2023 Go Long NFL Predictions!

The season is here. Our picks are in.

Tyler Dunne

Bob McGinn

, and

Jim Monos

Sep 07, 2023

Betting against Patrick Mahomes in today’s NFL may be akin to getting your hopes up about Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning and Karl Malone through the the 90s.

Sure, other names and teams are fun to discuss. Man, I loved those Charlotte Hornets. But as long as Michael Jordan was playing basketball, and not baseball, an entire sports league existed inside his right fist.

Mahomes is at the peak of his powers. Mahomes is the reigning MVP with two rings and counting, an inevitable force.

And yet, 2023 should be the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback’s toughest test yet. His conference is loaded with star power. Our Go Long staff picks are in and all three of us picked new Super Bowl winners.

After spending time around those Detroit Lions (Part I, Part II, James Houston) and Jacksonville Jaguars (The Rise, Zay Jones), I’m convinced both teams are prepared to make a championship leap. They’re built the right way. My cohorts also have a few predictions that may surprise you.

Feel free to share your own in the comments below and, of course, enjoy the opener tonight.

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Here’s our plan for the season, icymi.

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TYLER DUNNE

DIVISION WINNERS

AFC East: Buffalo
AFC North: Cincinnati
AFC South: Jacksonville
AFC West: Kansas City
NFC East: NY Giants
NFC North: Detroit
NFC South: Atlanta
NFC West: San Francisco

AFC WILD CARDS: Pittsburgh, Miami, L.A. Chargers

NFC WILD CARDS: Philadelphia, Seattle, Green Bay

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Pittsburgh

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: Detroit, San Francisco, NY Giants, Philadelphia

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Jacksonville over Kansas City

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Detroit over NY Giants

SUPER BOWL 58: Jacksonville over Detroit

NFL MVP: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville.

NFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh.

NFL FIVE BREAKTHROUGH PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay; Darious Williams, CB, Jacksonville; Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota; Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee; George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh.

NFL FIVE MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYERS: Aaron Rodgers, QB, NY Jets; Russell Wilson, QB, Denver; Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas; Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Chicago; Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis.

NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: Arthur Smith, Atlanta.

NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta.

NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle.

NFL MOST SURPRISING TEAM: Atlanta.

NFL MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM: NY Jets.

NFL WORST TEAM: Arizona.

IN ORDER, NFL COACHES ON THINNEST ICE: Mike McCarthy, Dallas; Ron Rivera, Washington; Brandon Staley, LA Chargers.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN MOST YARDS GAINED: Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Detroit, Buffalo, Atlanta.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN FEWEST YARDS ALLOWED: San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Miami, Philadelphia, Green Bay.

NFL RUSHING LEADER: Saquon Barkley, NY Giants.

NFL PASSER RATING LEADER: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati.

NFL RECEIVING YARDS LEADER: Tyreek Hill, Miami.

NFL SACK LEADER: T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh.

BOB McGINN

DIVISION WINNERS

AFC East: Buffalo
AFC North: Cincinnati
AFC South: Jacksonville
AFC West: LA Chargers
NFC East: Dallas
NFC North: Detroit
NFC South: New Orleans
NFC West: San Francisco

AFC WILD CARDS: Pittsburgh, NY Jets, Baltimore

NFC WILD CARDS: Philadelphia, Green Bay, Atlanta

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Baltimore, LA Chargers

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: San Francisco, Detroit, Dallas, Philadelphia

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Cincinnati over Jacksonville

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: San Francisco over Detroit

SUPER BOWL 58: Cincinnati over San Francisco.

NFL MVP: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati.

NFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit.

NFL FIVE BREAKTHROUGH PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Camryn Bynum, S, Minnesota; D.J. Moore, WR, Chicago; Kwity Paye, Edge, Indianapolis; L’Jarius Sneed, CB, Kansas City; Alijah Vera-Tucker, G, NY Jets.

NFL FIVE MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYERS: Jeff Okudah, CB, Atlanta; C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston; Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit; Russell Wilson, QB, Denver; Devonte Wyatt, DT, Green Bay.

NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: Dan Campbell, Detroit.

NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Bryce Young, QB, Carolina.

NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Brian Branch, CB, Detroit.

NFL MOST SURPRISING TEAM: Pittsburgh.

NFL MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM: Kansas City.

NFL WORST TEAM: Arizona.

IN ORDER, NFL COACHES ON THINNEST ICE: Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland; Bill Belichick, New England; Mike McCarthy, Dallas.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN MOST YARDS GAINED: Cincinnati, San Francisco, Buffalo, Philadelphia, LA Chargers.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN FEWEST YARDS ALLOWED: San Francisco, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Dallas.

NFL RUSHING LEADER: Nick Chubb, Cleveland.

NFL PASSER RATING LEADER: Joe Burrow, Cleveland.

NFL RECEIVING YARDS LEADER: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota.

NFL SACK LEADER: Nick Bosa, San Francisco.

JIM MONOS

DIVISION WINNERS

AFC East: Buffalo
AFC North: Cincinnati
AFC South: Jacksonville
AFC West: Kansas City
NFC East: Dallas
NFC North: Green Bay
NFC South: New Orleans
NFC West: San Francisco

AFC WILD CARDS: Miami, Pittsburgh, LA Chargers

NFC WILD CARDS: Philadelphia, Detroit, NY Giants

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: Kansas City, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, LA Chargers

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND: Dallas, Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Buffalo over Kansas City

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Dallas over Philadelphia

SUPER BOWL 58: Buffalo over Dallas

NFL MVP: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo.

NFL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati.

NFL FIVE BREAKTHROUGH PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: Calvin Ridley, WR, Jacksonville; George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh; Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans; Zion Johnson, G, LA Chargers; Jaycee Horn, CB, Carolina.

NFL FIVE MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYERS: Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco; Jalen Ramsey, CB, Miami; Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta; Odell Beckham, WR, Baltimore; DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle.

NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: Mike McCarthy, Dallas.

NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit.

NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Will Anderson, DE, Houston.

NFL MOST SURPRISING TEAM: New Orleans.

NFL MOST DISAPPOINTING TEAM: Baltimore.

NFL WORST TEAM: Arizona.

IN ORDER, NFL COACHES ON THINNEST ICE: Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland; Ron Rivera, Washington; Brandon Staley, LA Chargers.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN MOST YARDS GAINED: Kansas City, Detroit, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Miami.

TOP FIVE TEAMS IN FEWEST YARDS ALLOWED: Philadelphia, New Orleans, NY Jets, San Francisco, Jacksonville.

NFL RUSHING LEADER: Nick Chubb, Cleveland.

NFL PASSER RATING LEADER: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City.

NFL RECEIVING YARDS LEADER: Tyreek Hill, Miami.