The first week of the NFL season is quickly approaching, which means there isn’t much time to put in predictions for how the 2023 season will unfold. It’s time to rank all 32 NFL teams from worst to first overall. According to Sports Illustrated, here is how this season will pan out.
32. Arizona Cardinals
If you have seen the video of Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, then you know exactly why the Cardinals will be the worst team in the league this season. If you have not seen the video, watch it right here right now. With no star power on the field for Arizona besides “maybe” Kyler Murray, the Cardinals have no chance to compete with most teams in the NFL in 2023, as they need to desperately clean house and start fresh.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With the departure of Tom Brady, the Buccaneers have fallen apart. Their starting quarterback is Baker Mayfield, who is average at best, and star receiver Mike Evans is angry with the organization for not paying him what he deserves. It should be interesting to see who’s still playing for Tampa by the end of the season.
30. Houston Texans
The Texans will still be the Texans we know and pity year in and year out. The good news for Houston is the new rookie quarterback they took in the first round, C.J. Stroud, looks promising. However, he has absolutely no supporting cast behind him besides running back Dameon Pierce. Stroud and Pierce will be carrying this entire team on their backs the whole season.
29. Denver Broncos
Now some people believe the Broncos will turn things around in 2023, and they very well might do that. With Sean Payton as the new head coach to get quarterback Russell Wilson and the Denver offense back in shape, they cannot be any worse than last season, right? Well, Russell Wilson may have been great in Seattle, but his best years are now behind him. Until proven otherwise, the Broncos will stay stagnant from last season.
28. Washington Commanders
The Commanders’ defense is great, probably top 10 in the league, but the offense is starting fresh, so it may take a while for them to get in sync. With the new owner of the team Josh Harris coming in to change the culture in Washington, fans are ecstatic, selling out the home opener versus the Cardinals. We may see some firepower from the Washington Commanders in years to come, but it won’t happen as early as this season.
27. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are a weird team that has been very inconsistent throughout recent years, and this year will be a good test to see if they can get into a rhythm as a team. They have some promising talent on defense, like linebacker Shaquille Leonard and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. However, the Colts’ big question mark remains at the quarterback position since the Andrew Luck era. Rookie Anthony Richardson will be looking to become Indianapolis’ franchise guy; however, like most of the bottom-half teams in the league, the Colts still need time to develop.
26. Las Vegas Raiders
Do the Raiders really still think Jimmy Garoppolo is going to be better than Derek Carr? If so, they really need to clean out the front office, because CARR WAS NOT THE PROBLEM! Maybe if Las Vegas had a decent offensive line, or a supporting defense to help them out, then they would have more success. Devonte Adams and Josh Jacobs were the entire team in 2022 and will have to carry that over to 2023 if they want to win any games.
25. Carolina Panthers
This is a team who can be sneaky good in 2023. The Carolina Panthers are a super young team, with a defense with lots of potential, and an offense on the verge of finding their stride. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young will do his best to get the Panthers back on track. However, it’s better not to be so high on a quarterback in his very first year in the NFL.
24. New Orleans Saints
With Derek Carr coming over to The Big Easy, the Saints are slightly more hopeful this season than a year ago. They have a great running back in Alvin Kamara, although he won’t see the field until week three due to his suspension, and a good throwing target in Mike Evans, who never seems to be healthy or want to play. The defense is pretty decent. However, they are aging rather quickly. With all these ifs, ands, and buts, the Saints should prepare to enter a rebuilding phase in 2023.
23. Chicago Bears
To say quarterback Justin Fields is overhyped is an understatement. Yes, he has great potential and is a versatile player, but he has no protection from his offensive line, which will limit his abilities. The Bears’ defense also needed some work, but Chicago went out late in the NFL draft and got themselves some key pieces for the defense that should bolster them in 2023.
22. Cleveland Browns
The Browns, on paper, have one of the more talented rosters in the league, but paper doesn’t always translate into real life. Deshaun Watson is not who he used to be in Houston, and for some reason, Browns fans are in denial of that ideology. The defense will be decent as it always is, but Cleveland will have a tough time in the passing game in 2023, so running back Nick Chubb should get yet another heavy workload.
21. Atlanta Falcons
This is quarterback Desmond Ridder‘s team, and this year, he will prove why he is the guy for Atlanta. He will be good for some versatility on the offensive side if the ball, but the defense for Atlanta needs to learn to stop blowing leads in crucial moments. The Falcons are the highest-rated NFC South team on this list, which should give you an idea of how bad this division is going to be in 2023.
20. Minnesota Vikings
Most of you are probably scratching your heads seeing the Vikings this low on the list, especially after the incredible regular season they had last year. The reason is simple, Minnesota does not have a good defense, which ranked second to last place overall in 2022. Another factor in the Vikings’ decline is how competitive the NFC North will be this season, in which Minnesota is the main target after winning the division last year. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has bolstered the secondary this year, but will it translate into success right away?
19. New England Patriots
After cutting most of the quarterbacks from the roster, the Patriots look like they will rely on Mac Jones to bring success to this team. Even though Bill Belichick is one of the greatest coaches of all time, this decision to put it all on Mac Jones is very head-scratching. Maybe Jones has improved drastically in practice, and can now throw the ball downfield more than 20 yards, but it doesn’t seem very likely. The defense is going to be the reason the Patriots win games this season, because Mac Jones certainly is not starter caliber.
18. Green Bay Packers
Quarterback Jordan Love is set to make his debut as the undisputed starter for the Packers this season. He’s got some decent weapons around him, like receiver Christian Watson, and a defense that is not completely terrible. The Packers in 2023 are the definition of “mid”, but who knows, maybe Love will end up being the next Aaron Rodgers!
17. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are destined to be much better in 2023 than a season ago. With injuries to their stars like quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp in 2022, the Rams were all but finished early on in last season’s campaign. The offense should improve drastically this season; however, their defense may struggle a bit, as they just lost one of their leaders in cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
16. Tennessee Titans
Some of you may think the Titans should be lower on this list, but remember that Tennessee started 7-3 in 2022, before being plagued by injuries during the final stretch of the season. Also, Tennessee is part of the AFC South, which is always highly competitive, but not the best. They should have a decent divisional record this year, as long as running back Derrick Henry continues to rush over every human being on the field, and the defense is pretty solid, so the Titans should have a decent year in 2023.
15. New York Giants
The Giants will be an interesting team to follow this season. With quarterback Daniel Jones coming off of his best career year, running back Saquon Barkley back in form, and the new addition of tight end Darren Waller, this Giants’ offense is in a great position to build on their success this year from 2022. The defense is still a bit shaky, but they are young and have the potential to get better as the season goes along.
14. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have the talent all around to be a playoff contender this season. With a now healthy Tua Tagovailoa, and speedy receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Miami offense is set to be one of the most electric in the league. The defense is going to be good, just like last year, although they will miss their new addition to the defensive backfield in cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The problem for Miami, they are in the AFC East, which will arguably be the toughest division in the NFL this year.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
With quarterback Kenny Pickett going into his second season, he is poised to shine in the Steelers’ offense that includes star receiver Dionte Johnson. The defense is getting T.J. Watt back fully healthy and ready to go in 2023, which should be a wild ride for Pittsburgh, as they strive to get their beloved head coach Mike Tomlin his 18th straight season with a record above .500!
12. Seattle Seahawks
The hype surrounding quarterback Geno Smith is very real, and he will look to “write off” more teams in 2023. With a promising running back core led by Kenneth Walker, and receiving options all around the field, including DK Metcalf, Seattle is ready to make a deep push into the playoffs this season. The question for the Seahawks is, will the defense hold them back?
11. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore is in good shape to get second place in the AFC North. The defense will be consistently solid as they were a year ago, and the new-look offense with receiver Odell Beckham Jr. should give quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense an improved look. If Lamar can stay healthy, there is no doubt that Baltimore is a playoff contender.
10. New York Jets
As everyone knows by now, unless you live under a rock, Aaron Rodgers will be making his regular-season debut with the Jets in less than a week. New York finally went out and got the missing piece to take this team to heights it hasn’t seen in a very long time. The offense should put on a great show, with Rodger throwing to guys like Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Mecole Hardman. The young defense that ranked fourth overall last season will look to shut opponents down once again, making this Jets team a playoff contender in 2023.
9. Detroit Lions
This Detroit Lions team is one of the craziest stories of the NFL today. From winning three games in 2021, to narrowly missing the postseason in 2022, the Lions are in great shape to be one of the top teams in football this year. With one of the best offenses in the NFL, led by quarterback Jared Goff, and a young defense that still needs a lot of work, but has a lot of upside potential, The Lions will win the NFC North this year, and get into the playoffs for the first time since 2016!
8. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are one of the best regular-season teams in the modern football era. The offense, led by quarterback Dak Prescott and receiver CeeDee Lamb looks to dominate once again in 2023. On the other side of the ball, the ball-hawking defense with corner Trevon Diggs, and pass rushers like Micah Parsons, will continue their journey defensively, sending the Cowboys back to the playoffs.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars are set to be amongst the league’s top teams heading into 2023. With quarterback Trevor Lawrence making a tremendous leap last season, and the defense playing improving this season, Jacksonville’s team will be in the postseason in back-to-back years, and this time as the AFC South divisional champions.
6. Los Angeles Chargers
It seems like after last year’s heartbreaking playoff loss in the wild-card round; everyone has the Chargers narrowly missing the postseason this year. No way! With new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore ready to unlock star quarterback Justin Herbert‘s potential, and fully healthy defense ready to prove the doubters wrong, Los Angeles is ready to be one of the top teams in football in 2023.
5. Buffalo Bills
The Bills’ expectations are astronomically high in 2023, just like last season. With quarterback Josh Allen ready for an MVP-caliber season, receivers like Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis helping out the offense, along with a great defense, Buffalo sets on its journey to dominate the league once again. We’ll see how far the Bills can get in the postseason, and if they can take down the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were the best team in the NFL record-wise in 2022. In 2023, they will regress slightly due to the crushing Super Bowl Loss to the Chiefs. Philadelphia will still be a top 5 team in the league, especially with the help of quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the high-octane defense that finished second overall last season. As long as they stay consistent, the Eagles will be just fine.
3. San Francisco 49ers
With the departure of Trey Lance, the QB1 position is Brock Purdy‘s to lose. Although San Francisco will start 2023 with Sam Darnold at quarterback due to Purdy’s injury, the 49ers’ will be just fine, because their team is stacked with talent. On offense, they have running back Christian McCaffrey, receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and one of the best tight ends in George Kittle. On defense, they have linebacker Fred Warner, and reigning Defensive Player of the Year in pass rusher Nick Bosa.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
Who Dey Nation is ready for another stellar season from their beloved Bengals. With playmakers all over the field for quarterback Joe Burrow like receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd, the Bengals offense is in pursuit of another big year. Although it is still unclear when Joe Burrow will play, but it shouldn’t be more than a week or two. The defense for the Bengals needs to improve from last year, but they have young talent all around with great upside potential. Cincinnati is hungry to get back to the promise land, and they have a great chance of getting there in 2023.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
As long as the Chiefs have possession of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, they will continue to be one of if not the top teams in the NFL year in and year out. Even though the defense for Kansas City is not the best, the offense is just too good for anyone to compete with sometimes. They may be off to a slower start this year, however, as tight end Travis Kelce recently went down with a knee injury, making him questionable for the week one opener. But, like always, Kansas City is absolutely the favorite to win it all once again in 2023.
2 Comments
That has not aged well.
The falcons can eat my dust