Madden 23: Our 2022 NFL season sim and Super Bowl LVII prediction
AFC West
The AFC West is poised to be one of the most competitive divisions this season as all four teams boast talented quarterbacks. Will Patrick Mahomes return to form or are the Broncos ready to ride?
Kansas City Chiefs (13-4)
No Tyreek Hill? No problem for Patrick Mahomes who has a bounce-back season and leads the Chiefs to a 13-4 record and No. 1 seed in the AFC.
With 5,080 yards and 41 touchdowns, Mahomes has his best statistical season since 2018. Tight end Travis Kelce was far and away his favorite target with 109 receptions, 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Newcomer Marquez Valdes-Scantling finds quick rapport with his new quarterback catching 78 passes for 1,175 yards and 9 touchdowns. Mecole Hardman and Juju Smith-Schuster both also top 70 receptions on the year.
Denver Broncos (9-8)
The Denver Broncos, finally with their first legitimate quarterback in years, improve on last year’s record but still miss the playoffs. Although they go from 4th in the West to second, they still only finish with a 9-8 record.
Russell Wilson is a dramatic improvement over the past few quarterbacks the Broncos have trotted out in recent seasons. He throws for 4,871 yards, 35 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He adds another 311 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.
The biggest struggle was with the running game. Second-year back Javonte Williams, who many predict to have a breakout year, rushes for just 875 yards on 228 carries (3.8 ypc). He does score 16 times though. Melvin Gordon didn’t fair much better, rushing 115 times for 419 yards (3.6 ypc). On the flip side, the Broncos receivers put up tremendous numbers:
- Tim Patrick: 80 rec., 1,247 yards, 16 touchdowns
- Courtland Sutton: 82 rec., 1,184 yards, 6 touchdowns
- Jerry Jeudy: 85 rec., 1,033 yards, 1 touchdown
- Albert Okwuegbunam: 84 rec., 912 yards, 7 touchdowns
Las Vegas Raiders (8-9)
Derek Carr’s reunion with Davante Adams in Las Vegas results in the nine-year veteran having the best statistical season of his career. He leads the league in passing yards with 5,671 yards while tossing a career-high 44 touchdowns.
Adams, of course, leads the team with 102 receptions, 1,426 yards and eight touchdowns. But the coverage that Adams draws helps Hunter Renfrow break out for 88 receptions, 1,220 yards and 10 touchdowns. Darren Waller adds another 96 receptions, 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns.
But ultimately, it’s not enough for the Raiders who fall to third place in the division and miss the playoffs once again.
Los Angeles Chargers (5-12)
The Chargers enter the season with high expectations thanks, in large part, to a roster loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. For whatever reason, it doesn’t add up to a winning record. The Chargers finish the season with a 5-12 record and fourth place in the AFC West.
Third-year quarterback Justin Herbert throws for 28 touchdowns and nine interceptions which, while not bad, isn’t the leap many are expecting him to make. Austin Ekeler has 1,192 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground with another 485 yards through the air. When it comes to players like Ekeler, I feel like Madden sims don’t quite do him justice.
Interestingly, the Madden sim also has the Chargers signing Odell Beckham Jr. It’s definitely a potential landing spot for the talented veteran, who is coming off an injury, but ultimately he doesn’t add much to the team with just 42 receptions for 628 yards and two touchdowns.