2021 NFL season: 5 boom-or-bust teams this season
The NFL is loaded with intriguing teams saddled by questions. Here are five teams trying to prove they have the right stuff ahead of the 2021 NFL season.
5. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals started out 5-2 last season, then won a game over the Buffalo Bills on a Hail Mary, and still managed to miss the playoffs. In the offseason, Arizona loaded up on proven vets with injury histories in edge rusher J.J. Watt and receiver A.J. Green, along with fellow vet (but a durable one) in center Rodney Hudson. The Cardinals have the misfortune of playing in what might be the league’s toughest division, but the talent — led by quarterback Kyler Murray — is legitimate.
Want $250 to bet on the 2021 NFL Season?
4. Dallas Cowboys
Can Dak Prescott bounce back from a horrific ankle injury and be the player he was through five games last year? Can the Cowboys’ defense, one of the worst units fielded in NFL history, resemble anything of a professional group under coordinator Dan Quinn in 2021? If both answers are yes, Dallas should win the NFC East. If one fo them is affirmative, it’s a race with the New York Giants (more on them below) and the Washington Football Team, if both answers are negative … yikes.
3. Indianapolis Colts
What to make of quarterback Carson Wentz? After trading ample draft picks to the Philadelphia Eagles for the former MVP candidate, are the Colts getting one of the league’s more dangerous signal-callers or one of the worst? Last year, Wentz was bad enough for Philadelphia to trade him away without a surefire, in-house answer, all while eating $34 million in dead cap. Oh, and Wentz, despite playing only 12 games in 2020, led the league with 15 interceptions.
Read: Bills Have To Figure Out How To Beat Chiefs in AFC
2. New York Giants
This is a huge season for third-year quarterback Daniel Jones. After struggling mightily with turnovers in each of his first two campaigns, general manager Dave Gettleman loaded his youngster up with weapons including running back Saquon Barkley, tight ends Evan Engram and Kyle Rudolph, and wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and rookie Kadarius Toney. If Jones is good, the Giants are fascinating.
1. New Orleans Saints
This one is simple. The Saints have a very solid roster — they went 13-3 last year even with Drew Brees missing time — but need quarterback Jameis Winston to be a quality starter. Winston sat on the New Orleans bench behind Brees in 2020 after signing a one-year deal, on the heels of a 5,000-yard, 30-interception season. If Winston learned from Brees and head coach Sean Payton, New Orleans could really surprise plenty of pundits.
