Forecasts and Predictions for the Upcoming NFL Season Start
Even if it seems like the Super Bowl was just yesterday, a new NFL season is upon us. The NFL season start is one of the most exciting times of the year because all 32 teams can hold out hope of achieving their dream of winning the Super Bowl. Given the hope that every team has, fans can’t wait to get their hands on NFL tickets for the 2023 season. Obviously, until the season gets underway, we don’t know how things will play out. After all, the NFL always has plenty of surprises. However, we have some hunches for the upcoming season, so we wanted to share some of our predictions for the 2023 NFL season.
Packers Have NFL’s Worst Record
We’ll start at the bottom, where there are several excellent candidates to be the team with the worst standings in the NFL during the 2023 season. Most believe the Cardinals will struggle to win games more than anyone else. The Colts, Texans, and Bears are also good candidates to have the league’s worst record. But the Packers shouldn’t be overlooked as serious contenders in this area. With Aaron Rodgers last year, Green Bay only went 8-9. Things could get a lot worse with Jordan Love and a young set of receivers in Green Bay. The Packers don’t exactly have a defense that can carry a bad offense, and since we don’t know much about Love, there is a realistic possibility that the Packers are the worst team in the league this year.
Broncos Win AFC West
Admittedly, this would be shocking to see, even if we’re predicting it. The Chiefs have won seven straight AFC West crowns, pre-dating the Patrick Mahomes era. Mahomes and the Chiefs are the leading Super Bowl favorites, making another AFC West title a foregone conclusion. However, Kansas City is bound to have some kind of letdown after dominating the league over the last handful of years. As for the Broncos, they had a top-5 defense last year and bring back enough pieces to be good on that side of the ball again. Meanwhile, if Sean Payton can get Russell Wilson back on track, Denver could quickly become one of the elite teams in the AFC and even have a chance to take the division away from Kansas City.
Falcons Win NFC South
One could argue that the NFC South is the worst division in football. But that also means it’s anybody’s to win. While the Saints are rightly favored with Derek Carr at the helm, Atlanta is poised to become one of the biggest surprises in the NFC this year. Granted, we don’t know much about Desmond Ridder just yet. However, the Falcons figure to have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, setting up rookie running back Bijan Robinson for a big year. That should make life a little easier for Ridder in his second pro season. With the Falcons adding some significant pieces on defense during the offseason, they will be strong enough in the trenches to win a wide-open division.
Justin Jefferson Surpasses 2,000 Receiving Yards
Somehow this prediction doesn’t seem that bold, even though it’s never happened before. Over his first three seasons in the league, Jefferson has increased his receiving total by roughly 200 yards from the previous year. After amassing 1,809 receiving yards last year, a similar bump should push him over 2,000 yards in 2023. Obviously, it helps that he has a veteran quarterback like Kirk Cousins, who knows to look for Jefferson every chance he gets. Minnesota also has complementary receivers in K.J. Osborn and rookie Jordan Addison who are just good enough to prevent opposing teams from giving Jefferson too much attention, allowing him to put together enough big games to collect 2,000 passing yards, setting a new NFL record.
Josh Allen Wins MVP
On paper, a quarterback from the AFC seems like the most likely MVP this year. Obviously, Jalen Hurts is the outlier, but Allen, Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and others are all excellent candidates. But this could be Allen’s year. He’s been building toward winning MVP honors for a few years and has the skill set to put up big numbers as both a passer and a runner. Of course, the Bills are poised to have a big year as well, which should push Allen ahead of the pack and give him the MVP award.
Lions Reach NFC Championship Game
Outside of the Eagles and 49ers, the NFC lacks bonafide Super Bowl contenders. So why can’t the Lions surprise everyone by making a deep playoff run that takes them to the NFC Championship Game? Jared Goff is coming off an impressive season and has an even better supporting cast than last year. A young Detroit defense should also be ready to take a step forward. With the Lions favored to win the NFC North, they are just two playoff wins away from the NFC Championship Game, which doesn’t sound that far-fetched when you think about it.
Brock Purdy Leads 49ers to Super Bowl Win
An injury in last year’s NFC Championship Game ended Purdy’s miraculous run that was reminiscent of Tom Brady and the 2001 Patriots. However, Purdy is healthy and poised to pick up where he left off. San Francisco’s success last season wasn’t an aberration. Burdy truly has the tools to be a top-flight quarterback. The 49ers also have an elite defense and a set of playmakers that any quarterback would love to have. In other words, all of the ingredients are there for Purdy to prove that last season was no fluke by leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl win.