Welcome back to my annual exercise of predicting all 272 NFL regular-season games. The theme this year was restraint. This time of year, we’re often swept away by countless narratives, including the idea that there are certain teams preparing to cross a threshold from good to great. (This year’s Broncos come to mind.) With that comes the urge to put the team in a position to win its division or increase its win total like the Commanders did when they shocked the football world last year. The Commanders are now considered a hot team to perhaps make another leap, but are we going to overlook the rigors of their schedule and simply fast-pass Washington to the top of the NFC East—a division that contains the reigning Super Bowl champions?
