Are You Ready For Some Football?

Head Coach: Joe Judge

2020 Record: 6-10

First Round Pick: Kadavius Toney, WR (20)

Time for Danny Dimes to show us what he's got. Despite flashes of excellence, the QB has not proven he can lead a team to a winning record (and tripping over his own feet 8 yards shy of the end zone was just plain embarrassing). The Giants have a legit superstar in Saquon Barkley at running back, and they brought in a lot of new talent for Jones, including Kenny Golloday, Kyle Rudolph, and first-round pick Kadavius Toney - but it will take some serious work to go from 31st in the league at both yards per game and points per game to close the gap between 2020's 6-10 season and play-off contention.

Head Coach: Mike Tomlin

2020 Record: 12-4

First Round Draft Pick: Najee Harris, RB (24)

We are big fans of Head Coach Mike Tomlin, so we're glad Pittsburgh gave him an extension during the off-season, but it's pretty clear that Ben Rothlesberger has run out of gas. After a terrific start to their season, the Steelers struggled down the stretch, losing four of their last five games and then losing in round one of the play-offs to the red-hot Cleveland Browns. And in truth, the Steelers' 12-4 record belied Big Ben's play; he was more a Payton Manning-like game manager than an elite thrower. Maybe that's why that snap sailing over his head in the Wild Card game was eerily familiar. We love the first round draft pick of Najee Harris, who might give some breathing room to Big Ben, but facing the toughest schedule in the NFL for 2021, we are out on the Steelers as the team to win the AFC North. Which is an unwelcome change in Pittsburgh.

Head Coach: Bruce Arians

2020 Record: 11-5

First Round Draft Pick: Joe Tyron, Edge (32)

Take that, Bill Belichick. Tom Brady picked up his marbles and left town, and there was no better way to prove he still had it than to do exactly what Brady did in the 2020 season. Not just a better record than the Patriots. Not just a trip to the play-offs for a Bucs team that hadn't been there in 13 years. Tom Brady took over the team and took them all the way. Cementing his G.O.A.T status for sure. Head Coach Bruce Arians and GM Jason Licht followed up their Super Bowl victory with a feat almost as incredible: they re-signed every. single. starter. from that winning team to play again this year. So buckle-up, sports fans. The show is back in town and Brady is only 44.

Head Coach: Cliff Kingsbury

2020 Record: 8-8

First Round Draft Pick: Zaven Collins, LB (16)

It's time for Kyler Murray to step up. Yes, he's got an amazing arm. Yes, he's super-mobile and can escape the pocket, turning a 10-yard loss into an exciting scamper down the field. But that's not enough to be a franchise quarterback who takes a team to the Super Bowl. Murray's got to lead the entire team, to embrace the full role, to own it. Too often he looks like the star of a highlight reel, rather than a leader orchestrating a masterful drive down the field. Too often he goes for broke - and the drive breaks down. The Cardinals have exceptional talent on both ends of the long pass, with wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Greene, even after the expected retirement of Larry Fitzgerald. But 8-8 won't cut it, and this is the year both Kingsbury and Murray have to prove they're built for post-season play.

Head Coach: Arthur Smith*

2020 Record: 4-12

First Round Draft Pick: Kyle Pitts, TE (4)

*new head coach

We love the drafting of Kyle Pitts at #4 overall, and we still believe in QB Matt Ryan, but there is still a lot of work ahead of first-year head coach Arthur Smith, especially with the Tom Brady-led reigning Super Bowl champs in Atlanta's division. And now that Julio has left town, Ryan will be dependent on less proven, less experienced receivers to keep his hopes of a Super Bowl alive. The Falcons were middling on offense last year (18th in the league), but dreadful on defense (29th), meaning they've got problems to solve on both sides of the ball. Meanwhile, first-time head coach Arthur Smith must build a team tough enough to overcome the Bucs, who have all their players returning for another run.

Head Coach: John Harbaugh

2020 Record: 11-5

First Round Draft Pick: Rashad Bateman, WR (27); Jason Oweh, Edge (31)

With a much-needed win in the first round of the playoffs last year, Lamar got that monkey off his back... but it didn't take long before the Ravens' post season run was over yet again. Using a first-round pick on a Wide Receiver is certainly a step in the right direction, because we believe Lamar is much more than just a run-for-your-life scrambler, and Baltimore needed more talent in their receiving corps to let Jackson show his stuff. Consider this study in contrasts: The Ravens last year were #1 in yards per rush, rushes per game, and rushing yards per game -- and #32 in passes per game and passing yards per game (and yes, that's #32 out of 32). The defense did their job, ranking #1 in the league for points allowed per game -- so if Harbaugh and co. can figure out the passing game, we like the Ravens to win the AFC North.

Head Coach: Matt Nagy

2020 Record: 8-8

First Round Draft Pick: Justin Fields, QB (11)

It's all or nothing for Head Coach Matt Nagy and GM Ryan Pace, who swung for the fences by trading up from #20 to #11 to snag Ohio State star QB Justin Fields. Who cares that the team had mortgaged the farm just three years ago to trade up for Mitch Trubisky? Who cares that Chicago won't have a first-round pick next year? If Nagy and Pace can't make this work, they won't be around to pick up the pieces. For what it's worth, we like Fields, and expect him to displace Andy Dalton as the starter very quickly. Like, week 1. And of course, the Bears still have one of the best defensive players in the league, Khalil Mack, who boasted nine solo sacks last year. But it all comes down to quarterback play -- not just for Chicago, but for their division rivals in green and gold.

Head Coach: Zac Taylor

2020 Record: 4-11-1

First Round Draft Pick: Ja'Marr Chase, WR (5)

The Bengals certainly appear to have gotten it right when they drafted Joe Burrow #1 overall last year, who was having a terrific rookie season before it was cut short by a torn ACL. Most pundits figured that meant Cincinnati would use their #5 overall pick to get Joe some protection. Instead, the Bengals decided to reunite their QB with his incredibly talented Crimson Tide wide receiver, Ja'Marr Chase. In fact, the Bengals then traded back in the second round, before drafting offensive tackle Jackson Carman. Carman did a good job protecting Trevor Lawrence at Clemson, but whether he can make it as a left tackle in the NFL remains to be seen. Most draft experts had Carman rated somewhere around the 10th best tackle in the draft... which makes us wonder why the Bengals didn't value that position more. Hopefully Head Coach Taylor is focused on keeping his young franchise QB safe.

Head Coach: Kevin Stefanski

2020 Record: 11-5

First Round Draft Pick: Gregory Newsome II, CB (26)

Game on. We love the job Kevin Stefanski did last year, providing stability, leadership and a great offensive scheme to a club that sorely needed a grown-up in the room. Baker stepped up, the offense played lights out, and the defensive stars were able to shine. It's a credit to both Baker's hard work and Stefanski's influence that the Browns won their first play-off game since 1994 without their head coach on the sidelines (quarantined for COVID!). The offense is still stacked with talent, including Odell, Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, and Kareem Hunt. Meanwhile, as if Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward weren't enough, Cleveland added Jadeveon Clowney to their formidable defensive roster. All in all, it looks like the hot rivalry in the AFC North has shifted to Baltimore v. Cleveland, leaving Pittsburgh as an after-thought.

Head Coach: Mike McCarthy

2020 Record: 6-10

First Round Draft Pick: Micah Parsons, LB (12)

Dak is back, and he's signed up as QB for America's team for the long-term. Excellent. Dak's injury in week five last year explains why the Cowboys offense struggled... but what the heck happened to the defense? The Cowboys' defense was -- quite simply -- awful, allowing the most points and the most passing touchdowns in team history. Bad enough for Defensive Coordinator Mike Nolan to lose his job, and bad enough for Dallas to use their first six draft picks on defense, including the outstanding Linebacker Micah Parsons in the first round. New DC Dan Quinn has an excellent pedigree, despite a poor ending to his tenure as head coach in Atlanta, and the Cowboys look well-stocked to retake the lead in the NFC East.

Head Coach: Vic Fangio

2020 Record: 5-11

First Round Draft Pick: Patrick Surtain II, CB (9)

So, who exactly is the starting QB in Denver? Teddy Bridgewater joined the team one day before the draft, tabling any expectations of Denver drafting a QB in the first round. Instead, the Broncos took what many considered to be the top cornerback in this year's draft class: Patrick Surtain II, and then went on to take another top prospect in Round 2: RB Javonte Williams. But no quarterback. Not in round 1, not in any round. Rumors swirled after the draft that Aaron Rodgers was on his way to Denver, but I'm not sure there's enough oxygen in Mile High for the egos of both John Elway and Aaron Rodgers. Too bad for Broncos fans, who have a very talented team (and we like Teddy), but when you have to play both Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert twice every season, you need a quarterback who can put the team on his shoulders.

Head Coach: Dan Campbell*

2020 Record: 5-11

First Round Draft Pick: Penei Sewell, OT (7)

*new head coach

Whether or not you are a fan of biting kneecaps, new HC Dan Campbell is certainly bringing a welcome breath of enthusiasm and vitality to Detroit. When Penei Sewell somehow fell to them at #7, the Lions grabbed great protection for their new QB, Jared Goff - and maybe a change of scenery is just what Goff needed. It's hard to believe that Jared Goff is a step up from Matt Stafford, but this swap could be good for both quarterbacks, and there's no question that it was time to hit the reset button in Detroit. Goff will have some nice weapons in the backfield with him, including D'Andre Swift, Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson. Sadly, offensive play wasn't the biggest problem for the Lions in 2020 -- despite having a defensive-minded coach at the helm, Detroit ranked dead last in both yards allowed and points allowed per game. We're rooting for you, Dan, but you've got a steep hill to climb.

Head Coach: Matt LaFleur

2020 Record: 13-3

First Round Draft Pick: Eric Stokes, CB (29)

I'll take "unhappy marriages" for $500, Alex. That seems to be the persistent storyline in Green Bay, year after year. The Packers make a deep play-off run, Aaron Rodgers proves yet again that he is an elite QB, and yet we still have a very rocky relationship between the star QB and management at Lambeau Field. Is it just the Jordan Love hang-over, or is Rodgers really so unhappy with GM Brian Gutekunst that we are headed for a messy divorce? Sure the Packers were #1 in scoring in 2021 (with 509 points), but that could quickly become ancient history. Don't look now, but this is probably Rodgers' last year in Green Bay. Cheeseheads are hoping to make the most of it, because without #12, the Packers are, well, middle-of-the-pack.

Head Coach: David Culley*

2020 Record: 4-12

First Round Draft Pick: No first-round pick

*new head coach

Can you say "dumpster fire?" Deshawn Watson wants out (and now is embroiled in a gnarly sexual abuse lawsuit), J.J. Watt is gone, and Houston had to bargain-shop for both a head coach and a GM, signing men whom virtually no one had on their list of top prospects. Nothing personal, but a 65-year-old first-time head coach paired with a GM "famous" for his drafting acumen in New England (wait, has New England nailed the draft in the past, um, ever?) ... is not the recipe for a promising rebuild. Consider this stat: Head Coach Culley joins the Texans after two years as the Ravens' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. The same Ravens who finished the 2020 season ranked dead last in passing. After the talent exodus the Texans have suffered in the past three years, "rebuild" is putting it kindly.

Head Coach: Frank Reich

2020 Record: 11-5

First Round Draft Pick: Kwitty Paye, Edge (21)

Head coach Frank Reich and QB Phillip Rivers did such a good job in 2020 there was little chance for Indy to grab a top quarterback in the 2021 draft. So the Colts decided to fill the hole left when Rivers retired by reuniting Reich with his previous first round pick: Carson Wentz. Reich and Wentz were a great combo in Philadelphia, and Colts fans are hoping Reich can help his young QB rediscover the magic of his rookie season. We'll see. Another injury led to foot surgery for Wentz before the pre-season even began, but reports suggest he might be back under center sooner rather than later. The good news is that the Colts have a very strong roster outside of the QB position, particularly on the offensive line, which should be great news for Wentz, who suffered 50 sacks in Philly in 2020 (second only to Russell Wilson). Now it's time for Wentz to show his stuff. He'd better make the most of it, because in our view he won't get another chance.

Head Coach: Urban Meyer*

2020 Record: 1-15

First Round Draft Pick: Trevor Lawrence, QB (1); Travis Etienne, RB (25)

*new head coach

Break out the pom-poms. We've got a legendary college coach, a "generational" college quarterback, a record-breaking college running back, heck, we've even got Tim Tebow (or we did, until Meyer cut him in mid-August). The question is a classic one: Can college dominance translate into championship-calibre play in the NFL? While there will no doubt be growing pains, it sure will be fun to watch. Jags fans have been waiting a long time to have a franchise-calibre quarterback in the building. After so many years of great draft picks high-tailing it out of Jacksonville, we hope this crew is here to stay.

Head Coach: Andy Reid

2020 Record: 14-2

First Round Draft Pick: No first-round pick

So Patrick Mahomes is human after all. We still believe he is the best quarterback currently playing in the NFL, but when all his offensive linemen go down, and he's forced to run for his life, he doesn't always win. And thus Kansas City fell to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs in Super Bowl 55. The Chiefs still have a fantastic roster, a great head coach, and pole position to win the AFC. They solidified their front line by obtaining all-Pro tackle Orlando Brown from the Baltimore Ravens, because the Ravens had too many left tackles (go figure), and Brown didn't want to play right tackle. Great news for Mahomes, great news for Chiefs fans.