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.

NFC East

1	Dallas (12-5)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 12-5 (My 2023 prediction: 12-5): nailed my regular season projection for America’s Team in 2023!

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Detroit (October 13)

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

Bottom Line: The Cowboys have proven to be a solid regular season team, but obviously, it has been another story in the playoffs. This season, I am calling for another regular season division title for “The Boys”, but until they prove they can win in the postseason, I just can’t pick them to make a run to the Super Bowl like I did last season.

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2	Philadelphia (11-6)

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

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Baltimore (December 1)

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

Bottom Line: The Eagles will bounce back after last year’s late season collapse as the addition of Saquan Barkley will add another dimension to an already potent rushing attack. Unfortunately, issues on the defensive side of the ball will prevent them from being a Super Bowl contender this season.

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3	NY Giants (6-11)

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

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Cincinnati (October 13)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. New Orleans (December 8)

Bottom Line: The Daniel Jones experiment will finally die after another disappointing season for the G-Men. This team was already struggling, and then they lost their best player this past the offseason in Saquan Barkley. Quite frankly, the Giants don’t have a single unit on either side of the football ball that ranks in the top half of the league.

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4	Washington (2-15)

Last Year’s Record: 4-13 (My 2023 prediction: 5-12)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Defensive Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Philadelphia (December 22)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. New York Giants (September 15)

Bottom Line: The NFC East has definitely become a division of “haves” and “have nots”, as the Cowboys and Eagles are perennial playoff teams whereas the Commanders and Giants have only sniffed the postseason one time a piece in the past five seasons. This year, Washington is facing the devastating prospect of being in rebuild mode while also facing one of the toughest schedules in the entire league. As a result, I am predicting it to be a very rough season for this squad.

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NFC North

1	Detroit (11-6)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 12-5 (My 2023 prediction: 7-10)

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

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

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Minnesota (October 20)

Bottom Line: If any other team was bringing back all of the key players from a squad that lost a close conference championship game the year prior, then I would expect that team to make a push for the Super Bowl the following season. However, these are the Detroit Lions. The Lions are definitely not used to playing with weight of expectations like they will have this year, and their head coach Dan Campbell tends to make terrible in-game decisions. Detroit will be good again in 2024, but Campbell’s decision-making will keep them out of the Super Bowl, just like last season.

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2	Green Bay (10-7)

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

Positional Strength: Defensive Line

Positional Weakness: Linebacker

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. San Francisco (November 24)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Arizona (October 13)

Bottom Line: The Packers won’t sneak up on anyone like they were able to last season during their late season run to the division playoffs. However, this team is talented enough, balanced enough, and well-coached enough to contend for a playoff spot again in 2024. I just don’t think a 9-8 record (and maybe not even 10-7) will be good enough to earn a wildcard berth in this year’s improved NFC.

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3	Chicago (8-9)

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

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Green Bay (November 17)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. New England (November 10)

Bottom Line: The Bears are close to finally breaking through and challenging for a division title, but I don’t think they get there in 2024. This squad burned me last year when I picked them as # 1 surprise team in the entire NFL, so I can’t call for them to make the playoffs with a rookie quarterback this season.

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4	Minnesota (3-14)

Last Year’s Record: 7-10 (My 2023 prediction: 7-10): another perfect preseason prediction from me last season!

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Quarterback

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Detroit (October 20)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Chicago (December 16)

Bottom Line: The Vikings are in a similar spot as the Commanders and Raiders in that they have one or two elite receivers that do not have enough weapons around them to make their respective offensives explosive. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are an elite pair of pass catchers, but they will have the much-maligned Sam Darnold throwing to them after the season-ending injury to J.J. McCarthy. In addition, the Vikings have an ageing running back room, a below average offensive line, and a mediocre defense. Put it all together and I expect this to be a rough season in the Twin Cities.

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NFC South

1	New Orleans (10-7)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 9-8 (My 2023 prediction: 9-8): another perfect preseason prediction for me last season!

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Philadelphia (September 22)

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

Bottom Line: The Saints had a top 10 offense and defense last year but still managed to fall short of the a playoff berth thanks to several tough luck losses (New Orleans was 3-6 in one score games). I think the luck will turn in their favor in 2024, and New Orleans will find a way back to the playoffs for the first time in the post-Brees/Payton era.

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2	Atlanta (10-7)

Last Year’s Record: 7-10 (My 2023 prediction: 7-10): another perfect preseason prediction for me last season!

Positional Strength: Offensive Line

Positional Weakness: Wide Receiver

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (September 22)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: at Carolina (October 13)

Bottom Line: The Falcons could be last years Packers as they will likely struggle early in the season with a new coaching staff, new players in key positions, and a brutal opening schedule. However, just like the 2023 Packers, I think Atlanta will turn things around late in the season and make a surprise playoff push in 2024.

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3	Tampa Bay (9-8)

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

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Baltimore (October 21)

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

Bottom Line: The Bucs barely won the division over New Orleans last season, and with the Saints, Falcons, and Panthers all sporting improved squads in 2024, I think the Bucs will fall just short of a playoff berth despite a second straight 9 win regular season.

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4	Carolina (6-11)

Last Year’s Record: 2-15 (My 2023 prediction: 6-11)

Positional Strength: Linebacker

Positional Weakness: Running Back

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Cincinnati (September 29)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs, Arizona (December 22)

Bottom Line: Let me preface this analysis by stating the obvious: the Carolina Panthers will not be a very good football team in 2024. After last year’s 2-15 debacle, it take a few years to rebuild this once prominent NFL franchise. Canales will, however, bring better results in 2024 thanks to some improved play from Bryce Young and a stout defense that has continued to produce, despite the team’s offensive struggles.

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NFC West

1	San Francisco (13-4)– division champ

Last Year’s Record: 12-5 (My 2023 prediction: 9-8)

Positional Strength: Running Back

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. Kansas City (October 20)

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

Bottom Line: The 49ers continue to defy the conventional wisdom of the modern NFL by being a perennial Super Bowl contender without having elite quarterback play. They are able to succeed despite starting a former “Mr. Irrelevant” at the most important position on the field because they are really good everywhere else, both offensively and defensively. It is very reminiscent of Nick Saban’s Alabama teams in the early 2010’s that dominated college football, despite playing quarterbacks that weren’t particularly good. This season, the 49ers return a league-leading 9 Pro Bowlers, and I am predicting that this is the year, San Francisco finally hoists their franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy since 1995.

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2	Seattle (10-7)

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

Positional Strength: Wide Receiver

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. San Francisco (October 10)

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

Bottom Line: The Seahawks finish 9-8 in each of the past two seasons; however, in 2022, that record was good enough to earn them a playoff berth and last year it wasn’t. In 2024, I think the Seahawks will take a small step forward thanks to the continued improvement of their promising young skill position players like Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I am thus calling for Seattle to make it back to the playoffs and achieve their first 10 win season since the Russell Wilson-Pete Carroll era.

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3	LA Rams (7-10)

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

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Defensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: vs. San Francisco (September 22)

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. Las Vegas (October 20)

Bottom Line: Last year, the Rams were predicted to be one of the worst teams in the NFL, and while I picked them to finish better than most all of the other experts at 7-10, they actually exceeded my expectations and made a surprise run to the NFC playoffs. This season, the expectations for the Rams have completely flipped, as they are considered a dark horse division title contender. Nevertheless, I am still sticking to that same 7-10 prediction I made last year for several reasons. First of all, the Rams face a brutal schedule that features games against Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, Buffalo, and and of course, two matchups against San Francisco. Also, while the Rams bring back most of last year’s offense, they suffered some huge offseason personnel losses defensively, including future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald, captain Jordan Fuller, and rising star coordinator Raheem Morris. As a result, I think LA takes a step back in 2024 and falls short of the playoffs for just the second time in the past five seasons.

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4	Arizona (7-10)

Last Year’s Record: 4-13 (My 2023 prediction: 5-12)

Positional Strength: Quarterback

Positional Weakness: Offensive Line

Biggest Predicted Win of the Year: at Green Bay (October 13)- the Cards sneak out a win at Labeau just before the icy temps and frozen tundra set in for the season

Worst Predicted Loss of the Year: vs. New England (December 15)

Bottom Line: The Cardinals lost a ton of close games in 2023, and with some key offseason additions on both sides of the ball (offense- Marvin Harrison Jr., Trey Benson; defense- Sean Murphy-Bunting, Darius Robinson, Max Melton), I think Jonathan Gannon’s group takes a step forward in 2024 and at least flirts with a playoff berth for the first time in three seasons.

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