2021 NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Buccaneers & Ravens Lead the Pack

After months of anticipation, personnel movements, and philosophy changes for teams around the league, the 2021 NFL season is set to begin in 24 hours. To commence the long-awaited occasion, it is now time that I reveal my 2021 NFL Power Rankings for Week 1: Buccaneers & Ravens Lead the Pack.

And remember, if you don’t like where I slated your team, don’t hate me. Let me know on Twitter @therealnflguru. After all, I don’t hate your team. I’m just bringing reality to fanbases around the NFL landscape.

Now without further ado, here are my 2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1 edition.

32. Houston Texans

The Texans only won four games last season with players that include J.J. Watt and Deshaun Watson in the starting lineup. Now, Watt is in Arizona, Watson is on the bench and David Culley is the new head coach. Since the Texans couldn’t trade Watson ahead of the season, they are expected to eat his contract and let him ride the bench.

Not only does Watson never want to play for the Texans again, but his looming off-the-field issues arent going anywhere. He is a distraction for a team full of one-off players due to the flurry of one-year deals the Texans handed out this offseason. Houston is playing for a top 3 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

31. Detroit Lions

The Lions will be a tough out this season under first-year head coach Dan Campbell. But outside of being a tough-built unit, there isn’t much to be happy about if you’re a Lions fan. The defense is rebuilding following failed seasons under “defensive guru” Matt Patricia and the offense must find their way with Jared Goff, who has no one to throw to outside of T.J. Hockenson. Maybe Amon-Ra St. Brown could be something.

The Lions will have a terrific offensive line and an upside-rushing attack led by Penei Sewell, D’Andre Swift, and OC Anthony Lynn, but that’s about it. They won’t be able to keep up in a shoot out and the defense will eventually break.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are heading in the right direction. Their offense will be much-improved as long as Trevor Lawrence is as-advertised. However, their defense will be treacherous.

If the Jags can show improvement and win six games, they will be in position for a 2022 leap in an attainable AFC South.

29. Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas might be one of the worst NFL teams on paper. If it wasn’t for Derek Carr, I don’t know if they win more than four games. HC Jon Gruden and GM Mike Mayock reached on too many early draft picks that don’t seem to be working out.

Other questionable roster moves like blowing up their offensive line and adding Kenyan Drake when they had significant holes on an already terrible defense have the Raiders further trending in the wrong direction.

The Raiders are a mess.

28. New York Jets

Adding GM Joe Douglas was a blessing in disguise for the Jets last offseason. He has the team trending in the right direction for the first tie in a long time. Douglas emphasized re-tooling the trenches and building from the inside out on both sides of the ball. Zach Wilson also looks the part.

While I love what Douglas has added player personnel-wise, his bigger impact was his coaching hires. HC Robert Saleh and OC Mike LaFleur will have the Jets looking like 49ers East for years to come.

Jets fans have something to look forward to as long as they are patient.

27. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are getting Joe Burrow back. They also added ja’Marr Chase to an already talented slew of pass-catchers. And for the second consecutive offseason, we saw Cincinctti spend money to bolster their defense.

All that being said, the Bengals failed to notably address their one grave issue, the offensive line. What good is all of those supporting offensive weapons if Burrow is on the ground or at worst, on the sideline because they can’t protect him?

26. Carolina Panthers

Carolina is a quarterback away. We will see if Sam Darnold can shake the ghost of Adam Gase as Ryan Tannehill had. The good thing for Darnold is the fact that he will have the most talent around him that he’s ever had as a pro. The bad thing is the offensive line. They must protect Darnold for this to work.

The Panthers also employ a young and up-and-coming defense that could put it all together in 2021. The Panthers might be a year away from a playoff berth, but HC Matt Rhule has this team going in the right direction.

The Panthers might be the second-best team in the NFC South.

25. Atlanta Falcons

New HC Arthur Smith will get the Falcons on the right track, but they won’t be competing for a playoff spot in 2021. This year is more about seeing how much Matt Ryan has left. They already moved off of Julio Jones and Ryan could be next in the offseason.

Atlanta has talent on both sides of the ball, but they are missing too many pieces to do any damage in the NFC. They will, however, be exciting to watch. Notably, Kyle Pitts and Calvin Ridley.

24. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles will either be really good or really bad. It is all on Jalen Hurts.

The fact that GM Howie Roseman mismanaged the cap and again players caught up to the Eagles in recent years. Also missing on first-round talent in past drafts didn’t help the team’s cause either.

If Hurts falters, the Eagles will be fast to turn to Gardner Minshew. What’s more, if Hurts falters, the Eagles will once again be in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes in the offseason.

23. New York Giants

Many teams have all the pieces but a quarterback and an offensive line. The Giants fall into that category.

The Giants have the worst-ranked offensive line entering 2021, which does not bode well for turnover-prone QB Daniel Jones. Despite the addition of Kenny Golladay and the return of Saquon Barkley, the Giants are missing two primary components of a winning football team.

New York’s defense will be fun to watch, though.

22. Chicago Bears

Although the Bears added Justin Fields, it is Andy Dalton‘s team… for now. While Fields has all the talent in the world, the fact that he slipped in the draft has me looking at the downside as well as the upside.

The Bears’ defense is also not the same unit as they put on the field under former DC Vic Fangio. In fact, Chicago’s defense began to show its wear last season. They are no longer a top 10 unit.

The Bears may be heading in the right direction as long as Fields works out, but they have a ways to go.

21. Denver Broncos

The Broncos have immense talent on both sides of the ball. They had that last year too but were buried by injury and poor quarterback play.

In 2020, they will turn to Teddy Bridgewater. Now, I am not a Bridgwater guy for fantasy, but in the real NFL, he is a quality game manager who can win games with the right supporting cast. A top 210 defense, upside running games, and ample weapons to throw to. Denver has all that if they can stay healthy.

20. Washington Football Team

I Love the Football Team’s defense and offensive pieces. However, I don’t love their quarterback.

There is a reason why Ryan Fitzpatrick is a 38-year-old journeyman quarterback who has never won a division or a playoff game. He is just not it.

Fitz will be good in fantasy, but in reality, he will cost the Football Team more games than he wins them with his YOLO playing style.

19. Minnesota Vikings

I don’t want to get political. In fact, I think of politics as I think of spiders. I don’t want either in my life. However, the fact that Kirk Cousins is not vaccinated could be an issue.

What if Cousins is a close contact or contracts COVID a few days before playing a key division game? Then the Vikings are left with Kellen Mond. Good luck.

Minnesota’s defense will improve over last year, but the team as a whole is too many steps behind the Packers. At best, the Vikings will be in a Wild Card spot, but I don’t even see that. The NFC is improving by the year.

18. New Orleans Saints

On name value and Sean Payton alone, many have the Saints pegged for a better year than they will actually have. However, I am not fooled.

The Saints were one of the teams in torrential salary cap hell, which forced them to move off significant assets on both sides of the ball. There is also the issue of quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end.  Those positions are filled with question marks and a lack of depth.

Like it or not, the Saints are in short-term rebuild mode. They must figure it out fast, however. The Panthers are a team on the rise.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are a team that could start fast and plummet like last season. Only it will happen much sooner. Their salary cap hell forced them to move on from quality depth on both sides of the ball. The Steelers will also only return one starter from the 2020 Week 12 offensive line.

Ben Roethlisberger is a shell of himself. His lack of a deep ball last season exposed Pittsburgh’s offense at the end, It will once again be their handicap at some point. Although the Steelers spent first-round draft capital on Najee Harris, they could have really used a top-end prospect on the offensive line to build for the future.

2021 could finally be the year in which Mike Tomlin records his first losing season. The AFC North is just too good now.

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16. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are my sleeper team for a Super Bowl Yes, I said it all offseason long and I will once again note it before the start of Week 1.

They added ample veteran pieces with upside and injury concerns. If those injury concerns subside and A.J. Green, James, Conner, Rodney Hudson, and J.J. Watt can stay healthy and produce, Arionza will win the NFC West.

For Kyler Murray, he has more to work with than just DeAndre Hopkins with the additions of Green and Ronfdale Moore to an already explosive pass-catching unit.

W must remember that before Murray’s shoulder injury in the second half of 2020 against Seattle, the Cardinals looked like a team poised for a Wild Card spot at worst.

Arizona’s defense will also be key. Watt and Chandler Jones could be one of the best pass-rushing units in the NFL. Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins could be one of the best mid-level hybrid defender tandems in the NFL. The question is Zona’s secondary.

Not only did they move on from Patrick Peterson in free agency, but it looks like his replacement, Malcolm Butler is retiring. He is on the reserve/ retired list.

If the Cardinals can get it together on the back end of their defense, they will be hard to stop if the others stars align.

15. Miami Dolphins

I love the Dolphins in most aspects. I am just not in love with their offensive line or quarterback. And if you read in between the lines from ownership and the front office, they don’t love Tua Tagovailoa either. There will be a lot of pressure on the second-year signal-caller. If he falters, he will be out of a job in 2022 or at least playing on a new club.

Miami’s defense will be their saving grace, but if they don’t find a way to score points, I don’t see how they win another 10 games like they did last year.

The Dolphins added weapons for Tagovailoa to work with, but can he exploit them is the ultimate question.

14. Indianapolis Colts

I have the Colts behind the Titans, but as the season progresses, this will flip. The Colts’ defense will ultimately rise to the top while Tennessee’s defensive unit will once again be their downfall.

We just might see the best of Carson Werntz as well in bounce-back fashion. Wentz played his vest football when HC Frank Reich was his OC in Philly. Wentz is not going to be asked to lead the way either. The Colts will be a run-centric team led by Jonathan Taylor and a top 5 offensive line, which bodes well for Wentz’s confidence and outlook.

And though the Colts do have issues at pass-catcher, we could see a big year out of Nyheim Hines as a receiver out of the backfield. He is one of the best check-down outlets in the NFL.

13. Los Angles Chargers

If the Chargers can stay healthy, that roster is good enough to get them into the playoffs. The Chargers may not have enough to take out the Chiefs in the AFC West this season, by the gap is closing.

I am all-in on new HC Brandon Staley and what he could do with all the talent on the defensive side of the ball. Let’s not forget what he did for the Rams.

We know the Chargers’ offense will be elite led by Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, and Austin Ekeler. And for once, they gave their quarterback something they failed to give Philip Rovers a lot of times, an upgraded offensive line, following the additions of Corey Linsley in free agency and Rashawn Slater in the first round of April’s draft.

12. New England Patriots

Last year, I had New England pegged as a 4-6 win team. I wasn’t far off. Now, I did a complete 180 as did the Patriots.

Not only did the Patriots add depth to an already menacing and opportunistic defense, but they are also entering the Mac Jones era.

Jones won’t put up gaudy stats, but he won’t be asked to. The Patriots will win by playing stout defense, running the ball down their enemy’s throats, and allowing Jones to pick the opposing secondary apart with his pinpoint accuracy.

The Pats might not win the AFC East, but they will be in position for a Wild Card spot in January.

11. Tennessee Titans

While I have the Titans ranked higher to start the year, I have placed wagers on the Colts to win the NFC South. When it is all said and done, the Colts will come out on top once they are fully healthy.

For the Titans, their offense will be elite. The addition of Julio Jones to A.J. Brown and Derrick Henry will further unleash the ceiling of Ryan Tannehill.

So what’s the problem? Defense. The Titans had a top-end offense last year too but were derailed by a bottom-five defense. Tennesee added Bud Dupree, but he won’t be enough to improve one of the worst defenses in the NFL.

10. Seattle Seahawks

The NFC West will be one of, if not, the toughest division in the NFL. The Seahawks have just as good of a shot to win it as their division rivals. However, although the Seattle offense should be fine led by Russell Wilson and new OC Shane Waldron, who will emphasize pace-of-play and likely open up the passing game, I worry about the Seattle defense.

Although Seattle’s defense played well down the stretch, they were borderline historically bad in the first half of 2020.  For the Seahawks to advance to an NFC Championship game, everything must come together sooner rather than later.

9. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers lost one of the best defensive coordinators in football, Robert Saleh. They also will be without key pieces to their defense. Notably, Richard Sherman.

One of the more injury-stricken teams in the NFL, the fate of San Francisco’s 2021 campaign falls on the overall health of the team. It also falls on the shoulders of Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.

The fact that a looming quarterback controversy is hanging over the 49ers’ heads is not a good sign for a team many believe can make a legit Super Bowl run.

8. Los Angles Rams

Many are too high on the Rams. Putting them 8th is a bit much for me if we’re being honest. Losing both coordinators is huge. They also lost key pieces to their shut down secondary.

While the Rams seemed to weather the storm of the loss of Cam Akers by adding Sony Michel and committing to another year of an RBBC rushing attack, I have questions about Matthew Stafford.

Stafford has battled injuries in the past two seasons and just because he left a terrible franchise doesn’t mean he is auto-picked for an MVP award and Super Bowl. Let me see it first before I crown Stafford or the Rams.

7. Dallas Cowboys

I am bullish on the Cowboys. While this is a bit of a homer ranking, we can’t deny the potential all over Dallas’ roster. If healthy, the Cowboys will score the football and win football games. While I do question the Cowboys’ depth, the fact that they were so banged up last season might be a blessing in disguise. Younger players saw significant playing time which will spill over into this season if need be. They won’t be as raw and inexperienced.

The addition of DC Dan Quinn will also be huge. While Quinn did not work out as a head coach, he is a terrific defensive coordinator. Many coordinators just don’t work out as head coaches. It’s just the way it is. More responsibility.

Micah Parsons could be the difference-maker on a defense that needs one. Parsons is in the running for DROY.

6.  Green Bay Packers

The Packers will again dominate the NFC North. However, they do have holes, notable, on the offensive line. Losing Corey Linsley in free agency is a tremendous blow, not to mention the fact that David Bakhtiari will open the year on the PUP list.

Aaron Rodgers may be pressured more than he is used to, but the rumored emergence of Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Plus, the addition of safety blanket Randall Cobb could help him get rid of the ball even faster. Rodgers will also have Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, and a bend but not break defense returning as well.

Green Bay appears primed for another NFC Championship game appearance in what could be No. 12’s final run at Lambeau.

5. Cleveland Browns

The Browns made significant upgrades on their defense, which could be the missing piece. Adding Troy Hill and John Johnson should tighten up their secondary while bolstering their defensive front seven with Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah and Jadeveon Clowney.

Cleveland fields a top-five offensive line to power their elite rushing attack, which is enough to protect Baker Mayfield‘s deficiencies.

Kevin Stefanski turned around this once horrendous franchise. He is in the running for coach of the year if the Browns make a deep run.

4. Buffalo Bills

The Bills are knocking at the door of a Super Bowl. Perhaps this is the year as long as Josh Allen does not regress and he shouldn’t. If Brian Daboll commits to running the ball more, the Bills could be that much more deadly. Devin Singletary had an impressive preseason and could finally emerge as their true RB1. Though, we are likely looking at another RBBC.

The Bills’ defense must also take a step up for the Bills to compete for a Super Bowl.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs will be the Chiefs. But Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are not enough for me to put them in my top two just because. While Kansas City revamped their offensive line, they have question marks at running back. I also have an issue with depth at pass-catcher behind Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. If the Chiefs lose one of them, primarily, Kelce, for a significant period I don’t know if they can rebound.

The Kansas City defense is also a monster question mark. This could be another year in which they need to out-score their foes to beat them.

2. Baltimore Ravens

Are you surprised I have the Ravens as the second-best team in the NFL? Are you surprised I have them slated there sans J.K. Dobbins? Don’t be. Sure, running back depth behind Gus Edwards is light, but the Ravens did sign Le’Veon Bell.

While Bell appeared washed in the past few seasons, he was playing behind porous offensive lines in Kansas City and New York. Now, he’s back with an elite unit, and oh, by the way, Lamar Jackson will open up rushing lanes for Baltimore’s rushing attack like Moses the Red Sea.

Speaking of Jackson, he has reliable pass-catchers now, and if/ when Rashod Bateman returns, he could surely unlock Jackson’s passing ceiling, which we have yet to see.

Baltimore’s defense rosters one of the most menacing and ball-hawking secondaries in the NFL. What’s more, they also roster Justin Tucker, whose leg has accounted for many victories since entering the NFL.

The Ravens may be the team that knocks off Brady and the Bucs if the stars align.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers may have a 44-year-old quarterback, but Tom Brady is the proverbial goat, and it is not close. What’s more, Tampa Bay is returning all of their starters and if you think their offense is their bread and butter, you simply have not paid enough attention to their defense. Importantly, the Buccaneers’ front seven.

The Buccaneers are primed to repeat, barring Father Time finally catching up to Brady. Injury-wise, Tampa should be able to overcome most outside of quarterback due to the immense depth on the roster from top to bottom.

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