The NFL is back at a fever pitch.
The season began Thursday night with a dominating performance by the Buffalo Bills, the team picked by many so-called experts to win the 2023 Super Bowl.
QB Josh Allen was impressive again as he tossed three touchdown passes and ran for another as the Bills scored 21 unanswered points in the 2nd half to blitz the defending Super Bowl champion LA Rams 31-10.
Since 2000, those who held the Lombardi Trophy were 19-3 in Week 1 games but the Rams were outclassed on their home field.
Bills Stampede Over Rams On NFL Opening Night As LA Has One Of The Worst Week 1 Showings By A Super Bowl Champion In 20+ Years https://t.co/PHadNklTEm pic.twitter.com/PVSMT7gLeX
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 9, 2022
This is the second year fans are treated to 272 games (up from 256 in 2020 and before) as 32 teams play 17 games.
With more games come more choice, more drama, and more suspense.
A word of caution, do not put any stock into the preseason results.
The New York Jets, Houston Texans, and Chicago Bears all went 3-0 in their exhibition games.
None of those three in all likely hood will be a playoff team come the new year.
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Did you know that in each of the past 32 years at least one NFL team has increased its win total by five or more games from the previous season?
Last year, for example in the AFC, the Cincinnati Bengals went from a 4-11-1 record in 2020 to 10-7 in 2021.
The Bengals not only came first in the AFC North but went to the Super Bowl before suffering a close 23-20 loss to the Rams.
The Dallas Cowboys doubled their win total going from 6-10 in 2020 to 12-5 and top spot in the NFC East last year, although they lost in the first round of the playoffs to San Francisco 23-17.
There is not an obvious choice this year to be that team although I would suggest the best bets are Denver (7-10 in 2021), Carolina (5-12), Detroit (3-13-1), and Jacksonville (3-14).
The Broncos should be improved but to get to 12 victories will be challenging since they are playing in arguably the toughest division (AFC West) that there has ever been in the league.
If you think the AL East in MLB is stacked (Boston is last out of five teams with a 67-71 record) that almost pales in comparison to the football division with the Chiefs, Chargers, Broncos, and Raiders.
Three of those AFC West teams are in the top eight in terms of odds to win the Super Bowl and the fourth team, the Raiders are 15th out of 32 at 30-1.
Here are the odds for each team to win the 2023 Super Bowl (courtesy of Sportsline).
Buffalo Bills 6-1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15-2
Green Bay Packers 11-1
Kansas City Chiefs 11-1
Los Angeles Rams 12-1
Los Angeles Chargers 15-1
San Francisco 49ers 16-1
Denver Broncos 16-1
Dallas Cowboys 20-1
Cincinnati Bengals 22-1
Baltimore Ravens 22-1
Cleveland Browns 25-1
Indianapolis Colts 25-1
Philadelphia Eagles 25-1
Las Vegas Raiders 30-1
Arizona Cardinals 35-1
Tennessee Titans 35-1
New England Patriots 40-1
New Orleans Saints 40-1
Minnesota Vikings 40-1
Miami Dolphins 40-1
Washington Commanders 80-1
Pittsburgh Steelers 80-1
New York Giants 100-1
Carolina Panthers 125-1
Detroit Lions 125-1
Jacksonville Jaguars 125-1
New York Jets 125-1
Chicago Bears 150-1
Seattle Seahawks 150-1
Atlanta Falcons 250-1
Houston Texans 300-1
NFL Super Bowl odds 2023: Predictions, expert picks, optimal teams to target from football insiders
SportsLine’s Vegas experts reveal their best bets to win the 2023 NFL Super Bowl
— NFL Streams NBC TV (@nflstreamsnbctv) August 29, 2022
In 17 of the last 19 NFL seasons, there has been at least one team going from worst to first in its division.
Cincinnati accomplished that last year following its last-place finish in 2020.
The last-place teams in 2021 were NY Jets, Baltimore, Jacksonville, and Denver in the AFC plus New York Giants, Detroit, Carolina, and Seattle in the NFC.
In this group, I give Baltimore the best chance of climbing from worst to first in its division as the (8-9) Ravens were decimated by injuries a year ago.
Since 1990 when the playoffs expanded to 12 teams, (now there are 14) a minimum of four teams have advanced to the playoffs in every season that was not in the post-season the year before.
Last year, a whopping seven teams, Arizona, San Francisco, Dallas, and Philadelphia in the NFC plus Las Vegas, Cincinnati, and New England in the AFC qualified for the post-season after missing the previous year. (Note: there was an extra playoff team from each Conference added to the post-season in 2020).
This season, LA Chargers, Denver, Indianapolis, Baltimore, and Miami in the AFC plus Minnesota in the NFC appear to be the best bets to qualify after missing out a year ago.
Here are the 14 teams I am picking to make the playoffs.
In the AFC, Buffalo from the East, Kansas City, LA Chargers, and Denver from the West, Baltimore, and Cincinnati from the North, and Tennessee from the South.
(I hate leaving out Miami and Indianapolis but I do not want to take one of those seven out)
In the NFC, Dallas from the East, LA Rams, and San Francisco from the West, Green Bay and Minnesota from the North, and Tampa Bay and New Orleans from the South.
(Again I would like to include Philadelphia but there is just no room to fit them in)
By the way, the Rams have one of the toughest schedules ever.
12 of their 17 games are against teams that had a winning record last year.
The way the Rams looked in the opener, just making the playoffs might be an accomplishment this season.
Podcast:
The Cat is back for another season as in the Cat Scan podcast.
Taylor Dakers is the new Prince George Cougars Director of Business.
The topics discussed include: making the team more visible in PG, improving the fan experience at CN Centre, The 6 pm starts on Saturday home games, and the team’s two NHL-drafted goalies.
CAT SCAN: @Hartley_Miller chats with @PGCougars Director of Business Operations and Goalie Coach Taylor Dakers
| https://t.co/zqUm5J2HKF #cityofpg #PrinceGeorge #northernbc #sports #northernuprising pic.twitter.com/h2LP3NjrCb— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) September 9, 2022
Taking Note:
Scattershooting on a Thursday night while remembering Queen Elizabeth II and her wonderful sense of humour . . . https://t.co/F6cepIFY4I
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) September 9, 2022
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
49-year-old pitcher Bartolo Colon says he’ll finally retire from professional baseball after pitching one more season of winter ball in his native Dominican Republic. Just think of his farewell tour as One Last Whiff of Colon.
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
Big 12 now apparently looking to add schools “‘out West,” for basketball and football. Why don’t these conferences just give up on the names and start referencing themselves as NBA and NFL minor league divisions?
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
In the wake of the 49ers re-signing Jimmy Garoppolo, the offense scrapped plans for the Statue of Liberty play—-Trey Lance kept looking over his shoulder.
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
In Case You Missed It:
The New York Knicks are the top NBA club among Forbes’ most valuable sports teams, worth $5.8 billion. Who would guess there could be so much value in laughing stock?
*Western Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the news and sports director/supervisor plus morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97fm. He is entering his 10th season as the radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars’ home games. Hartley has been on the Prince George airwaves since 1979 and is the author of You Don’t Say (sports quotes).