The King of Sports in America, the National Football League, kicks off the 2021 season tomorrow night with the traditional Thursday night opener between the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the guaranteed TV ratings grabber but often over-rated Dallas Cowboys.
Will this finally the the year when Father Time catches up to the ageless wonder, Ton Brady? We will begin to get an answer to that question beginning tomorrow night.
- How will a completely rebuilt offensive line function?
- Will rookie Najee Harris give the Steelers what they so sorely lacked last season, a running game? The answer to that question could be a function of the answer to the first question.
- What's the deal with TJ Watt and his contract situation?
- How will 39 year old Ben Roethlisberger do at quarterback in his 18th season with the team? (Again, see question #1)
Personally, I think that the team is going to be better than many are expecting them to be this year. Will it be good enough to sustain a deep run into the Playoffs? The defense will be solid and good, but there are questions on offense, and it all hinges on the maturation and development of the offensive line, and the performance of their aging QB. I see a 9-8 or 10-7 season, a wild card spot in the Playoffs and at least one win in the postseason.
As for the NFL as a whole, here are some predictions for you:
AFC Division Winners: Bills, Browns, Titans, Chiefs
NFC Division Winners: WFT, Packers, Buccaneers, Rams
Super Bowl: Buffalo Bills over the Los Angeles Rams
One other team that I will be watching this season with great interest will be the New England Patriots. The Brady w/o Belichick vs. Belichick w/o Brady Debate was settled pretty convincingly last season when the Pats failed to make the playoffs, and Brady and the Bucs won the Super Bowl. I was intrigued on Draft Day when Belichick and the Pats took Alabama QB Mac Jones with their first pick. I don't think that Jones got nearly enough credit for the job he did for the Crimson Tide, and I can't wait to see what will become of him under Coach Bill. The Pats could surprise a lot of people this year, but, then again, would that really be such big surprise?
Oh, and this feature will be back for 2021:
The Grandstander Power Rankings, wherein I rank the NFL as if it were the College Football Playoffs and give you the Top Four teams each week, plus a selection of teams that are "knocking on the door." I will probably wait until five or six weeks into the season until some season opening dust settles before this becomes a weekly feature, but how about a Pre-Season GPR for your consideration:
- Bucs
- Bills
- Chiefs
- Rams
Knocking on the Door: Ravens, Chargers, Packers, Seahawks.
Okay, the fun all begins tomorrow night along about 8:15. Let's all enjoy the season!!
No comments:
Post a Comment