Jayden’s Top Picks for the NFL Playoffs

This offseason so far has been crazy! With so many blockbuster trades like Davante Adams to the Raiders, Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins, and even Russell Wilson, a career Seahawk, to the Broncos. In this article I will state the top 5 teams I think are heading to the NFL playoffs and address the arguments against the claims.

My top team to head to the playoffs is the Buffalo Bills. While we may see another playoff flop to the Chiefs, I think they have a better chance for victory now that they have acquired the LOLB Von Miller for what will most likely be the rest of his career. After the playoff performance against the Chiefs and not missing a touchdown, it seems as if their defense is on the lacking side of Football. While it has power it isn’t built enough to stop the Chiefs offense, but with Super Bowl champion Von Miller on their side of the ball, they may be able to stop some more footballs from meeting the end zone. Let’s just hope they can beat the Super Bowl and Chiefs curse.

My second top team for the playoffs is the Las Vegas Raiders. We saw them have a stellar performance in the playoffs against the Bengals and seemed to lose only by terrible calls on the referees side. We have seen that they are already a playoff caliber team, but with Derek Carr and Davante Adams back together from their college years, they can create some great new synergy on the team.

My third team to make it is the Baltimore Ravens. After facing numerous injuries in the past season, they were unable to perform at their best. But by the next season IR will be clear and the roster will be healthy. With JK Dobbins and Ronnie Stanley back, they will have more ammunition to fire at their opponents and more traction to gain. As of now we are projected to draft a LG in the first few rounds, who can hopefully give Lamar Jackson some cover while he is firing the ball.

My fourth highest team, who does have a good chance of returning for a second straight super bowl, the Las Angeles Rams. I have moved them down so low based on retirements and moves. Andrew Whittworth retired, creating a current gap in the LT position. Von Miller was traded to the Bills, creating a gap in the LOLB position. And the biggest offensive move was Robert Woods to the Tennessee Titans. While he may not have gotten all the star power and receiving yards, he was deadly on the field. If Kupp wasn’t open, Woods was there to take the ball right across the 1st down line. He was lethal when he got the ball and now Tennessee has a few more weapons in their disposal.

My fifth highest team for the playoffs is the Indianapolis Colts. While they may not have made the playoffs last year, they have a new chance in the upcoming season for playoff contention. With Carson Wentz gone to the Washington Commanders and pulling in Matt Ryan from the Falcons, they now have one of the most competent Quarterbacks in the league as of right now. He has some of the most touchdowns and passing yards in NFL history and the 14 best all time passer rating in the NFl.

As an honorable mention I want to add the Las Angeles Chargers. With the addition of JC Jackson, one of the best CB in the League, OLB Khalil Mack, and various other players at the backup position to replace the current older players. With these moves they have set themselves up to be a successful team in the long term. Their defense may now be elite, but their offense as of right now looks like the same thing it was last year. While it may be a great defense, the offense has focal points it needs to focus on and if they do they may have a divisional title in their office building in the next few years.

People may argue where teams like the Broncos, Bengals, and Chiefs?  While they may make it to the playoffs, I think they are the least competent certainties in the possibility of the NFL playoffs. The Broncos may have Russel Wilson, but regardless they still have a struggling Offense and Defense. The Bengals had a half easy schedule and had the glory of playing against broken and injured teams. They may have shown they can perform, but if they can’t get a new Offensive Line, then their chances of at least another Super Bowl may be gone. The Chiefs have ruined themselves in the offseason and historically pick badly in the NFL draft when it comes to offense. With Tyreek Hill gone and Tyrann Mathieu not re-signed they are suffering a little on offense and defense. They may have replaced Tyreek with Juju Smith-Schuster, which I feel is just a placeholder for someone they are hoping to draft.

The teams I have not chosen are good teams, but have yet to show these changes can really alter the course of their place in the NFL. I also can’t just put the whole AFC West in this, because they all have a good chance of making the playoffs.