Surprise players, teams and stories develop throughout each NFL the season.
Some quarterbacks have a break in the first half. An unexpected team goes undefeated through September. A perceived contender falls flat on its face.
With that in mind, Colin Cowherd made five bold predictions for 2022 on Friday’s edition of The Herd.
Rams win SB LVII, Cowboys miss playoff in Colin’s bold NFL predictions
Colin Cowherd reveals his bold predictions for the 2022 NFL season.
1. Minnesota Vikings win the NFC North
Colin’s thoughts: “They’ve turned to an offensive line coach who will back up Kirk Cousins. Between Dalvin Cook, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and a certainly useful offensive line, I like their roster. It’s a bad split. Kirk Cousins, like Tua, finally has a coach that backs him up. I think it’s important when any of us have a boss that trusts us, respects us. I think Minnesota will show up.
“No team that wins eight shutout games next year doubles it, and no team that loses eight shutout games — including two overtime losses — doubles that. I think the Vikings win the NFC North. and they start to withdraw from Thanksgiving.”
2. Dallas Cowboys miss the playoffs
Colin’s thoughts: “A lot of pitches bother me. Didn’t Von Miller land and lose Randy Gregory. Don’t rush the world-class pass rusher. That means you can double-team Micah Parsons more often. They had obvious losses on the offensive line, an aging offensive lineman La’el Collins [and] Connor Williams [left]and Tyron Smith is a Hall of Famer but can’t stay healthy.
“The wide receiver corps isn’t as dynamic. CeeDee Lamb goes to one, but Cedrick Wilson is gone, Amari Cooper is gone and Michael Gallup has a torn ACL. And the truth is, I don’t think they have an elite coach. and I think as the game has become more sophisticated, that’s no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity.”
3. Bill Belichick retires after the season
Colin’s thoughts: “He hasn’t appointed coordinators. He has kids on staff. The reality is that Bob Kraft and Belichick have always had a rocky relationship. Kraft was close to [Tom] Brady. Every book you read about New England, Kraft tolerated a lot of Belichick’s meanness. They were ranked 28th in passing. DeVante Parker helps a bit. I don’t think they are anywhere near Buffalo. “Belichick doesn’t necessarily like what’s happened in the league where the players have more power and the defense isn’t as important,” Cowherd said.
“I think Belichick retires as the greatest coach of all time in another 9-8 years,” he later concluded.
4. Russell Wilson wins NFL MVP
Colin’s thoughts: “I think between Brady in Tampa and [Matthew] Stafford for the Rams, when you come to a team and all you need is a catalyst, there’s a certain energy that brings you to a team with hope. And let’s be honest, Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs, played his best football with Nathaniel Hackett, who is now Russell Wilson’s coach. now [the Broncos] have five prime-time games and seven nationally televised games. I actually think it helps them. It creates urgency, an energy around the program. “I think they have the perfect mix of youth between their coach and some of their defensive and offensive players and tough veteran guys,” Cowherd said.
“I think [Wilson] he puts up big numbers and wins the MVP because he’s the best story,” he concluded.
Melvin Gordon on Russell Wilson: ‘He’s locked in’
Colin Cowherd asks Melvin Gordon about his impression of Russell Wilson, who joins Denver after being traded from the Seattle Seahawks. Broncos RB describes Pro Bowl QB as “all about football.” The two also talk about expectations for the team and whether Gordon thinks they are strong contenders in the AFC West.
5. The Los Angeles Rams repeat as Super Bowl champions
Colin’s thoughts: “There’s also room for improvement. The games were close in the playoffs — San Francisco and Tampa Bay and the Cincinnati Super Bowl — and Stafford led the NFL in interceptions. There’s room for improvement. The division is weaker, they’ve improved at receiver wideout with Allen Robinson, they’ve improved at leader and leader with Bobby Wagner, and let’s be honest: The NFC isn’t that good, it’s not that deep,” Cowherd said.
“The NFC has some good teams at the top, but it’s not like the AFC where you have to go through the Bills and the Chiefs and the Bengals and the Ravens and the Broncos,” he said later.
Get more from the National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more.