The 2020 NFL season seems like a go for players. Now, will fans be included due to the coronavirus? That is another question. But we can still look at all the upcoming games with the 2020 NFL schedule being released.
There are lots of marquee matchups set for the year which we cannot wait to see. We went through the entire schedule and made predictions for each team’s record for the 2020 NFL season.
2020 NFL Record Predictions
AFC East
| Buffalo Bills | 12-4 |
|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 9-7 |
| New York Jets | 7-9 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7-9 |
The spotlight is finally on Buffalo. With four primetime games, their most since 1996, the Buffalo Bills will have the opportunity to steal the division away from the Patriots for the first time since 2008. Don’t think that it’s a gimme for the Bills though as they have the fifth toughest schedule on paper and their four primetime games are against Kansas City, Pittsburgh, New England, and San Francisco.
The Dolphins and Jets both rebuilding and might steal a few games here and there but neither will be able to keep up with the Bills overall roster.
AFC North
| Baltimore Ravens | 12-4 |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9-7 |
| Cleveland Browns | 9-7 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 5-11 |
A return for Big Ben in Pittsburgh is big news but I expect regression in their very opportunistic defense. Lamar Jackson and company took the league by storm last year, in the regular season at least, and it will continue into 2020. Their first-round exit in 2019 will be looked back upon as a stepping stone as the Ravens are destined for big things in the next few years.
Cleveland should have massive improvement on offense. The Bengals drafted a future stud quarterback. Neither will be enough to match up with Baltimore.
AFC South
| Tennessee Titans | 10-6 |
|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 10-6 |
| Houston Texans | 10-6 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-12 |
Maybe the biggest tossup out of all the divisions. The Colts signed Phillip Rivers in the offseason to replace Andrew Luck which could catapult this team from last year’s mediocre record to a division-winning mark.
The Titans are fresh off an AFC Championship appearance and looked lethal down the stretch. I don’t see much slowing down Derek Henry and much getting past their sneaky stingy defense.
Unfortunately for the Texans, their current reign over the division (4 out of the last 5 AFC South titles) could come to an end. Deshaun Watson seems to be the only hope on their team and both the Titans and Colts got better.
AFC West
| Kansas City Chiefs | 12-4 |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | 10-6 |
| Denver Broncos | 9-7 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 7-9 |
Unlike the AFC South, the AFC West might be the easiest to predict. The road goes through Kansas City and that shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. They have added weapons to their already elite offense, still have one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks with Patrick Mahomes, and are poised to make another run at a Superbowl in 2020.
The Chargers and Broncos aren’t sturdy at quarterback and the Raiders are unproven, even with underrated signal caller Derek Carr. This really is a one-horse race out west as part of our 2020 NFL predictions.
NFC East
| Philadelphia Eagles | 10-6 |
|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 10-6 |
| New York Giants | 6-10 |
| Washington Redskins | 6-10 |
Maybe not a one-horse race in the NFC East but it’s a clear two-horse race. The Giants have a workhorse at running back in Saquon Barkley, but they don’t scare anyone with their issues on the defensive side of the ball.
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys and Carson Wentz of the Eagles will be battling it out till the very end of the season. Well, probably until week 16 where they face off in, all likelihood for the division crown. The big questions are can the Dallas offense live up to expectations unlike last year, and can Philadelphia stay somewhat healthy? That will decide the division.
NFC North
| Green Bay Packers | 11-5 |
|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 10-6 |
| Detroit Lions | 8-8 |
| Chicago Bears | 7-9 |
Another two-team race in my book. The Packers and the Vikings clashed in week 16 for the division crown, which was handily won by Green Bay. This should be another division title that isn’t decided until late in the 2020 NFL season.
As for the Bears and the Lions, I don’t see much hope in either situation. Mitch Trubisky took a giant leap backwards in his sophomore season and the Lions looks generally lost.
NFC South
| New Orleans Saints | 12-4 |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 11-5 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 9-7 |
| Carolina Panthers | 6-10 |
This might be the most fun division in football to watch during the 2020 NFL season. Two of the best quarterbacks of all time in Drew Brees and Tom Brady facing off not once, but twice a season for presumably the next two years. Could this be the new Brady-Manning rivalry we all loved for the last decade plus? Stay tuned.
Other than the Saints and Bucs ruling the division, a sneaky team here is the Falcons. They had a forgettable 2019 season, but they still have the pieces to get things done. A former MVP at quarterback in Matt Ryan makes them a sneaky pick to be over 500 and possible a playoff contender. Sorry, Carolina fans, Christian McCaffery might be the only bright spot in Charlotte this year.
NFC West
| Seattle Seahawks | 11-5 |
|---|---|
| San Francisco 49ers | 11-5 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 9-7 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 8-8 |
Just like last year, the Seahawks and 49ers are playing the final week of the season and just like last year it will probably be for the division. However, this time I think Russell Wilson’s growing chemistry with beast wide receiver DK Metcalf will be too much for the 49ers defense to handle.
Everyone seems to be picking the Rams to have a regression in 2020 and I tend to agree with that. The defense looked extremely vulnerable and they’ve lost weapons on offense. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals might give them a run for third place in the division.
2020 NFL Playoff Predictions
Wild Card Playoffs
(2) Buffalo Bills over (7) Los Angeles Chargers
(3) Baltimore Ravens over (6) Houston Texans
(4) Tennessee Titans over (5) Indianapolis Colts
(2) Seattle Seahawks over (7) Minnesota Vikings
(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers over (3) Green Bay Packers
(5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Philadelphia Eagles
In our wild card prediction, we have both AFC home teams surviving the weekend while both NFC road teams pulled through. Is home field advantage important for the wild card round? We don’t think so.
Divisional Playoffs
(1) Kansas City Chiefs over (4) Tennessee Titans
(2) Buffalo Bills over (3) Baltimore Ravens
(1) New Orleans Saints over (6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
(2) Seattle Seahawks over (5) San Francisco 49ers
All four home teams advance in this round in our 2020 NFL prediction due to the huge advantage the bye week provides. The top two seeds from each conference will be fighting in out in the championship games.
Championships
(1) Kansas City Chiefs over (2) Buffalo Bills
(1) New Orleans Saints over (2) Seattle Seahawks
Once again, we send the lower seeds home and have the top seeds from each conference face off in Superbowl 55.
Superbowl LV
(1) New Orleans Saints over (1) Kansas City Chiefs
Related: Top Superbowl Contenders for 2020
It’s about time that Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints broke through for another championship. They’ve been right there for the last few years and this could be the year. The Saints are the champion in our 2020 NFL prediction.
