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Every year, fans from all over the country imagine a scenario in which their team ends the season as Super Bowl winners. And, each year, all but one group are left somewhat disappointed. This is simply the way of the NFL.
There are no prizes for second place, and the harsh reality of defeat and failure hits harder in this sport than most. When you’re out, there’s no coming back until next season. Some supporters understand this more than others.
However, there’s nothing quite like dreaming the impossible, is there? Whether you’re a Patriots fan, a Broncos supporter, or just a casual viewer of the sport, one thing remains true: the idea of winning the Super Bowl is spectacular. Unfortunately, given the unpredictable nature of our sport, we can’t tell you exactly which teams will face off in the big game in February 2022.
We can only tell you what you should and shouldn’t try to expect. Some teams look further along in their development than others, and the best Michigan online sports betting odds reflect that. At Odds Seeker, you can catch up on all the best sites you should begin wagering at today.
A couple of years ago, you’d have got long odds on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning a Super Bowl any time soon but that’s a sign of just how quickly the landscape of this league can change – with Tom Brady arriving as well as several other star names. Here, we’re taking a closer look at some unpredictable teams ahead of the 2021-2022 campaign.
Atlanta Falcons
Few teams are capable of blowing leads the way that the Atlanta Falcons did last season. For the first three quarters of games in 2020, the Falcons looked pretty decent, but repeatedly found ways of stealing defeat from the jaws of victory.
This rollercoaster form during games led to head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff getting fired. Coaches up and down the country will be hoping that they’re not the first to be shown the door at the start of the 2021 season, but again, football comes with its uncertainties. Atlanta fans became all too familiar with that last year.
In fact, the Falcons were the second-worst team in the NFL when it came to seeing out games during the final quarter and overtime. If they could perform to the same level in the fourth quarter of games, they would have had three or four more victories on record.
This season, the Falcons have an easier opening schedule compared to last season, for which supporters will understandably be grateful. With former key man Julio Jones out of the picture, however, the pressure is on tight end Kyle Pitts to perform immediately as the team’s main offensive playmaker.
San Francisco 49ers
Similar to the Falcons, the 49ers will look at their upcoming schedule with a wry grin. Head coach Kyle Shanahan knows that his roster is more than strong enough to take on the NFC West in 2021, with injuries playing their part in San Francisco’s poor form throughout last year.
Shanahan has admitted that he knows which quarterback will start in his team at the start of the 2021 season. Is that confidence or arrogance? It’s difficult to say. Either way, he’ll be glad to have some sort of choice this year.
To put things into perspective, the 49ers were the worst-hit team in terms of injuries in 2020. Of the 22 main starters on the roster, just seven took to the field in each of their 16 outings. Even the guys coming in to replace injured players ended up being forced out of the equation through injuries.
In total, they were left with a whopping 17 injuries at the end of last season. Even the best sides to grace the NFL would struggle to cope with such dramatically unfortunate circumstances. In an effort to improve the odds of having a better campaign this time around, quarterback Trey Lance has been brought to the side. Whether his acquisition is enough remains to be seen.
Philadelphia Eagles
Another side hit hard by injuries last season, the Eagles endured a difficult 2020. Second to only the 49ers with regard to the number of players sidelined overall, Philadelphia fans were forced to sit back and watch as their side were taken apart by teams that weren’t just better, but were also fitter.
The likelihood of so many issues plaguing the Eagles in 2021 isn’t particularly high, so from that standpoint, we can expect a better display from head coach Nick Sirianni’s men. Only one player was free of issues with his body – Jason Kelce – and the 33-year-old was a stalwart in the side as a result, being the single man to get through the entire season without a problem.
Eagles supporters can also rest assured that despite such a troublesome campaign in 2020, some of their injury-prone players are gone. More than that, they have a remarkable talent in Jalen Hurts. The quarterback is rated in the top 10 for designed run-ability by ESPN, higher than the likes of Trey Lance and Daniel Jones.
However, it’s also important to remember just how unpredictable the NFC East really is. Just when you think that one team has grabbed the division by the scruff of its neck, things can turn around in an instant. So, while the Eagles are expected to finish plum last by many onlookers and bookmakers, the fact of the matter is that nobody really has a clue.
Nobody knows what’s around the corner in the NFL
While pundits may act confident in their picks, the truth is that we’re all waiting to see who will shine in the limelight and who will falter. Trevor Lawrence, for example, hasn’t been overly impressive during preseason games.
The NFL Draft’s number one pick has subsequently been questioned by peers, including some calling for him to be benched when the season opens. However, just a couple of months ago, he was heralded as the key to Jacksonville’s rise from the abyss.
We’re now heading into what should be an enthralling 2021/2022 season, with the thrills and spills of the ever-unpredictable NFL approaching nearer every day.
