PREVIEWING THE 2021 NFL SEASON: AFC EDITION

The new league year is officially here! As of this typing most, if not all, of the NFL’s 32
teams have reported for training camp and have officially started the 2021 campaign in earnest. There have been plenty of changes from last year to this year, some for the better and others that leave plenty of question marks for the fans and media alike. For one, the 16-game season is officially over and for the first time we will be watching a 17-game season play out. At the end of the day the NFL and their sponsors absolutely love this move as it generates more revenue for all involved but one has to imagine that some of the players can’t be too happy about the additional wear and tear that their bodies will be put through with the additional game to be played. In addition to the 17-game regular season schedule the preseason schedule has been shortened from four games to three. Preseason games have often been looked at as a shameless cash grab for the NFL and are also considered incredibly dangerous as plenty of teams have had major injuries happen to their roster over meaningless exhibition games. The shortening of the preseason schedule should make everyone involved a lot happier. The best part of this upcoming season in my opinion? The stadiums will be packed with fans again. Last year, despite how intense and exciting some of the games proved to be, was like watching glorified practices on TV minus the Super Bowl and a few of the playoff games that allowed minimal attendance. As we got to see with the NBA and NHL playoffs, high stakes sports are infinitely better with the fans in the stands and having them back full-force in the stadiums will be beautiful to see and hear. The biggest changes are going to be seen on the field on game day with certain superstars retiring (Drew Brees) and the young guns coming into the league with plenty of hype behind them (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones to name a few).
As usual every team in the league, with the exception of the defending Super Bowl
champion Buccaneers, have gone through many changes both in player and coaching
personnel. Some teams, on paper, have improved during the off-season and some have taken a few steps back. The following are my predictions for each AFC team’s
upcoming season.

AFC EAST:

1. BUFFALO BILLS

I don’t think it’s any secret that Josh Allen is easily the best quarterback in the AFC
East and it’s not even close. You add a savvy veteran receiver like Emmanuel Sanders
next to Stefon Diggs and retain your whizkid offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and
you have a team that looks to not only repeat it’s positioning as a top 5 offensive unit
but also win the division for the second straight year. Also, shout out to head coach
Sean McDermott who has done an incredible job taking a talented yet underperforming team to being legitimate Super Bowl contenders in just a few seasons at the helm. 2020 was a dream season for Bills Mafia but, with any luck, the 2021 Bills might just surpass them.

2. MIAMI DOLPHINS

Just as Sean McDermott has done in his tenure of the Bills, Brian Flores has taken the
Miami Dolphins and molded them into what should be a legitimate playoff contender
this season and for many seasons to come. The Dolphins followed the 49ers’ blueprint when they hired Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch to six-year contracts back in 2017: embrace the complete tear down of the team, begin the true rebuild from scratch and give your coach and GM the necessary time to build a contender through the draft and via free agency. The so-called “experts” pegged the Dolphins to go 0-16 in Flores’ first year at the helm but they ended up winning five games despite a completely gutted roster and in 2020 they barely missed the playoffs despite a much improved 10-6 campaign. The team that will take the field at Hard Rock Stadium this fall should finally get over the hump and make the playoffs for the first time in five seasons. Tua may have his doubters but I’m not one of them. As long as Flores is at the helm I’ll continue to be a believer in the Dolphins and the incredible culture they’re developing. Fins Up!

3. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The once dominant Patriots found themselves out of the playoff picture last year for the first time since the 2008 campaign. That tends to happen when most of your talent skips out on the season due to Covid concerns and the rest of the team either gets injured or struggles with catching Covid themselves. There was also losing your
legendary quarterback and adjusting to Cam Newton to deal with and the lack of
explosive weapons at his disposal. All told, the 2020 6-10 season was a complete
nightmare for Pats Nation, especially when it ended with their favorite son lifting his
SEVENTH Lombardi Trophy with his new team in his first year. That said, this season should be different. The team is healthier, Cam is more familiar with McDaniels’ playbook and there’s a young gun waiting in the wings who many believe could be Brady’s true heir in Mac Jones. Will they make the playoffs this year? Assuming other teams in the AFC stay healthy, I doubt it. There simply isn’t enough talent on the offensive side of the ball to justify that prediction and Cam, minus a few
flashes here and there, looks to be a complete shell of his former MVP self. I do believe they’ll be a tough out for all of their opponents and will be in the conversation of reaching the playoffs until the final weeks of the season but Belichick still has plenty of work to do on the roster before they’re considered legitimate playoff contenders again.

4. NEW YORK JETS

It’s a new era for Gang Green. Broadway Zach is officially the new face of the franchise and if he’s even half as good as many pundits believe he can be then the Jets will finally have their QB of the present and future (Sorry, Sam). There’s also a new coach in town after the Jets decided to rid themselves of the stink that was Adam Gase: former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, a brilliant defensive mind who is adored by his players, has been given the task of building a contender organically over the next few seasons just like his division rival Brian Flores was tasked with doing back in January of 2019 when he was hired. Saleh has his work cut out for him to say the least. The Jets currently have one of the worst rosters in the league and as brilliant as Saleh is he can’t take coal and make a diamond in one season. The Jets will struggle as they always do but Zach Wilson will be fun to watch and the Jets might just upset a few teams during the season, but at the end of the day they will finish last in the division in year one of Saleh’s rebuild.

AFC SOUTH

1. TENNESSEE TITANS

I’m incredibly bullish on the Titans. I love everything about them. The job that Mike
Vrabel has done in only three seasons at the helm is one of the most impressive
franchise turn arounds I’ve ever seen in professional sports, not to mention completely revitalizing Ryan Tannehill and giving him a true second act in his NFL career. Derrick Henry is still a human wrecking ball that is nearly impossible to stop and the defense will continue to be stout and versatile in their rushes and coverages. The big addition is adding Julio Jones to the offense. The Titans offense will continue to run through Derrick Henry but to have Julio Jones line up opposite AJ Brown? Yeah, that’s gonna be fun to watch. The Titans won’t just win the division, they could make it all the way back to the AFC Championship game as well.

2. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Speaking of quarterbacks getting second acts, Carson Wentz is getting that treatment
with the Colts in Indianapolis. Wentz has struggled with the injury bug something fierce since he entered the league back in 2016 and as a result the relationship between himself, former head coach Doug Pedersen and the entire Eagles organization frayed beyond repair and he was traded to the very man who was responsible for his best season under center while he was with the birds: Colts head coach Frank Reich. The Colts are a loaded football team lead by a great coach and a genius general manager in Chris Ballard, their only problem was no stability at the quarterback position after Andrew Luck’s stunning retirement two years ago. Philip Rivers did an admirable job last year getting the team to an 11-5 record and making the playoffs but he ended up retiring as well. It was imperative for the Colts to find their quarterback of the now and future and, in my opinion, the best possible outcome occurred. As long as Carson Wentz stays healthy, and that’a a BIG if, the Colts will be a tough out for every team in the league, including the Titans.

EDIT: As of August 2nd, 2021 Carson Wentz is having foot surgery and will miss 5-12
weeks. His injury isn’t season ending but to say that history repeats itself would be an
understatement.

3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

The Trevor Lawrence/Urban Meyer era has officially begun in Duval County, but they’re not the only new big names in Jaguars organization. Tim Tebow, I repeat, TIM TEBOW, has signed on to play tight end for the Jags this upcoming season. While the Jags don’t have much talent on either side of the ball they will still be a fascinating team to watch just to see how Lawrence fares in his rookie year and if Tebow has it in him to excel at his new position. I expect Lawrence to win a few games off of his raw talent alone but the team will struggle mightily against their opponents this year.

4. HOUSTON TEXANS

What. A. Mess. I don’t think anyone is expecting much of anything out of Houston
except for a massive shit show. Even if Deshaun Watson somehow stays with the team there will be a MASSIVE cloud hanging over him and the entire organization due to the allegations against him. Add in a first year GM/Head Coach and one of the least talented rosters in the league and you have the makings of a bonafide disaster. Truth be told, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Texans ended up with two wins or less. Who knows, they could be the first team in NFL history to finish 0-17. The ghost of Bill O’Brien still haunts this franchise every day.

AFC WEST

1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Forget about AFC West champs, on paper, the Chiefs very well could be AFC and NFL
champs as well. The simple fact is, despite the absolute ass-blasting they took from
the Bucs in the Super Bowl, they’re still the most dynamic offense in the league and
Patrick Mahomes is still the best and most electrifying quarterback in the NFL and it’s
not even close. Will there be a Super Bowl hangover this time? It’s always different the following year for the Super Bowl loser but this Chiefs team is built different. As long as the defense takes strides forward then the Chiefs should at the very least make a return trip to the AFC Championship Game for the fourth consecutive season. The Bills, Titans and Ravens are all hoping for a hangover more than any other team in the league.

2. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The Chargers will go as far as Justin Herbert takes them, period. Personally speaking I
had never watched Herbert’s tape from Oregon so I had no idea what to expect when
the Chargers drafted him 12th overall last year. Needless to say he not only blew me
away but every single person watching him play was probably in awe of what they
were seeing. The Chargers lost several one possession games last year due to their
usually stout defense having multiple hiccups but, health permitting, that will not be the case this year. The question is will Herbert continue to evolve and thrive in his second year or will the dreaded sophomore slump rear it’s ugly head? Usually first-year head coaches don’t do well unless they inherit a solid team with an established quarterback. Brandon Staley, the first defensive-minded head coach the Bolts have hired in a decade, has both of those at his disposal. Look for the Chargers to make plenty of noise this year.

3. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

The Raiders continue to be one of the most frustrating teams in the league and Derek Carr is a big reason why. Outside of his remarkable 2016 season, before it was cut short by a broken leg, he has been incredible, mediocre, awful and everything in
between over the course of the last several seasons in must win games in November
and December. Granted, it hasn’t just been his inconsistency that’s been the problem
with the team. Jon Gruden still thinks it’s 1998 and, while his offense certainly is
capable of putting up numbers, his defense continues to be near the bottom of the
league year after year. Until Gruden and GM Mike Mayock put together a sound
defense, both up front and in the secondary, the Raiders will continue to struggle
against teams that are capable of exploiting it. That new stadium is gorgeous though.

4. DENVER BRONCOS

It’s make or break time for Bronocs head coach Vic Fangio. Fangio has had a lot to
deal with in his first two seasons at the helm of the pride of Mile High but the reality is the NFL is a results based business and Fangio hasn’t produced the desired results up to this point. Would a franchise quarterback help his case? Sure would, but
unfortunately the Broncos haven’t had a franchise quarterback since Peyton Manning
retired over five years ago, all due respect to Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater.
Fangio’s defense has been relatively strong despite the injuries and set backs to star
players but if you can’t score points that defense is going to get gassed really quick. If
Fangio is going to make a case to keep his job he’s gonna have to maximize not only
his defense but also put Lock or Bridgewater in the best possible spot to make use of
the weapons at their disposal, specifically Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton. My
prediction? Fangio gets let go after underperforming with a talented roster and Elway
gets to keep his job somehow and find the next Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay clone. I
don’t think the Broncos will be bad this year, but something tells me that Elway has a
specific win total in mind for this season and if Fangio doesn’t hit it, he’s gone.

AFC NORTH

1. BALTIMORE RAVENS

The Ravens are my pick to make it out of the AFC this year. I believe in Lamar, I believe in John Harbaugh and I love the roster they’ve built on both sides of the ball. Teams were able to pick up on Lamar’s tendencies a few times during the 2020 campaign but I have a feeling Greg Roman will have a few new wrinkles to bring to Lamar’s game this year that will keep opposing defenses honest throughout the season. Bet against these guys at your own risk because they are going to be DANGEROUS.

2. CLEVELAND BROWNS

What Kevin Stefanski was able to do in his first season at the helm of the Browns last
year is nothing short of miraculous. Gone is the maddening ineptitude of Hue Jackson and Freddie Kitchens and in comes the fresh air of a coach that had earned his right to be the head coach through hard work, preparation and coaching ingenuity. The Browns have built an incredibly talented team in recent years thanks to being awful and hoarding high draft picks. Those picks and free agency signings are finally paying off under the right leadership both by Stefanski and Baker Mayfield. I expect the Browns to make the most of their incredible roster this year and nip at the Ravens’ heels all season long.

3. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Another year, another Mike Tomlin-coached team collapse. Last year’s team started out with an 11-0 record only to lose four of their last five games and eventually get their manhood taken from them by their little brothers from Cleveland at home in the Wild Card round. When the game was over, and the cameras lingered on Big Ben sitting by himself on the team bench looking out on the field with a blank stare, I thought we were witnessing the end of Big Ben’s career. A restructured contract brought Ben back, but I question how much he has left in the tank to compete at the highest level. The simple fact is that the rest of the teams in the division have their young guns coming into their primes, Joe Burrow possibly being another year away from reaching his true potential. The Steelers rely on Ben’s arm far too often, especially when they begin to trail by double digits and abandon the run early. How much longer can he sling it like that? Especially in the dog days of December when he and the team are battered and bruised and it’s bitterly cold out? I have no doubt the defense will still be potent as all hell, but this team is tied to the health of Ben and the strength of his right arm. They’ll be in the playoff mix but they won’t make too much noise outside of potentially making the first round, in my opinion.

4. CINCINNATI BENGALS

The Bengals will be worth watching simply to see the strides Joe Burrow will make in
his second year. The kid is SPECIAL and he showed last year why he was the first
overall pick even with an anemic roster around him. I expect them to be better this year but they still have plenty of building to do in order for them to be a legit threat in their own division. Expect them to steal one or two games from some superior teams in the conference but they will finish last in the division for yet another year.

Stay tuned for my predictions on the NFC teams coming soon!

Thanks for reading!