Breaking down who will win each division, make the playoffs, and who will meet and Win Superbowl LVII
Derrik Larsh @dlarsh15
It’s officially football season and I couldn’t be more excited, after the longest and craziest offseason with countless big names moving to new teams, we are finally back. The season kicks off in Los Angeles, California with the defending champions’ Rams playing host to what most people will say is the next Superbowl champ Buffalo Bills, and will conclude in Glendale, Arizona on February 12 for Superbowl LVII but we still have 272 Regular Season games and 12 postseason games before that game so let’s see who will meet up.
AFC and NFC division Winners
AFC East
The AFC East over the last 20-plus years has been dominated by the New England Patriots, but Buffalo has staked its claim as the beasts of the east the last 2 years, Miami isn’t ready to just hand it over yet and the Jets have a sneaky good young roster just in need to put the pieces together. I predict the Bills win the division at 13-4, Dolphins 9-8, the Jets at 6-11, and the Patriots at 5-12.
AFC South
The AFC south is a 2 horse race this season between the Colts and Titans as it has been the past couple of years, both teams have solid quarterbacks that keep you in every game two of the best running backs puts the Colts over their defensive unit. Jacksonville is hoping the second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence makes the next jump in his career and makes the Jaguars competitive while Houston is looking for any sort of hope. Colts win the division at 10-7, Titans 8-9 Jaguars 6-11, and Texans at 2-15.
AFC North
The North has always been a tough division and this season will be no different, Baltimore and Cincinnati are the 2 best teams but You cannot deny Baltimore and their defense that will be the difference in this division race, the biggest question will be if they can stay healthy. Cincinnati looking to prove that last season’s run wasn’t a fluke, Pittsburgh is starting the post-Ben Era and Cleveland, well it’s Cleveland. Baltimore wins at 12-5 Cincinnati 11-6, Pittsburgh 7-10 Cleveland 6-11.
AFC West
This is the division the whole league will keep their eye on as it is the best division top to bottom and everyone has a different winner depending on the day but let’s be realistic this is a two-team race Between the Chiefs and the Chargers, both have the best quarterbacks dynamic playmakers great O-lines and defenses. What will put the Chiefs ahead is championship pedigree and the Chiefs have it in spades and the Chargers don’t. The Broncos will have fun in the new Russell Wilson era and be competitive but still won’t be able to hang and the Raiders will be the Raiders and you never know what team you will get on any Sunday. While that does make them dangerous not enough to put them ahead in this tough division. The Chiefs win at 13-4, Chargers 12-5, Raiders at 9-8, and Broncos at 7-10.
NFC East
You can never predict this division winner as nobody has repeated as the winner since the eagles in the early 2000s, but the Cowboys are looking to that this year, the eagles and Jalen Hurts are ready to take that next step while the Giants and Commanders are looking for consistency. I have the Cowboys winning the division by a tiebreaker at 11-6 Eagles 11-6 Commanders 6-11 and Giants at 3-13.
NFC South
The South much like it has been the past 2 seasons will run through Tampa Bay with maybe New Orleans having a dark horse shot. Tampa Bay has the best quarterback best playmakers best defense the only way they don’t win the division is if the injuries don’t pile up. New Orleans has a lot of good pieces the question will be is Jameis Winston the answer at quarterback, Carolina will be scrappy and in every game just don’t see them more than around. 500 this year and Atlanta with their up-and-coming defense has too many questions on the offensive side of the ball to be considered. I have the Buccaneers at 12-5 Saints 9-8 Panthers at 7-10 and Falcons at 3-14.
NFC North
This like every other year will run through Green Bay and while I think the other teams are starting to catch up as long as Number 12 wears the Green and Gold they have to be the favorites. Minnesota has the pieces to win this division I just don’t believe Krik Cousins can get it done, the lions and Dan Campbell are building something special and a team to look out for in a couple of years, but they are still missing that key superstar to take them over the top. Chicago while I think fields will improve this year that o-line will be the downfall of this team. Packers take the Division at 12-5 Vikings at 9-8, Lions 7-10, and Bears at 4-13.
NFC West
Much like the AFC West, this will be the toughest division in the Nfc as you have the Rams as defending Superbowl champs the 49ers who lost by 3 in the Nfc title game and are excited to see what their young Quarterback can do, the Cardinals with the MVP dark horse Kyler Murry and the Seahawks even on a rebuilding year can always cause problems. The Rams just have too many weapons to not win the division and run away at 13-4 the 49ers at 10-7 Cardinals 10-7 and the Seahawks at 1-16.
AFC and NFC Playoff seeding and Wildcard Teams
1. Bills 2. Chiefs 3. Ravens 4. Colts 5. Chargers 6. Bengals 7. Dolphins
1. Rams 2. Packers 3. Buccaneers 4. Cowboys 5. Eagles 6. 49ers 7. Cardinals
Wildcard Weekend
AFC- This will be a fun weekend as we will see matchups of both rivals both on and off the field. The 2-seed Chiefs vs the 7-seed dolphins is the matchup that the offseason wants us to see as certain dolphins players feel like they upgraded this off-season while the chiefs do their talking on the field and will prove that as the chiefs will win easy 35-10. 3-seed Ravens vs the 6-seed Bengals this will be a dog fight to the very end but Justin Tucker will hit a last-second field goal as the Ravens win 34-31. The final Match up for the Afc will be the 4th-seeded Colts vs the 6th-seed Chargers and I think this will be the game where Herbert will put on a clinic and shred the Indy defense as the Chargers win 31-13.
NFC- This will be a weekend featuring division rivalries and old school vs new school as we have the 2-seed Packers hosting the 7-seed Cardinals, this will be a game where we see Murry put himself and proves then doubters wrong by going into Green Bay and beating Rodgers and the Packers 28-24. The 3-seed Buccaneers will play host to the 6-seed 49ers I think this will be another game where The young Lance will show he will be a force for years to come but Brady and the Bucs will do just enough to survive a defensive battle as they win 20-17. The final game will be one of the biggest rivalries over the weekend with the 4-seed Cowboys playing host to the 5-seed Eagles this will go back and forth but Jalen Hurts will make a statement in this game leading the eagle on a game-winning drive in the final 2 minutes ending the Cowboys season at 35-31.
Divisional Round
AFC- This weekend will be one for the ages as any of these four teams can win the whole thing we will have the 1 seed Bills vs the 5 seed Chargers this will be both a shootout and defensive battle but Josh Allen will refuse to have his team lose will lead them to a 27-24 victory. The 2-seed Chiefs hosting the 3-seed Ravens is a matchup we have wanted to see for years in the playoffs Mahomes vs Jackson, Reid vs Harbaugh like the other Matchup Mahomes will refuse to let the team lose and do just enough to overcome the Ravens’ defense winning 42-35.
NFC- This week will provide matchups that will show who is the best and an up-and-comer ready to take the next step. The 1-seed Rams will play host to their division rival Cardinals and the Rams will show why they are the league’s best and win easily 45-24. The 3-seed Buccaneers will play host to the 5-seed Eagles and I think after a long season Brady and the Bucs will fall to the eagles while Jalen Hurts continues to shine and win 31-28.
Championship Sunday
AFC- The Matchup that everyone wishes could be a Superbowl match-up and part of the greatest playoff game of all time will seed the 1 seeded Bills hosting the 2 seeded Chiefs in the first road playoff game in the Mahomes Era and this year might be better than last year as we will once again see an overtime match up and this year the bills will win the opening toss and go right down the field and score and as Bills mafia celebrates as they feel like they finally conquered the monster that is Mahomes and that celebration will quickly turn to dread as the new Overtime rules will Allow Mahomes and company will get a chance to match the score and will do an instead of kicking the extra point Mahomes and Reid will rip the heart out of the bills yet again and going for two and the win 43-42.
NFC- This matchup will be one of a new power in the conference trying to overcome the league’s best and as Hurts and the eagles will fight hard but Donald and the Rams will once again prove to be too much and head back to the Superbowl winning 35-27.
SuperBowl LVII
The Big Game is finally here and we get a matchup of the league’s two best teams, a matchup many fans wanted to see 4 years ago we will finally get. This will end up being one of the best Superbowl in recent years as Mahomes will silence the doubters and experts who feel like he fell off and will put together a masterpiece winning his 2nd Superbowl and 2nd Superbowl MVP by a score of 27-17.
