but I just don’t want to pick them. If the Browns can ignore logic and sense when making moves for a rapist QB, then I can also ignore logic and sense when it comes to picking their games!

Colts 28-13 Texans

Sunday, 1:00 PM EST, CBS

The Colts are one of the most puzzling teams in the league heading into this season, but this should not be a challenge at all for them. Houston is arguably the worst team in the league with absolutely nothing to play for. Indy is in the midst of a new era with Matt Ryan at QB, but he is more than serviceable, and this team will see a good deal of success in 2022. There’s no easier way to start than being spoon-fed a win against your division rival. Look for Jonathan Taylor to kick off another potential MVP campaign with a massive game while the Colts defense flexes their colors against a putrid Texans offense.

Titans 22-10 Giants

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

Why do we have so many lopsided matchups in Week 1? This might be the worst one of them all. It’s not necessarily because the Titans are that good, despite being last year’s 1 seed in the AFC. It has more to do with how dreadful the Giants are. New York is a team already looking ahead to who they’ll draft with a top 3 selection next April. Tennessee should crush them, especially with their dominant defensive front. The offense won’t need to do too much, which is good news for Derrick Henry, who should have an even heavier load to carry this season.

Vikings 29-27 Packers

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, FOX

What a great game this is going to be. I have such high hopes for the Vikings in 2022, and there’s no better way for them to show everyone else their potential than by opening with a victory over their division rival and defending 1 seed. If this game was at Lambeau, I’d easily pick Green Bay, but I just have a feeling about Sunday evening in Minneapolis. I think their star-studded offense is built to overcome great defenses like the Packers have, and their improved defense can certainly shut down an offense with Allen Lazard as its WR1. You can never count out Aaron Rodgers no matter who he’s throwing the ball to, but something tells me this first game without Davante Adams will be a learning curve. The Packers won’t lose many games in 2022, but I can see this being one of them.

Chiefs 33-27 Cardinals

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

If you like offense, tune into CBS on Sunday evening. It may be the first game without Tyreek Hill in Kansas City, but I have the utmost faith in Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to still be an elite offensive threat. The Cardinals should also be exciting on that side of the ball, even without DeAndre Hopkins. While you can make the argument that both of these teams are good enough on defense to prevent this from being a shootout, this game just has a back-and-forth feel to it. So, take the over. It’s virtually to bet against Mahomes and KC in the month of September, so I’ll rock with them. In any case, I think this could end up being one of the most entertaining games of the week.

Chargers 31-21 Raiders

Sunday, 4:25 PM EST, CBS

There likely isn’t a Week 1 game featuring two teams that people want to see more than this one. The Chargers are the sneaky Super Bowl pick in the AFC after a terrific offseason, and the Raiders made a huge splash in getting WR Davante Adams to help them out in their division push. Every time these teams get together, it’s an absolute blast, and I don’t see this one going any different. However, I do think LA should have a comfortable grip on this game from start to finish. Their defense is much better than Vegas’, and they should feast on an absolutely porous offensive line. I do think the Raiders offense will put up their numbers, but points will be a commodity for them. Meanwhile, I can’t wait to see what Justin Herbert, my personal pick for MVP, does in his season debut. I have extremely high hopes for him and his team, and I’d hate for them to let me down in Week 1. All things considered, that would actually be the most Chargers outcome here.

Buccaneers 27-24 Cowboys

Sunday, 8:20 PM EST, NBC

It doesn’t get much bigger than a Sunday Night Football clash between Tom Brady and the Cowboys in Week 1. Even with an injury-riddled offense to start the year, I find it far too difficult to bet against Tom Brady. In his first game since his non-retirement, he should be able to feast against a terrible Cowboys secondary as long as his now-subpar offensive line gives him enough time to get throws off. Meanwhile, the Dallas offense, which is worse just about everywhere compared to 2021, won’t have much room to work against a fantastic Bucs defense. However, this is primetime, and you have to imagine that this game will remain close for its entirety. Just think back to last year’s season opener in Tampa. Regardless, I see the exact same result here, with the Buccaneers walking it off with a FG and leaving more Cowboys fans in misery.

Broncos 28-10 Seahawks

Monday, 8:15 PM EST, ESPN

Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle in his Broncos debut makes for one of the most fascinating storylines of the entire season. However, that’s the only interesting thing going on in this game. This should be an absolute wash for Denver. They’re infinitely better than the Seahawks at just about everything. I don’t even know if Seattle has it in them to score a single touchdown in this game. 10 points might be the most generous total I give them all year long. Meanwhile, I’m very excited to see how Russ and the Broncos offense performs in their first game of the year. My biggest question is, who will emerge as the true WR1 in this offense? And will they be effective enough to compete with the other great offenses of the AFC? Monday night’s game won’t give us all the answers, but it will definitely be a good indicator of how the Broncos are riding into this season.

All stats taken from ESPN.

2022 NFC Preview and Predictions

The NFC is still as top-heavy as ever, but an offseason full of huge moves and intriguing storylines has brought us to a point where anybody can surprise us in 2022. Here’s my preview of the NFC this season, along with my playoff picks.

Cover photo taken from Sports Illustrated.

Much like last year, the NFC in 2022 is oil and water. Every division has one or two great teams to go alongside some pretty awful ones. The conference is still top-heavy with the likes of Green Bay, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles, and others being contenders, but this season promises to be a bit more balanced than last year. There are some newcomers amongst the elite, and I can’t wait to see who emerges as the next powerhouses in a conference that desperately needs a shakeup. Let’s preview how the NFC will play out this season.

NFC East

1st: Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

The Eagles overachieved in 2021 en route to a playoff appearance. Their postseason stay may have been brief, but there was no questioning that the future in Philly was bright. All they followed that up with was arguably the best offseason of any team in the league. They nailed free agency, making splash defensive acquisitions like Haason Reddick and Kyzir White to provide a much-needed boost to the linebacking group and picking up James Bradberry to help the secondary. They absolutely nailed the draft, picking monster DT Jordan Davis with their first of two first-round picks, then trading the other to Tennessee for superstar WR A.J. Brown. They then had All-American LB Nakobe Dean inexplicably fall to them in the third round to provide further help to the aforementioned linebacker room. Most recently, they fleeced the Saints for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who provides another terrific element of playmaking and lockdown ability to the secondary. After a slow start last year, the Eagles picked things up thanks to the improved play of the defense and especially QB Jalen Hurts, who could continue to develop into a truly elite dual threat QB. After improving drastically on both sides of the ball, it’s hard not to imagine this team as not just a division contender, but a Super Bowl threat as well.

2nd: Dallas Cowboys (11-6)

For once, I’m actually being quite nice to the Cowboys. I think it’s quite generous to be giving this team 11 wins. There are questions all over the place in Dallas. Just look back to 2021 where they were on absolute fire then fizzled out with an embarrassing playoff loss at home. Offensively, they just lost WR Amari Cooper, G La’el Collins, and T Tyron Smith, leaving them with a subpar offensive line and only two serviceable receivers on the outside. I do think CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup are a solid WR duo, but their OL problems will hold them back significantly. They already had trouble running the football with Ezekiel Elliott continuing to regress, and now even more of the load falls on Dak Prescott’s shoulders. Defensively, this team is just weird. There are bonafide stars in the front seven like Demarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons, but other than that, this is a very questionable unit. The secondary is bad, whether you like it or not, and they did nothing to get better this offseason. So, we have a worse offense with a significantly worse line, an equally bad defense, and Mike McCarthy is somehow still the head coach. So, yes, 11 wins is generous. Regardless, this is not a playoff team.

3rd: Washington Commanders (7-10)

Sigh. It truly never ends. The inaugural season as the Commanders isn’t exactly shaping up to be a great one. I thought this team had a decent offseason, but nothing special. The only notable move was bringing in Carson Wentz to take over the QB spot, which was a move I haven’t felt good about since the day it happened. They were able to re-sign WR Terry McLaurin to a huge deal, which is massive for this team and for this franchise as a whole. The offense still has some nice pieces, and I really liked the Jahan Dotson pick in the first round, and trading down seemed to be fruitful in the process. The defense is still awaiting the return of Chase Young, but the rest of the unit still has plenty of talent. The problem is that the talent they have never shows on the field. We can blame it on scheme, coaching, ability, weather, or anything else. For some reason this defense just does not show up. With the offense not being anything special to put the team over the top and the coaching staff still being as incompetent as it is, it just doesn’t feel like Washington is built to win a lot of games, even with one of the NFL’s easiest schedules. It’s just going to be 2021 part two. So, we’re running back the same team from last year. Remind me what their record was again?

4th: New York Giants (2-15)

I don’t think the Giants are the worst team in football. That being said, I’m projecting this team to finish with the NFL’s worst record and have the #1 pick in the draft next April. There is simply nothing to like with this team. For starters, their QB is still Daniel Jones, which inspires less than zero confidence in their offense to do anything. It doesn’t help that they have a WR group full of injury prone bums like Kenny Golladay and Darius Slayton. The offensive line could be solid if the young tackle duo of Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal pans out, but it’s hard to project if they will or not. And while Saquon Barkley used to be one of the most dynamic players in the NFL, he is now a perma-injured liability out of the backfield. The defense isn’t as somber, with some very nice pieces in the front seven like Azeez Ojulari, Leonard Williams, and the first round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux. But the secondary is genuinely putrid, and I don’t see the Giants being able to stop most teams on their schedule. They’re going to lose a lot of games in embarrassing fashion. It won’t be at the fault of new HC Brian Daboll, but this season is already a wash in New York.

NFC North

1st: Green Bay Packers (13-4)

The Packers had one of the most Packers seasons in 2021: dominate the league all year long, get Aaron Rodgers another MVP, lose a home playoff game in embarrassing fashion, have a weird offseason, wash, rinse, repeat. It’s getting a little tiring at this point. Despite all the wackiness and the immense hole left behind by trading away the best WR in football in Davante Adams, Green Bay is still a great football team that will see a lot of success. This team had a very good offseason, highlighted by Aaron Rodgers signing the most lucrative annual deal in NFL history. They did lose Adams but have some promising replacements in Sammy Watkins and rookies Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson. And the defense is still arguably the best in the NFL, boasting an incredible front seven that lost Za’Darius Smith but gained Jarran Reed as well as first-round rookies Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker. The secondary remains stacked as well with Jaire Alexander leading the way. This team is simply too talented to be anything but great, and I’m pretty sure Aaron Rodgers could put up MVP numbers with me as his WR1. I’m not saying this is the year they finally get over the hump and win another title, but they should have this division in the bag fairly easily.

2nd: Minnesota Vikings (12-5)

Simply put, the Vikings should be of the NFL’s most improved teams heading into this season. Last year should have been far more successful than it was thanks to horrible defense and incompetent coaching. Now, Mike Zimmer is gone, so both of those should be put to bed. Enter Kevin O’Connell, the Sean McVay disciple who could somehow make this offense even better. Whether you like it or not, Kirk Cousins is a very good QB who had perhaps his best season ever in 2021. Dalvin Cook is still one of the NFL’s most dynamic running backs, and Justin Jefferson is a bonafide superstar who could emerge as the best WR in the NFL soon. Defensively, they got a huge boost to the pass rush by signing Za’Darius Smith and Harrison Phillips in free agency and bolstered the secondary by drafting Lewis Cine and Andrew Booth Jr., who were both standouts in college. Other standouts like Harrison Smith and Danielle Hunter are still there as well. This team simply can’t be as unlucky as they were last year. It’s a very, very good unit that should see a lot more success and a lot less dysfunction. They’re a surefire playoff team to me, and I think they could make some noise once they get there.

3rd: Detroit Lions (5-12)

You know, the Lions actually aren’t that bad. I like what Detroit has going on inside the building. I do think Dan Campbell is a great football guy and a coach I’d love to play for, but I just don’t know about him as an Xs and Os guy. Regardless, he has a solid unit to work with. Yes, Jared Goff is still the QB, but the rest of the offense has some legitimate stars in D’Andre Swift, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and T.J. Hockenson. They added DJ Chark in free agency and made a splash for Jameson Williams (who will albeit miss a good chunk of time) in the draft to further strengthen their receiving corps. The offensive line is pretty good as well, especially as 2021 first-rounder Penei Sewell continues to develop and get better. But, anyone who owned some of those players in fantasy last year will tell you that offense wasn’t why the Lions were the second worst team in the league last year. Their defense was horrible on all fronts, and they were able to address it in a pretty big way this offseason. Most notably, they took DE Aidan Hutchinson with the #2 overall pick, and while I’d love to push narratives, I think he’s going to run away with the DROY award. They already have a solid front seven with guys like Michael Brockers, Charles Harris, and Alex Anzalone. Still, secondary is the weakest link of this whole team that will continue to hold them back. Unless former #3 overall pick Jeff Okudah comes back from his achilles tear and dominates, there’s not a lot to love in the defensive backfield. Combine that with the questions surrounding coaching and the general incompetence of the franchise and the ceiling for this team is probably 7 wins. But I promise you I like what they’re doing.

4th: Chicago Bears (3-14)

I hate this team. I genuinely do. The entire reason for that is them setting Justin Fields up to fail, but it doesn’t even feel deliberate anymore. It’s like they just have no idea how to put together a competent football team. The story of last year was a porous offensive line and virtually no playmakers to bail out their rookie QB. Now, the line is somehow worse and they lost their best WR in Allen Robinson. I like Darnell Mooney, but I don’t like Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown being WRs 2 and 3. While Fields gets no help from his teammates on that side of the ball, the defense will be getting shredded for 60 minutes as well. The only thing to like in the front seven is Roquan Smith, who will have to have an even bigger impact after the team traded Khalil Mack. The secondary is nothing short of dreadful and will be one of the worst in football unless some rookies step up in big ways. There’s just nothing to remotely feel good about with the Bears. It’s a crying shame because Justin Fields could really be something in this league. But in Chicago, I guess we’ll never know.

NFC South

1st: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-5)

Tom Brady, man. Just when you thought we were finally free from his shackles, he decides he has unfinished business and comes right back. If I’m being honest, I never believed he’d stay gone, and he proved me right. However, maybe he should have stayed gone for his own good. Because this offseason in Tampa has been rough. The main reason for that is their offensive linemen dropping like flies day in and day out. The interior and left side of the line inspire little to no confidence, which is absolutely brutal for a 45 year old QB. The rest of the team is essentially the same as it has been in the Brady era, with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin (who will miss a long stretch as he recovers from an ACL tear) catching passes and Leonard Fournette running people over out of the backfield. They even brought in Julio Jones for a potential career revival. The defense is still a very good unit that I refuse to believe will be as injured as they were in 2021. The front seven is lethal and the secondary should be back healthy and ready to run back the success of two years ago. This team has the talent to win a subpar division, but it’s hard to have any faith in them to do much more than that. Still, it’s Tom Brady, and you just cannot bet against him.

2nd: New Orleans Saints (11-6)

I have no doubt that the Saints will be back this season. I actually feel more confident in them returning to form than most other teams in the league. Like the Bucs, I just refuse to believe that they’ll be as beat up as they were last year. I mean, having to start Taysom Hill, Ian Book, and Trevor Siemian at QB and still finding a way to finish with a winning record should warrant an award of its own. Sean Payton is no longer the HC, but I think Dennis Allen can have a fruitful tenure in a culture as solid as New Orleans’ is. So, the offense is back healthy led by QB Jameis Winston, who isn’t a world-beater by any means, but can still do plenty of damage with his arm. Alvin Kamara is still one of the NFL’s most dynamic players out of the backfield, and he’s still running behind one of the best offensive lines in the league. Most importantly, the receiving corps will be back to a respectable standard as Michael Thomas finally returns from injury. The Saints also grabbed Jarvis Landry and traded up for Ohio State standout Chris Olave to immediately improve the position group more than any other team improved any single unit this offseason. The defense needs no introduction, as it rarely does, but I do feel slightly worse about the secondary. Losing Marcus Williams and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson isn’t great, and I don’t know how I feel about getting Tyrann Mathieu in today’s day and age. While I liked the acquisition of Marcus Maye, he seems to be dealing with off-the-field issues. Still, the rest of the defense is littered with stars like Cam Jordan, Demario Davis, and Marshon Lattimore. If guys like Marcus Davenport, Pete Werner, and Paulson Adebo continue developing into great players, then this might just be the best defense in football. With a significantly improved offense and an elite defense, this is a bonafide playoff team.

3rd: Carolina Panthers (5-12)

There might not be a rebuild going worse than the Panthers one is. Things have somehow gone from bad to worse in Carolina. There is simply nothing to like. For starters, Matt Rhule is still the HC despite last year being a clear indicator that he can’t be one at this level. Sam Darnold was so bad as the QB that he has already been replaced by Baker Mayfield, which isn’t the world’s greatest upgrade. The receiving group is still DJ Moore and a bunch of scrubs. Christian McCaffrey is the NFL’s ultimate Swiss army knife, but he hasn’t been able to stay healthy in two seasons. It doesn’t help that the offensive line is dreadful, although I did like the decision to draft the big tackle Ikem Ekwonu in the first round. The defense was a decent unit last year, but they’ve since lost Stephon Gilmore and Haason Reddick. The front seven is decent, led by Brian Burns and Derrick Brown, but the secondary is full of questions. I just don’t have a lot of faith in guys like Jaycee Horn and CJ Henderson to lock teams up. This is a bad team from a year ago that didn’t improve in any areas this offseason. They won’t be the worst team in the league, but they’ll surely be blowing more stuff up by the time next winter rolls around.

4th: Atlanta Falcons (2-15)

The Falcons have an argument to be the worst team in the NFL. Like the Panthers, they were very bad last year and are now somehow worse. They let go of the greatest QB in franchise history in Matt Ryan and replaced him with Marcus Mariota, who nobody even thinks has a steady grip on the starting job with rookie Desmond Ridder breathing down his neck. The offense is headlined by young star TE Kyle Pitts, but one tight end is not going to make you a good offense. I thoroughly disliked the Drake London pick in the first round, as this team had so many other areas to improve on. The offensive line is pretty bad, and they don’t even have a real RB starting at RB. The defense is also still dreadful other than A.J. Terrell, who continues to develop into one of the NFL’s best lockdown corners. This is just a rare team that is genuinely good at nothing. They are very much in play for the #1 overall pick.

NFC West

1st: San Francisco 49ers (13-4)

Here it is. The team I’m pushing all of my chips into the center of the table for in 2022. Last year it was the Browns, and that was a complete, unmitigated disaster for me. I feel much better about these 49ers. San Francisco boasts what is perhaps the NFL’s best roster from top to bottom, absolutely loaded at every position with zero holes whatsoever. Playmakers like Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell, and Brandon Aiyuk allow this offense to beat you in a plethora of ways. The offensive line could be better, but any unit with Trent Williams is one to put faith in. The front seven is one of the best in the league, headlined by Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, and Fred Warner. The secondary struggled at times last year, but they still showed flashes in key moments on their deep playoff run. I know a dropped interception is what kept them from the Super Bowl, but Jaquiski Tartt isn’t on the team anymore, so forget about that. Despite all of this, we all know who this team comes down to. Trey Lance might be the biggest question mark in all of football. The Niners went all in to get him in 2021, and he is still very raw and inexperienced. However, they have the utmost faith in him, and so do I. I compared the Jimmy Garoppolo-Trey Lance situation to what the Chiefs had with Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes back in 2017-18. After Mahomes sat for a year, he came in and absolutely blew up the league. I just have that same feeling with a young player as talented as Lance is. Just remember that this team should have won a Super Bowl and nearly went to another with Garoppolo at the helm. Even if Lance is not instantly a top 10 QB, all he has to do is give them the level of explosiveness that they’ve been missing, and the 49ers become a true Super Bowl contender. I’m not taking a glass-half-full approach with this team. In my eyes, the glass is overflowing.

2nd: Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

Is putting the defending Super Bowl champions at 2nd in their own division heresy? Well, if we consider that this is a worse team than the one that just won it all, I’d say no. That’s right, the Rams got worse this offseason. The so-called flashy free agent acquisitions were actually downgrades. Allen Robinson is not as good of a WR as Odell Beckham Jr. The offensive line will feel the absence of Andrew Whitworth. Losing Von Miller will take a huge element out of their pass rush. And I hate to break it to you, but signing Bobby Wagner doesn’t mean much in 2022. At least they still have Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. Losing Darious Williams hurts, but guys like Troy Hill and David Long ensure that the secondary will still be elite. I’m not saying that these moves make the Rams a bad team. By no means are they anything but great. But people need to temper their expectations with this team. Not only is it incredibly difficult to continue to be great after winning a title, but it’s even harder when you lose so many key players and don’t make adequate replacements. Still, this team will be a contender for as long as they have Matt Stafford and Sean McVay running the show, and they’ll quite comfortably have a playoff spot.

3rd: Arizona Cardinals (8-9)

The Cardinals are just so puzzling. On paper, this is an incredibly talented roster with seemingly no holes. They have all the right things going for them to be a contender in this league. So, why aren’t they? Well, I think coaching is the biggest issue, as this team always starts hot but goes out with a flicker by January. I just don’t buy Kliff Kingsbury as an NFL head coach, and he continues to prove me right. There is no longer any excuse to be anything but great. Kyler Murray deservedly got a huge payday to continue slinging the ball as one of the NFL’s most dynamic QBs. They traded for Hollywood Brown from the Ravens to help him out. The defensive front isn’t ideal, but any unit with J.J. Watt is one to fear. And the secondary is pretty solid too with guys like Budda Baker and Byron Murphy. But this just feels like such a middle-of-the-pack team to me. DeAndre Hopkins is missing the first 6 games with a suspension, and the schedule in that time is absolutely brutal. If this team collapsed in the second half after starting great last season, what will happen if they have a rough start to the year now? I think it all culminates in a mediocre season that could lead to some big changes in the desert. I think the team could use some if they want to reach their full potential.

4th: Seattle Seahawks (2-15)

Like another formerly-great bird team in the NFC, the Seahawks have a very good argument to be the worst team in the NFL. The demolition has taken place, and the rebuild has finally begun. It started with the enormous package they received from Denver by trading them Russell Wilson which included a load of picks and some solid impact players like Noah Fant. So, that’s a good thing. But that’s about the only one that Seattle has. Geno Smith is their starting QB, meaning they have the worst starting QB in the league. The offensive line is worse than terrible, but I did like their first round selection in tackle Charles Cross, who should be their franchise LT for years to come. The receiving group is incredibly mid led by DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The front seven has literally nobody of note. Seriously, try to name someone in the Seahawks front seven right now. Got anything? Didn’t think so. The secondary has been pretty bad for a while now, and while it’s still porous, I like what they’ve done to get better. Drafting Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen were great moves, as those two could be bonafide studs in this league. But for now, they’re just rookies amidst arguably the worst roster in the league. It’s just going to be hilariously bad in Seattle from start to finish this year. I personally cannot wait to watch it.

Playoff Picture

1 – San Francisco 49ers (13-4)

2 – Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

3 – Green Bay Packers (13-4)

4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-5)

5 – Los Angeles Rams (12-5)

6 – Minnesota Vikings (12-5)

7 – New Orleans Saints (11-6)

Five of the seven teams here were playoff teams in 2021, but that doesn’t mean things are going to play out the same way. Take the decline of the Rams and Buccaneers and the emergence of the Vikings, Saints, and Eagles for example. This could be another fantastic postseason in the NFC. Let’s briefly predict how it’ll play out.

Wild Card Weekend

The 2v7 game sees yet another playoff installment in Eagles-Saints. I think these are two of the most improved teams in football, and I think this would be a tremendous matchup. I’d have to give the edge to Philly in this case, but it could feasibly go either way. I’d have no idea what to expect of either Jalen Hurts or Jameis Winston in the postseason, so I’ll just rock with the team I think is slightly better.

Packers-Vikings in the playoffs sounds like an absolute blast, and that’s what our 3v6 game is. Every time these teams get together, it’s typically a ton of fun. A playoff game in Lambeau would make for quality entertainment, but I just don’t see how the Packers would lose. Yes, playoff exits are their forte, but maybe not this early and to this team. They get at least one playoff win in 2022.

Last year’s Rams-Buccaneers game in the divisional round was one of the best playoff games in recent memory. To run it back in the 4v5 Wild Card round would be a delight. I think that the Bucs would want revenge on the team that led Tom Brady into a brief retirement. If they’re healthy enough, I can see them dominating this game and getting that sweet vengeance, sending the defending champs packing in the first round.

Divisional Round

The 49ers come off their bye and host Buccaneers. In the Bay with a team destined to make amends for the shortcomings of the last few years, I can see the Niners pounding Tampa, but I don’t think that’ll be the case. Tom Brady is never ever an easy out in the playoffs, and this matchup could be an instant classic. Like the Brady-Mahomes playoff games of the past, this could be a passing of the torch moment with Trey Lance. Unlike Mahomes, I see Lance getting over the hump and leading his team to another NFC Championship Game appearance. And the questions about Brady’s future ensue.

Eagles-Packers would be a sensational matchup. These teams led by great defenses and fun offenses matching up with a title game appearance on the line makes for a potential classic. While I love what the Eagles have going for them this season, it’s just so difficult for me to bet against Aaron Rodgers, despite the choking nature of the Packers in years past. Perhaps this is finally the year that they can re-ascend the mountain.

NFC Championship Game

Death. Taxes. 49ers-Packers in the playoffs. Furthermore, the 49ers beating the Packers in the playoffs. The Niners just have the better roster. Moreover, history just repeats itself in this league. Aaron Rodgers cannot beat San Francisco in the postseason, and he can’t win NFC Championships anymore either. I don’t think it’ll be a 2019-level blowout, nor do I think it’ll be a 2021-level slugfest, but I think the 49ers find themselves smoothly making it to Glendale and the Super Bowl.

So, my Super Bowl LVII matchup is the Buffalo Bills against the San Francisco 49ers. They’re my two 1 seeds, and I think they’re probably the two best teams in football. It’d be an awesome game, and I’d probably rock with the Bills to pull it out and finally get their title that they’ve longed for for nearly four decades. But, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

NFL football is back and I couldn’t be more excited for this season to finally get underway. Whether or not these predictions come true or not is irrelevant, to me, but for my sake, I hope they do. Regardless, I can’t wait for tomorrow’s kickoff and the months that follow it. I hope it’s as exciting and enjoyable for you.

2022 AFC Preview and Predictions

After a wild season, the AFC is anyone’s game in 2022. The youth movement at the QB position makes this an undeniably exciting conference with storylines galore. Here’s my preview of the AFC this season, along with my playoff picks.

Cover photo taken from NFL.com.

The AFC is undergoing an incredible youth movement. The likes of Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, and more are all gone. The conference now belongs to names like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, and more. This was on display last year, where the conference flexed its depth for a tremendous season en route to a sensational playoffs that saw the Bengals of all teams make the Super Bowl. The offseason that followed was one of the most wild and wacky we’ve ever seen, and it makes things even more fascinating in the better of the two NFL conferences. If 2022 is anything like its predecessor, truly anything can happen. Let’s preview how it’ll play out.

AFC East

1st: Buffalo Bills (15-2)

Last year, I picked the Bills to win the AFC East with this exact same record. They accomplished the more important of those two things by winning the division and were 13 short seconds away from hosting the AFC Championship Game. Alas, it was not meant to be. Perhaps now it is. The Bills have a fire lit under them after last year’s shortcomings, where they felt like they were robbed of a shot at the Super Bowl. Josh Allen showed us all that he is a top tier, MVP-caliber QB in this league. The offense remains stacked with the established Stefon Diggs and 2021 breakout Gabe Davis at receiver. The reigning #1 defense is back and ready to silence the doubters after last year’s failure against the Chiefs. Adding Von Miller to the mix definitely helps. Simply put, this team was fantastic last year and are even better on paper this year. They’re the Super Bowl favorite for a reason. The only thing stopping them from getting their hands on the Lombardi Trophy for the first time is themselves.

2nd: Miami Dolphins (9-8)

The Dolphins made all the right moves this offseason. Bringing in the offensive guru Mike McDaniel as the new head coach makes for an admittedly interesting scheme. They kept their great defense intact, especially by extending star CB Xavien Howard. The obvious highlight was trading for WR Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs, providing the offense with a bonafide superstar to bring a new level to the unit. Pairing him up with Jaylen Waddle makes for one of the more fascinating, explosive WR duos in all of football. However, the main concern that holds this team back resides with who throws them the ball. Tua Tagovailoa simply hasn’t lived up to the hype in his short NFL career. The clock is ticking, and time is slowly running out on him. It has to work this year for Tua, or he will be replaced with swiftness. He makes or breaks this team, and the way I see it, he’s not good enough to get them over the hump. Unless he figures it out, the Dolphins are restricted by his abilities, or lack thereof, and I don’t see them making the playoffs because of that.

3rd: New England Patriots (8-9)

For the second straight year, I’m not entirely sure what the Patriots are trying to do. This is a team that reached a very high peak last year, but eventually came undone and ended their season with an embarrassing blowout loss in the playoffs. And they haven’t done much to get better. This is essentially the same team as last year minus some key pieces, namely ballhawk CB J.C. Jackson, who left in free agency. Mac Jones had a promising rookie year at QB and is likely going to get better, but the weapons on this team don’t inspire a lot of confidence. The defense is still solid, but nothing special, especially without their INT machine. This is just a run-of-the-mill, middle-of-the-pack football team, through and through. I don’t see how they make the playoffs as the third best team in their own division in a conference as deep as the AFC is.

4th: New York Jets (4-13)

I’ll say this about the Jets. I do think they’re getting better. I like the direction this team is headed in. I thought they had a tremendous draft, adding offensive pieces like WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece Hall as well as defensive studs in CB Sauce Gardner and DE Jermaine Johnson. The rebuild is seemingly going well, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be good in the immediate future. Zach Wilson is still a big question mark, and dealing with a bone bruise in his knee from this preseason isn’t a good sign. Whether it’s him or Joe Flacco under center, this team won’t be winning too many games this season. The defense is still below average and the offense is still lacking in several areas, but the aforementioned rookies might help with that. If Wilson comes back and shows a huge leap from his rookie year, then maybe the Jets can win 6-7 games. But I don’t have that level of faith in him or this team.

AFC North

1st: Cincinnati Bengals (13-4)

The Bengals were the surprise team of last year, and my Team Of The Year in my season retrospective. They were awesome all season long en route to a Super Bowl appearance and a near victory. The question on everyone’s mind is, will they be able to run it back? History doesn’t favor young teams who lose Super Bowls. However, Cincinnati can say with confidence that they improved this offseason. You can argue that the offensive line is the reason they couldn’t win a championship, so they bolstered it with guys like Alex Cappa and La’el Collins. The defense remains intact after dominating the postseason. The offense is still stacked with the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon. And the beloved Joe Burrow is still the QB. By all means, the Bengals are a better team than the one that just won the AFC. At the very minimum, they should find themselves back on top of the division.

2nd: Baltimore Ravens (11-6)

Even with questions circling this team like vultures, the Ravens feel primed to bounce back from a disappointing 2021. It helps that key players aren’t dropping like flies like they were last preseason. J.K. Dobbins is back in the backfield after missing all of last year with an ACL tear, and that gives this offense a massive boost. Even with one of the worse WR groups in football, the load will be taken off Lamar Jackson’s shoulders as he continues to prove to the organization why he deserves a massive payday. He’ll still have a great TE duo to throw to with the established Mark Williams and the blooming rookie Isaiah Likely. The offensive line should be better as well with big time acquisitions like Morgan Moses from the Jets and Tyler Linderbaum in the draft. Perhaps the most important part of the offseason in Baltimore was bolstering their defense. I already liked the front seven a lot. Signing Marcus Williams and drafting Kyle Hamilton is sure to help the defensive backfield. The corners are still a little suspect, but at their best, guys like Kyle Fuller, Marlon Humphrey, and Marcus Peters can lock down anyone. I think the Ravens improved everywhere they needed to, and the pure talent and great coaching should get them to the playoffs. It all comes down to Lamar, as it so often does, but I have a ton of faith in him. The organization, on the other hand, might not.

3rd: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8)

In the nicest way possible, the Steelers might be the most mid team in the NFL. They finally decided to name a starting QB, and it’s Mitch Trubisky for some reason. I have no doubt that first round pick and hometown kid Kenny Pickett will be starting under center sooner rather than later, but I would’ve given him the reins from the start, especially when you look at how strong of a preseason he had. Regardless, it’s not the QB position that makes this team so average. In fact, from a distance, you might think the rest of the team is actually really good. I wouldn’t fault you for that. Pittsburgh has great skill players, from Najee Harris in the backfield to Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, and emerging rookie George Pickens outside. The defense is also loaded with All-Pros like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Cameron Heyward as well as reigning DPOY T.J. Watt. However, a few stars on each side of the ball is not good enough to be great in this league. The rest of the defense is pretty bad, especially in the secondary. More importantly, the Steelers offensive line might be the worst in football, which has been on display for the last two years now. They cannot run the ball and have to rely on quick passes to ensure that they don’t allow 10 sacks every game. They just refuse to get better in that regard, and I don’t trust any team without a functioning OL. Combine that with a pretty tough schedule, and I don’t see the Steelers returning to the playoffs. I might actually be being a bit generous by giving them a winning record, but I just think they’ll have a little more juice once Pickett is the starter. Hopefully that’s soon, for their sake.

4th: Cleveland Browns (4-13)

Oh, Cleveland. Only you could go from decades of disfunction and turmoil to relevance and being a fan favorite only to throw it all away by becoming a symbol of disgracefulness. Only you would be the only team to not just go near Deshaun Watson, not just trade your future for him, but give him a $230 million contract, fully guaranteed. Only you. It’s safe to say the entire league will be rooting against the Browns this year, even with Watson being suspended for the first 11 games. That bias is not why I have Cleveland finishing with 4 wins. Well, not entirely. I do think this is a solid roster, but without a competent QB for 65% of the season, I refuse to put any faith in them. The offense is still loaded with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt running behind arguably football’s best offensive line as well as Donovan Peoples-Jones and newcomers Amari Cooper and David Bell catching passes. The defense is essentially the same as last year’s, which isn’t a bad thing by any means. Myles Garrett is one of the sport’s premier players, Jadeveon Clowney has found new life in Cleveland, and young guys like Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah make the front seven a bonafide unit. The secondary is better than you might think, with Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit, and Greedy Williams locking things down. Greg Newsome also showed flashes last year of becoming the player they hoped by drafting him in the first round. On top of all that, signing John Johnson III from the Rams was one of the more underrated moves of the offseason in my opinion. Despite all of this, the Browns are suffering the consequences of selling their souls. I initially gave them a better record than this, but I don’t mind docking them wins at all. They dug themselves this hole. They made their bed, and now they must lay in it.

AFC South

1st: Tennessee Titans (9-8)

Welcome to the NFL’s worst division, where the winner could very feasibly be below .500. I’m giving the defending champs the benefit of the doubt, and for good reason. For starters, the Titans have been consistently viable for several years now, and they always find a way to shock me. They were dominant throughout last year, both with and without Derrick Henry, and that got them the AFC’s 1 seed (yeah, I forgot about that too). It may have ended unceremoniously, but I’m not going to sit here and act like this isn’t a good team. However, there are still questions. The biggest one lies where they made the biggest change this offseason. Trading their elite and best WR in A.J. Brown for the right to draft Treylon Burks as his replacement was a decision that I disliked on draft night. My opinion on that has not changed. Their best bet was to pay Brown instead of investing in a rookie, and their refusal to do so has left them with one of the league’s worst WR groups. I liked the acquisition of Robert Woods, but I just don’t know how effective he can be coming off an ACL tear. The offense should still be fine as long as King Henry is running the ball, but last year was the indicator that they are not a true contender with Ryan Tannehill at QB. That’s why I loved the move to draft Malik Willis, who flashed in the preseason. I would love to see him get a shot this season, but if not, there’s still no doubt that he’s their guy moving forward. Tennessee’s defense is still loaded with one of football’s best defensive lines and an emerging secondary, but again, last year showed that they can’t do it on their own. Seriously, how do you sack a QB nine times in a playoff game and still lose? All in all, I think this is a worse team than last year, but I do believe they’re still the best team in this division. Whether or not they can exceed their potential is entirely up to them.

2nd: Indianapolis Colts (9-8)

It might not be an understatement to say that the Colts were the most disappointing team of 2021. Not in the sense that we expected them to be great and they failed, but more that they were great and then they failed. At a point last year, you could have argued that Indy was the best team in the AFC. Jonathan Taylor was running like an MVP candidate, Carson Wentz was slinging the ball with effectiveness, and the defense was truly elite. Then Wentz did that thing he always does and they lost their last two games including the embarrassment of the decade against the worst team in football in the finale to miss the playoffs entirely. Thus prompted the change at the QB position, as the Colts traded Wentz away to Washington and brought in the solid veteran Matt Ryan from the Falcons. I personally believe this is an upgrade for the Colts, but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to make amends for last year’s failure. Even with an upgrade under center and perhaps the best RB in the league in the backfield, this offense has questions. The WR group is not great outside of Michael Pittman Jr., so they have to be cautious not to run JT into the ground. I do really like this defense, as they boast one of the NFL’s best front sevens and an upgraded secondary, which was already pretty good. Bringing in guys like Yannick Ngakoue and Stephon Gilmore make this a better unit than it was in 2021. Still, it’s hard to put my faith in the Colts after last year. I think they’ll be neck and neck with the Titans for the division title all year long, but I’ll give the edge to the team that proved it last season.

3rd: Jacksonville Jaguars (3-14)

You know, I actually think I’m being a bit mean to the Jaguars. This was football’s worst team in 2021, but I genuinely think they improved a lot this offseason. For starters, it can’t get any worse than it was with Urban Meyer at the helm. I think the move to hire Doug Pederson as head coach was a very good one, especially as they continue to develop Trevor Lawrence into the franchise QB that we all know he can be. They improved the offensive line and receiving corps to help Lawrence out by signing All-Pro guard Brandon Scherff from Washington as well as pass-catchers like Zay Jones and Christian Kirk, who got one of the most puzzling deals I’ve ever seen. Lawrence also gets his college buddy Travis Etienne back in the backfield after missing all of his rookie season with a foot injury, and I think it’ll do wonders for this offense. I have extremely high hopes for Etienne, and if he can remain healthy, then he can truly be a difference maker. The defense still isn’t ideal, but like the offense, they made some nice pickups this summer. Signing tackle machine Foye Aluokun from Atlanta locks down the middle of the defense and bringing in Darious Williams from the Rams gives them their CB1 that has been lacking since they lost Jalen Ramsey. They emphasized that side of the ball further in the draft, most notably by taking Travon Walker with the #1 overall pick and LB Devin Lloyd later in the first round. Walker is an athletic freak with an infinitely high ceiling, and Lloyd is a solid, pro-ready linebacker. These two can make instant impacts in this league, but they could just as easily fizzle out into bust territory. It’s up to this organization to make sure that they, along with all their other young counterparts, become the players that can make the Jaguars an actual football team again.

4th: Houston Texans (3-14)

I’ll give them credit. I said the Texans would be the worst team in football last year, and they were only the third worst. Way to make me eat crow, Houston! It’s not enough to save you from being the worst team in the AFC this year, though. Unlike their division counterparts, I don’t think the Texans got any better this offseason. They’re essentially running back the same offense as last year, which wasn’t great. They were one of the worst passing offenses and the worst rushing offense in 2021, and the only new acquisition in any of those areas is rookie RB Dameon Pierce, a fourth round pick. Davis Mills is still the QB, and while I don’t think he’s horrible, I don’t think he’s going to be anything special in this league. The WR duo of Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins isn’t the worst I’ve ever seen, but it’s not exactly elite. Most importantly, Houston’s defense is genuinely dreadful. It’s unfathomably bad, and will likely be the worst in the NFL this season, statistically speaking. I did like the draft acquisitions of Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre to help out the secondary, but it’ll be a while before they’re playing alongside competent players. The only area I can say they truly got better is with draft stock, as they finally traded Deshaun Watson and got three first round picks in the deal. 3 wins might be a stretch for this team. They are firmly set in the #1 overall pick sweepstakes.

AFC West

1st: Los Angeles Chargers (14-3)

Welcome to the NFL’s best division, where every team could very feasibly be above .500. There are storylines galore in the Wild West this year, and it’s going to be a treat to watch them all unfold. We start with the Chargers, who had a very Chargers-like 2021 season that ended with the most insane loss in even more insane circumstances that kept them out of the playoffs. LA knows they have a solid roster with a generational QB, but they also knew had to get better to become a true contender. They did that and then some en route to perhaps the best offseason of any team this year. The offense is largely the same, which is perfectly fine considering Justin Herbert is throwing the ball. Herbert is a top 5 QB in my opinion, and could be in for an MVP season. Austin Ekeler is a bonafide Swiss army knife out of the backfield, and the WR trio of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Josh Palmer is as good as you could ask for. They found a franchise LT in Rashawn Slater and further bolstered the line by taking guard Zion Johnson with their first round pick. But, the offense isn’t what held them back last season. It was the inexplicable incompetence of the other side of the ball that kept them from greatness. The defensive line was solid, but the linebacking core was awful, so they went out and snagged Khalil Mack from the Bears. The corners couldn’t cover a bed or force turnovers, so they brought in INT machine J.C. Jackson from the Patriots, making for a very interesting duo with Asante Samuel Jr. They gave star safety Derwin James a monster deal to help lock down the defensive backfield alongside the very solid Nasir Adderley. This team improved in every area they needed to, and their Super Bowl potential is at an all time high. It helps that the perennial powerhouse of the Chiefs was hit in a massive way this offseason. In the second year under HC Brandon Staley, I expect the Chargers to finally explode en route to one of the best seasons in the league this year. Anything short of that should be considered a failure.

2nd: Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)

As I just mentioned, Kansas City was weakened in a big way this offseason. Trading Tyreek Hill may have been a necessary move to save cap and ensure solid draft picks for the next few years, but it means losing the most dynamic and irreplaceable WRs in the NFL. It removes the explosive potential of the offense, which is what their identity has been in the Patrick Mahomes era. Yes, Mahomes is still under center and Travis Kelce is still the best tight end in football, but one of the heads has been cut off the three-headed monster. I don’t see two more growing back. FA signings like Juju Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling will ensure this passing offense doesn’t disappear entirely, but it’s going to be a lot more old school and methodical than it was before. However, if the preseason is any indication, then the Chiefs can execute that to perfection. Mahomes is still going to be slinging it and getting his numbers, it just won’t be as flashy as it was before. I still really like this defense outside of some pieces in the secondary, but drafting Trent McDuffie could help that if he develops into a solid player. I just think the Chiefs are still too solid to be anything but a playoff team. I trust Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid more than any other QB-HC duo in the league. As long as they’re in Kansas City, this is a playoff team.

3rd: Denver Broncos (10-7)

I’m not going to say it, I promise. The Broncos had one of the more notable offseasons in the NFL, highlighted by the acquisition of Russell Wilson from the Seahawks for one of the largest packages in history. They’re going all in, and for good reason. This was one of the league’s best, young rosters on both sides of the ball. All they needed was a QB to right the ship and lead them to greatness. Russ is a pretty good guy for the job. I love the fit in Denver, and I love what they have going on around him. Javonte Williams is one of the best young RBs in football, and pass-catchers like Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, KJ Hamler, and Albert Okwuegbunam have been waiting to break out. The defense is probably even better than the offense with a tremendous front seven headlined by Bradley Chubb and newcomer Randy Gregory and a sensational secondary with young stars like Pat Surtain II and the freshly-paid Justin Simmons. From top to bottom, this is one of the best rosters in football. So, why only ten wins? Well, it’s a very tough schedule, and it’s hard to assume that the Broncos will immediately be good with a brand new QB in Russ and HC in Nathaniel Hackett. I don’t know how much I buy Hackett as a head coach, and until he proves that he can get it done, I can’t go all in on this team. However, I still believe this is a playoff squad, and while their floor might be 7 or 8 wins, their ceiling is a Super Bowl.

4th: Las Vegas Raiders (9-8)

Let’s break this down for a second. It may have been by the skin of their teeth, but the Raiders were a playoff team in 2021 despite perhaps the most turmoil and internal dysfunction of any team in the league, nearly won a playoff game, and got better this offseason. So, why are they a last place, non-playoff team now? Well, it doesn’t help that the rest of the division is as good as it is. But it’s always just so hard to put any faith in this team. I do love the offseason they had, highlighted by the acquisition of football’s best WR in Davante Adams from the Packers, reuniting him with his college QB Derek Carr. This offense already had solid weapons like Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow led by a QB that’s better than most people think, but adding Adams gives them one of the best units in the league. I also think the signing of Chandler Jones was one of the more under-the-radar moves of the offseason, as the duo of him and Maxx Crosby coming off the edges makes for one of the best pass rushing tandems in the league. However, like several other teams, a few stars here and there are not enough to make a team great. In the case of the Raiders, most of the rest of the team is straight up bad. This is arguably the worst offensive line in the league that just saw former first-round tackle Alex Leatherwood cut after just 2 seasons. They cannot run the ball, and it doesn’t help that the wheels are seemingly coming off of RB Josh Jacobs. And while I like the front seven, the secondary is laughably bad. In a division and conference as good as this, I don’t see the Raiders being able to compete at a high level. I think their talent is more than good enough to put up numbers and win more games than they’ll lose, but the massive holes in the roster will drag them down and keep them outside of the playoffs.

Playoff Picture

1 – Buffalo Bills (15-2)

2 – Los Angeles Chargers (14-3)

3 – Cincinnati Bengals (13-4)

4 – Tennessee Titans (9-8)

5 – Kansas City Chiefs (11-6)

6 – Baltimore Ravens (11-6)

7 – Denver Broncos (10-7)

There’s always plenty of shakeups in the playoffs from season to season, and I see three newcomers to the dance this year in Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Denver. Teams like Las Vegas, Indianapolis, and Miami have a great chance to sneak in, but I trust the teams I have here much more. A playoff field this stacked should make for some very entertaining games. It’ll be hard to top last postseason, but let’s see how this one will play out.

Wild Card Weekend

With the Bills getting the bye, the 2v7 game is an intriguing division matchup between the Chargers and Broncos. I have the utmost faith in Los Angeles this year, and while I like what Denver has going on, I don’t know if I trust them in a spot like this against a team as solid as the Chargers are. I’d say the Bolts pull away for a late win and finally get Justin Herbert into the deep playoffs.

The 3v6 game is another divisional battle with the Ravens going up to Cincinnati. Last year, the Bengals absolutely shredded Baltimore twice. I think the Ravens have an improved secondary, but it’s hard to imagine that Cincy would find themselves losing this one, especially at home. It might not be a blowout, but I can see a comfortable win for Joe Burrow and company. And the narratives around Lamar Jackson in the playoffs reach their apex.

The 4v5 game shapes up to be a slugfest between two of the more established AFC powers in the Titans and Chiefs. Simply put, I don’t bet against Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs, but I do think this game would be very close. Tennessee always manages to give Kansas City fits, and they could sneak their way to victory in this one. But with Mahomes, it feels impossible to pick against the Chiefs.

Divisional Round

The Bills come off their bye and host the Chiefs in the revenge game of the century. Buffalo feels as though they were robbed in last year’s classic in Kansas City, and it’s hard to believe the fire lit under them won’t be blazing in the frigid cold at Orchard Park in January. This is a team on a mission, and if part of the mission is to dispose of the team that ruined their season a year ago, they should be inspired to do it in a huge way. Even with the greatness of the Chiefs, how can I pick against the Bills?

The second divisional game sees a heavyweight clash of two of the best young QBs in football as Justin Herbert’s Chargers host Joe Burrow’s Bengals. The two 2020 first-round signal callers will be MVP candidates this year, and the teams around them are Super Bowl caliber. So, what’s the difference maker in a game like this? Is it home field advantage? In SoFi Stadium, no such thing exists. If it’s experience, then the edge has to go to Cincinnati, right? The answer is yes, but I just have way higher expectations for the Chargers than a home playoff exit. I think this would be an instant classic that sees LA come out on top, declaring themselves as a power in the league that’s here to stay.

AFC Championship Game

So, it’s a Bills-Chargers title game in Buffalo for the right to go to Arizona and Super Bowl LVII. Just thinking about it gets me excited. However, this game might not live up to the hype. For starters, it is not easy at all for a west coast team to come all the way out east and win a game in what could very well be below 0-degree temperatures. But moreover, I just see the Bills as a team on a mission. I don’t see who or what can stop them from exorcising their demons this season. They blow the Chargers out of the water and return to the Super Bowl for the first time since the “Four Falls”, where they can put the narratives to bed once and for all and finally bring a title home to Buffalo.

This is going to be another truly special in the AFC, and I can’t wait to watch it all unfold. Regardless of what happens, I have no doubt that it will be a blast to watch. If I’m wrong in these predictions, then so be it. But if I’m right, you best bet that I’ll flex that for years to come.

2022 MLB Season Preview and Predictions

After a nightmarish offseason filled with doubt that we would even see today, we have made it to Opening Day. Here’s my preview of the 2022 MLB Season, which promises to be a truly special one.

Cover photo taken from MLB.com

We have finally made it. After the most tumultuous offseason of the century featuring the horribly-long lockout and more CBA negotiations than we could deal with, we have reached Opening Day. All 30 teams will play a full, 162-game schedule. Baseball is back. And I could not be more excited.

This promises to be a very fun season on the surface, but I think having baseball after what we had to deal with during the lockout is as sweet as it gets. The offseason was fairly interesting both before and after the lockout, with plenty of trades and huge free agent moves. Spring Training is now over, and the reset button is hit on all of baseball. Let’s predict who will win their divisions and get to the Postseason, who this season’s MVPs will be, and who will win it all in October.

NL East Winner: Atlanta Braves

Considering the offseason this team had, it’s very hard to see them doing anything but repeating as NL East champs. Losing Freddie Freeman is brutal, but when you replace him with a 1B like Matt Olson, you don’t get much worse as a team. Combine that with the already abundant talent on the roster of the defending World Series champions and you have a team that can do plenty of damage in a mediocre division. The team is solid all-around with the bat and the glove, and the pitching staff is still absolutely loaded. Star OF Ronald Acuña Jr. will miss a good chunk of time as he continues to recover from last season’s ACL injury, but when he comes back, this team will get that much better. The Phillies also had a solid offseason and could make a run for the division title, but I’m sticking with the safe pick here.

NL Central Winner: Milwaukee Brewers

I have a love/hate relationship with the Brewers. I’m a pitching purist, and nobody has a better pitching staff than Milwaukee. Boasting names like Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta in their rotation with guys in the bullpen like Josh Hader and Devin Williams, you simply are not going to knock this team around. On the other hand, I just find them so boring. It could be that their offense is a very basic one, not relying on anything flashy to score runs, but rather simply putting the ball in play and putting up numbers. Perhaps the offense will get a bit of a boost this year with Andrew McCutchen and Hunter Renfroe entering the outfield. And it goes without saying that Christian Yelich can be plenty dangerous if he ever returns to his old self. In any case, the NL Central is arguably baseball’s worst division (although the Cardinals are a solid bunch), so the Brewers will able to rack up plenty of wins en route to another division title.

NL West Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are the MLB’s superteam. This is one of the most loaded rosters in the history of baseball, and certainly the most stacked one I have ever seen. They were already plenty good after last season, but after adding 1B Freddie Freeman in free agency, this looks like the most lethal team that we have seen in a long time. The rest of the infield is rounded out by a star-in-the-making in Gavin Lux at second, the fastest and perhaps the best contact man in baseball in Trea Turner at short, and the ever-reliable Justin Turner at third. It’s likely that Max Muncy or Chris Taylor will fill the new DH role that the NL has finally adapted. The outfield still has one of baseball’s best players in Mookie Betts, and if Cody Bellinger returns to form, then this somehow gets spookier. The pitching staff is almost entirely the same as last season’s, with Walker Buehler, my personal NL Cy Young pick, leading the charge. Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urias are ever-dangerous as well in the rotation, and the already-stacked bullpen got even better with the acquisition of Craig Kimbrel as the team’s new closer after Kenley Jansen left for Atlanta. In short, this is a bonafide 100-win team with talent the likes of which we haven’t seen in this much abundance in a very long time. They are the easy favorites to win the NL West, the NL pennant, and the World Series.

AL East Winner: Toronto Blue Jays

The majority of people are of the belief that the Blue Jays are the best team in the American League and perhaps a top 2 team in all of baseball. I am definitely in that majority. The Jays had one of baseball’s most talented rosters last year, but injuries derailed them all year long en route to missing the playoffs by just a couple of games. While two of the key members of the 2021 squad, 2B Marcus Semien, an MVP finalist, and SP Robbie Ray, the AL Cy Young winner, left in free agency, Toronto still boasts an incredible roster from top to bottom. To fill the gaps left by those departures, they acquired SP Kevin Gausman and 3B Matt Chapman, two very solid, consistent players that will contribute from day one. The lineup is as dangerous as it gets, with guys like George Springer and Teoscar Hernandez in the outfield and Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the infield. The rest of the rotation is also fantastic, being rounded out by Alek Manoah, Jose Berrios, and Hyun Jin Ryu. The Blue Jays have the best team on paper in the AL East and the American League as a whole, and it’s hard to argue against them riding that all the way to a division title, and perhaps a pennant.

AL Central Winner: Chicago White Sox

2021 was a fun time for the White Sox, returning to the top of the AL Central and the spotlight of baseball. This is a fun, young team that oozes swagger and keeps your eyes glued to the screen each and every night. In a horrible division, after a rather uneventful offseason, it’s hard to see that changing much. The lineup is still awesome, with guys like SS Tim Anderson, OF Luis Robert, 1B Jose Abreu, 3B Yoan Moncada, and more. The pitching staff is still one of baseball’s best, with a rotation featuring Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito. This is an absurdly fun team that made a name for themselves last season, and I’m looking forward to seeing them continue to do their thing in 2022.

AL West Winner: Houston Astros

You just can’t kill this team, can you? Even after losing another World Series and losing one of their best players in Carlos Correa, the Astros are seemingly primed for another fantastic season. It helps that their roster is still one of the best in the sport, boasting plenty of offensive firepower and a strong pitching core. Even without Correa, the infield is plenty good with Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and a star-to-be in Jeremy Peña. In the outfield is the always-consistent Michael Brantley and a rising star in Kyle Tucker, and one of the best power bats in the league sits in the DH spot with Yordan Alvarez. The rotation has some rising young talent in Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia as well as some veteran greats in Lance McCullers Jr. and Justin Verlander. The Astros have all the makings of another potential World Series run. Despite the AL West being better than its usual self this season, it’s hard to see them getting knocked off their throne.

NL Playoffs

1 – Los Angeles Dodgers
2 – Atlanta Braves
3 – Milwaukee Brewers
4 – Philadelphia Phillies
5 – St. Louis Cardinals
6 – San Diego Padres

Nobody is stopping the Dodgers in the National League in their pursuit of following the Rams and bringing another “purchased ring” to Los Angeles. The Braves and Brewers have the pitching to contend, but it’ll be hard to knock off a roster as talented as LA’s. In terms of the Wild Cards, I like Philadelphia, St. Louis, and San Diego. The Phillies had a pretty good offseason, acquiring some big bats like Nick Castellanos and Kyle Schwarber to add to a lineup that needed some power. The Cardinals were one of the hottest teams in the second half last year, and I think they can carry that into 2022. The Padres, meanwhile, were one of the worst teams in the second half of 2021, but with new management, a very talented roster (despite being without Fernando Tatis Jr. for a while), and an expanded playoffs, they should be good to reach the Postseason. I’d take the Brewers over the Padres and the Cardinals over the Phillies in the Wild Cards, and I foresee a NLCS threematch between the Braves and Dodgers, with LA winning the pennant and getting back to the World Series.

AL Playoffs

1 – Toronto Blue Jays
2 – Chicago White Sox
3 – Houston Astros
4 – Tampa Bay Rays
5 – Boston Red Sox
6 – Seattle Mariners

Ordering the division winners 1-3 wasn’t easy. I just ordered them based on their talent. I think the competitiveness of the AL East could steal some wins from Toronto, but I still like their chances of taking the top spot. I like Tampa Bay, Boston, and Seattle to secure the Wild Cards. The Rays are the Rays, and they’ll do their usual schtick to get to the Postseason (look for Wander Franco to have a huge season in the process). The Red Sox overachieved last year and had a solid offseason but are still nothing more than a Wild Card team in my eyes. The Mariners were oh so close to October in 2021, and after a very good offseason and the new expanded playoffs being implemented, I think they can sneak in as the final team. I’d take Houston over Seattle and Tampa Bay over Boston in the Wild Cards, and I’m predicting a potentially legendary 7-game ALCS between Toronto and Chicago, with the White Sox winning the pennant and getting back to the World Series for the first time in 17 years.

Before we get into that World Series prediction, I’d like to shout out my MVP picks for the upcoming season, starting with a bit of a personal one.

NL MVP Pick: Juan Soto, OF, Nationals

Yes, I am biased. No, I do not care. Juan Soto is the best player in the National League, and he is bound to capture the MVP this season. In the last three seasons, he has finished 9th, 5th, and 2nd in MVP voting. Only one higher spot to go. It’s also worth noting that he has increased his walk rate and decreased his strikeout rate in every season since entering the majors, establishing himself as the closest thing to Barry Bonds we have seen at the plate since… Barry Bonds. He is simply breaking every single advanced stat we have in baseball. 2021 started a bit slow for Soto, as he hit a lot of ground balls and couldn’t get the elevation he needed to put up huge numbers. But, he ended up figuring it out, slashing an unbelievable .352/.527/.644 in his final 78 games. If he carries that momentum into 2022 and somehow continues to get better at the plate, then we could see one of the best statistical seasons from a hitter in decades. On a team as putrid as the Nationals are, Soto will be padding his stats all season long. If he can stay healthy, then I think he will run away with that elusive MVP, adding to a World Series title, two Silver Sluggers, and a batting title, establishing himself as perhaps the best player in baseball. That is, if he hasn’t already done so.

AL MVP Pick: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays

The son of Vladimir Guerrero finally had the season we were all waiting for in 2021. Vladdy was a menace at the plate, slashing .311/.401/.601 (led AL in OBP and SLG), hitting 48 homers (tied for the MLB lead) with 111 RBI, winning a Silver Slugger, and finishing second in MVP voting. We knew that he had all the potential to be one of the premier hitters in baseball, and he has done just that. He easily would have won MVP last season, but Shohei Ohtani happened. It’s hard to foresee Ohtani falling off, or even Mike Trout not returning with a bang, but it just feels like this is Vladdy’s year. I really like his chances to continue to clobber baseballs all summer long and bring an MVP home.

World Series Prediction: Dodgers over White Sox in 5 games

As I have said multiple times, nobody is stopping the Dodgers in 2022. The White Sox are a super fun team that can do some real damage in October, but this is simply too tall of a mountain for anyone in baseball to climb. Los Angeles is built for a championship, and it feels impossible to pick them to do anything but win the World Series. Maybe picking this series to be over in 5 games is a bit harsh, but it feels realistic. Dodgers win a ring for real this time, Freddie Freeman lifts the trophy for the second consecutive year, and Trea Turner takes home World Series MVP with his second championship in four years.

I cannot wait to look back on this in October, or even by the All Star Break, and realize how hilariously wrong I was about everything. That’s the real fun of all this, isn’t it? In any case, I am so, so excited that baseball is back, and I can’t wait to watch another great year of this beautiful game. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I know I will. Be thankful that we’ve made it here, and relish it.

All stats taken from ESPN and Baseball Reference.

Divisional Round Picks

Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, two of the brightest young star QBs in football, are ready to write another chapter in their budding rivalry on Sunday night. (h/t Syracuse.com)

The NFL is down to its proverbial Elite 8, as we have eight teams and 7 games remaining in the season to decide a champion. Wild Card Weekend was rather underwhelming, but this weekend promises to be a truly great one. The playoff pretenders are all home, and only true contenders remain. Seems like a good formula for some great football. I went 5-1 in the Wild Card round last week, which is a surefire improvement from last year. Let’s get into this weekend’s picks:

Bengals 24-20 Titans

Saturday, 4:30 PM EST, CBS

The first matchup of the Divisional Round is probably the most puzzling one. Relatively speaking, the Titans are one of the more forgettable 1 seeds in recent memory, as they sort of backed their way into the first round bye without Derrick Henry. Now, Henry is back, and that is the ultimate factor in this game. He hasn’t played since Week 8, but when he was playing, he was an MVP candidate. I really don’t know how effective he’ll be seeing as though he has missed so much time and will be playing with a lot of… stuff in his injured foot. If he plays like his usual self, then the Titans should be able to win this game easily. For some reason, I just don’t see that happening. In any case, my fascination with this game lies with the Bengals. Ironically enough, this Cincinnati team reminds me a lot of the Tennessee team from 2019. An up and coming squad that was doubted in the playoffs and ended up in the AFC Championship Game. That Titans team ended up beating the 1 seed in the process. Why not have a proverbial passing of the torch here? The Bengals are an extremely inspired group, coming off the franchise’s first playoff win since 1991. Joe Burrow is on absolute fire right now, and this team just feels like a winning one. This moment might be too big for them, but no moment seems large enough for Joe Burrow. Picking the Bengals makes no practical sense given their injuries and inexperience, but sometimes you got to trust your gut.

Packers 27-16 49ers

Saturday, 8:15 PM EST, FOX

This game features the scariest sight in football: a healthy Packers team. Green Bay is finally getting several key pieces back that they’ve been missing for months. Whether it be David Bakhtiari, Za’Darius Smith, Jaire Alexander, or a plethora of other impact players, the Packers are going to be as close to 100% as they’ve been all season long on Saturday night. This team has been the best in football without all of those pieces, so with everyone back, it is the definition of scary hours. This is the biggest mismatch in terms of seeding in this round, as the 49ers were the only wild card team to win last week, but San Francisco is still a solid team that will surely put up a fight in this game. For one, Aaron Rodgers has never beaten the 49ers in the playoffs, with losses in 2012, 2013, and 2019. But, this is obviously a very different set of circumstances. The Niners were easily the better team in all of those years, but things are different now. Not only are they lucky to be here, but San Francisco is dealing with a lot of injuries defensively, and Jimmy Garoppolo likely won’t be 100% for this game. It’s just a bad time for them to be catching the Packers at their healthiest. I expect a huge day out of a rejuvenated Packers defense that was already one of football’s best. And as long as Aaron Rodgers and the offense do their thing, Green Bay should be just fine in securing their third consecutive trip to the NFC Championship Game.

Rams 29-21 Buccaneers

Sunday, 3:00 PM EST, NBC

In the preseason, this was my pick to be the NFC Championship Game. Evidently, I was a week off. Still, this is a playoff matchup that I have been anticipating for months, and I can’t wait to see it finally play out. These two teams met way back in Week 3, with the Rams winning convincingly in LA. But, a lot has changed since then with both of these teams. Whether it be player additions or subtractions, these are very different squads now. In my preseason prediction, I picked the Buccaneers to win this game. But, I can’t bring myself to do that now. There are several reasons why. For one, Tampa is dealing with more injuries than anyone else in the NFC right now, as their offensive line is extremely banged up and their secondary is still as thin as it was in the regular season. Tom Brady took a beating in the second half of last week’s game thanks to a thin OL, so facing the Rams front seven this week doesn’t inspire much confidence. Moreover, as I stated last week, the Bucs weren’t very impressive down the stretch in the regular season, and last week’s blowout of a very bad Eagles team doesn’t change my perspective on them. Meanwhile, the Rams are looking as good as ever coming off of last week’s clinic of a victory. This will no doubt be a tough road test for them, but I truly believe that they are up to the task. Both sides of the ball are firing on all cylinders, and as I’ve said so many times, it’s hard to envision anyone in football beating them when they are at their best. I know that picking against Tom Brady in the playoffs is as big of a cardinal sin as there is in this world, but all signs are pointing towards a Rams win here. The Bucs are simply too beat up right now, and the Rams are just too hot to pick against.

Chiefs 26-23 Bills

Sunday, 6:30 PM EST, CBS

Between last season and this one, Kansas City and Buffalo appear to be building the NFL’s next great rivalry. These two teams met in last year’s AFC Championship Game with the Chiefs advancing to the Super Bowl, but the Bills got some payback with a dominant win in Kansas City earlier this season. A lot has changed with both of these teams in the time since that Week 5 matchup, and it has all led to another playoff rematch. The Chiefs have sured up their defense since Josh Allen tore them apart, and after stagnating a little in the middle of the season, Patrick Mahomes and the offense are back to looking like their usual selves. Meanwhile, the Bills are also back to their old selves after finishing the regular season red hot and carrying that momentum over into one of the most dominant playoff performances I’ve ever seen last week against New England. Simply put, this game is two unstoppable forces colliding. This is what the playoffs are all about. This is as difficult of a pick as I’ve ever had to make. It’s simply too hard to pick against the Chiefs here. For one, Patrick Mahomes has been virtually unbeatable at home in the playoffs. This team ripped off an insane run last week, albeit against a subpar Steelers team. The Bills looked even more unstoppable last week, and Josh Allen is playing as lights out as anyone I’ve seen in recent memory. Buffalo’s defense is also playing great, but this will be their tallest task of the season. It’s just hard to pick the Bills when I’ve seen Kansas City prove themselves in this moment so many times, whereas Buffalo never has. This is their perfect opportunity to do so, but until I see it, I can’t pick them, but it wouldn’t shock me at all if they are able to pull off this upset. In any case, this game should be fantastic.

All stats taken from ESPN.