It’s been nearly 200 days since the last NFL game, but the wait is coming to a close. The NFL will kick off its season with the opener between the Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 9th as the league embarks on its 101st season. Teams improved, teams regressed, but there will be only 8 division winners in the end.
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
2020 Record: 13-3 (Lost to Buccaneers in NFC Championship Game)
Key Additions: CB Kevin King (Re-Signed), Randall Cobb (Trade), CB Eric Stokes (Draft)
Key Losses: ILB Christian Kirksey (Free Agency), OT Jared Veldheer (Retirement)
This division really hinges on one player: Mr. Discount Double-Check himself. At the moment, it appears Aaron Rodgers is committed to seeing the season out with the Packers and making one more run at the Super Bowl. As long as that is true, Green Bay are runaway favorites for the division
The issue has never really been a lack of talent for Green Bay. With Aaron Jones coming out of the backfield and Davante Adams working on the outside, that’s already two Pro Bowl-caliber players for Rodgers to work with. The team also added receiver Randall Cobb from the Texans, receiver Amari Rodgers from Clemson via the draft, and return former Boston College standout A.J Dillon at running back. With a solid offensive line in place, the Packers’ problems will likely materialize on the other side of the ball.
Shaky Secondary Something to Watch
There is a lot of positives in the Packers defensive unit. Between Preston Smith, Za’Darius Smith and Kenny Clark, Green Bays’ front seven is a force to be reckoned with. The secondary is really what caused the team problems in the playoffs. Kevin King infamously got absolutely torched by the Buccaneers in that championship game and it was clear that apart from Jaire Alexander, most other players along the secondary were vulnerable. The Packers brought back King and added Georgia cornerback Eric Stokes, an athletic beast who boasts a 4.29 40 yard dash. Speed isn’t everything in the secondary but it is a welcomed addition for the Packers.
From top to bottom, Green Bay is loaded with talent. Barring a midseason meltdown from Rodgers, the Packers should be able to retain the division for the third consecutive year.
NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 Record: 11-5 (Defeated Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl)
Key Additions: DE Joe Tyron (Draft), WR Jaelon Darden (Draft)
Key Losses: OT Joe Haeg (Free Agency)
Yes, you are reading that right. The defending Super Bowl champions masterfully maneuvered the salary cap to retain every starter from the team that won it all just last season. A round of applause for Buccaneers’ general manager Jason Licht, the team is easily favorites to repeat as division champions.
What doesn’t Tampa Bay have offensively is the real question this season. The greatest quarterback of all time protected by one of the best offensive lines in football with a receiving corps of threee Pro Bowl-caliber receivers. It’s a heavenly situation for Tom Brady and company. Offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs deserves special recognition as a cog of this offense. In his rookie season, the former Iowa product allowed just 1 sack on 1073 offensive snaps while protecting Bradys’ blindside. Bringing back Chris Godwin on the franchise tag makes this offense a surefire top-3 unit in the league.
Even with a star-studded offense, the defense talent warrants a conversation for which side of the ball is the Bucs true strength. The front seven is loaded, with Ndamukong Suh and Vita Vea holding down the two defensive tackle spots. Production and talent-wise, the linebacking trio of Devin White, Lavonte David and Shaquill Barrett is the best in the league. Safety Antonie Winfield will look to build upon what was a stellar rookie season out of Minnesota.
State of the Division
The division is really not a huge competition at his point. Both the Saints and Panthers have new starting quarterbacks going into this season and the Falcons are going into Year 1 with a new head coach. Combine the Buccaneers impressive retention of their roster with the situations of the rest of the division and its hard to see a situation where Tampa Bay doesn’t run away with the division.
NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
2020 Record: 6-10 (3rd in NFC East)
Key Additions: LB Micah Parsons (Draft), CB Kelvin Joseph (Draft)
Key Losses: CB Chidobe Awuzie (Free Agency), QB Andy Dalton (Free Agency), OT Cameron Erving (Free Agency)
Maybe the most wildly unpredictable division, all four teams have a realistic shot of being crwoned division champs at the end of the year. The Cowboys should win, but counting on the Cowboys is always a risk.
The 2020 record is not an accurate representation of this teams potential. After Dak Prescott suffered a gruesome, season-ending injury, Dallas’s chances at a Super Bowl run were gone. However, with Prescot back, this offense is easily one of the best in the conference. Flanking Prescott are receievers Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Lamb had a phenomenal rookie season out of Oklahoma and that was with Andy Dalton throwing him the ball. Bringing Prescott back will only make Lamb more productive going forward. Running back Zeke Elliot struggled last season, as he had just two games in which he topped 100 yards rushing. Prescotts’ return will also open the game up for Elliot, as he will face far less 7 or 8 man boxes with the threat of Prescott throwing in the backfield.
Defense is the X-Factor
The defense is the real question mark going into the season. The 2020 Dallas Cowboys defense left a lot to be desired. The team allowed the 8th highest yards per play of any team in the league. They also lacked disicipled, as they also had the 8th-most first downs by penalties given up. Adding heat-seeking missile Parsons out of Penn State will give Dallas some playmaking ability. Linebacker Jaylon Smith will be on the hot seat to prove to the Cowboys that he was worth the huge contract he signed in 2019. The secondary also has a lot to prove, look for second year corner Trevon Diggs to make a big step and lead that unit for Dallas.
With a lot of uncertainties on defense, this division is far from a foregone conclusion. Washington has a stellar defense and an ascending offense behind Terry McLaurin and Antonio Gibson. The Giants will welcome back Saquon Barkley and added a true number 1 receiver in Kenny Golladay this offseason. The Cowboys have all the personnel to get the job done, but this is a division to watch all the way up until Week 18.
NFC West: Los Angeles Rams
2020 Record: 10-6 (Lost to Green Bay Packers in NFC Divisional Round)
Key Additions: WR Desean Jackson (Free Agency), QB Matthew Stafford (Trade), WR Tutu Atwell (Draft)
Key Losses: SS John Johnson lll (Free Agency), DE Samson Ebukam (Free Agency), CB Troy Hill (Free Agency), TE Gereld Everett (Free Agency), QB Jared Goff (Trade)
We go from the most unpredictable division in football to. themost competitive division. Each of the four teams in the division has a realistic path to winning the division. However, the Rams get the edge in the end after some upgrades at key positions.
Seeing the additions above, there. isonly one real addition that makes a huge difference. Adding Matthew Stafford from the Lions has the potential to push the Rams over the top in the coming years. While he has been overshadowed for the past few years by the travesty that has been the Lions franchise, Stafford has been one of the most consistent and durable quarterbacks in the game for a long time now. His competition percentage has been north of 60% every year since 2014. Stafford has also thrown for over 4000 yards in five of his last seven seasons. He is an immediate upgrade to Jared Goff and with receivers like Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Van Jefferson, don’t be surprised if we see some career numbers from Stafford this year.
Rams Defensive Preview
Defensively, the Rams are better than they look on paper. They have the two marquee play makers in Aaron Donald and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, but there are a lot of other solid contributors on the team. Safety Taylor Rapp is extremely fluid and intelligent with his movement in the deep center of the field. Linebacker Leonard Floyd was second to only Donald on the team with 11 tackles for loss last season. Not a lot of big name guys, but Sean McVay knows how to get the best out of guys.
This division is no walk in the park for the Rams. The Seahawks with Russell Wilson is always a force to be reckoned with. The Cardinals have a fantastic defense to compliment an explosive offense and the Niners will return a lot of players from the team that made the Super Bowl run just two years ago. This division is far from a foregone conclusion, but the Rams massive upgrade at quarterback makes them the favorite.
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens
2020 Record: 11-5 (Lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Divisional Round)
Key Additions: WR Rashod Bateman (Draft), OG Kevin Zietler (Free Agency), OT Alejandro Villanueva (Free Agency), WR Sammy Watkins (Free Agency), OT Ja’Wuan James (Free Agency),
Key Losses: EDGE Matt Judon (Free Agency), EDGE Yannick Ngakoue (Free Agency), RB Mark Ingram (Free Agency), C Matt Skura (Free Agency)
The Ravens had a lot of turnover from last years team. However, their additions along the offensive line and added weapons for Lamar Jackson on the outside should make them division favorites.
Adding Zietler, Villanueva and James on the line was huge for the run-heavy Ravens. Zietler allowed just 2 sacks on over 1000 offensive snaps played last season according to PFF. Villanueva allowed just three on a similar snap total. As if Jackson wasn’t already hard enough to bring down, the Ravens solidified the line with the two of the best lineman in the game. Adding a physical receiver like Bateman on the outside will be a good compliment to Marquise Brown and Watkins, who are more traditional slot receivers. Losing Ingram was also a well-calculated risk by Baltimore, as the two man backfield of J.K Dobbins and Gus Edwards are well equipped to keep the Ravens as one of the top rushing attacks in the league.
Ravens Reshuffle on Defense
Losing nearly a quarter of the teams total sack production will definitely hurt the Ravens defense. Judon led the team with 6 sacks and was tied for first in tackles for loss. The team will be looking for second year linebacker Patrick Queen to build off of his stellar rookie season. Tyus Bowser will also need to make a big step forward to fill the shoes of Judon at the strong side linbacker spot. Bowser started just 8 games in 2020. The secondary will be a strength of the defense. Marlon Humphrey is one of the top corners in the game and Marcus Peters is still disruptive any player he is matched up against. Look for rookie Shaun Wade out of Ohio State to be a contributor early on for this Ravens secondary.
The rest of the division is solid but not quite there yet. The Steelers enjoyed that spectacular winning streak last season, but they will likely regress to the mean this year. The Browns have all the talent, but they can never seem to put it all together on the field, with health being one of the primary detriments. The Bengals will improve after getting Joe Burrow back, but there are still far too many holes on the roster for them to be considered in contention for the division title.
AFC South: Tennesee Titans
2020 Record: 11-5 (Lost to Baltimore Ravnes in AFC Wild Card Game)
Key Additions: WR Julio Jones (Trade), OLB Bud Dupree (Free Agency), CB Janoris Jenkins (Free Agency), OT Dillon Radunz (Draft), CB Caleb Farley
Key Losses: WR Corey Davis (Free Agency), TE Jonnu Smith (Free Agency), CB Adoree Jackson (Free Agency), DE Jadeveon Clowney (Free Agency)
The losses were significant for Tenneesee, but the additions were even more impressive. The added star power plus the uncertainty with the rest of the division gives the Titans the edge this year.
The addition of Julio Jones from the Falcons was the arguably the move of the offseason. Adding Jones next to rising star A.J Brown will give Tenneesee a top-5 receiver duo in the league. Typically a more run heavy team, the threat of two Pro Bowl receivers on the outside will open up more opportunities for Derrick Henry in the run game. Rookie Dillon Radunz will likely have a significant role on the offensive line from Day 1. His experience in North Dakota States’ smash mouth offense will transfer seamlessly to the Titans style of play.
Tenneeseee Defensive Upgrades
Swapping Dupree for Clowney at the outside linebacker position is an upgrade for the Titans. Dupree finished with 8 sacks and 8 tackles for loss in 11 games last season. In comparison, Clowney finished with 0 sacks and 4 tackles for loss in just 8 games played. Clowney is the more talented player, but it hasn’t resulted in production on the field in these past few years. Despite losing Jackson, the secondary still looks like a plus for Tennesee. Former second round pick Kristian Fulton will step in nicely for Jackson. Adding Caleb Farley out of Virginia Tech was a huge get. There are injuries concerns, but Farley’s picturesque technique and ability to leverage receivers are two things that will translate well to the NFL.
The Colts were close contenders until it was announced that Carson Wentz would miss significant time with a foot injury. Indianapolis will now rely on former Georgia quarterback Jacob Eason, who has yet to attempt a single pass in the NFL. The other two teams are in full rebuild mode. The Texans are in shambles, as it is unclear what the status of Deshaun Watson is going forward. The Jaguars are trending in the right direction, but it will take more than Trevor Lawrence to turn this team into a formidable team. Behind a high-powered offense, the Titans will be looking to make their first Super Bowl appearance since 1999.
AFC East: Buffalo Bills
2020 Record: 13-3 (Lost to Kansas City Chiefs in AFC Conference Championship)
Key Additions: WR Emmanuel Sanders (Free Agency), QB Mitch Trubisky (Free Agency), DE Greg Rosseau (Draft), DE Carlos Basham Jr. (Draft)
Key Losses: WR John Brown (Free Agency)
An ascending division, the Bills still have firm control after a strong 2020 season. With Josh Allen projected to make another big step and the team returning most of its starters, the Bills are runaways favorites to repeat as division champs.
Josh Allen was apart of the historic 2018 quarterback class that saw four quarterbacks go inside the top-10. Some analysts at the time ranked him the worst of the four. Flash forward three years and Allen is by far the most polished and productive of the bunch. His cannon of an arm is always on display, as his average target depth ranked in the 75th percentile amongst quarterbacks. Adding Emmanuel Sanders will only help his quest to top his career high of 4,546 passing yards that he achieved last season. The backfield duo of Devin Singletary and Zack Moss gives Buffalo a lot of versatility in the running game. The offensive line returns every starter from a unit that allowed the 9th-fewest sacks last season.
Bills Retain the Defense
The defense also returns every starter, with talent at every level of the 4-2-5 Nickelback defense they love to run. The linebacking duo of Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano is one of the best pairings of coverage linebackers in the league. Adding Rosseau and Basham at the defensive end position is huge. Rosseau plays with brute strength and power at 6’7 and will give the Bills defensive line rotation a nasty edge. Basham Jr. was highly productive during his years at Wake Forest and will help a Bills defensive line unit that generated just 38 sacks last season.
The other three teams in this division are on the rise. The Patriots made some big money moves in free agency, acquiring Jonnu SMith and Matt Judon. The Dolphins added Jaylen Waddle to pair with former Alabama teammate Tua Tagovailoa. The Jets had a phenomenal draft and found a new franchise quarterback in Zach Wilson. However, it is hard to see any of them challenging the Bills for this upcoming season. The Bills have a little more time before Josh Allens’ rookie extension ruins their salary cap situation. They are in perfect position to make a run for the division, and the goal should be Super Bowl.
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs
2020 Record: 14-2 (Lost to Tampa Bay Bucacaneers in Super Bowl)
Key Additions: OG Joe Thuney (Free Agency), DT Jarran Reed (Free Agency), OT Orlando Brown Jr. (Trade), C Creed Humphrey (Draft), OG Trey Smith (Draft), SS Daniel Sorenson (Resigned), CB Mike Huges
Key Losses: OT Eric Fisher (Free Agency), WR Sammy Watkins (Free Agency), RB Damien Williams (Free Agency)
It was a perfect offseason for the Chiefs. After falling short in the Super Bowl, they retained and revamped at positions of need. This division is theirs for the foreseeable future.
After watching the Super Bowl, the Buccaneers exposed the one flaw to this Kansas City team: the offensive line. The Buccaneers front seven is one of the best in the league, and they had Mahomes running for his life out there. The Chiefs wasted no time, brining in four new starters for the offensive line. Left tackle Orlando Brown is one. ofthe bes t in the game and the Chiefs got him at a discount due to his discontent during his time in Baltimore. Joe Thuney has been one of th most consistent guards in the league for multiple years. Humphrey and Smith were two of highest graded offensive lineman in this years draft class. There are certainly no doubts about the Chiefs offensive line going forward.
On top of a total offensive line revamp, the Chiefs got better on defense. Adding Jarran Reed up front will be huge for their run defense. He never puts up the most sacks or quarterback hits, but he plugs the A and B gaps well. On the secondary, the team welcomes back safety Juan Thornihill. Thornhill was a big playmaker in the secondary for Kansas City before tearing his ACL in Week 17. The team also added former first round pick Mike Hughes from the VIkings. forpennies on the dollar. Hughes has struggle to make an impact in the NFL but the Chiefs made a smart gamble on his potential upside.
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