It’s finally here, if only for a short time.
The NFL season has arrived, so it’s time for my NFL season preview! I’ll make one bold prediction for each team, then I’ll make my actual predictions for the Super Bowl and all of the important awards. The bold predictions will not contradict any of my actual predictions, so these predictions are things that I actually believe will happen. That means they’ll be right, because I’m always right, so go cash your bets now!
Bold Predictions
New England Patriots – Patriots give Cam Newton a long-term deal
Some people think Cam Newton is just going to be a bridge for somebody, but I don’t think so. I think he’ll play well enough for him to become the franchise QB for the Patriots for the next few years.
Buffalo Bills – Tre’Davious White finishes as a DPOY finalist
If you read my Bills article from a while back, you’ll see that I think very highly of Tre White. He has a chance to be the next great Bills cornerback after Stephon Gilmore, and he’ll be in the running for a DPOY award too.
New York Jets – Bradley McDougald leads the league in interceptions
When the Jets traded Jamal Adams, they got another safety in return. I think McDougald is gonna have a huge chip on his shoulder, and he’ll make up for it by absolutely going off this season.
Miami Dolphins – Dolphins have three Pro Bowlers
The Dolphins were… bad, to say the least. However, I think they have three Pro Bowlers this year. The obvious choice is Devante Parker, Xavien Howard, and Byron Jones, but there could be some breakouts (Kyle Van Noy?). Either way, I think they end up with three.
Kansas City Chiefs – Clyde Edwards-Helaire wins Offensive Rookie of the Year
There’s a lot of great QBs in this draft, but I think the OROY is a running back. In the Chiefs offense, Edwards-Helaire is gonna be a beast. He’ll run unchecked and finish in the top 10 for rushing yards.
Denver Broncos – Drew Lock finishes as an MVP finalist
I can’t say he’ll win MVP; that’s too much. However, I really think Drew Lock could be a top 3 QB this year. He has the offensive pieces to do it, and if he gets going, I think he’ll be hard to stop.
Oakland Raiders – Cory Littleton leads the league in tackles
The Raiders made a lot of roster changes during free agency and the draft, and I think Cory Litteton will be one of the best. In the middle of the Raiders defense, he’ll lead the league in tackles.
San Diego Chargers – Austin Ekeler finishes in the top 5 for rushing yards
Melvin Gordon’s gone, so there’s nobody taking carries from Austin Ekeler. He’ll go off this year, and he’ll make his new contract look like a bargain. As a Broncos fan, this is really tough to write, but I think it’ll happen.
Baltimore Ravens – Ravens go to the Super Bowl
The Ravens somehow got better after being the best team in the AFC last year. This year, I think they’ll go to the Super Bowl and help end a lot of the Lamar Jackson playoff hate (which is so stupid).
Pittsburgh Steelers – JuJu Smith-Schuster finishes in the top 5 for receiving yards
JuJu did not have a great year in 2019, but now he gets Ben Roethlisberger back. He’s got a chip on his shoulder, and he’ll come out hot and put up the numbers that the Steelers expected when they let Antonio Brown go.
Cleveland Browns – Browns make the playoffs
Browns fans, your wait is over! With a new coach and an improved offensive line, Baker Mayfield finally leads the Browns to the promised land. Now, all he has to do is win a Super Bowl.
Cincinnati Bengals – Joe Burrow finishes in the top 10 for passing yards
Joe Burrow is kinda good; that’s why he’s the #1 pick. He’s gonna show that by immediately being one of the best QBs in the NFL (and still not winning OROY!), and the Bengals should be good for years to come.
Houston Texans – David Johnson finishes in the top 10 for rushing yards
People have been really quick to write off David Johnson. I think he’ll rebound in Houston, and he’ll quickly re-establish himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL.
Tennessee Titans – Derrick Henry rushes for over 2,000 yards
How did this guy fall to the second round? He’s enormous, and he’s quick enough to get loose on any given play. He’ll join the exclusive 2,000-yard club, and he’ll erase any questions about sustainability.
Indianapolis Colts – Jonathan Taylor finishes in the top 10 for rushing yards
In case you haven’t noticed, I really like this rookie class. Edwards-Helaire, Burrow, and now Jonathon Taylor. He’s also going to finish in the top 10 for rushing yards, and he’ll set up the Colts at running back for the future.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Jaguars win six games
For a lot of teams, this isn’t much. For the Jaguars, though, this is incredible (or maybe not). Gardner Minshew will show that he belongs, and the Jaguars won’t be drafting a QB in the next draft.
Philadelphia Eagles – Eagles win the Super Bowl
This is my actual Super Bowl pick, but it’s bold enough for me to put here. The Eagles, if healthy, have a very good chance to go all the way. They did it a few years ago, and I think they’ll do it again with Wentz this time.
Dallas Cowboys – Dak Prescott finishes as an MVP finalist
All of the young QBs are being signed to long-term extensions, but Dak is still on the franchise tag. This just means he’ll have a chip on his shoulder, which will inevitably lead to him becoming a top 3 QB.
New York Giants – Saquon Barkley finishes in the top 3 for rushing yards
Saquon already has a case to be the most talented running back in the NFL. Now, he’ll get the stats to back it up by finishing in the top 3 for rushing yards.
Washington Football Team – Terry McLaurin finishes in the top 10 for receiving yards
Washington doesn’t have a lot of bright spots on their roster, but Terry McLaurin is absolutely one of them. He’ll evolve into a top 10 receiver in the NFL this year, and he might even make Dwayne Haskins look good.
San Francisco 49ers – Nick Bosa leads the league in sacks
The better Bosa brother, in my opinion, is gonna become the best sack getter in football. He’ll lead the league in sacks, and he’ll be the best young pass rusher in the NFL, by far.
Seattle Seahawks – Seahawks win the NFC West
There’s a lot of good teams in this division, and the Seahawks are often seen as one of the bottom teams in it. However, I think they’re the best, and they’ll win the division and position themselves well for the playoffs.
Los Angeles Rams – Jared Goff goes to the Pro Bowl
Jared Goff had one bad season, and people are writing him off as a bust. I think he can still be a good QB, and he’ll show that this year by making the Pro Bowl on a very underrated Rams team.
Arizona Cardinals – Cardinals make the playoffs
A lot of people think that the Cardinals are one year away from really being a playoff contender. I disagree, and I think that the Cardinals will be able to make the playoffs this year. People are underestimating how good DeAndre Hopkins really is.
Green Bay Packers – Aaron Rodgers finishes in the top 5 for passing yards
This one is a bit of a surprise. People are saying that Aaron Rodgers is on a decline, but I disagree. I think he’ll show the NFL that he’s still an elite QB (which, unfortunately, will make the Jordan Love pick look even worse).
Minnesota Vikings – Danielle Hunter wins Defensive Player of the Year
Nobody benefits more from the Yannick Ngakoue trade than Danielle Hunter. The dude will get an insane amount of one-on-one matchups, and he’ll be able to parlay that into his first DPOY award.
Chicago Bears – Nick Foles makes the Pro Bowl
He’s not the starter, but he’s the best QB on that roster. I think he’ll start really soon (Week 2?), and he’ll take over and go to another Pro Bowl.
Detroit Lions – Kenny Golladay leads the league in receiving yards
There’s a lot of good receivers in the NFL, and I think Golladay is gonna be one of the best. He’ll be a young bright spot on this Lions team.
New Orleans Saints – Saints get the NFC #1 seed
The Saints have been so good for so long, and they showcase it this year. They become the best regular season team in football, and they’ll secure the bye for the NFC (only one this year!).
Atlanta Falcons – Todd Gurley finishes in the top 5 for rushing yards
Just like David Johnson, people are really quick to write off Todd Gurley. I think he’ll get back to his 2018 form, and the Falcons will finally have a good run game.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – O. J. Howard finishes in the top 5 for TE receiving yards
This isn’t the tight end that everybody’s talking about, but it’s the tight end that everybody should be talking about. O.J. Howard will benefit the most from Tom Brady, and he’ll leap into that elite tier.
Carolina Panthers – Christian McCaffrey breaks the single-season rushing record
You guys thought Derrick Henry would be the best RB? Well, Christian McCaffrey has something to say about that. He’ll be the best single-season RB in NFL history.
Super Bowl & Award Predictions
Super Bowl: Eagles beat Ravens
Super Bowl MVP: Carson Wentz
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
OPOY: Christian McCaffrey
DPOY: Danielle Hunter
OROY: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
DROY: Chase Young
CPOTY: Alex Smith
COTY: Kliff Kingsbury
Passing Leader: Patrick Mahomes
Rushing Leader: Christian McCaffrey
Receiving Leader: Kenny Golladay
Sacks Leader: Nick Bosa
Tackles Leader: Cory Littleton
Interceptions Leader: Bradley McDougald
If you guys wanna yell at me, leave a comment or follow me on Instagram at @fanmusings!
