Who is your 2021 surprise team that comes out of nowhere to make a run to the playoffs?

[SteelersPride]

I think he'll be fine as well.

So hes throwing leas than 40?

fwiw i think taylors offense with burrow at the helm is gonna avg 38-44 attempts a game. Close to 40

 

[Wamu]

So hes throwing leas than 40?

fwiw i think taylors offense with burrow at the helm is gonna avg 38-44 attempts a game. Close to 40

That's fine as long as the line is solid. He proved last year in only 10 games he's very comfortable throwing the ball all over the field. He was having a great rookie year before that injury. And when he's back to 100% see no reason why he won't continue to improve.

 

[Anointed One]

I'm going to say the Patriots bounce back... Their cupboard was bare last year.. They utilize the TE well, which is why they went out to get a few FA's... Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith should be even more productive in their system... Picking up Agholor and Bourne at the WR position will help along with acquiring OT, Trent Brown from Vegas in a trade... They also beefed up their defense via FA...

 

[Cincyfan78]

So hes throwing leas than 40?

fwiw i think taylors offense with burrow at the helm is gonna avg 38-44 attempts a game. Close to 40

Not counting the injury game @Washington - he averaged 41 attempts per game last year, including a 61 attempt game.

 

[SteelersPride]

Not counting the injury game @Washington - he averaged 41 attempts per game last year, including a 61 attempt game.

Yep, hes gonna chuck the ball

 

[Cincyfan78]

Yep, hes gonna chuck the ball

The only 2 factors that may keep his attempts below the 40 mark:

Healthy Joe Mixon. Last season, Mixon missed a ton of games. If the Bengals can establish the run, they will use it to keep defenses honest.

Games with leads - this kind of ties in with point 1 - with a healthy Mixon and a lead late in games - they may have more opportunity this year to try and salt away some games affect Joe's attempts as opposed to 2020 when they were constantly playing catch-up.

Regardless, the way this offense is set up: Boyd, Higgins, Chase - and Mixon is a decent pass-catching RB - the offense is going to be wide open. I think 40 attempts is a safe under/over mark.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

It's kinda tempting to say the Giants or some dorky shit like that because NFClEast things. Maybe Bengals if things don't complete implode defensively?

 

[RememberTheKoy]

I think the Bengals might have the best chance with Burrow being as great as he is.

I would also say Chargers but I think that's more expected than out of nowhere with how great he was as a rookie and the talent on that roster.


Could also see a perfect storm scenario where the Lions make a run if Rodgers does sit the year out and Dan Campbell's intensity is able to motivate that Lions team to win a lot of close games before that wears off after a year. But they could also very easily end up with the #1 overall lick in next years draft.

For sure missed on the Lions but I definitely hit on the Bengals. Chargers as well to an extent.

 

[SteelersPride]

For sure missed on the Lions but I definitely hit on the Bengals. Chargers as well to an extent.

Yep. I talked the bengals on the bengals board but didnt pick them in this thread. Silly me. Good call though.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Personally, it wouldn't shock me to see the Steelers finish last place this year, and have their one really bad year and they nab their QB of the future in the draft in the top 10, and then wind up owning the division for another 15 years again. Basically what happened when they took Roethlisberger.

They made the playoffs and quite frankly I am still shocked the Steelers didn't finish in last.

 

[SteelersPride]

They made the playoffs and quite frankly I am still shocked the Steelers didn't finish in last.

Tomlin. But you know, he stinks, fire him etc etc.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

You prefaced a "surprise" team. In that scenario most of the teams I can pick would not really be a surprise. (Example : AFCE except Jets)
Best I can come up with is San Francisco.
Only -14 net points for a last place team in a tough division. They were in a lot of games

The odd ones are NFC East. Any of those teams winning the division would not count as a suprise.

Bam!

 

[Clayton]

San Francisco was one of the favorites at the start of the season.

Bengals are the right answer. Kudos to them

 

[jarntt]

For sure missed on the Lions but I definitely hit on the Bengals. Chargers as well to an extent.

Maybe it's just the Eagles you have no clue about