Looking ahead at the regular season
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The 2021 NFL regular season kicks off on Thursday, which will be followed by a full slate of Sunday action that begins the league’s first 17-week season. And what better way to prep for all 272 games this year than to make predictions for each of the 32 teams?
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A.J. Green arrives from Cincinnati. He goes from bland to mediocre. The prediction here is the great wide receiver will have his first 1,000-yard season since going for 1,078 in 2017. Another veteran in Arizona, J.J. Watt won’t enjoy the same success. The former Houston Texan has had one double-digit sack season since 2016. He won’t reach 10 quarterback takedowns in 2021. That’s a bold bonus pick for the desert.
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Calvin Ridley had 90 catches for 1,374 yards and 9 TDs in 15 games last season, and Julio Jones is gone. Kyle Pitts has arrived. Matters not, though, for Ridley will blow past all the totals for all three categories. Look for 105 or more catches, 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns.
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Lamar Jackson has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. That despite play in 15 games in each. However, the extra game here won’t see the quarterback make it a trifecta. Instead, look for the Ravens to protect him and have him pass more. He will beat his career-high of 3,127 passing yards but will not surpass the 36 touchdowns he threw two years ago.
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Stefon Diggs had 127 receptions and 1,535 receiving yards in his first season with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Relatively safe to say there is a chemistry there that should get bigger and better. Look for Diggs to flirt with 140 receptions and 1,600 yards. Oh, he will hit double digits in touchdowns, up from 8 a season ago.
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Christian McCaffrey had 2,392 yards rushing and receiving in 2019 before going through an injury-riddled year. The pick here is the great Carolina Panthers running back from Stanford will rebound in a big way and top the 2,500-yard mark combined in those categories.
Chicago Bears
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This one isn’t as easy as it sounds. Andy Dalton is the starter for the time being. How long will the veteran last in that role before he is sent on a permanent vacation by No. 1 draft pick Justin Fields? The Bears’ bye comes in Week 10. There is no chance Dalton is still the starter by then. Look for Fields to notch more than 10 starts as a rookie.
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Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd were 1-2 in receiving yards for the Bengals in 2020. Expect that quinella again as it takes a good portion of the campaign for No. 1 pick Ja’Marr Chase to shake the rust from opting out last year at LSU. Don’t be surprised to see Chase at 700 yards or fewer.
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The backfield of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt combined for more than 2,300 yards of rushing and rceiving. Look for the Cleveland Browns’ dynamic duo to bump that total north of 2,750 yards.
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott returns after a terrible leg injury. Unfortunately, the fourth-round pick from Mississippi State, who signed a massive contract in the offseason, will not approach the gaudy 4,902 passing yards he had in 2019 despite the benefit of an extra game. Don’t be surprised if Prescott is hard-pressed to make 12-13 starts.
Denver Broncos
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Teddy Bridgewater won the QB battle over Drew Lock. A wise decision by Vic Fangio as the former Louisville star knows how to lead a team to victories. Bridgewater had a career-high 15 TD passes last season. Do not be stunned when doubles that number for the Mile High Broncos. There is a talented receiving corps, and Melvin Gordon is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield.
Detroit Lions
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The Lions have won 6, 3, and 5 games, respectively, in their last 3 seasons. Look for the doldrums to continue as Dan Campbell won’t bring a winning tune to Motown in his rookie year. How about two or less?
Green Bay Packers
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The Packers will win 13 games for the third straight season under Matt LaFleur and add another NFC North championship. The number is not unlikely when you have Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Aaron Jones among your skill-position players and plenty of other pieces on the defense. There is no triskaidekaphobia in Wisconsin.
Houston Texans
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This could go out the window quickly, but what the heck: Deshaun Watson will not play again for the Houston Texans. And there is no guarantee the team will find a trading partner for the elite quarterback who is currently under a storm cloud.
Indianapolis Colts
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Jonathan Taylor had 1,169 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season. Look for the former Wisconsin standout to boost those numbers in both categories. Don’t be shocked to see cross the 1,300-yard plateau and 15 total touchdowns.
Jacksonville Jaguars
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No matter how great a season Trevor Lawrence has, look for the No. 1 overall pick out of Clemson to be sacked twice as many times as touchdown throws he will make. That is known as growing pains.
Kansas City Chiefs
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Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill will combine for 2,750 of Patrick Mahomes’ passing yards and 30 TD receptions, improving both categories from a stunning 2020 season.
Las Vegas Raiders
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Derek Carr has started 16 games in each of the last three seasons for the Raiders. That makes him 48-for-48. Look for that run to come to an end as the Raiders struggle and Jon Gruden decides to take a chance on Marcus Mariota as his starter.
Los Angeles Chargers
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Austin Ekeler will remain healthy and will set a mark for rushing yardage — 557 isn’t asking much — and he will also crack the 1,000-yard mark when it comes to receiving yards for the first time.
Los Angeles Rams
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Despite all the Rams’ woes at running back, Matthew Stafford will not topple his personal best for passing yards, which is 5,038 in 2011 with the Detroit Lions. Also, don’t expect the former No. 1 overall pick from Georgia to lead the Rams to an NFC West title.
Miami Dolphins
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Too much Tua already. And it would be way too easy to say Jacobe Brissett will start at some point, possibly early in the season. Go with Myles Gaskins to break loose, big time. He has 717 combined rushing yards and 4 rushing TDs in his first two seasons. Expect him to run past both those totals this season for the Fish.
Minnesota Vikings
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Won’t hazard a prediction on what kind of season Dalvin Cook will have, because he has injury-prone. But I do believe Justin Jefferson will continue to grow and will easily top the 7 touchdowns he scored receiving in his rookie season and will dance around the 1,400 yards receiving.
New England Patriots
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With Mac Jones at the controls, look for Damien Harris to have 70 more carries than he had in 2020. Harris had 137 carries and should be the workhorse, easily surpassing the 691 yards and 2 touchdowns from last season.
New Orleans Saints
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Sean Payton is a magician, an offensive wizard. However, there’s only so much he can do. Do not be surprised to see Jameis Winston throw 25 picks this season.
New York Giants
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Saquon Barkley will return to the Big Blue offense. However, it will be a cautious start and that will lead to limited production for the early part of the season. Do not expect the former Penn State star to come close to 1,400 yards combined rushing and receiving.
New York Jets
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Robert Saleh will learn that a rookie coach with a rookie quarterback is asking for trouble. Zach Wilson will struggle, and so will the New York Jets. Look for double-digit losses again and the No. 2 overall pick to be sacked dozens of times.
Philadelphia Eagles
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This one is simple, too. The Eagles will struggle and Nick Sirianni will be challenged his rookie season as a head coach. That will lead to snap decisions—one we’ll see is Gardner Minshew II eventually displacing Jalen Hurts as the starting QB.
Piittsburgh Steelers
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Ben Roethlisberger goes into what could likely be his final season—and with age will come regression. The quarterback will not match his 2020 numbers, where he threw 33 TD passes and 10 interceptions.
San Francisco 49ers
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Nick Bosa will bounce back in a huge way and have his first double-digit sack season. He had 9 as a rookie with the Niners, and was missed most of last season. He’ll be back to terrorizing quarterbacks.
Seattle Seahawks
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Ho-hum, Russell Wilson, Pete Carroll, and the Seattle Seahawks will win 12 games and the NFC West. They are a division-title machine. Look for D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to combine for 20 TD receptions.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The entire team is back. But that does not guarantee another Super Bowl ring for Tom Brady. However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will win the NFC South by open lengths.
Tennessee Titans
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Julio Jones will get over the 1,000-yard mark for the eighth time in his career, and fellow Alabama Crimson Tide star Derrick Henry will lead the lead in rushing yardage and rushing TDs for the third straight season.
Washington Football Team
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Terry McLaurin will take the next step toward superstardom. Antonio Gibson will be a beast at running back. That said, Ron Rivera will eventually have to give Taylor Heinicke a start over Ryan Fitzpatrick. More NFL: NFL schedule Week 1 Power Rankings
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