3 NFL teams that got better on paper, but will have worse records in 2023
For some NFL teams, overachieving in 2022 could lead to massive disappointment for fans in 2023. Not every team that seemingly got better on paper is going to come out and have a better record in 2023, but which teams fit into that category?
There are some teams in 2022 that, at least objectively speaking, played well above expectations or got a little luckier than is typical of an NFL season. That’s not to say that every overachieving team in 2022 is going to be bad in 2023, but some teams didn’t quite pass the “eye test” in 2022 and we’ll explain that throughout this article outlining a few teams that may have gotten better on paper in 2023 but may have a worse record than they did a year ago.
3 NFL teams that got better on paper in 2023, but will have worse records
1. New York Giants (2022 record: 9-7-1)
player. 31. Pick Analysis. New York Giants. 1. Scouting Report. NFC East.
The New York Giants showed last year to be one of the most improved teams in the entire NFL. General manager Joe Schoen came over from the Buffalo Bills and brought Brian Daboll with him as the team’s next head coach. What Schoen and Daboll were able to do together last year was nothing short of outstanding and they were properly recognized for it. Daboll was named NFL coach of the year and the Giants went to Minnesota and won a playoff game against the Vikings, champions of the NFC North.
When you look at this team on paper heading into 2023, they look largely the same at many spots and certainly better at others.
Daniel Jones was re-signed this offseason to a relatively hefty contract after he proved under Brian Daboll that he was, in fact, capable of not turning the ball over every other play. Saquon Barkley was given the franchise tag. The wide receiver position got a slight makeover with Parris Campbell and Jalin Hyatt coming in as well as Darren Waller at tight end.
Perhaps most notably, however, the Giants took a step forward last season on the offensive line and they added John Michael Schmitz to that group in 2023.
Defensively, the Giants managed to get a round-one steal with Deonte Banks in the later portion of the first round after adding guys like Bobby Okereke and A’Shawn Robinson in free agency.
Despite all of these moves, I just have a really hard time buying into Daniel Jones when you consider the whole of his first four NFL seasons. The Giants turned the ball over less in 2022, and Jones was obviously doing a better job of protecting the ball, but in a division that includes legitimate Super Bowl contenders like Dallas and Philadelphia, I don’t know how it’s reasonable to expect the Giants to duplicate their success of winning nine games last year, and only losing seven.
Even if it’s a marginal decline in wins, the Giants have the fourth-toughest strength of schedule in 2023. They play in a brutal division where I would argue the Commanders also got better along with both the Eagles and Cowboys reloading.
No matter what you think about the Giants’ roster improvements in 2023, I think this is a team that overachieved in 2022 and is poised to take a step back record-wise in 2023, even if it’s just to 7-8 wins.