2023 NFL season predictions: Awards, Divisions, Playoffs and Super Bowl

2023 NFL season Super Bowl: Bengals vs. Seahawks

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Once the NFL playoffs roll around, things often get kind of crazy and it’s all about matchups. In this prediction, both number-one seeds get knocked off in the Divisional round, and similarly to the Tampa Bay Bucs in 2020/21, we have the top Wild Card team going on a run (only this time they come from the AFC).

The Bengals have defeated the Bills and Chiefs in the playoff these past two years respectively, and this year they do it in consecutive weeks on the road. They then travel to Jacksonville to upset the number one seed in an epic matchup between Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence (who will also meet in the regular season this year for the first time since they met in the 2019/20 national championship game).

I believe Cincy will have a bit of a slower start due to Burrow’s calf injury and the defenders now running through a new and very talented safety tandem. However, by the time we get to January, those things will have ironed themselves out.

We’ve seen this offense evolve this past season into an efficient machine, and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is one of the elite game planners once we get to the elimination phase, holding other elite QBs in check.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks certainly haven’t delivered in the big stages in this iteration of the proceedings. After they traded Russell Wilson to Denver, I projected them to be picking in the top 10 of the upcoming draft last year. However, nobody could see their draft class produce five legit plus starters, and that Geno Smith would turn himself into a top-ten quarterback in the NFL by any metric.

With two more first-round picks who I believe will be quality contributors in key spots, their offense setting the table for a more consistent run game (by spreading defenses in order to create softer and a ton of competition between young edge rushers), I believe they can make a run through the NFC.

I believe there’s a legit definite step down looking at whoever earns the seven-seed (Saints in my case) and with the Eagles knocked off in the Divisional round, overcome the division-rival 49ers and Cowboys up in Seattle.

If you forced me to make my pick, it would be 26:23 Bengals.

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