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

[SteelersPride]

I say none of them

 

[Schmoopy1000]

I say none of them

might be the bravest prediction.
Since every year a team makes it that most weren't thinking.

 

[wazzu31]

Has to be the soon to be London Jaguars. If not by week 16 Meyer will have had an episode with his heart.

 

[Wamu]

Has to be the soon to be London Jaguars. If not by week 16 Meyer will have had an episode with his heart.

It would be funny if Meyer benches Lawrence for Tebow.

 

[Judge Fudge]

Has to be the soon to be London Jaguars. If not by week 16 Meyer will have had an episode with his heart.

Good. It was not just me.

 

[Manster7588]

It would be funny if Meyer benches Lawrence for Tebow.

Start of a game or 2nd half?

 

[Wamu]

Start of a game or 2nd half?

Start of a game. Week two. When the Broncos take a trip to Jacksonville. Meyer wants Tebow to show Denver what they let go 10 years ago.

 

[Manster7588]

Start of a game. Week two. When the Broncos take a trip to Jacksonville. Meyer wants Tebow to show Denver what they let go 10 years ago.

So Meyer's fired by halftime week 2.

 

[Wamu]

So Meyer's fired by halftime week 2.

And replaced by Hue Jackson!

 

[Manster7588]

And replaced by Hue Jackson!

You're going to make MrsCheney wet her panties.

 

[Judge Fudge]

So Meyer's fired by halftime week 2.

And replaced by Hue Jackson!

OH HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Manster7588]

OH HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't see the problem.

 

[wazzu31]

It would be funny if Meyer benches Lawrence for Tebow.

The Lord and Savior is already penciled in as the backup at moment.

 

[wingsauce7]

Start of a game. Week two. When the Broncos take a trip to Jacksonville. Meyer wants Tebow to show Denver what they let go 10 years ago.

Forward pass completions that you can count on 1 hand?

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

Bengals seems like they have a pretty good roster and with Burrow coming back healthy, they'll be a tough out for most teams. They'll be right there in the WC run.

 

[Clayton]

Giants will be sitting in last place in the east by the end of the season.

Receivers last year were last place in YAC and 2nd in drops? And Jones had off-schedule turnover issues? Its incredible they didn't go something like 1-15 last year.

 

[Mebert]

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.

The Lions are a great unknown, how much of their terrible Defense was coaching, and how much of it was talent. I don't doubt that Glenn is a big upgrade as a coach, but you don't have historically bad unless both parts are bad.

I don't think the scheme change will matter until the Lions have a few good off-seasons. I love the Brockers and the rookies added to the dline though. Good first step.

 

[Cincyfan78]

I said it on the bengals board. That offense is dirty good. If the d is marginally better they will cause problems. Because the offense will produce at a high level

Bengals could be a good pick. They lost a fair amount of their games by less than 2 scores (I think it was 6 or 7 games by less than 10 points). If the OL is even marginally better, that offense with a healthy Burrow, Higgins, Chase, Boyd, Mixon is really good.

Defensively - I'm not a fan of the D-Cord for Cincy, but the defense should be better this year by default of health.

At one point the defense was without 6-7 starters for long stretches of the year, including losing both starting DT's for the year, their #1 CB for the year.

IIRC, there was a stretch where they were without their top 4 DL, top 3 CB's all in the same, or relatively close, stretch. The defense was brutally bad, but it's really hard to say how good/bad they would have been if they hadn't been hit so hard at so many positions. You lose 1 guy on DL and 1 DB, maybe a LB - and teams have depth. When you lose your top 4 DL and top 3 CB's....there just isn't a way to cover all of that at one time.

Only downside is that they share the division with a really good Ravens team, an improved Browns, and the Steelers.

**edit - lost 7 games by 8 points or less. Improved offense scores 3-7 more points, and defense prevents 3-7 more points....suddenly that's a pretty good flip on the record.

 

[Clayton]

I think with the Bengals we are going to see if Burrow is good or if Burrow is special. The Bengals oline just look ok. Decent tackles, not much else. But a special QB that can extend plays can work with an ok oline. The Bengals WRs could be special. Not a guarantee because they're young but that offense could really pop.

They might possibly have the worst coaching in the league and one the hardest schedules in the AFC. NFC North, AFC West, Browns 2x, Steelers 2x, Ravens 2x, Niners, Jags, Jets. I think they'll be better in 2022.

 

[mrschaney]

I'd probably have to say the Bears. With Dalton, they finally have an HOF caliber QB1 that will be able to lead them pretty deep into the playoffs. Some of this will is in relation to how well Brady performs. NFC teams are going to have to go through Brady.