NFC East
Winner: Dallas Cowboys
By default, the Cowboys win the NFC East. And I say that as a diehard Giants fan too. Even though the Philadelphia Eagles have been a hot pick for many futures bettors, the East is essentially the Cowboys division, given their experience, depth, and talent.
Dallas lost several core players this past offseason, notably wideout Amari Cooper, but many will agree that CeeDee Lamb surpassed Cooper as the Cowboys’ No. 1 target last season. Despite losing Cooper, the Cowboys’ offense will look to repeat their 2021 season, which led the league in total yards per game and ranked 2nd in total passing yards per game. Still hungry to prove his naysayers wrong, Dak Prescott will have plenty of weapons to work with behind Lamb with Michael Gallup, James Washington, and Dalton Schultz in his arsenal. Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard will continue to provide a formidable run game that should complement its passing attack nicely.
On the defensive end, last season, the Cowboys’ defense ranked No. 1 with 34 takeaways and No. 7 in average points allowed per game. This year, all eyes will be on Micah Parsons and whether he will continue to perform at an elite level one year from collecting 13 sacks as a rookie en route to being named Defensive Rookie of the Year. In the secondary, Trevon Diggs will also look to repeat his 2021 performance, where he accumulated an astounding 11 interceptions on the year.
The Cowboys still have plenty of question marks, especially after their chaotic collapse in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last season, losing to the 49ers 23-17. Lest we forget the bewildering play call with 14 seconds and no timeouts remaining that enabled Prescott to scramble to the 49ers’ 24-yard line yet fail to get off another play as time expired. Head coach Mike McCarthy may find himself on the hot seat if the Cowboys stumble right out of the gate. You know Jerry Jones’ patience is waning. Yet, given the uncertainty about how Jalen Hurts will progress or regress for the Eagles, whether Carson Wentz can stay healthy for the Commanders, and what kind of roster the Giants will field in 2022, the Cowboys are the safe bet to take.
NFC North
Winner: Green Bay Packers
No Davante Adams, no problem. In a division where Aaron Rodgers’ QB competition is Justin Fields, Kirk Cousins, and Jared Goff, the Packers remain the team to beat in the North. They boast one of the top defensive units in the NFC and are deep at every position, especially at running back, where the duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are arguably the best tandem in the league.
However, the uncertainty lies in their receiving unit. Besides losing Adams, the Packers watched Marquez Valdes-Scantling depart via free agency. The status of TE Ryan Tonyan is still up in the air after suffering a season-ending ACL injury last year. Right now, veterans Randall Cobb and Sammy Watkins are the No. 1 and 2 WRs on the depth chart, along with untested rookie Christian Watson. It’s no surprise that there have been rumblings about whether former Rams wideout Odell Beckham Jr. will be suiting up in Packer green once he recovers from the injury he sustained in February’s Super Bowl.
Whatever may be the case, there is no question that Rodgers remains one of the top QBs in the game. If there is any QB not named Tom Brady that can elevate the players around him, it is Rodgers. It will be the most tested in Year 3 of the Matt LeFleur offense, given Adams’ absence. Still, it is hard to bet against Aaron Rodgers, who is prime to cash in another MVP season and deep postseason run.
NFC South
Winner: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Well, he’s back. The GOAT’s retirement lasted 40 days and 40 nights before Tom Brady decided to give it another go to get his 8th Super Bowl ring. However, though Brady is back, his friend and longtime teammate Rob Gronkowski is not, choosing to retire (again) – this time for good. Brady will also be without Antonio Brown – whose epic on-field antics against the Jets, where he flung his jersey into the stands and exited the stadium, earned him a permanent release from the team. To top it off, Chris Godwin’s status to begin the season is still in doubt after he suffered a season-ending injury last December.
Still, Mike Evans remains healthy and prime to continue his solid chemistry with Brady. He is also joined by former Falcon Russell Gage, Tyler Johnson, and Scotty Miller, who have shown flashes on the field in their ability to go up and make big plays. The running game remains solid with Leonard Fournette, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and Giovani Bernard manning the backfield. The offensive line, too, is still one of the best in the league as the Bucs traded for Shaq Mason in the offseason to fill the void left by Alex Cappa, who departed via free agency for the Bengals.
It’s hard to find any weakness in the Bucs’ armor. Last year, the defense ranked No. 5 in points allowed and was stringent against the run, ranking 3rd best in the league. This season, the defense will be without veterans Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh. However, the Bucs were able to fill their vacancies in the draft and also added DT Akiem Hicks and S Logan Ryan in the offseason.
It will be interesting to see how the team will respond to new head coach Todd Bowles who is taking over for Bruce Arians. In 4 seasons with the Jets, Bowles held a .388 winning percentage, going 26-41. There’s no question that Bowles has one of the most brilliant defensive minds in the league today, but how he will handle the head coaching duties is another matter, especially with an uncertain wide receiving corps behind Evans.
Nevertheless, the Bucs have Brady, which may be all the offense needs to succeed. It also helps that the rest of the NFC South doesn’t offer the same caliber of competition. The Saints should improve from last year, given that star wideout Michael Thomas will be back along with QB Jameis Winston, but the Falcons and the Panthers are still rebuilding. The Bucs run away with this one.
NFC West
Winner: Los Angeles Rams
The defending Super Bowl champs did not waste any time this offseason upgrading their offense. Allowing Odell Beckham Jr. to walk following a career stint, the Rams signed former Bears wideout Allen Robinson II. They also filled the void left by Von Miller by signing longtime Seahawks LB Bobby Wagner.
In his second year with the Rams, QB Matt Stafford is set to lead the offense again to a winning season. His chemistry with Cooper Kupp ranks at the top of the league alongside Bengals QB Joe Burrow and WR Ja’Marr Chase. Pro Bowler Aaron Donald has also returned to command the Rams’ defense.
Though the Rams play in the stacked NFC West, one can argue that both the 49ers and Cardinals may regress this season. The Niners are dealing with drama at the QB position, and the Cardinals must deal with the fallout of a disastrous Wild Card loss to LA that resulted in Kyler Murray voicing his dissatisfaction with the franchise.
Barring any injuries, there is no reason why the Rams shouldn’t defend their division title and make another deep playoff run. This team has the potential to better its win total from last season and could earn a first-round bye in the playoffs. This one is a no-brainer.
Wild Cards Winners:
Carolina Panthers
While writing this article, news broke that the Panthers acquired QB Baker Mayfield from the Cleveland Browns. Initially, I had penciled in the New Orleans Saints to finish 2nd in the NFC South and secure a Wild Card berth. However, upon further consideration, I decided to switch my pick and give the Panthers the edge.
Let’s take a closer look at the situation. I’ve said before, in recent years, I have not seen someone who plays better with a chip on his shoulder than Baker Mayfield. Following a remarkable 2020 campaign, where he led the Browns to the playoffs, including a win in the Wild Card round, Mayfield struggled last season primarily due to a shoulder injury. Baker was also forced to deal with the Odell Beckham Jr. drama and lost a few of his teammates’ support in the locker room. A fresh start in a new uniform is precisely what he needs.
Mayfield joins a Carolina team anchored by RB Christian McCaffrey, who, when healthy, is perhaps the best two-way player in the league. He also inherits a solid receiving corps with DJ Moore and Robbie Anderson. Add a defense that ranked No. 2 in yards allowed last season, and Mayfield finds himself with a team that can compete for a Wild Card position.
Head coach Matt Rhule, who enters the year on the hot seat following two disappointing seasons, must view Mayfield as a significant upgrade over Sam Darnold, Matt Corral, and P.J. Walker. He is coaching for his job this season, and Mayfield gives the team the best opportunity to win. I’m high on Mayfield playing with everything to prove. Carolina makes the playoffs.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings are always teetering on the brink of the .500 mark yet fall short of making the playoffs. They have one of the best WRs in Justin Jefferson, and the duo of Jefferson and Adam Thielen ranks as one of the top tandems in the league. When healthy, RB Dalvin Cook is up there with Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry as one of the most feared playmakers, and his backup Alexander Mattison is perhaps the top backup in all of football.
However, the Vikings seemed to be defined by the effectiveness of QB Kirk Cousins’ play. There are times when Cousins shows flashes of leadership on the field in must-win situations, and there are plenty of times when he crumbles under pressure.
Still, the Vikings’ defense is the team’s Achilles heel. Last season, the defense ranked 7th-worst in the league in points allowed and 3rd-worst in total yards. Minnesota signed former Packer edge rusher Za’Darius Smith in the offseason to bolster the D to improve the pass rush.
It may be risky, but I’m picking the Vikings to clinch a Wild Card berth. Minnesota parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Zimmer in the offseason before hiring Rams OC Kevin O’Connell to take over. O’Connell’s acute offensive mind may be what the team needs for a fresh start this season.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers were one win away from clinching a Super Bowl appearance but fell to the Rams in the NFC Championship game. To say that there wouldn’t be collateral damage following the loss would be inaccurate. QB Jimmy Garoppolo was excused from mini camp last month amidst chatter that the team was looking to trade the former Patriot to pave the way for 2nd-year gunslinger Trey Lance to take over under center. San Fran also dealt with disgruntled WR Deebo Samuel, who requested a trade in the offseason despite putting together a breakout campaign in 2021. Though Garoppolo and Samuel both remain with the team, it has become apparent that the former is no longer in the Niners’ long-term plans and could soon be on his way out.
While many are excited to see Lance be named the full-time starter, others are skeptical of his readiness. There is no denying his canon for an arm. Yet, there have been questions about his accuracy and ability to throw under pressure. He provides more mobility at the QB position, which goes along with the 49ers’ potent running game behind Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson, and Samuel to an extent. San Fran also has a bevy of receiving weapons with Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle to help Lance in the pocket.
The 49ers are an exciting team to follow this season, but whether it is Garoppolo or Lance, this team should clinch another playoff berth. Their talent on offense and defense and their multidimensional, offensive approach should guarantee their success. It would be an extreme disappointment for this team to fall short of anything but a playoff appearance.
