To a certain demographic, these aren’t the dog days of summer. Sure, the consistent 90-degree heat every day gets a bit old by late July. Also, there’s nothing good on TV that you can turn your brain off to.
But on the flip side, this is America, and NFL football is back. Suddenly everything feels right with the world. (At least that’s what we tell ourselves). While we’re still more than a month away from meaningful pro football games, next week will mark the opening of the 2023 NFL preseason. And with the preseason almost here, the natural boiling point of offseason optimism has finally (and mercifully) arrived.
The usual suspects in Kansas City, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia have every reason to be excited about what’s to come this year. They’ve established that precedent of excellence. Upstarts who feel legitimate — like, in Detroit or Jacksonville — have something to prove to show they’re more substance over hype. And this being the NFL — you can bet your bottom dollar that an awful team from last season (Chicago? Green Bay? Denver?) will surprise and make noise in mid-January.
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Whatever happens this year in the NFL, please hold your applause until the end of its latest iteration: roughly six months from now.
Here are For The Win’s preseason power rankings for the 2023 NFL season: