Now that I have thoroughly analyzed the upcoming college football season, it is time for me to publish my third annual NFL preseason football guide. Much like my college preview, I have gone through and analyzed every NFL team’s regular season and postseason, as well as selected my disappointment and surprise teams and upsets to watch out for.
Here are my predictions for this year’s playoffs. Please read the AFC and NFC regular season predictions entry to see how each team ended up with the seed they have below.
AFC Playoffs
Wildcard Playoffs (winners in bold)
2
Kansas City (12-5)
7
Cincinnati (9-8)
3
Indianapolis (11-6)
6
New England (10-7)
4
Baltimore (10-7)
5
LA Chargers (11-6)
Divisional Playoffs (winners in bold)
1
Buffalo (14-3)
5
LA Chargers (11-6)
2
Kansas City (12-5)
3
Indianapolis (11-6)
Conference Championship Game (winners in bold)
1
Buffalo (14-3)
2
Kansas City (12-5)
NFC Playoffs
Wildcard Playoffs (predicted winners in bold)
2
San Francisco (11-6)
7
LA Rams (10-7)
3
Tampa Bay (11-6)
6
New Orleans (11-6)
4
Green Bay (10-7)
5
Dallas (11-6)
Divisional Playoffs (predicted winners in bold)
1
Philadelphia (13-4)
7
LA Rams (10-7)
3
Tampa Bay (11-6)
4
Green Bay (10-7)
Conference Championship Game (predicted winner in bold)
4
Green Bay (10-7)
7
LA Rams (10-7)
Super Bowl LVII
Super Bowl (predicted winner in bold)
1
Buffalo (14-3)
4
Green Bay (10-7)
First of all, it always seems like one conference’s playoffs hold true to form and the higher seeds mostly advance and the other conference gets wild with a string of upsets. I am thus predicting the AFC playoffs to be somewhat conventional in 2022, while the NFC will have several upsets. Ultimately, I am calling for Josh Allen to outduel an aging Aaron Rodgers in the desert of Arizona to give Buffalo its first ever world championship!