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The 2022 NFL schedule was launched on Thursday.
Can quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams repeat as champs?
Stafford and the Rams will kick off the NFL season Thursday, Sept. 8, by internet hosting the Buffalo Bills. ESPN’s Monday Evening Soccer opener is Sept. 12 and can function Russell Wilson‘s debut with the Denver Broncos internet hosting his former group, the Seattle Seahawks.
Based mostly on energy of schedule — which is set by opponents’ information in 2021 — the Rams have the hardest schedule of the 2022 season and the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders tie for the simplest.
The NFL expanded to 17 regular-season video games final season. The ultimate regular-season video games for the 2022 season will probably be performed Jan. 8, 2023. The playoffs start Jan. 14 and proceed by way of Tremendous Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.
Here is a daring prediction for each group following the schedule launch. Click on on the hyperlinks to see the complete schedule and extra evaluation.
Soar to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
AFC EAST
The Payments successful the AFC East for a 3rd straight 12 months just isn’t a daring prediction. That is a pattern. As a substitute, look to the robust begin of the season. The primary seven video games function 5 playoff groups from final 12 months and the Ravens and Dolphins on the highway. No simple feat, however Buffalo will get by way of that stretch going at the very least 5-2 which units up nicely for the remainder of the slate. Read more from Alaina Getzenberg
The Dolphins will begin the season 8-2 by way of their first 10 video games. That aforementioned stretch to start out the season will probably be tough however it’s additionally affected by winnable video games. If coach Mike McDaniel’s system works and Miami clicks early, it could possibly begin the season on a scorching scorching notice. Read more from Marcel Louis-Jacques
The Patriots might want to beat the Payments within the regular-season finale to safe a playoff berth, and it will likely be intriguing to see the way it unfolds if Buffalo has already solidified its personal playoff seeding. The Patriots’ 2021 season led to embarrassing trend at Buffalo in a 47-17 playoff loss, and on this state of affairs, they might have an opportunity to put in writing a unique story a 12 months later. Read more from Mike Reiss
The Jets will end 7-10, not ok to be a severe contender, however vital enchancment from final season. Quarterback Zach Wilson will battle out of the gate in opposition to the totally different defensive types of the AFC North, however he’ll discover his footing over the second half of the season when the schedule softens. Read more from Rich Cimini
AFC NORTH
The Ravens win the AFC North to grow to be the NFL’s newest group to go from final place to first. This has occurred in 17 of the previous 19 seasons, and the Ravens are in an amazing place to proceed this pattern. Baltimore will get again six starters who suffered season-ending accidents final 12 months, together with a wholesome and motivated Lamar Jackson, who’s taking part in on the fifth-year choice of his rookie deal. That is a significant enhance to a Ravens group that misplaced 5 video games by three factors or fewer final season, together with a one-point defeat to the eventual Tremendous Bowl champion Rams. Read more from Jamison Hensley
The Bengals repeat as AFC North champions. The remainder of the AFC positively bought stronger this offseason, however Cincinnati continues to be poised to be the group to beat within the division. The Week Eight loss to Cleveland apart, the Bengals performed a few of their finest soccer in opposition to divisional rivals in 2021. That ought to proceed because the Bengals look to make one other deep postseason run. Read more from Ben Baby
It is tough to forecast Cleveland’s season with out understanding whether or not quarterback Deshaun Watson will probably be suspended. But when he is not, the Browns win their first division title since 1989. Read more from Jake Trotter
The Steelers may have three wins on the bye week. Not solely are the primary 5 video games robust, however each recreation earlier than the bye will probably be tough for a brand new quarterback to navigate. The Steelers have a stout protection, however they will be going through the formidable offenses of Tampa Bay, Buffalo, Miami and Cincinnati. The Browns, Patriots and Eagles aren’t a stroll within the park, both. Read more from Brooke Pryor
AFC SOUTH
The Texans will enter their Week 6 bye at 2-3. Houston has three of these 5 video games on the highway however might win on the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Read more from Sarah Barshop
The Colts will get their first victory over New England coach Invoice Belichick at Gillette Stadium for the primary time since 2006 in Week 9. The Colts have misplaced six straight to the Patriots at their house stadium by a mean of 19.6 factors a recreation in that span. Read more from Mike Wells
The Jaguars, who’ve gained 4 video games the previous two seasons mixed, will finish two lengthy dropping streaks by beating Washington on the highway within the season opener. They’ve misplaced 17 consecutive highway video games courting again to a victory in Oakland on Dec. 15, 2019, and 16 consecutive video games in opposition to NFC groups courting again to beating the Giants within the 2018 season opener. Read more from Michael DiRocco
Robust matchups with the Eagles on the highway and at Nissan Stadium in opposition to the Dallas Cowboys might harm their probabilities. However the Titans will sweep the NFC East although the Washington Commanders and New York Giants have made slight enhancements from final season. Read more from Turron Davenport
AFC WEST
If quarterback Russell Wilson stays wholesome, and he has missed solely three video games in his earlier 10 years within the league (all three final season after finger surgical procedure), the Broncos will — lastly — end with a successful file within the AFC West. A tall order given the division is out of the blue one of many league’s hardest with a high-end roster of quarterbacks and pass-rushers simply to start out. Over the previous six seasons, the Broncos have completed 1-5 within the division twice, 2-Four thrice and 3-Three as soon as. Read more from Jeff Legwold
The Chiefs will go 5-1 in AFC West video games. They’re going to break up with the Chargers (every group successful on its house subject) — however will sweep the Broncos (making it 15 straight wins within the sequence) and the Raiders. Read more from Adam Teicher
Quarterback Derek Carr silences his haters — actual and imagined. Buoyed by the presence of receiver Davante Adams, Carr performs just like the elder statesman he’s amongst AFC West quarterbacks and excels in coach Josh McDaniels’ system to hold the Raiders to a second straight playoff look. Carr beats Kansas Metropolis within the flexed-to-prime-time finale and, for the primary time since 2015, a group apart from the Chiefs wins the AFC West. Hey, you wished daring. Read more from Paul Gutierrez
The Chargers open 2-0, get an enormous leap on the remainder of the AFC West and eventually stay as much as preseason expectations by ending the Chiefs’ six-year reign as division champs. Read more from Paul Gutierrez
NFC EAST
The Cowboys break the NFC East jinx and win the division in back-to-back years. The final time the identical group gained the NFC East in consecutive years was when Philadelphia did it in 2003-04. The Cowboys haven’t gone to the playoffs in back-to-back years since 2006-07. Read more from Todd Archer
The Giants will win twice as many video games after the bye as earlier than their break in Week 9. In order that’s two wins of their first eight video games and 4 of their remaining 9. It is a byproduct of the robust early schedule, the simpler post-bye matchups (starting with house contests in opposition to the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions) and the time it takes to get acclimated to a brand new teaching workers. Read more from Jordan Raanan
The Saints (whose 2023 first-round decide belongs to Philly) will miss the playoffs, and the Eagles may have a 2023 first-round decide inside the highest 16, permitting GM Howie Roseman the possibility to make a significant play for a quarterback ought to Jalen Hurts not get the job accomplished this season. Read more from Todd Archer
Washington wins 10 video games and makes the playoffs. The Commanders bolstered their offense with Wentz and first-round receiver Jahan Dotson. Defensively, this can matter: In 2021, they confronted six quarterbacks who completed within the high 10 in whole QBR and 9 of the highest 14. This season they face two who had been within the high 10 and solely 5 within the high 14. Read more from John Keim
NFC NORTH
Chicago will avenge its 2021 loss to San Francisco by beating the 49ers of their season opener. Read more from Courtney Cronin
Detroit will win at the very least seven video games. Though the Lions had been 3-13-1 final season, anybody who watched them carefully is aware of they had been aggressive. If the Lions play as onerous as they did for coach Dan Campbell throughout his first season — and may keep wholesome — they may get at the very least seven wins for the primary time since 2017, after they went 9-7. For Detroit, that will be a victory because it continues to construct a basis for the long run. Read more from Eric Woodyard
The Packers will not match coach Matt LaFleur’s win totals in every of his first three seasons; they may exceed them. The NFC North is rebuilding, whereas the video games in opposition to the 2 New York groups, Philly and Washington should not be too robust. That is already 10 wins. All they need to do is go 4-Three of their remaining video games. Read more from Rob Demovsky
The Vikings are making the playoffs in coach Kevin O’Connell’s first season. They will not beat the Packers for the NFC North title, however O’Connell has inherited a proficient offense and can convey with him a scheme that helped win Tremendous Bowl LVI when he was Rams offensive coordinator. Read more from Kevin Seifert
NFC SOUTH
Falcons coach Arthur Smith will as soon as once more present he can get probably the most out of a roster, however the Falcons will battle in opposition to this schedule. Rookie Desmond Ridder will begin a number of video games this season with Atlanta ending with a top-five decide within the 2023 NFL draft. Read more from Michael Rothstein
Sam Darnold will probably be changed because the beginning quarterback after a 1-Four begin, giving option to rookie Matt Corral earlier than an Oct. 16 journey to Los Angeles to face the defending Tremendous Bowl champion Rams. The best way to have a look at it: no stress, as a result of Corral and Carolina will not be anticipated to win. Read more from David Newton
The Saints will begin 3-1. And so they’ll end 3-1 down the stretch — benefiting from a uncommon December bye to heal up and peak on the proper time whereas incomes their means again into the playoffs. Read more from Mike Triplett
Quarterback Tom Brady‘s by no means began the primary 4 video games of the common season beneath .500 (he is began 2-2 seven instances in his profession). Might that change in 2022 in what could be his farewell tour? If there’s a silver lining available in that brutal opening stretch, it is that Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has traditionally struggled within the state of Florida and will not have star wideout Davante Adams after he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders within the offseason. Read more from Jenna Laine
NFC WEST
A 12 months after the Cardinals gained 11 video games and went to the playoffs, they will not win greater than seven and can miss the postseason. Read more from Josh Weinfuss
The Rams win at the very least 5 of their first six video games. 4 of that stretch are at house, and two are in opposition to the Falcons and Panthers. Read more from Sarah Barshop
That 49ers submit the perfect file in NFC West division video games, going 5-1 and sweeping Arizona and Seattle. Suppose that is not daring? Contemplating the Niners are 5-15 mixed in opposition to the Seahawks and Cardinals since coach Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017, it could be an enormous step ahead in opposition to their divisional counterparts. That sort of efficiency within the division would go a good distance towards a return to the playoffs however you will need to pay further for that sort of prediction right here. Read more from Nick Wagoner
The Seahawks will shock Tom Brady and the Bucs in Munich. Tampa Bay has the GOAT at quarterback and a Tremendous Bowl-caliber roster round him, so anticipate the Bucs to be favored on this recreation. However when the Seahawks hammered the Raiders in London in 2018, they confirmed they will deal with the logistical hurdles of a global recreation. In that regard, coach Pete Carroll will out-prepare Bucs coach Todd Bowles the identical means he out-prepared Raiders coach Jon Gruden. Read more from Brady Henderson
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