2022 NFL Predictions

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74_75_78_79_
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2022 NFL Predictions

Post by 74_75_78_79_ »

Yes, it's that time again...

Here's my crack at the final standings/playoffs (I used a predictor device online, picking every game per week)...

*Home playoff teams in CAPS*

AFC
East: Buffalo (1) 14-3, Miami (5) 12-5, New England 8-9, NY Jets 3-14
North: Cincinnati (3) 12-5, Baltimore (6) 11-6, Pittsburgh 10-7, Cleveland 8-9
South: Tennessee (4) 10-7, Indianapolis 7-10, Jacksonville 5-12, Houston 4-13
West: Denver (2) 12-5, Kansas City (7) 10-7, LA Chargers 9-8, Las Vegas 6-11

1st Round: BRONCOS over Chiefs, Ravens over BENGALS, Dolphins over TITANS
Divisional Round: BILLS over Ravens, Dolphins over BRONCOS
Conference Championship: Dolphins over BILLS

NFC
East: Philadelphia (3) 11-6, NY Giants 8-9, Dallas 7-10, Washington 7-10
North: Green Bay (2) 13-4, Detroit (6) 10-7, Minnesota 8-9, Chicago 2-15
South: New Orleans (4) 9-8, Tampa Bay (7) 9-8, Atlanta 7-10, Panthers 4-13
West: San Francisco (1) 14-3, LA Rams (5) 10-7, Arizona 7-10, Seattle 5-12

1st Round: PACKERS over Buccaneers, EAGLES over Lions, Rams over SAINTS
Divisional Round: FORTY NINERS over Rams, PACKERS over Eagles
Conference Championship: FORTY NINERS over Packers

Super Bowl LVII: Miami over San Francisco, MVP Tyreek Hill

I have Miami beating San Fran during in the regular season as well. Steelers start slow at 2-5 but rally. Losing at Baltimore penultimate week (though they beat Ravens three weeks earlier) along with KC winning the finale boxes them out. Chiefs start slow as well, at 2-6, but also comeback. Cincy beats Ravens in the finale to win division (SWEEPING them as well; sweep Steelers too), but John and his troops get last laughs the following week in an immediate rematch.

Saints sweep Brady's Bucs yet again in the regular season! Have no desire to try predicting if this will be his last year or not. If he wins the Super Bowl, then likely the answer is yes. But runner-up-or-less, especially a predicted final result like this, will likely have him not wanting to go out like that.

Bills will be the last unbeaten team in 2022, starting 6-0, until losing at home to GB after the bye week.

Russell Wilson or Trey Lance will be awarded MVP. Coach of the Year? Of course, it'd be Mike McDaniel! Tua will have a real good year, just not in MVP running (there will be many other play-makers on that team, both sides of ball). Rookie of the Year? Kenny Pickett? Aidan Hutchinson?

EDIT - actually, let's make it Dan Campbell COY. Being the award is given after the regular season, not the SB, he bringing Detroit to the playoffs quite a greater accomplishment than leading a 9-8 team to them.
sheajets
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by sheajets »

I think you're selling the Jets a little short there...they have significantly upgraded the talent on that team. They're not ready to make a playoff run yet but I think something like 7-10 is very likely. I don't see them winning fewer games than last season.

The Dolphins have the potential to be a deadly offense, I don't quite believe in Tua yet, his outright ability and whether he can remain healthy over the course of a season. The coach...I totally don't know what to expect. He could be brilliant, he could flame out. But to me ithey're not Super Bowl bound. Playoff bound...certainly
Reaser
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by Reaser »

My friends and I use the same predictor thing for predictions. This is what I had, copy/pasted:

AFC
WEST: LAC (3) 12-5, LV (6) 10-7, KC 9-8, DEN 7-10
NORTH: CIN (2) 12-5, BAL (5) 12-5, PIT 10-7, CLE 3-14
SOUTH: TEN (4) 10-7, IND (7) 10-7, JAX 4-13, HOU 3-14
EAST: BUF (1) 14-3, NE 9-8, MIA 8-9, NYJ 3-14

CIN over IND, LAC over LV, BAL over TEN
BUF over BAL, LAC over CIN
BUF over LAC

NFC
WEST: LAR (2) 13-4, SF (5) 12-5, ARI 6-11, SEA 6-11
NORTH: GB (4) 11-6, MIN (7) 10-7, DET 6-11, CHI 4-13
SOUTH: TB (1) 14-3, NO 9-8, CAR 7-10, ATL 4-13
EAST: PHI (3) 13-4, DAL (6) 11-6, WAS 5-12, NYG 5-12

LAR over MIN, PHI over DAL, SF over GB
TB over SF, PHI over LAR
TB over PHI

Super Bowl: TB over BUF
racepug
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by racepug »

NFC West: 1) Rams, 2) 49ers, 3) Cardinals, 4) Seahawks - if Kyle Shanahan had stuck with Jimmy G. at QB I'd be VERY tempted to pick the 49ers to win the division but there're just too many ??? surrounding Trey Lance that I cannot, in good conscience, do that (as much as I'd like to). I'm hoping that the Rams suffer from "post-S.B. [championship] letdown" (of some form or another) but they still have talent - probably more than any other team in the division. The Cardinals don't strike me as particularly good and I'm not "sold" on Kyler Murray as a competent QB who (generally) makes good decisions and the Cardinals have a recent history of strong starts followed by bad fades so that's why I pick them to finish (no better than) 3rd in the division. You (likely) already know my feelings on the Seahawks - this figures to DEFINITELY be a "down" year for them. Maybe it's possible that they finish 3rd in the division (ahead of the Cardinals) - but I sure wouldn't bet much money on that!

NFC North: 1) Packers, 2)Lions/Vikings, 3) Vikings/Lions, 4) Bears - The other teams in the division haven't done enough to overtake the Packers, in my opinion - not as long as the Packers still have Aaron Rodgers at QB. Plus I've read that the Packers (significantly?) upgraded their "D" this past off-season. Lions/Vikings could flip-flop but I like the attitude that Dan Campbell brings to DET. I just don't know how that's going to translate into DET actually winning games. MIN has a solid (if unspectacular) starting QB but I don't know much about their new coaching staff and it seemed to me that MIN pretty much just "treaded water" all the years they were coached by Mike Zimmer. All I've read about "Da Bears" is that they didn't do much (if anything) to surround Justin Fields with talent during this last off-season and this current crop of Bears wasn't all that good to begin with so I see little reason to pick them for anything but last in their division.

NFC East: 1) Cowboys, 2) "Iggles," 3) Commanders, 4) Gigantes - I thought I read after last season that the Cowboys were headed for a significant talent drain. That doesn't seem to have affected how much hype they get (as always). I put them at #1 in this division not because I think they're so great (because I most certainly do NOT) but because no other team in that division stands out to me (to say the least) and as much as I hate to admit it, the NFC entry based in TX probably has the best starting QB of any team in that division. If it weren't for Jalen Hurts I'd probably pick PHI to win the division but as with Kyler Murray in ARZ and Tua Tagavailoa in MIA I'm just not sold on him being a particularly competent NFL QB. The Commanders are a mess (and probably will be as long as Daniel Snyder owns that team) but I still pick them to beat Los Gigantes out because, well - Los Gigantes appear to be even more of a mess than the Commanders do. Furthermore, I read recently that Los Gigantes de Nueva York have lost THE most in terms of "player-games" over the last 10 or 12 years of NFL play, DEFINITELY not a good trend for them.

NFC South: 1) T.B. 2) "Nawlins," 3) CAR, 4) ATL - As with the N.F.C. North no team figures to be able to "hang with" the Buccaneers as long as TB12 is there so into the #1 spot they go. Personally, I'm not particularly impressed with either Jameis Winston OR Baker Mayfield but I'm picking "Nawlins" over CAR simply on the basis of "CAR was the worst team in the division last year and I don't see them having improved enough to move up more than one spot in the standings this year." ATL, of course, got rid of steady Matt Ryan and from all I've read the Falcons are in the running for "worst team in the NFL in 2022."

AFC North: 1) BAL, 2) CIN, 3) PIT, 4) CLE - I actually like Joe Burrow the best (by far!) of any current AFC North starting QB. I just don't know if the Bengals will be able to repeat their division title of a year ago (since they won't be "sneaking up" on anybody this time). BAL figures to be in the mix (somehow) but I have serious doubts about Lamar Jackson outside of his (obvious) athletic ability. I'm picking the Ravens to win the division only because of my doubts about CIN. PIT lost a stalwart at QB and that's not easy to replace, but CLE is a mess. I'd be surprised if the Browns finish anywhere but last in the division this season.

AFC East: 1) BUF, 2) MIA/N.E./NYJ, 3) N.E./MIA/NYJ, 4) NYJ/MIA/N.E. - As with the NFC North and NFC South I think BUF is a cut above in its division. I just don't see anybody beating them out for the top spot since none of the other teams in the division especially impress me. I've read that MIA has (relatively) high expectations but I don't see why they should for the same reason why I don't see why ARZ or BAL should - their starting QB. I'm just not a Tua fan and until I see a reason to change my mind on that, I'm not going to. I find it difficult to believe that the possibility exists of a Bill Belichick-coached team finishing in last place (well, at least at this point in his career) but if the Jets can improve in the standings as much as they are said to have in terms of player personnel in the off-season AND the Patriots are experiencing as many problems as I've read that they have, I think that it is possible for the New England Patriots to finish in last place in 2022 - as difficult as that may be to believe.

AFC South: 1) Indy, 2) TEN, 3) JAX, 4) HOU - This might be the weakest division in the NFL this season as no team really stands out to me (at least not in a good way). The Colts went and got Matt Ryan after their failed Carson Wentz "experiment" and from what I've read time has come for TEN to regress. JAX, with a new head coach (and a S.B.-winning one, at that!) and with Trevor Lawrence having one more year under his belt figures to (maybe) improve on last year's last-place finish while HOU, as with some other teams mentioned previously in my write-up, is a mess. The Texans pretty much figure to have nowhere to go but up after this upcoming season.

AFC West: 1) K.C., 2) LAC, 3) DEN, 4) LVR - If I'm not mistaken this is the year that Patrick Mahomes' ½-billion dollar contract kicks in which leads me to wonder what that's going to do to the level of talent around him on his team. I think the Chargers would be a decent bet to win the division if they didn't have that recent history of under-performing. I'm not sold on DEN being a S.B. contender just because it went and got Russell Wilson from Seattle (and I'm not typing that just because I'm a "Broncos hater," either). I didn't think that the Broncos were all that good last year and I certainly don't think that getting Russell Wilson is enough to "put them over the top" (especially considering the division they play in). The Raiders? I'm afraid I just don't have much faith in them. Derek Carr is a serviceable modern NFL QB and (of course) the Raiders obtained Davante Adams in the off-season but this division is LOADED and I'm afraid that, when compared to every other team in it, the Raaaayyyyy-daaaahhhhhs come up short.

For the playoffs I expect the NFC to come down to either the defending champions (hopefully not) or one of the Bays. In the AFC, to me the odds-on favorite to make the S.B. is BUF - although I wonder how much the Matt Araiza affair is going to affect them going forward.

I'd LOVE to see BUF vs. G.B. in the S.B. - but then I'd have nobody to root against.
ChrisBabcock
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by ChrisBabcock »

1) Bills 13-4
Dolphins 10-7
Patriots 7-10
Jets 6-11

3) Bengals 12-5
6) Ravens 11-6
Steelers 7-10
Browns 7-10

4) Colts 11-6
Titans 10-7
Jaguars 7-10
Texans 3-14

2) Chargers 12-5
5) Chiefs 11-6
7) Broncos 11-6
Raiders 8-9

4) Cowboys 11-6
5) Eagles 9-8
Commanders 7-10
Giants 5-12

3) Packers 11-6
Vikings 8-9
Lions 7-10
Bears 2-15

2) Buccaneers 11-6
7) Panthers 9-8
Saints 8-9
Falcons 7-10

1) Rams 12-5
6) 49ers 9-8
Cardinals 7-10
Seahawks 3-14
--------------
PLAYOFFS:
Chargers over Broncos
Bengals over Ravens
Chiefs over Colts
Buccaneers over Panthers
49ers over Packers (again, haha)
Eagles over Cowboys

Bills over Chiefs (this time in Orchard Park!)
Chargers over Bengals
Rams over 49ers (again, ugh)
Buccaneers over Eagles

Bills over Chargers
Rams over Buccaneers

SUPER BOWL: Bills over Rams...
...in which Hell freezes over immediately after the conclusion of the game.
sheajets
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by sheajets »

NFC East
(3)Eagles 11-6
(5)Cowboys 10-7
Redskins 7-10
Giants 4-13

NFC West
(2)Rams - 12-5
(6)49ers - 9-8
Cardinals - 8-9
Seahawks 3-14

NFC North
(1)Packers 13-4
(7)Vikings 9-8
Lions 8-9
Bears 3-14

NFC South
(4)Bucs 11-6
Saints 8-9
Panthers 7-10
Falcons 5-12


AFC East
(1)Bills 12-5
Dolphins 8-9
Patriots 8-9
Jets 7-10

AFC West
(3)Chargers 11-6
(5)Chiefs 10-7
(7)Broncos 9-8
Raiders 8-9

AFC North
(4)Bengals 10-7
(6)Ravens 9-8
Steelers - 7-10
Browns 6-11

AFC South
(2)Colts 12-5
Titans 7-10
Jaguars 4-13
Texans 3-14



NFC
Vikings @ Rams - Vikings pull off the upset as Cook, Jefferson, and Cousins have the games of their lives. Vikings - 38 Rams - 24 Comparisons to 1987 at Candlestick will be everywhere
49ers @ Eagles - 49ers prevail and are in command start to finish. Hurts will have a good season but take his lumps here. 49ers - 26 Philly - 13
Cowboys @ Bucs - The road rampage continues. Parsons, Sam Williams, and Lawrence torment Brady. Dallas 29 Tampa Bay 24

Vikings @ Packers - Packers sputter early, Minnesota will be hanging around at the half...but Rodgers and co get their act together. Green Bay 31 Minnesota 19
49ers @ Cowboys - Another chapter in their high profile history. This time Dallas prevails. Cowboys 30 San Fran 21

Cowboys @ Packers - Rodgers wins ugly at the Frozen Tundra as the Packers defense turns in a brilliant performance, keeping Dallas out of the endzone. Green Bay 17 Dallas 12


AFC
Denver @ Indianapolis- Terrific back and forth game. Lots of drama...lead changes. Colts prevail 33-31.
Ravens @ Chargers - San Diego firing on all cylinders here. Justin Herbert really moves into the national spotlight/radar as the potential "next one". Throws 4 or 5 TD's. Ravens are a proud franchise but they get blitzed here. San Diego - 41 Baltimore - 13
Chiefs @ Bengals - KC out for revenge after last seasons collapse, but Burrow to Higgins and Chase is just too much for them. Bengals 33 Kansas City 24

Bengals @ Bills - Bengals get overwhelmed at madhouse Rich Stadium. Buffalo 28 Cinci - 16
Chargers @ Colts - Matt Ryan desperately wants a chance at Super Bowl redemption, but this day will belong to Herbert. Chargers 35 Colts 21

Chargers @ Bills - Buffalo gets their hearts broken again. Chargers 26 Bills 20 Josh Allen a little too hyped up commits some bad turnover...the stuff you would worry about when watching his college & very early career tapes. San Diego builds a formidable early lead...Allen tries to lead them back. They get the game to under a TD but ultimately fall short

Super Bowl

Packers D contains the Chargers attack. Rodgers plays mistake free football, makes some of his signature pinpoint brilliant throws. Herbert will have a bad turnover or two trying to force things and playing hero ball. Packers - 32 Chargers - 18
Last edited by sheajets on Wed Sep 07, 2022 2:45 pm, edited 3 times in total.
JWL
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by JWL »

sheajets wrote:I think you're selling the Jets a little short there...they have significantly upgraded the talent on that team. They're not ready to make a playoff run yet but I think something like 7-10 is very likely. I don't see them winning fewer games than last season.
The only way the Jets will be 3-14 is if the quarterbacks play poorly AND there are numerous injuries to starters.

Someone realistically looking at the roster while also taking in Zach Wilson's poor play from the FIRST half of 2021 and believing he will make ZERO improvements on that, would still probably think the Jets would at least go 5-12. If that same person looked at the roster and believed Wilson will play like he did in the SECOND half of 2021, that person would probably predict 6-8 wins. If that same person looked at the roster and expects Wilson to improve, that person would predict 9-8 or 10-7.
Brian wolf
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by Brian wolf »

Chargers over Packers in the SB ... Another LA team
JWL
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Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by JWL »

Reaser wrote:NYJ 3-14

SEA 6-11

Robert Saleh will not survive a worse season than last. Are you predicting he gets fired before or after Geno Smith throws for 355 yards and 4 touchdowns in Seattle's 38-3 win on New Year's Day?
sheajets
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Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 12:22 am

Re: 2022 NFL Predictions

Post by sheajets »

JWL wrote:
Reaser wrote:NYJ 3-14

SEA 6-11

Robert Saleh will not survive a worse season than last. Are you predicting he gets fired before or after Geno Smith throws for 355 yards and 4 touchdowns in Seattle's 38-3 win on New Year's Day?
I'm personally not sold on him. I want to like him, to believe in him (much more a believer in Douglas though he's had his missteps...he has continued to get better in the role) Saleh even last year when we were bereft of talent and destroyed by injuries...too many games they just looked like they were not prepared from an x's and o's standpoint and not motivated emotionally. He just got outcoached too many weeks. With guys like Mangini...Rex, and neither took us to the promised land, but at least there were games where you could see the Jets coaching staff did their homework on the opposition and had a plan.

Last year...Patriots, Broncos, Falcons, Patriots AGAIN, Colts, Bills. Way too often the Jets looked Kotite level
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