NFL season preview: 32 teams, 32 storylines

The 103rd NFL season officially begins Thursday night when the defending champion Los Angeles Rams host the Buffalo Bills. Here’s a refresher on each team’s situation at the start of the long road to Super Bowl 57 in Glendale, Ariz.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills The only team in the NFL to have a top-five offence and defence last season. Buffalo’s heartbreaking overtime loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round is likely going to haunt until they get over the hump.

Miami Dolphins They surrounded Tua Tagovailoa with Tyreek Hill, Chase Edmonds, Terron Armstead and hired an innovative offensive mind in head coach Mike McDaniel. There’s pressure on Tagovailoa to live up to his top-five pick status.

New England Patriots Bill Belichick ranks third all-time with 321 victories as a head coach. The Patriots will be well-coached, but is there enough talent across the board to earn a second consecutive playoff trip?

New York Jets They drafted Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall to give the second-year quarterback Zach Wilson more weapons when he returns from a knee injury late this month. The Jets have the longest active playoff drought: 11 seasons.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens Their projected 2021 starters lost a combined 114 games to injury or illness, and they missed the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Will Lamar Jackson and company have better luck this time?

Cincinnati Bengals Only eight teams have returned to the Super Bowl a year after losing the big game. Can the Bengals defy the odds? They revamped the offensive line to protect Joe Burrow, who was sacked 70 times last season, third-most in league history.

Cleveland Browns With quarterback Deshaun Watson suspended (personal conduct) until Week 13 — in Houston of all places — the offence will rely on running backs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. They ranked fifth in total defence and pass defence last season.

Pittsburgh Steelers Mitch Trubisky is the starting QB, but his leash figures to be short as rookie Kenny Pickett waits. No matter who is under centre, Najee Harris will have a prominent role on offence. T.J. Watt and the defence led the league with 55 sacks.

AFC South

Houston Texans Coach Lovie Smith said quarterback Davis Mills is their guy, but this year feels like an extended audition for the Stanford product. The 2023 draft class is deep in QBs, enticing for a team in rebuild mode.

Indianapolis Colts They had a league-high seven Pro Bowlers but failed to reach the playoffs. In comes QB Matt Ryan after 14 seasons in Atlanta to stabilize an offence that features 2021 rushing champ Jonathan Taylor.

Jacksonville Jaguars They endured a tumultuous season with Urban Meyer at the helm. Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson looks like the right man to lead a franchise with a young promising quarterback and emerging roster. The Jaguars haven’t had a winning record since 2017.

Tennessee Titans How long can QB Ryan Tannehill hold off rookie Malik Willis, who flashed his potential in the pre-season? Star running back Derrick Henry is healthy, but they lost A.J. Brown via trade and Harold Landry to injury.

AFC West

Denver Broncos They traded for QB Russell Wilson, then gave him the third-most lucrative contract in NFL history. Denver hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015.

Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid and QB Patrick Mahomes will try to reinvent the offence without star receiver Tyreek Hill. They’ve won the division six consecutive years, but there was a lot of change in the off-season. The Chiefs are the fifth team ever with at least 12 wins in four consecutive seasons.

Las Vegas Raiders Davante Adams and Derek Carr were prolific as teammates at Fresno State. Can they replicate the same magic? New coach Josh McDaniels has a talented team that looks ready to battle. The Raiders won six games on the final play of regulation or overtime.

Los Angeles Chargers They constructed one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but can this revamped team make the playoffs for the first since 2018? Justin Herbert has the most passing yards and touchdown passes in his first two seasons, but his superb production hasn’t translated to a playoff berth because of subpar defence and special teams.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys Despite committing an NFC-high 121 penalties, the Cowboys won the division. Coach Mike McCarthy could get a pink slip if they miss the playoffs.

New York Giants Former Bills offensive co-ordinator Brian Daboll was hired as coach to resurrect the offence, and they were No. 1 in the pre-season (382.7 yards per game). QB Daniel Jones’s success hinges on a resurgence by receiver Saquon Barkley.

Philadelphia Eagles A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Miles Sanders might be the division’s best collection of skill, but they need more consistency from QB Jalen Hurts. They led the NFL last season with 2,715 rushing yards and flexed a top-10 defence.

Washington Commanders They haven’t had a winning record since 2016. Will a new name and quarterback (their sixth starter since 2020) mean a change of fortune?

NFC North

Chicago Bears New GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus are banking on progress from QB Justin Fields, who had the NFC’s best pre-season rating (133.1). On defence, the loss of Khalil Mack hurts, but veteran Robert Quinn led the conference with 18 1/2 sacks.

Detroit Lions They haven’t won a playoff game since Jan. 5, 1992, the longest active drought. Homegrown draft picks Aidan Hutchinson and Jameson Williams offer hope.

Green Bay Packers They’re the first NFL team ever to win 13-plus games in three straight seasons, but they’ll go for four without star Davante Adams. The silver lining is four-time MVP QB Aaron Rodgers.

Minnesota Vikings Will new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and coach Kevin O’Connell churn out more success? They haven’t won the division since 2017.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons Marcus Mariota is the rebuilding club’s new signal-caller. Will rookie Desmond Ridder be the starter by season’s end? They haven’t finished above .500 since 2017.

Carolina Panthers Is Baker Mayfield the answer or a bridge quarterback? Coach Matt Rhule has a 10-23 record. Star running back Christian McCaffrey has missed 23 of the last 33 games with injuries.

New Orleans Saints Dennis Allen has large shoes to fill. Former boss Sean Payton is the winningest coach in team history. Jameis Winston and Mike Thomas return from injuries, as does the core of a top-10 defence.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach Todd Bowles takes over a team with Super Bowl expectations. Can 45-year-old QB Tom Brady continue to dodge Father Time behind three new interior linemen?

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals Receiver DeAndre Hopkins is under suspension (drug policy) for the first six games, but the reunited combo of QB Kyler Murray and receiver Hollywood Brown should help. They started 7-0 last season.

Los Angeles Rams The Patriots were the last team to win consecutive Super Bowls (2003-04). The Rams appear poised to make another run after adding Bobby Wagner and Allen Robinson. It doesn’t hurt to have the best defensive player in the NFL in Aaron Donald, nearing his 100th career sack.

San Francisco 49ers They boldly decided to give the keys to Trey Lance, a quarterback who only played one full college season and has tossed just 71 NFL passes. There will be growing pains, and Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the roster for insurance.

Seattle Seahawks There’s been a mass exodus of talent since Super Bowl appearances in 2014 and 2015. D.K. Metcalf is the new face of the franchise. The days of the Legion of Boom and Russell Wilson are over.

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