At long last, the 2023 NFL season is finally upon us. I could wax poetic about football all day long, but I wanna get right into the good stuff. Let’s talk some Power Rankings:
Top 10
1. Chiefs – Well, well…no surprise here, huh? Pat Mahomes has proved that he can win a Super Bowl without any flashy receivers as long as he has Travis Kelce suiting up at tight end. The defense was incredibly average last year, but when you can afford to get into a shootout, who cares? The schedule has some tough games, but to expect anything less than a Top 2-seed playoff berth would be bonkers.
2. Bills – Maybe putting the Bills at 2 is controversial? I’m sure there are plenty of Bengals, Eagles, even Jets and Dolphins fans right now that would say so. I really like the consistency that we’ve seen out of Buffalo for the past few years, and I don’t see any reason that that would change. Yes, the division is much tougher now with the new-look Jets, but consider that only a factor for playoff seeding, where the Bills will have a tough time outpacing the Chiefs for best record in the AFC.
3. Bengals – Let me preface this pick by saying that the margin is incredibly thin between Cincinnati and Buffalo and Kansas City. From a skill-player perspective, Cincy certainly has the most prolific players. This schedule certainly has some cupcakes, but the AFC North is probably even tougher to play in than the AFC East. For that reason, I’m gonna keep the Bengals at 3 for right now, and we’ll see how healthy Joe Burrow looks as the season progresses.
4. Eagles – Will there be a Super Bowl hangover? I tend to think so. It’s hard to discount what this team managed to pull off last year, but we all know that that magic doesn’t seem to last. This is still a talented roster, despite some key departures, and the front half of the schedule looks promising. For me, this is gonna be a wait and see squad.
5. Niners – This may be the first real reach of the season (trust me, there will be many). On paper, this is one of the elite rosters sans a quarterback. Will Brock Purdy bounce back from his injury and return to form? If he doesn’t pan out, can Sam Darnold play like the lottery pick he was drafted as? History tells us that as long as San Fran has someone at quarterback that actually plays quarterback, it shouldn’t really matter. With prolific play-makers like CMC, Deebo, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk, this squad should excel.
6. Dolphins – I think a lot of this team’s success is going to be related to how healthy Tua can be throughout the season. There’s a ton of firepower on the offensive side of the ball. The defense was staunch against the run last year, but wavered against the pass. An improvement in that department would certainly take this team to the next level.
7. Cowboys – At lucky number 7, the team that pains me the most to recognize its talent, the Cowboys. I’m hoping to enjoy a slide into mediocrity as the season progresses, but as always, the Boyz start in the Top 10.
8. Chargers – Here we have yet another team that seems doomed to fail when the bright lights are shining. The roster looks good, but can the Chargers stop being the Chargers? Can Herbert’s weapons stay healthy? If the answer to both of those questions are yes, look out.
9. Vikings – The thing about the Vikings is, well actually there’s two things: One, this team loves close games — sometimes that means they go 7-10, other times they may be 13-4; Two, Kirk Cousins struggles in prime time — and the Vikes will play in at least 5 of those games this year with two late season games possibly being flexed in as well. The roster is talented, but the ball could bounce many different directions.
10. Jets – Some folks are wondering if Aaron Rodgers is washed; some are wondering if he’s rejuvenated. Can the offensive line hold up? There’s a lot of questions about this team, and all will be answered in time. Solely based on talent, I’m gonna start em off at 10.
On The Bubble
As of now, teams in the 11-16 slots I see as playoff hopefuls and have the best chance to crack into the Top 10 at some point this season. I’m feeling a little lazy so how about just one question for each of these teams?
Ravens – Will Lamar be healthy down the stretch?
Steelers – Can the offense replicate its preseason success?
Lions – Will the defense step up?
Seahawks – Was Geno Smith a one-hit wonder?
Jaguars – Will the addition of Calvin Ridley elevate Trevor Lawrence’s potential?
Browns – Does Deshaun return to form?
The Rest of ‘Em
If your team is somewhere on the second half of this power ranking, you should buckle up and prepare for a lackluster season. Sure, there could be some surprises – Washington, Chicago, Green Bay, maybe even Denver may be better than I’m ready to give credit for with no snaps played. There’s certainly gonna be a lot of shifting going on throughout the year. I’m just ready to get it started. Week 1 Picks —-> tomorrow. Stay tuned.
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