The Carolina Panthers enter the 2021 season as a darkhorse playoff team following a great offseason. Matt Rhule and company have transformed arguably the worst roster in the league last year to one that is on the verge of a playoff berth. Carolina is one of the most intriguing teams this season, and there are many reasons why.
Following a 2019 season, in which the Detroit Lions won just three games, the team’s record was unlikely to improve significantly in 2020. Ultimately, the Lions finished the 2020 season with a 5-11 record, losing five of their last seven games, including four consecutive losses to end the year.
The Los Angeles Chargers finished with a 7-9 record in 2020. However, there were many positive takeaways. After Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung, Justin Herbert became the starter and shined.
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off of an 11-5 season where they lost in the Wild Card round to the Buffalo Bills. While many things have stayed the same, there are some very notable changes across the roster and the coaching staff ahead of the 2021 season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars went 1-15 in what was a historically bad 2020 season. Perception wise they are considered a bad team by many analysts. However, the reality of their situation is more complex.
The 2020 season was injury-ridden for the San Francisco 49ers. After making a super bowl appearance the previous years, the 49ers were only good enough to muster up a 6-10 record which placed them last in the NFC West.
In 2020, the Denver Broncos, due to a variety of factors, fell short of what they ultimately could have been. Covid-19 being a major one, along with Courtland Sutton playing a half-game the entire season. But the play of then second-year signal-caller Drew Lock was arguably the biggest.
Expectations are high for the Cleveland Browns entering the 2021 NFL season, and rightfully so. Albeit a year later than most expected, the Browns’ roster lived up to the hype last season, ending their 18-year playoff drought, despite a third-place finish in the AFC North.
For what feels like the umpteenth season in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to live up to their potential in 2020. A super shaky 11-0 start was followed up by a 1-4 finish to close out the regular season. Then, their year ended with giving up nearly 50 points up at home to the Cleveland Browns in the playoffs.
Well, the post-Tom Brady era did not necessarily start off too well for the New England Patriots last year. The team went 7-9 and missed the playoffs for only the second time in the last 20 odd years. While the Patriot Way is to not make excuses, there were a fair amount of extenuating circumstances that held this team back a bit.
Entering the 2020 season, the newly named Washington Football Team was at a crossroads. However, between a weak NFC East division and a dominant defense led by Chase Young, Washington was able to win the division and make the playoffs with a 7-9 record.
The Carolina Panthers enter the 2021 season as a darkhorse playoff team following a great offseason. Matt Rhule and company have transformed arguably the worst roster in the league last year to one that is on the verge of a playoff berth. Carolina is one of the most intriguing teams this season, and there are many reasons why.
Following a 2019 season, in which the Detroit Lions won just three games, the team’s record was unlikely to improve significantly in 2020. Ultimately, the Lions finished the 2020 season with a 5-11 record, losing five of their last seven games, including four consecutive losses to end the year.
The Los Angeles Chargers finished with a 7-9 record in 2020. However, there were many positive takeaways. After Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung, Justin Herbert became the starter and shined.
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off of an 11-5 season where they lost in the Wild Card round to the Buffalo Bills. While many things have stayed the same, there are some very notable changes across the roster and the coaching staff ahead of the 2021 season.
The Jacksonville Jaguars went 1-15 in what was a historically bad 2020 season. Perception wise they are considered a bad team by many analysts. However, the reality of their situation is more complex.
The 2020 season was injury-ridden for the San Francisco 49ers. After making a super bowl appearance the previous years, the 49ers were only good enough to muster up a 6-10 record which placed them last in the NFC West.
In 2020, the Denver Broncos, due to a variety of factors, fell short of what they ultimately could have been. Covid-19 being a major one, along with Courtland Sutton playing a half-game the entire season. But the play of then second-year signal-caller Drew Lock was arguably the biggest.
Expectations are high for the Cleveland Browns entering the 2021 NFL season, and rightfully so. Albeit a year later than most expected, the Browns’ roster lived up to the hype last season, ending their 18-year playoff drought, despite a third-place finish in the AFC North.
For what feels like the umpteenth season in a row, the Pittsburgh Steelers failed to live up to their potential in 2020. A super shaky 11-0 start was followed up by a 1-4 finish to close out the regular season. Then, their year ended with giving up nearly 50 points up at home to the Cleveland Browns in the playoffs.
Well, the post-Tom Brady era did not necessarily start off too well for the New England Patriots last year. The team went 7-9 and missed the playoffs for only the second time in the last 20 odd years. While the Patriot Way is to not make excuses, there were a fair amount of extenuating circumstances that held this team back a bit.
Entering the 2020 season, the newly named Washington Football Team was at a crossroads. However, between a weak NFC East division and a dominant defense led by Chase Young, Washington was able to win the division and make the playoffs with a 7-9 record.
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