2021 NFL Power Rankings, Tier 2 | Conference Championship contenders
It wouldn’t be a major surprise to see any of these teams compete in a conference championship or even win a Super Bowl in 2021.
8) Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks look a lot like the Titans, except they have Russell Wilson. They also have what appears to be a bad secondary. The difference is the consistent results we’ve seen from Seattle since drafting Wilson. If Wilson plays similarly to the first half of 2020, this team could compete against anybody, despite their poor defense.
7) Los Angeles Rams
The Matthew Stafford hype train has left the station and is currently barreling off the rails and into an innocent crowd of people. Stafford is an immensely talented passer. Nevertheless, simply upgrading from Jared Goff does not automatically mean they’ll ring the Super Bowl bells.
The Rams don’t have a first-round pick until the next presidential election, but they certainly have a lot of talent on the roster. Having Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey on the same defense is unfair, but the rest of the team lost some talent since last season. Losing John Johnson III and Troy Hill hurts, as will be evident by the team they went to ranked two spots ahead of the Rams in our 2021 NFL power rankings.
6) Baltimore Ravens
From top to bottom, there may not be a better-run organization than the Baltimore Ravens. John Harbaugh is one of the most successful coaches of our generation, and Eric DeCosta is a superstar in the making after learning from the legendary Ozzie Newsome. They have one of the best cornerback groups in the NFL, and they’ve added weapons in Sammy Watkins and Rashod Bateman.
5) Cleveland Browns
The Browns have a Super Bowl roster. The question comes down to defensive improvement and the continued progression of Baker Mayfield. The defense added the aforementioned Troy Hill and John Johnson III in the secondary and brought Jadeveon Clowney in to play opposite Myles Garrett. Garrett might push for 20 sacks in 2021. You heard it here first — I think.
4) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is in Green Bay, and he is pissed. That, if we base it on his performance in 2020, is a very good thing. The “distractions” facing the Packers were there last season, and they won 13 games while their quarterback won the MVP.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see Rodgers hoist the Lombardi Trophy before setting it down, flipping double birds to the front office box at the stadium as he walks off the podium and into the sunset as a champion.
3) Buffalo Bills
They just paid Josh Allen, extending him for six years. Brandon Beane has constructed one of the best rosters in the game, and they’re a great QB performance away from being a better team than the Chiefs on any given day. Stefon Diggs changed this offense, and adding Emmanuel Sanders will only help. Defensively, they have thrown a ton of assets on the DL and have one of the best cornerbacks in the game. They also have two outstanding safeties.
2021 NFL Power Rankings, Tier 1 | Super Bowl favorites
From an odds standpoint, these two teams should be seen as the favorites to represent their conferences in the Super Bowl.
2) Kansas City Chiefs
What more is there to say about Patrick Mahomes that hasn’t already been said? He’s a mystic presence in the NFL. He’s the one reason the Chiefs are so high in the 2021 NFL power rankings to start the season, despite having a roster that doesn’t stack up to the Bills, Browns, or even possibly the Ravens.
Andy Reid is one of the greatest NFL coaches ever, and Mahomes is swiftly climbing the ladder as one of the greatest quarterbacks ever. And he still has a long way to go in his career.
1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
They’re the first franchise to bring all 22 starters back from a Super Bowl-winning team since the 1976 Raiders. The top spot is the only place the Buccaneers could land in the power rankings. They have the best receiving corps in the NFL, along with the best linebacking duo. Their offensive line is outstanding, and their secondary has a ton of talent. Tampa Bay should glide through the regular season.
