NFL Preview top 10 teams & Big Questions
It’s Back!! After an eventful offseason, the NFL season gets underway Thursday, September 8, with multiple teams having huge expectations, as well as question marks attached to them.
Below are my top 10 entering the season and big questions around the league
1. Buffalo Bills
This is the best the Bills have been since they went to four straight Super Bowls in the 90s. The only question mark on that team is corner Tre’Davious White who is down for four weeks. But their pass rush should be good enough to compensate and the Bills were 13 seconds away from the AFC Championship game without him.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Until there is real evidence of Tom Brady’s decline you have to assume Brady is a top five quarterback every season. Brady being an elite quarterback makes the Bucs immediate contenders every year. The offense added Russell Gage and Julio Jones. Gage according to Pro Football Focus averaged 1.96 yards per route ran last season.
3. Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams can repeat as Super Bowl champions they are that good. Allen Robinson is an upgrade over Robert Woods, although Von Miller departed for Buffalo they did add Bobby Wagner which fills huge need at linebacker.
4. Los Angeles Chargers
No team was as aggressive this offseason as the Chargers who are determined to win with Justin Herbert still on a rookie deal. The Chargers spent a ton of money to surround him with talent. Adding players like Khalil Mack via trade and J.C Jackson through free agency the chargers intend to build off just missing the playoffs.
5. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs traded away one of the most explosive and dynamic weapons in the NFL. Instead of just Tyreek the Chiefs now have depth at the wide receiver position. Adding guys like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Juju Smith Schuster, and drafting Skyy Moore. Although there may be an initial step back from the explosive offense from a year ago, teams can no longer glue on one receiver.
6. Green Bay Packers
With Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, the Packers are perennial contenders. With limited receiver options, no one is sure how the Packers will perform offensively. However this team's strength is their defense, last time the packers were led by their defense was in 2010 when they won the Super Bowl…
7. Denver Broncos
Losing Tim Patrick for the season is a significant blow to the Denver Broncos but they still have a surplus of weapons. Denver can put out a top 10 defense and offense as last season they were third in the league in points allowed per game. The addition of Russell Wilson takes them from the fridge playoff team to a Super Bowl contender.
8. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens were plagued in 2021 by injuries that saw them lose almost their entire secondary. The injuries propelled them from the top seed in the AFC at one point in the year to outside of the playoffs by the end of the season. Just getting healthy again makes the Ravens a real playoff team, and they can go on stretches of dominant play that scares any team in the league. Not only is this team better defensively than a year ago they also have an improved offensive line.
9. Cincinnati Bengals
After reaching the Super Bowl a year ago despite terrible offensive line play the Bengals again return with a young offensive core and a revamped offensive line. Cincinnati has the firepower to contend if things break their way, but the Bengals don’t quite have the overwhelming roster strength that some teams do in their conference do.
10. San Francisco 49ers
The biggest question facing this team is… Is Trey Lance the guy to bring them back to the promised land? Jimmy Garropplo took the 49ers to two NFC Championship games in three seasons. The best version of Lance could make the 49ers into instant favorites this team was fingertips away from winning the super bowl off its dominant run game alone two years ago.
Questions?
Is Trey Lance the guy the 49ers have been searching for at the quarterback position?
Will the Patriot’s system with no Offensive Coordinator work?
Will Deshaun Watson be Deshaun again?
Was last year a fluke by the Bengals?