Early NFL 2021 Season Predictions
1) Sirianni leads Eagles to Division Title
Based on recent history, a single digit winning season is enough to win the NFC East. The NFC East is a division that remains compelling year to year because of the turnover at the top. The Philadelphia Eagles pressed the reset button firing Super Bowl winning coach, Doug Pederson and trading away former number two overall pick, Carson Wentz. The Philadelphia Eagle’s new coaching hire of Nick Sirianni has already been condemned. Sirianni’s nervous press conference showings only added more questions whether this was a puppet hire by owner, Jeffrey Lurie and general manager, Howie Roseman. Regardless there is always a coaching hire that proves the public wrong and wins right away. The Eagles have an unsung quarterback in second year player, Jalen Hurts. Before the 2020 NFL Draft, I was not a fan of Hurts style of play and did not think he would translate well in the pros. He proved me wrong. He may not be a long term, prototypical franchise quarterback, but he can be Lamar Jackson like. He has dynamic straight-line speed, and showed himself to have a great feel for the game. Hurts already appears to be a more natural passer than Jackson. If the Eagles tailor the offense to Hurts skillset, the Eagles is going to be an interesting puzzle to solve. With no other divisional rival showing a high ceiling for this coming season, Philadelphia’s Road to a division title seems very possible. Regardless, like every other year, it is going to be a dog fight to the end.
2) Brady Wins Another MVP
‘Mr. February’ Tom Brady continues to stack hardware. Despite advanced age, Brady is in line to win his fourth regular season MVP award. Winning the Super Bowl in his first year in Tampa was an incredible achievement. The end result made us forget the rough patches the Tampa Bay offense had during the 2020 campaign. With a second year under Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich, the Buccs offense should be less turnover prone and more precise. The ability to retain the key players on offense gives Tom Brady more than enough talent to aid in winning the MVP. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are still a top five wide receiver tandem. You know your offense is loaded when Antonio Brown and Cameron Brate are afterthoughts. Bombs away in Tampa Bay. Another 40-touchdown season is coming.
3) Bengals finish ahead of Steelers
The end of an era is coming in Pittsburgh. The Steelers offensive line is a shell of itself. Gone are Pro Bowl talents in Maurkice Pouncey and Alejandro Villanueva. Since offensive line coach, Mike Munchak departed in 2019, there has been a scarcity in O-Line play and player development in the trenches. The Steelers culture is broken and continues to avoid change, instead firing offensive coordinators as the scapegoats. The problem is not the coordinators, it is the other usual suspects. Ben Roethlisberger is no longer a quality quarterback. Head Coach, Mike Tomlin and general manager, Kevin Colbert continue to fail to correct a selfish broken locker room and culture. The Cincinnati Bengals are primed to catch the Steelers. Long a laughingstock, the Bengals found the franchise quarterback to help close the competitive gap. The Cincinnati team is more than just Joe Burrow. Tee Higgins and Joe Mixon are sleeping giants at their positions. Cincinnati has quietly added talent to compete with their hated rivals including LSU stud wideout Ja’Marr Chase. The weak link is Bengals coach Zac Taylor. Taylor appears to be in over his head as a head coach. His capability as a head coach, will be the great equalizer in helping Pittsburgh have a shot.
4) Texans are on the Clock
This is familiar territory for the NFL’s youngest franchise. The Texans are going to capture their fourth 1st overall pick. This is the master reset they need. Bill O’Brien failed the franchise as a general manager. He alienated his team and sold away draft picks, getting fleeced in every trade he made. There is little upside in the current roster. Unfortunately, the franchise did not take advantage of free agency either. Desmond King and Phillip Lindsay aside, there are mostly past their prime veteran signings that do not align with the Texans current timeline. With the DeShaun Watson situation still cloudy, newcomer head coach, David Culley is predestined for a miserable season. Unfortunately, he is going to be the scapegoat for the team’s certain failure. The Texans are going to be forced to start over and rebuild the right way. Spencer Rattler or a generational pass rusher may be the first building block. It is going to be worst before it gets better in Houston.
5) Sam Darnold not the answer in Carolina
Sam Darnold escapes the torture chamber that is the New York Jets, and lands with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are ready to pounce. The young head coach looks like a hit. The roster is coming alive and held together by a strong core consisting of DJ Moore, Derrick Brown, and Brian Burns. Fantasy darling Christian McCaffrey is making his return from injury. Despite the infrastructure, Sam Darnold is not going to live up to his pre-draft hype. The turnovers and lack of arm strength are going to hold Darnold back from being a great quarterback. He may be good in spurts, but the lack of consistency is going to erase the questions we had about him as a franchise player. His age leaves hope that there is potential for massive development. Unfortunately, Darnold’s ceiling will be much lower than projected. Panthers keep searching.
6) Tennesse’s Winning Streak is Snapped
Very quietly the Titans have had five straight winning seasons. General manager Jon Robinson molded a competitive roster through the draft and key free agent acquisitions. Mike Vrabel added the mean streak the team was missing. Regression is coming. It is natural in the NFL. The saying goes NFL also means, ‘Not for long.’ The Titans are going to be burned by their latest draft picks. The first-round tackle from Geogia, Isaiah Wilson was an epic bust. The team has been getting thinner the last two years at key positions. Cornerstone players like Jack Conklin and Jurrell Casey departed a few years ago. At the very top, AJ Brown, Jeffery Simmons, and Derrick Henry are franchise guys. The talent drop from the starters to the reserves is massive. Potential injuries are only going to exacerbate the need to retool. As flashy as the addition for Julio Jones is, the reality is Jones is an aging, injury-prone player who does not help the Titans in the future. The Titans are the proverbial boom or bust team of 2021.
7) Tua’s outshined by his Contemporaries
The NFL is cruel. Not every player drafted turns into a true NFL player. With so many draft picks and undrafted free agents, busts naturally exist. With the number of quarterbacks drafted in the first round, it is almost certain that not all of them pan out. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is going to continue to struggle. His peers Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and even Jalen Hurts look the part. They have a combination of athleticism, arm talent, and intangibles. There are too many boxes Tua does not check. His injury history which predates to his run-in college at the University of Alabama is concerning. His rookie season had him returning from a serious hip injury, which explains some of the lackluster rookie play. Injuries aside Tua’s never been a premier athlete or had a talented arm. He is a hustler, who has run out of luck. His ex-teammates even showed their unfiltered thoughts on how rookie Mac Jones was the superior player. Players do not usually do that to their quarterback. Tua’s reputation is he is a great person and never gives up. It just may not be enough.
8) Mac Jones takes the starting job by late September
The Patriots plunged with all their assets to improve their faulty roster. The quarterback position was no exception as they selected Mac Jones from Alabama. The more you read and see from Mac Jones, the more you see why he is primed to be great quarterback. Quarterback gurus Josh McDaniels, Sean Payton, and Kyle Shanahan all loved the player. He carries himself like a franchise quarterback and he adapts swiftly. Cam Newton is going to be unseated sooner than later. His inability to be an effective long term passer let alone dual threat is going to make it easy for Jones to snatch the starting job. The Patriots are going to look to be more explosive on offense and take advantage of the offensive weapons. Jones has been praised for being a sponge. The faster he absorbs the system and improves his body, the quicker the transition is going to happen. It will not be long before the Patriots return to the postseason.
9) The Packers miss the playoffs.
Whether Aaron Rodgers plays for the Packers or not, the Packers are going to miss the playoffs. The team is not going to suddenly be a bottom feeder. It is going to narrowly miss out. The lingering issues with Rodgers and the front office are going to be a black cloud over the team. The team will still be productive and respectable. The character of the team and coaching staff will not allow the team to nosedive completely. What is going to fade is the incredible chemistry the offense produced in 2020. The addition of new defensive coordinator has gotten very little media attention. The hiring is boom or bust. The upside is the defense mirrors the 2020 Rams under Brandon Staley. The fear is the defense is a softer version of Mike Pettine’s defense. The Lions and Bears each made franchise altering moves to try to unseat the Packers. Despite that, the Packers biggest obstacle is themselves. They are in a Civil War. With the infrastructure around him, Jordan Love will mold into a capable starter, but the timeline is going to be ahead of schedule for his sake.
10) Super Bowl 56 is a rematch
The Chiefs and Buccaneers both return to the Super Bowl setting up an epic rematch. The Chiefs losing Super Bowl 55 may be the best thing to happen to them. After seeing their offense be overwhelmed by Tampa’s loaded defense, the Chiefs added some beef to protect Patrick Mahomes. Kyle Long, Orlando Brown Jr., and Joe Thuney were all essential additions in cleaning their biggest weakness. The Bills, Browns, and Ravens are on the Chiefs heels, but they will not catch them this coming year. With the Saints and Packers in transition, the Buccaneers face less high caliber opposition. The Rams and Seahawks are interesting contenders. Tampa Bay remains the most complete team in the NFC and their chemistry is only going to skyrocket in year two of the Brady experience. History will be made. Let us hope the rematch is more competitive than the first.
