Last-Minute NFL Season Preview
The National Football League’s 2020 season is finally upon us! The Chiefs and Texans kicked off on Thursday night to a less than full-capacity crowd, a likely foreshadowing for the strange season that is surely ahead of us. But while the season has technically started I’m still going to take the ball, run with it, and give my predictions for the upcoming year of football.
Fans should be excited for a good season as anything can happen in the NFL! Will Lamar Jackson improve and win back-to-back MVP’s? Will the Cleveland Browns shock the world and make the Super Bowl? Will the Dallas Cowboys finally live up to expectations?
Probably not.
Anyway, here are my predictions for the 2020 season.
MVP – Patrick Mahomes
Yes, he played Thursday night and threw three TD passes.
Yes, he seems to be everyone’s pick for Most Valuable Player.
And yes, he has the best weapons at his disposal for any quarterback in the league.
But I’ve been riding the Patty Mahomes MVP bandwagon for months now. Ever since the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in February, my prediction for this season’s MVP has been the Texas Tech product.
Not only will he want to add more hardware to his already insane collection for a player of his age, but the man has upped his game to a new level and his new paycheck will demand a few more trophies over the course of his contract. Whether they are Lombardi’s or MVP’s, Mahomes wants to deliver and prove himself to be the best.
That’s why he’s my pick for the MVP.
However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Russell Wilson balls out in 2020 and finally gets some MVP votes, so watch out for that bad man up in Seattle.
OPOY – Patrick Mahomes
Going with Mahomes for MVP and OPOY is a safe bet. He’s guaranteed (barring injuries) to put up big numbers this year, and voters will not be able to turn a blind eye.
Kansas City’s main man achieved this feat in 2018 after his breakout season and is tipped by most, and myself, to do it again.
There is all the possibility in the world that Mike Thomas, Saquon Barkley, and other star offensive players can take home the award this year. But when there’s a chance for a QB to throw for 50+ touchdowns in a season, then you’ve got to go with that guy.
DPOY – Aaron Donald
Until someone takes AD’s spot as the best defensive player in the league, I’m always going to tip him to take home the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Having won in 2017 and 2018 for being the league’s best defender, Donald has proven that he is capable of making his presence felt both on and off the gridiron.
Plus, the sneak peek we’ve had of him through Hard Knocks has shown that the D-Lineman is motivated and ready to go this season. Expect him to dominate in 2020, even while getting every blocker thrown in his direction.
OROY – Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals drafted Burrow number one overall for a reason. The former LSU star made college football look easy, leading his Tigers to a national championship and winning the Heisman Trophy along the way.
Now coming into the NFL, Burrow will be expected to prove himself amongst the professionals and shine in his rookie year.
No one is expecting a lot of wins, and the Cinci rebuild will take some time. But if Joe can steady the ship and show that he has what it takes then he’ll easily be favoured to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Keep an eye out for the rookie, he may even find himself breaking division-rival Baker Mayfield’s rookie touchdown record this season. 28 is the magic number, plenty achievable for the man who got 60 last year in college.
DROY – Chase Young
I decided not to overthink this pick like I usually would.
Chase Young, the number two pick from the 2020 draft, is set to become Washington’s main edge threat this coming season. Aided by a stellar, yet underrated, supporting cast around him, expect Young to dominate the league’s O-Lineman in his first year as a pro.
While his team may not be lifting silverware any time soon, Young should be the frontrunner to take some for himself at the end of the year and I most people’s pick to do so.
If he does win Defensive Rookie of the Year, he’ll be following in the footsteps of the Bosa brothers, two fellow Ohio State products who won in 2019 and 2016, respectively.
COY – Pete Carroll
I expect the Seahawks to do big things this year. I already mentioned that Russell Wilson has a shot to win the MVP, and picking up the league’s best safety in Jamal Adams will take their defense to the next level.
Surprisingly, Pete Carroll has never won this award before, despite taking Seattle to the playoffs seven times in the last eight years. But tipping the Seahawks to win their division could be risky considering the quality of teams around them, however, if they add on from what they did last year then their ceiling is high.
If Carroll leads his team to a high seed in the NFC and wins the west, he has as much of a chance as anyone to accept Coach of the Year by the season’s end.
AFC Champions – Kansas City Chiefs
Another boring, yet somewhat smart pick from myself.
The Chiefs showed Thursday night that they’re serious about challenging again.
Their roster has essentially stayed the same, barring a few minor changes. The offense will keep firing in touchdowns with Mahomes, Kelce and Hill carrying the load, and if the D can hold up throughout the year then why bet against them making another trip to the Super Bowl.
From my perspective, the only other challengers in the AFC are the Baltimore Ravens, but their bad playoff results in the last two years with Lamar at the helm worry me. If these two teams meet in the AFC title game, my money will be on KC.
The experience of the Chiefs and their desire to get back to the promised land is too much to ignore.
NFC Champions – Seattle Seahawks
A more interesting pick this time.
I have the Seahawks making it out of the NFC and making yet another Super Bowl trip with Wilson and Carroll at the forefront.
The NFC is stacked this year and I could see five or six teams possibly making a run. But for some reason, I have a feeling that Seattle are just going to be really good this year.
I think the Saints are also a good choice, and probably a safer on to make considering their consistency over the last few years but they do have a history of not being able to make it to the big game.
Russell Wilson has proven himself to be one of the league’s top QB’s and has willed his team to some big playoff wins over the years, that’s why I’m betting on a Chiefs-Seahawks matchup in Tampa.
Super Bowl Champions – Kansas City Chiefs
I’ve been infatuated by the Seahawks’ potential in 2020, but at the end of the day, I have the Chiefs winning the Super Bowl again.
A potential matchup between these two would be electric, and for a neutral fan, the thought of the league’s two most talented quarterbacks going head-to-head for the biggest prize on offer is incredible.
If the Chiefs do cap off their season with a second Lombardi in back-to-back years, they’ll be the first team to achieve this feat since the Patriots’ team of the mid-2000s.
Patrick Mahomes for Super Bowl MVP seems like a safe pick if his team do win it all, potentially another piece for the trophy cabinet which is filling up quickly.
Another spectacular run for the Chiefs will cement Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and the rest of the gang as a legitimate dynasty for years to come.
