2020-2021 NFL Season (1 Viewer)

[Winston T. Boogie]

Well, it appears this is going to happen and they are insisting on starting the season right on time after foregoing a preseason slate of games. This pretty much means that the first month of football will be the preseason. I would expect sloppy games, out of shape players, probably more injuries than normal. Also the defense generally always gets the advantage over the offense with less time to work on timing, routes, and execution. So, probably lower scoring games and likely more penalties too. Add to this that players were given an "Opt out" clause if they did not want to play in the time of Covid, several took it, and so this should be sort of a wacky anything goes kind of start to the season. Also if a player tests positive, he's gone for two weeks automatically...but due to how this virus spreads just think how easily that could sideline half of a team for two weeks. Not sure how they plan to handle something like that. If most of your defense or offense can't play do you then start a bunch of practice squad players?

I will be happy for the sense of "normalcy" that having "football Sundays" will bring but I do hope this goes well for the players and coaches and everybody stays safe. I think a single death from Covid would essentially mean they should not have played this season. Obviously we are talking about a full contact sport and anybody that has watched Tom Brady play knows he licks his fingers all the time before and after touching the football...as do many other QBs. So, I see this as a high risk season for sure.

In terms of just the football side of this, predictions seem to lean toward teams with good offenses seeming to be favored. Basically, the Chiefs are the clear favorite entering the season to repeat mainly because people believe offensively Reid will have them ahead of the other 31 teams.

I think this is how the favorites to win their divisions stack up at this moment:

AFC East: Buffalo Bills
AFC North: Baltimore Ravens
AFC South: Tennessee Titans
AFC West: Kansas City Chiefs

AFC Super Bowl Favorite: Kansas City Chiefs

NFC East: Dallas Cowboys
NFC North: Green Bay Packers
NFC South: New Orleans Saints
NFC West: San Francisco 49ers

NFC Super Bowl Favorite: New Orleans Saints

Now all that means nothing really as this could be the strangest season of pro football ever played and who knows week to week who will be on the field and if games could be cancelled due to virus outbreaks. Really, this could be anybody's season just based on who is left standing come playoff time. One thing that obviously stands out though...for the first time in a couple decades the Patriots are not the team I would favor to take the AFC East.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

This season has really creeped up on me. Without much of a preseason, it's really tough to predict who's going to be good. While I will never count New England out in the AFC East, it's going to take Belichick's best coaching ever if they are going to make the playoffs again. They have lost so much talent.

I'm not sure what to make of my Steelers. Big Ben is back, but just how effective will he be after elbow surgery at his age?

Also not sure what to make out of the Packers. They really didn't give Rodgers any new weapons this offseason. Can the Vikings push past them in the NFC North?

Kansas City looks like the class of the league again. They have just about everyone back except their starting RB, and they have depth there.

The draft for my one fantasy football league is this Wednesday, and for the first time I have done almost zero preparation. We have reduced our entry fee due to all the uncertainty and increased the number of injured reserved spots available in case a lot of players are out due the virus, but I'm not really into it this year.

I am really going to miss college football this fall. An autumn without Michigan football just will not seem like autumn.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

This season has really creeped up on me. Without much of a preseason, it's really tough to predict who's going to be good. While I will never count New England out in the AFC East, it's going to take Belichick's best coaching ever if they are going to make the playoffs again. They have lost so much talent.

I'm not sure what to make of my Steelers. Big Ben is back, but just how effective will he be after elbow surgery at his age?

Also not sure what to make out of the Packers. They really didn't give Rodgers any new weapons this offseason. Can the Vikings push past them in the NFC North?

Kansas City looks like the class of the league again. They have just about everyone back except their starting RB, and they have depth there.

The draft for my one fantasy football draft is this Wednesday, and for the first time I have done almost zero preparation. We have reduced our entry fee due to all the uncertainty and increased the number of injured reserved spots available in case a lot of players are out due the virus, but I'm not really into it this year.

I am really going to miss college football this fall. An autumn without Michigan football just will not seem like autumn.

On the Patriots, yes, they will be a different team this year entirely. Not only is Brady gone but they lost eight players to the Opt Out option, one was a starting tackle and another was Hightower who is like a QB of their defense. So, I do not expect to see the same team we have seen for years. I don't think they were talented to begin with but now they look like a fairly sad roster that were it not for Belichick I'd probably predict to go 4-12. Buffalo could certainly blow it, the Jets could struggle to get to 8-8 and who knows what Miami will do. They started last year looking pathetic and then by the end of the year they seemed to be playing better than the Patriots. Buffalo has the division edge on paper and they did add talent to help Allen in getting him Diggs so if Allen improves this season...well...the Patriots will have a team to compete with for the division title.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Yeah, if Buffalo takes a step back, the AFC East could be a real mess this season. The Jets roster looks awful, and Miami's doesn't look much better.

I think the AFC South is a real coin-toss, too. Tennessee made strides last season, but it's hard to feel good about a team with Ryan Tannehill as its QB. Indy has an aging Philip Rivers, Houston made some bizarre off season moves, and Jacksonville looks like a team ready to compete in the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes.

One big question in the AFC North is if the league will make adjustments to defend reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson. If he has a more normal season, the Ravens should come back to the rest of the pack in the division. Another question mark in whether Big Ben will be healthy in Pittsburgh. He has an attractive collection of offensive weapons to work with. If he returns to form, the Steelers can make some noise with a defense that really improved last season. If Ben isn't the same player, then the team will struggle, as they failed once again to obtain a real backup QB. Mason Rudolph isn't going to scare any opponent.

KC is clearly the team to beat in the AFC West. The Raiders are a real wildcard with Chucky coaching. Denver's in transition to a young QB, so things could go either way there. The Chargers will not scare anyone with Tyrod Taylor at QB.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

Jacksonville looks like a team ready to compete in the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes.

Yes, I believe there are just two legit first round QBs in the 2021 draft the rest being projects with interesting potential. Lawrence should be the number 1 pick and Justin Fields being the other guy that should be off the board in round one. I doubt that changes with nothing going on in college football this year.

I suspect the Jaguars, Panthers, Lions and the team formally known as the Redskins have potential to be sitting at the top of the draft with a chance at Lawrence. I would guess the Colts, Steelers, and Raiders could have an interest in Lawrence as would the Patriots but they may not stink bad enough to have a shot at him. Most experts seem to feel that Lawrence is the number one pick in the 2021 draft so a team either does a "Tank for Trevor" season or they just really stink. I do not believe Belichick would intentionally tank the season to draft a QB. The Jags have been dumping talented players though so maybe they are in tank mode. I also think the Browns could take an interest in Lawrence if Baker "Meet Me Behind the Cheesecake Factory" Mayfield stinks it up again this season.

If the Lions really stink this season I assume they would fire Patricia and that means they would probably move away from Stafford and begin a "rebuild" with a new coach and maybe Lawrence as their new young QB.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I suspect the Jaguars, Panthers, Lions and the team formally known as the Redskins have potential to be sitting at the top of the draft with a chance at Lawrence. I would guess the Colts, Steelers, and Raiders could have an interest in Lawrence as would the Patriots but they may not stink bad enough to have a shot at him.

Unless something unforeseen happens, I cannot see Pittsburgh being even close to getting Lawrence. Big Ben only played one game last season, and even with their horrible QB play in his absence they still were in the race for a wildcard spot until the very end. Mike Tomlin did a great job, and I think getting Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell out of the locker room helped, too.

I think the top candidates for the #1 draft spot are Jacksonville, Washington, LA Chargers, NY Jets, Miami, Chicago and Carolina. While I do not think the Lions will be very good, they will probably win just enough games to stay out of the running.

 

[Robert Crawford]

NFL season opens tonight and I'm hardly excited. One reason, I expect both of my teams the Raiders and Giants to stink again this season. I'm really interested in seeing the Raiders new home in Vegas. Anyhow, DirecTV notified me again yesterday that the NFL Sunday Ticket Max is free of charge this season which is some consolation even if my teams will probably suck.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

NFL season opens tonight and I'm hardly excited. One reason, I expect both of my teams the Raiders and Giants to stink again this season. I'm really interested in seeing the Raiders new home in Vegas. Anyhow, DirecTV notified me again yesterday that the NFL Sunday Ticket Max is free of charge this season which is some consolation even if my teams will probably suck.

My excitement level is pretty low, too. I will probably watch some of the game tonight after getting home from my golf league, as I do enjoy watching Mahommes play QB. However, I doubt I'll stay up for the entire game (I rarely do for the prime time games). The Steelers play the early game on Monday Night, so I'll probably watch that, too. Otherwise, if the weather is nice this weekend I will be doing things other than watching the NFL.

I do miss Michigan football, though. I wore a Wolverines golf shirt and hat for last Saturday's golf round in morning for the lost Big Ten season (they would have been playing either Washington or Purdue, depending on which schedule you look at).

 

[Malcolm R]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Belichick and the Patriots are on top of the AFC East, the Jets and Browns stink, the Lions snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Cowboys are a far better team on paper than on the field, and Philip Rivers continues to throw picks and find ways to lose even with a different team.

It's nice to have a little stability in the current times.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Belichick and the Patriots are on top of the AFC East, the Jets and Browns stink, the Lions snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Cowboys are a far better team on paper than on the field, and Philip Rivers continues to throw picks and find ways to lose even with a different team.

It's nice to have a little stability in the current times.

Don't forget about the Bengals -- missing a chip shot field goal at the end of the game that would have forced overtime when their kicker pulled a leg muscle on the attempt.

I did watch most of the Saints - Bucs game. Brady didn't look like his vintage self, and Tampa made dumb mistake after dumb mistake.

I watched very little of the Lions debacle, as the game was pretty boring. I had it streaming on my iPad while sitting out on the deck for a little while, but turned it off with Detroit ahead by 3 scores. It didn't really surprise me when I saw the final score, though.

 

[John Dirk]

I wasn't expecting much from the NFL after having tried unsuccessfully to watch a few NBA games. I'm not a huge basketball fan anyway. I mean how hard should it be for a 7 ft man to get a ball into a 10 ft hoop? Nonetheless, I was desperate for some live sports so I figured I'd give it a try. I found these games completely unwatchable, what with the digitized fans and all.

I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw of the NFL's opening weekend. I watched most of the Falcons - Seahawks game and a little of the Saints - Bucs. The latter was a train wreck, especially for Brady but [I thought] both presentations went off without a hitch.

The NFL certainly has it's issues but I think other major sports could learn a thing or two from them when it comes to keeping the show going. That said, I was very surprised by the use of masks and distancing during the games. Most coaches and refs were masked but there were plenty of examples of them [Sean Peyton comes to mind] not wearing masks too. I hope the season is able to continue as it did bring a much-needed sense of normalcy, at least for me.

 

[JohnRice]

NFL season opens tonight and I'm hardly excited. One reason, I expect both of my teams the Raiders and Giants to stink again this season.

Actually, I won't be surprised if the Raiders are decent this year. The problem is, the AFC Worst might actually be strong, so I still see the Raiders coming in 3rd, though maybe with a 10 win season. I see the Broncos going 12-4 (but now without Von, that's less certain) but none of it will matter since the Chiefs are likely to be the new Patriots for a while.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Actually, I won't be surprised if the Raiders are decent this year. The problem is, the AFC Worst might actually be strong, so I still see the Raiders coming in 3rd, though maybe with a 10 win season. I see the Broncos going 12-4 (but now without Von, that's less certain) but none of it will matter since the Chiefs are likely to be the new Patriots for a while.

Mark my words, the Raiders will have a below .500 record. Unless, they can establish some kind of pass rush which wasn't the case yesterday, their defense will be exploited. Furthermore, they have too young players at their skill positions that need some seasoning. Of course, the number of injuries will also affect their ability to win games. After watching yesterday's game in its entirety, I think I'm in for a long NFL season with my Sunday Ticket Max.

 

[JohnRice]

Mark my words, the Raiders will have a below .500 record. Unless, they can establish some kind of pass rush which wasn't the case yesterday, their defense will be exploited. Furthermore, they have too young players at their skill positions that need some seasoning. Of course, the number of injuries will also affect their ability to win games. After watching yesterday's game in its entirety, I think I'm in for a long NFL season with my Sunday Ticket Max.

Well, they are still the Raiders. I forget that. Both the Raiders and the Chargers just seem to be cursed in recent years. Actually, the Chargers have always been cursed.

 

[John Dirk]

Well, they are still the Raiders. I forget that.

Not to me. This Las Vegas nonsense was the last straw. I'll still wear and use my original Oakland swag but I'll never buy anything new. This time it's personal.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Not to me. This Las Vegas nonsense was the last straw. I'll still wear and use my original Oakland swag but I'll never buy anything new. This time it's personal.

I don't know how it's nonsense when they got a beautiful new stadium out it which was never going to happen in Oakland. I feel sorry for people from Oakland, but I've been rooting for this team since the mid-1960's, and I'm not going to stop rooting for them now they're in Vegas. Hell, I might actually see a Raiders game in Vegas if we ever overcome this pandemic. I never saw them play in Alameda, but I did see them play in the LA Coliseum when they relocated there, Detroit against the Lions, Indianapolis against the Colts and Cincy against the Bengals.

 

[Robert Crawford]

The Giants are going to be awful this year because their offensive line really sucks. If you can't run the ball or protect the QB then there will be years like this season. Also, Jones needs to make better decisions with the ball, but again, his offensive line is horrendous.

 

[John Dirk]

I don't know how it's nonsense when they got a beautiful new stadium out it which was never going to happen in Oakland. I feel sorry for people from Oakland, but I've been rooting for this team since the mid-1960's, and I'm not going to stop rooting for them now they're in Vegas. Hell, I might actually see a Raiders game in Vegas if we ever overcome this pandemic. I never saw them play in Alameda, but I did see them play in the LA Coliseum when they relocated there, Detroit against the Lions, Indianapolis against the Colts and Cincy against the Bengals.

The people of Oakland have supported that team through the good and bad [mostly bad as of late] for decades. When they made their ill-fated move to LA it looked like an attractive choice at the time too but ultimately fell apart. The loyal fans accepted them as they crawled back into town. Since returning in 1994 the Raiders have rewarded their fans with only 3 winning seasons yet we've remained one of the most loyal fan bases in the NFL.

If you don't know, there were several attempts to build a new stadium to retain the team but Oakland is a comparatively small market and could never match Las Vegas dollar for dollar., so they went with the highest bidder. But why must every new stadium be bigger and better than the previous one? An abysmal record is an abysmal record in any stadium.

Since you're not from the Bay I can understand why this may not resonate with you but some of us take it as an extreme insult.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Since you're not from the Bay I can understand why this may not resonate with you but some of us take it as an extreme insult.

I completely understand why Bay area fans would feel differently than I do about this subject matter. IMO, Mark Davis doesn't have deep enough pockets to compete in today's NFL which is one of the reasons why he moved to Vegas for better revenue streams. In the end, he still might be forced to sell the team to somebody with deeper pockets.

 

[JohnRice]

As a native Coloradoan it just breaks my heart to see the Raiders fall prey to all this money grabbing.

Oh wait, no it doesn't.