The Buffalo Payments and Los Angeles Rams sq. off within the first recreation of the NFL season tomorrow, and with that comes a possible new period for the game. Gamers are getting lighter, contracts are getting bigger and extra gamers are getting traded in hopes of hoisting the Lombardi trophy.
In fact, with the NFL season comes predictions, and at SB Nation we don’t do something if it isn’t daring, so listed here are seven daring predictions for the NFL season. Why seven? BECAUSE YOU CAN’T HANDLE EIGHT!
The Chiefs begin the season sluggish…
Kansas Metropolis is present process a type of schematic shift. After buying and selling away Tyreek Hill, the present receivers on the roster consists of Juju Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore. All are good receivers, however none are Tyreek Hill, particularly within the velocity division. The buying and selling of Hill signaled that the Chiefs offense would shift away from being the tremendous unfold, huge play or no play offense they’ve been for the previous few years, right into a more true West Coast offense that Andy Reid has run earlier than.
While you’re as profitable because the Chiefs have been over the previous few years, a change in philosophy goes to take time. It’ll in all probability look tough within the early components of the season, particularly if the protection doesn’t spherical again into type. Kansas Metropolis additionally performs 4 groups that made the playoffs final 12 months within the first six weeks, and the opposite two are the Chargers and Colts, so it’s going to take time for that offense to spherical into type.
However end on the high of the AFC West
However I imply, it’s Patrick Mahomes. It’s Andy Reid. This Chiefs offense, if it rounds into type, may very well be the most effective offenses within the league. Schematically, there ought to be extra alternatives to assault the intermediate ranges of the sector and over the center, the place Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore ought to function. Travis Kelce is getting older, however ought to nonetheless be capable of play at a excessive degree. If rookie EDGE George Karlaftis is ready to get strain early, then your complete protection will profit as nicely.
The place the Chiefs ought to imrpove probably the most nevertheless is within the run recreation. As a result of groups are going to sit down in 2-high security shells, that leaves lighter bins for the run recreation to flourish. The Chiefs offensive line already has the personnel and scheme to be nice at run blocking, and the secure of Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Isaiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon supply sufficient explosiveness within the run and passing recreation to trigger complications for defenses. Possibly I’m giving Mahomes and Reid the good thing about the doubt, however I believe when the playoffs roll round, the Chiefs shall be on the high of the AFC West.
The Bears end with the NFL’s worst document
The place do I start with the Chicago Bears? The offensive line could be the worst in all of soccer, the receiver group is not less than backside three within the league, and the protection is present process a schematic shift beneath Matt Eberflus. The Bears merely don’t have the expertise to constantly make issues attention-grabbing in opposition to different groups, and a primary time teaching employees has their palms full with getting this workforce aggressive. Although Sharp Soccer Stats has the Bears with the fourth-easiest schedule within the league, it in all probability gained’t matter. This workforce shall be choosing first total within the upcoming NFL Draft.
The Buccaneers end with the NFL’s greatest common season document
Coming in at seventh on that very same energy of schedule rating are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who fairly probably may sleepwalk by way of that division and get residence discipline benefit. The Buccaneers have a loaded roster, and that’s earlier than Chris Godwin even comes again from damage. Tom Brady continues to be in some way Tom Brady (he’s 45 man he can’t maintain getting away with this, and but…), and the Bucs protection will nonetheless be one of many leagues greatest.
As well as, the Buccaneers play in a weak division. The Saints are the most important rivals within the division and their beginning QB is coming off of a torn ACL and Alvin Kamara is observing a six recreation suspension. The Panthers are beginning Baker Mayfield and the Falcons…yeah nevermind. The Bucs may sweep the division, and can have the perfect document within the NFL.
Justin Jefferson is thought to be the perfect receiver within the NFL by the top of the 12 months
With Kevin O’Connell coming to Minnesota from the Los Angeles Rams, count on Justin Jefferson to have an elevated workload and manufacturing. Primarily, your complete Cooper Kupp playbook shall be given to Jefferson, who was projected as a dominant slot receiver popping out of LSU. With Jefferson getting extra selection routes within the slot in opposition to nickel corners and linebackers, he ought to feast on targets and yards, for good purpose. Jefferson is thought to be a high 5 receiver proper now, however after a possible Offensive Participant of the 12 months marketing campaign he may have this season, he may very well be seen as the perfect wideout within the league, earlier than his rookie contract is up.
Payments QB Josh Allen wins NFL Most Beneficial Participant
That is as a lot of a guess on the Payments as it’s Allen. Since 2019, there’s solely been one QB who’s workforce didn’t have the perfect document within the NFL (Aaron Rodgers, 2020). Allen may probably change into the subsequent one. The Payments roster has only a few holes, and offensively may change into a juggernaut. Because the Chiefs had been final 12 months, the Payments began sluggish as groups performed extra 2-high shells. However the Payments transitioned to the facility recreation earlier, giving FB Reggie Gilliam extra snaps and making Josh Allen the focus within the run recreation.
This 12 months, regardless of not having Brian Daboll, the offense doesn’t appear to skip a beat, returning Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Isaiah McKenzie, and including Jamison Crowder to the receiver room. Allen has a number of choices to throw the ball to, and likewise runs like Bowser with the Mario star so he’s much more of a menace within the run recreation. The Payments would additionally must face the AFC’s greatest, and if Allen outduels Mahomes, Herbert and different elite QBs, the MVP is all however his.
The Payments defeat the Buccaneers within the Tremendous Bowl
This actually may very well be a battle between the 2 greatest rosters in your complete league. If the Bucs are wholesome coming into the playoffs then this might go the opposite means, however the Payments are simply too robust offensively. On the defensive aspect, Von Miller ought to be large of their capability to generate go rush with out blitzing, and rookie CB Kaiir Elam ought to lock down the second cornerback spot reverse Tredavious White, and safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are the perfect duo within the league. The Payments have been knocking on the door for the previous two years; that is the 12 months they break by way of.
