National Football League

2023 NFL playoff and division predictions from Colin Cowherd

Updated Jun. 19, 2023 9:33 a.m. ET

Per usual, there's plenty of juicy storylines and NFL teams that have the makings of a Super Bowl contender. So how will next season shake out?

Colin Cowherd provided his predictions for the 2023 NFL regular season on Thursday's edition of "The Herd."

Division winners Dolphins, Panthers and Lions highlight Colin's 2023 NFL predictions

Note: (P) means a team will make the playoffs

AFC East

1. Miami Dolphins (P)
2. Buffalo Bills (P)
3. New York Jets
4. New England Patriots

What Cowherd said: "Here is my "whoa:" Miami wins it [the division]. This whole "Stefon Diggs cancel minicamp" thing is a bigger story than people are letting on. That is weird. Secondly, Vic Fangio's defense, the people I trust in the league say he is the best acquisition Miami made. Not Jalen Ramsey. Watch that defense, it's getting copied all over the league … The Jets are good. They will vie until the end for a playoff team. They'll be a nine-10-win team. But right now, [I] don't have them in."

AFC North

1. Cincinnati Bengals (P)
2. Baltimore Ravens (P)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. Cleveland Browns

What Cowherd said: "I think the Ravens are great, but I don't think they have Joe Burrow. Also, Baltimore worries me a little. I don't buy Deshaun Watson and Cleveland. The market loves him. I don't. The schedule's pretty easy, but I don't love them. Baltimore concerns me because most of their top offensive player except Mark Andrews have an injury history."

AFC South

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (P)
2. Tennessee Titans
3. Houston Texans
4. Indianapolis Colts

What Cowherd said: "We both love the Jaguars. I think the Jaguars can be the No. 1 seed [in the AFC]. [They have a] fairly easy schedule. Trevor Lawrence [is] better [and is] now with Calvin Ridley. Titans and Texans, I think, tie at about eight or nine wins. I think Houston will be one of the more improved teams in the league. And then I think the Colts bring up the rear."

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (P)
2. Los Angeles Chargers (P)
3. Denver Broncos
4. Las Vegas Raiders

What Cowherd said: "I think Vegas ends up being pretty bad. I think Denver's significantly better, battles until the last weekend for the Chargers for a playoff spot. Kansas City, who played nine rookies last year, they're only going to get better. Kansas City will finish as the No. 2 seed in the AFC to Jacksonville, but Kansas City wins the division."

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (P)
2. Dallas Cowboys
3. New York Giants
4. Washington Commanders

What Cowherd said: "I think the Eagles have far and away the best offensive coach, O-Line, D-Line, excellent momentum. Dallas has better personnel than the Giants or Commanders. They also have a legitimate quarterback."

NFC North

1. Detroit Lions (P)
2. Minnesota Vikings (P)
3. Green Bay Packers
4. Chicago Bears

What Cowherd said: "I think losing Dalvin Cook is something for Minnesota, and I don't think they'll win all those one-score games. Last year, I believe they were 11-0 in those. I'm buying Detroit, but I'm buying Detroit to win 10 games, not like 13. People are going crazy on 'em; it's still Detroit, but they've become a playoff team. Packers slide back to about a seven-win team. Bears [get] 6-7 [wins], whatevs."

NFC South

1. Carolina Panthers (P)
2. New Orleans Saints (P)
3. Atlanta Falcons
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

What Cowherd said: "This is the hardest one because I don't love anybody. I do think the Panthers and Saints could both make the playoffs because Atlanta and Tampa aren't very good. If you go look at the Saints schedule, Derek Carr is better than the quarterbacks in 15 of those games. I don't trust their coach [Dennis Allen]. I really trust the defense and the coaching staff with Carolina, and I think Bryce Young is more than capable of being inserted in and winning the division. [The] Carolina Panthers [and] New Orleans Saints [will] battle until the last couple of weekends for the division title."

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers (P)
2. Los Angeles Rams (P)
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. Arizona Cardinals

What Cowherd said: "I think the Rams and Seahawks, like the Titans and Texans, will be tied at the end of the year both winning about nine games. I don't think Geno Smith will double-down on that year. Most of their stars are still very young, schedule maybe a tad tougher. Rams still have Stafford; they have Sean McVay; they have Cooper Kupp; they have Aaron Donald. Don't tell me they're going to stay down long; it's a coach-quarterback weapon league."

Here's a recap of Cowherd's playoff predictions:

AFC Playoff Teams

Miami Dolphins
Buffalo Bills
Cincinnati Bengals
Baltimore Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Chargers

NFC Playoff Teams

Philadelphia Eagles
Detroit Lions
Minnesota Vikings
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
San Francisco 49ers
Los Angeles Rams

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