2022 NFL Season Thread

[Senator Clay Davis]

Season starts Thursday so what better time to start this? Feels like everything points to Buffalo winning the Super Bowl: best team, very good defense, at worst second best QB in the league, good weapons, good coaching if there isn't 13 seconds left in the game etc... Their biggest issue last year was playing down to opponents too much, so if they clean that up I like them, although the AFC overall is as deep as any conference has ever been, while the NFC isn't really, even if they have the last two Super Bowl champs.

[transplant99]

What has long been telegraphed is now official: Mitch Trubisky is the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback for the season opener at the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...k-call-looming

[devo22]

as it should be. Mitch took all the first team reps and put no foot wrong all summer, he deserves it. They'll need his mobility behind that mess of an OL too.

Pickett looked good against some backups and third stringers (after looking terrible in the first phase of camp), but that doesn't mean he's ready by any means. Starting Mitch and being patient with Pickett is the smart play here.

[Erick Estrada]

Things look pretty wide open to me this year. Lots of good teams in the AFC and at least the NFC will have parity with all the mediocre teams. I look forward to the annual week one hot takes.

[Sylvanfan]

Three teams who have never won a Superbowl look like they better do it now, or it might never happen. Bill's, Bengals, and Chargers all look like contenders. Chargers, and Bengals have ultra elite guys on rookie deals who will need to get paid here soon. Bill's might not be able to field a roster like this again in the Josh Allen era.

My hot take...I'm sure surprises no one...Chiefs miss the playoffs. They're a mess at WR pretty average everywhere else but QB.

I have AFC
1. Buffalo
2. Los Angeles Chargers (still not used to the L.A.)
3. Cincinnati
4. Indianapolis (Seed for winning Division)
5. Denver
6. Baltimore
7. Miami

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Green Bay because they're division is weak
3. Tampa Bay
4. Philly
5. San Francisco
6. New Orleans (so long as they stop trades to Philly)
7. Dallas

Buffalo vs Brady for the Superbowl.

Might need to get DAZN this year because ever 2:00 game on regular T.V will be the Seahawks, and that mess might win 2 games this year and will play terrible football even when they do. Instead of a Bill's vs 49'ers game...I'll get 5 channels of Seahawks vs Giants...puke.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Three teams who have never won a Superbowl look like they better do it now, or it might never happen. Bill's, Bengals, and Chargers all look like contenders. Chargers, and Bengals have ultra elite guys on rookie deals who will need to get paid here soon. Bill's might not be able to field a roster like this again in the Josh Allen era.

My hot take...I'm sure surprises no one...Chiefs miss the playoffs. They're a mess at WR pretty average everywhere else but QB.

I have AFC
1. Buffalo
2. Los Angeles Chargers (still not used to the L.A.)
3. Cincinnati
4. Indianapolis (Seed for winning Division)
5. Denver
6. Baltimore
7. Miami

NFC
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. Green Bay because they're division is weak
3. Tampa Bay
4. Philly
5. San Francisco
6. New Orleans (so long as they stop trades to Philly)
7. Dallas

Buffalo vs Brady for the Superbowl.

Might need to get DAZN this year because ever 2:00 game on regular T.V will be the Seahawks, and that mess might win 2 games this year and will play terrible football even when they do. Instead of a Bill's vs 49'ers game...I'll get 5 channels of Seahawks vs Giants...puke.

You think the Dolphins will get in over the Chiefs?

Highly unlikely unless the KC defense completely implodes.

As for the TV dilemma, i dont know who your provider is but i simply add the "time shift" package through shaw and get at least 8 different games every Sunday. Early games are usually 4 or 5 different ones, late games generally 4 between Fox/CBS/TSN/CTV. And it was only 5 bucks a month last year, then cancel it once the post season begins.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Three teams who have never won a Superbowl look like they better do it now, or it might never happen. Bill's, Bengals, and Chargers all look like contenders.

My not so bold prediction. None of those teams will win.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

My not so bold prediction. None of those teams will win.

Any predictions as to who does?

Just because it will screw them...I pick the Chargers.

[Senator Clay Davis]

With Syl's Chiefs self-hatred already at such an extreme level I'm tempted to bet everything I own on them going 20-0.

[GirlySports]

Could see the entire AFC West make the playoffs. Other than beating up each other, they have NFC West and AFC South which are easy. Broncos also get the Panthers and Jets lol.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

With Syl's Chiefs self-hatred already at such an extreme level I'm tempted to bet everything I own on them going 20-0.

It's not hatred...more expecting a regression to the mean. 4 straight AFC Championship games and 6 straight Division titles is a hell of a run. Even the great Patriots had to reset a bit before their second run of Superbowls. This is where I see the Chiefs at today.

Any team in the AFC West who finishes with a 5-1 Division record will have earned it. There's a chance that 9 wins gets you last in the Division. Unlike the AFC East of Brady's days in New England....the other teams in the AFC West look to be stepping up to try and knock the Chiefs off.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Any predictions as to who does?

Just because it will screw them...I pick the Chargers.

You don't have to pick the Chargers to screw them. The media does that nearly every season and then the Chargers go out there and do Chargers things. I expect much the same and they will be lucky to make the playoffs as each AFC West team could lose 3 games in their own division which makes it very unlikely that more than 2 teams make the playoffs out of the AFC West.

[Hockey]

AFC west is obviously most intriguing for me. My prediction for order of finish

1. Broncos
2. chargers
3. chiefs
4. Raiders.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Hockey

AFC west is obviously most intriguing for me. My prediction for order of finish

1. Broncos
2. chargers
3. chiefs
4. Raiders.

I just do not get the Bronco love.....Russ Wilson is good, but in no way does he elevate Denver over KC....or i have missed something entirely.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by transplant99

I just do not get the Bronco love.....Russ Wilson is good, but in no way does he elevate Denver over KC....or i have missed something entirely.

You could make the argument that Denver has the second-best defense in that division.

Anyways, here's what I have:

AFC East:
Bills
Pats
Dolphins
Jets

AFC North
Ravens
Bengals
Steelers
Browns

AFC South
Colts
Titans
Jags
Texans

AFC West
Chargers
Chiefs
Broncos
Raiders

NFC East
Eagles
Cowboys
Giants
Commanders

NFC North
Packers
Vikings
Lions
Bears

NFC South
Saints
Bucs
Panthers
Falcons

NFC West
Niners
Rams
Cards
Seahawks

AFC WC teams: Pats, Bengals, Chiefs
NFC WC teams: Bucs, Rams, Cowboys

[Erick Estrada]

Bullish on the Patriots eh? Maybe Bill is playing a bit of cat and mouse but they were absolutely terrible in the preseason. The Raiders starters embarrassed their starters in the joint practice sessions and the Pats starters weren't competitive against Raiders backups in their preseason game. Something strange going on with that team. Really strange not to have a real offensive coordinator. Bill has got away with not having defensive coordinators as he can run the defense but I'm not sure about what's going on there with the offense.

[Sainters7]

I'm also excited for the Saints chances, as long as they stay healthy I think they're a playoff team, especially in a wide open NFC. All the division winner / #1 seed talk (by some in the media) has me nervous though.

I still think there's a lot of spots in flux on the team: Alvin Kamara's impending suspension for the Vegas incident, new Jets Pro Bowl safety Marcus Maye's impending possible double suspension for the DUI and now allegedly waving a gun in traffic (dude needs to stop driving), and the OL in pass pro has me nervous. Zero depth whatsoever at LB. Love Jameis but he's still gotta prove some things over a full season as well.

I have a feeling Tampa will take the division again but could see Saints as a wild card, as long as they aren't riddled with injuries again and derailed by off field legal stuff.

[Erick Estrada]

So much player turnover and new coaches that it's almost a fool's errand to try and pick winners this year. I could see a scenario where the Dolphins challenge the Bills but could see them easily being a disaster. Same with a lot of teams. One of these years Brady will hit the wall and I don't think Bowles is as good a coach as Arians. Not sure about the Rams especially with Stafford having tendinitis in his throwing arm. I can see scenarios for every team in the AFC West winning the division or finishing last. I'm in a weekly pick'em pool and the first few weeks this year look harder than ever with all the unknowns.

[Erick Estrada]

Also I can't believe Joe Flacco is starting for an NFL team in 2022. The Jets have always been the Jets but they have really doubled down on being the worst run franchise in the NFL.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Also I can't believe Joe Flacco is starting for an NFL team in 2022. The Jets have always been the Jets but they have really doubled down on being the worst run franchise in the NFL.

Even more surprising to me is that Geno Smith is a starter again.