Bold NFL Predictions For The 2022 Season: Part One
This is part one of Ricky Watson’s bold NFL predictions for the 2022 season. Will any of those predictions happen?
The NFL season is upon us and it’s the time of the year that I make my bold predictions for the 2022 season. I must say that these are only predictions and am not suggesting making any sports bets on these predictions nor will I be responsible for sports betting outcomes.
Another important disclaimer that should be noted is that all of these predictions are only based on the events barring any significant injury from any player from any team. In these predictions, I will cover everything from dark horse teams to dark horse candidates, and NFL busts. This will be a year of surprises for a lot of people and the experts will be shocked because they got many of their predictions wrong.
Part One: NFL Predictions For 2022
Buffalo Bills Won’t Play In The Super Bowl
If this prediction will offend a lot of Buffalo Bills fans and brings out the pitchforks from the Bills Mafia, calling me a clown, I’m prepared for it. But the reason they won’t make it won’t necessarily be because of a lack of talent. If the biblical reference of “a house divided can’t stand” is true, then the Bills may fall this season.
If quarterback Josh Allen can’t learn to control his emotions the way he was unable to in practice against his teammate, expect Allen to penalize his team with personal fouls in crucial moments. Before you go there, it was not a case of the other biblical reference “iron sharpens iron.” And for that to happen in practice is not part of the game either.
The Bills will make it to the playoffs. I don’t deny that. They will even win in the playoffs. But I’m expecting after the second round of the playoffs, the Bills will have to go home for the season. Who they play, how they lose, whether it be controversial, a close game, a loss by a field goal, I don’t know. I am just predicting, contrary to the odds, that Buffalo won’t be in the Super Bowl this season.
Miami Dolphins Will Be Dark Horse Team Of Year
For those of you that are still living in the past two years of the Flores era, this prediction isn’t for you. This is the Mike McDaniel era and not only is the Miami Dolphins a new team but also an entirely different team. Unlike what was seen in the Bills, McDaniel promised that the team will bond together this year.
The team has been loaded with superstar talent after superstar talent. They have the fastest receivers in the NFL with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the running back room has improved, and the defense is way above average. If the roster the Dolphins built on paper translate to games in the season, they have the potential to win 11-14 games this season. Yes, I said that along with potential.
Tua Tagovailoa Will Be A Dark Horse Top Ten Quarterback
The Tua Tagovailoa the NFL saw the past two seasons was not the real Tagovailoa. That quarterback was a quarterback that wasn’t allowed to be himself the way he was able to be the superstar talent at Alabama. During the Flores era, the assumption has been made by several that Tagovailoa was handcuffed from being able to perform at his best because his coach was using him as a pawn in a political battle with the Dolphins front office. Now that Tagovailoa has a new coach and is three years removed from that devastating hip injury, expect to see his name in top ten categories for the 2022 season.
2022 Will Be Tom Brady’s Final NFL Season, For Real
Eventually, Father Time catches up with everyone and Tom Brady isn’t excluded. The off-season shenanigans were a bit much and the season hasn’t even started. The wear and tear of a 45-year-old quarterback will not want to do it again at 46. He already has plans after he retires, and the people on the other end of those plans are waiting for him. I wouldn’t even rule out if bizarre circumstances fall into place correctly, that there could be a possibility of Brady retiring mid-season.
Najee Harris Will Be NFL’s Leading Rusher
Najee Harris is as big of a power back as Derrick Henry is, broke his career rushing totals and career touchdown totals at Alabama, and finished in the top five in rushing yards among all NFL running backs in 2021. Ben Roethlisberger has retired and no matter who the starting quarterback is for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike Tomlin will see to it that Harris gets a heavy workload again this season.
Be sure to follow all of my predictions as I continue those predictions in part two of my bold predictions for 2022.