AFC East:
New England Patriots: How will the Patriots fare without Tom Brady?
Tom Brady departed from the New England Patriots after 20 seasons and six Super Bowls. Head Coach Bill Belichick looks to reinvent his team with former MVP Cam Newton filling the enormous shoes of Brady. Even though the Patriots are devoid of top-flight offensive weapons, the Patriots coaching staff always gets the most they can out of the players on their roster.
Prediction: Even without the GOAT, the Patriots should take advantage of the expanded playoffs, and make the postseason in their first season post-Brady. It will be difficult, but NFL fans should never count out Belichick.
Buffalo Bills: Will the Buffalo Bills be able to take advantage of Brady’s departure from New England?
The Buffalo Bills had a great 2019 campaign and looked like they would be able to win a playoff game. Unfortunately; after a poor finish against the Houston Texans, the Bills were left with a sour taste in their mouth. The Buffalo Bills have a golden opportunity on their hands as they look to wrestle away control of the division from the Patriots.
Prediction: Josh Allen will take another step forward in his development in 2020, and will propel the Bills to a division title.
Miami Dolphins: When will Tua make his NFL debut?
The Miami Dolphins hope they have found their franchise quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa. The Miami Dolphins ended last season strong, going 5-4 over their last 9 games. Dolphins fans should be optimistic heading into 2020, and for the next half-decade. Head Coach Brian Flores has the Dolphins on the right path, but the team is still a year or two away from being a true threat.
Prediction: The Dolphins will build off a strong finish to 2019, but all eyes will be on the future of the team instead of the present. Tua should be the Dolphins signal-caller by midseason, and the best-case scenario is the team is still in the playoff picture once the calendar hits December.
New York Jets: Will this be the final year of Sam Darnold’s Tenure in the “Big Apple?"
After coming into the NFL from USC, Jets quarterback Sam Darnold has been a big disappointment in his first two seasons with the Jets. Darnold has shown flashes of promise in his NFL career but has not been able to put forth the consistency that is needed for him to become a franchise quarterback. Even though the Jets were 7-6 in the games Darnold started in 2019, the clock is counting down on Darnold’s time with the Jets.
Prediction: The Jets will struggle once again in 2020. They play a very tough schedule, and their defense will struggle mightily without All-Pro Safety Jamal Adams.
AFC North:
Baltimore Ravens: Will Lamar Jackson be able to follow up on his MVP season?
The Ravens should have no trouble winning this division once again in 2020. The Ravens bring back many of the key players from a wildly successful 2019 that came to an abrupt halt in the playoffs at the hands of the Tennessee Titans. The Ravens, and more specifically Lamar Jackson, will not be judged on how they fare in the regular season, but how they do in the playoffs. Jackson must make up for two consecutive playoff shortfalls for him to truly be considered an elite quarterback.
Prediction: The Ravens will have the best record in the conference once again, and Jackson will fare much better in the playoffs this time around. The only question is, will it be enough to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore?
Cleveland Browns: Will Baker Mayfield be able to recover from an embarrassing performance in 2019?
The Cleveland Browns entered the 2019 season with some of the loftiest expectations of any team in the NFL and promptly went 6-10 falling flat on their faces. Mayfield was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league last year, and nothing seemed to go well for the Browns in 2019. Head Coach Freddie Kitchens looked over his head last season, and a new regime has made their way into Cleveland. The Browns have a great roster on paper, but that was the case last year as well, and the Browns left themselves wondering what could have been in 2019.
Prediction: Kevin Stefanski will have the Browns in much better shape than last season, but it will not be enough. The Browns will find themselves in the middle of a crowded AFC playoff picture and miss the playoffs again in 2020.
Cincinnati Bengals: How will Joe Burrow look in 2020?
The Bengals pinned all their hopes on Burrow by drafting him first overall in the 2020 NFL draft. Burrow is surrounded by quality offensive players, like A.J. Green and Joe Mixon, but will look lost for long stretches this season. Burrow will come out of the gate very poorly, and his growth will be stunted by the lack of a preseason and a trimmed down offseason program. Burrow’s first pass in the NFL will be in the season opener against the Chargers. This does not bode well for Cincy’s chances to succeed in 2020.
Prediction: The Bengals will be one of the worst teams in the entire league this season, but will build the foundation for smoother sailing going forward.
Pittsburgh Steelers: How will “Big Ben” look in 2020 as he returns from injury?
Just two games into the 2019 season, future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisbrger suffered a season-ending elbow injury. Roethlisberger, now 38 years of age, enters this season with a chip on his shoulder motivated to prove that he is still a top-flight quarterback. The Steelers still have one of the top defenses in the league, and a litany of offensive weapons for “Big Ben” to work with. Pittsburgh finished 8-8 last season and did so with sub-par quarterback play, and now with Roethlisberger at the helm, the Steelers should make their way back into the playoffs.
Prediction: As long as “Big Ben” stays healthy this season, which is always a question mark with him, there is no reason why the Steelers cannot make the playoffs. They have all of the requisite pieces heading into 2020.
AFC South:
Houston Texans: How will the Texans offense fare without DeAndre Hopkins?
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, on the heels of a massive contract extension, enters 2020 without his most trusted target in Hopkins. Running Back David Johnson came over to Houston in the Hopkins trade and looks to revitalize his career in Texas. The Texans are always an inconsistent team, and knowing what to expect of them on a game-by-game basis is difficult. The same will be true in 2020. The Texans are still the team to beat in the division though. Nine wins should be enough in 2020 to win the AFC South.
Prediction: The Texans should be able to win this division. Watson is the best quarterback in the AFC South, and this should be enough to put the Texans over the top in what looks to be one of the most mediocre divisions in football.
Tennessee Titans: Will Ryan Tannehill be able to match his level of play from 2019?
Tannehill was one of the best quarterbacks in all of football in 2019, and this allowed the Titans to have one of the top offenses in the NFL once Tannehill became the starting quarterback. All of this culminated in an improbable run to the AFC Championship Game. Tannehill set many career highs in 2019, including yards per attempt and passer rating, but he will be unable to keep up that high level of play this season. Tannehill will regress some off of a career year, and the Titans will struggle to replicate the magic of last season as well.
Prediction: Tannehill will play more as he did over the first six years of his career, instead of last year, and the Titans will struggle just enough to end up missing the playoffs in 2020.
Indianapolis Colts: Was Philip Rivers’ performance in 2019 more of an aberration or what should be expected going forward?
New Colts quarterback Philip Rivers was a turnover machine in 2019 and had one of the worst seasons of his career last season. Rivers hopes he can regroup with a very talented team and help them get over the hump in 2020. The Colts got off to a strong start in 2020, but faded down the stretch, finishing a disappointing 7-9. The Colts have all of the pieces of a team that can make a deep playoff run in 2020, but their biggest question is with the 38-year-old Rivers.
Prediction: The Colts will be in the playoff race until the final few weeks, but the performance of Rivers will cost the Colts a playoff spot, and the Colts will underperform for the second consecutive season.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Will the Jaguars go winless in 2020?
The Jacksonville Jaguars are not trying to win in 2020. There is absolutely no doubt about that. The Jaguars have methodically stripped their team of all its assets over the past year, and are firmly entrenched in the quarterback market for the 2021 NFL draft. The Jaguars will be hard-pressed to win a game this season, and no matter what, they will be the worst team in the NFL in 2020.
Prediction: The Jaguars are tanking this season, and assuming all the chips fall their way, Trevor Lawrence will be the Jacksonville Jaguars starting quarterback in 2021.
AFC West:
Kansas City Chiefs: Will the champs be able to follow up on a storybook 2019 season?
The Chiefs must be very careful to avoid a Super Bowl hangover like has been the case for many former champs before them. In many seasons directly following a Super Bowl victory, the champion loses the motivation and hunger they possessed before they reached the top of the mountaintop.
Prediction: The AFC West will be much more competitive in 2020, and the Chiefs will take a step back. The Chiefs will still win the division, but will not make it to the Super Bowl this season.
Los Angeles Chargers: How much will Justin Herbert play in 2020?
The Chargers hope that Herbert is their quarterback of the future, but as far as 2020 goes, the University of Oregon product will be hard-pressed to see very much playing time. Tyrod Taylor will be the starting quarterback for at least the bulk of the season and will keep the Chargers in playoff contention virtually the entire season. The Chargers will end up missing out on the playoffs though because of the much improved AFC.
Prediction: The Chargers will be competitive all season, but will fall short of the playoffs in their first year without Philip Rivers.
Las Vegas Raiders: How will the Raiders fare in their first year in a new city?
The Raiders found themselves in playoff contention later than many expected in 2019, but they ultimately faded down the stretch finishing 7-9. The Raiders improved their offense by drafting Henry Ruggs III in this past April’s NFL draft, but it is too much to ask of the Raiders to make the playoffs in their first year in a new city.
Prediction: The Raiders will take a step back in 2020 because there are so many other factors that go along with uprooting your franchise. Once the Raiders get settled in Vegas they will be a force to be reckoned with, but 2020 will not be the Raiders year.
Denver Broncos: Will Drew Lock be the answer for the Broncos at quarterback?
Lock is the only piece standing in the way of the Broncos being a playoff contender for many years to come. Lock enters this season with a massively upgraded offensive with the addition of Running Back Melvin Gordon and rookie Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy. If Lock is able to build off last season, the Broncos should be much improved in 2020.
Prediction: Lock will be an above-average starter in 2020, and guide the Broncos back to the playoffs in a very competitive division.
AFC Playoff Predictions: Playoff seeding of teams will be in parentheses
AFC East: Buffalo Bills (3)
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (1)
AFC South: Houston Texans (4)
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs (2)
Wild Card Teams:
Denver Broncos (5)
Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
New England Patriots (7)
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