NFL 2022 season preview: Los Angeles Rams to repeat Super Bowl success? And who emerges from the stacked AFC? | NFL News

NFL 2022 season preview

Are you ready? The 2022 NFL season kicks off on Thursday night – the defending Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams hosting the Buffalo Bills – but how are all 32 teams faring on the eve of the new season as they get set to battle it out for the right to reach Super Bowl LVII in Arizona in February?

The NFL prides itself on being a league of parity, one in which any team can win on any given Sunday; so, with that in mind, we have assessed the hopes of every single team from all eight divisions spanning the AFC and NFC on the eve of the new campaign.

Who are the early Super Bowl favourites? Can the entire AFC West make the playoffs? Will veteran QBs Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers again contend in NFC? Find out all the answers, and more, with our 2022 season preview…

AFC East

Buffalo Bills (2021 record: 11-6)

Many people’s favourites for the Super Bowl this year, in large part due to the superstar they have at quarterback, Josh Allen – arguably the best in the game at the position right now. Allen has led the Bills into the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, putting up some astonishing numbers in the process, but Buffalo have come up short of the Super Bowl in each instance – losing out to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on the last two occasions.

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Which players will stand out from the star-studded lineups as the defending NFL champions Los Angeles Rams open their season at home against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday?

They improved on their 38-24 beating in the AFC Championship game from two years ago by going down only in overtime in last year’s epic divisional round clash. Allen threw for 329 yards and four touchdowns, matching Mahomes stride for stride over a crazy final two minutes in which an incredible 25 points were scored, but the Bills lost the toss in overtime and, under the old rules, were beaten without possessing the football as KC immediately went the length of the field for the game-winning touchdown.

Could this finally be Buffalo’s year? 2022 Prediction: Division winners (12-5)

New England Patriots (2021 record: 10-7)

For once, there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the Patriots. Specifically, Bill Belichick and his coaching staff on offense.

Can Bill Belichick mastermind another Super Bowl run as head coach of the New England Patriots?

Having missed out on the playoffs in 2020 for the first time in 12 years and for only the fourth time in the 22-year tenure of their six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, the Patriots looked to be firmly back on the right track last season, with rookie quarterback Mac Jones leading them to a wild card berth. That being said, the Bills obliterated them 47-17 in their playoff meeting and Jones’ development could be impacted by the loss of guru offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has defected to lead the Las Vegas Raiders. It is still not yet known who exactly is taking his place as New England’s new play caller. Worrying. 2022 Prediction: A rare losing record in New England (8-9)

Miami Dolphins (2021 record: 9-8)

It has been quite the tumultuous offseason in Miami, with former head coach Brian Flores, a Black man, filing a class action lawsuit against the NFL and the Dolphins, among others, alleging racial discrimination in its hiring practices after he lost his job following a 9-8 season. Not only that, but news also broke this summer the Dolphins had been trying to bring in Tom Brady as their new quarterback and as a part-owner of the team, pairing him with former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton for the new season – they were ultimately found to be in violation of league tampering rules, with the NFL suspending owner Stephen Ross and fined him $1.5m.

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Some of the best plays from former Kansas City Chief Tyreek Hill and his new Miami Dolphins team-mate Jaylen Waddle.

That being said, this Dolphins team is stacked with talent, none more so than at wide receiver, where the lightning-quick Tyreek Hill has arrived in South Florida to pair up with rookie sensation from last season, Jaylen Waddle – Hill signing a monster four-year, $120m extension, including $72.2m guaranteed, to make him the highest-paid wideout in the NFL. That is all well and good, but can much-maligned quarterback Tua Tagovailoa get him the football and lead this team to the postseason? 2022 Prediction: Miami miss out on playoffs (8-9)

New York Jets (2021 record: 4-13)

Expect the Jets to be better in 2022, but it’s just a case of how much better? This team is not ready to threaten for the postseason yet, looking at their roster on paper. But, then again, who had the Cincinnati Bengals going to the Super Bowl last year? Just like Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was last season, Zach Wilson is going into his second year – and this team will only go as far as his play takes them. Not helping their cause, however, is a brutal schedule to start which sees them face the entire AFC North in the first four weeks, as well as the Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Bills, Dolphins and Patriots (twice) by Week 11 before things ease up finally down the stretch. 2022 Prediction: Bottom of the pile (6-11)

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals (2021 record: 10-7)

The biggest question surrounding the Bengals heading into 2022 is whether their Super Bowl run from a year ago was the beginning of a new era of success in Cincinnati, or just a mere fluke?

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A look at some of the best plays from Joe Burrow from the 2021 NFL season

The Bengals were only hovering just above .500 at 5-4 by the midway mark of the season, before Burrow got real hot down the stretch to see them first clinch the division – for the first time in six years and only two removed from finishing a league-worst 2-14 – and then all the way to Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. The Bengals edged out the Raiders, the Tennessee Titans and the Chiefs in that run – Burrow leading the team back from a 21-3 deficit in the first half to ultimately stun Kansas City 27-24 in overtime of their AFC Championship clash – before their luck finally deserted them against the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl itself, going down 23-20. 2022 Prediction: Division champs again (11-6)

Pittsburgh Steelers (2021 record: 9-7-1)

The Steelers have never once registered a losing record under 15-year head coach Mike Tomlin, so expect this tough team from the ‘Steel City’ to again be uber competitive in 2022 – and that’s even despite concerns over the quarterback position for the first time in near two decades.

While Tomlin has unquestionably been hugely influential in presiding over that winning streak, he also had the benefit of future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger under center throughout. Though Big Ben’s talents waned over the last two years in particular, prompting his retirement at the end of last season, he leaves behind sizeable shoes for either Mitchell Trubisky – a 2017 first-round draft pick and offseason acquisition from the Bills – or rookie Kenny Pickett to full, whichever one ultimately ends up winning the job. 2022 Prediction: Winning season streak ends (7-10)

Cleveland Browns (8-9)

Quite frankly the hardest team to evaluate going into the 2022 season, for much-publicised reasons. Cleveland will be without their starting quarterback Deshaun Watson for the first 11 games due to a suspension and $5m fine handed down by the league following allegations of sexual misconduct against the former Houston Texans player.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season

This is, however, still a team loaded with talent, so if back-up Jacoby Brissett can hold the fort until Watson is back – what is sure to be a frosty Week 13 homecoming to Houston – then the, off-field issues aside, supremely-talented QB could still fire this team into the playoffs. The question is, can he? 2022 Prediction: No Watson, no wildcard (7-10)

Baltimore Ravens (2021 record: 8-9)

Baltimore’s season dramatically fell apart down the stretch in 2021, losing their last six games to drop from top of the pile in the division at 8-3 to finish up at the foot of the table and on the outside of the playoffs looking in.

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The top plays by Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson from the 2021 NFL season

But, injuries were a huge factor in their demise a year ago, with starting running backs galore dropping to injuries before the season and early on in the campaign, while they also lost quarterback Lamar Jackson early on in the second game of that losing streak. The 25-year-old’s contract issue with the team has dominated a large part of the offseason, with the dual-threat quarterback still yet to agree a new deal with the Ravens entering into his fifth NFL season. Not ideal preparation. 2022 Prediction: Improved, but no playoffs (9-8)

AFC South

Tennessee Titans (2021 record: 12-5)

The Titans were No 1 seed in the AFC in 2021, despite their squad being ravaged by injuries last year, including the loss of their two-time league-leading rusher Derrick Henry midway through the season. Though he returned in time for their divisional round clash with the Bengals, Henry was noticeably hobbled as he tallied just 62 yards on 20 carries in the 19-16 defeat as Tennessee were immediately bounced out of the playoffs.

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We have picked six of the top running backs to look out for this season. Here are their top plays from 2021

Henry will hopefully be back to his best self in 2022, and Mike Vrabel is still one of the best coaches around, but there are concerns surrounding the Titans heading into the season. Their defensive backfield looks raw and untested, while on offense they will have to cover the loss of star receiver A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles and hope that Ryan Tannehill recovers from his three-interception effort in that Bengals defeat that led to the drafting of rookie QB, and his eventual replacement, Malik Willis. 2022 Prediction: Just missing out on the playoffs (9-8)

Indianapolis Colts (2021 record: 9-8)

The Colts’ quarterback carousel continues, with former Atlanta Falcons signal-caller Matt Ryan the latest to walk through the door in Indianapolis. Ryan will represent the Colts’ fifth new starting quarterback in as many seasons when he takes to the field on opening weekend, following in the footsteps of Carson Wentz (2021), Philip Rivers (2020), Jacoby Brissett (2019) and Andrew Luck (2018).

Long-time Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan arrives in Indianapolis as the Colts’ new QB

Only Luck and Rivers have taken this talented squad to the playoffs in that time, while their run all the way to the AFC Championship game in the 2014 season, under Luck’s watch, was the last time Indianapolis won their division. But, with arguably the NFL’s best running back behind him in Jonathan Taylor, and a high-end defense, the 2016 league MVP Ryan could be just the man to change all that. 2022 Prediction: Division winners (11-6)

Houston Texans (2021 record: 4-13)

Much like last year, there does not appear to be much hope for Texans fans to cling on to heading into the 2022 season – especially in an absolutely packed AFC. Then again, Houston managed to eke out four victories a year ago when many had them pegged as contenders to join the zero-win club. Can they spring a few more surprises in 2022? Quarterback Davis Mills showed flashes in his rookie season, while receiver Brandin Cooks is sure to be a points-scoring demon in Fantasy Football yet again. Look out too for rookie running back Dameon Pierce who has generated a fair bit of buzz through preseason. 2022 Prediction: Painful rebuild continues (4-13)

Jacksonville Jaguars (2021 record: 3-14)

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Is 2021 No 1 overall NFL Draft pick Trevor Lawrence ready to break out in year two? Watch his best plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars in his rookie season

Much like with Zach Wilson and the Jets, the Jaguars’ success in 2022 depends largely on the progress of second-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence in his sophomore season. Pass rusher Travon Walker looks to be a very smart selection as the number one overall pick in the draft, while Jacksonville also made some splashes in free agency this offseason, bringing in former Arizona Cardinals receiver Christian Kirk and New York Giants tight end Evan Engram on offense to help out their young QB. It’s too early for the playoffs, but there should be some green shoots of recovery in 2022 – let’s be honest, things cannot be much worse than the Urban Meyer-led disaster of a year ago. 2022 Prediction: Green shoots in Jacksonville (6-11)

AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)

The Chiefs may well have lost speed-demon Hill at receiver this offseason, but make no mistake, Kansas City will be as explosive as ever in 2022 – how can they not be when Patrick Mahomes is still playing the role of conductor at QB?

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The top-10 plays by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes from the 2021 NFL season

Plus, rookie receiver Skyy Moore and offseason acquisition from the Green Bay Packers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, are not exactly sluggish, former Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster is a reliable pair of hands in the slot and it is hoped 2019 second-round pick Mecole Hardman will step up in Hill’s absence. Also, there’s the small matter of All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce to catch footballs and run over opposition defenders. Despite a more competitive-than-ever AFC West to navigate, the Chiefs will very much still be the Chiefs in 2022. 2022 Prediction: Still top dogs in the West (12-5)

Las Vegas Raiders (10-7)

It’s all change in Las Vegas this season. The Raiders have a new general manager in Dave Ziegler and a new head coach in long-time New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. There’s also a couple of sizable additions to the playing squad too, with veteran pass rusher Chandler Jones adding to the defensive line and, most notably, superstar receiver Davante Adams arriving from Green Bay to join up with his old Fresno State college team-mate Derek Carr at QB.

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Some of the top plays from Las Vegas Raiders’ wide receiver duo of newly-acquired Davante Adams and veteran Hunter Renfrow

This team was already on the cusp if 2021 was anything to go by, finishing second in the division with a 10-7 record before being edged out (just!) by the Bengals in the wild card round of the playoffs, who ultimately went on to reach the Super Bowl. After such a positive offseason, could the Raiders be the ones to pull off such a Cinderella-style run to the Super Bowl this season? 2022 Prediction: Another wildcard entry (10-7)

Los Angeles Chargers (9-8)

The Chargers are a popular pick as a surprise package for the Super Bowl this season – or to at least challenge the Chiefs’ supremacy in the AFC West. And you can see why.

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The top-10 plays by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert from the 2021 NFL season

The Chargers have one of the most talented, up-and-coming quarterbacks in the game in Justin Herbert. In just his second season in the NFL, he joined an elite club of only nine players in the history of the league to throw for more than 5,000 yards in a season when he tallied 5,014 in 2021, to go with 38 touchdown tosses. What let the team down though was the Chargers’ leaky defense, which coughed up 27 points per game, third-most in the NFL. They have sought to address that this offseason, however, by adding some defensive muscle in the form of premier pass rusher Khalil Mack and cornerback J.C. Jackson from the Chicago Bears and Patriots, respectively. 2022 Prediction: Playoff bound, pushing Chiefs all the way (11-6)

Denver Broncos (7-10)

Quarterback Russell Wilson arrived in Denver as one of the marquee offseason trades in the NFL

The Broncos have finally found themselves a quarterback, with former Seattle Seahawk Russell Wilson representing their first sure thing at the position since Peyton Manning retired at the end of the 2015 season after winning Denver a Super Bowl. In former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett as his new head coach, and plentiful options on offense, there is hope that this is finally the time a team will ‘let Russ cook’.

The AFC West is stacked, so much so that all four could feasibly make the playoffs, with the three non-division winners sneaking in as wildcards. It could happen… 2022 Prediction: ‘Sneaking in as a wildcard’ (10-7)

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys (2021 record: 12-5)

The Cowboys have won the NFC East four times in the last eight seasons, but they have not managed to advance past the divisional round in any of those instances. In year three under Mike McCarthy, and with another talented roster, anything less than a deep playoff run would be a disappointment. They have massive questions to answer on the offensive line first though. 2022 Prediction: Battling it out for the division (11-6)

Philadelphia Eagles (2021 record: 9-8)

Everything is set up for the Eagles to have an improved 2022 in year two under head coach Nick Sirianni.

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Some of the best plays from Philadelphia wide receiver duo AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith

They have a strong offensive line, a deep defensive line, an improved secondary, and now an outstanding weapon in former Titans receiver A.J. Brown… but, ultimately, it all comes down to quarterback Jalen Hurts. How far can he take this talented team? 2022 Prediction: Pushing Cowboys all the way (11-6)

Washington Commanders (2021 record: 7-10)

Uncertainty is the word to describe Washington heading into the 2022 season. On defense, the No 2 overall pick from 2020, Chase Young, is on the physically unable to perform list and will miss four games at least, while on offense, quarterback Carson Wentz is starting for his third team in three seasons.

Carson Wentz is the new quarterback of the Washington Commanders after playing last season for the Indianapolis Colts

There is room for improvement from last year, but the Commanders face a tough midseason schedule that could be their downfall. 2022 Prediction: Commanders not yet contenders (8-9)

New York Giants (2021 record: 4-13)

The Giants had an 0-6 record when quarterback Daniel Jones missed playing time last season, Saquon Barkley looked a shell of his former self in former head coach Joe Judge’s stale offense and last year’s first-round pick Kadarius Toney sat out multiple games due to injuries and Covid-19 – to surmise just a few of least season’s long list of problems.

Now former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, so instrumental in seeing Josh Allen flourish, comes into the building in New York as the new head coach. He should help the Giants get back on track – but it’s only the beginning of a long road ahead. 2022 Prediction: Improved, but basement dwellers again (7-10)

NFC North

Green Bay Packers (2021 record: 13-4)

The Packers have won 13 games in each of their last three seasons – all under Matt LaFleur’s tremendous leadership. But after losing Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Raiders, it’s hard to argue against the offense taking a small step back, even with future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers still leading things from inside the huddle.

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The top-10 plays by Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the 2021 NFL season.

The defense is much improved, and is more likely to help Rodgers towards his ultimate goal of securing a second Super Bowl title than a receiving corps of Randall Cobb, Romeo Doubs, Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins and rookie Christian Watson are. 2022 Prediction: Division winners and still contenders (12-5)

Minnesota Vikings (2021 record: 8-9)

With a win to end last season, Kirk Cousins’ career record returned to even at 59-59-2. As a starter in the NFL, his teams have never had fewer than seven wins in a season but never more than 10.

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Some of the top plays from Minnesota’s productive pair of wide receivers, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen

New head coach Kevin O’Connell, a Sean McVay disciple from Los Angeles, will hope to maximise a team with outstanding weapons, including star running back and receiver duo, Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. Cousins can expect another season floating around similar territory. 2022 Prediction: Sneaking a wildcard spot (9-8)

Chicago Bears (2021 record: 6-11)

It has been a peculiarly quiet offseason for the Bears. They have not made any splash moves, but instead have maintained their core and placed very high expectations on second-year quarterback Justin Fields. Those expectations feel a little lofty, however, considering how little star power they have placed around him. 2022 Prediction: A season of stagnation in Chicago (6-11)

Detroit Lions (2021 record: 3-13-1)

There is real excitement in the air in Detroit. When the infectious Dan Campbell is your coach, it’s not hard to see why.

This has been a franchise starved of success for a long time, one that has taken its fair share of Hard Knocks a long time before appearing on the show itself ahead of the 2022 season. Amon-Ra St. Brown was a revelation as a rookie receiver, T.J. Hockenson a real redzone threat of a tight end, to go with a strong-looking backfield of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Also, look out for rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, the second overall pick in the draft. 2022 Prediction: Improvement in Detroit, but no playoff push (6-11)

NFC South

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2021 record: 13-4)

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The top-10 plays by Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady from the 2021 NFL season

Do not get it mistaken: Tom Brady retiring, then unretiring, then missing a large chunk of training camp for personal reasons, just does not matter. He is back and will be out on that field for the Buccaneers, thus making the team one of the main contenders to win it all. That is just the aura that follows the 45-year-old quarterback who has won a record seven Super Bowl rings. Plus, this is still a supremely talented roster, now led by Todd Bowles, who has taken over from Bruce Arians as head coach. 2022 Prediction: Brady’s Bucs top dog again (12-5)

New Orleans Saints (2021 record: 9-8)

The Saints are one of the tougher teams to evaluate. Under Sean Payton’s leadership, this team has been a consistent contender over the last decade and a half, but he has now since left, leaving head coaching duties to his long-time defensive assistant Dennis Allen.

As Brady can attest to, there are not many better at building a defensive game plan to befuddle the best offenses in the NFL than Allen. But can he lead the whole team to similar heights as enjoyed under Payton? 2022 Prediction: Payton and playoffs both missed (8-9)

Atlanta Falcons (2021 record: 7-10)

How the Falcons managed to cobble together seven wins last season is something of a minor miracle. This looks to be a poorly assembled roster that relied too heavily on their star quarterback Matt Ryan to bail them out of trouble.

Second-year tight end Kyle Pitts is a superstar in the making with the Atlanta Falcons

Well, he has since up and left for Indianapolis, handing over the reins to Marcus Mariota, and though he has young phenomenon Kyle Pitts at tight end to throw the ball to, Atlanta do not have much else. 2022 Prediction: Back to the bottom (4-13)

Carolina Panthers (2021 record: 5-12)

It’s last chance saloon for head coach Matt Rhule in Carolina, you feel. Having arrived to much fanfare and expectations due to a stellar body of work in the college game, Rhule has presided over back-to-back five-win seasons. He surely would not last a third.

Can former Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield turn things round with his new Carolina Panthers team?

Part of the Panthers’ struggles has been due to not having a true franchise quarterback to lead their offense, with neither Teddy Bridgewater or Sam Darnold proving to be the answer in the previous two seasons. It’s now Baker Mayfield’s turn, and while he has considerably more talent than both of those two and will no doubt give the team a lift, it’s a difficult environment for him to be walking into with jobs on the line. 2022 Prediction: Panthers fail to challenge again (6-11)

NFC West

Los Angeles Rams (2021 record: 12-5)

Do the Rams have what it takes to repeat? Last season, they headed into the postseason as the No 4 seed in the NFC before getting hot in the playoffs and going on to win it all, triumphing over the Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI.

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Highlights of Super Bowl LVI between the LA Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals from last season

This year, the Rams are a great bet to get back there, this time by topping the NFC. They return most of their starters from a year ago – yes, linebacker Von Miller (to the Bills) and offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth (to retirement) will be missed – while they have also, arguably, improved, with Allen Robinson joining at receiver and a healthy Cam Akers starting in the backfield again. 2022 Prediction: Los Angeles leaders in the NFC (13-4)

Arizona Cardinals (2021 record: 11-6)

Last year, Arizona started 7-0 before eventually finishing the season with four losses in their last five game and a 34-11 defeat at the hands of the Rams in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Arizona Cardinals will again have to cope without their star receiver DeAndre Hopkins for a large chunk of the season

DeAndre Hopkins was a massive miss after getting hurt in Week Eight, and now Hopkins is suspended for the first six games of 2022 and the Cards open the season hosting the Chiefs, at the Raiders, then at home again against the Chargers. Expect a slower start and a tough road, navigating a difficult end-of-season schedule. 2022 Prediction: Cardinals slip back in 2022 (8-9)

San Francisco 49ers (2021 record: 10-7)

The Niners have an immensely talented roster, led by a fantastic offensive mind in head coach Kyle Shanahan. The great unknown with this group purely lies at quarterback and which direction second-year player, but first-time starter, Trey Lance will take them.

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Trey Lance’s best plays from his first career win when he led the San Francisco 49ers to victory over the Houston Texans in 2021

Lance, the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, stood on the sidelines for most of last season, but he will be unleashed in 2022. It’s hard to see San Fran taking a massive step back even with him at the helm, but the West is an extremely tough division and so it will take a strong effort to secure a playoff place. 2022 Prediction: Lance leads Niners to wildcard spot (10-7)

Seattle Seahawks (2021 record: 7-10)

The Seahawks are in the midst of as clear a rebuild as you will see in the NFL. They shipped out an All-Pro quarterback in Russell Wilson in exchange for draft picks, almost completely ignored trying to replace him, and already lacked firepower on the roster with him there.

Sorry to say it, but it will likely get worse before it gets better for Seattle fans. 2022 Prediction: Seahawks rebuild begins at the bottom (5-12)

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