Now that I have thoroughly analyzed the upcoming college football season, it is time for me to publish my fifth 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.

The records below include all regular season games but do not include playoff games, which will be analyzed in a later entry. The teams marked in bold font are the ones predicted to make the 2023 NFL playoffs. Without further ado, here are my AFC regular season predictions, with analysis, for my fifth annual NFL preview guide.

AFC East

1	Miami (12-5)- division champ

Last Year’s Record: 11-6 (My 2023 prediction: 11-6): nailed my preseason projections for the Fins in 2023!

Positional Strength: Defensive Back

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Buffalo (September 12)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Seattle (September 22)

Bottom Line: The entirety of the best offense in the NFL returns to light up scoreboards again in 2024. Defensively, they should also be solid enough to finally overtake Buffalo as the kings of this division.

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2	Buffalo (11-6)

Last Year’s Record: 11-6 (My 2023 prediction: 10-7)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (November 17)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Seattle (October 27)- this will be a tricky cross country trip into a hostile environment

Bottom Line: A tough schedule and key losses defensively (Leonard Floyd, Jordan Poyer) and at receiver (Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis) prevent this team from winning a fifth straight division crown. However, the Bills will still be a playoff team in 2024.

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3	NY Jets (9-8)

Last Year’s Record: 7-10 (My 2023 prediction: 8-9)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Buffalo (October 14)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Indianapolis (November 17)

Bottom Line: Many pundits are calling for the Jets to finally breakthrough and challenge for a division title in 2024, but I am not so sure. They have added enough pieces over the past couple of years where they should be able to finally put together a winning seasons, but I am still calling for them to fall just short of a playoff bid this year in this brutal AFC.

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4	New England (5-12)

Last Year’s Record: 4-13 (My 2023 prediction: 7-10)

Positional Strength: Defensive Back

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. NY Jets (October 27)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Tennessee (November 3)

Bottom Line: New coach Jerod Mayo is taking over this downtrodden program with a new quarterback, receiving corps, starting running back, and coaching staff. As a result, it is going to take some time for this team to gel. Nevertheless, I still think this team has enough talent to improve on last year’s 4-13 mark.

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AFC North

1	Cleveland (11-6)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 11-6 (My 2023 prediction: 8-9)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (December 15)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Jacksonville (September 15)

Bottom Line: The Browns won 11 games last year with their backup quarterback, but surprisingly, no one is really talking about them as a division title contender in 2024. If they stay healthy, Cleveland can be last year’s Detroit Lions and make a Cinderella run deep into postseason play.

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2	Pittsburgh (11-6)

Last Year’s Record: 10-7 (My 2023 prediction: 9-8)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (December 25)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. LA Chargers (September 22)

Bottom Line: Shockingly, the Steelers still haven’t suffered a losing season since 2003, and I think that streak continues through 2024. The Steelers’ biggest weakness last year was at quarterback, and they upgraded considerably at that position in the offseason by bringing in both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at a considerably lesser value than each of those players was worth a year or two ago. Expect another winning season and playoff berth from Pittsburgh this year.

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3	Baltimore (10-7)

Last Year’s Record: 13-4 (My 2023 prediction: 10-7)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Kansas City (September 5)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Tampa Bay (October 21)

Bottom Line: The Ravens will still be electric offensively with Lamar Jackson at the helm, but this squad lost a lot defensively (Patrick Queen, Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney, and Geno Stone all departed). As a result, I think Baltimore takes a slight step back in 2024 but still manages to find a way into the playoffs.

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4	Cincinnati (10-7)

Last Year’s Record: 9-8 (My 2023 prediction: 13-4)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Philadelphia (October 27)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Carolina (September 29)

Bottom Line: As you can see, I have projected the AFC North to be the most competitive division in the entire league, as I have predicted all four teams to finish within one game of one another. Unfortunately, I don’t believe all four of those squads will make the playoffs, so I am calling for the Bengals to be the odd man out based on the NFL tiebreaker procedures. Cincinnati will ultimately be much improved in the passing game with the return of Joe Burrow, but there are still major question marks with this team at the running back position as well as tight end and defensive back.

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AFC South

1	Houston (10-7)- division champ

Last Year’s Record: 10-7 (My 2023 prediction: 6-11)

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Baltimore (December 25)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Indianapolis (September 8)

Bottom Line: I expect to see a little bit of a sophomore slump out of C.J. Stroud and company in 2024, but the Texans fortunately play in one of the easiest divisions in pro football so I think a second straight AFC South title is on the horizon.

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2	Indianapolis (9-8)

Last Year’s Record: 9-8 (My 2023 prediction: 4-13)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Houston (September 8)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at New England (December 1)

Bottom Line: The Colts greatly exceeded my expectations in 2023 and almost made the playoffs, despite not having their starting quarterback for the majority of the season. If Richardson stays healthy, then his team could take a big step forward in 2024. Nevertheless, I am calling for Indy to fall just short of the playoffs again this season, thanks largely in part to a lack of depth at several key positions (QB, RB, OL, WR) and a questionable secondary.

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3	Jacksonville (8-9)

Last Year’s Record: 9-8 (My 2023 prediction: 11-6)

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Philadelphia (November 3)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Tennessee (December 8)

Bottom Line: Concerns at receiver and offensive line and a brutal schedule that features road games at Buffalo, Philadelphia, Miami, and Detroit has me calling for a disappointing season in Duval County.

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4	Tennessee (3-14)

Last Year’s Record: 6-11 (My 2023 prediction: 9-8)

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. NY Jets (September 15)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. New England (November 3)

Bottom Line: This year appears to be a rebuilding season for the Titans, as they try to break-in a new starting quarterback while also bringing in an entirely new coaching staff. The Titans are also replacing their leading rusher (Derrick Henry), tackler (Azeez Al-Shaair), and sack artist (Denico Autry). This could be a rough autumn in Nashville.

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AFC West

1	Kansas City (10-7)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 11-6 (My 2023 prediction: 12-5)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Cincinnati (September 15)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Atlanta (September 22)- this is a dangerous early season trap game for the Chiefs

Bottom Line: It is hard to pick against a team that has all the key parts back from back-to-back Super Bowl championship teams, but the Chiefs have to fall short at some point right? No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls, and as well as the Chiefs have played in the postseason, one couldn’t help notice that they seemed to have a lack of motivation at times during the 2023 regular season. I think Kansas City will be really good again this season but will ultimately fall short of the three-peat.

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2	LA Chargers (8-9)

Last Year’s Record: 5-12 (My 2023 prediction: 11-6)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Baltimore (November 25)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Arizona (October 21)

Bottom Line: I picked the Chargers to make a surprise run to the AFC Championship in my NFL previous guide last season, and they absolutely burned me by putting together a horrific 5-12 season. This season, I am not getting burned again, as I am calling for the Chargers to finish lower than most pundits expect. Don’t get me wrong, Jim Harbaugh is a great football coach, but the schematic changes he will be making offensively and defensively will take some time to implement. This team also lost its two best skill position players in the offseason in running back Austin Ekeler and wideout Kenan Allen. All in all, the lightning bolts will be improved in 2024 but will again fall short of a playoff berth this season.

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3	Las Vegas (6-11)

Last Year’s Record: 5-12 (My 2023 prediction: 11-6)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Baltimore (November 25)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Arizona (October 21)

Bottom Line: The good news for the Raiders is that all the key parts return from a defense that was really good last year. The defense may actually be even better in 2024 with the acquisition of star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The bad news is that this team still doesn’t have a proficient quarterback to run the offense, as the Raiders will be relying on either Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell to run the show this season. Also, aside from Davante Adams, this team lacks firepower at the other skill positions. The Raiders’ defense will ultimately keep them in a lot of games this season, but the lack of offensive production will keep them out of the 2024 playoffs.

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4	Denver (4-13)

Last Year’s Record: 8-9 (My 2023 prediction: 6-11)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (January 4/5)- I am banking on either the Chiefs to be resting players in the last week of the regular season or them to overlook the struggling Broncos.

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Carolina (October 27)

Bottom Line: It takes a special quarterback to succeed as a rookie, and I just don’t think Bo Nix falls into that category. Zack Wilson may end up being Payton’s go to option in 2024, but we know about his struggles thus far throughout his NFL career. Losing star receiver Jerry Jeudy and All-Pro safety Justin Simmons will also hurt this squad considerably. Overall, I am predicting the AFC West to be a disappointing division in 2024, as most of these teams are in a state of rebuilding and/or transition.

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