The NFL, a league where there’s endless drama plus an easy way to become addicted to the content it produces. I’ve already told a certain genius and expert from PSN TV past and present that they’re gonna have a hard time dragging me out of my comfort zone this season (Well if they aren’t somehow invited to M&T Bank Stadium for a Ravens game depending on the circumstances and matchup despite them being Eagles fans that is). If those two were in my shoes they’d probably say the same thing towards me at this moment in time. Anyways, enough of that, let’s get over to the NFC. 16 teams that face unique and interesting challenges in some cases, while others are going to the high stakes table. AND WHERE DO WE BEGIN!
Dallas Cowboys (TONIGHT ON DALLAS!): LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, STEP RIGHT UP AND SEE THE BIGGEST SOAP OPERA IN SPORTS PLAY OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR EYES! You thought last year was a never ending mess for Cowboy fans, well I’m here to tell you that it’s only going to be more of the same (On the field maybe, but off the field ABSOLUTELY!). And that’s despite them making a nice move for George Pickens to give CeeDee Lamb more space to roam. Dak Prescott may be healthy again, but with that $60M cap hit, it’s going to force Dallas into Cap Hell for the next five years. Remember when Nico Harrison traded away Luka Doncic because he was mind controlled by LeBron and Adam Silver, WELL I’M HEAR TO TELL YOU THAT JERRYBOY IS TELLING HIM TO HOLD HIS BOTTLE OF TEQUILLA! Micah Parsons, perhaps the most talented player on the roster, is in a contract dispute and wants to be the highest paid defender in football. Well too bad Jerry isn’t willing to do that because he doesn’t want to pay almost 55% of their cap into 3 players. What’s the solution? PULL A NICO! Trade him to the most storied franchise in the league and watch Green Bay give him $47M a year. (Daily reminder that the Packers have won more playoff games than the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium) It’s all good, they’ll extend DaRon Bland, hype up Donovan Ezeiraku as the next Micah, and pretend that everything is fine. Just like Cincy, they’re putting all of their eggs in the basket of the offense. If Dak or CeeDee gets injured, they’re screwed and they’ll have no one to blame but themselves. Looks like Brian Schottenheimer has his work cut out for him.
New York Giants (Who’s Up For Playing Darts?): Even though the Giants can safely say that they don’t have all of the drama consuming them whole like Dallas has, they’re still stuck in the basement of the NFC East. The question regarding that status is how long will it last? They have made progress since that disaster of a season last year. New York has their own Micah in the form of Abdul Carter who hopefully proves that he wasn’t the product of Dani Dennis-Sutton last year at Penn State. Defensively, the G-Men should be a fleshed out unit especially now that Jevon Holland is on board (A much needed replacement for Xavier McKinney) and Dexter Lawrence is back to full strength. That’s good, but what about the offense. It can’t just be Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy. They did bring in Russell Wilson as a stopgap while their lord and savior Jaxson Dart is being groomed inside Brian Daboll’s lab. Speaking of Daboll because of said trade up to possibly get their next franchise QB he’s not going anywhere I think. The Giants are still in rebuild mode but they are getting closer to emerging into a dark horse playoff team. I’d give it about another year or two with that claim. (All Hail Cam Skatteboo, the new Saquon in the eyes of Giants fans. Just give it time!)
Philadelphia Eagles (Enjoying A White Boy Summer): How will these boys follow up a season where they put the entire NFL in Body Bags, had their opponents for lunch, dinner, and the snack on the plane flying home while putting those teams in said bags (Especially Washington), which was followed by sentencing the Swiftie Empire to the pit of misery that is located inside the parking lot what used to house Veterans Stadium? (“THIS IS WHAT I CALL DOGGONE DOMINATION!” -Brian Dawkins) I don’t know but my goodness are the Eagles looking to become the first Philly Sports franchise to win back to back titles since the 1975 Flyers. Even with the Madden Curse looking to consume them whole, this team is once again loaded from top to bottom and has everyone in the NFC out to get them. (Saquon please don’t fall into the same traps as Ki-Jana Carter, for all of our sakes) But a few adjustments have to be made. Nakobe Dean is going to miss the 1st Half of the season due to injury, and they lost CJGJ and Darius Slay in the offseason. Well they drafted Jihaad Campbell, signed Adore Jackson, and are moving Cooper DeJean to Free Safety. (They still think Jeremiah Trotter Jr has the potential to be as good as his dad was. Interesting) I mean he did play that position at Iowa so I won’t go too hard on Vic Fangio. The only thing concerns me about Philly is depth at Edge Rusher but who needs that when Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis are complete maulers on the inside. I must say anything less than a 2nd straight championship will result in Nick Sirianni being back on the hot seat. It shouldn’t be that way, but this is Philadelphia, and those fans are nothing but perfectionists. No wonder why both them and Baltimore love copying each other’s homework. (The only mistake they made this offseason was not forcing the Cowboys to wear their blue jerseys for Opening Night and making that game a Whiteout. That would have been AWESOME!)
Washington Commanders (Dan Snyder’s Worst Nightmare): This is probably the first time in what seems to be an eternity where DC and all of Virginia have Super Bowl dreams dancing in their heads. They have good reasoning for it. Making it to the NFC Championship Game the year before and adding on in the offseason will do that. Even if Josh Harris and Magic Johnson are trying to do what Snyder did in terms of throwing money at veteran free agents, the culture they’ve established so far has been damn good (The same could be said about Dan Quinn). And speaking of those veteran additions, they brought in Deebo Samuel who is in need of a bounce back, Laremy Tunsil as the blindside blocker for Jayden Daniels (Really, Houston gave him up), and an aging but still effective Von Miller who has already fit in quite nicely. There were concerns about Terry McLaurin holding out, but the Commies gave him a nice extension so he stays put. Hell those weren’t even the biggest moves they made this offseason. Well it looks like they’re finally getting a new stadium and it’s going to be built on the old site of RFK (That and the 2027 NFL Draft is coming to the Nation’s Capital). The question I have regarding Washington this year is simple. Do they have enough to take down Philly now that they reloaded the roster with veterans and scrappy rookies? I guess we’re about to find out. (A Beltway Super Bowl would be the perfect way to ring in the 250th Anniversary of this great nation)
Chicago Bears (Beating The Dead Horse Of Hype): How many times am I going to be told that the Bears are going to take the NFL by storm? How many times will all of Chicagoland keep beating their chests about how they’re going to crush Green Bay in particular? A lot that is. The last thing that Bears fans are hoping for is that they once again fail to live up to the hype. The past two years have been agony since the one team they assumed dead in each of those years emerged into contenders while they were sentenced to the basement again. This time now that Virginia McCaskey is out of the picture could be different (The last face of the founding of the NFL is gone. But it could be for the worst). Ben Johnson has one thing on his mind as he walks through the door. Turn Caleb Williams into the first franchise QB they’ve had since Jim McMahon. (If not it proves that Jared Goff carried him to relevance) To do this they completely overhauled their O-Line by bringing in several former Chiefs to do so. Chicago is a very interesting squad don’t get me wrong. But this is either going to be the best season they’ve had since the Urlacher/Lovie Smith Era or something that has been status quo for them since they got rid of the Honey Bears back in the 80s. The Whine Cellar. (They extended Ryan Poles this offseason? Interesting)
Detroit Lions (New Pieces But Same Approach): Why do I get this feeling that the Lions will come down to earth this year? Don’t get me wrong, they’re still a legitimate Super Bowl Contender thanks to the talent on display and Dan Campbell being an excellent motivator. But as someone who has experienced a loss like the one they had against Washington last year especially since it was so unexpected, it tends to take quite some time to recover from (It took the Ravens almost 4 years to recover from their loss to the Titans in 2019. That’s the evidence I need). It also doesn’t help that both of their coordinators from last year are gone, and they have to replace 3 starters on the Offensive Line. But it’s ok, they still have Sonic and Knuckles headlining the RB room (Hopefully neither Gibbs nor Montgomery get injured this time), and Aidan Hutchinson should be fully healthy in no time. If there’s any good news for the Motor City it’s that even with the brutal schedule they have this year, they’re going to embrace that challenge with open arms. Lets just hope for their sake that Jared Goff not only stays healthy but he proves that it was he not Ben Johnson who was the mastermind throughout the past few years. If Goff goes down even with the talent around him producing at a high level, they’re screwed with a Capital S. Good luck boys.
Green Bay Packers (The Honeymoon Of Love Is Over): There are several things that Packers fans take plenty of pride in. Being perennial contenders, constantly owning Chicago on a regular basis, and having great QB play. But we tend to forget that there’s another trend that the Cheeseheads won’t shut up about. That being crushing whatever hopes and dreams that Dallas Cowboys fans have of a championship. This time around it wasn’t anything they did against Jerry Jones’ team on the field, but off of it. Exhibit A: They sent two 1st Round picks for a generational talent in Micah Parsons who has the potential to be the final piece to Green Bay’s championship puzzle (AT $47M A YEAR? WHAT?). We saw this happen with Reggie White during the Brett Favre Era, and we saw it with Charles Woodson during the Aaron Rodgers Era. The hope now is that Jordan Love emerges into a League MVP candidate despite having the sophomore slump a year ago. That and if Christian Watson and Josh Jacobs can stay healthy. This is a team that has the potential to make the Super Bowl especially with the talent on defense, and if the offense keeps up. I know one thing for sure. There will be endless coping and seething throughout the entire NFC.
Minnesota Vikings (Danish McCarthyism): We all thought that the Vikings were going to do the unthinkable and let Aaron Rodgers complete the Brett Favre cycle by bringing him in this offseason. Instead Minnesota didn’t drink any of the stupid juice thank god. Right now, all eyes are on JJ McCarthy. Being out for the season due to injury last year gave him plenty of time to learn the offensive system, and if he picks up where Sam Darnold left off a year ago, they’ve got the franchise QB they’ve been missing since Daunte Culpepper. It also helps McCarthy that Justin Jefferson is a generational talent in his prime, and Jordan Addison is only growing stronger. You know what else this team needs? The return of Adam Thielen! (Now watch him turn back the clock half a decade because Kevin O’Connell) That and a defense that’s looking to once again tee off on opposing QBs. The Vikings on paper are a very good team but how much of their success last year was because of their own skill or simply an easy schedule plus the deck breaking out in their favor? The Football Gods haven’t been kind to this franchise, and the last thing Minnesotans need is for another Twins style collapse. If that happens, the “God Is A Packers Fan” memes will be skyrocketing once again. (Detroit and Cleveland you’re not alone)
Atlanta Falcons (Elizabeth Holmes; The Franchise): Oh boy. In what way are the Falcons going to cause all of us to be completely flabbergasted by the time we get to December and January? I don’t know but just like Chicago they once again have been projected as a team to make a huge jump and once again the results will probably be the same. I get it, they have Bijan Robinson, and Drake London who are studs in their own right, but in order for this team to finally get the 28-3 monkey off of their backs, two men must step up to the plate big time. Michael Penix and Kyle Pitts. Both of them have huge potential but lack consistency. As I mentioned, there are way too many questions with this team especially on the Offensive Line and Pass Rush. (The D-Line too now that Grady Jarrett is gone) When you spend serious amounts of draft capital for both James Pearce and Jalon Walker, you better hope that those two not only pan out, but the team becomes contenders. What happens if neither of them takes place? Well then they’d be giving the Rams one of the best teams in terms of drafting and developing over the last decade the chance to draft the potential successor to Matthew Stafford. Boy would that be an ugly day in the ATL if that were to happen (Where’s Jerry Glanville when you need him?)
Carolina Panthers (The Young And Restless, Hopefully): The Panthers were once again awful last season but fortunately they were able to show signs of promise towards the end of the season. The question now is where do they go from here? Bryce Young definitely has his college swagger, but now can he build on a strong 2nd Half of 2024? The good news for him is that they drafted Tet McMillan and Jalen Coker has high upside. (If only Jonathan Brooks didn’t suffer another ACL tear) And they brought in Rico Dowdle as insurance for the running game. What’s the biggest downside for Carolina? That thing they call a defense. My goodness was it one of the worst in franchise history. Most of it was due to injuries mostly to Derrick Brown and Jaycee Horn, but they’re healthy once again (And Horn just got extended too). There’s still a long way to go for the Panthers to emerge back into playoff contenders but at least they can say that they have made progress… for now. If things go south this year, David Tepper will probably want heads placed on a tee so that Bogeyman can launch those heads 200 yards in the air with a golf club. Some things with this team never change do they? (Honestly if that happens, Bryce Young can’t be held hostage for it)
New Orleans Saints (Arch Manning Sweepstakes): PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR RETURN OF THE BAG HEADED ‘AINTS WHO HAVE COME STORMING BACK INTO TOWN RIDING IN THE FRONT SEAT OF SOME MASSIVE TANKS! Kellen Moore has his work cut out for him and it’s about time that Mickey Loomis is playing the long range game. (And yes I firmly believe that Moore was a passenger for Saquon and Jalen Hurts) Well it makes sense since Derek Carr was forced to retire and Chris Olave is headed to the trade market (The return that the Saints could get at the deadline will be massive). It doesn’t matter that all of those cavemen from the Brees Era are still hogging up roster spots even if Ryan Ramczyk was forced to retire, there is one thing on everyone’s minds in the Big Easy. ARCH MANNING! Yes they failed to secure Peyton and Eli 20-25 years ago, but it won’t stop them from trying again for Cooper’s son DARN IT! (Nothing like pure nepotism at its finest eh?) Honestly though if Arch decides to stay at Texas for another year which he should given that he isn’t ready for primetime yet. I will laugh so hard at these boys. That just means another year of Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough after this.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Ducks And Bucs): This is probably the least talked about contender in football and rightfully so. The narratives surrounding Tampa Bay suggest that the Bucs have been the benefactors of a weak division, but were they really when injuries plagued them last year especially the WR room? The difference between the Buccaneers and the rest of the NFC South is simple. You know what you’re getting with them. You’re getting solid QB play from Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans proving why he’s one of the best WRs of this generation, the rise of Bucky Irving, and hopefully the return to form of Chris Godwin (Plus Emeka Ebuka for more help at WR). The only downside just like last year is injuries. If Antonie Winfield and Tristan Wirfs can stay healthy both in the secondary and on the O-Line, they should win this division with ease. But the real question I have for these guys is simple. Where do they stack up in the NFC? They have the potential to win a playoff game once again, but how much further can they go? That fate will be up to them and them alone. And no Todd Bowles isn’t the biggest concern especially considering that he’s made generations of Jets fans eat tons of salt for carrying out the plan that Bruce Arians installed. (What a difference it makes when you’re around a much better organization than a literal ButtFumble)
Arizona Cardinals (Neutralized In Every Way): Agonizing Mediocrity. That’s all Arizona has been known for during the majority of their stay in the Desert. The past few years have been no different. Despite countless attempts to try and prove to their haters that things have changed, they continue to chop themselves off at the knees. I’m looking right at Kyler Murray and the Offensive Line that tries to “PROTECT” him. I don’t exaggerate when I say that Murray may have the most pressure among any QB in the league. Especially since Arizona has done everything they can to make sure he’s in the best place to succeed. (Extending Trey McBride is Exhibit A) For example, they bolstered their defense by bringing in Josh Sweat from Philly, and bringing back an old face in Calais Campbell (I wonder how long he’ll be here especially if Baltimore is hungry for D-Line help and the Cards stink again). You know what I find crazy. Just like Kyler, Budda Baker has also received plenty of criticism for being the definition of a tease. If things go south for Jonathan Gannon yet again, it proves that Nick Sirianni may very well be the next coaching icon of the game even though all of Philly hated his guts at one point. You really don’t want to have that narrative pop up do you Arizona?
Los Angeles Rams (Gotta Catch Em All): From “F THEM PICKS” to “F THEM CRITICS” Strange times eh? Everything that people assumed about this franchise since Super Bowl LVI has blown up in their face. Their track record in the draft was fading. They go and get Kyren Williams and Puca Nacua. They’re not gonna replace Aaron Donald. They bring in Jared Verse and Braden Fiske. Matthew Stafford’s never going to be the same due to injury, he keeps finding the Fountain of Youth. (If not, the same will probably happen for Jimmy G) Cooper Kupp left them for Seattle, who cares they’ll bring in Davante Adams to fill that void. Sean McVay is rumored to go to Amazon, NAH he’s staying put and hasn’t lost a step one bit. (The Pokemon narratives never die) The Rams are the kind of team that thrives when considered the underdogs. It’s very anti-LA in the grand scheme of things, but hey if that’s how they want to win, more power to them. We all know what’s going to happen, they’re going to struggle out the gate due to injuries, and then by mid November everyone’s healthy and they steamroll most of the NFC. Although a certain rival of theirs is plotting a massive revenge tour…
San Francisco 49ers (Injuries Don’t Fail Them Now): That would be these Gold Blooded dudes. Despite the fact that Brock Purdy’s latest extension forced them into Cap Hell which gutted a good chunk of their defense, plus the Super Bowl Location Curse being thrust on their shoulders, the 49ers want heads for their trophy room and badly. That’s nice, but there are a lot of questions surrounding the long term future of the team. Will Christian McCaffrey return to MVP form? Will Brandon Aiyuk overcome the Alvin Harper comparisons (Especially now that Deebo is gone)? Plus will Purdy prove that he isn’t the Ultimate System QB? I don’t know about any of those but if there’s any good news for the Bay Area is that they have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL’s recent history. A return to contender status is certainly in play even with the roster being gutted this past offseason. Now they’re hoping that all of those unproven defenders can step up and help out Nick Bosa and Fred Warner terrorize opposing offenses. I’m looking right at you Mykel Williams and Renardo Green. (If they fall face flat this year, all of their haters will laugh at them especially LA and Seattle)
Seattle Seahawks (SOS 12th Man Visitors): Mike Macdonald was forced into a difficult situation last year in the form of replacing a legend in Pete Carroll. His response was leading a team that suffered a massive cap crunch in the offseason towards 10 wins and nearly making the playoffs? Now what will the Seahawks do for an encore? Geno Smith and DK Metcalf are gone but hopefully Sam Darnold and Cooper Kupp will fill those voids and stay away from the injury bug (No more Normani distractions for the 12th Man. HALLELUJAH!). The cost of this will also be that of Tyler Lockette and Noah Fant. It’s all good, they’ve got Kenneth Walker who’s only growing stronger by the year. But what about their defense? I mean that is Mike Man’s bread and butter. DeMarcus Lawrence on a 1 year deal isn’t too shabby, but all eyes will be on two men. Tariq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. Both of them are very talented DBs, but last year they suffered a step back in their development. Now can they prove that 2024 was a mirage. If that happens, well the NFC West could be up for grabs. PAUSE.
All of the chaos! I want that and then some in the NFC. I have a feeling we’re going to see countless narratives maintained this year to the dismay of those who hate them. Let’s see what we’ve got.
NFC East
- Commanders 13-4 #1
- Eagles 12-5 #5
- Cowboys 8-9
- Giants 5-12
NFC North
- Packers 12-5 #2
- Lions 10-7 #7
- Vikings 10-7
- Bears 6-11
NFC South
- Buccaneers 10-7 #4
- Falcons 7-10
- Panthers 5-12
- Saints 2-15
NFC West
- 49ers 12-5 #3
- Rams 11-6 #6
- Seahawks 8-9
- Cardinals 6-11
NFC Wild Card
#5 Eagles over #4 Buccaneers
#6 Rams over #3 49ers
#2 Packers over #7 Lions
NFC Divisional
#1 Commanders over #6 Rams
#2 Packers over #5 Eagles
NFC Championship
#1 Commanders over #2 Packers
Super Bowl LX
#1 Ravens over #1 Commanders
NFL MVP: Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Offensive Player of the Year: Puca Nucua, Rams
Defensive Player of the Year: Kyle Hamilton, Ravens
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Cam Ward, Titans
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Malaki Starks, Ravens
Coach of the Year: Brian Callahan, Titans
Comeback Player of the Year: Aidan Hutchinson, Lions
Super Bowl MVP: Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Bragging Rights Sports 