The NFL’s 107th season kicks off soon. I remember that very first game. Dad didn’t trust the airplane fad yet, so we took a steam-engine train to Ohio. Man, the Dayton Triangles defense was great! Made things miserable for the Columbus Panhandles’ young quarterback, rookie Aaron Rodgers.

Anyhow, I have been predicting games in the Miami Herald since the early ‘90s (the 1990s), and putting out my annual NFL team rankings for a good while, too — so here’s the latest edition.

Below find my rank of every team in order, 1 through 32, separated in four tiers: Super Bowl favorites, playoff contenders, also-rans and the dregs.

Who will win the Super Bowl? Who’s in and out on the playoffs? What teams will surprise and disappoint? How will the rebuilding, new-regime Miami Dolphins fare? It’s all right here, with last season’s regular-season and playoff record (where applicable) after each team’s name.

Forecasting the NFL is glorified guesswork, as any fan, gambler or so-called media expert might attest. The past four years, my rankings have correctly predicted 34 of 56 playoff teams, or 60.7%. I’m not bragging, folks. More like admitting. Last year was especially tough at 7 for 14, and that included my No. 1-ranked Super Bowl pick, Baltimore, not even making the playoffs. Oh, and I had eventual Super Bowl winner Seattle ranked 19th.

Points for honesty, at least? OK let’s give another go!

SUPER BOWL FAVORITES

1. Los Angeles Rams (12-5, 1-1): Rams last won Super Bowl in 2021 in their own stadium and could repeat the feat this season with El Gran Partido back at SoFi. L.A. is so out front in expectations that I hate to go along, but it’s silly to avoid just for the sake of it. QB Matthew Stafford returns a reigning league MVP, and an already good defense adds star edge rusher Myles Garrett from Browns and could get Aaron Donald back from retirement. Who said life was fair? The only real caution in anointing the Rams: Just getting out of a brutally tough NFC West with Seattle and San Fran.

2. Buffalo Bills (12-5, 1-1): Here’s our first of a whopping 10 teams with a new coach as Joe Brady steps up from O.C. Buffalo has a new stadium and enough talent, led as usual by QB Josh Allen, to reassert AFC East dominance over temporary usurper New England. With RB James Cook back and adding WR D.J. Moore, Allen has the weapons. But Bills must prove the SB window is still open and not creaking shut.

3. Baltimore Ravens (8-9): Like Buffalo and Allen, Baltimore and Lamar Jackson must show their Super Bowl window remains open for business — especially after missing playoffs last year. New coach Jesse Minter takes reins after serving as Chargers D.C. Rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane looks like he could be a big help to Jackson, while defense adds a legit edge threat in Trey Hendrickson.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (11-6, 0-1): Birds ended last season sputtering but will benefit on the chemistry front from the departure of WR A.J. Brown and all his surrounding drama. Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley have ample firepower, both lines are good, and the defense is top-tier.

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-5, 1-1): Injuries always seem an issue for Niners, but TE George Kittle is close to back from an Achilles, and that’s big for QB Brock Purdy and the offense. Defense struggled last year but gets back edge rusher Nick Bosa from a torn ACL and LB Fred Warner from a dislocated ankle.

6. Seattle Seahawks (14-3, 3-0): The reigning champs seek back-to-back but lost RB Kenneth Walker, the Super Bowl MVP, to free agency. Hawks return an elite defensive front seven, but the hunch is Seattle and pick-prone QB Sam Darnold might be due a step back in ‘26.

PLAYOFF CONTENDERS

7. Detroit Lions (9-8): RB Jahmyr Gibbs has his contact extension and enters season the consensus No. 1 pick on fantasy draft boards, while there’s no sign of decline in QB Jared Goff. But Motown O-line must be healthy and better, a Lions need more from a middling defense.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (6-11): Can a dethroned former league power bounce back from 6-11? QB Patrick Mahomes is coming back from a late-season knee injury and on track to start opening day. But he has not been great since 2022 and needs his old form to return Chiefs to an SB challenger again. Have doubts about K.C.’s retooled secondary, and the receivers room is nothing special.

9. Green Bay Packers (9-7-1, 0-1): Two big concerns here: Star edge rusher Micah Parsons continues rehabbing from a torn ACL and could miss close to the first half of season. And lead RB Josh Jacobs has a domestic abuse issue and possible league discipline clouding his season. That’s a lot for Jordan Love’s Pack to overcome.

10. Los Angeles Chargers (11-6, 0-1): Whatever fault we had with Mike McDaniel in Miami, and whatever failings he had as a head coach, the guy can scheme up an offense. And in L.A. he has lots to work with in QB Justin Herbert, a healthy RB Omarion Hampton and solid pass catchers. O-line must hold up, though.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (6-11): A healthy QB Joe Burrow and elite WR tandem Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins gives Cincy a shot to outscore any opponent. But did Bengals make enough upgrades on other side of ball to turn around a scoring defense that ranked 30th of 32 teams last year?

12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1): Don’t worry about this offense. Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams and CeeDee Lamb will be just fine. It’s the D you wonder about, but Jerry Jones targeted that half in offseason with key free agent additions and his top three draft picks. Rookie safety Caleb Downs will be a star. Mark it. [Note: Dallas is our seventh and last predicted NFC playoff team.]

13. New England Patriots (14-3, 3-1): Put it plain: The record flattered the Pats last season, largely due to a Charmin-soft schedule. Saw that the way NE got pushed around by Seattle in the Super Bowl. Lots of offseason roster turnover and a back-to-Earth season ahead for the Patriots. But QB Drake Maye, plus A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, gives team a playoff chance.

14. Houston Texans (12-5, 1-1): Point blank: This is great defense. Not good. Great. The offense, not so much. QB C.J. Stroud is still out to prove himself to doubters, his receivers aren’t special and adding RB David Montgomery seems an iffy boost. But that D will keep Texans in every game.

15. Denver Broncos (14-3, 1-1): Denver fed off close wins last year; tough to sustain. The 14-3 mark; tough to repeat. But QB Bo Nix has a stout O-line and adds talented hands in WR Jaylen Waddle from Miami. And the defense is top-tier. RB J.K. Dobbins staying healthy could be a key. [Note: Denver is our seventh and last predicted AFC playoff team.]

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (13-4, 0-1): QB Trevor Lawrence and that offense were revving hot the second half of last season, and a strong pass rush anchored a tough-to-play D. But lost key defender Devin Lloyd in free agency and don’t love the ground game — or the Jags approaching last year’s record.

ALSO-RANS

17. Chicago Bears (11-6, 1-1): Doubting the Indiana Bears can repeat as a playoff club, but a repeat of last year’s solid ground game and superb turnover differential would give ‘em a shot. The secondary looms a problem, and Bears need a leap from QB Caleb Williams in his third season.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-9): Reuben Bain Jr., top draft pick out of Miami, has kicked up excitement in Tampa “Bain,” but there are issues — mainly disgruntled QB Baker Mayfield talking “disrespect” after failing to reach a contract extension. And unhappy DT Vita Vea settled for a one-year extension. Bucs also lost WR Mike Evans to 49ers and longtime LB Lavonte David to retirement.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7, 0-1): They recycled Mike McCarthy as new coach for Aaron Rodgers’ swansong season. The two also were together in Green Bay, but I doubt the reunion is all that fruitful. At 42, Rodgers can no longer carry a team but rather must be carried.

20. Indianapolis Colts (8-9): QB Daniel Jones is healthy again, with a good RB in Jonathan Taylor and a strong O-line. But can Jones replicate his pre-injury success last year? And will it be enough to offset nondescript receivers and a middling defense?

21. Minnesota Vikings (9-8): Is new QB Kyler Murray the answer to unlocking a rebound season by WR Justin Jefferson? You know coordinator Brian Flores will squeeze the most from that defense in an NFC North with four legit claimants to being best in the division.

22. New Orleans Saints (6-11): N’awlins is blessed to be in the most winnable (read: worst) division in NFL, and so improvement is on the table. Saints think they have a good young QB in Tyler Shough entering his first season as full-time starter. Let’s see.

23. New York Giants (4-13): Biggies have a quality new coach in John Harbaugh from the Ravens. But NYG is counting heavily on still-unproven QB Jaxson Dart and RB Cam Skattebo, and on Malik Nabers to get healthy and stay here. Giants should improve (low bar), but how much if the defense continues underperforming.

24. Washington Commanders (5-12): QB Jayden Daniels must stay healthy and rediscover his rookie form, made tougher by losing LT Laremy Tunsil to injury. Is adding WR Stefon Diggs a big deal at this point? Dan Quinn is coaching for his job and needs huge improvement from a retooled defense that was atrocious last year.

25. Atlanta Falcons (8-9): In the weak NFC South there is always hope. Especially when you have RB Bijan Robinson and a strong O-line as Kevin Stefanski takes over as head coach after mostly failing in Cleveland. Thing is, he inherits a terrible QB room. Michael Penix Jr. is still climbing back from his most recent ACL repair, and the starter for now, ex-Fin Tua Tagovailoa, began camp with back issues and has since been lousy. Atlanta hit the bargain bin for Cooper Rush in reserve. That’s desperation, folks.

26. Carolina Panthers (8-9, 0-1): Cats’ defense should be improved with free agent signings of Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips, the ex-Cane and Dolphin. But Carolina has the toughest schedule in NFL and a QB problem; i.e., four years in and still not sure Bryce Young is “the guy.”

THE DREGS

27. Miami Dolphins (7-10): First-time NFL head coach Jeff Hafley will prove a strong hire, I believe ... but he will endure a rough baptism. Broad strokes: Miami needs one or two quality guys to emerge from a wide receivers room that may be the NFL’s worst. And Fins have a secondary so inexperienced the guys might need asbestos uniforms against the expected torching. That’s an XXXL-sized problem. Miami has a brutally tough schedule, too. I still think there are five teams worse, and I still think Fins could prove a bit better than basement-low expectations. Why? QB Malik Willis will be good. RB De’Von Achane is real good. The O-line will be mostly solid. And the defensive front seven has some playmakers. It still will be a dues-paying start to the youth-movement rebuild. But hints and evidence of hope will be there.

28. Tennessee Titans (3-14): Robert Saleh is the new head coach after failing to achieve liftoff with the Jets. The hope here is that QB Cam Ward, the ex-Cane, might be ready for a big sophomore leap with Brian Daboll his new OC., and the gift of the draft’s top receiver in Carnell Tate. Titans’ D should be somewhat better as well.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (3-14): Miami’s season-opening opponent has Klint Kubiak as the new coach after leading Seattle’s offense to a Super Bowl win. Veteran QB Kirk Cousins will be a steady rudder until rookie No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza from Miami Columbus High is ready to take over. A very young defense surrounds elite edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

30. Arizona Cardinals (3-14): Mike LaFleur takes over as coach after serving as Rams OC. Journeymen QBs are starter-for-now Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew and ex-Cane rookie Carson Beck. Pluses: Fantasy-stud TE Trey McBride, top rookie RB Jeremiyah Love and WR Marvin Harrison Jr. But can the line protect Brissett and will the defense be as awful as usual?

31. New York Jets (3-14): Coach Aaron Glenn’s job security is solid as a tumbleweed in a tornado. Jets defense was embarrassingly bad last year, but NYJ has a couple pieces on offense, and new QB Geno Smith isn’t bad when he isn’t throwing 32 interceptions during the past two seasons.

32. Cleveland Browns (5-12): Browns fans vigorously booed the first preseason appearance by Deshaun Watson likely harking back to his being sued by several female massage therapists over alleged lewd behavior, then being given a franchise-crippling five-year, $230 million deal by Cleveland, then missing most of the next three years injured. Two days after being booed Watson was named starting QB over Shedeur Sanders. Soon after that, betting odds had Watson the likeliest first QB to be benched. Best of luck, new coach Todd Monken and welcome to Cleveland, which also traded away best player Myles Garrett.

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