FMIA: Bills over Packers in Super Bowl LVII, Huge Year for Josh Allen, and More Predictions for 2022 Season
AFC Seeds1.Buffalo (13-4). Finishing 6-0 in the AFC East makes all the difference when so many contenders have tough division slates.
2. Baltimore (11-6). Decimated by injury in 2021, fairly healthy in 2022—including at quarterback. Important in Joe Burrow’s division.
3. LA Chargers (11-6). Accomplishment of the year: Chargers going 4-2 in the toughest division since the 2002 realignment into eight divisions.
4. Tennessee (10-7). Slight nod over the Colts, by virtue of the Titans averaging 35 a game against Indy in their last three meetings, all wins.
5. Kansas City (11-6). It’s almost pick-‘em with the Chargers, because I think the passing game will be fine post-Tyreek.
6. Cincinnati (10-7). The first-place schedule brings Cincinnati down to earth a bit, but the Bengals will be a threat still.
7. Miami (9-8)*. TuAnon, rejoice. It’s not just Tyreek Hill who’ll make over this offense. It’s Chase Edmonds rushing for 1,200 yards.
*Tiebreaker: Miami over Indianapolis (9-8) and Las Vegas (9-8).
Wild card: Baltimore over Miami, LA Chargers over Cincinnati, Kansas City over Tennessee.
Divisional: Buffalo over Kansas City, LA Chargers over Baltimore.
AFC Championship, at Buffalo: Buffalo 26, LA Chargers 20.
NFC seeds
1. New Orleans (12-5). Note of the week: Saints have beaten Tom Brady’s Bucs in all four regular-season meetings, and none of the four has been a one-score game.
2. Green Bay (12-5). Minnesota threatens, but Aaron Rodgers figures out how to make Romeo Doubs a factor early, and off they go.
3. Philadelphia (11-6). DeVonta Smith/A.J. Brown combined to average 14.1 yards per catch last year. Now Jalen Hurts has them both.
4. LA Rams (10-7). This is still a very good team. But it’s a very good team facing a murderous schedule, starting with the Bills in three days.
5. Minnesota (11-6). Is this the year Eric Kendricks finally gets credit for being a top-five NFL ‘backer?
6. Tampa Bay (10-7). Just too much noise and too many injuries around this team. Talent, and Brady, makes the Bucs still a factor.
7. San Francisco (10-7)*. We interrupt this endless quarterback story to remind you the other 51 players on this roster are pretty good.
*Tiebreaker: San Francisco over Dallas (10-7).
Wild card: Green Bay over San Francisco, Tampa Bay over Philadelphia, LA Rams over Minnesota.
Divisional: New Orleans over Tampa Bay, Green Bay over LA Rams.
NFC Championship, at New Orleans: Green Bay 30, New Orleans 17.
Super Bowl 57, at Glendale, Ariz., Feb. 12, 2023: Buffalo 30, Green Bay 23.