NFL Predictions and Power Rankings

Today is the last Sunday of the year without the NFL. Let’s go! With that being said, I figured it would be the perfect time to drop my first Power Rankings of the year. I will drop my NFL Power Rankings weekly moving forward.

This offseason was wild as they usually are. We saw major names change teams including playmakers Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Saquan Barkley, Joe Mixon, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, and Aaron Jones. Diggs and Mixon ended up with the Houston Texans as well as star pass rusher Danielle Hunter. Big offseason for the Texans. Keenan Allen was traded to the Bears from the Chargers while Barkley signed with the Eagles, Henry signed with the Ravens, Jones with the Vikings, and Jacobs with the Packers.

On the defensive side of the ball, in addition to Hunter signing with the Texans, star defensive lineman Christian Wilkins signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, forming a dominant one-two punch with Maxx Crosby. In other big moves, the Chiefs traded star DB L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans and the Panthers traded star pass rusher Brian Burns to the Giants.

The NFL Draft was extra wild this year as it started with 14 straight offensive players being selected, including QBs Caleb Williams to the Bears, Jayden Daniels to the Commanders, Drake Maye to the Patriots, JJ McCarthy to the Vikings, and Bo Nix to the Broncos. It wasn’t just the QBs who went early as WRs Marvin Harrison Jr (Cardinals), Malik Nabers (Giants), and Rome Odunze (Bears) were all drafted in the top 10.

As a Bears fan, I am pumped for this season. They are loaded on both sides of the ball (hence the high initial ranking). As a football fan and a Patrick Mahomes fan, I am excited to see the Chiefs pursuit for a 3-Peat. Spoiler alert…I think they get it.

Here are my predictions for the upcoming season and the first edition of my Power Rankings.

NFC

NFC West – San Francisco 49ers (1)
NFC North – Detroit Lions (2)
NFC East – Philadelphia Eagles (3)
NFC South – Atlanta Falcons (4)
WC – Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears

WC Round – Lions def Bears, Eagles def. Packers, Cowboys def. Falcons
Divisional Round – 49ers def. Cowboys, Lions def. Eagles
NFC Title Game – Lions def. 49ers

AFC

AFC West – Kansas City Chiefs (1)
AFC North – Baltimore Ravens (2)
AFC South – Houston Texans (3)
AFC East – Miami Dolphins (4)
WC – Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, New York Jets

WC Round – Ravens def. Jets, Bills def. Texans, Bengals def. Dolphins
Divisional Round – Chiefs def. Bills, Bengals def. Ravens
AFC Title Game – Chiefs def. Bengals

SUPER BOWL – Chiefs def. Lions

NFL Power Rankings