5 Flaming Hot Takes for the 2026 NFL Season
We are less than an hour away from kicking off the 2026 NFL season. What are the hottest takes we can produce?
I recently released my full season predictions a few days back. If you have read that, you will know the predictions in the article below will not match.
These flaming hot takes are not meant to match. These are somewhat extreme scenarios that I could potentially see playing out. Again, these takes are flaming hot. You aren't meant to agree with them.
Let's get into it.
The Seattle Seahawks Miss the Postseason
Seattle is coming a Super Bowl victory in a season where everything seemed to align for them. A new QB, OC, two new WRs, and a new Pro Bowl DE all somehow meshed together to play a massive role in their championship.
Offensively, you would never had thought a team like this could win a Super Bowl. They were middling in every statistic outside of Sam Darnold's play-action passing. The run game that carried them to Disneyland? Below average for the entire regular season, only improving in the postseason.
Seattle thrived off an elite defensive playcaller who maximized a handful of freakish athletes on their defense, fantastic roster depth, an OC who was steadfast in his philosophy, all combined with being the third healthiest team in the NFL according to FTN Fantasy.
There is a chance a lot that went right for Seattle in 2025 does not line up this season.
I'll start with the injuries.
Pro Bowl safety Julian Love missed 9 games, but returned in Week 14 and for the postseason.
All-Pro CB Devon Witherspoon missed 5 games, but returned in Week 9 and played the remainder of the season.
RB Zach Charbonnet tore his knee in the final game against SF, but one could argue that spring boarded the Seahawks to the Super Bowl, giving SBMVP Kenneth Walker more touches.
That is the extent of any notable Seattle injuries in 2025. The odds of having that clean of a season are so low, and the Seahawks are already less healthy. WR Jake Bobo and rookie S Bud Clark are out for the season.
Which leads us to the question of depth.
Seattle had all of it a season ago, but let DE Boye Mafe, RB Kenneth Walker, CB Riq Woolen, and S Coby Bryant walk this offseason.
Now, the roster is still rock solid. But just a bit weaker throughout, especially when injuries inevitably occur. Seattle could be counting on veteran DE Dante Fowler along with rookies in RB Jadarian Price and CB Julian Neal.
Speaking of cornerbacks, who is playing outside for the Seahawks?
Devon Witherspoon and Josh Jobe are a solid starting pair, but Witherspoon will have to play a lot of slot corner this year. DB Nick Emmanwori was the main slot guy last season, but he is currently injured. He had ankle surgery in July. It's likely he'll be back early on, but even if Emmanwori returns, he might need to take on more true safety responsibilities, rather than play in the slot.
Seattle is clearly panicking about their other CB spot. Riq Woolen is not easy to replace. They signed former Lions 1st rounder Terrion Arnold, who was released due to a kidnapping charge, but he's on the Commissioner Exempt list. He can not play.
They also signed former All-Pro Trevon Diggs, who is on their practice squad. Diggs has not played good football in nearly three seasons.
Out of nowhere, there may be a serious crack in the Seahawks defense.
The Seahawks have a new OC, Brian Fleury. A tight ends coach from San Francisco, Seattle sticks with the same scheme for Darnold. The last time Fleury called plays was for Sacred Heart University in 2008, for the defense. But I'm not even worried about that.
What made Seattle's offense inevitably succeed in the postseason was the philosophy. Regardless of having a statistically average run game, Klint Kubiak stuck with it, running at a 50% clip, 3rd highest in the NFL. The Seahawks needed this, because it benefitted Sam Darnold, who had another strong season. It helped unlock Jaxon Smith-Njigba, launching Seattle's overall offense up a tier.
If Brian Fleury can not captivate the same philosophy, Seattle may be in trouble offensively. Especially with a change at RB.
Kenneth Walker is gone, and his explosive runs against loaded boxes is a big part of what saved Seattle's middling run game. They now have Jadarian Price. I loved Price in college, but he never had to face stacked boxes like he will see in Seattle. There is a chance the Seahawks' explosive run rate dips, and Sam Darnold is put in more difficult situations as a passer.
And speaking of Darnold, here is a counterpoint. Some say the Seahawks might be even better in 2026 because of their poor turnover differential a year ago. Even with an elite defense, Seattle had a turnover differential of -3. As I discussed in a previous article, turnovers have high variance year to year.
However, I do not apply this to Seattle because of who their quarterback is.
Sam Darnold turns the ball over a lot. He always has. That is simply who he is. Darnold has become a very good NFL QB over the last few years, but his turnover problem has not disappeared. In the years in which Darnold has started at least 11 games, he has turned the ball over at least 15 times.
The turnover margin could improve, but not to the point where it will make a drastic difference.
And finally, the Seahawks simply face a tough schedule and reside in a tough division. Not only are the Rams the unanimous Super Bowl favorite, but the 49ers are a good team as well. And both teams got better this offseason, while Seattle objectively got worse.
Seattle faces 10 playoff teams from 2025:
LA 2x, SF 2x, CHI, NE, CAR, PHI, DEN, LAC.
Plus Kansas City and Dallas.
I predicted Seattle to make the postseason. I think Mike Macdonald is too good a coach to have them fall out with this roster. As long as Devon Witherspoon and Byron Murphy are there, this defense will be elite.
But having average injury luck could send Seattle down a spiraling tunnel that they did not have to navigate a year ago, making it tough to win against a rough schedule.
Jordan Love Wins MVP
In Jordan Love's starting tenure, the Packers have been the 7 seed in all three seasons. Matt LaFleur has called a run heavy offense, despite Love and the passing game consistently being incredibly efficient.
The scenario in which Love comes out with the MVP applies to a few quarterbacks, but I choose Love here. The Packers would have to win their division(11 wins) and commit to a pass heavy offense. And I believe the latter is actually quite plausible.
The Packers top two running backs have a combined 34 carries for 84 yards in their careers. Josh Jacobs is on the Commissioners Exempt list, and may be suspended for a while. Green Bay's offensive line is a question mark, as they break in two new starters, at LT and RG. It is particularly questionable in the run game.
In short, it's very easy to picture Green Bay having a negative run game for the first time in LaFleur's 8 year tenure.
At some point, and I believe it may even be in Week 1, LaFleur will have to face the music and let Jordan Love drop back 35 times a game. At least.
On top of a likely negative run game, the Packers might simply be forced to throw the ball a lot because their defense may not be good. It did not rank that well in 2025 with Micah Parsons, and they'll be without Parsons for likely 5 weeks, at minimum.
Throwing the ball a lot as a top 3 most efficient passing game in the NFL, with a bad run game, mediocre defense, and unremarkable receiving weapons is typically a recipe for MVP. Of course, that's pretty much what Drake Maye did last season, and the voters gave it to the guy with more yards and touchdowns. So who knows.
4300 yards, 35 TDs, with a single digit turnover mark, along with 11 wins for Green Bay feels very possible. This would put Love firmly in the MVP conversation. It's more of a question whether the Big 3 steps up or not.
The Atlanta Falcons Get the 1st Pick in the 2027 Draft
I was on the Falcons hater train early in the offseason, and it has picked up in the public recently. Here is what we know:
The QB situation will be a disaster
Atlanta's top six (qualified) pass rushers from 2025 are likely playing on this team
Kaden Elliss, Arnold Ebiketie, and Leonard Floyd are all gone. Jalon Walker tore his ACL. Zach Harrison was released(I still don't get that one). And James Pearce Jr is facing a suspension, although it likely won't be for a full season.
Ruke Orhorhoro is also gone, he ranked 8th.
This is a recipe for disaster. There is no identity up front.
Yes they swapped Orhorhoro for Maason Smith and traded for Gervon Dexter. And Za'Darius Smith was lured out of retirement. This does not move the needle at all.
I would also like to mention that DC Jeff Ulbrich did not call plays in Atlanta last season. It was HC Raheem Morris. The last time we saw Ulrbich calling plays was for the Jets in 2024, taking over after Robert Saleh was fired midseason. The New York defense fell off a cliff once Ulbirch took over. We do not know much about his philosophy.
There are some good things in Atlanta.
The secondary looks to be fairly good. But how good can it be if the defensive front doesn't produce?
I love LB Divine Deablo, a key cog in their defense last season before getting injured, which coincided with a defensive drop-off. But his partner in crime Kaden Elliss is gone, and a Day 3 rookie is taking his place.
There are stars in the offensive skill room, with Bijan Robinson, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. But the depth is questionable. Jahan Dotson is WR2? Seriously? With their QB room, this concerns me.
The defensive backs and offensive skill players in Atlanta might simply be too good to land the number one pick. But there is no QB to get those skill players the ball, and the Falcons are a fairly thin team when it comes to depth.
At it's core, the Falcons schedule is not overtly difficult, simply due to the nature of their division. However, if they drop four, or even five, of those divisional games, the rest of the schedule is pretty dicey.
They face the NFC and AFC North, as well as the 49ers and Chiefs. It's reasonable to suggest that results in 7 losses for Atlanta.
Again, this is a flaming hot take. But I am anti-Falcons this season, and I see a world where their year completely implodes.
The Cincinnati Bengals Will Have a Top 12 Defense
This is kind of a sad bar to clear, especially for a "FLAMING Hot Takes" article. But Cincinnati had a bottom 5 defense by really every metric last season. And the defense has been in the gutter for a while.
Here are the significant additions, the guys I believe will have the biggest impact when it comes to reaching this ceiling:
NT Dexter Lawrence, All-Pro
DT Jonathan Allen, former Pro Bowler
EDGE Cashius Howell, 41st pick of the draft
DE Boye Mafe
S Bryan Cook
Dexter Lawrence is one of the best run stuffing nose tackles in the NFL who can produce double digit pressure rate numbers.
Jonathan Allen may be over the hill, but he's still an effective interior pass rusher.
Howell and Mafe fill out this well rounded edge group, joining former 1st rounders Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart.
And Bryan Cook is replacing Geno Stone as a starter. I have said before, something I truly believe, that this is the biggest positional upgrade of the entire offseason. Not just for the Bengals, but the whole NFL.
Cincinnati allowed the 3rd most explosive plays last season, and Geno Stone was the culprit on many of them. He could not tackle in the open field. That is what Bryan Cook does best.
These explosive plays only tacked onto the misery of Cincinnati's defense, as they couldn't stop a nose bleed in the run game. Well, they just added the best nose tackle in football.
It's difficult to predict a defense making such a significant jump statistically. Even if the Bengals are much improved on the eyes this season, even leading to more wins, it's very possible they still only rank around the 20th mark in the NFL.
I just think it is so plausible that a few factors join together at once to create such a rare defensive jump.
Dexter Lawrence (and others) help the run defense improve to the 20th best in the NFL
Bryan Cook's ability to cover ground and tackle in the open field takes their explosive play rate down, ranking in the 10 best
Mafe and Howell, and even Lawrence and Allen on the interior, joining this defensive line provides a pass rush boost that coincides with the breakout of Myles Murphy
The 20th best run defense and a unit that is top 10 in pressure rate and sacks could definitely be the 12th best defense in the NFL. I haven't even mentioned D.J. Turner and Dax Hill at CB yet, one of the most underrated corner duos in the NFL. I would not define cornerback as a weakness in Cincinnati.
Now, it is possible the linebackers are just too poor to support this level of defense. It doesn't matter if Dexter Lawrence is holding all the gaps if Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight can't fill the gap and make a tackle. The Bengals had arguably the worst LB play in the NFL last season and did not make a change. Yikes.
Now, this is factored in to why they only have the 20th best run defense in my hypothetical projection. It is also possible that Carter and Knight improve, as they both are only entering Year 2.
And while I am excited for the defensive line, they did lose Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai, two productive edge defenders. Adding Dexter Lawrence changes a lot though.
Between the LB play and perhaps not improving off the edge, it is still very possible Cincinnati ends up sitting closer to the basement than a top 12 defense.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Make the NFC Championship Game
The Buccaneers may be underrated. Allow me to list the negatives first, as there are fewer of them.
Baker Mayfield has been extended! Will he lose the chip on his shoulder? (I'm only half joking)
Todd Bowles is still calling plays for the defense and it has been largely uninspiring for a couple years now. He blitzes a lot, but Tampa hasn't been super effective when blitzing
Zac Robinson is the new OC, and had varying success in Atlanta. The Buccaneers success with Baker Mayfield at QB has hinged on his cohesiveness with the offensive coordinator. That's a bit hard to project.
The CB room lost Jamel Dean, a very good starter. If Zyon McCollum does not return to the form that earned him his $48m contract, Tampa could be in trouble on the outside.
The linebacker play in Tampa was not good in 2025, but they have two new starters. Veteran Alex Anzalone pairs with rookie Josiah Trotter, a 21 year old athlete who should be able to contribute to the run game immediately.
And it may be easy to help in a run game that is anchored by a newly extended Vita Vea and A'Shawn Robinson. That's a nasty front.
The rest of the defensive front is just as good, with Calijah Kancey rushing from the inside, with YaYa Diaby, Rueben Bain Jr, and Al-Quadin Muhammad off the edge. Anthony Nelson is a consistent veteran that is also there as depth. And I, along with others, continue to be intrigued by 2025 4th round pick David Walker, who won the FCS DPOY in his final college season, but missed his rookie season with a torn ACL.
This legitimately could be one of the best defensive front in the NFL.
The safety duo qualifies as well, with Antoine Winfield and Tykee Smith.
I mentioned the concern at CB, but there are options. 2025 3rd round pick Jacob Parrish primarily played in the slot as a rookie, but could bounce outside. Zyon McCollum has played well in the past. And they spent their 2nd round pick in 2025 on Benjamin Morrison. It doesn't have to be bad.
The defense has all the talent to be a borderline elite unit.
Offensively, it comes down to Baker and Zac Robinson.
Because the offensive line is rock solid and the skill position players are plentiful, even if there's no obviously elite option at this current moment. It should not hold back the operation of the offense.
I've just described what could be a very good team. Not to mention, there should be little strain when it come stop making the postseason due to their division. Roster wise, Tampa Bay is simply a better team than New Orleans and Carolina.
Tampa probably should win their division.
Getting to the NFC Championship...it's bit of a vague prediction, simply because it is matchup dependent.
But Tampa will be battle tested throughout the regular season, facing LAR, BAL, LAC, and DET in the final 8 weeks of the season.
Again, the postseason are matchup dependent. But Baker Mayfield has the big play ability for the postseason, and the roster is good enough to compete if the offense is consistent.
Can the Buccaneers coaching staff elevate this roster to it's max potential? Because the roster does have a lot of potential.
Those were my 5 last minute flaming hot takes for this NFL season. Again, I would not expect these to happen. These are the most far fetched, extreme scenarios that I could possibly envision playing out.
Let me know what you think of them, and what your extreme takes are for this NFL season!
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