Dan’s 2021 NFL Predictions
Here’s my annual compulsive set of predictions for the NFL Season. Last year, I got 10 of 14 playoff teams right, which is especially impressive since I forgot that 14 teams would make the playoffs instead of 12. (My 7th place teams in each conference would have been the Chargers and Falcons, though, so that wouldn’t have helped me.) My Super Bowl picks are usually cursed; this year both made the playoffs but neither Seattle or Baltimore made it to the conference championship.
With the extra two teams making the playoffs now, I’m not sure if my usual rule of turning over half of the playoff teams is still a good idea… I have six teams making the postseason who didn’t make it last year, and eight returning. The 17th game being added this year makes things interesting; last year’s top teams have one extra difficult opponent and last year’s worst teams have one extra easy opponent (theoretically), so that may push some records toward the middle and create a situation where the best team doesn’t win the division. As an example, let’s start with the NFC East, where because of finishing 1st last year, Washington plays the Bills, Packers, and Seahawks; where the Giants get the Dolphins, Bears, and Rams.
NFC EAST
New York Giants 10-7
Washington Football Team 9-7
Dallas Cowboys 8-8
Philadelphia Eagles 5-12
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers 14-3
Minnesota Vikings 8-8-1
Detroit Lions 7-10
Chicago Bears 6-10-1
NFC SOUTH
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 13-4
New Orleans Saints 9-8
Atlanta Falcons 7-10
Carolina Panthers 6-11
NFC WEST
Arizona Cardinals 10-7
San Francisco 49ers 8-9
Seattle Seahawks 8-9
Los Angeles Rams 6-11
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills 12-5
New England Patriots 10-7
Miami Dolphins 9-8
New York Jets 6-11
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens 12-5
Cleveland Browns 9-8
Pittsburgh Steelers 8-9
Cincinnati Bengals 6-11
AFC SOUTH
Tennessee Titans 13-4
Indianapolis Colts 8-9
Jacksonville Jaguars 6-10
Houston Texans 2-13
AFC WEST
Kansas City Chiefs 13-4
Las Vegas Raiders 10-7
Denver Broncos 8-9
Los Angeles Chargers 5-12
PLAYOFFS:
Tiebreakers: Miami makes playoffs over Cleveland due to better record vs. common opponents; Tennessee seeded over Kansas City due to head-to-head win; New England seeded over Las Vegas due to better record vs. common opponents; Baltimore seeded over Buffalo due to better conference record; Arizona seeded over New York due to better conference record; Washington seeded over New Orleans due to head-to-head win.
WILD CARD ROUND
#7 Miami Dolphins at #2 Kansas City Chiefs
Chiefs embarrass the Fins
#6 Las Vegas Raiders at #3 Baltimore Ravens
Close at halftime, not at final buzzer, Ravens win
#5 New England Patriots at #4 Buffalo Bills
Bills survive a close one.
#7 Minnesota Vikings at #2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucs win handily and ruthlessly
#6 New Orleans Saints at #3 Arizona Cardinals
Saints win, game breaks total scoring records
#5 Washington Football Team at #4 New York Giants
Washington proves they are in fact the better team with big win
DIVISIONAL ROUND
#4 Buffalo Bills at #1 Tennessee Titans
It’s a great game, down to the wire, Tennessee prevails
#3 Baltimore Ravens at #2 Kansas City Chiefs
Baltimore comeback falls short, Chiefs advance
#6 New Orleans Saints at #1 Green Bay Packers
Packers force a bunch of turnovers and blow the Saints out
#5 Washington Football Team at #2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WFT knocks off the champs in a shocker
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
#2 Kansas City Chiefs at #1 Tennessee Titans
Titans manage to control the game and win a close one
#5 Washington Football Team at #1 Green Bay Packers
Never close, Packers win by multiple scores
SUPER BOWL LVI
Tennessee Titans vs. Green Bay Packers
It’s an OK game, Titans put a few scares into the Pack but lose 31-24.
AWARDS
League MVP: Kyler Murray
Offensive Player of the Year: Derrick Henry
Defensive Player of the Year: Devin White
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Najee Harris
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Surtain II
Coach of the Year: Matt LaFleur
Super Bowl MVP: Aaron Rodgers
Comeback Player of the Year: J.J. Watt
