ISC Prophecy: 2022 NFL Season

The NFL season kicked off Thursday when the defending Super Bowl champion, the Los Angeles Rams tasted defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Throughout the offseason, there was a bunch of change as teams added talent, especially in the AFC. The amount of talent that has come to the AFC has been incredible and has made the AFC the toughest conference quite possibly in the history of this league.

As the NFL season plays out, teams are going to get hot and teams will fall off. Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals stayed healthy and got hot at the right time. The Bengals stayed hot during the most important time of the season, the playoffs. The Bengals were just a few minutes away from capturing the franchises first Super Bowl. Which team can and will rise up through the AFC minefield to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl?

If you are a fan of any team, it is fun to watch the season play itself out. Let’s take a look at the divisions and see how things are projected to look by the time the season ends.

As previously mentioned, the AFC will be an absolute gauntlet to navigate this season, while the NFC will be the inferior conference. The Buffalo Bills will be the team to beat in the AFC as they will be the sole representative from the East division. The AFC North has traditionally been the best division in the league. This year looks to be a two horse race with the Bengals and Baltimore Ravens battling it out for the North. With Joe Burrow and company, look for the Bengals to once again be atop the division. The AFC West is the division to keep an eye on. Like the AFC North in the past, the AFC West will be the division that gets three teams into the playoffs. The Kansas City Chiefs have been the top dogs in that division for years and with Russell Wilson heading to Denver from Seattle, will that be enough for the Broncos to knock the Chiefs off their throne? Or, will it be the deeply talented Los Angeles Chargers, led by quarterback Justin Herbert? The Chargers are the biggest threat to the Chiefs and by the seasons end, be the ones who will claim the AFC West crown. In the South, the Tennessee Titans will be the team to beat once again but don’t overlook the Indianapolis Colts. A few more victories than expected, then the Colts can be a major player in the AFC.

The NFC East will see two teams come out, with the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles battling it out for the division. Neither the Washington Commanders nor the New York Giants have what it takes to challenge the Cowboys or Eagles. In the North, it will once again be the Green Bay Packers who will capture the division. The North is not as strong as it has been in the past but the Detroit Lions look like a team that could be on the rise. Like the Colts, Detroit could be in the playoff hunt with a couple unexpected victories. When it comes to the playoffs and the NFC, it is a two team race. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will be the two teams that will make the most noise. While the 49ers and Rams are the class of the West, the Arizona Cardinals have the potential to make things interesting in the division. The Seattle Seahawks without Russell Wilson, will find things very difficult. The NFC South will see Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers once again capture the division. The New Orleans Saints will find themselves in the playoffs but it won’t be impressive. The rest of the south is weak with the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons rounding out the division.

The playoffs in both conferences will see the higher seeded teams advance all the way through. The Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals should be the two that will face off in the AFC Championship. Throughout the season the Bengals and Bills will be the two best teams and that will show in the playoffs. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. In the NFC, the same situation will apply. The higher seeded teams will make it through but it will be the experience of the Los Angeles Rams that will help send them to their second consecutive Super Bowl. The Buffalo Bills will capture their first ever Super Bowl when all is said and done.

Other NFL Awards

MVP: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
OPOY: Davante Adams (Las Vegas Raiders)
DPOY: T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers)
OROY: Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints)
DROY: Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions)
Coach of the Year: Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills)

Chris Asbrock is a staff writer and analyst for Impact Sports Cincinnati and can be followed on Twitter Follow @iamchrisasbrock and Follow @ISCincy