Football is upon us and suddenly, Sundays have meaning once again for sports fans everywhere.
The 2021 NFL season kicks off on Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers hosting the Dallas Cowboys as Tom Brady and Co. begin their quest to repeat.
Naturally, that’s been a popular pick, with many outlets going as far as predicting a re-match from last year’s title game between the Bucs and Kansas City Chiefs.
But we here at Metro aren’t in the business of being so bland — though we’re not being all too groundbreaking, either, as we predict the Buccaneers will be back in the Super Bowl.
But will the Chiefs be waiting for them? Or will a New York team make a run at the Lombardi Trophy?
Probably not the two in the New York City area, but the true New York State team up north certainly has a shot.
Here is how we see the 2021 NFL season playing out, including playoff matchups, Super Bowl winners, and individual player awards:
Metro's 2021 NFL Predictions
AFC East
Buffalo Bills: 13-4
New England Patriots: 8-9
Miami Dolphins: 8-9
New York Jets: 6-11
AFC North
Cleveland Browns: 12-5
Baltimore Ravens: 11-6
Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
AFC South
Tennessee Titans: 11-6
Indianapolis Colts: 8-9
Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
Houston Texans: 2-15
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs: 14-3
Los Angeles Chargers: 11-6
Denver Broncos: 7-10
Las Vegas Raiders: 4-13
AFC Playoff Predictions
Wild Card Round
No. 2 Bills def. No. 7 Steelers
No. 3 Browns def. No. 6 Ravens
No. 4 Titans def. No. 5 Chargers
Divisional Round
No. 1 Chiefs def. No. 4 Titans
No. 2 Bills def. No. 3 Browns
AFC Championship Game
Bills def. Chiefs
NFC East
Dallas Cowboys: 10-7
Washington Football team: 8-9
New York Giants: 7-10
Philadelphia Eagles: 5-12
NFC North
Green Bay Packers: 12-5
Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
Chicago Bears: 7-10
Detroit Lions: 3-14
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
New Orleans Saints: 9-8
Carolina Panthers: 6-11
Atlanta Falcons: 5-12
NFC West
San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
Los Angeles Rams: 11-6
Arizona Cardinals: 10-6
Seattle Seahawks: 10-6
NFC Playoff Predictions
NFC Wild Card Round
No. 2 Packers def. No. 7 Seahawks
No. 6 Cardinals def. No. 3 49ers
No. 5 Rams def. No. 4 Cowboys
NFC Divisional Round
No. 1 Buccaneers def. No. 6 Cardinals
No. 2 Packers def. No. 5 Rams
NFC Championship Game
Buccaneers def. Packers
Super Bowl LVI Prediction
Bills def. Buccaneers
Super Bowl LVI MVP
Josh Allen, QB, Bills
Metro’s 2021 NFL Individual Awards Predictions
MVP: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffery, RB, Panthers
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, DE, Browns
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Zach Wilson, QB, Jets
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Micah Parsons, LB, Cowboys
Comeback Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
Coach of the Year: Brandon Staley, Chargers
This first appeared on AMNY.com
