| KChiefs1 |
11-05-2021 04:23 PM |
Remaining schedule optimism.
Hate to rain on the optimism but here’s The Athletic’s prediction for the second half of the season.
https://theathletic.com/2922274/2021...s-second-half/
Editor’s Note: This story is part of The Athletic’s Midseason NFL Report, which is unlocked by State Farm.
Let’s take what we’ve learned through the first half of the season and make eight predictions for the rest of the way.
Quote:
1. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl
The timing here isn’t great after New Orleans Saints third-string quarterback Trevor Siemian became the latest to pick apart the Bucs’ shoddy pass defense. But in theory, cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Richard Sherman will improve the back end once they’re healthier. Then there’s Tom Brady and that high-octane offense.The NFC is loaded with the Bucs, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys, but it would be dangerous to overlook the defending Super Bowl champions, who just so happen to be led by a seven-time title-holder.
2. Buffalo Bills reach the Super Bowl
The 28-year drought will end for the Bills, who have the league’s No. 1 scoring defense to complement their incredible offense. Quarterback Josh Allen is a bona fide MVP candidate with skilled weapons in Stefon Diggs, Dawson Knox, Emmanuel Sanders and Cole Beasley. Their running game is better than a season ago when they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.The Bills are good enough to win the Super Bowl and may not have as difficult of a road to get there as the NFC champion.
3. Tom Brady wins MVP
While Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was the star of the first half, Brady will continue to put up absurd numbers over the final two months. He is on pace for 5,631 yards and 53 touchdowns. Brady will get bonus points for doing it as a – checks notes – 44-year-old and lifting up a defense that has so far been giving up 22.9 points per game.
4. The Kansas City Chiefs will miss the playoffs
They’re 4-4 and only a game out of the No. 7 seed, but the Chiefs’ shortcomings — too many turnovers, a lousy defense — aren’t conducive to reeling off a long winning streak. They also have remaining games against the Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders (two), Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals. That’s a long road to the 10 or 11 wins that might be necessary to get to the postseason.
5. Urban Meyer will be the first coach to get fired
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan released a stern statement after Meyer ducked out on the team flight during the bye weekend, and Meyer’s transition from college to the NFL hasn’t been smooth. The Jaguars are 1-6 and just got blown out by a struggling Seattle Seahawks team, marking their fifth double-digit loss of the season. Just looking at the Jags’ schedule, it’s hard to see this team surpassing four wins, and Khan will have to figure out how to surround quarterback Trevor Lawrence with the best possible staff and supporting cast as soon as possible.
6. Six teams (and counting) angling to draft quarterbacks
The 2022 quarterback class won’t be nearly as good as the last group. It might not even be a stretch to think none of the upcoming first-rounders will earn higher grades than Mac Jones, who was the fifth QB off the board in April. It’s too early to know how many first-rounders there will be in this draft class, but Liberty’s Malik Willis and Ole Miss’ Matt Corral appear to be opening-round locks with Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett and North Carolina’s Sam Howell jockeying for position behind them.
The Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Football Team should be strongly considering the upcoming draft class.
The Lions have wanted more out of Jared Goff and are projected to have the No. 1 pick as the NFL’s only winless team. The Texans figure to give the Lions some competition for that pick and are in a total gut job of the roster. The Falcons need their successor for Matt Ryan, potentially as early as next season. The Broncos’ offense is a mess for a number of reasons, but they also don’t have their long-term answer at quarterback.
Taylor Heinicke has been a tremendous story and is holding his own in Washington, but it’s hard to imagine WFT passing up a QB. And then there are the Eagles, who have gotten mixed results from Jalen Hurts but could realistically have three picks in the top 10-15 selections. Maybe the Carolina Panthers get added to this list, but they seem more likely to go the veteran route if Deshaun Watson, Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson wind up on the move.
There could be a lot of veteran QB movement next offseason, but these six teams might be better off tapping into the draft.
7. Tua Tagovailoa emerges
The Miami Dolphins have been a mess during their seven-game losing streak, and Tagovailoa has hardly been perfect when healthy. The Dolphins didn’t acquire Watson at the trade deadline, so that gives Tagovailoa the assuredness that it’s his job for the next two months. Rookie receiver Jaylen Waddle looks like the real deal, and wideout DeVante Parker came back healthy this week. Tight end Mike Gesicki is also on pace for a career year. Tagovailoa hasn’t had nearly enough support and has been written off far too briskly, but if given the chance, he’s got the tools to surprise some people the rest of the way.
8. The Patriots will make the playoffs
The tenor of the NFL changes so fast. Prior to the season, the Patriots appeared to have a manageable stretch from Weeks 6-12 when they’d play the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans. By about Week 4, the degree of difficulty inside that window had heightened considerably.
Now? The Panthers have crashed back to earth. The Browns are one of the most injury-ravaged teams in the NFL. The Titans just lost MVP candidate Derrick Henry to foot surgery. The Patriots are 4-4 and have a chance to turn back-to-back victories against the Jets and Chargers into a season-defining winning streak. If they do that, there’s a path to an 11-6 record even if they’re swept by the Bills (Weeks 13 and 16), as the Patriots could beat the Indianapolis Colts before closing the season against the Jaguars and Dolphins.
This isn’t a layup. The Panthers have one of the league’s best defenses when they’re on their game. The Browns play everyone tough, and they’re incredibly physical. And though Henry was responsible for much of the Titans’ success, it would be reckless to suggest they were 6-2 just because of their running back — not in this era of football.
If the Patriots can eradicate their senseless giveaways — the fumbles — they’ve got the tools to finally reach the potential that was anticipated before the season and get into the playoffs.
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