A Look at the 2022/23 NFL Season

Top Predictions for the AFC

The AFC, one of the two conferences alongside the NFC in the NFL, is comprised of 16 teams that play in 4 different divisions.

AFC North

After winning the AFC Championship and reaching the Super Bowl, the Cincinnati Bengals are a strong contender to win the AFC North division. They play in this division with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens and the Cleveland Browns. Many fans predict the Bengals to come back next season even stronger, which could be a worry for the other franchises in this division.

AFC East

This division is interesting because last season there were two teams that were very close at the top. The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots battled each other right to the last game, and both qualified for the Wild Card playoffs. The teams faced each other in the playoffs and the Bills dominated the game, beating the Patriots 47-17. The other teams in this division are the Miami Dolphins and the New York Jets, though both teams will need to improve a lot on their last season’s performance if they want to catch up with the division leaders.

AFC South

The Tennessee Titans are heavy favourites in this division, having dominated last year with a 12 win finish. The other teams in the division are the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts placed in second, winning 9 games, whilst the others did poorly, with the Texans winning 4 games and the Jags winning only 3. With the addition of MVP Matt Ryan, the Colts will try to challenge the Titans in the following season.

AFC West

The Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs play in this division. Despite the Raiders and Broncos both hiring new head coaches and the Chargers possessing one of the most outstanding young quarterbacks in Justin Herbert, Kansas City are the favourites in this division. The team had a 12 win season in the AFC West and won the Wild Card playoffs and Divisional playoffs, before losing in the AFC Championship to the Bengals.

Top Predictions for the NFC

The NFC also comprises 16 teams that play in 4 separate divisions.

NFC North

The Green Bay Packers had a great run last season, winning the division with a 13 win finish. With the return of MVP Aaron Rodgers, they are predicted to dominate the division next season too. The other teams in this division are the Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. The Vikings and Bears made changes to their rosters for the following season, which may pose a threat to the Packers. The Lions are predicted to finish bottom, unless they can find a strategy to win more games and break their four year running streak of finishing last in the division.

NFC East

Last season, the Dallas Cowboys won this division, and proceeded with the Philadelphia Eagles to the Wild Card playoffs. Both teams performed well in the division, but the Cowboys look more likely to win again next season. With Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons, the team looks set to improve on their 12 win finish last season. The other teams in this division are the Washington Football Team and the New York Giants. This division is quite evenly balanced and though the Cowboys are the favourites, it is also worth keeping an eye on the other teams as the Giants feature a new head coach and the Washington Commanders acquired a star player in Carson Wentz.

NFC South

This division would have looked very different if legendary Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady retired. Thankfully he reverted his decision and re-joined the Buccaneers. The team are the strong favourites to win the NFC South division, where they play against the New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers. The other teams are not favoured to win, but a lot will depend on how they fare with the players they picked up in the NFL Draft.

NFC West

Defending champions, the Los Angeles Rams will face a fierce battle to win this division with some stiff competition from the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals. The fourth team in this division is the Seattle Seahawks, who have finished in the top two in the past five years except for this last season when they finished last, winning only seven games. All three other teams qualified for the Wild Card playoffs. The Rams met the 49ers in the NFC championship and beat their rivals and then went on to win the Super Bowl.

Conclusion

When it comes to the NFL, it is not easy to predict which teams will win their division let alone which will proceed to the playoffs and win the Championships and then the Super Bowl. A lot will depend on how well the new players fit into their teams and how the managerial and roster changes will affect the teams. However, the one thing that NFL fans can be certain about, is that on the back of the previous season, next season is going to be thrilling.