Award winners, playoff teams and more: Mark Craig's predictions for the 2023 NFL season

While it may be hard to imagine the Vikings winning as many games as they did last season, are they good enough to be a playoff team? Our NFL writer tackles that question and more.

September 6, 2023 at 11:57PM
Ja’Marr Chase of Cincinnati, Jalen Hurts of Philadelphia and Justin Jefferson of the Vikings. (Star Tribune and AP photos/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

AWARDS PREDICTIONS

Most Valuable Player

Jalen Hurts, QB, Eagles: Greater things will come with good health over 17 games.

Defensive Player of the Year

Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys: The league's most versatile defender has 26 ½ sacks and doesn't turn 25 until May.

Offensive Player of the Year

Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Bengals: Sorry, Justin Jefferson, but only two players, Marshall Faulk (1999-2001) and Earl Campbell (1978-80), have won this award in consecutive years. At least the award will stay in the LSU family.

Coach of the Year

Andy Reid, Chiefs: Poor overlooked Andy. In the last decade, he's gone 117-45 (.722) with 12 playoff wins. He's hosted the last four AFC title games, won three of them, gone on to win two Super Bowls and … still has not won Coach of the Year as a Chief. If Kansas City earns the No. 1 seed again, let's take a break from voting for whichever rookie head coach has the best one-year turnaround and reward a future Hall of Fame coach while he's still coaching.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Bryce Young, QB, Panthers: He's not quite ready for prime time, but neither is the NFC South.

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Will McDonald IV, Edge, Jets: Aaron Rodgers isn't the only guy who stands to benefit from the Jets' stacked defense.

Comeback Player of the Year

Damar Hamlin, S, Bills: The man died on the field and was brought back to life. Technically, he's already won.

Most Pleasant Surprise

Six new playoff faces: The NFL will have at least four new playoff teams for the 34th straight season. Congratulations Detroit, Carolina, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, Tennessee and the N.Y. Jets. Condolences Seattle, Tampa Bay, Miami, Jacksonville, the L.A. Chargers and the N.Y. Giants.

Biggest Disappointment

Chargers step back: Hopefully, this guess is wrong because a good coach, Brandon Staley, would lose his job if the Chargers missed the playoffs the year Justin Herbert became the highest-paid player in NFL history ($52.5 million average).

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

Wild-card games

AFC

No. 2 Bengals over No. 7 Steelers
No. 6 Ravens over No. 3 Bills
No. 5 Jets over No. 4 Titans

NFC

No. 2 49ers over No. 7 Panthers
No. 3 Saints over No. 6 Lions
No. 5 Cowboys over No. 4 Vikings

Divisional games

AFC

No. 6 Ravens over No. 1 Chiefs
No. 2 Bengals over No. 5 Jets

NFC

No. 1 Eagles over No. 5 Cowboys
No. 2 49ers over No. 3 Saints

Conference championships

AFC

No. 2 Bengals over No. 6 Ravens

NFC

No. 1 Eagles over No. 2 49ers

Super Bowl LVIII

Eagles over Bengals

about the writer

about the writer

Mark Craig

Sports reporter

Mark Craig has covered the NFL nearly every year since Brett Favre was a rookie back in 1991. A sports writer since 1987, he is covering his 30th NFL season out of 37 years with the Canton (Ohio) Repository (1987-99) and the Star Tribune (1999-present).

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