Well…I did it for the college football ranks. The NFL is no different. I’m a firm believer in holding yourself accountable for your predictions if you’re going to make ’em, and that’s exactly what I’m here to do this morning. I’m looking back at the things I said last summer and comparing that prognostication to where the results landed.
By the way, I’m only counting things that happened exactly how I predicted they would. For instance, I called the Steelers a playoff team in 2023, but I cited a leap from Kenny Pickett and the offense as the reason why. Even though the Steelers did technically make the playoffs, it was most certainly not because Pickett took the next step as a franchise quarterback. So, to me, it’s not accurate for me to say I got that right. Got it? Got it. Okay, let’s go.
What I got wrong…
Super Bowl 58: Eagles over the Ravens – I was super high on Shane Steichen heading over to the Colts, but I’ll admit that I vastly underestimated the value that Jonathan Gannon brought to that organization. Both are setting their respective franchises up for success in the future. Both certainly look like they meant a whole lot more to the Eagles organization than we initially thought. I thought the pieces were there for the Eagles to go on a run and avenge last year’s Super Bowl loss. But, things really fell apart. Now, we sit here in February having Nick Sirianni hot seat discussions. The Eagles were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. So much for that Super Bowl pick.
The Titans – An absolutely disastrous prognostication of the team I know the best back in September. I mean…I can do an entire article about how wrong I was about the Titans alone. I thought we’d get to a point where the roster would bottom out and we’d be faced with a rebuild. I did not think we would get to that point by the bye week, but that was the moment that I realized the season was not going to go the way I’d drawn it up. I thought if they had a healthy Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry, the window would be open for one more season. I thought the offensive line couldn’t possibly get any worse. I thought Monty Rice was poised for a breakout season. I thought Chig Okonkwo and Treylon Burks would become elite at their positions. Literally, you can go back and watch my appearance on Football & Other F Words’ preseason predictions episode and cringe for an hour straight. I may never recover from how bad I had the Titans pinned last summer. I am a fucking moron.
Sam LaPorta, TE11 – I think this is easily the biggest miss of my 2023 draft coverage. It is embarrassing, to say the least. But, I’ll tell you guys…I 100% believed it. Surrounded by friends dining on oysters at Wintzell’s in Mobile, Alabama, someone asked me why. I said simply, “he’s full of shit.” And, that was genuinely what I thought. I got hung up on this move he did in every game I watched of his where he would get to the point of his break and just shove whoever was covering him. I was aghast at how infrequently he was called for this, and I was so infatuated with this little nitpick that it completely ruined my perception of him. I also didn’t love the production, but as it turns out, the Iowa offense, as a whole, was pretty bad. I’m not going down a rabbit hole like that again.
The NFC South – I called it a “coin flip” between the Falcons and Saints. I happened to have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the conversation of “worst team in the league” and “in the Caleb Williams” sweepstakes. Nope.
The Cowboys – I don’t remember exactly why I was so down on the Cowboys to begin with…probably just felt like they were getting older and they still had Mike McCarthy as the head coach. I keep thinking he’ll bottom out, and he just keeps winning.
What I got right…
The Ravens – I thought the defense had some real talent. I thought the addition of Todd Monken as offensive coordinator would pay immediate dividends. I thought they had the ingredients to go on a Super Bowl run. Too bad they picked the worst moment of the season to completely shit the bed, or I might’ve looked like a genius.
The Chiefs – Should I really count this? I mean…they’re the Chiefs. As long as Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are breathing, I’m going to pick them to win the AFC West. There’s no sign that they’re slowing down any time soon.
The Packers – It’s not online anywhere, but I swear…maybe it’s somewhere on The Unofficial Titans Podcast…but I called the Packers a playoff team and said “at a certain point this season, it’s going to click for Jordan Love and I love the way they’ve invested draft capital in weapons around him.” I raised a few eyebrows with that prediction, but hey…I get ’em right every once in awhile.
Puka Nacua – In a year when my preseason predictions were by and large atrocious across the board, I might have somehow pulled my greatest prediction ever out of my ass at the same time. Last March, I said Nacua had what it takes to be a team’s WR1. In June, I doubled down and tweeted that I wanted a sports book to give me odds on Nacua winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. People are already asking me who this year’s Puka Nacua is going to be. I honestly don’t think I’ll ever have such a lottery ticket of a prediction again. Or, wait…no…I am super confident in my scouting ability and am sure I’ll get these things right every year.
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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