Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season has finally arrived, so we’ve got one last chance to make predictions about who will win each division, who will make the playoffs, and who is going to be looking forward to the 2023 NFL Draft sooner than later. This is a last-minute gut feeling on each team as we head into the season. Are the Buffalo Bills really going to run away with the AFC East? Will the Kansas City Chiefs continue to reign in the AFC West?
Which NFL teams could end up surprising in the 2022 season either in a good way or a bad way? Which teams could go from worst to first? Which teams will be playoff-bound?
One last time before the 2022 season begins, let’s make some NFL picks for this year’s division winners and how each division will shake out in its entirety. We won’t be predicting win/loss records, just where each team will place within their division.
2022 NFL Picks: Predicting the AFC East
1. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are the class of the AFC East and maybe the AFC as a whole. There’s really not a weakness on this roster when you consider how the Bills attacked the pass rush and secondary in the offseason. Josh Allen could very well be the best quarterback in the league, and the Bills have dynamic playmakers at every position. This team looks like the NFL’s most well-oiled machine going into 2022.
2. Miami Dolphins
Last year, it was the New England Patriots in this slot and making the playoffs. The Miami Dolphins have been knocking on the doorstep over the last two seasons, but they’ve lost one too many games in each of those seasons to make it to the postseason. They are obviously banking on the addition of Tyreek Hill along with the hiring of new head coach Mike McDaniel being the difference in this team getting over the top. The Dolphins have a playoff-ready defense, but will the offense be consistent enough to get there?
3. New England Patriots
If I had the guts, I would put the New York Jets here. I am just not sure about Zach Wilson yet. The Patriots made the playoffs last year and they had one of the most boring offseasons of any team in the NFL. They lost offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and essentially didn’t replace him. I don’t know how that’s going to work out for a young quarterback in his formative years. I don’t think the Patriots have enough weapons offensively but Bill Belichick will have this defense playing tough.
4. New York Jets
I think we’ll see Robert Saleh’s team take a huge leap forward this year, even if it’s not reflected in the win/loss column. Of course, that’s the only thing that really matters, but the Jets have a much-improved roster from years past and Zach Wilson is just hurt to start the year, affecting their projection over the course of the season. I think they’ll be fun to watch weekly, even if Joe Flacco is playing QB.