2024 NFL Predictions

[Crazy Packers Fan]

2024 NFL Predictions

Last year, I utterly nailed my prediction on the champion. Here’s what I wrote on the Chiefs:

Sometimes it’s that simple. The best team in the league is just staring you down. To dodge them is pointless. They are still the best. And about them winning another Super Bowl… it is unavoidable. It is their destiny.

And don’t expect anything different in 2024. Or 2025.

AFC East
1. New York Jets (11-6): Aaron Rodgers returns in MVP form and leads the Jets to the playoffs. The strong defense makes things easy on Rodgers, and this time around, there is no fluke injury.

2. Buffalo Bills (10-7): Buffalo takes a step back this year after all the playoff failures. In fact, this year might be another playoff failure, just in the wild card round instead of a later round as usual.

3. Miami Dolphins (9-8): I’m not buying what the Dolphins are selling. They may be the hottest pick out there, but I just don’t see this team as a serious Super Bowl contender.

4. New England Patriots (4-13): No more Belichick, and no more aura of greatness. The Pats are going to hobble their way to another early draft pick.

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-6): Russell Wilson turns back the clock, and even though I’ve said this the past two years, I still believe he can be a quality QB in this league. If not, Justin Fields isn’t a bad replacement. The Steelers shock the Ravens by stealing away their division crown.

2. Baltimore Ravens (10-7): Until I see something different, I’m not going to believe in Lamar Jackson. He’s a great fantasy football quarterback, but when it comes to playoff success, he’s just not there yet.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (8-9): If Joe Burrow can stay healthy – and that’s a big “if” – then the Bengals will have a shot at the playoffs and maybe even the division.

4. Cleveland Browns (7-10): The Browns got by on smoke and mirrors in 2024. No such luck this time around.

AFC South:

1. Houston Texans (11-6): C.J. Stroud continues to amaze and gets his team back to the playoffs. They’re probably too fresh to contend for a Super Bowl quite yet, but they ought to make things interesting come January.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8): Trevor Lawrence rebounds from a bad year and gets the Jags back into the playoff race. In fact, he very well may get the Jags into the wild card round.

3. Indianapolis Colts (6-11): The Colts take a step back this year.

4. Tennessee Titans (4-13): The Titans are in a rebuild. They struggle mightily this year.

AFC West:

1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5): It’s inevitable. The Chiefs will win Super Bowl LIX, and you can take that to the bank. No team is stopping them. They may even rope-a-dope for much of the regular season to convince you that they’re not going back. But they will. And once they’ve won in New Orleans, they’ll be headed for Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX.

2. Los Angeles Chargers (7-10): I don’t believe in Justin Herbert, and you shouldn’t either.

3. Las Vegas Raiders (6-11): The Raiders are rebuilding, but not as much as…

4. Denver Broncos (3-14): The Broncs are starting from scratch.

NFC East:

1. Dallas Cowboys (11-6): No team has won the NFC East in back-to-back seasons in like, forever. The Cowboys buck that trend and clinch the division title again.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-7): It won’t be easy, though. The Eagles will hang with them every step of the way.

3. New York Giants (6-11): I correctly predicted the Giants’ downfall a season ago. This time around, Brian Daboll gets fired.

4. Washington “Hogs” (5-12): Whatever their name is, the “Hogs” are in a rebuild, and that means a poor record.

NFC North:

1. Green Bay Packers (11-6): The pieces are in place. All that’s necessary is to avoid injuries, which of course is always a big “if” in Green Bay. But if all goes right this year, the Packers will be headed to New Orleans for a Super Bowl for the first time in 28 years.

2. Detroit Lions (11-6): I also like the Lions to make some noise yet again this season; in fact, the NFC may come down to them and the Packers up against the mighty 49ers.

3. Chicago Bears (8-9): The Bears will surprise a lot of people this year and be quite competitive. I just don’t think they’re ready to contend quite yet.

4. Minnesota Vikings (3-14): The Vikes are in full-blown rebuild mode with J.J. McCarthy out for the season.

NFC South:

1. Atlanta Falcons (9-8): I have absolutely no idea who’s going to win the NFC South, so I’m picking a different team from a year ago.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): The Bucs will definitely contend for the division, but will they win it? I have no clue, so I’m picking them for second place.

3. New Orleans Saints (7-10): The Saints are going to hang around for a while, but I don’t think they end up out on top of this division.

4. Carolina Panthers (3-14): Nice job giving up the farm for Bryce Young. That decision may sting for decades.

NFC West:

1. San Francisco 49ers (12-5): It’s plain and obvious that the 49ers will win the West, but by how much? They’re a shoo-in for a division title and probably the first-round bye as well. All that matters for them, though, is if they can get by KC in the Super Bowl.

2. Los Angeles Rams (10-7): The Rams gets back to the playoffs, but don’t seriously contend for a Super Bowl.

3. Seattle Seahawks (8-9): The ‘Hawks will be breaking in a new head coach, so it’s too early to expect them to turn things around this year.

4. Arizona Cardinals (6-11): I was right several years ago when I called them a fluke, but now it’s become ridiculous how much of a fluke they were. They need to do something to stop the bleeding.

Playoffs:

AFC Wild Card:

#1 Kansas City BYE

#2 Houston beats #7 Jacksonville

#3 Pittsburgh beats #6 Buffalo

#5 Baltimore beats #4 New York Jets

AFC Divisional:

#1 Kansas City beats #5 Baltimore

#2 Houston beats #3 Pittsburgh

AFC Championship Game:

#1 Kansas City beats #2 Houston

NFC Wild Card:

#1 San Francisco BYE

#2 Green Bay beats #7 Los Angeles Rams

#3 Dallas beats #6 Philadelphia

#5 Detroit beats #4 Atlanta

NFC Divisional:

#1 San Francisco beats #5 Detroit

#2 Green Bay beats #3 Dallas

NFC Championship Game:

#2 Green Bay beats #1 San Francisco

MVP: Patrick Mahomes

Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey, SF

Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Watt, PIT

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Caleb Williams, CHI

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Laiatu Latu, IND

Comeback Player of the Year: Aaron Rodgers, NYJ

Coach of the Year: Robert Saleh, NYJ

Super Bowl LIX: Kansas City 35, Green Bay 25 (MVP: Patrick Mahomes)

[7DnBrnc53]

4. Denver Broncos (3-14): The Broncs are starting from scratch.

I wish. That would mean that John Elway, his nephew, and the rest of the inept front office were gone.

[Brian wolf]

Injuries will play a role as we all know, but I feel Tomlin can motivate Wilson to put the Steelers on his shoulders. I am not sure if the Lions can help out St. Brown or LaPorta enough in the passing game but Johnson will utilize his offensive talent well.

Steelers vs Lions in the SB

[CSKreager]

Bold prediction: Chiefs miss the playoffs

[GameBeforeTheMoney]

Jags vs Texans - that could be a very, very good race and those teams are the most compelling to me in the AFC. At least one could end up winning a playoff game or two.

My pick to surprise in the NFC is Atlanta. Drake London, Bijan Robinson - those could be some real breakout players. Morris could break out as a HC also.

[SeahawkFever]

These are all pretty interesting predictions.

Going in I would say Minnesota, Carolina or New England would be the worst team, and in whichever order wouldn’t surprise me.

My Seahawks should be eight to ten wins, and I’d say my team’s ceiling is getting bounced out in the wild card round. I’ve heard good things about the defense, but Geno Smith hasn’t exactly been one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

The team where I am most intrigued to see where they go is Atlanta. They obviously signed Kirk Cousins, but also took Michael Penix in the draft very high after doing so.

Also, I’m surprised San Francisco is projected to be 12-5, I’d predict 13-4 or 14-3; especially if they can stay healthy.

[RichardBak]

I'll go out on a limb and predict the Dayton Triangles will not win a single game this season.

[Brian wolf]

Let's hope the riverboat gambler in Campbell won't screw up this year, Richard. His calls on 4th down helped the Lions make the playoffs last year but he can't screw around once the playoffs start, if they make it. Can Jameson Williams do more for the offense this year?

Will team-logo Guardian Caps be the fashion rage this Christmas season?

[74_75_78_79_]

I'm sure I'll give my whole take (now why WOULDN'T I? such a gluten-for-punishment with this always getting it wrong stuff, lol).

I did do a schedule-predictor thing. But thought I do another take and post that one. I'm still not sure how things will turn out. And that goes for my Steelers which, it seems, some here are optimistic of.

Atlanta? Yes! Drinking THAT Kool-Aid as well! Raheem Morris? His 10-6 finish with TB more than ten years ago caught my attention at the time and thought he should have another go. Well better late than never, he now HAS that "other" go!

I put Flores in the same boat as him. I don't look at too many of the radio sports commentators as 'Gospel' though I respect enough of it, but Colin Herd made some points lately which I can't say I disagree with (not sure what your opinions are). He kind of put Flores in a negative light. Saying Tua didn't like playing under him (but, then again, Bledsoe didn't like playing under Parcells; liked Carroll better).

He also said that being "a Belichick-guy" wasn't necessarily a great thing either; he mentioned how many who were there at the time wondered how Tom could put up with his tough stuff (I thought they got along better than that, but maybe others know better). He simply defends Atlanta's decision to go with Raheem over Belichick being that he's younger and he's willing to "work with" a GM instead of wanting all-power. Not a terrible point.

In either event, this could lower even-more Historic stock in Hoodie. No, still a top-teir, but he may end up off 'Rushmore' and a little lower than that when all said and done (I already, finally, TIED Noll, Brown, and Vince together recently). But that's, really, for another convo altogether and not sure when I'll ever dive back in. Been discussed round-and-round SO many times! BB still a Great One in either event and let's end it There for now, at least!

Back to upcoming 2024...

Bold prediction: Chiefs miss the playoffs

Yes - BOLD! But not TOO out-of-hand! No, I'm not going to do such a thing! And only because of the 7 teams being allowed in stuff! Pre-'78 - or even '78/'79 itself? Hmm, maybe, I guess (they could be the '79 Redskins, lol). This Chiefs Dynasty is all about motivation! And not JUST from #15! Instead of a relatively-'bleh' regular season (losing at home to Oakland on Christmas Day) and then Patrick, apparently, saying, "Okay, we're winning a Super Bowl in a few weeks!", it'd best be served if he gets the stuff going right off the bat! So many will be gunning for him & Co! And he's, now, got better weapons to pass to. And the defense, 2nd youngest last year correct me if wrong, should be even BETTER!! So I'm going to guess another, but even stronger than '22, 14-3 finish with - again - NO road playoff games being the case.

But, man...Houston looks SO "ready" to ride the elevator all-the-way-UP!! Or at least record their best-ever season since that reincarnation of 2002! Atlanta? Maybe top-seed but not sure from there. Let's see my official guesses whenever I actually do post.

San Fran? All rides on Christian being healthy all year! And even so...will they be, a bit, demoralized with the recent, perpetual "coming up just short" stuff?

Same with the Ravens! Will they respond better in '24 than they did in '20??

[Reaser]

AFC
West: KC (3) 13-4, LAC (7) 10-7, DEN 5-12, LV 4-13
North: BAL (1) 14-3, CIN (5) 11-6, PIT 9-8, CLE 7-10
South: JAX (4) 10-7, HOU 9-8, TEN 7-10, IND 6-11
East: MIA (2) 14-3, BUF (6) 10-7, NYJ 7-10, NE 2-15

NFC
West: SF (1) 15-2, LAR (6) 11-6, SEA 8-9, ARI 6-11
North: DET (3) 14-3, GB (7) 11-6, MIN 5-12, CHI 3-14
South: ATL (4) 10-7, TB 8-9, NO 8-9, CAR 2-15
East: PHI (2) 14-3, DAL (5) 11-6, WAS 5-12, NYG 3-14

Super Bowl
49ers over Ravens