Football fans of the world rejoice; the NFL has officially released the season schedules for all franchises in the 2022 season. While NFL betting fanatics are already probably narrowing down what the best strategies to winning in this upcoming season are, some questions have risen regarding the schedule. Which teams will truly benefit from their schedules? And on the other hand who will have to work extra and maybe even pull off a miracle or two in order to make the best out of their season? Let’s take a look.
Winning Teams
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Can football and life get any easier for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Starting out with the fact that they were able to bring back all 22 starters on offense and defense from last year’s Super Bowl run back for another go at it, the Bucs are the definition of being good and feeling fine. Aside from that, it seems like the football gods decided that another Tampa Bay Super Bowl run, giving them the easiest schedule of all NFL teams. The Bucs will face the two weakest divisions in the league, the AFC and NFC East, and with six divisional games against the Falcons, Panthers and the now Drew Brees-less Saints, it’s clear that the Buccaneers, led by Tom Brady have everything put into place for another Super Bowl run.
- Dallas Cowboys
One good thing about being in the NFC East is that you don’t really need to do much to take first place in the division, with that said, let’s talk some Cowboys football. With a mix of getting their star QB Dak Prescott back in full form, a great defense ridden draft class and a schedule that has games against nine teams who held losing records last season, it’s not that hard to understand why the Cowboys can do some great work here. They’ll have to face the Buccaneers in week 1 and the Chiefs later down the line, but other than that, if Prescott comes back with his 2019 form, then expect good things from “America’s team”.
- San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have been all over the place in the last two seasons. Literally they went from being NFC Champions in 2019 to a 6-10 record in 2020 that was the result of an injury ridden season to forget about. So what makes them winners here? With a mix of one of the best O-lines in the NFC, George Kittle, a quiet but safe run in the free agency market, Kyle Shanahan’s offense driven football mind and Trey Lance, the Niners have everything they could want to go for it all. Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying they will have a deep run for the playoffs off the get go but, I like their chances of a winning record in an NFC West division that’s all about fighting.
Losing Teams
- Cincinnati Bengals
Man, remember when the only thing every single NFL fan could talk about was Joe Burrow and how he was going to transform the Bengals? Apparently nobody let the former LSU legend in on the fact that Cincinnati isn’t exactly known for their ultra-protective offensive lines. After losing almost half of the second part of the 2020 season because of a torn ACL and MCL injury in his knee Burrow will be back to try and do some good for the Bengals. By adding Burrow’s favorite receiver in LSU via the draft in Ja’Marr Chase, the Bengals at least want to give Joe a fitting receiver core. But with a defense that screams shambles and problems and one of the most challenging schedules this season don’t expect the Bengals to be great, not even good, maybe decent.
- Las Vegas Raiders
It’s do or die time for Derek Carr if he wants to stay as the Raiders QB moving forward. With a new state of the art stadium, fans being able to come back and the Raiders always living in that win now state of mind the clock is winding down for Carr. Sadly for the Raiders their first six weeks of the season come against teams who are some of the absolute best units in pass defense related issues. Added to that the fact that LV decided to trade two of their better O-line starters in Trent Brown and Rodney Hudson and drafted Alabama OL Alex Leatherwood to apparently take over, good luck Carr. The Raiders defense always steps up, that’s a given and by signing Yannick Ngakoue to pair up with Maxx Crosby, Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson then they’ll do their part, but no, it won’t be enough.
- Houston Texans
Where shall we start? To begin with, even if they had the easiest schedule, which they don’t, the Texans would still make this list as the biggest loser. Now, how about the poor managerial decisions? DeShaun Watson in general? The fact that there’s more chance for Watson never to put on a Texans jersey ever again that there is for him to lead this team through the 2022 season? Ok yeah, let’s take it from there.
It’s a secret to nobody that after seeing two of their biggest stars in JJ Watt and DeAndre Hopkins leave town for Arizona, Watson was the glue keeping everything together in Houston, but now, who knows. Houston did hit the free agency market like it was hot steel and grabbed everyone willing to come to this Texas massacre, including veteran QB Tyrod Taylor. In the draft, yet another sad episode, their first pick came all the way at 67 when they picked the former Stanford QB Davis Mills. Watch Mills probably take over Taylor’s job during the season and expect to see the Texans as first pickers in next year’s draft.
