ESPN held a roundtable to give some way-too-early predictions for the 2022 NFL season with the most-recent year having only… just ended.
While a lot can happen before next season gets going in September, there are plenty of positive vibes that one can like from this exercise. .
The former world-wide leader had numerous members of their poll that picked that Bills to make it to Super Bowl 57. In addition, there are several of those that predict Buffalo hoists the Lombardi Trophy in 2022 as well.
In total, there are 12 analysts on this panel. More than half of those, seven, guess that the Bills will represent the AFC in the big game. Finishing the breakdown, five of the seven projections from ESPN have the Bills winning the title.
Here are those five plus their reasonings for picking Buffalo:
Matt Bowen, NFL analyst: Bills over 49ers. The Bills will go through some changes with Ken Dorsey as the new offensive coordinator, but I still anticipate a quarterback-centric system designed around Josh Allen’s high-end physical abilities. And with a defense that can limit explosive plays, this team has the makeup of a championship squad.
Tristan H. Cockcroft, fantasy football writer: Bills over Cowboys. What?! The Cowboys in the Super Bowl?! Consider it more the product of a wide-open NFC in my estimation — though an Aaron Rodgers-led Packers team would remain tough to bet against — but it’s the Bills who stand out as one of the game’s most balanced overall teams, with a quarterback in Josh Allen who is an absolute superstar.
Eric Moody, fantasy football writer: Bills over 49ers. Josh Allen is one of the league’s top dual-threat quarterbacks, Stefon Diggs is an elite wide receiver, Gabriel Davis is an up-and-comer on the precipice of a breakout season and cornerback Tre’Davious White will be back following an ACL tear. After losing consecutive playoff games to the Chiefs, the Bills will be highly motivated to atone for their mistakes.
Kevin Seifert, national NFL writer: Bills over Packers. The Bills have been so close the past two years, and ESPN’s Football Power Index ranked them as the best team of 2021 (regardless of the outcome of the playoffs). And at this moment, there are lots of reasons to think Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and the rest of the Packers’ elite players are headed back to Green Bay for one more run at a championship.
Field Yates, NFL analyst: Bills over Packers. If Aaron Rodgers is not with the Packers next season, the game changes, but with Rodgers under contract in Green Bay, I think the Packers find a way to do enough to keep the roster intact to a point that another successful season is on tap — this time with a trip to the Super Bowl, where they come up just short against the high-powered, Josh Allen-led Bills.
Breaking down whether or not the Bills could actually win the Super Bowl is analysis we’ll save for another day.
Instead, let’s just let this one marinate.
Buffalo… the Bills… are looking like one of the top, if not the No. 1 team being predicted to win the Super Bowl next season. Who could have predicted that a few short years ago?
What a time to be alive.
[lawrence-related id=97492,97480,97482]