Predictions for the 2021 NFL Season
The NFL season is finally upon us and hope springs eternal even for those clubs with seemingly no chance to make any postseason noise.
But every year there is a Cinderella story or two and below we will venture a guess on the division winners, with the accompanying NFL odds, and see if our crystal ball is clear in 2021!
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys +160
Washington +185
New York Giants +325
Philadelphia Eagles +625
Ryan Fitzpatrick is just good enough to turn this group into a serviceable offense while the defense will again be formidable in Washington. The Cowboys are favored in the NFC Least because Dak Prescott is back in the fold but is anyone sold on this Dallas defense? As for the Giants, no way, no how. However, Jalen Hurts will take a big step forward in Philadelphia but it won’t be enough to win the day. – Washington +185
NFC North
Green Bay Packers -150
Minnesota Vikings +220
Chicago Bears +575
Detroit Lions +2000
Aaron Rodgers is back and he’s gunning for another Super Bowl title before he bails out of Green Bay. No team in the North is close, not even the Vikings with the enigmatic Kirk Cousins pulling the trigger. – Packers -150
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers -225
New Orleans Saints +375
Atlanta Falcons +800
Carolina Panthers +950
This is the Bucs’ division for the taking. No more summer Brees in the Big Easy, as Jameis Winston will try to fill those prodigious shoes, and the Falcons simply don’t have enough weapons now that Julio Jones has left for greener pastures in Nashville. As for the Panthers, they have two chances – slim and none – and Slim just left town. – Buccaneers -225
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers +195
Los Angeles Rams +205
Seattle Seahawks +275
Arizona Cardinals +475
Unlike some of the other divisions, this one is wide open. Jimmy Garoppolo can’t seem to stay healthy and his backup, Trey Lance, is talented but too green after toiling in the FCS last season, college football’s second-tier. So that rules out the 49ers. The Seahawks have a tremendous quarterback in Russell Wilson while the Cardinals have a younger version in Kyler Murray but the dog that gets this bone is the LA Rams with their new and reinvigorated signal-caller, Matthew Stafford. – Rams +205
AFC East
Buffalo Bills -155
New England Patriots +325
Miami Dolphins +375
New York Jets +1800
Josh Allen and his cannon of an arm make the Bills a prohibitive favorite in the division that New England ruled with an iron fist for two decades. But let’s not discount the rebuilding Dolphins who have a young quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa who could sneak up and surprise. But the winner here, especially considering the decent monetary return, is the New England Patriots. Cam Newton is out and Mac Jones is in which means the Pats are back to the prototypical passing game that won them the AFC East for years. If last year was a fluke for Allen, the Patriots reclaim their perch at the top of this division. – Patriots +325
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens +140
Cleveland Browns +140
Pittsburgh Steelers +425
Cincinnati Bengals +1200
The curtain will close on Big Ben’s career this season and the Steelers will do a fast fade from the start instead of at the end like they did last year. The Bengals are young and improving but nowhere near where they need to be while the Browns will ultimately find their way into the playoffs. However, this division belongs to the Ravens. Expect Lamar Jackson to look more like his 2019 MVP self than the middling version we saw last year. – Ravens +140
AFC South
Tennessee Titans -120
Indianapolis Colts +160
Jacksonville Jaguars +600
Houston Texans +2800
Many are smitten with the Titans because of their acquisition of Julio Jones but the former All-Pro is 32 years old and the expectations are greater than the gas he has left in the tank. Ryan Tannehill had a career year in 2020 which leads many to believe he will duplicate that effort. Believe what you want but this division belongs to the Indianapolis Colts who boned up on defense in April’s draft with a pair of edge rushers in the first two rounds and will have a reborn Carson Wentz chucking to very talented targets all season long. – Colts +160
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs -250
Los Angeles Chargers +500
Denver Broncos +525
Las Vegas Raiders +1400
Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. What else do you need to know? – Chiefs -250
Check out a free pick for the season opener (Dallas Cowboys vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers), sponsored by SportsbookReview.com