2023 NFL Predictions

Within each start to a new season, there’s hope. Teams have spent months re-tooling their roster while re-examining their modus operandi. For the Ravens, the months leading up to the 2023 season have marked by change, accented with new faces. Lamar Jackson has a new contract. The wide receiver room is loaded with potential. The defense, determined to pick up where they left off in 2022.

How will all the new pieces fit together? Will they make a difference in the team’s results?  And perhaps most importantly, can the team advance beyond the Divisional Round of the playoffs, something they’ve failed to do since Lamar’s arrival. That’s a monkey-on-the-back that LJ, the team and of course the fans hope to unload during the 2023 season.

Here’s how staff members at RSR believe the 2023 season will play out…

Tony Lombardi

Division winners

• N.Y. Jets
• Baltimore
• Jacksonville
• Kansas City
• Philadelphia
• Detroit
• New Orleans
• San Francisco

Wild cards

• Buffalo
• Cincinnati
• Pittsburgh
• Dallas
• Seattle
• Minnesota

Conference Championships

• Baltimore over Jacksonville
• Philadelphia over Minnesota

Super Bowl

• Baltimore over Philadelphia

MVP

• Aaron Rodgers

OPOY

• Justin Jefferson

DPOY

• T.J. Watt

Rookies of the Year

• Bijan Robinson (offense)
• Will Anderson (defense)

Random Predictive Thoughts

• Tom Brady will remain retired despite pleas to suit up for the Raiders after Jimmy Garoppolo calls out due to a broken fingernail.

• Russell Wilson will be benched by Sean Payton when the Broncos fall to (3-5).

• Kevin Stefanski will be skippering the Browns sideline for the last time this season. The team’s failures, triggered by an overpaid quarterback who can’t get it done when it counts the most, will send the Browns home with a (7-10) record and another last place finish.

• Bengals fans will be loud, obnoxious, and whiny throughout the season. Oh wait, that’s not bold. That’s rather obvious. But I’m sticking with it anyway.

Rob Shields

The AFC is absolutely loaded this year and the NFC is horrific. There will be multiple teams in the AFC that don’t make the playoffs that could go deep if they were lucky enough to be in the NFC.

The AFC North is the best division in football and they also have an easy schedule. I think it’s a toss-up on who wins the division and it comes down to health. Right now, if I had to choose, I’m taking the Ravens to win the division with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh right there and also making the playoffs.

The AFC East is also a loaded division but they have a tougher out of division schedule. I think Buffalo still wins that division but Miami and the Jets are going to challenge.

The AFC South will go to Jacksonville. I guess the Titans could play some kind of a spoiler and likely won’t be some awful team but I don’t see much from them. Indy and Houston are playing the long game with rookie quarterbacks.

The AFC West has the best team and a Chargers squad that could be really good. Denver is a question mark and I’m guessing the Raiders are one of the worst teams in the conference, but that will be a reflection of how good the conference is.

So, I have three teams from the North, Jacksonville, Chiefs and Buffalo going to the playoffs. The last spot is between the Jets, Dolphins and Chargers. As of right now, I’m leaning the Jets there. I struggle to trust Miami because of Tua’s health, and the Chargers seemingly always find a way to not make it. The Jets have A-A-Ron now and an excellent defense. I think they can win 10-11 games. I think all three of those teams could, and as a result I think the AFC has at least one 10-win team miss the playoffs.

In the NFC, I’m taking Philly to win the East, although I think Dallas will be right there with them. I don’t think the Giants or Commanders factor in at all.

In the North, I think three teams can win the division and it’s very much a toss-up. I think I’m leaning Detroit but they need to show they can handle the hype, which they aren’t used to.

The NFC South is awful but I’m taking the Saints there. Go look at their schedule and the list of QBs they play this year…it’s awful. They could win 12 or 13 games. Derek Carr is a competent QB and they have a good defense even if they aren’t going up against say, Me, at QB.

San Francisco wins the West. Some are thinking Seattle could sneak in because of Brock Purdy dropping off but yet no one thinks Geno Smith will drop off?

So, I’m taking SF, Philly, NO, and Detroit as division winners. Dallas, Seattle and Green Bay to get the other playoff spots.

Super Bowl: KC over SF.

In a complete toss up of a league right now, I’ll take the best QB/coach combo. It’s the easy cop out choice but I need to see so much before I feel differently.

Some awards…

MVP:  Josh Allen

OPOY: Christian McCaffrey

DPOY: Michah Parsons

OROY: Bijan Robinson

DROY: Devon Witherspoon

Darin McCann

Division winners:

Buffalo, Baltimore, Jacksonville, Kansas City

Dallas, Green Bay, Atlanta, Seattle

Wild Cards:

Miami, Pittsburgh, NY Jets

Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington

Conference Championships:

Kansas City over Baltimore

San Francisco over Dallas

Super Bowl:

Kansas City over San Francisco

Awards:

MVP: Josh Allen

OPOY: Tyreek Hill

DPOY: Myles Garrett

Rookies of the Year: Bijan Robinson, Will Anderson

Random quote drops:

I’m kind of looking at the Bengals to take a small step back this year (think 9-8) due to changes at safety and odds catching up in terms of injuries.

Washington is my where-did-that-come-from team. They have a scary defensive front, skill-position weapons on offense that can steal a game or two and a veteran coaching staff that will at least put their players in good positions to succeed.

The Ravens take a step this year, and look to be clicking on all cylinders heading into the playoffs.

Derek Arnold

Division Winners:

Baltimore, Jacksonville, NY Jets, KC

Philly, Detroit, New Orleans, Seattle

Wild Cards:

Cincy, Buffalo, LA Chargers

San Francisco, Minnesota, Dallas

Conference Championships:

Chargers over Chiefs

49ers over Eagles

Super Bowl:

Chargers over 49ers

Awards:

MVP: Justin Herbert

OPOY: Tyreek Hill

DPOY: Marcus Williams

Explain yourself:

I’ll go out on a limb and say that this is the year the Chargers finally get over the hump. Kellen Moore and Justin Herbert lead one of the best offenses in the NFL, and though they can’t quite top the Chiefs for the AFC West crown, they turn it on in January and get their revenge there. They take on another Wild Card team in the 49ers, who lose the division late thanks to some injuries, but get healthy in time for another push to the Super Bowl. Give me Moore and Herbert over that fierce SF defense, 27-24.

As for the Ravens, they take the AFC North crown, and beat the Bills in the Wild Card round before falling in Arrowhead in the Divisional. Marcus Williams leads the NFL in interceptions and earns some hardware like a ball-hawking Ravens safety before him.

And my favorite annual prediction, that one year I’ll get right: The Steelers go 0-17 and don’t get the first pick, instead being dismantled and removed from the league. (A guy can dream)

Kevin McNelis

AFC Playoff picture:

Bills, Chiefs, Bengals, Jags win their divisions

Ravens, Chargers, Dolphins take Wild Card spots

NFC Playoff picture:

Eagles, Vikings, Saints, 49ers are division winners

Cowboys, Lions, Seahawks also make the playoffs

Super Bowl:

Eagles over Bills,  31-17

Awards:

MVP: Trevor Lawrence

OPOY: Lamar Jackson

DPOY: Micah Parsons

OROY: Jordan Addison

DROY: Deonte Banks

Notes:

Probably the most controversial take that I’ve included here is Trevor Lawrence for MVP. A lot of things can happen throughout a season, but Lawrence showed a ton of improvement last season, and now enters a division schedule where the Jags can do some damage. Jacksonville may have an uphill battle against the cream of the crop in the AFC, but I think T-Law puts up some gaudy numbers this year.

With the selection of Jordan Addison as my OROY, a lot of Ravens fans will probably regard me as a heretic for forsaking Zay Flowers. Zay has a legitimate chance to win it, but Baltimore’s offense has a lot of mouths to feed (what a great thing to be able to say), whereas the Vikings offense is transitioning to life without Dalvin Cook and looking to replace the production of Adam Thielen. Opposite Justin Jefferson, Addison will benefit from being able to slide right into that WR2 spot in a pass-heavy offense, with Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson drawing eyeballs away from him. I have a feeling he’ll flash this season. If you’re looking at a super long-shot OROY: Jonathan Mingo is worth a look. The Panthers rookie might be able to claw his way into a WR1 role when all is said and done, and he’s built a great rapport with fellow rookie Bryce Young. Again, I wouldn’t bet the house on it, but it could happen.

I’m going way down the board for my DROY, but my gut says that Deonte Banks is going to flourish in that Giants defense under Wink Martindale. He didn’t allow a catch in coverage the entire preseason, and he shows all of the hallmarks of a guy poised to become a lockdown corner in a hurry.

Chris Schisler

AFC Playoff Seeding:

1. Chiefs
2. Bills
3. Bengals
4. Jaguars
5. Ravens
6. Jets
7. Dolphins

NFC Playoff Seeding:

1. Eagles
2. 49ers
3. Lions
4. Saints
5. Vikings
6. Bears
7. Giants

Conference Championships:

Ravens @ Chiefs

49ers @ Eagles

Super Bowl:

Chiefs vs. 49ers

The Chiefs win again… don’t hate me; they’re the safest team to bet on.

Awards:

MVP: Patrick Mahomes

OPOY: Justin Jefferson

DPOY: Roquan Smith

OROY: Zay Flowers

DROY: Will Anderson Jr.

I think my boldest take here is that the NFC North has three playoff teams. The Lions are taking a step up here, after Dan Campbell has built the culture and taken the lumps to get to this point. The Bears have Justin Fields and he got help this offseason. The Vikings are getting the most love. They will make the playoffs, but I don’t hype a Kirk Cousins team lightly.

Taking the Chiefs is the safe bet. They have the best quarterback in the league and a Hall of Fame head coach. If they get home field they are an absolute problem. It’s not a bold prediction – they are the truth. The Ravens will get playoff revenge in Cincinnati. I love this prediction so much. It’s going to be the Zay Flowers show and the league isn’t ready.

I think the 49ers are the best team in the NFC, and may be the most fun team to watch in the NFL. The Christmas showdown with the Ravens will feel like a Super Bowl preview. Both teams have a shot this year. I hope to be wrong but I think the Chiefs are just that big problem both teams will run into.

Jared Pinder

AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals (13-4)

There’s not much to say about this one. While it will be close, the Bengals have a much easier schedule than some realize. They have a fantastic offense, and a good defense. They are one of the most balanced teams in the league; while the AFC North is always tough, they will be victorious because of their talent.

AFC East: Buffalo Bills (11-6)

The AFC East will be much closer than many expect, but the Bills’ pure talent will carry them. While the lack of edge rush does scare me, Josh Allen and the skill of the offense are enough. While in my simulation, the Jets and Bills end up with the same record, the strength of schedule had the Bills come out on top.

AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6)

The AFC South is awful, with little to no talent, so the Jaguars were really the only option here. The Jags are due for big things, with Calvin Ridley being a sneaky OPOY candidate with Trevor Lawrence. I expect the defense to improve this year as well. The Jags have something special brewing here, and they might be poised for a long playoff run.

AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)

Now for the best team in the AFC. The Chiefs have dominated their division for so long with Patrick Mahomes that it seems a given that they will be in the AFC Championship every year. While the Chris Jones holdout scares me, he should be back soon. The Chiefs have everything they need to make it back to the Super Bowl, which means bad news for fans of every other AFC team.

As for the Playoff seeds, it goes like this:

1. Chiefs (14-3)
2. Bengals (13-4)
3. Bills (11-6)
4. Jaguars (11-6)
5. Ravens (12-5)
6. Jets (11-6)
7. Chargers (9-7)

Now, onto the NFC…

NFC North: Detroit Lions (9-8)

We are starting off the NFC with a spicy take. While I didn’t enjoy the Lions offseason, the rest of the division has too many question marks. The Vikings were close, but with a more challenging schedule, expect massive regression from them.

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles (13-4)

The Eagles are awesome. That is all I have to say about them, and while I am worried about regression with Hurts, the talent is too much for me to say I expect it, and they have a pretty weak schedule as well.

NFC South: Carolina Panthers (9-8)

This division is vomit-inducing bad. It came down to the wire, but the Panthers somehow manage to win. Expecting much from rookie QBs is like playing Russian Roulette, but Bryce Young with a good coach gives me confidence. They already had a great defense, so adding a sound offensive mind and a young QB could lead to some success.

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (15-2)

Here it is: the best record in the NFL will go to the 49ers. The defense puts the fear of God into every opposing QB they face, and Kyle Shanahan is a genius offensive mind. The QB is a question, but I will never doubt what Shanahan wants to do. This team is deadly, and this seems like the year they finally put it together again in a weak NFC.

The playoffs for the NFC look like this:

1. 49ers(15-2)
2. Eagles(13-4)
3. Loins (9-8)
4. Panthers (9-8)
5. Seahawks (12-5)
6. Giants (11-6)
7. Cowboys (10-6)

The Chiefs and the Ravens will meet at Arrowhead, with the Chiefs coming out victorious. In the NFC, it will be a rematch with the Niners getting revenge on the Eagles.

As for the Super Bowl, yup, more SF revenge. The 49ers get their ring and payback on Mahomes. They finally finish the jobs and capture that ring that has been eluding them for years, beating KC 35-27.

Awards:

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

While Bijan Robinson is currently the favorite, team success will have much more to do with this award than others. In my simulation, I had the Lions making the playoffs, and Detroit has already talked about how they want to use Gibbs in ways people aren’t expecting. Gibbs will be used as a receiver, so that means more stats. Gibbs, to me, should be the favorite because I think he can be Alvin Kamara in Detroit.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks

Will Anderson is the favorite, but I went with Witherspoon because of team success. He is perfect for the Seahawks, and he was my favorite pick of the draft by far. He will do special things in this defense, and he could have a Sauce Gardner-type of impact in year one.

Offensive Player of the Year: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Chase was hurt last year, and while Joe Burrow’s injury does scare me for this award, I think Chase has that type of season where we start to question if he is the best receiver in the NFL. The connection he and Burrow have is unique, and two years into the NFL, Chase will be in for a special year, and the Bengals could have the best offense in football.

Defensive Player of the Year: Micah Parsons, DE, Dallas Cowboys

Parsons has been insane in the NFL, but I predict him to win this award because he is now transitioning to a full-time edge rusher after playing a hybrid role since he came into the league. Like Chase, Parsons will have a year where we question if he is the best Edge in the NFL.

Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens

Here is the hottest take I have. Lamar Jackson will have another MVP Season, and with the Ravens making it to the AFC title game, the decision will be easy. Lamar has everything in front of him right now, and Todd Monken’s new Offense helps Lamar win his second MVP.

Aidan Griesser

I really feel this will be the year we’ve been expecting out of the Ravens ever since Lamar Jackson’s MVP season in 2019. The Ravens are stacked across the board and have few holes, but will need a healthy season out of stars like Jackson, JK Dobbins, Marlon Humphrey and Odell Beckham Jr. Across the league, I think there will be a number of surprises. For one, while many expect big years from the Jets, Chargers, and Dolphins, I expect division winners to remain consistent with the Chiefs and Bills. In the NFC, I don’t expect a Super Bowl return for the Eagles, and expect 2023 to be the year Dallas finally strings some playoff wins together.

Division Winners (in order of seed):

Kansas City, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Baltimore

Philadelphia, San Francisco, Minnesota, Carolina

Wild Cards:

NYJ, LAC, Cincinnati

Dallas, Detroit, Chicago

Conference Championships:

Baltimore over Kansas City

Dallas over Detroit

Super Bowl: 

Baltimore over Dallas (Lamar Jackson wins MVP)

Awards:

MVP: Lamar Jackson

OPOY: Christian McCaffrey

DPOY: TJ Watt

Rookies of the Year: Jahmyr Gibbs & Will Anderson

Brennan Stewart

AFC Division Winners: Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars

AFC Wild Cards: Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets

NFC Division Winners: Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints

NFC Wild Cards: Dallas Cowboys, Seattle Seahawks and Chicago Bears

AFC Conference Winners: Kansas City Chiefs (vs. Baltimore)

NFC Conference Winners: Philadelphia Eagles (vs. Dallas)

Super Bowl Champions: Kansas City Chiefs

NFL MVP: Jalen Hurts

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Zay Flowers

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Deonte Banks

Offensive Player of the Year: Tyreek Hill

Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa

Selecting my picks for this season’s playoff teams shouldn’t have felt this easy. Sure there were some other teams to consider like the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins, but these 14 teams are the most talented all-around on both sides of the ball. In line with the 1992 and 1993 Super Bowls featuring the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, I have the Chiefs and Eagles coming together for a rematch in Nevada. And like the ‘93 Cowboys, the Chiefs will earn their second straight title. With Lamar Jackson expected to earn his pay under a new Monken offense, Zay Flowers has the potential to stand out as the clear go-to guy (even over Mark Andrews), earning Baltimore its first OROY award.

Give us your predictions for the 2023 NFL season below!

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