2025 NFL Season Preview: Lions, Commanders, Chargers, Packers

Welcome to day seven of my preseason 2025 NFL countdown.

At number 8 I have the Detroit Lions. It's now or never for real with this team. They had a great regular season last year and totally blew it in the first round of the playoffs. They looked suspect in that game and maybe this is just the team they are going to be moving forward. I hope not because I think it would be cool to see Detroit win some big games, and I have tons of family that are Lions fans. Jared Goff is a game manager. He may be the best game manager QB in the NFL, but he is a game manager. And there's nothing wrong with that. He helps move the ball down the field. Jahmyr Gibbs is awesome. He is so fast and so quick and can explode when he finds open field. And David Montgomery is as good as a second option at running back as there can be. Amon-Ra St Brown has proven his worth time and again. He does any and everything asked of him. Jameson Williams is a nice deep threat option. Sam LaPorta took a mild step back last year and he was still solid. The Lions also have the best O line in all of football. The defense should be whole again with Aidan Hutchinson back. He was on his way to DPOY last season until he got hurt. If he has any of that special ability left in him, of which I believe he has it all, the Lions D line will be superior. Marcus Davenport is a great complimentary piece at the other end. Jack Campbell and Alex Anzalone are dependable linebackers. Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold are a solid secondary duo. The Lions are good. They've proven that the past three seasons. Now, they have to prove it in the playoffs, where the lights shine brightest. I hope they do, but it is getting to a point where I don't expect them to make a deep playoff run. That being said, they are still a 12 win team.

At number 7 I have the Washington Commanders. Was last year a fluke, or more of what is to come? This season will let us know, but I think it is more of what is to come. Jayden Daniels is exceptional. He can run and throw. He made the right choice seemingly every time last year and I think he will be even better this year. Brian Robinson Jr is a great back to have next to Daniels in the backfield. He can do a bit of everything and that's perfect. Terry McLauirn may want out, but he might be better served sticking around and being the number 1 option at wideout on this team. Deebo Samuel should like playing here. I think the offense is a bit more fun and he will be more involved. And Zack Ertz is still producing at a solid level. The O line here is pretty good. The D line is pretty good, and Javon Kinlaw is good. Von Miller and Bobby Wagner may be old, but they are still big names and they still put up very good numbers. Marshon Lattimore wasn't great in New Orleans, so maybe a uniform change will do him good. And Mike Sainristil is a star in the making. He wildly exceeded expectations last season. The Commanders feel like they're going to be a contender for some time now, or as long as they have Jayden Daniels. I could see them winning 11 or 12 games this season.

At number 6 I have the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers have a great coaching staff, and that paid dividends last season. Jim Harbaugh squeezes every ounce of ability out of his players. Justin Herbert finally seemed content with the offense last year and he had one of his better overall seasons. JK Dobbins is gone, but they replaced him with Najee Harris and they have Hassan Haskins. They also drafted Omarion Hampton who looks like he can be a stud. They re-signed Keenan Allen after a season away, and I think both parties will love this reunion. Quentin Johnson was better and Ladd McConkey looks like another, less refined version of Julian Edelman. The O line, which is Harbaugh's forte, was loads better last season. Jesse Minter knows defense and the Chargers defense was much improved last season. Tuli Tuipulotu anchors a solid D line. Denzel Perryman and Khalil Mack are still here and still productive. And they have Bud Dupree and Junior Colson as good options at backup. And Derwin James Jr is incredible and still putting up big time numbers. This defense may be one of the best in the league. The Chargers look like they will be much improved and ready to really make a big leap. I could see them easily winning 12 games this season.

The final team for today, at number 5 I have the Green Bay Packers. This is my team and they need to really make a deep run in the playoffs soon. Jordan Love has the tools to be effective. He has put up really good numbers the past two years. I hope he stays healthy enough to be MVP caliber QB this season. I adore Josh Jacobs. I wasn't mad when they let Aaron Jones walk because they had Josh Jacobs and Jacobs was very productive last season. The wideout corps is odd. I don't really trust any of them, but I like them. Romeo Doubs is fast and gets good separation. Jayden Reed is small, but he finds open spots. Christian Watson is big and nimble but he cannot stay on the field. And they drafted Matthew Golden, who is incredibly fast, but he is also very tiny in NFL terms. The O line, as usual, is very good. The defense looked to be kind of improved last season, but they need more out of that side of the ball. Rashan Gary is great. He is an exceptional edge rusher, he just needs to stay healthy. Lukas Van Ness has moments, but he is too inconsistent. Quay Walker and Edgerrin Cooper are very good on run defense, but susceptible to the pass. And they are breaking in some new secondary guys, who will hopefully be able to stop third and long plays. The Packers are a good team with a solid staff in place. They need to do better on defense and Love needs to find ways to get the ball to open receivers. They will do that enough to win 13 games this season, and hopefully make a solid playoff run. That's it for today.

Come back tomorrow for my top four teams.

 Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Future is Now for the Washington Commanders

I come here today to heap some praise on the Washington Commanders.

I was a bit skeptical of their regular season. I felt like I've seen this story before. A team comes from out of nowhere to make a deeper playoff run that most thought. Hell, I didn't even think they'd be in the playoffs. I was certain they'd have another high pick in this upcoming draft. I liked Jayden Daniels coming into the draft, and when they stole Mike Sainristil, my preseason pick for defensive rookie of the year by the way, I was stoked. But still, they looked like a team starting their year or two rebuild in the right direction. I was wrong. So was almost everyone else.

The Commanders are here, and they look here to stay. Daniels is legit. He is a younger Lamar Jackson. Jackson is still young, but Daniels is younger. Jackson is also currently better, he is my favorite QB to watch in the league right now, but Daniels looks to be on his way. He has a poise and calmness you don't see in any rookies. No matter the score, with his arm and legs, he can keep his team in any game. The Lions have a better roster, but Daniels figured something out and went to the well over and over and over again. And it worked because he is hyper talented. He plays the game with joy, he seems to love doing what he's doing and I cannot wait to see him do this for the next decade plus.

Sainristil, for those that don't know, is also legit. He was a receiver his first couple of years at Michigan. He made the switch to nickel corner and it benefitted him and the team. They won a title last year, and a lot of the defensive success they enjoyed was due to his play. He made this change and it worked out for everyone. It worked out better than anyone else could have ever imagined. He parlayed that into being a high second round pick and day one starter. He has made gradual progression all season long and it culminated in his best game as a pro. He had two interceptions and five tackles. He made big plays in the state of Michigan once again. I was torn because I have a ton of family members that are diehard Lions fans, but I loved seeing the things Sainristil was doing on the field. He is only going to get better and it looks like the Commanders have their two main building blocks on offense and defense for a good long while. Sure, they're are ten other players who are important playing with both of them, but these two are the standouts, and they're rookies. This kind of success this early on is amazing. It's also unheard of. I don't want any bad injury or anything to derail their growth. And they both seem to have good heads on their shoulders, so that is not that big of a worry to me.

Watching them both play this weekend was pretty glorious. I like when I don't have a rooting interest because I can focus on certain players that I may not have watched much during the regular season. The Bills and Eagles impressed me with how they won their games, but the Commanders were the highlight for me. I didn't expect this from them, but I'm not mad that this is where they're at right now. I'm not sure how they'll play this weekend facing the Eagles in the NFC title game. But, I'm done betting against them at this point. They've done more than enough to prove they belong and that they will be perennial players moving forward. And I give a good portion of that credit to Daniels and Sainristil. They're so much fun to watch and I will be rooting hard for them this weekend. What a story. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Better Luck Next Year Bunch

Welcome to day two of my 2024 NFL countdown.

At number 28 I have the Denver Broncos. They are one year behind what should have been the start of a rebuild last year. They reached real hard, in my opinion, for Bo Nix in the draft, and it looks like he will be starting this year. I don't know how that will look, but he is older so maybe he won't hit a rookie wall. I'm also certain he will, but maybe I'll be wrong. They don't have the best backup options either. Zack Wilson is a bust and Jarret Stidham should only ever be an emergency QB. Javonte Williams is a fine running back, but he will get overused. He is all they have on that side of the ball. Jerry Jeudy is gone and all they have to show for it is Courtland Sutton. The other wideouts are not that good, and Sutton is, at best, a third option at receiver. The o line is middle of the road on their best days. The defense is young and inexperienced. They will do their best to keep this team in games, but it won't be enough. The defense and Williams is about all the fans have to be hopeful for, and they will be counted on for way more than they can provide. I have a very bad feeling about Bo Nix, and the fact that Jerry Jeudy couldn't wait to be gone is a bad sign. I think that maybe Sean Payton is too old school to win in the NFL at a high level again. He is building this team in his image, but this is not the early 2010's. He has to adjust or the Broncos will be left behind in a hurry. I'd say 6-8 wins is their best possible outcome. They will most likely miss the playoffs by a wide margin for another season.

At number 27 I have the New York Giants. This team is a mess. They chose Daniel Jones over Saquon Barkley. I get that running backs are more expendable these days, but Barkley is a once in a generation guy. Daniel Jones is one of the worst starting QB's in the league. He used one playoff win, a game that wouldn't have been won without Barkley, and turned it into a big payday. He is over, done, finito. Daniel Jones will be cut or traded by next season. They replaced Barkley with Devin Singleltary. That is akin to going from wagyu steak to on sale ground beef. No disrespect to Singletary, but he is nowhere close to Barkley's level. Malik Nabers was a good pick, but he already looks frustrated playing with Jones. He gets open, but the ball never seems to find him. Wan'Dale Robinson needs to pop now or it will never happen. The o line is fine, but they don't have a back like Barkley to block for anymore, and that has to be frustrating. The defense went out and got Brian Burns, which was a tremendous trade for them. He and Kayvon Thibodeaux form an excellent pass rush. And the secondary is really solid at every position. The Giants defense could make a jump from good to great this season. But, they will be on the field way too much because Daniel Jones is not the type of guy that instills fear in an opponent's defense. This offense is going to be anemic. They picked the wrong dude to sign long term and their wins will suffer due to that. I'd say eight wins is the best outcome, and that is only if the defense becomes absolutely elite. They need to be otherworldly for that to happen.

At number 26 I have the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are coming. I like what they have put together. The only problem is the youth. This team is inexperienced. But, this team is also athletic. I love the Jayden Daniels pick. He was one of my top prospects going into the last draft. He may be a little thin, but he will put on muscle, and if he can keep that speed, watch out. He has a good arm, can throw into tight spaces and he can extend plays. He has all the tools to be awesome. Brian Robinson Jr is a very capable running back. He can grind out yards and make catches out of the backfield. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson make for a nice receiving duo. They have gotten better each season, and now that they have a competent QB, they could put up big time numbers. The o line is fine. They do enough. The defense is going young as well. They traded their two best pass rushers for picks. I wasn't crazy about it at the time, but I get it. They do have Clelin Ferrel and Johnathan Allen on the d line. They are okay enough. I, of course, love the Mike Sainristil pick. I think he is going to have a very long and very productive career. Jeremy Chinn is solid. Bobby Wagner is a heavy hitter. Benjamin St-Juste is a decent coverage guy. And maybe this is when Dante Fowler Jr figures it all out. The Commanders, much like the Cardinals, are coming, they are just a year or two away. All they need is for these guys to get real game reps, and that should make them a playoff caliber team in 2026 or 27. As for this year, seven wins seems to be the ceiling.

At number 25 I have the New Orleans Saints. This is a pivotal year for this franchise. Derek Carr is not the answer at QB. He is too small, too slow and cannot make the big time throws. This is another case of one good game making people think he was going to catapult into stardom. Both the team and the player need to move on from each other. Alvin Kamara can still do some cool things, but he is old and he wants out. I don't blame him. He has been anything and everything this offense has asked him to be, and they still don't give him all the credit he is due. I'd want out if I were him as well. Chris Olave deserves better. He could be an elite wideout with better QB play. Rashid Shaheed is the burner of all burners, but the QB's miss him too much when he is open. Juwan Johnson is an okay tight end, but they could find better on the open market. The o line is good, they just have a mediocre QB to block for. The defense is old. Cam Jordan was once great. He's still good, but he is double teamed constantly. Marshon Lattimore crushed in his rookie year, but he took a step back last season. I love Tyrann Mathieu, but he was past his prime two years ago. Demario Davis is fine at linebacker, but not as the anchor of a defense. This team needs to make changes, mainly in the back half of their secondary, their QB and head coach. They need a new mind and a new look. Until then, eight wins may be the best to hope for out of this team.

That is it for today. Come back for the next four teams tomorrow. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: Regional Grocery Store Brand Cola Division

Welcome to day three of my preseason NFL rankings. We are going to be at the playoff teams soon, but not until next week.

At number 24 I have the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers had the number one pick and used it on Bryce Young. Young is one of the better QB prospects to come along in some time. He is a gamer, he has won the most high stakes games, he performs under pressure and he can tuck it and run if need be. He is small, but that doesn't really matter with the heart he plays with. But, he is a rookie and there will be a learning curve for sure. Andy Dalton is not the answer they need at backup QB. They were able to sign Miles Sanders away from Philadelphia, and they also got Adam Thielen. Both of them are due for a setback, and may be past their prime. DJ Chark is okay enough, but not a true threat. The o line is still a work in progress and will need time to mold. They weren't the best, or even close to it, last season. The defense leaves a ton to be desired. Brian Burns is very good, elite perhaps, but will be double and tripled teamed all season. Jaycee Horn is an okay corner, but not upper tier yet. One of their d ends, Henry Anderson, is already fighting injuries. This defense is not even close to the level they were when they were in the Super Bowl. Neither is the offense. And while I do think they got the best QB prospect in the draft, it is going to take a few years before Bryce Young is playing in critical games again.

At number 23 I have the Tennessee Titans. I feel awful for Derrick Henry. He deserves so much better than this franchise. He is far too good to be wasted playing for a team with no real hope for contention. Ryan Tannehill is still the starter. Why? Malik Willis was not given a real chance and then they drafted Will Levis. He has looked rough in camp, they are unwilling to play Willis, so they are settling for Tannehill. That is a problem. I was excited for a second when they signed Deandre Hopkins, but then I sat back and thought about it. What will he bring? How is Tannehill going to get him the ball? Is he going to really make defenses forget about Derrick Henry to focus on him? I don't think he moves the needle too much. Treylon Burks got hurt the other day. The o line is okay. If they were a little better Derrick Henry would be obliterating rushing records though. The defense is pretty new and unknown. Jeffrey Simmons is middle of the road now. Same for Harold Landry. Kevin Byard is a step slower. There is too much uncertainty with this group. Also, they are going to have to overuse Derrick Henry yet again to try and control the clock. The Titans had a moment, but that moment has passed. They need to rebuild.

At number 22 I have the Washington Commanders. Sam Howell was just named their starting QB. Yikes. He is not the answer. I would have gone with Jacoby Brissett. He has at least played and won at this level. Brian Robinson is a quality starting running back. He can do some things. Terry McLaurin is one of the better wideouts in the league. Jahan Dotson has his rookie year under his belt and I think he will have a good year. Logan Thomas is a fine tight end. The o line is okay. The defense should be better than they actually are though. Chase Young cannot stay healthy and he has not produced like I thought he would. Kendall Fuller should be better. Montex Sweat was a draft steal, but he hasn't hit his true potential yet. David Mayo is blah at linebacker. The defense just isn't at a playoff level. That and Sam Howell will keep this team at 7 or 8 wins.

The final team for the day, at number 21 I have the Denver Broncos. They have Sean Payton, a legit head coach. Russell Wilson should rebound from a very bad season. Javonte Williams is a serviceable back. Jerry Jeudy has all the tools to be a number 1 wideout. The o line is very good. But this offense was horrendous last year. Russell Wilson was not the answer they needed at QB. They don't treat the running backs well. The wideouts never got real looks. Will that change with Sean Payton at the helm and Russell Wilson looking to bounce back? Hopefully, but who knows. The defense went out and signed Frank Clark after the Chiefs let him walk. He is good on the field, but he has off field issues. They also have a very similar guy to Clark in Randy Gregory, except he has been suspended for off field stuff once already by the NFL. Pat Surtain is awesome, but he is the only quality secondary player they have. I just do not know what to expect from this team coming into this season. When I'm in that scenario I tend to be pessimistic. I don't know that Wilson will fully recover from last year. I think Williams will be overused. Jeudy won't get enough looks. The defense will not stop enough dudes and may get into too much off field trouble. The Broncos are too much of a toss up and I'm erring on the side of an average team at best.

That does it for today and this week. Come back Monday for the next four teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2022 NFL Preview - When You're Out of Schlitz Division

Welcome to day two of my 2022 NFL countdown. We are still at the bottom of the barrel. But we will be getting to the good teams soon, I promise. On with the countdown.

At number 28 I have the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags did the best thing they could have during last season when they fired Urban Meyer. He was an absolute disaster. It went worse than I thought it would. Doug Pederson was a solid hire too. He has a ring as a coach and he is good with QB's. That should sit very nicely with Trevor Lawrence. He should get better, although I do not think his rookie year was as bad as some made it out to be. Travis Etienne is back after missing his whole rookie year, and the familiarity with him and Lawrence should be nice. I am curious to see how explosive he can be. Other than these two, the offense is pretty rough. Christian Kirk and Marvin Jones are done. Evan Engram has not been a good pro. The O line is a sieve. The defense is young and bad. Travon Walker is an incredible athlete, but he is raw. He needs time. Josh Allen is good, but he gets double teamed a ton. I like the Shaquill Griffin signing, but he can't cover everyone. The Jags are doing a slow rebuild, as they should. But this team is a far cry from where they were a few years back when they made the AFC title game, and then I picked them to win the Super Bowl next year. They are a 6 win team at best.

My number 27 team is the Washington Commanders. Look, I like Ron Rivera, but this team is not good. They are a worse version of Rivera's Panthers teams. They do not have a Cam Newton type QB. They don't have a defense even close. The Commanders are not good. Carson Wentz stinks. He is not good. Nick Foles was a much better QB in Philly. Johnathan Taylor carried the Colts last year, and when Wentz was needed to get into the playoffs, he crapped the bed. Wentz is a bust. Antonio Gibson is a mediocre back. The receivers, outside of Terry Mclaurin, who is very, very good, are bad or young. Jahan Dotson is a rookie. I didn't even know Curtis Samuel was still in the league. Logan Thomas is hurt and not great. I'm not into this O line. The defense has Chase Young, who is an incredible player, but he is hurt again and has no help. Montez Sweat still needs time. Kendall Fuller is decent, but the rest of the D is a bunch of dudes I have never heard of. And I know a good amount about football. The Commanders are stuck in the mud. They are in a bad division, and that helps, but when they only win 6 games, that means they are stuck missing the playoffs yet again.

At number 26 I have the Seattle Seahawks. How the mighty have fallen. Ever since they passed, instead of giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch on the goal line, the Seahawks have ceased to be a consistent team. And now they have traded away Russell Wilson. This team is going nowhere fast. Geno Smith has never put it together. He just doesn't seem to have it. And Drew Lock is flat out bad. Their running game is suspect, but I do like the Kenneth Walker III pick. He was a beast in college. Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf are legit wideouts, but they have no QB throwing them the ball. Metcalf got a big contract. but he is going to see his numbers drop significantly this season. And Noah Fant is very mediocre. The O line has always been a problem, and they still haven't done much to fix it. This defense, once feared, is not good anymore. Outside Jamal Adams they have absolutely no one that strikes fear in opponents. Quandre Diggs is good, but not great. This linebacking core is nowhere near the Legion of Boom days. The D line cannot get pressure on the QB. They just do not have it anymore. The hater in me loves to see this team taking a step back. But the Seattle fan in me, I loved the Sonics, is bummed for their fans. The Seahawks are a 6 win team. They are on the wrong side of a rebuild right now.

The final team for the day, at number 25, I have the Detroit Lions. Now, I want to say that I do think the Lions will be better this year. I also really like the direction they are going in right now. They had the best draft in my opinion. I also like some of their offseason moves. They just need another year before they are in playoff talks. Jared Goff is incredibly mediocre. He is an okay enough game manager, but he doesn't go out and win games for you. He can grit and grind 200 passing yards, on short pass plays, but he has never been able to completely take over. De'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams are a good one two punch at running back. They can do some things. I also really like Amon-Ra St. Brown. He should build upon a decent rookie year. Jameson Williams should be good, but he is hurt. DJ Chark also needs to show he can stick in this league. TJ Hockenson is a very good tight end. The O line is solid too. They have drafted well there. The offense could be much better if they had a better QB. The defense is going to be solid. Obviously I am a big fan of the Adian Hutchinson pick. He is a very, very good defensive end. He is going to wreck havoc. I think he's going to be very good for a very long time in the NFL. Michael Brockers is a very good interior D lineman. The secondary has solid youth and big play ability. Again, I like this team, but they are young and they need a year to figure it all out. That being said, I could see the Lions winning 7 games this season and be the sexy pick to make the playoffs next season. They aren't ready yet, but they will be soon.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.