The 2024 NFL Season is upon us, and its time for Balls’ annual AFCW Predicktions. This is always met with plenty of bitching and moaning, but at the end of the season, I have a knack for hitting more than I miss. For example, when I’m being a homer and predicting more wins than Vegas or the mainstream media for the Raiders, the Raiders have hit 4 of the last 5 season win totals for the Raiders, when you guessed it, I predicted the Under. Ouch, that hurts. Or when I “hated” on the PFM Broncos for predicting they’d with the Super Bowl in the 2015 season despite PFM being dog shit, but the NFL needing his Swan Song season. I’ve picked the Chiefs to win the AFCW and more for like ever at this point, yet Poe’s bitchass still seems disrespected by my Chiefs predictions. Chargers? I’ve been pretty close, hard to be too far up and down from a team that is so incredibly mediocre, unless you’re retarded, the NFL Media, or Chargers fans who actually think these teams were anything special in the last forever.
So take whatever opinion you think the next 60 seconds of reading as it relates to my thoughts on your team’s season, ball it up, and throw it in the fucking trash, because yours truly has been way more hit than miss. So just sit this one out for once. Your Balls 2024 NFL/AFCW Predicktions!!
AFCW Standings Predicktions:
Kansas City Chiefs (13-4): They’re in year 6 of the (let’s get some tape on Patrick before we crown him) Mahomes Era… He’s still good. Reid’s good, defense is good. I do question a little of everything around them; but it ultimately is rooted in the idea of, can they possibly win 3 straight?? I’ll say no, moreso because of the odds. The odds they can lose a game vs a few contending AFC teams in playoffs or the NFC contender in the SB. The odds the receiving options can be good enough for Mahomes, the odds the OL/Defense can continue to be a strength surrounding him, and lets be honest, the odds the NFL will continue to allow them via officiating/etc. At some point, Chiefs ruling the NFL may not be great for business no matter how much you try to subsidize it (i.e. Mahomes, Kelce, Swifties, etc). Either way, Chiefs win the AFC West easily.
Las Vegas Raiders (9-8): Honestly, you could draw the next 3 teams out of a hat in my opinion. I think they’re all that close. I think the Raiders have the track record against their interdivision opponents, and the ability to matchup outside of it well enough to “earn” 2nd place in the AFCW, but outside of the playoffs and any semblance of contending for the NFL Championship. Pieces of their defense will shine, while others prove to be a liability at times. The receiving corps might be the best in the AFCW, but with Gardner Minshew at QB and an up and down OL/run game to support them, there will be some offensive dry spells.
Los Angeles Chargers (7-10): It’s hard to predict a losing season for a Jim Harbaugh led team. I have a lot of respect for the man. He was on the short list for replacing Jon Gruden for my Raiders in recent years. While I share a lot of the same respect for QB Justin Herbert, I’ve also long pointed out his shortfalls including rather uniquely circumstantial losses featuring late game giveaways, it’s hard for me to hitch my wagon to despite my respect for HC Harbaugh. There are simply too many questions surrounding him on offense, take your pick, OL, RB’s, TE’s, WR’s. There are also those underlying issues on a historically bad Brandon Staley’s Charger Defense.
Denver Broncos (6-11): It’s definitely not as hard to predict a losing season for a Denver Broncos team that has been losing for quite some time. Despite his ego, Sean Payton does not strike fear in the NFL/AFCW. He found that out in 2023. Their -56 Point Differential (which was an improvement from -72 in 2022) was still somehow good to finish 2nd in the AFCW at 8-9. The Broncos feature a rookie QB (whom I have grown to like in the offseason training process), with a mediocre offense around him, and a defense that I question as being the “strength” it’s being perceived as going into the season. This team has finished last in the AFCW 3 of the last 4 seasons. Only last season did they manage to crawl their way out despite the point differential. With the potential at QB, a few other pieces, and if HC Payton can regain success in the NFL, they have as good of chance as any to return to AFCW “Glory” (i.e. 2nd place behind the Chiefs).
Those season team predicktions of the AFCW were a bit doom and gloomy. My apologies, but I do think it’s another down year for the AFCW outside of the Chiefs winning and contending for another SB. Let’s focus on some high notes. As stated, Mahomes is still MVP favorite, Maxx Crosby should be firmly in the NFL Defensive POY race followed shortly by Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Chris Jones, etc. QB Bo Nix of Denver definitely has OROY potential, as well as TE Brock Bowers of the LV Raiders. There are plenty of reasons for AFC West fans to be excited for the 2o24 campaign, but I believe it should be focused around the building blocks for 3 of the 4 teams, with the Chiefs being the outlier as far as 2024 Playoff contention looking for the Super Bowl 3-Peat.
2024 NFL Predicktions:
AFC Playoff Teams (in seeded order): 1. Chiefs, 2. Texans, 3. Dolphins, 4. Ravens, 5. Bengals, 6. Jets, 7. Jaguars.
NFC Playoff Teams (in seeded order): 1. Lions, 2. Rams, 3. Eagles, 4. Falcons. 5. 49ers, 6. Packers, 7. Cowboys
AFC Championship: Texans over Jets, 27-23.
NFC Championship: Lions over Rams 31-20.
Super Bowl: Lions over Texans 30-24.
Individual Awards:
MVP – Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Defensive POY – Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Offensive POY – Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Offensive ROY – Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Defensive ROY – Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings
Coach OTY – DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
Comeback Player of the Year – Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets.