We are only two weeks into the NFL regular season schedule, but it already feels like the preseason playoff predictions need a makeover.
Of course, it's never good to overreact. The New York Giants are 2-0 under new head coach Brian Daboll, but now isn't quite the time for fans start booking travel to Glendale for Super Bowl LVII.
There's still a good amount of projection involved in predicting how the 2022 season will shake out. While an 0-2 start is certainly ominous, there's still plenty of time to make up ground. Alternatively, a 2-0 start isn't a guaranteed ticket to the postseason.
Based on what we've seen so far, the overall talent on each roster, major injuries and the road ahead for each team, here are some way-too-early predictions for what the playoff field will look like and who will meet in Arizona for the Super Bowl.
AFC Wild Card Teams
No. 7 Denver Broncos (9-8)
The race for the seventh seed in the AFC is going to be fascinating. Using playoff data from 2010-2019, the odds of making the playoffs after an 0-2 start are around 11 percent, per Justis Mosqueda of ACME Packing Company.
That's bad news for both the Cincinnati Bengals and Las Vegas Raiders. Both of them could be battling the Denver Broncos down the stretch for this last spot.
The Broncos are not looking as sharp as you would think with Russell Wilson at the helm. An upset loss to the Seattle Seahawks combined with scoring just 16 points against the Houston Texans in Week 2 cast some doubt on how well the Wilson addition is going to work out.
That being said, they sit at 1-1 and have plenty of time to get things figured out with Wilson.
No. 6 Miami Dolphins (11-6)
The Miami Dolphins had two major question marks heading into this season—Tua Tagovailoa and the offensive line.
Tagovailoa was sacked just one time while putting up six touchdowns in the Dolphins' mad-scramble comeback win over the Ravens. Of course, having Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill combine for 22 receptions, 361 yards and two touchdowns doesn't hurt, either.