NFL Season Predictions

The NFL season is upon us! With the Chiefs and Texans set to kickoff soon, I had to put out my predictions for the entire 2020 season! These picks will be 100% correct, no doubt about it! With all seriousness, ya'll can already look at my MLB predictions and call me out for dumb picks, so don't be surprised if I'm way off on some of these. Let's get right into it!

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens 14-2 (1)

Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7 (6)

Cleveland Browns 8-8

Cincinnati Bengals 5-11

This Ravens team has the makings of a powerhouse. If any team is gonna run the table and go 16-0, it is unquestionably the Baltimore Ravens. I see the Eagles and Patriots each taking a game from the flock, but Lamar Jackson and co. will still tear up the league. One of the most storied franchises of all time, the Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off a wacky 2019 season. Opposite of what Steelers football has looked like in recent years, the defense was incredible, while the offense faltered. With Big Ben back at the helm, I think Pittsburgh can sneak into the postseason. After a disappointing 2019, the Cleveland Browns look like a very solid team. What holds the Browns back for me is Baker Mayfield. The Browns have great RBs, WRs/TEs, studs on the defense like Denzel Ward and Myles Garrett, but I don’t trust Baker Mayfield at QB. In the deep hole of the AFC North, we have the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow is a great add, but none of the other acquisitions for the Bengals excite me. The offense has some promise, but a shaky offensive line and mediocre defense put the Bengals at 5-11.

AFC South

Tennessee Titans 10-6 (3)

Indianapolis Colts 8-8

Houston Texans 6-10

Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14

Following a breakout year from Derrick Henry, which culminated into an AFC Championship berth, the Tennessee Titans are the clear favorite in the AFC South. He might not be able to put up as monstrous of numbers as last season, but Derrick Henry will remain a force to be reckoned with. Add Jadeveon Clowney, and this is a balanced team with legit potential. The Indianapolis Colts were my Super Bowl pick last season… before Andrew Luck shocked the football world with his retirement. With Jacoby Brissett as the primary QB, the Colts were still able to eek out 7 wins. Enter Phillip Rivers, who you know will throw for a lot of yards, but also throw a lot of INTs. Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman are exciting rookies, with DeForest Buckner being a great addition as well, but I have the Colts falling just short of the playoffs. The Texans have Deshaun Watson and *checks notes* not a lot more! I love what Watson offers at QB, but he has subpar weapons and the defense isn’t anything special, especially when J.J. Watt is sidelined with injuries. I’ve never been a fan of Deshaun Watson (Roll Tide!), but I am genuinely sorry that he has to deal with Bill O’Brien’s incompetence. In the gutter, we have the Jacksonville Jaguars. I’ll keep it simple; I love Gardner Minshew (especially his mustache and jean shorts), but this team is talent-deficient with awful coaching. Poor Gardner…

AFC East

Buffalo Bills 9-7 (4)

New England Patriots 8-8 (7)

New York Jets 6-10

Miami Dolphins 6-10

I am an outspoken hater of the Buffalo Bills (specifically Josh Allen), but they seem to be the obvious pick to win the AFC East. Josh Allen is an incredibly overrated QB, but Devin Singletary is a solid RB and Buffalo has a stable of capable WRs. All Buffalo needs from their offense is competence because their defense was elite last season. Paid and happy, Tre’Davious White will lead the Bills in having a top level unit. The New England Patriots have dominated the AFC East forever, and while they fail to capture the division title, Bill Belichick and his guys will still (narrowly) make the playoffs. This team doesn’t look like a juggernaut at all, but I won’t bet against Belichick (and McDaniels) as they try to bring Superman Cam back to life. My New York Jets aren’t Super Bowl bound this year. With a competent coach and a little better injury luck, the Jets would’ve been in the thick of the playoff hunt. Unfortunately, the Jets have Adam Gase and have lost their two best defenders, Jamal Adams (traded to Seattle) and C.J. Mosley (COVID opt-out), for this season. Sam Darnold is a much better QB than he’s given credit for, he’s just been surrounded by mediocrity. Expect Sam to take a step forward in 2020, but don’t expect the Jets to make any noise. In the (not so) great state of Florida, the Miami Dolphins are still far from contention. The future is bright with Tua Tagovailoa at QB, but the offensive line is porous and, outside of CB, the defense isn’t great. Again, the future is bright with Tua Tagovailoa, but the Fins aren’t there yet.

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs 13-3 (2)

Denver Broncos 9-7 (5)

Los Angeles Chargers 5-11

Las Vegas Raiders 5-11

The defending champs will win the AFC West, I guarantee it. The high-octane offense added stud RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire from LSU and didn’t lose a single core member. The defense isn’t top tier, but it is a serviceable group of guys. For as long as Patrick Mahomes is taking the snaps, the Chiefs will be in a position to succeed. The Denver Broncos just lost star pass-rusher Von Miller for the season, but I still will cling to my initial prediction. I don’t know if I’m sold on Drew Lock, but I’m definitely sold on his weapons. Melvin Gordon, Phillip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Noah Fant, holy cow! Justin Simmons has quietly become one of the better safeties in football, and while the loss of Von Miller stings, the defense is still good enough to get the Broncos to the playoffs. I have a deep personal vendetta against the Chargers, but I did the best to put that aside for these predictions. Give the Chargers at least an average QB and they’re a competitor. Keenan Allen is as consistent as they come, Austin Ekeler is coming off a breakout season, Hunter Henry seems healthy, the pieces are there offensively. Defensively, the Chargers are absolutely stacked, but the QB play will drag them closer to the bottom than the top. Tyrod Taylor is a bad QB and Justin Herbert won’t do much better. For the Las Vegas Raiders, I like them better than the record I gave them. I’m indifferent on Derek Carr, he’s fine, it is Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller that excite me. The WR core is gonna be young with Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards, but I like it. The defense isn’t the typical Raiders defense, in being absolutely awful, but it isn’t good. Maxx Crosby had a crazy 2019 and Cory Littleton was a solid addition, but the secondary is very subpar. Las Vegas could definitely finish with 8 or 9 wins, but my confidence in the Broncos and too much uncertainty with Gruden and gang leave the Raiders at 5-11.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings 10-6 (3)

Green Bay Packers 9-7

Detroit Lions 8-8

Chicago Bears 6-10

The Minnesota Vikings have no massive holes on their roster. You can debate whether Kirk Cousins is a star or a bum (he’s somewhere in the middle), but it doesn’t matter if Dalvin Cook is healthy and happy. I forecast an absolutely incredible season for Cook, battling for the rushing title. Losing Stefon Diggs is unfortunate, but Justin Jefferson will become a solid target for Captain Kirk. Danielle Hunter will miss the beginning of the season, but this defense is still full of goons. Elite pass rush (when Hunter is healthy), elite LBs, elite Ss, that’s pretty darn good. The CBs are underwhelming, but not every position can be elite. The Green Bay Packers seem destined for regression from their 13-3 season in 2019. Aaron Rodgers is still a good QB, but has limited throwing options outside of Davante Adams. Aaron Jones should have a solid season, but this doesn’t look like one of the league’s better offenses. The defense remains a good unit, but I’m not sure how dominant they’ll be in 2020. As a whole, regression seems inevitable for the Packers. The Detroit Lions roster isn’t half bad. Matthew Stafford is a terrific QB when he’s healthy, and he should have his choice of great targets to throw to. Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones, T.J. Hockenson, Kerryon Johnson, D’Andre Swift, and now Adrian Peterson make up the core of the offense in Mo-Town. The defense got their cornerstone in Jeff Okudah, but Matt Patricia’s attempt to recreate the New England defense hasn’t came to fruition so far. The Lions are definitely a sleeper. It seems like it was forever ago that the Bears went 12-4 and seemed poised to be a big threat in the NFC. There isn’t really a need to go over the defense, it remains a super good unit with Khalil Mack terrorizing opposing offenses. The anemic Bears offense is what puts them here. The RB duo of David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen isn’t bad, but the receivers and offensive linemen are very bad. Then, of course there is Mitch Trubisky. I do not believe he is a starting caliber QB, plain and simple. Even with Nick Foles starting, I don’t see Chicago succeeding in 2020.

NFC South

New Orleans Saints 12-4 (2)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-6 (7)

Atlanta Falcons 9-7

Carolina Panthers 3-13

The New Orleans Saints have been one of the most talented teams for years, but they haven’t been able to get to the Super Bowl. Drew Brees is getting older, but he’s still a great QB with great weapons like Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. The Saints have always fared well during the regular season, it’s the postseason that poses questions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a new face at QB, Mr. Tom Brady. While Brady isn’t still elite, the core of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, Rob Gronkowski, and O.J. Howard is definitely elite. I don’t see Tampa as a juggernaut, but they look like a playoff team to me. The Atlanta Falcons have had ups and downs these last few years. It wasn’t long ago they were up 28-3 in the Super Bowl! I think this Falcon offense is very legit and could be scary good. Matt Ryan is a very good QB with one of the best WRs in the business, Julio Jones. With Todd Gurley at RB and Calvin Ridley primed for a breakout at WR, I am buying stock in this offense. Unfortunately, the NFC ends up too competitive for Atlanta to make the playoffs. This Panthers team lost its two franchise players, Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly, over the course of this offseason. I like Matt Rhule and Joe Brady as coaches, but Teddy Bridgewater isn’t a QB that is gonna lead a team to too much success. As well, the defense is left in shambles after the retirement of Kuechly.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys 9-7 (4)

Philadelphia Eagles 8-8

New York Giants 4-12

Washington Football Team 3-13

I went back and forth with this decision, but I ultimately took the Cowboys to win the NFC East. Both teams have their strengths and flaws, but the offensive star power for the Cowgirls put them ahead. I prefer Wentz over Dak, but the health of Wentz is always in question. To add on, Dallas has the superior weapons with Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. The Eagles aren’t a pushover by any means with the likes of Miles Sanders, DeSean Jackson, Jalen Reagor, and Zach Ertz, but it’s not quite the Cowboys. Defensive guys like Darius Slay and Fletcher Cox make this tough, but I got to go with Dallas. The Giants will not be a good football team in 2020. Daniel Jones is a bad quarterback with a serious fumbling issue, which must be corrected for the Giants to have a chance to be decent. Saquan Barkley is a beast, but there is only so much a RB can do to affect a team’s overall record. The Washington Football Team are as dysfunctional as any organization in all of sports. On the field, I don’t think much of Dwayne Haskins. I think his college production came primarily from the system in Columbus, less because of his pure ability. The RB room is bare, although Antonio Gibson has upside, and the WRs are bad besides Terry McLaurin. The defense isn’t atrocious, but with the overall lack of talent and dysfunction surrounding the team, this is a clear spot for Washington.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals 13-3 (1)

San Francisco 49ers 11-5 (5)

Seattle Seahawks 11-5 (6)

Los Angeles Rams 7-9

The biggest curveball of my predictions sits at the top of the NFC West. Maybe I’m 2019 Cleveland Browns’ing the Cardinals, but I think this is an incredible team. I strongly believe Kyler Murray will take the sophomore leap that Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson took, especially with new WR DeAndre Hopkins. Throw in a full season of Kenyan Drake in red and white, that should make for a fun offense in the desert. The defense is led by stud pass-rusher Chandler Jones, lockdown CB Patrick Peterson, and rookie hybrid Isaiah Simmons. Regardless of where he lines up, Simmons is gonna be a beast for the Cardinals en route to the #1 seed in the NFC. The San Francisco 49ers should enjoy a successful year, similar to that of 2019. Jimmy G. remains mediocre, but the Kyle Shanahan system lives! I think George Kittle is the best TE in football and one of the hardest players to stop (in all of football) when he’s at his very best. The defense loses DeForest Buckner, but Javon Kinlaw can slide right in and keep the San Fran defense on the same beat. The Seahawks were a great team that added the best safety in football, the diva Jamal Adams. The offense is gonna be good with Russell Wilson to begin with, plus breakout years from D.K. Metcalf and Rashaad Penny would make this a very scary unit. Defensively, they have a pair of top-tier players in Jamal Adams and Bobby Wagner. There is no clear reason as to why this team won’t flourish in 2020. I’m not a big Rams fan, but I am a fan fo the Sean McVay system. He’s an offensive genius, so while I don’t like Jared Goff, I think McVay will utilize a combination of Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods to find some success. Aaron Donald is Aaron Donald, but this isn’t a world-class defense. In the ultra-competitive NFC West, I think the ceiling for the Rams is rather low.

Wild Card Round

Broncos (5) over Bills (4)

Titans (3) over Steelers (6)

Chiefs (2) over Patriots (7)

49ers (5) over Cowboys (4)

Seahawks (6) over Vikings (3)

Saints (2) over Buccaneers (7)

Divisional Round

Chiefs (2) over Titans (3)

Ravens (1) over Broncos (5)

Saints (2) over 49ers (5)

Seahawks (6) over Cardinals (1)

Championship Round

Chiefs (2) over Ravens (1)

Saints (2) over Seahawks (6)

Super Bowl

34-27 Saints over Chiefs

Super Bowl MVP: Drew Brees 28/40 for 330 yards and 3 TDs

Awards/Stat Leaders

MVP: Kyler Murray (QB for ARI)

Runner Up: Patrick Mahomes (QB for KC)

OPOTY: Christian McCaffrey (RB for CAR)

Runner Up: Dalvin Cook (RB for MIN)

DPOTY: T.J. Watt (OLB for PIT)

Runner Up: Chandler Jones (OLB for ARI)

OROTY: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB for KC)

Runner Up: Joe Burrow (QB for CIN)

DROTY: Isaiah Simmons (LB/S for ARI)

Runner Up: Chase Young (DE for WAS)

CPOTY: Matt Stafford (QB for DET)

Runner Up: Ben Roethlisberger (QB for PIT)

COTY: Kliff Kingsbury (HC for ARI)

Runner Up: Mike Zimmer (HC for MIN)

Passing Yards: Patrick Mahomes (QB for KC)

Runner Up: Matt Stafford (QB for DET)

Pass TDs: Kyler Murray (QB for ARI)

Runner Up: Patrick Mahomes (QB for KC)

Pass INTs: Baker Mayfield (QB for CLE)

Runner Up: Daniel Jones (QB for NYG)

Rushing Yards: Christian McCaffrey (RB for CAR)

Runner Up: Dalvin Cook (RB for MIN)

Rushing TDs: Derrick Henry (RB for TEN)

Runner Up: Nick Chubb (RB for CLE)

Receptions: Michael Thomas (WR for NO)

Runner Up: DeAndre Hopkins (WR for ARI)

Receiving Yards: Julio Jones (WR for ATL)

Runner Up: DeAndre Hopkins (WR for ARI)

Receiving TDs: George Kittle (TE for SF)

Runner Up: Michael Thomas (WR for NO)

Tackles: Bobby Wagner (LB for SEA)

Runner Up: Darius Leonard (LB for IND)

Sacks: T.J. Watt (OLB for PIT)

Runner Up: Chandler Jones (OLB for ARI)

That'll do it! The small, but mighty Kyler Murray takes the MVP, Matt Stafford enjoys a near-career year, Dalvin Cook runs wild in the NFC North, and lastly, Drew Brees hoists the Lombardi Trophy and rides into the sunset, following his Saints edging out the reigning champs the Kansas City Chiefs!

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading! Do you agree or disagree with my picks? Will the Saints win the Super Bowl? Will the Chiefs repeat? Can Kyler Murray really win the MVP? Let me know your thoughts in the comments down below!

Make sure to check out the Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/the.redshirt/), as well as the podcast (⁠The Redshirt Podcast on Spotify) where I did a more in-depth breakdown of this season.