One Question For Each NFL Team Entering The 2026 Season

As the NFL season approaches, here is one question I have for each team entering the 2026 season:

AFC East

New England Patriots: Does the Mike Vrabel–Dianna Russini situation affect the team in any way?

After going from a 4-win team in 2024 to a Super Bowl appearance in 2025, we should have been talking about the unbelievable turnaround by the Patriots and how excited they should be for the future as Drake Maye enters year three after an MVP-calibre year in his second year. Instead, Mike Vrabel's personal affairs with former NFL reporter Dianna Russini became one of the biggest headlines of the offseason for all the wrong reasons. You have to wonder if this distraction could become a lingering issue for Vrabel and therefore his team in 2026.

Buffalo Bills: Is there still too much scar tissue?

The Bills were an emotional wreck after losing their divisional round matchup to the Broncos in Denver. The tears and emotions we saw from players like Josh Allen and Dion Dawkins felt like they came from much more than that game; they were from years of frustration and devastating playoff losses. After that game, the team decided to fire head coach Sean McDermott and later promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady to be their new lead man. Personally, I would prefer to see them go outside the building and bring an entirely new voice instead of hiring someone who was there for a lot of those early playoff exits. Time will tell, but I just worry that there is still too much of that "stink" within the locker room.

Miami Dolphins: Do they win a game?

Just go look at the roster bro.

New York Jets: When do they get their first interception?

Normally, this would be nothing. But, as the Jets made history last season by becoming the first team in league history to not record an interception during an entire NFL season, this is going to be fascinating to see how long the drought goes.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers: Are they really any different?

When Mike Tomlin left the Steelers in January, I assumed Aaron Rodgers would follow, and then the Steelers would like to hire a new young coach to usher in a rebuild. Instead, they hired 62-year-old Mike McCarthy. Rodgers, who will be 42 in December, is back for his "last dance," and they continued to add veterans to this roster. Just a strange roster with not much upside.

Baltimore Ravens: Do they regret not doing the Maxx Crosby trade?

Outside of Kyle Hamilton, who is one of the best players in the league, there are a lot of good, but not GREAT, players on this Ravens defense. I believe new head coach Jesse Minter will improve their defence by his presence alone, but you have to worry if they will regret not going through with the trade that would have landed them one of the best pass rushers in the NFL should they not win the Super Bowl this season.

Cincinnati Bengals: Can Joe Burrow stay healthy?

You could say the question should be "Is their defense finally improved?" But let's be honest, even by some miracle that unit becomes top 10, none of that will matter if Burrow once again goes down with injury. Burrow's health once again will be the key to the Bengals season.

Cleveland Browns: What are the game splits between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders?

I have no interest in watching the Browns this year, but it will at least be fun to see which direction they decide to go at quarterback while losing a ton of games this year.

AFC South

Jacksonville Jaguars: What position does Travis Hunter?

Hunter's rookie season ended early last with a knee injury but he was living up to the hype on either side of the ball to begin with. If he can't be elite at either corner or receiver, I don't think we discuss enough about how generationally bad that deal to move up in the draft was for the Jaguars.

Houston Texans: Who is the real CJ Stroud?

The Houston Texans can win the Super Bowl this year. DeMeco Ryan's defence is so violent that I get scared for opposing quarterbacks when I watch them. Because of that unit alone, I'm slightly leaning towards them being my pick to come out of the AFC at this time. The only thing giving me hesitation is the regression we've seen from CJ Stroud throughout the first three years of his career. If Stroud can return to his rookie form, the Texans are no doubt the best team in the AFC; however, if he plays like he did the majority of last season, that makes life so much harder on this team than it needs to be.

Indianapolis Colts: Was going "all-in" on Daniels Jones was the right call?

The Colts last season started off hot and were even 8-2 heading into their Week 10 bye. Because of that start, in large part because of the play of quarterback Daniel Jones, they were convinced enough to trade two first picks to the Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner. Unfortunately, that deal didn't work out; Gardner got hurt, Jones tore his Achilles, and that 8-2 start ended up being for naught as the Colts ended the year 8-9. If Jones can't get back to the level of play, I fear that could be enough to cost general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen their jobs.

Tennessee Titans: Does Cam Ward make the year two jump?

The Titans I do think will be better this year. With Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll in the building as head coach and offensive coordinator, I think they will be a professional operation unlike past years. However, if they are going to have any real success, it all comes down to whether Ward, the number one pick in 2025, starts to show real signs of growth as he enters year two.

AFC West

Denver Broncos: When does Sean Payton take back play calling?

Like the Texans, the Denver Broncos could also very well win the Super Bowl this year. I love this team, and they once again will be my pick to win the AFC West this season. While they didn't make any MAJOR additions outside of Jaylen Waddle, one of their big moves this offseason was giving Davis Webb playcalling duties. I'm sorry, I just have a hard time believing that will last. If I think the Broncos can win it all this season, you best believe Sean Payton also thinks that. He is one of the most cocky people in the NFL, and if/when the offense starts to be a bit inconsistent, I can already see the report saying Payton has taken back playcalling (which I would feel way more comfortable with, by the way) to make sure this team can reach its full potential.

Los Angeles Chargers: Does we even care about regular season results with this group anymore?

I fully expect to be the best season of the Jim Harbaugh-Justin Herbert era for the Chargers. They brought in Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, the offensive line is fully healthy, Omarian Hampton should be better, and I just really like their personnel. The real question is, as long as they make the postseason, does their regular season success even matter? Assuming they get back to the postseason, we all should only care about how Justin Herbert looks in those games. If he falls to 0-4 and plays like cheeks once again, serious conversations will be had.

Kansas City Chiefs: Why should I expect this season to be that much different than last year?

I just have so many questions about this team. Sure, they got younger, but I don't necessarily think they got better for this upcoming season. And oh yeah, I feel like we are just all assuming Patrick Mahomes is going to be back at 100%. The man tore his ACL in December, and you expect me to fully believe he will be in MVP form right away? I also just have questions about the receiving corps, the defense, and even the coaching staff. I don't think they made any needle-moving moves this offseason, and I, for one, am not someone who simply believes the Chiefs will be back in Super Bowl contention after an awful year in 2025.

Las Vegas Raiders: When does Fernando Mendoza make his first start?

I don't care what they say, Kirk Cousins is not playing every game this year, man. I expect to see Mendoza this year, and I'd bet on it happening earlier than later.

NFC East

Philadelphia Eagles: Can Jalen Hurts and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion click?

The Eagles are one of the few teams I can see either playing in the Super Bowl and being dominant all year long or just outright missing the playoffs entirely. The possibilities seem endless with this team. If Philly is going to live up to the personnel and potential they have on paper, they will need Jalen Hurts to bounce back after a down 2025 season, and for that to happen, he and Sean Mannion, who doesn't exactly run a scheme that you'd think matches Hurts' skillset, will have to find a way to work with one another to make sure this team can be successful.

Dallas Cowboys: Can the defense finish at least in the top half of the league?

I'm fairly high on the Cowboys this season. In fact, as we enter August, I believe they will be my pick to win the NFC East this season. Why? I just believe this defence will be way better than it was last year. A full year after trading for Quinnen Williams at the deadline, they signed Rashan Gary in the offseason to improve the pass rush and got my favourite defensive player in the draft in safety Caleb Downs. If the offence continues to hum like they did last year, and new defensive coordinator Christian Parker can get his new defensive group to work together as a unit, I can see the Cowboys being a very good football team this year.

Washington Commanders: Are they closer to the 2024 or 2025 version of their team?

Has there ever been a team to lose more positive momentum than the Washington Commanders? 2024 was a magical year where they reached the NFC title game with a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Then in 2025, they finished 5-12 and were hammered with injuries throughout the team. Going into 2026, this roster does not look that good, and it's starting to very much feel like 2024 may have been the peak with this current core.

New York Giants: Is John Harbaugh still a good coach?

Call me crazy, but I don't think John Harbaugh is some amazing coach. Yes, he is a Super Bowl champion, but that was in 2012. Since 2019 (when Lamar Jackson took over as the full-time starter for the Ravens), Harbaugh has blown 8 double-digit leads in the 4th quarter and 11 total collapse losses with a second-half lead. A good coach with that good of a roster does not blow that many games so consistently, so while I do think he will make a positive impact on this Giants team, I do think expectations need to be dialled back.

NFC North

Chicago Bears: Is the way they won games last year sustainable?

In 2025, the Bears led the league with 6 regular-season wins when trailing in the final 2:00 of regulation. Heading into 2026, while the Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson partnership should be better just based on continuity, the key for this team will be to start better in games so they can avoid the constant dramatics late in games.

Green Bay Packers: Is this Matt LaFleur's last chance?

I may have been overly dramatic after their playoff loss to the Bears, where they choked away the game, and said Matt LaFleur deserved to lose his job because of it, but I do think it is fair to say if the Packers underachieve once again and, who knows… miss the playoffs (like I expect them to), will there be a new head coach on the sidelines of Lambeau Field come 2027?

Minnesota Vikings: Can Kyler Murray unlock this offense?

I'm so unbelievably high on the Vikings going into 2026; it scares me. While Kyler Murray may not live up to the billing as a superstar like some expected him to when the Cardinals drafted first overall in 2019, I still do think he is an above-average starter, especially when compared to JJ McCarthy. If Murray is in fact the starter and is able to feed Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on a consistent basis, I think the Vikings could be a sleeping giant (ironic) in 2026. Especially with Brian Flores back to coordinate this defence.

Detroit Lions: What do we learn about Dan Campbell as a coach this season?

Despite losing both their offensive and defensive coordinators during the 2025 offseason, the Lions still were expected to be a juggernaut last season, coming off a 15-2 season in 2024 and getting Aidan Hutchinson back from injury. Instead, they went 9-8, finished last in the NFC North, and missed the playoffs entirely. This will be the first real season where Dan Campbell's group will feel pressure after a down season, and if the Lions struggle once again, it may be time to start asking if Campbell is a better motivator than coach and if that message has gotten stale in Detroit.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers: Is Bryce Young good enough for a second contract?

Play time might soon be over in Carolina. Bryce Young has gotten better every year for the Panthers, but as he inches closer to a second contract, the Panthers will be forced to make a difficult decision on him, and he can help inform that decision with his play this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Why did they bring back Todd Bowles?

Talk about a team with bad vibes. The Bucs collapsed at the end of last season, losing the division; Mike Evans left in March for the 49ers; Vita Vea has requested a trade; and now Baker Mayfield has let it be known how frustrated he is with the organization during his contract negotiations. For me, a lot of these problems come back to their decision to bring back Todd Bowles. Based on what we saw at the end of last season, I don't think these players like him all that much, and with him returning to coach this team, I do think there is a chance. A fresh start with a new voice would have been best for everyone in Tampa Bay.

Atlanta Falcons: When does their third string QB start?

With a Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr. QB room, I've unfortunately never seen a team more destined to have to start their third-string QB at some point this season.

New Orleans Saints: Does Tyler Shough get any better?

Shough had a solid rookie season for the Saints in 2025, but he will also be 27 years old in late September. You have to wonder, based on his age, is there going to be that much development going forward, or is he already what he will be in this league?

NFC West

Seattle Seahawks: How big of a loss is Klint Kubiak?

The champs are mostly running it back (at least on offense aside from Kenneth Walker), but there will be a new play caller with Brian Fleury taking over as offensive coordinator from Klint Kubiak, who went on to take the Raiders' head coaching job. You have to wonder if a third offensive coordinator in the third year of Mike Macdonald will have some type of impact as they look to defend their title.

Los Angeles Rams: Is it too good to be true?

Sean McVay, Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Trent McDuffie, Myles Garrett… and maybe Aaron Donald. On paper, this is no doubt the Super Bowl favourite going into this season. You just have to wonder if this is all too good to be true, as we've never seen a more clear favourite going into a season.

San Francisco 49ers: Can they be healthy for once?

Based on their training camp injury report thus far, the substation seems to be already in midseason form.

Arizona Cardinals: Is Marvin Harrison Jr. good?

When Harrison Jr. was drafted in 2024, we were told he was a generational prospect. Welp, throughout the first two years of his career, he has not been, to say the least. He has struggled, dropped a ton, and at times, has seemed to deal with mental lapses throughout games. On a Cardinals team that actually does have interesting offensive pieces, this has to be the year we see number 18 take a step forward.