10 NFL 2021 games to look forward to

NFL 2021 has a lot of matches to look forward to.

#7 NFL 2021 Game: Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (Week 3 – SNF)

Just like Seattle and Russell Wilson, the relationship between the Packers and their MVP quarterback is one to keep an eye on. But assuming we get at least one more year, this could be a well-contested NFL matchup.

Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay got their chance for revenge last season after the 49ers handed them two really bad losses in 2019, which kept them from going to the Super Bowl.

San Francisco might have a rookie quarterback starting for them, but they have no excuses this time. The bludgeoning run game and the ferocious defensive front that gave Green Bay trouble are still there. The thing to watch will be DeMeco Ryans stepping in for now-Jets head coach Robert Saleh as defensive coordinator.

It remains to be seen how well he will fare playing against Rodgers at the other end, coming off another all-time great season.

#6 NFL 2021 Game: Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens (Week 2 – SNF)

This was the NFL game I had at number one a year ago. Everybody expected these two teams to match up against each other in the AFC Championship game, but the Titans had other ideas.

When this game came about, it was a rather underwhelming affair, as Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid and Eric Bienemy tore apart Baltimore’s blitz-heavy defense. It was a week three Monday Night edition back then, and this year we get it a week earlier on a Sunday.

While I’d prefer to see both teams in mid-season form, this could definitely be a tone-setter. We get the 2018 and 2019 MVPs, who could be frontrunners again this season to earn those honors. As Lamar Jackson said himself, the Chiefs have been their kryptonite so far.

The Orlando Brown trade gives us an interesting angle, but I will really be watching how much both Ravens coordinators have learned from their past experience.

#5 NFL 2021 Game: Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 14 – 4:25 pm)

Brady just can’t give up the AFC East, as the trip back to Foxborough will be the biggest event on the slate. That's because he'll go up against the new standard for quarterback play in that division, and Josh Allen could have a chance to beat the Patriots legend.

Moreover, these are two of the final four teams from last season, and this game could easily be a Super Bowl preview. Allen and that group of receivers will be looking to spread the field and neutralize Tampa Bay’s ferocious pass-rush.

The Bucs, meanwhile, will look to test Buffalo’s defensive interior, which finished dead-middle in terms of rushing yards allowed. The Bucs were helped out by their offense, forcing the opposition to get into catch-up mode. They surrendered 140 yards in nine different games altogether, with Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette and others.

The fact that this game is in warm Florida rather than Western New York in December could be a big factor, but I think the biggest key will be the development of their young linebackers for the Bills.

#4 NFL 2021 Game: Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (Week 12 – SNF)

The Browns are notorious for being slow starters at this point, but these two division foes will only square off against each other in week twelve. I’m going with their Sunday Night battle in Baltimore rather than their 1 PM kickoff two weeks later.

Last NFL season, we started with a 38-6 blowout in Baltimore, while the week 14 version of this matchup was arguably the best game of the season. We saw 89 combined points, a lot of back-and-forths and a heroic comeback by Lamar Jackson.

I’ll be looking forward to what Jackson can do with improved weapons around him against a Browns team that heavily invested in their defense this off-season.