Dan’s 2023 NFL Predictions

Business first: a disclaimer and a review of last year’s predictions.

The disclaimer is that I’m well aware that my Washington Commanders prediction is ridiculous. It’s romanticized. I think it would be so beautiful and poetic if, in the first year free from Dan Snyder’s ownership of the team, they did something they never did while he was an owner: win 11 games. I do think they’ll be good enough to win 9, and would make that prediction without batting an eye. But I don’t have money to gamble, and if it happens, I want to have called it.

Last year… hoo boy. One of my worst years yet. I foolishly predicted that Matt Ryan’s Colts would be the third consecutive team to win a Super Bowl with a brand new veteran quarterback. I also predicted that the Rams would muster a decent title defense. I had the Packers winning the NFC. Other than that, I correctly predicted 8 of the 14 playoff teams, and I’m proud of picking the Jaguars and Lions to improve and the Broncos and Cardinals to disappoint.

Hoping to do a little better this year - while still picking about half of the playoff field to change, because it usually does. Here we go!

• AFC EAST

  • Bills 11-6

  • Patriots 8-9

  • Jets 7-9-1

  • Dolphins 7-10

• AFC NORTH

  • Bengals 13-4

  • Steelers 11-6

  • Browns 10-7

  • Ravens 10-7

• AFC SOUTH

  • Jaguars 12-5

  • Titans 10-7

  • Texans 7-9-1

  • Colts 3-14

• AFC WEST

  • Chiefs 13-4

  • Chargers 10-7

  • Broncos 8-9

  • Raiders 6-11

• NFC EAST

  • Eagles 12-5

  • Commanders 11-6

  • Cowboys 10-7

  • Giants 9-8

• NFC NORTH

  • Bears 8-9

  • Vikings 8-9

  • Lions 8-9

  • Packers 5-12

• NFC SOUTH

  • Saints 10-7

  • Falcons 8-9

  • Buccaneers 4-13

  • Panthers 3-14

• NFC WEST

  • 49ers 13-4

  • Seahawks 8-9

  • Rams 4-13

  • Cardinals 2-15

Tiebreakers:

• Bengals get tiebreaker over Chiefs for #1 seed

• Tiebreaker order of 10-7 AFC teams: Browns #6 seed, Titans #7 seed, Ravens and Chargers out of playoffs

• Tiebreaker order of NFC North 8-9 teams: Bears win division, Vikings and Lions don’t.

PLAYOFFS

• WILD CARD ROUND

  • #2 Chiefs rock #7 Titans

  • #3 Jaguars pummel #6 Browns

  • #4 Bills stomp #5 Steelers

  • #7 Giants stun #2 Eagles

  • #6 Cowboys best #3 Saints

  • #5 Commanders survive #4 Bears

• DIVISIONAL ROUND

  • #2 Chiefs outshoot #3 Jaguars

  • #4 Bills knock off #1 Bengals

  • #1 49ers destroy #7 Giants

  • #6 Cowboys stifle #5 Commanders

• CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • #1 49ers embarrass #6 Cowboys

  • #4 Bills finally overcome #2 Chiefs

• SUPER BOWL LVIII

  • The Buffalo Bills defeat the San Francisco 49ers and win their first Super Bowl!!!

SEASON AWARDS

• Most Valuable Player: Jalen Hurts

• Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett

• Offensive Player of the Year: Nick Chubb

• Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan

• Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bijan Robinson

• Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson Jr.

• Super Bowl MVP: Josh Allen