Looking Ahead to 2022 with New Year’s NFL Predictions: NFL Props, Futures
As usual, the past year brought plenty of intrigue and storylines in the NFL. As the calendar turns to 2022, we’re dusting off our crystal ball and looking into the future.
Rather than solely predict how this season will end or how next season will unfold, we’re looking at major storylines that could happen between January and December 2022, including the 2021 MVP winner and Super Bowl matchup, along with where Aaron Rodgers ends up next season.
Take a look at three somewhat bold predictions we’ve come up with based off Sports Interaction’s NFL futures and NFL props.
No More QBs
A non-quarterback will win the NFL MVP for the first time since 2012:
As we enter the final two weeks of the regular season, running back Jonathan Taylor is literally and metaphorically running away with the MVP award. There’s no question the NFL’s MVP race is routinely dominated by quarterbacks as eight straight MVPs and 12 of the last 14 were signal callers, but it’s not unheard of for the QBs to miss out. The last non-QB MVP was running back Adrian Peterson in 2012.
To legitimately have a chance to win the MVP as a non-QB, a player needs to dominant his position. Taylor is miles ahead of every other running back in the league right now as he leads the NFL in rushing yards (1,626), rushing touchdowns (17) and total touchdowns (19). That puts him nearly 500 rushing yards ahead of the next closest player and on pace for 1,843 rushing yards for the season. The last three running backs to win MVP, Peterson (2012), LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) and Shaun Alexander (2005), all rushed for at least 1,800 yards.
This award often comes down to team success, with 13 of the last 16 MVPs coming from teams that were the top seed in their conference. The Colts won’t win the AFC, but with their final two games coming at home against the Raiders and on the road in Jacksonville, Indy has a solid shot to take the AFC South. Two big performances from Taylor in those games could be enough to see the first non-QB MVP in nearly a decade.
Brady vs. Belichick
Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers will defend their Super Bowl title against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots:
Brady and the Bucs’ offence versus Belichick and the Pats’ defence. This is the matchup nobody wants to admit they’re rooting for. After 20 years of decimating the AFC East and most of the NFL together, Brady left New England and Belichick for the warmer weather in Tampa Bay. It was a monumental breakup considering the duo went to nine Super Bowls together, winning six.
Brady struck first in the “who was more important” debate between the star quarterback and legendary coach. His seventh Super Bowl win last year means that half of the Super Bowls over the last two decades have featured one or both of Brady and Belichick. Everyone’s favourite emotionless coach has proven his desire to win outweighs all else and whether he admits it or not, Belichick is desperate to win without Brady. What better way than to do that directly against Brady in the Super Bowl?
Rodgers Wins AFC West
Aaron Rodgers will finally get his long awaited trade and lead the Denver Broncos to an AFC West crown:
Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert…and Aaron Rodgers? Now that’s a stacked division (sorry for the snub, Derek Carr). Rodgers’ desire to leave Green Bay has been well documented over the last couple of seasons and one team that he has been consistently linked to is the Denver Broncos. This location makes sense for a couple of reasons. The Packers aren’t sending him to an NFC team, it’s just not going to happen. But more importantly, in Denver, Rodgers would be surround by a talented receiving core of Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, KJ Hamler and tight end Noah Fant. That automatically gives the Broncos one of the most dangerous offence’s in the NFL and a legitimate shot to challenge Mahomes in the AFC West.
Rodgers is the favourite to win a second straight MVP this season, but regardless of if he wins (or maybe a certain Colts running back upsets him?), this won’t be an easy move to make for Denver. This is a future Hall of Famer who immediately elevates the Broncos to Super Bowl contenders. It worked out pretty well in the Mile High City, however, when they picked up Peyton Manning at the tail of his career, so it’s worth the risk. Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock aren’t the answer in Denver. If the Broncos can get creative and make the cap space work to add No. 12, the AFC West could become the most stacked and entertaining division in the NFL.