My NFL Division Rankings

8. AFC South – Projected Combined Record: (27-39-2)

My Projected Standings: 1. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-8), 2. Tennessee Titans (8-9), 3. Indianapolis Colts (7-9-1), 4. Houston Texans (3-13-1)

The AFC South lived up to its offseason hype being the worst division in the NFL. The Colts, an early favorite to win the division, have been arguably one of the worst teams in football this year. The Jaguars and Titans have been hovering around mediocrity and cannot win more than two or three games in a row. Meanwhile, the Texans are once again in both the cellar of the division and the league.

In the future, this division will be close, but the Texans will not be involved in the division race. The Jaguars, Titans and Colts all have a chance to win it, but ultimately I think the Jaguars will edge out with the division lead. Besides the winner, the AFC South will not likely send any other teams to the playoffs. Look for the Texans to compete for the worst record in the league, while Tennessee and Indianapolis sit right in the middle of the league.

7. NFC West – Projected Combined Record: (30-38)

My Projected Standings: 1. San Francisco 49ers (9-8), 2. Los Angeles Rams (8-9), 3. Seattle Seahawks (7-10), 4. Arizona Cardinals (6-11)

Offseason and preseason predictions had the NFC West being one of the top two  divisions this year. This hasn’t been the case yet this season. While the Seahawks, led by quarterback Geno Smith, have performed much better than anyone anticipated, the other three teams have been underwhelming. San Francisco is staying afloat despite being ravaged by injuries, but the Rams and Cardinals have been very disappointing this season, with 2-3 records.

In a division where all four teams are capable of beating each other, coupled with difficult schedules for all, this division is likely not to produce a wild card team this season. The 49ers seem most poised to win the division, with the other three teams falling behind. This race will be very interesting to watch as the season unfolds. 

6. NFC South – Projected Combined Record: (33-35)

My Projected Standings: 1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7), 2. New Orleans Saints (10-7), 3. Atlanta Falcons (8-9), 4. Carolina Panthers (5-12)

The NFC South is the last division I believe will finish with a losing record. The Panthers were given very low hopes and have not been able to work together as a concise team yet. The Buccaneers and Saints have surprised everybody, with both teams losing games they were projected to win and having those games be extremely close. The Falcons are the only team performing up to or above expectations, but have also struggled to close out games.

I think The Bucs and Saints will get back on track. The rest of the season gives them mostly favorable schedules, which will help them come back to full strength. Atlanta’s volatility will allow them to pick up more games than they were expected to and make a push for a playoff spot. The Bucs should edge out New Orleans for the divisional championship, placing the Saints into a wild card spot.

5. AFC East – Projected Combined Record: (34-34)

My Projected Standings: 1. Buffalo Bills (13-4), 2. Miami Dolphins (9-8), 3. New York Jets (6-11), 4. New England Patriots (6-11)

I believe the Bills have been the best team in football over the first five weeks. Even with a slow running game, they have still put together four massive wins led by MVP frontrunner Josh Allen. After the Bills, the Dolphins looked electric in the beginning, but injuries at the quarterback position have halted the team’s success. The Jets have gotten a couple of surprise wins, but don’t look like a sustainable team yet, while the Patriots have been dealing with quarterback injuries, which has taken games away.

The Bills are my playoff lock this season. If the Dolphins can get Tua back and bring the team to the pace they had at the beginning, this would be a much different story, but I don’t see the Dolphins rallying in time for the playoff push. The Jets and Patriots will fight to not be at the bottom of the division, but both will miss a top 5 draft pick.

4. AFC West – Projected Combined Record: (36-32)

My Projected Standings: 1. Kansas City Chiefs (12-5), 2. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6), 3. Las Vegas Raiders (8-9), 4. Denver Broncos (5-12)

This was supposed to be the strongest division this year based on offseason predictions, but has fallen a bit short. The Chiefs are once again dominating, even though they were projected to come down to earth after losing Tyreek Hill. The Chargers have also been great, but have been struggling with defensive injuries. The Raiders and Broncos have been significantly held back by poor coaching, and the Broncos’ headline addition of Russel Wilson has negatively impacted their offense this year.

Before the season started, it was projected that this division would send all four teams to the playoffs. The Chiefs will most likely win their division and compete with Buffalo for the number one seed, while the Chargers have the first wild card spot locked up. The Raiders will likely figure things out, but probably too late in the season and will end up without a wild card spot. Meanwhile, the Broncos will most likely be in last place due to their lack of chemistry between the coach and team. 

3. NFC North – Projected Combined Record: (36-32)

My Projected Standings: 1. Green Bay Packers (11-6), 2. Minnesota Vikings (11-6), 3. Detroit Lions (8-9), 4. Chicago Bears (6-11)

The NFC North has been one of the better divisions this season, led by the Vikings’ hot start. Kirk Cousins is having one of his best seasons, and new head coach Kevin O’Connell has helped improve the team on both sides of the ball. The Packers have struggled defensively, however, even without a top receiver, they are still putting together wins and have a favorable schedule. The Lions have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and barring being blown out by the Patriots, have been competitive in every game. The Bears have had a rough start, but have not found ways to come back and collect wins. 

This division is likely to send two teams to the playoffs. As long as the Packers split the series, they will win the division in a tiebreaker over the Vikings with the Vikings claiming the first wild card spot. The Lions are a much better team than they were last year, but are still missing a couple of key pieces to make a playoff run. The Bears will be competing for a top 5 pick again at the end of this season.

2. AFC North – Projected Combined Record (36-32)

My Projected Standings: 1. Baltimore Ravens (10-7), 2. Cincinnati Bengals (10-7), 3. Cleveland Browns (9-8), 4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-10)

The AFC North once again has proven to be one of the toughest divisions in football. All four teams have put together impressive games this season, showcasing their potential. Lamar Jackson is having one of his best seasons, leading the Ravens to the top of the division at the moment. The Bengals recovered from a slow start and are coming back to becoming the team they were last season. The Browns have kept themselves relatively competitive amidst their quarterback’s 11 game suspension, and the Steelers are looking to rebound after a change at the position.

This division has always been competitive, and any one of these four teams can win it. With this in mind, I believe the AFC North will send three playoff teams this year. The Ravens are most likely to win the division, but they face a tough schedule which will make it a much closer race. The Bengals will claim a wild card spot, and narrowly miss winning the division on a tiebreaker. Cleveland looks to hover around mediocrity until their quarterback comes back, and then they are only projected to be a tougher team to face. Pittsburgh would be the lone playoff miss, but still provide a strong record projection and will be a difficult team for anyone to play this year.

1. NFC East – Projected Combined Record: (39-29)

My Projected Standings: 1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-5), 2. Dallas Cowboys (11-6), 3. New York Giants (9-8), 4. Washington Commanders (7-10)

This division has been the biggest shock of the season so far. While the Eagles were projected to win the division, they were not projected to be the lone undefeated team this season, nor to be a top five team offensively and defensively. The Cowboys, while projected to be competitive, have significantly outperformed with only one loss, even with losing starter Dak Prescott to injury during Week 1. The Giants have significantly outperformed expectations, with one of the league’s best defenses and a 4-1 record to start, including a win over the Packers. The only negative stain on the NFL’s best division is an abysmal start by the Commanders.

While this division looks like the one to beat, I think they will only end up sending two teams to the playoffs. The Eagles have positioned themselves very well to win the division, make the playoffs and grab the NFC home field advantage. The Cowboys have performed well in Prescott’s absence, positioning themselves to gain a wild card spot easily when he returns. The Giants have played well, but don’t have a dynamic quarterback to lead them to the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Commanders will figure things out and string some wins together, but won’t produce any noise when it comes to pushing for a playoff run.