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AFC East
Division Winner - Buffalo Bills
MVP Josh Allen lost to perennial nemesis Patrick Mahomes for the fourth time in five years and didn’t get to hoist Buffalo’s first Lombardi Trophy. James Cook took a giant step forward at running back with more than 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns. The defense added injury-plagued veteran defensive end Joey Bosa and first-round cornerback Maxwell Hairston. Too bad Hall of Famer Bruce Smith is retired! Will Allen ever slay the Kansas City dragon?
2. New England Patriots
After last year’s 4-13 disaster, the Pats fired Jerod Mayo and hired Mike Vrabel, the best coach on the market, to try to instill discipline and toughness. Quarterback Drake Maye threw his first 10 touchdowns to 10 different receivers as a rookie, and now has a better offensive line with Garrett Bradbury, Morgan Moses and fourth-overall pick Will Campbell. The return of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator should be a godsend. Rookie wideout Kyle Williams shows promise, and the schedule looks inviting.
3. Miami Dolphins
Head coach Mike McDaniel was anointed an offensive genius in 2023, but when Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion early last season the Fish never quite regained their high-octane attack. Dynamic back De’Von Achane and receiver Jaylen Waddle will provide electricity alongside Tyreek Hill—unless he gets traded. But how long can Tua last behind that shaky offensive line? The Dolphins took a step backward on defense after coordinator Vic Fangio left for the Eagles, and top corner Jalen Ramsey has been traded. A favorable road schedule may hide some of the Dolphins’ woes, but fans may be heading to Joe’s Stone Crab earlier on Sundays.
4. New York Jets
Aaron Rodgers was supposed to deliver the Jets’ first Super Bowl since the moon landing but left long-suffering fans in the lurch once again following a 5-12 season and two fired coaches. New head coach (and former Jet) Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey jettisoned Rodgers and are putting their faith in Justin Fields (14-30 as an NFL starter). He might enjoy throwing to stud wide receiver Garrett Wilson (almost) as much as the chicken francese at Elio’s. Armand Membou finishes an impressive offensive line, and Sauce Gardner brings some spice on defense.
AFC North
Division Winner - Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore was a dropped two-point conversion away from heading to overtime in the playoffs at Buffalo. Lamar Jackson had another MVP caliber season and a rejuvenated Derrick Henry steamrolled tacklers to lead the top rushing attack in the NFL. The Ravens surrendered 58 plays of 20 yards or more last season, but No. 1 draft Malaki Starks at safety and No. 2 pick edge rusher Mike Green will help. Injury-prone difference-maker Jaire Alexander upgrades the cornerback room.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow threw the highest percentage of catchable balls last season and led the NFL’s top passing offense with more than 272 yards and 27.8 points per game. The notoriously-thrifty Bengals were wise enough to open the checkbook to re-sign superstar receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Chase Brown’s star (more than 1,300 yards from scrimmage and 54 balls caught out of the backfield) continues to rise. Unfortunately, the defense yielded 25.5 points per game, but Al Golden will try to bring this team back to Super Bowl form. Unhappy sack champion Trey Hendrickson deserves a big new contract.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
Forty-one-year-old enigma Aaron Rodgers finally made up his mind and will try to help coach Mike Tomlin avoid his first-ever losing season. Russell Wilson (Giants) and Justin Fields (Jets) are gone, along with lead running back Najee Harris and mercurial receiver George Pickens. A-Rod was wooed by the signing of DK Metcalf (five years, $150 million) and tight end Jonnu Smith arrives in a big trade with Miami. Mason Rudolph is back where he belongs as a backup, but the Steelers may regret not drafting Shedeur Sanders.
4. Cleveland Browns
The Browns owned the worst offense in football (15.2 points per game), and it’s an ominous sign when you have more quarterbacks (four) than wins (three last year). Kenny Pickett? Joe Flacco? Dillon Gabriel? Shedeur Sanders? Who will be the Browns quarterback? That’s the $92 million question, now that Deshaun Watson will be collecting his guaranteed money on the injured reserve. NFL insiders applauded the Browns trading down for Jacksonville’s number one pick next year and drafting Mason Graham, but it’s wait ’til next year once again.
AFC South
Division Winner - Houston Texans
Despite an awful offensive line (54 sacks) that had second-year star quarterback C.J. Stroud running for his life, the Texans over achieved last season. Running back Joe Mixon stands to benefit from a remodeled offensive line if a troublesome foot injury cooperates, while stud wideout Nico Collins threatened a 2,000-yard season prior to a hamstring injury. Head coach DeMeco Ryans brings in Nick Caley from the Rams as the new offensive coordinator, and wide receiver draftees Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel help replace injured Tank Dell.
2. Indianapolis Colts
Coach Shane Steichen shocked the NFL when he sent quarterback Anthony Richardson to the bench in favor of veteran gunslinger Joe Flacco. Now former Giant Daniel Jones will compete with Richardson. Stud running back Jonathan Taylor and No. 1 draft tight end Tyler Warren will be security blankets alongside receivers Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr. New coordinator Lou Anarumo will help mend a defense that missed a league-high 157 tackles while Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum will shore up a porous secondary.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Bucs desperately tried to hang on to Liam Coen, offering to make him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in the league. But the Jaguars convinced the quarterback whisperer (who helped Baker Mayfield resemble the first overall pick he once was) to try and do the same for Trevor Lawrence. The Jags traded their No. 1 pick in next year’s loaded quarterback draft to the Browns to move up three spots to take two-way freak Travis Hunter, who they can team up with Brian Thomas Jr. (1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns). Anthony Campanile comes from Green Bay to run the defense.
4. Tennessee Titans
The Will Levis error is over, and the Cam Ward era begins. Second-year head coach Brian Callahan is hoping the first overall pick will be the star he needs for an offense that still lacks legitimate playmakers. Offensive linemen Dan Moore Jr. and Kevin Zeitler shore up the offensive line for Brian’s dad, Bill Callahan, who may be the greatest offensive line coach in league history. But the Titans defense surrendered the most points in the AFC, so don’t expect any miracles in Music City this year.
AFC West
Division Winner - Kansas City Chiefs
By the end of week four last season, Hollywood Brown, Isiah Pacheco and Rashee Rice were all out with possible year-ending injuries. But Andy Reid’s coaching and Patrick Mahomes’ arm (and possibly Taylor Swift’s aura) got the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl, which they lost to Philadelphia. With Joe Thuney traded to Chicago, it remains to be seen if 49ers free agent Jaylon Moore and first-round pick Josh Simmons can protect Mahomes. Credit is due to Steve Spagnuolo’s stingy defense that yielded only 19 points per game. With a healthy Pacheco, Rice and Brown, and speedy second-year receiver Xavier Worthy more comfortable, it’s possible the Chiefs could be even better than last year.
2. Denver Broncos
Sean Payton’s decision to let Russell Wilson go cook in Pittsburgh and draft 24-year-old rookie quarterback Bo Nix paid immediate dividends as Nix led a vastly improved Broncos offense to a 10-7 record and its first playoff berth since the 2015 championship season. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and first-round draftee cornerback Jahdae Barron bolster a stingy defense that finished second in the AFC in points allowed. J.K. Dobbins joins promising rookie running back RJ Harvey, who has all the makings of a Payton workhorse, and tight end Evan Engram could fill the Joker role. There are Mile High expectations, but can they climb over the Mahomes Mountain?
3. Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh took a hapless 5-12 team and coached it to an 11-6 season and a playoff berth in his first year thanks to a ground-and-pound attack. The Chargers turned the ball over only nine times. Prized running back Najee Harris (from the Steelers) and rookie Omarion Hampton will enjoy running behind Joe Alt but stud bookend tackle Rashawn Slater is out for the year. Justin Herbert will be happy throwing to sensational second-year wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Expect the Chargers to compete again.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
After an abysmal season, Mark Davis fired coach Antonio Pierce and convinced Pete Carroll (74 in September) to come out of retirement in hopes of resurrecting the Raiders glory days. No. 1 pick running back Ashton Jeanty and star tight end Brock Bowers might help Geno Smith, but “Win Baby Win” is a pipe dream.
NFC East
Division Winner - Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles annihilated the two-time defending champion Chiefs 40-22 in the Super Bowl. (And MVP quarterback Jalen Hurts celebrated with a cigar.) How do you top that? With most of the key players back and in their prime, Howie Roseman’s boys still look like the team to beat. Vic Fangio’s defense allowed the fewest yards in the NFL and were second in points allowed. Still, Roseman left nothing to chance, drafting Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell and Texas safety Andrew Mukuba to add even more depth. Kevin Patullo replaces offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and inherits Hurts, 2,000-yard rusher Saquon Barkley and stellar wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The schedule is unforgiving, facing one winning team after another, but fly, Eagles, fly anyway.
2. Washington Commanders
After a 4-13 season in 2023, new ownership brought in Adam Peters as general manager, Dan Quinn as head coach and drafted quarterback Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick. The result: a 12-5 record and a trip to the NFC Conference Finals. Daniels passed for 3,568 yards, rushed for 891 yards, and showed a knack for making big plays under the brightest lights. Peters traded for Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil and drafted first-round tackle Josh Conerly Jr. Deebo Samuel arrives from San Francisco to add another big-play threat to complement Terry McLaurin. A fully-healthy Marshon Lattimore anchors the pass defense. The porous run defense must improve. With a new $2.7 billion stadium set to break ground in 2026, the Commanders have provided optimism in Washington, D.C.
3. New York Giants
Were it not for a week 17 victory the Giants would have gone winless at home for the first time since 1974 and earned the No. 1 pick in the draft. Instead, they knocked the Colts out of the playoffs, slid to the third pick and drafted Penn State edge Abdul Carter to bolster a dangerous pass rush. Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston upgrade a quarterback room that generated a league-low 16.1 points per game last season. Now, coach Brian Daboll will try to prepare understudy quarterback Jaxson Dart (drafted in the first round) for the future. There are some bright spots here—namely star receiver Malik Nabers—but the Giants face the toughest schedule in the league, including home games against the Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers, Packers and Vikings, and road games against the Broncos and Lions.
4. Dallas Cowboys
It’s tough being in a division with two teams that made it to the NFC Championship game. But that’s what Brian Schottenheimer inherits with his first head coaching job after 25 years as an NFL assistant. He replaces Mike McCarthy, who did yeoman’s work guiding the Cowboys to a 7-10 finish after quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury. Receiver CeeDee Lamb often looked like the lone Cowboy at the shootout. Trading for mercurial wideout George Pickens is the type of big swing that Jerry Jones loves, but life is hard when your second-best offensive weapon is soccer-player-turned-kicker Brandon Aubrey. On the bright side, everyone would agree that the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, who were awarded a well-deserved 400 percent raise, certainly did not have a 7-10 season!
NFC North
Division Winner - Detroit Lions
Massive injuries on defense sabotaged what appeared to be an inevitable Detroit run to the Super Bowl. With highly-regarded offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and well-respected defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn gone, coach Dan Campbell turns to Denver passing coordinator John Morton to keep the top aerial offense in the NFC humming with quarterback Jared Goff, and Kelvin Sheppard to fill Glenn’s large shoes. Jahmyr Gibbs was electric while splitting time with David Montgomery. Amon-Ra St. Brown shredded secondaries and speedy deep threat Jameson Williams finally emerged. No. 1 pick tackle Tyleik Williams bolsters the run defense, making the Lions still the team to beat in this division.
2. Green Bay Packers
The Packers lost twice to the Lions and Eagles last season, including a wild card loss where Jordan Love threw three interceptions. He never seemed to regain form after an MCL sprain in the opening game versus the Eagles in Brazil. Speedy wideout Matthew Golden should give Love another weapon to complement a talented and young receiving corps. Safety Xavier McKinney highlights a fifth-ranked defense, giving cheeseheady expectations in Titletown again.
3. Minnesota Vikings
When J.J. McCarthy went down with a season-ending injury in training camp last season, dreams were kneecapped. But quarterback whisperer Kevin O’Connell helped coach Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson to a 14-3 record. McCarthy takes over for Darnold, who heads to Seattle, and Brian Flores will coach a fortified defensive line with the additions of Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Will Fries and Ryan Kelly upgrade the offensive line and the trade for 49ers back Jordan Mason adds insurance for Aaron Jones Sr. No wonder Aaron Rodgers dreamed of landing here.
4. Chicago Bears
Last season looked promising for the Bears until a Jayden Daniels Hail Mary sent them into a 10-game losing streak that cost head coach Matt Eberflus his job. With D.J. Moore, Rome Odunze and rookie Luther Burden III at receiver and rookie tight end Colston Loveland creating mismatches, this finally may be the year a Bears quarterback throws for 4,000 yards, but division foes with a combined 40-11 record should make the fan base hibernate.
NFC South
Division Winner - Atlanta Falcons
Head coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot were so desperate for a pass rush that even after drafting Georgia edge Jalon Walker with the 15th pick, they also traded next year’s No. 1 to the Rams to move up and select Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr. Former Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be a master motivator for a defense that gave up almost 25 points a game. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. looked comfortable as a rookie supplanting Kirk Cousins but even 82-year-old Joe Namath might look comfortable with a running back like Bijan Robinson or a receiver like Drake London.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rejuvenated quarterback Baker Mayfield leads the second-best passing offense in the NFC, and last season saw the sensational, eye-opening debut of elusive running back Bucky Irving, who led all NFL running backs with 4.03 yards per attempt after contact. Ageless wide receiver Mike Evans is aiming for a record-setting 12th straight 1,000-yard season, and first-round Ohio State wideout Emeka Egbuka joins the corps. Coach Todd Bowles will need all the points he can get, with a tough schedule including road games at Buffalo, Detroit, Houston and LA Rams, and home games versus San Francisco and Philadelphia. The Bucs stop here—when they aren’t stopping at Bern’s Steak House.
3. Carolina Panthers
First-year head coach Dave Canales wasn’t dealt a great hand when he took over the Panthers, a franchise that was having buyer’s remorse after trading to the top of the 2023 NFL draft to grab quarterback Bryce Young, only to send him to the bench while watching C.J. Stroud, the second overall pick, lead Houston to the playoffs. Canales somehow helped the Panthers offense improve from dead last. He will turn again to running back Chuba Hubbard because Jonathan Books will miss the entire season with a torn ACL. It’s hard to shine with the worst defense in football, which gave up 31-plus points per game.
4. New Orleans Saints
A seven-game losing streak led to coach Dennis Allen getting the pink slip, and Derek Carr suffered a shoulder injury that caused him to retire. Now, the Saints come marching in to the basement. Kellen Moore faces a challenge as the rookie head coach. Drafting offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. and defensive tackle Vernon Broughton should upgrade the trenches, but rookie quarterback Tyler Shough isn’t Drew Brees. The Saints need divine inspiration beyond the shrimp étouffée at Galatoire’s. Mardi Blah.
NFC West
Division Winner - San Francisco 49ers
The Niners went to the Super Bowl in 2024, but injuries and a 6-11 finish last season make some wonder whether the championship window has closed. They placed their confidence in Brock Purdy with a five-year, $265 million contract, and despite Deebo Samuel heading to Washington, Purdy still has plenty of targets: breakout wideout Jauan Jennings, last year’s first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk (who will return at some point from an ACL injury), and the ageless George Kittle at tight end. New offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak plans to give Christian McCaffrey (who is healthy again) the ball as often as possible. With the easiest schedule in the NFL look for the 49ers to return where they belong, back to the top of the NFC West.
2. Los Angeles Rams
It appeared the Rams might let Matthew Stafford move on and go into rebuild mode after Sean McVay worked his magic to finish 10-7 and atop the NFC West. Instead, Stafford is back with a new contract that pays him $44 million this season. GM Les Snead replaces injury-plagued Cooper Kupp with Davante Adams, who makes a dynamic duo with go-to-guy Puka Nacua. Running back Kyren Williams, who has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, will be bowling over tacklers to try to earn a new contract. On defense, the retirement of Aaron Donald didn’t stop the Rams from terrorizing quarterbacks, led by NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse. No ifs ands or butts—these guys are Ram Tough.
3. Seattle Seahawks
It took a fifth tiebreaker (strength of victory) for the Rams to knock the Seahawks out of the top spot in the NFC West and out of the playoffs. Nevertheless, it was a promising debut for rookie head coach Mike Macdonald, who adds Klint Kubiak as his new offensive coordinator. Out go Geno Smith and DK Metcalf, who were traded to Las Vegas and Pittsburgh, respectively. In comes Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold with a new three-year $100.5 million contract, and the sure-handed, oft-injured Cooper Kupp from Los Angeles. Darnold will also have Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who took a huge step toward becoming a No. 1 receiver last season. The Seahawks bolstered the offensive line with versatile No. 1 pick Grey Zabel before drafting for speed, speed and more speed with Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo, Alabama project quarterback Jalen Milroe and Colorado State receiver Tory Horton.
4. Arizona Cardinals
Congrats to the 2024 recipient of the Horseshoes and Hand Grenades award. Close losses to the Vikings and Rams likely cost the Cardinals a trip to the playoffs. Arizona is banking on quarterback Kyler Murray developing a better connection with Marvin Harrison Jr., who was electric in some games and absent in others. They’ll also need ageless back James Conner to have another career season after logging 1,500 yards from scrimmage. Head coach Jonathan Gannon gets help for his defense via key signings (veteran linebacker Josh Sweat, and defensive tackles Dalvin Tomlinson and ageless Calais Campbell) and solid draft picks. If everything goes right, Arizona can surprise some people, but when does everything go right in the desert?
Super Bowl LX Prediction
Eagles defeat Ravens, 27-24
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry run roughshod early but Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts leads the resilient defending champs back in the second half, targeting A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith before “Madden NFL 26” cover boy Saquon Barkley breaks out his famous reverse hurdle on the last-minute 26-yard touchdown run that gives the Eagles a thrilling 27-24 win, their second Lombardi championship in a row.
