2023-24 NFL SEASON PREDICTIONS

Thank you to my grandmother who is my editor for every blog and helps me become a better writer every year 💙

AFC East

1. New York Jets 12-5

2. Buffalo Bills 12-5

3. Miami Dolphins 9-8

4. New England Patriots 7-10

Going into the season, the AFC East might be the best division on paper. The Jets who had the Offensive AND Defensive Rookie of the Year last season got better when they added future Hall of Fame Quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, and another dynamic weapon in Dalvin Cook. The Jets have one of the top-tier defenses in football and now, with Rodgers at QB, the offense should also take a massive leap. They won 7 games last season with Zach Wilson and Mike White, expect a nice leap in wins with Rodgers.

The Bills again failed to live up to expectations as they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Bengals in Buffalo. Add on the drama with Steffon Diggs this offseason and I have concerns with this Bills team. They’ll need Von Miller back on the field as soon as possible to bolster the pass rush, but this is still one of the NFL’s elite rosters and with an easier schedule from week 2-8, they should be able to stack wins to make the playoffs.

The Miami Dolphins were off to a strong start last season, going 8-3 before finishing the season with just one win in their last six games. Part of that was defenses figuring out how to slow down the Dolphins’ dynamic offense, but it was also with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, dealing with concussion protocol. Miami added Jalen Ramsey in the offseason but he will be out until December with a torn meniscus. Miami has one of the better front sevens in football, but will their secondary be able to hold up without Ramsey? Will Tua be able to stay healthy and start testing defenses with throws outside the numbers? These are concerns I have for them going into the year.

The New England Patriots have the greatest coach of all time, meaning they’ll probably win a few more games than you would think with the talent on the roster. They brought back Bill O’Brien to be the offensive coordinator which is a massive upgrade over Matt Patricia, who manned the position last season. The defense like most years under Belichick will be borderline elite. If the offense can make strides, they can compete for a playoff spot in the AFC but I think the offense will be inconsistent.

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs 13-4

2. Los Angeles Chargers 11-6

3. Denver Broncos 8-9

4. Las Vegas Raiders 4-13

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their second Super Bowl title in four years and although repeats are tricky, they shouldn’t have much pushback from their AFC West rivals. Mahomes is a very dominant 27-3 in division games in his career. This Chiefs defense has the potential to be the best they’ve had since Mahomes became a starter. This should be a smooth-sailing regular season for the Chiefs.

Los Angeles made the playoffs last year despite injuries to star players such as Rashawn Slater, J.C. Jackson, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams. Thanks to Justin Herbert, they were still able to win 10 games. If Los Angeles can stay healthy, they’ll be improved. This is a crucial season for Head Coach Brandon Staley, who needs to have not just a playoff berth but a playoff run to probably save his job.

The Denver Broncos for the second season in a row made a big offseason splash by acquiring Sean Payton from the Saints to be their Head Coach. After all the Broncos went through last season with Nathaniel Hackett, this team should be better than last season’s travesty they put on the field. It’ll be interesting to see if Russell Wilson will be much better than last season now that he has Payton calling the plays.

The Raiders replaced longtime starter Derek Carr and brought in Jimmy Garoppolo, and while in my eyes, this is a downgrade, the overall roster isn’t that good itself. Maxx Crosby, Chandler Jones, Josh Jacobs, and Davante Adams are all great players, but there isn't much surrounding those guys. I also have concerns with Josh McDaniels, who has yet to prove he can be a competent head coach.

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars 12-5

2. Tennessee Titans 7-10

3. Indianapolis Colts 6-11

4. Houston Texans 4-13

Jacksonville won the AFC South for the first time since 2017 and even won a playoff game. Now, they look to build on that success and become one of the AFC’s Super Bowl contenders. The Jags have a relatively soft schedule and should be able to win the South for the second year in a row. They added wide receiver Calvin Ridley to a stable of weapons that should give Trevor Lawrence a lot to work with.

The Titans had a down year and still came within a game of winning the division. Starter Ryan Tannehill is back potentially, for his last season with the team, as the Titans drafted Will Levis in the second round of this year’s draft. Tennessee added star wideout Deandre Hopkins, to pair with Derrick Henry and Treylon Burks, while the Titans’ defense should still be a good unit in 2023. I do, however, have concerns with their offensive line, and with the quarterback play, we’ll have to see if Tannehill can still play up to the standard he’s set in his career with the Titans.

The Colts selected one of my favorite prospects, Anthony Richardson, with the fourth overall pick in the draft. While he is a project, he’s already come in and earned the starting job. Indy does have a lot of room for improvement with this roster, but new Head Coach Shane Steichen was one of my favorite hires, and with his quarterback development history, I have a ton of faith in what he’ll do with Richardson Hopefully, they can maintain their best player, running back Jonathon Taylor, who has asked for a trade due to a contract dispute that seems to get uglier by the week.

Houston is in a similar boat as Indianapolis. They drafted their quarterback of the future, and hired a new Head Coach in DeMeco Ryans, but they still have many holes on their roster, so although I do believe this is a team headed in the right direction, I think this will be another down year in Houston.

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals 11-6

2. Baltimore Ravens 10-7

3. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-8

4. Cleveland Browns 9-8

Cincy made it to the AFC Championship once again, but this time fell short of the Super Bowl losing to the Chiefs. They were able to improve their offensive line by bringing in Left Tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who should protect Joe Burrow blindside. The Bengals lost key starters in their secondary such as Jessie Bates and Vonn Bell, but with Lou Anarumo still coaching the defense, he should get this young secondary in shape even if they struggle to start the season.

Baltimore has to be one of the most intriguing teams to watch this season,as they have a new offensive coordinator and brought in Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers to give Lamar Jackson the best set of weapons he’s ever had. Baltimore almost beat Cincy in the playoffs last season without Lamar Jackson, so if they can stay healthy, then this team can potentially win the division.

Pittsburgh is one of those teams that even when stuff looks bleak and the roster doesn’t seem that good, they still outperform their expectations. Now, going into this season their fanbase should have a ton of excitement, as they have quarterback Kenny Pickett going into his second year, and if the preseason is any indication, this team should be more explosive offensively. The defense led by T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward have been elite for the past few seasons, and as long as Heyward doesn’t regress, and Watt can stay healthy, this team can make a playoff push.

Cleveland has the potential to either be a huge disappointment or a massive overachiever. If

Deshaun Watson can return to his Houston form, then this team can make a playoff run, however, if he plays like he did last season, then they could very well finish under 500. Cleveland still has an elite offensive line, the best running back in football Nick Chubb, and a defense that doesn’t really have any weak links and has superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett. The Browns can make a playoff push, but I can’t tell what this team can be, so I’ll play it safe

with a 9-8 record.

NFC East

1. Dallas Cowboys 13-4

2. Philadelphia Eagles 12-5

3. Washington Commanders 7-10

4. New York Giants 6-11

The Cowboys receive media hype every year, but if there was ever a year to believe in the hype, it would be this one. Dallas had a problem last year with their weapons outside of Ceedee Lamb and Tony Pollard, but they should no longer have that issue after adding Brandon Cooks to the offense. Defensively, Dallas was great last year and they may be even better after adding former Defensive Player of the Year, Stephon Gilmore, who may not be what he once was but is still a good corner to put opposite of Trevon Diggs. Then they have arguably the best defensive player in the league Micah Parsons, who is now a full-time pass rusher and should have a fantastic season.

Philly is coming off a Super Bowl loss, and history says teams normally take a step back in the season following a loss in the big game. They’re replacing both their offensive and defensive coordinators and have some older guys on the defense, but still, this team is too talented not to make the playoffs. Jalen Hurts seems to make a decent leap every season and although history is against them don’t be surprised if they play again in February.

The Commanders can be a really fun team to watch with their weapons in Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson and new starting quarterback Sam Howell and his rocket arm, Howell has earned the trust of the coaching staff and with the potential of an elite defense, they could be in many close games and be in the playoff hunt towards the end of the year. However, the defense has been inconsistent in recent years. They'll have to live up to their potential from start to finish for this team to exceed my expectations.

New York was one of the bigger surprises in football last year, making the playoffs and even winning a playoff game. I expect them to take a step back this season, as I’m still not sold on Daniel Jones, but if anyone can get the most out of him again it is Brian Daboll.

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers 12-5

2. Seattle Seahawks 11-6

3. Los Angeles Rams 5-12

4. Arizona Cardinals 2-15

The 49ers have been a Super Bowl contender for a while now, but have yet to bring home that Lombardi trophy in the Kyle Shanahan era. Brock Purdy is back after leading the Niners to the NFC Championship game last season, and with San Francisco trading Trey Lance to Dallas Purdy, is the unquestioned starter. This team is full of star power, but their weakness could be their offensive line. However, Shanahan is such a play-calling guru, that he’ll always have a plan. They should be in a position to be one of the NFC’s elite once again in 2023.

The Seahawks pulled off one of the craziest seasons in recent memory. Traded their franchise Quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver and started Genoo Smith. It seemed like everyone had them written off as a bottom-tier NFC team, but Pete Carroll and Geno had other plans as not only did Geno have a Pro Bowl season, the Seahawks made the playoffs. The offense will be fun with the number of weapons they have, and the defense should be better getting Jamal Adams and Jordyn Brooks are back. They should make the playoffs again and maybe even push the Niners for the division.

The Rams, my goodness! Their roster went from star-studded just two years ago to a game of, Can You Name 15 Players On The Roster? This team should be in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes, and although I’m sure Sean McVay will pull some magic out of his hat for a few more wins than they should get, this is still a bad team.

Everything I just said about the Rams applies to the Cardinals as well. Kyler Murray is still recovering from a torn ACL, they traded Deandre Hopkins and the talent on the roster is very thin. It’s gonna be a long season for the Cardinals.

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints 10-7

2. Atlanta Falcons 8-9

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-11

4. Carolina Panthers 5-12

The Saints added Derek Carr to get some type of stability at quarterback for a team with some fun weapons, like the return of Michael Thomas, then Chris Olave, Alvin Kamara, and Jamaal Williams. The defense should be good once again and New Orleans should win the South in a very bad QB division.

Atlanta can be a fun team with their skill position players like rookie Bijan Robinson and tight end Kyle Pitts, but with Desmond Ridder at quarterback, I feel like this team will be held back from a playoff push. In the end, this team is well-coached and can run the ball against anyone but with a weak defense and an unproven quarterback, I feel like Atlanta will be just under 500.

Tom Brady FINALLY retired and now Tampa goes into the season with Baker Mayfield as the QB. Other than that, this team is relatively the same. All their stars are still on the team, so they definitely could be better than my prediction, and this roster is much younger with the average age of the team being 25 years old, and they have a team that could be full of Pro Bowlers. And with the team being disrespected by many in the media, I expect them to play with chips on their shoulders, but still be average, not complete trash.

Carolina traded up to the number one overall pick in the Draft, and selected quarterback Bryce Young, who I have my concerns with, but it gives the fanbase hope and at least should be an upgrade over what they had last season. Carolina traded their best weapon in D.J. Moore, so the receiving core is a question mark with the aging Adam Theilen and D.J. Chark, so they might rely heavily on running back Miles Sanders. The defense was really good last season, and maybe elite this season, with the addition of Ejiro Evero as defensive coordinator. However, with my concerns for the offense, I see this being another rough year in Carolina.

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions 9-8

2. Green Bay Packers 8-9

3. Minnesota Vikings 8-9

4. Chicago Bears 6-11

The Lions have some preseason expectations for the first time in I don’t know how long. After going 8-2 in their last 10 games this team has people believing. Dan Campbell has proven to be a really good hire and they have one of the NFL’s brightest minds calling the offense in Ben Johnson. The defense once again has concerns mainly in the secondary but they did add CJ Gardner-Johnson so that should help a little bit. In this division anything can happen it’s a lot of unknowns, but I have faith that the Lions will win enough games and win the North.

Green Bay has been written off already in some circles, and although they may not be a Super Bowl contender right now, this team has a lot of talent and a very good coach. The defense has elite potential if they can stay healthy, which with this group, is a big if. Jordan Love showed good flashes throughout the preseason and it gave me confidence that he can do some good things this season. Matt LaFleur is also the best coach in the division so this team should be fighting for a chance to win the division.

The Vikings are a favorite of many to take a step back from the success they enjoyed last season. They won an NFL record 11 one-score games and finished with 13 wins but a negative point differential last season. That sounds like some regression is bound to happen in 2023. They brought in Brian Flores to coach the defense, but their corners and the lack of pass rush outside of Danielle Hunter, are major concerns. The offense should be good again, especially with the addition of Jordan Addison. Minnesota should just miss out on the playoffs.

The Bears are a hot topic for many NFL fans, mainly Justin Fields. He even has been brought up as a sleeper MVP pick by some in the National media. The Bears traded for wide receiver D.J. Moore, and drafted Offensive Tackle Darnell Wright in the first round to help protect Fields. I think the Bears pass rush is if not the worst one of the worst in the league, but their secondary is average, maybe even above average. They should win a few more games than last year.

AFC Seeding

1. Kansas City Chiefs 14-3

2. New York Jets 12-5

3. Jacksonville Jaguars 12-5

4. Cincinnati Bengals 11-6

5. Buffalo Bills 12-5

6. Los Angeles Chargers 11-6

7. Baltimore Ravens 10-7

NFC Seedings

1. Dallas Cowboys 13-4

2. San Francisco 49ers 12-5

3. New Orleans Saints 10-7

4. Detroit Lions 9-8

5. Philadelphia Eagles 12-5

6. Seattle Seahawks 11-6

7. Green Bay Packers 8-9

MVP: Patrick Mahomes

Offensive Player of the Year: Ja’marr Chase

Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons

Coach of the Year: Dan Campbell

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bijan Robinson

Defensive Rookie of the Year Jalen Carter

AFC Championship

Chiefs over Jets

NFC Championship

Cowboys over Eagles

Super Bowl

Chiefs over Cowboys