The countdown to the NFL regular season, which begins on Thursday, September 8, has begun. Teams have begun making their preparations and the training camps, which started in mid-July, have been in full swing.
On Thursday, August 11, the New York Giants will go up against the New England Patriots, and the Baltimore Ravens will host the Tennessee Titans, in the first of the Week 1 preseason clashes as it truly gets under way. Below is a look at some of the teams that have prepared best for the start of the season and which teams in the NFL might get off to a flying start.
Who is preparing well?
The preparations are thorough, and the training camps of some teams have gone especially well. Here are some of the teams who have made some sound preparations in the run-up to the start of the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
The power rankings have been unkind to the Carolina Panthers and pegged them as just about the worst team in the NFL. The experts could be wrong, however. The Panthers’ training camp has displayed structure, seriousness and purpose, something which has lacked a long time since it appointed head coach Matt Rhule.
The pads have gone on and major players such as C J Saunders have started to impose themselves. The positivity they and their improvement bring to the team will have a huge impact. Fans may see a version of the Carolina Panthers they’ve not seen before in 2022.
Detroit Lions
The Lions have the potential to turn things around and surprise a lot of people. The head coach, Dan Campbell, has developed a competitive culture in the club. This has turned the Lions into a team of scrappers who will fight hard, even when it seems there’s nothing to play for.
The team also have solid quarterback play in the form of Jared Goff, which encouraged them to forget about looking for potential replacements through the draft, trade or free agency. He’ll have support in the form of Jameson Williams, who came in through the draft, and the team enjoys defensive support thanks to drafting in Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal.
Buffalo Bills
Some might not think of the Buffalo Bills as winners in the NFL draft, but the team made impressive moves during it. The best of these was bringing in Kaair Elam, who, it appears, could be the missing piece in a defensive unit that some consider will be the best in 2022.
Although the Bills already had a powerful attack, the team’s preparations have reinforced it further by picking James Cook in round two of the draft. Cook is a versatile player and will work well with the highly under-rated wide receiver Jamison Crowder. Opponents can expect a miserable time, courtesy of the Bills’ attack.
The start of the season
The Rams will take on the Bills in the kick-off game of the regular season, but most teams in the NFL will get their campaign going later in Week 1. Sunday, September 11 will be the day a lot of teams step out onto the grid for their match of the regular season.
Anything can happen in the NFL, which is what makes it such an exciting sport to bet on. Why not check out the NFL odds and place a wager? Here are a few teams that might get off to a flying start in the 2022 season:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
For one thing, Tom Brady isn’t going to retire in the end, which changes things significantly. Leonard Fournette helps bring a solid run game to the team and, when Chris Godwin returns to full health, the team will have strong wide receivership. It also looks as if it’s only a matter of time before Rob Gronkowski returns to the team.
Denver Broncos
The Broncos made a franchise-altering trade for Russell Wilson, who will raise the level of the entire club thanks to his deep passing accuracy and ability to escape pressure. The quarterback completes an offensive line of playmakers.
The signing of tight end Greg Dulcich saw the Broncos address a major need in the team. The addition of tackle Billy Turner, who has five seasons of starting experience, beefs up the offense even further and could make it one of the most truly formidable in the AFC.
It won’t be long before the NFL regular season has kicked off and teams will find out if the new players they’ve acquired during the draft, and if all the other preparations they’ve made, will bear fruit. The one thing of which the world can be sure is that the season will be as exciting as it’s always been.
