2022 mid-season observations
Posted: Tue Nov 08, 2022 3:36 pm
AFC West - the Chiefs still look like the class of the division, although I think the Chargers will still have something to say about that. The Broncos have (I am sure) been a disappointment to their fans while Raiders fans must be wondering why Mark Davis bothered with Josh McDaniels. (re: the Raiders - I saw a stat over the weekend: From 1960 to 2021 the Raiders blew a 17 [or more] point lead 5 times. They've already done so three times this season)
AFC North - as I suspected before the season: BAL and CIN will battle it out for first place while CLE and PIT will be trying to avoid finishing in last (I'm not sure what kind of "hex" the Browns seem to have on the Bengals since Joe Burrow became CIN's QB).
AFC East - turning out to be a pretty good division. I still think that BUF should be considered favorites to win the division but the injury to Josh Allen is concerning and I no longer think that BUF winning the division is a foregone conclusion.
AFC South - TEN looks to be the only decent team in the division. I'm not sure what to think about how they'd do in the playoffs.
NFC West - In one of the biggest surprises of the year, the Seahawks lead the division (this late in the season) and have a very good chance to go into their bye week on a 5-game winning streak! (next up: T.B. and TB12 in Munich)
NFC North - Two surprises. One good, one bad. The good: MIN with its 7 - 1 record. Not necessarily looking like true S.B. contenders but they practically have their division wrapped up already. The bad: Green Bay. It's looking like Aaron Rodgers should've retired after last season, after all.
NFC East - as with their AFC counterparts: better than predicted. Heck, even the (soon to be sold?) Commanders aren't giving up w/o a fight!
NFC South - before the season I opined that it was the AFC South but this division is likely the worst in the league this season. No matter which team from this division makes it to the playoffs (and I definitely don't expect more than one team from this division to do so) I don't expect it to get past "Super Wild Card Weekend" come January. As with Aaron Rodgers in the NFC North it's looking like TB12 should've retired (and STAYED retired) after last season.
Biggest disappointment: definitely some options but I'm going with Green Bay. It very much looks like they went from "S.B. contender" to "also-ran" in the course of just a few months. Personally, I think it's more than just them losing Davante Adams. Something seems to be seriously wrong with the Packers this season (the fact that they lost to DET tells you that) and I don't see it getting any better for them anytime soon.
Biggest surprise: again, plenty of options to choose from but I'm going with my (more or less) hometown Seahawks. The official "over/under" for wins for them this season was 5.5 and I had them pegged for 5 (6 if they caught some breaks) so they've already exceeded my expectations on that count. More amazing is how well the defense has played after a horrible start to the season. (both N.Y. teams deserve mention, as well, although the Jets still don't seem to be able to beat N.E. and Los Gigantes lost to the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago when the 'hawks shut Saquon Barkley down in a way that nobody else has been able to do this season)
Biggest "surprise within a surprise": Geno Smith. Never in a million years would I have guessed that cast-off Geno Smith would have a career year in 2022. After trading Russell Wilson and losing Bobby Wagner I thought there was no way in hell that the Seahawks would be any good this season. Geno Smith is a BIG part of the reason why the 'hawks lead their division at mid-season and look like they might very well end up being a "worst to first" team (at least within their division) this season.
AFC North - as I suspected before the season: BAL and CIN will battle it out for first place while CLE and PIT will be trying to avoid finishing in last (I'm not sure what kind of "hex" the Browns seem to have on the Bengals since Joe Burrow became CIN's QB).
AFC East - turning out to be a pretty good division. I still think that BUF should be considered favorites to win the division but the injury to Josh Allen is concerning and I no longer think that BUF winning the division is a foregone conclusion.
AFC South - TEN looks to be the only decent team in the division. I'm not sure what to think about how they'd do in the playoffs.
NFC West - In one of the biggest surprises of the year, the Seahawks lead the division (this late in the season) and have a very good chance to go into their bye week on a 5-game winning streak! (next up: T.B. and TB12 in Munich)
NFC North - Two surprises. One good, one bad. The good: MIN with its 7 - 1 record. Not necessarily looking like true S.B. contenders but they practically have their division wrapped up already. The bad: Green Bay. It's looking like Aaron Rodgers should've retired after last season, after all.
NFC East - as with their AFC counterparts: better than predicted. Heck, even the (soon to be sold?) Commanders aren't giving up w/o a fight!
NFC South - before the season I opined that it was the AFC South but this division is likely the worst in the league this season. No matter which team from this division makes it to the playoffs (and I definitely don't expect more than one team from this division to do so) I don't expect it to get past "Super Wild Card Weekend" come January. As with Aaron Rodgers in the NFC North it's looking like TB12 should've retired (and STAYED retired) after last season.
Biggest disappointment: definitely some options but I'm going with Green Bay. It very much looks like they went from "S.B. contender" to "also-ran" in the course of just a few months. Personally, I think it's more than just them losing Davante Adams. Something seems to be seriously wrong with the Packers this season (the fact that they lost to DET tells you that) and I don't see it getting any better for them anytime soon.
Biggest surprise: again, plenty of options to choose from but I'm going with my (more or less) hometown Seahawks. The official "over/under" for wins for them this season was 5.5 and I had them pegged for 5 (6 if they caught some breaks) so they've already exceeded my expectations on that count. More amazing is how well the defense has played after a horrible start to the season. (both N.Y. teams deserve mention, as well, although the Jets still don't seem to be able to beat N.E. and Los Gigantes lost to the Seahawks a couple of weeks ago when the 'hawks shut Saquon Barkley down in a way that nobody else has been able to do this season)
Biggest "surprise within a surprise": Geno Smith. Never in a million years would I have guessed that cast-off Geno Smith would have a career year in 2022. After trading Russell Wilson and losing Bobby Wagner I thought there was no way in hell that the Seahawks would be any good this season. Geno Smith is a BIG part of the reason why the 'hawks lead their division at mid-season and look like they might very well end up being a "worst to first" team (at least within their division) this season.