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What are the Biggest Stories of the 2021 NFL Season So Far?
The 2021 NFL season has been far from predictable this season but what have been the biggest stories so far in the world of football? Read on to find out
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Pro Sports Outlook shares what’s happening in sports on a weekly basis but as the NFL season is about halfway through, let’s look at some of the biggest stories of the year so far – and just what has happened in football since September. Not everything has gone quite to plan, of course. There has been a lot of change in the markets at the online sports betting sites – and some teams have fallen down the list of Super Bowl favorites.
Here are just some of the stories from the 2021 NFL season:
The whole idea of football is that parity rules. The ‘any given Sunday’ mantra works in the NFL because any team can raise their game and come away with a win on their day. But there have been some real shocks this season as the underdogs have come through time after time. Some of these surprise victories were just teams announcing themselves as contenders – like the Cardinals over the Titans in Week 1. However, others have been harder to figure out – like the Jags beating the Bills in Week 9. Fans aren’t complaining about these results, as it makes for a more entertaining season. Yet there has seemed to be more than usual.
When Tom Brady left the New England Patriots at the end of the 2019 season, there were not too many fans brave enough to say that his career was over. He obviously didn’t think so either – leading his new Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a second-ever Super Bowl victory and showing Patrick Mahomes who the real boss was in the process.
This season he has continued to lead the NFL. He became the first player to start 300 games, he became the league’s all-time passing yards leader, the first player to record 600 career passing touchdowns. It’s only a little over halfway through the year… Who’s to say he won’t be collecting another ring next February?
There are always plenty of players moving around the league, so this might not seem like something to get too excited about. However, there have been two big-name moves in the last few weeks that have really attracted some attention.
The first one is Odell Beckham Jr. joining the Rams. His time at the Browns was rocky, to say the least but he now joins an organization full of stars in Los Angeles and he can now show everyone why he is regarded as one of the best. The other move of note was Cam Newton returning to the Panthers. He is the team’s career passing leader and they hope he can find that old magic once again.
Last year the Kansas City Chiefs only lost two regular-season games. There were big winning teams in all divisions – apart from the woeful NFC East – and they were all going into the playoffs with the confidence of winning streaks. Yet this year, only the Cardinals had lost just one game after nine games and nearly every division had a real battle going on for the number one position.
Like with the number of underdog wins, fans like this. More competitive divisions mean more exciting football – and not the monotony of the New England Patriots winning the AFC East every year. With some low game win totals, even at the top of the divisions, the race for the wild cards are more intense too.
With more fans back in the stadiums, this season has already been one full of passion and excitement – and there are still a few weeks of the regular season yet to be played. We haven’t even mentioned the injuries to big name players – or positive COVID results – affecting results either. The 2021 season has been a rollercoaster so far and we can’t wait to find out what happens next.
