The NFL season is so close that I can already hear Scott Hanson’s voice in my head telling me to enjoy the “7 hours of commercial free football”. Before the games begin, it’s prediction time. From division winners to the awards and of course, the Super Bowl, here are our 2023 NFL predictions.
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
I think the Saints are playing as the best team in a really bad division. Like last year, when Tom Brady was in the South with Tampa Bay, it won’t take much to sneak into the postseason and grab a division banner. Derek Carr shouldn’t have any excuses.
NFC North: Minnesota Vikings
Watch out for those Detroit Lions, but for now I will still side with the Vikings in a fun division with a lot of unknowns with the Packers and, to some extent, the Bears.
NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles
I am not shying away from Philly until someone proves they can stop Jalen Hurts and that incredible offense. This is a great division with the only real question mark hanging over Washington’s head.
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers
I think the Niners have the most talented roster in all of football. They have an offense that looks like a pro bowl lineup and a couple of the best defensive players on that side of the ball. The West is weak, and SF is not.
AFC South: Jacksonville Jaguars
This feels weird to type but I love what Doug Pederson did seemingly overnight in Jacksonville, making them a playoff team. I don’t think we have seen Trevor Lawrence’s full potential and the best is yet to come.
AFC North: Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow should be good to go by opening week, but this will be the most competitive division in all of football this season. There is truly no weak team, but I go with the QB I like most, and I love Joey B.
AFC East: Buffalo Bills
The Jets are the team with all the hype around them this offseason, but the Bills are the team that have dominated in the regular season for the last two years.
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chargers and the Broncos and Raiders are all threats, but no one is toppling Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs despite how badly it seems people are rooting for their downfall.
AFC Championship Game: Chiefs vs Jets
The Bills would be another choice here, but they just come up short time and time again in the postseason. This Jets roster is stacked, and I think with the help of Aaron Rodgers, they can get to this game. As for the Chiefs, they’ve been nearly unstoppable.
NFC Championship Game: 49ers vs Eagles
The NFC is an incredibly weak division, and these are clearly the best two teams playing in it. I think with a healthy QB, the Niners get their revenge.
Super Bowl: Chiefs over 49ers
In a rematch from the 2019 season, we get another matchup between the Chiefs and Niners and I see the same result as the Chiefs go on a two-peat and Patrick Mahomes wins his third Lombardi Trophy.
NFL MVP: Justin Herbert – LA Chargers
I think this is the year that Herbert takes his biggest leap. Kellen Moore is a good OC and can really elevate his game. Not to mention, he has three wide receivers that would likely be number one on other teams and a top three running back in Austin Ekeler.
NFL Defensive Player of Year: Micah Parsons – Dallas Cowboys
In two seasons, Parsons has already cemented himself as one of the top defensive players in the game. He has at least 13 sacks in each of those seasons and is a crusher. I think he will get the nod this year.
NFL Offensive Play of Year: Justin Jefferson – Minnesota Vikings
Jefferson, in my book, is the best wide receiver in the game now and is a threat every single time he is on the field. He is a special player that could put up a special year with Kirk Cousins.
NFL Offensive Rookie of Year: Jahmyr Gibbs – Detroit Lions
While most of the hype here is around Bryce Young and Bijan Robinson, not many are looking at Gibbs who the Lions took at number 12 and will have a huge role in an offense that was explosive a year ago.
NFL Defensive Rookie of Year: Devon Witherspoon – Seattle Seahawks
This guy was a ballhawk in college and the Seahawks have been known to have some pretty great defensive backs in the last 10 years. I think Witherspoon will become the next great one.
Comeback Player of the Year: Damar Hamlin – Buffalo Bills
His heart stopped beating on the field a year ago and miraculously, he made a comeback. Hamlin will play this year and deserves the award.
NFL Coach of the Year: Zac Taylor – Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are about to play in the toughest division of football and if Cincy can win the division, Taylor is the head coach of the year.