Indianapolis Colts - 2023 NFL Season Preview

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS                                                                  

                                        

2022 Record - 4-12-1 

Head Coach - Shane Steichen 

 

Offensive Rank - 27th (312 YPG); Scoring - 30th (17.0 PPG)

Defensive Rank - 15th (334 YPG); Scoring - 28th (25.1 PPG)

 

The Colts will look to veteran journeyman Gardner Minshew to start at quarterback as top rookie draft pick Anthony Richardson (Florida) learns the system in training camp. Minshew passed for 663 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions with Philadelphia last season. Running back Jonathan Taylor rushed for 861 yards last year with four touchdowns and a 4.5 YPC average, but he is holding out in training camp and the team signed Kenyan Drake, who went for 482 yards (4.4 YPC) and four scores last season with Baltimore. Zack Moss (365, 4.8, one TD) and Deon Jackson (236, 3.5, one TD and 30 receptions for 209 yards, one TD) are also available. The wide receivers include Michael Pittman, Jr., who led Indy with 99 receptions last year for 925 yards and four touchdowns. Alec Pierce (41, 5923, two TD), Isaiah McKenzie and rookie Josh Downs (North Carolina) will be in the mix and tight ends Mo Alie-Cox and Jelani Woods as well. 

The defense features defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (eight QB sacks) up front along with Samson Ebukam at defensive end. Rookie Adetomiwa Adebawore (Northwestern) and Grover Stewart are available up front as well. The linebacking unit has Shaquille Leonard and Zaire Franklin, who led the Colts with 167 tackles last year. Safety Rodney Thomas (four interceptions) leads the secondary along with Kenny Moore II and perhaps rookie JuJu Brents (Kansas State) at the corners.

 

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - It's been a tumultuous off-season for the Colts with Taylor's situation and the team unwilling (for now) to trade him, so the offense will be undergoing a transition not only there but at quarterback as Minshew will be the team's fourth different starter since the 2020 season. 

The new Head Coach for 2023 is Shane Steichen and he will oversee the changes on both sides of the football, including the defense where at least four different starters left for other teams and will have to be replaced. The Colts faded fast a year ago, losing their final seven games, after some successful seasons recently (including two playoff appearances) and will likely battle the Houston Texans for third place in the AFC South division. When Richardson is ready to start at quarterback, it will be another new era for the team as they look to build toward a better future.

 

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - vs. Jacksonville 

Week Two - at Houston 

Week Three - at Baltimore 

Week Four - vs. L.A. Rams 

Week Five - vs. Tennessee 

Week Six - at Jacksonville 

Week Seven - vs. Cleveland 

Week Eight - vs. New Orleans 

Week Nine - at Carolina 

Week Ten - at New England (Frankfurt, Germany) 

Week Eleven - BYE 

Week Twelve - vs. Tampa Bay 

Week Thirteen - at Tennessee 

Week Fourteen - at Cincinnati 

Week Fifteen - vs. Pittsburgh 

Week Sixteen - at Atlanta 

Week Seventeen - vs. Las Vegas 

Week Eighteen - vs. Houston

Houston Texans - 2023 NFL Season Preview

HOUSTON TEXANS                                                                                  

 

2022 Record - 3-13-1 

Head Coach - DeMeco Ryans 

 

Offensive Rank - 31st (284 YPG); Scoring - 30th (17.0 PPG)

Defensive Rank - 30th (380 YPG); Scoring - 27th (24.7 PPG)

Rookie draft pick C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) is expected to be the starting quarterback this season and Case Keenum and Davis Mills will provide backup. Mills threw for 3,118 yards last season with 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Dameon Pierce (939 rushing yards, 4.3 YPC, four TD) and Devin Singletary (819, 4.6 YPC, five TD with Buffalo) are the running backs and the tight end is Dalton Schultz, who had 57 receptions for 577 yards and five touchdowns with Dallas. Robert Woods (53, 527, two TD with Tennessee), Nico Collins (37, 481, two TD), John Metchie III and rookies Tank Dell (Houston) and Xavier Hutchinson (Iowa State) are among the wide receivers. 

The defense will add two rookies up front with defensive ends Will Anderson, Jr. (Alabama) and Dylan Horton (TCU) along with Jerry Hughes (team high nine sacks in 2022) and tackles Maliek Collins and Sheldon Rankins. Denzel Perryman (two interceptions) comes over the Raiders and will be at linebacker along with Christian Harris. The secondary features safety Jalen Pitre, who had five interceptions last year, along with Jimmie Ward and corners Steven Nelson and Derek Stingley, Jr. 

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The new Head Coach is DeMeco Ryans this season. The Texans have been in rebuilding mode for the past two seasons and will have a rookie starting at quarterback along with new faces in the backfield and at wide receiver. The running game definitely needs to improve after averaging just 87 yards per game (31st in NFL) last season. Stroud will likely take his lumps as a rookie quarterback, but he has the talent to make a difference as he gets experience under center.

On defense, the Texans will look to get the pressure on opposing quarterbacks with an infusion of free agents and the two rookie draft picks. The pass defense was 10th overall last year while the run defense was the worst in pro football, allowing 170 yards per game. There are many question marks for this team heading into the 2023 season and if the youngsters can get things going as the season goes along, it could make for a better outcome at season's end.

 

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - at Baltimore 

Week Two - vs. Indianapolis 

Week Three - at Jacksonville 

Week Four - vs. Pittsburgh 

Week Five - at Atlanta 

Week Six - vs. New Orleans 

Week Seven - BYE 

Week Eight - at Carolina 

Week Nine - vs. Tampa Bay 

Week Ten - at Cincinnati

Week Eleven - vs. Arizona 

Week Twelve - vs. Jacksonville 

Week Thirteen - vs. Denver 

Week Fourteen - at N.Y. Jets 

Week Fifteen - at Tennessee 

Week Sixteen - vs. Cleveland 

Week Seventeen - vs. Tennessee 

Week Eighteen - at Indianapolis 

Pittsburgh Steelers - 2023 NFL Season Preview

PITTSBURGH STEELERS                                                                                         

2022 Record - 9-8

Head Coach - Mike Tomlin 

 

Offensive Rank - 23rd (323 YPG); Scoring - 26th (18.1 PPG)

Defensive Rank - 13th (330 YPG); Scoring - 11th (20.4 PPG) 

 

The Steelers will be looking to second year quarterback Kenny Pickett to be the starter after he passed for 2,404 yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions a year ago while also rushing for 237 yards and scoring three times on the ground. Mitch Trubisky is slated as the backup QB and he passed for 1,252 yards with four touchdowns and five picks. Najee Harris leads the rushing attack and he amassed 1,034 yards (3.8 YPC) and scored seven touchdowns while also making 41 receptions for 229 yards and three scores. The wide receivers include Diontae Johnson (86 receptions for 882 yards), George Pickens (52, 801, four TD) and Allen Robinson II (33, 339, three TD with LA Rams) while Pat Freiermuth is the tight end and he had 63 receptions for 732 yards with two scores.

The defense is led by defensive end Cameron Heyward (10 1/2 QB sacks) and linebackers Alex Highsmith, who had 14 1/2 sacks, and T.J. Watt, who missed seven games last season with various injuries. The secondary features Minkah Fitzpatrick (six interceptions and 96 tackles) along with corner man Levi Wallace (four picks) and Patrick Peterson, another corner who had five interceptions with Minnesota last season. Rookie Joey Porter, Jr. (Penn State) is also in the fold as a cornerback. 

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Steelers finished very strong last season, winning four in a row and six of their last seven games to avoid the first ever losing season for Head Coach Mike Tomlin, who has been at the helm since the 2007 season. 

Quarterback Kenny Pickett will be relied upon to continue improving while trying to cut down on interceptions and relying less on his running skills. With a decent core of receivers and a solid tight end, he has reliable targets in the passing game. The running game was average a year ago and the team will likely emphasize improvement in that area, which is usually a strong point in Steel City. Improving in the red zone is a must as the team only averaged 18 points per game a year ago. 

The defense should be solid, especially if Watt, who is among the best defensive players in the NFL, can stay healthy at the linebacker position. The pass rush is respectable (40 total QB sacks in 2022) and the secondary could be among the best in pro football barring injury to any key players. The Steelers tied for the NFL lead with 20 interceptions a year ago. So it stands to reason this team could contend for a playoff spot in the very rugged AFC this season. That could be a bit of a reach, but it's not out of the question as long as the offense can score more points. 

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - vs. San Francisco 

Week Two - vs. Cleveland 

Week Three - at Las Vegas 

Week Four - at Houston 

Week Five - vs. Baltimore 

Week Six - BYE

Week Seven - at L.A. Rams 

Week Eight - vs. Jacksonville 

Week Nine - vs. Tennessee 

Week Ten - vs. Green Bay 

Week Eleven - at Cleveland 

Week Twelve - at Cincinnati 

Week Thirteen - vs. Arizona 

Week Fourteen - vs. New England 

Week Fifteen - at Indianapolis 

Week Sixteen - vs. Cincinnati 

Week Seventeen - at Seattle 

Week Eighteen - at Baltimore

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleveland Browns - 2023 NFL Season Preview

CLEVELAND BROWNS      

                                                                        

2022 Record - 7-10

Head Coach - Kevin Stefanski 

 

Offensive Rank -14th (349 YPG); Scoring - 18th (21.2 PPG)

Defensive Rank - 14th (331 YPG); Scoring - 20th (22.4 PPG) 

 

Deshaun Watson will be the quarterback and in five games last year (after serving 11-game suspension from the NFL) he had 1,102 passing yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions. The running game has Nick Chubb (1,525 yards, 5.0 YPC and 12 TD) and Jerome Ford backing him up as Kareem Hunt left in the off-season. The wide receivers are Amari Cooper (78 receptions, 1,160 yards, nine TD), Donovan Peoples-Jones (61, 839, three TD) and Elijah Moore (37, 446, one TD with NY Jets), Marquise Goodwin and rookie Cedric Tillman (Tennessee). The tight end is David Njoku, who had 58 receptions for 628 yards and four touchdowns last season.

The defense features All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett (16 QB sacks) along with Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and tackles Jordan Elliott and Dalvin Tomlinson. Anthony Walker, Jr. leads the linebackers and Denzel Ward (three interceptions) and Grant Delpit (four INT and team high 105 tackles) anchor the secondary.

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - The Browns finished strong last season and having Watson at quarterback for his first full NFL season since 2020 should be a good thing for Head Coach Kevin Stefanski and his staff. Cleveland had four one-score losses a year ago and if the defense can get the key stops and Watson and his receivers show a good mix along with a solid rushing attack led by Chubb, the Browns could be a team to be reckoned with. 

Playing in the AFC North is never easy, especially with the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens around. The Browns split their six divisional games in the 2022 season and three of their first four games this year are against  AFC North foes, so a good start will be important if they want to contend for an AFC playoff spot. Of course, keeping key players healthy will play a big role as well. But don't be too surprised if the Browns are hanging around come late December.

 

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - vs. Cincinnati 

Week Two - at Pittsburgh 

Week Three - vs. Tennessee 

Week Four - vs. Baltimore 

Week Five - BYE 

Week Six - vs. San Francisco 

Week Seven - at Indianapolis 

Week Eight - at Seattle 

Week Nine - vs. Arizona 

Week Ten - at Baltimore 

Week Eleven - vs. Pittsburgh 

Week Twelve - at Denver 

Week Thirteen - at L.A. Rams 

Week Fourteen - at Jacksonville 

Week Fifteen - vs. Chicago 

Week Sixteen - at Houston 

Week Seventeen - vs. N.Y. Jets 

Week Eighteen - at Cincinnati 

Cincinnati Bengals - 2023 NFL Season Preview

CINCINNATI BENGALS                                                                                    

2022 Record -12-4

Head Coach - Zac Taylor 

 

Offensive Rank - 8th (361 YPG); Scoring -7th (26.1 PPG)

Defensive Rank - 14th (336 YPG); Scoring - 5th (20.1 PPG)

Quarterback Joe Burrow is entering his fourth NFL season and in 2022, he passed for 4,475 yards with 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and also scored five rushing touchdowns. Joe Mixon is coming off a season where he averaged just 3.9 yards per carry while gaining 814 yards and scored seven touchdowns while catching 60 passes with two scores. Rookie Chase Brown (Illinois) will look to contribute. Wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase (87 receptions, 1,046 yards, nine TD), Tee Higgins (74, 1,029, seven TD) and Tyler Boyd (58, 762, five TD) form one of the best trios in the NFL.

 On defense, it will be ends Trey Hendrickson (eight sacks) and Sam Hubbard (6 1/2 sacks) leading the charge with linebackers Logan Wilson (team leading 123 tackles) and Germaine Pratt providing pressure as well. Rookie DE Myles Murphy (Clemson) will look to have some impact as well in the front seven. The secondary features some new faces after their top interception leaders bolted for free agency, leaving Cam Taylor-Britt and Chidobe Awuzie as the likely starters at cornerback. Rookie DJ Turner (Michigan) could be slotted in at CB as well. Nick Scott and Dax Hill are the safeties.

 

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 -The Bengals will be looking to get to the AFC Championship Game for a third straight year and will need a healthy Burrow all season long at quarterback to ensure they can possibly do that. Burrow has had a calf injury problem in training camp, but it's optimism for the team having him ready for the season opener. Head Coach Zac Taylor knows his team can get back to the Super Bowl for the second time in three years as long as the defense plays consistently. Cincy had a bend, but don't break defense a year ago but could use more pressure up front rushing the passer (only 30 sacks in 2022) which would take some pressure off the secondary, which is going through a big turnover in player personnel. 

The offense should be among the top ten in the NFL once again as long as Burrow and company keep doing their thing. The AFC North will likely be a two team race between the Bengals and Ravens, but the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers each beat the Bengals once last season, so nothing is guaranteed. The Bengals should make the playoffs and another deep run is a good possibility as long as the defense does their part.

 

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - at Cleveland 

Week Two - vs. Baltimore 

Week Three - vs. L.A. Rams 

Week Four - at Tennessee 

Week Five - at Arizona 

Week Six - vs. Seattle 

Week Seven - BYE 

Week Eight - at San Francisco 

Week Nine - vs. Buffalo 

Week Ten - vs. Houston 

Week Eleven - at Baltimore 

Week Twelve - vs. Pittsburgh 

Week Thirteen - at Jacksonville 

Week Fourteen - vs. Indianapolis 

Week Fifteen - vs. Minnesota 

Week Sixteen - at Pittsburgh 

Week Seventeen - at Kansas City 

Week Eighteen - vs. Cleveland 

 

Trump Indicted Yet Again

It's a trifecta for former president Donald Trump as he gets indicted for a third time. 

This time for election fraud conspiracy and three other charges that will hold him accountable for the actions on January 6, 2021 with the coup attempt of our nation's government. 

What a loser he is! 

Absolutely the WORST president ever in the history of the United States of America.

Baltimore Ravens - 2023 NFL Season Preview

BALTIMORE RAVENS                                                                         

                                                          

2022 Record - 10-7 

Head Coach - John Harbaugh 

Offensive Rank -  16th (339 YPG); Scoring -19th (20.6 PPG)

Defensive Rank -  9th (324 YPG); Scoring - 3rd (18.5 PPG)

 

Quarterback Lamar Jackson is back for another season after passing for 2,242 yards (17 TD, 7 INT) and he led the team in rushing with 764 yards (6.8 ypc) and three touchdowns. J.K. Dobbins (520, 5.7 ypc, two TD) and Gus Edwards (433, 5.0 ypc, three TD) are the top running backs. Wide receivers include Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham, Jr. and tight end Mark Andrews, who led the Ravens with 73 receptions last season for 837 yards and five touchdowns. Rookie Zay Flowers (Boston College) will also be in the receiving mix.

On defense, Baltimore has Justin Madubuike (5 1/2 QB sacks) up front with Michael Pierce and linebackers Patrick Queen (team high 117 tackles) and Roquan Smith help comprise the front seven. Marlon Humphrey (three interceptions) and Marcus Williams (four INT) lead the secondary.

OUTLOOK FOR 2023 - With Jackson now having a new contract, and coming off a season in which he missed action with injuries yet again, the Ravens need for him to stay on the field as much as possible. The wide receiving corps will be interesting to watch as OBJ (who missed all of 2022 season after off-season knee surgery) and a rookie look to make a difference in a subpar passing game last season. The running game has been the bread and butter for the Ravens in recent seasons, along with a strong defense. The Ravens drafted a pair of linebackers (Trenton Simpson - Clemson and Tavius Robinson - Mississippi) to provide depth to a top notch unit.

Head Coach John Harbaugh would like to see the offense soar this season, but again, that will depend on Jackson staying healthy and putting up some big numbers. Place kicker Justin Tucker is considered by many to be the best ever to do it in the NFL and he is back for his 12th season, which is good news for the team. 

The Ravens should contend in the AFC North division, where the Cincinnati Bengals have dominated the last two seasons. A favorable schedule in the first half of the season could provide a good start this season, but the team needs to avoid injuries to key players and avoid another late season slump if they want to be in the mix for a deep playoff run.

TEAM SCHEDULE 

Week One - vs. Houston 

Week Two - at Cincinnati 

Week Three - vs. Indianapolis 

Week Four - at Cleveland 

Week Five - at Pittsburgh 

Week Six - vs. Tennessee (in London, England) 

Week Seven - vs. Detroit 

Week Eight - at Arizona 

Week Nine - vs. Seattle

Week Ten - vs. Cleveland 

Week Eleven - vs. Cincinnati 

Week Twelve - at L.A. Chargers 

Week Thirteen - BYE 

Week Fourteen -  vs. L.A. Rams 

Week Fifteen - at Jacksonville 

Week Sixteen - at San Francisco 

Week Seventeen - vs. Miami 

Week Eighteen - vs. Pittsburgh