Steve Luciano/Connected Press
As the NFL targets for a return to normalcy following an epidemic-impacted season in 2020 that noticed shrimp or no fans in attendance and a subsequent tumble in the wage cap, there would possibly per chance be already one familiar sight: Tom Brady as the defending Stout Bowl champion, though this time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The league launched Wednesday this would possibly per chance launch its 2021 schedule with a unusual 18-week traditional season on Would possibly 12 at 8 pm. ET. Followers can procure the announcement on the NFL Network.
Teams are already attentive to their 17 opponents for the upcoming campaign, it’s honest a topic of finding out when each and every of those contests will take space.
So, let’s investigate cross-take a look at the matchups on tap this yr along with just a few storylines to discover as soon as the season kicks off.
Crew-by-Crew Opponents
Arizona Cardinals
Home: Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Panthers, Packers, Texans, Colts, Vikings
Highway: Rams, 49ers, Seahawks, Bears, Browns, Cowboys, Lions, Jaguars, Titans
Atlanta Falcons
Home: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Lions, Patriots, Jets, Eagles, Washington
Highway: Panthers, Saints, Buccaneers, Funds, Cowboys, Jaguars, Dolphins, Giants, 49ers
Baltimore Ravens
Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Packers, Colts, Chiefs, Chargers, Rams, Vikings
Highway: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Bears, Broncos, Lions, Raiders, Dolphins
Buffalo Funds
Home: Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Panthers, Texans, Colts, Steelers, Washington
Highway: Dolphins, Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Chiefs, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans
Carolina Panthers
Home: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Vikings, Patriots, Jets, Eagles, Washington
Highway: Falcons, Saints, Buccaneers, Cardinals, Funds, Cowboys, Texans, Dolphins, Giants
Chicago Bears
Home: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals, Ravens, Bengals, Giants, 49ers
Highway: Lions, Packers, Vikings, Browns, Raiders, Rams, Steelers, Seahawks, Buccaneers
Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Packers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings, 49ers
Highway: Ravens, Browns, Steelers, Bears, Broncos, Lions, Raiders, Jets
Cleveland Browns
Home: Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Cardinals, Bears, Broncos, Lions, Texans, Raiders
Highway: Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Packers, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings, Patriots
Dallas Cowboys
Home: Giants, Eagles, Washington, Cardinals, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders
Highway: Giants, Eagles, Washington, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Buccaneers
Denver Broncos
Home: Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals, Lions, Jets, Eagles, Washington
Highway: Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Browns, Cowboys, Jaguars, Giants, Steelers
Detroit Lions
Home: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Cardinals, Ravens, Bengals, Eagles, 49ers
Highway: Bears, Packers, Vikings, Falcons, Browns, Broncos, Rams, Steelers, Seahawks
Green Bay Packers
Home: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Browns, Rams, Steelers, Seahawks, Washington
Highway: Bears, Lions, Vikings, Cardinals, Ravens, Bengals, Chiefs, Saints, 49ers
Houston Texans
Home: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Panthers, Chargers, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Seahawks
Highway: Colts, Jaguars, Titans, Cardinals, Funds, Browns, Dolphins, 49ers
Indianapolis Colts
Home: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Raiders, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Seahawks, Buccaneers
Highway: Texans, Jaguars, Titans, Cardinals, Ravens, Funds, Dolphins, 49ers
Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Texans, Colts, Titans, Falcons, Cardinals, Funds, Broncos, Dolphins, 49ers
Highway: Texans, Colts, Titans, Bengals, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Seahawks
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Home: Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, Funds, Browns, Cowboys, Packers, Giants, Steelers
Highway: Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals, Eagles, Titans, Washington
Las Vegas Raiders
Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Ravens, Bears, Bengals, Dolphins, Eagles, Washington
Highway: Broncos, Chiefs, Chargers, Browns, Cowboys, Colts, Giants, Steelers
Los Angeles Chargers
Home: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Browns, Cowboys, Vikings, Patriots, Giants, Steelers
Highway: Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders, Ravens, Bengals, Texans, Eagles, Washington
Los Angeles Rams
Home: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Buccaneers, Titans
Highway: Cardinals, 49ers, Seahawks, Ravens, Packers, Texans, Colts, Vikings, Giants
Miami Dolphins
Home: Funds, Patriots, Jets, Falcons, Ravens, Panthers, Texans, Colts, Giants
Highway: Funds, Patriots, Jets, Jaguars, Raiders, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans
Minnesota Vikings
Home: Bears, Lions, Packers, Browns, Cowboys, Rams, Steelers, Seahawks
Highway: Bears, Lions, Packers, Cardinals, Ravens, Panthers, Bengals, Chargers, 49ers
New England Patriots
Home: Funds, Dolphins, Jets, Browns, Cowboys, Jaguars, Saints, Buccaneers, Titans
Highway: Funds, Dolphins, Jets, Falcons, Panthers, Texans, Colts, Chargers
New Orleans Saints
Home: Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers, Funds, Cowboys, Packers, Dolphins, Giants
Highway: Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers, Patriots, Jets, Eagles, Seahawks, Titans, Washington
New York Giants
Home: Cowboys, Eagles, Washington, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Raiders, Rams
Highway: Cowboys, Eagles, Washington, Bears, Chiefs, Chargers, Dolphins, Saints, Buccaneers
New York Jets
Home: Funds, Dolphins, Patriots, Bengals, Jaguars, Saints, Eagles, Buccaneers, Titans
Highway: Funds, Dolphins, Patriots, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Texans, Colts
Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Cowboys, Giants, Washington, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints, 49ers, Buccaneers
Highway: Cowboys, Giants, Washington, Falcons, Panthers, Broncos, Lions, Raiders, Jets
Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Bears, Broncos, Lions, Raiders, Seahawks, Titans
Highway: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Funds, Packers, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings
San Francisco 49ers
Home: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Falcons, Packers, Texans, Colts, Vikings
Highway: Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks, Bears, Bengals, Lions, Jaguars, Eagles, Titans
Seattle Seahawks
Home: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Bears, Lions, Jaguars, Saints, Titans
Highway: Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, Packers, Texans, Colts, Vikings, Steelers, Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Funds, Bears, Cowboys, Dolphins, Giants
Highway: Falcons, Panthers, Saints, Colts, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Eagles, Washington
Tennessee Titans
Home: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Cardinals, Funds, Chiefs, Dolphins, Saints, 49ers
Highway: Texans, Colts, Jaguars, Rams, Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Seahawks
Washington Football Crew
Home: Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Chiefs, Chargers, Saints, Seahawks, Buccaneers
Highway: Cowboys, Giants, Eagles, Falcons, Funds, Panthers, Broncos, Packers, Raiders
High Storylines For 2021 NFL Season
Tom Brady’s Quest For Eighth Title
It marked the cease of an period when Brady left the New England Patriots, and while the Pats felt the ramifications of his departure with a 7-9 document to fail to see the playoffs for the predominant time since 2008, the prolonged bustle Corridor of Famer didn’t omit a beat while leading Tampa Bay to a Stout Bowl championship.
Brady’s seventh title prolonged his hang document for most Stout Bowl rings as a participant, giving him two greater than Charles Haley, and the 43-yr-feeble California native shows no signs of slowing down.
The College of Michigan product mixed to throw 50 touchdowns across 20 video games between the normal season and the playoffs, and he confirmed there would possibly per chance be an opportunity he extends past his previously mentioned purpose of playing except his mid-40s.
“I’d indubitably be aware of that,” Brady mentioned sooner than the Stout Bowl. “It be a physical sport. Beautiful the perspective I in actuality collect on that is you never know when that 2nd is. Beautiful which potential that of it’s miles a contact sport. There is a lot of coaching that goes into it. And it needs to be 100 percent commitment from myself to retain doing it.”
That’s base news for the comfort of the NFL. Even supposing yearly welcomes a unusual class of probably franchise quarterbacks—a community that entails Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance and Mac Jones this season—Brady continues to reign supreme.
His Buccaneers had been in a position to retain most of their vital person-studded championship roster and can all but again be a first-rate title contender in 2021.
Saints Open New Technology Without Drew Brees
Drew Brees launched his retirement in March after a document-surroundings 20-yr NFL profession, including 15 seasons in New Orleans, that integrated leading the Saints to the Stout Bowl XLIV title.
While the 42-yr-feeble awaits the choice from the Pro Football Corridor of Popularity, the franchise will are attempting and dash forward without him.
The burden of attempting to occupy the massive void will fall on both Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill—or doubtlessly each and every.
Hill was as soon as impressive all the procedure by a four-launch up audition while Brees was as soon as sidelined by damage in 2020, polishing off 71.9 percent of his throws with eight complete touchdowns (four passing and 4 speeding). The crew also posted a 3-1 document all the procedure by that stretch.
But, the choice to re-signal Winston suggests there’ll more than likely be an delivery competitors for the cease field on the depth chart for the length of coaching camp and the preseason.
Winston was as soon as turnover-inclined all the procedure by his five years as the Bucs’ starter, but he surpassed 4,000 passing yards in all three seasons he played all 16 video games and tallied 131 complete touchdowns in 72 video games. So his playmaking upside is evident, and he would possibly per chance perchance thrive in the realizing-tuned New Orleans offense.
The battle between the Saints signal-callers will more than likely be one in all the cease experiences all the procedure by camp, and the winner will face gargantuan strain to retain the crew in the championship dialog.
How Will New 17th Game Affect Season?
The NFL householders exercised their choice in the collective bargaining settlement to amplify the length of the normal season by one sport for 2021. It wasn’t a shock but it aloof drew the ire of some avid gamers.
At the side of every other contest will get a further dwelling sport for AFC groups in 2021—this would possibly per chance rotate between conferences each and every yr—and offers groups that battle all the procedure by a stretch of the campaign a slight bit extra leeway to leap abet and aloof collect a shot at the playoffs.
One facet that’ll for lunge be watched closely is whether or no longer the extra sport, while sticking with a single bye week per membership, will lead to any noticeable uptick in injuries all the procedure by the latter stages of the normal season.
Moreover to, the longer schedule will attach the No. 1 postseason seed in each and every convention even more coveted since the bye week that includes it can per chance perchance display precious sooner than a playoff bustle.
Some unusual single-season records are also inclined to get established in 2021 with the extra sport giving avid gamers the probability to take their statistical output up every other notch.
As a complete, the extra sport will give fans every other week to abilities the full storylines that near with an NFL season, whether it’s one mentioned above or the countless others that can emerge this autumn.
