NFL midseason predictions: Playoffs, MVP, draft, stat leaders - ESPN

The midway point of the 2023 NFL season is here. Nine weeks (and one Week 10 Thursday night game) down, nine to go. We saw a little bit of everything in the first half, but even at midseason, it's still very early. A lot can still happen over the two months remaining in the regular season.

So we asked 18 of our NFL analysts for their best prediction for the rest of the season and how it will play out. Will we see shocking division winners, playoff teams and No. 1 seeds? Will offensive stars post huge numbers over their final eight or nine games to make an MVP candidacy statement? Could one team go winless the rest of the way? And could we see a long-standing record fall by season's end?

Let's predict the second half of the season, starting with a pair of No. 1 seed projections.

Jump to:
No. 1 seeds | Playoff races
Standouts, records | MVP hunt
Returns and retirements | Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars will earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC

Jacksonville sits at 6-2 with an offense that hasn't even peaked yet. The Jaguars have a well-rounded roster that poses problems for most teams, and the carnage from a loaded conference could leave several teams with five or six losses, opening the door for an AFC South contender to slide into the top position. Jacksonville has the 16th-toughest schedule the rest of the way, per ESPN's Football Power Index, while the Bills, Bengals and Ravens are all in the top five. — Jeremy Fowler, national NFL reporter

The Detroit Lions will earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC

The 6-2 Lions are surprisingly higher than the 8-1 Eagles in my DVOA ratings, and they have the fourth-easiest schedule the rest of the way. In fact, they have only one game (at Dallas in Week 17) against teams currently in the top 10