Week 1 NFL 2021 Preview

Preview of the first week of the NFL 2021 regular season and what to look for in week 1.

All 32 NFL teams share singular goal as the kicks off.

"Life starts all over again," wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald, "when it gets crisp in the fall."

And this fall in the National Football League, that initial autumn breeze means an enhanced 18-week, 272-game regular-season schedule. Each team is playing 17 regular-season games for the first time, providing fans an extra week of action. It marks the first change to the season structure since the 1978 campaign ushered in an era of 16 regular-season and four preseason games.

Life starting all over again also means 32 teams are tied for first place, and that means every NFL coach, player and fan has insatiable hope.

Why so much hopeful optimism entering 2021?

Currently, the average team has waited just 1.8 years since its last playoff berth. Three quarters of the league's teams, 24 of 32, have been to the playoffs at least once in the past four seasons.

Over the past 18 seasons (2003-20), the average number of division winners that missed the postseason the year prior is 3.3 – including 26 division champions that finished last the year before. Both the PITTSBURGH STEELERS (AFC North) and WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (NFC East) won their divisions in 2020 after missing the postseason in 2019, and at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 17 of the past 18 years.

Since 1990, 5.8 teams per year have qualified for the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year. Over that stretch – a streak of 31 consecutive seasons – at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. Seven teams that missed the postseason in 2019 – CHICAGO, CLEVELAND, INDIANAPOLIS, LOS ANGELES RAMS, PITTSBURGH, TAMPA BAY and WASHINGTON – accomplished the feat in 2020.

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And no team has won consecutive Super Bowls since the 2003-04 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, the longest stretch in NFL history without a repeat Super Bowl champion.

The NFL team currently challenged with breaking that streak, the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, will kick off the NFL's 102nd season on Thursday when the defending champions host the DALLAS COWBOYS (8:20 PM ET, NBC). In that game, quarterback TOM BRADY needs 300 passing yards to join DREW BREES (123 games) as the only players with at least 100 career games of 300-or-more passing yards in NFL history. Brady enters Thursday with 99 such games.

The Buccaneers, Cowboys and 30 other teams enter 2021 with one goal in mind: A trip to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13.

NFL Rookie Respect

In 13 consecutive seasons, at least one rookie quarterback has started a Week 1 game, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.

The top two overall selections in the 2021 draft – Clemson's TREVOR LAWRENCE (No. 1, Jacksonville) and BYU's ZACH WILSON (No. 2, New York Jets) – are expected to extend the streak early in the afternoon on Sunday. Both signal-callers will be on the road; the Jaguars meet the Texans (1:00 PM ET, CBS) and the Jets travel to Carolina (1:00 PM ET, CBS) to play their former quarterback SAM DARNOLD, acquired by the Panthers in an offseason trade. Darnold's new teammates include rookie cornerback JAYCEE HORN (selected No. 8 overall), expected to make his NFL debut for Carolina.

The last two starting quarterbacks at the University of Alabama will square off in New England Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS) when Patriots rookie MAC JONES (No. 15 overall) opens his NFL career against the Dolphins and TUA TAGOVAILOA, the fifth overall selection in the 2020 draft. Both players joined the Alabama program in 2017 and combined to lead the Crimson Tide to a berth in three of the past four national championship games. The AFC East showdown is also expected to feature the debut of former Alabama wide receiver JAYLEN WADDLE, the sixth-overall selection in the 2021 draft.

Elsewhere this weekend:

Steelers rookie running back NAJEE HARRIS (24th overall) is expected to make his NFL debut when Pittsburgh makes the short trip to open the season Sunday at reigning AFC East champion Buffalo (1:00 PM ET, CBS).

Two potential offensive stars – Atlanta tight end KYLE PITTS (No. 4 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft – the highest selected tight end in the common-draft era) and Philadelphia wide receiver DEVONTA SMITH (No. 10, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner) – will be on opposite sidelines at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Pitts' Falcons host the Eagles on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX).

In Cincinnati on Sunday, Bengals rookie wide receiver JA'MARR CHASE (No. 5 overall) will line up for the first time with his college quarterback, JOE BURROW (No. 1 overall in 2020), when the Bengals host former LSU teammate JUSTIN JEFFERSON and the Vikings (1:00 PM ET, FOX). The last time the trio was on the same field, the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship, Burrow threw for 463 yards and five touchdowns while Chase had nine catches for 221 yards with two touchdowns, and Jefferson nine receptions for 106 yards.

Several rookie offensive linemen, including Lions tackle PENEI SEWELL (No. 7 overall), Chargers tackle RASHAWN SLATER (No. 13), Jets guard ALIJAH VERA-TUCKER (No. 14) and Las Vegas tackle ALEX LEATHERWOOD (No. 17), are expected to make their NFL debuts on Sunday.

On the defensive side, rookie linebackers MICAH PARSONS (No. 12, Dallas), ZAVEN COLLINS (No. 16, Arizona) and JAMIN DAVIS (No. 19, Washington) are expected to anchor the middle of their respective defenses this weekend, while cornerback PAT SURTAIN (No. 9, Denver) and defensive end KWITY PAYE (No. 21, Indianapolis) will also make their first NFL appearances.

Youth Movement in AFC East

All four quarterbacks expected to start for their AFC East teams this weekend, including TUA TAGOVAILOA (23 years old) and MAC JONES (23) in New England on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), are under the age of 26 to open the season. If JOSH ALLEN (25) starts for Buffalo and ZACH WILSON (22) opens for the Jets, it will mark the first time in 36 years that four starting quarterbacks in the same NFL division were under the age of 26 at the start of a season. In 1985, TONY EASON (25) of New England, Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (23) of Miami, KEN O'BRIEN (24) of the Jets and ART SCHLICHTER (25) of Indianapolis began the year under center in the AFC East. The Dolphins, Jets and Patriots reached the playoffs that season, and New England earned a berth in Super Bowl XX.

Consistently Productive

When Green Bay meets New Orleans for a Sunday showdown between 2020 NFC division winners (4:25 PM ET, FOX, in Jacksonville), two of the NFL's most consistently productive players will be in action. Only six individuals have rushed for at least 700 yards in each of the past three seasons (2018-20), including the Packers' AARON JONES and the Saints' ALVIN KAMARA.

Playoff Teams Face Off in Week 1

That Packers-Saints contest is one of five games on the Week 1 docket featuring two teams that qualified for the 2020 playoffs.

Included in that group is a rematch of an AFC Divisional game between the CLEVELAND BROWNS and KANSAS CITY CHIEFS on Sunday (4:25 PM, CBS). Including the postseason, Chiefs head coach ANDY REID is 8-0 against the Browns, 4-0 with Philadelphia and 4-0 with Kansas City. Kansas City defeated Cleveland, 22-17, last postseason and became the first team since Reid's 2002-04 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES to host three consecutive championship games.

Both the Packers and Chiefs will be looking to extend the league's longest active winning streak on Kickoff Weekend. Each club has won its first game in six consecutive seasons.

Another tilt on the Kickoff Weekend card features the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX). Including the playoffs, Seattle in the Eastern Time Zone has won 12 of its past 13 games. Quarterback RUSSELL WILSON in those 13 games is 12-1 with a 117.9 passer rating, 3,598 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes and five interceptions.

In a marquee early game Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the PITTSBURGH STEELERS – who ranked third in the NFL last year in total defense (305.8 yards per game) and finished second in scoring defense (19.5 points per game) – face the BUFFALO BILLS, whose offense was second in the league in both yards per game (396.4) and points per game (31.3).

The LOS ANGELES RAMS will welcome fans to SoFi Stadium for the first time when the CHICAGO BEARS pay a visit on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC). Chicago has 55 wins on Kickoff Weekend, the second-most in NFL history, while the Rams have won four consecutive Week 1 games.

Reigning NFL Rookies of the Year Matchup

For the second straight season and fourth time in NFL history, the defending Associated Press rookies of the year will clash on Kickoff Weekend. At FedExField on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year JUSTIN HERBERT will lead the Chargers against 2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year CHASE YOUNG and Washington. Last season, Herbert recorded the most touchdown passes (31) and most completions (396), and second-most passing yards (4,336) by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Young, meanwhile, led all rookies with 7.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss, and tied for the lead among rookies with four forced fumbles.

Last season, 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year KYLER MURRAY guided the Cardinals to a season-opening win at San Francisco against defending Defensive Rookie of the Year NICK BOSA.

Prior to 2020, the last time defending rookies of the year met in Week 1 was Sept. 10, 1989, when the Patriots and running back JOHN STEPHENS defeated the Jets and defensive back ERIK MCMILLAN, 27-24, at Giants Stadium. The first time it happened was Sept. 21, 1975, when San Diego Chargers running back DON WOODS and Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker JACK LAMBERT met at Jack Murphy Stadium, where the Steelers won, 37-0, en route to a Super Bowl X championship.

Tom Brady and His Fountain of Youth

Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY, who will be 44 years and 37 days old on Thursday when the Buccaneers host Dallas in the league's annual kickoff contest (8:20 PM ET, NBC), is expected to become the fourth-oldest individual on record (since 1932) to play in a season-opening game.

Brady also enters 2021 more than four years older than the next-oldest player on an active NFL roster, Rams tackle ANDREW WHITWORTH, who will be 39 years and 274 days old when his club hosts Chicago on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC).

Raving About The Ravens

The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS also welcome fans to their home, Allegiant Stadium, for the first time, hosting the BALTIMORE RAVENS on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC). Since 2016 in Week 1 games, Baltimore is 5-0 and has outscored its opponents 177-26. The Ravens haven't allowed more than 10 points in any of those five Kickoff Weekend games.

An Optimistic State of Mind Around the NFL

New leaders and new outlooks will dot the NFL's landscape this weekend.

Seven new head coaches enter the 2021 season – DAN CAMPBELL in Detroit, DAVID CULLEY in Houston, URBAN MEYER in Jacksonville, ROBERT SALEH with the New York Jets, NICK SIRIANNI with Philadelphia, ARTHUR SMITH with Atlanta and BRANDON STALEY with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Over the last four seasons, seven head coaches in their first year with a new club have led their teams to the playoffs: RON RIVERA (Washington) and KEVIN STEFANSKI (Cleveland) in 2020, MATT LAFLEUR (Green Bay) in 2019, MATT NAGY (Chicago) and FRANK REICH (Indianapolis) in 2018, and SEAN MCVAY (Los Angeles Rams) and SEAN MCDERMOTT (Buffalo) in 2017.

Two games this weekend will feature first-year head coaches on opposite sidelines: Meyer and Culley (1:00 PM ET, CBS) will meet in Houston on Sunday while Sirianni and Smith will battle in Atlanta (1:00 PM ET, FOX). Coaches in their first year at the reins of an NFL team have played a Week 1 game only five times over the past 38 seasons, and never twice in the same opening weekend.

The NFL's Super Starters

History indicates that the best way for a team to start its drive toward a Super Bowl championship is to win in Week 1.

The 55 Super Bowl winners have a 44-10-1 record in the Kickoff Weekend games of their title seasons. The Super Bowl LV champion TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, who host the DALLAS COWBOYS in the league's annual primetime Kickoff Game on Thursday (8:20 PM ET, NBC), became the first eventual Super Bowl winners to lose the opening game of their championship season since New England in 2014.

The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, who have appeared in each of the past two Super Bowls, host the CLEVELAND BROWNS in an AFC Divisional playoff rematch on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS). Kansas City has won its past six Kickoff Weekend games, the longest active streak in the AFC and tied for the longest active streak in the NFL (Green Bay).

Since 1978 when the NFL went to the 16-game schedule, and excluding the abbreviated season of 1982, teams that are victorious in their season-openers are more than twice as likely to reach the playoffs than those that lose an opening game. This season will feature a 17-game schedule for each team for the first time ever.

Of the 633 teams that won openers…333 went to the playoffs (204 won division titles).

Of the 632 teams that lost openers…151 went to the playoffs (86 won division titles).

Note: There are a different number of winning and losing teams in season-opening games due to the fact the NFL had 31 teams in each season from 1999-2001, which creates an odd number for the total number of results.

In 2020, the 14 playoff teams compiled an 11-3 record on Kickoff Weekend, with the eight division winners going a perfect 8-0.

Starting Streaks

The Chiefs aren't the only team to have excelled in openers. Below is a sampling of other notable active NFL Kickoff Weekend milestones and streaks:

The BALTIMORE RAVENS, who visit the LAS VEGAS RAIDERS on Monday Night Football in Week 1 (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC), have won their last five Kickoff Weekend games, the AFC's second-longest active streak. Since 2016, Baltimore has outscored its opponents 177-26 on Kickoff Weekend and hasn't allowed more than 10 points in any of its previous five Week 1 games.

The reigning NFC North division champion GREEN BAY PACKERS open their season on the road on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX) against the reigning NFC South division champion NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville. The Packers have won 58 games on Kickoff Weekend, the most in the NFL. Green Bay has won its past six Kickoff Weekend games, tied with Kansas City for the longest active streak in the NFL.

The CHICAGO BEARS visit the LOS ANGELES RAMS on Sunday Night Football in Week 1 (8:20 PM ET, NBC). Chicago has 55 wins on Kickoff Weekend, the second-most in the NFL, while the Rams have won four consecutive Week 1 games, the second-longest active streak in the NFC.

Start Me Up

Some players have excelled in openers. Below is a sampling of notable individual performances on NFL Kickoff Weekend:

Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY has 39 touchdown passes and 4,932 passing yards in 18 career Kickoff Weekend games, trailing only DREW BREES (41 touchdown passes and 5,566 passing yards) for the most in NFL history on Kickoff Weekend in both categories.

Tampa Bay tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI has eight touchdown receptions in eight career Kickoff Weekend games, the second-most all-time by a tight end, trailing only WILLIE FRAZIER (nine touchdown receptions).

Tennessee wide receiver JULIO JONES has 1,001 receiving yards in 10 career Kickoff Weekend games and is one of 11 players in league history with at least 1,000 career receiving yards in season openers. If Jones, who had nine receptions for 157 yards with Atlanta last year on Kickoff Weekend, records at least 99 receiving yards on Sunday against Arizona in his Titans debut (1:00 PM ET, CBS), he will become the sixth player to reach 1,100 career receiving yards on Kickoff Weekend.

Jones also has 67 career receptions in Week 1 and can become the ninth player in league history to reach 75 career receptions on Kickoff Weekend.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver DESEAN JACKSON has six career games with at least 100 yards receiving in Week 1, tied for the most all-time. With at least 100 receiving yards against Chicago on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Jackson would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (six) for the most 100-yard receiving games on Kickoff Weekend in NFL history.

Including a sack last year in Week 1 with Indianapolis, Baltimore linebacker JUSTIN HOUSTON has 11 sacks in nine career season-opening games, tied for the sixth-most on Kickoff Weekend since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. With at least two sacks in his Ravens debut at Las Vegas on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), Houston would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer LAWRENCE TAYLOR (12.5 sacks in 12 games) for the fourth-most in Week 1 contests.

Start 'Em Early

Jacksonville rookie quarterback TREVOR LAWRENCE, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, New York Jets rookie quarterback ZACH WILSON (No. 2), and New England rookie quarterback MAC JONES (No. 15), are each expected to make their first career starts on Sunday, when Jacksonville travels to Houston (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the Jets visit Carolina (1:00 PM ET, CBS) and New England hosts Miami (4:25 PM ET, CBS).

With a start by any of the three players, at least one rookie quarterback will have started in Week 1 in 14 consecutive seasons, extending the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.

This season is expected to join 2012 (five rookie quarterbacks) as the only seasons since 1970 in which at least three rookie quarterbacks started in Week 1. It can also become the first time that multiple rookie quarterbacks each start in Week 1 since 2016 (DAK PRESCOTT and CARSON WENTZ).

Tom Brady Chases History

Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY enters his 22nd NFL season as the league's all-time leader in touchdown passes (581) and is in striking distance of the league's all-time passing yards record. Brady has 79,204 career passing yards, trailing only DREW BREES (80,358).

Brady also enters the season with 99 career games with at least 300 passing yards. With at least 300 passing yards on Thursday against Dallas in the league's annual primetime Kickoff Game (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Brady will join Brees (123 games) as the only players ever with at least 300 passing yards in 100 career games.

This Thursday will also mark the 300th regular-season career start of Brady's career, making him the first quarterback in league history to reach the milestone.

Other quarterbacks that can reach career passing milestones in Week 1:

With at least 231 passing yards on Sunday against New Orleans (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Green Bay quarterback and reigning MVP AARON RODGERS (51,245 career passing yards) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN ELWAY (51,475) for the 10th-most passing yards in NFL history.

With at least four touchdown passes on Sunday at Buffalo (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (396 career touchdown passes) can become the eighth player ever with 400 career touchdown passes.

Kickoff Kelce

Last season, Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE ranked second in the league with 1,416 receiving yards, the most ever by a tight end in a single season. He also became the first tight end in NFL history to record at least 1,200 receiving yards in three different seasons. In 111 career games, Kelce has 7,881 receiving yards, the 10th-most all-time among tight ends.

With at least 119 receiving yards against Cleveland on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Kelce will become the fastest tight end (112 games) to reach 8,000 career receiving yards in NFL history, surpassing ROB GRONKOWSKI (120 games).

Kelce also enters this season with 48 career receiving touchdowns. With at least two touchdown receptions on Sunday, he will become the fifth-fastest tight end to reach 50 career receiving touchdowns, surpassing VERNON DAVIS (115 games).

Julio Jones' Titan Debut

Tennessee wide receiver JULIO JONES enters his first year as a Titan with 848 receptions for 12,896 receiving yards and 60 receiving touchdowns in 135 career games.

Jones needs two receptions on Sunday against Arizona (1:00 PM ET, CBS) to become the second-fastest player (136 games) to reach 850 receptions in NFL history, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (140 games).

With at least 104 receiving yards, Jones can also become the fastest player ever to reach 13,000 career receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (154 games).

Additionally, Jones enters this season with at least 100 receiving yards in 58 career games. With at least 100 receiving yards on Sunday, he will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (59 games) for the third-most such games in NFL history.

Dual-Threat Backs

Carolina running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY has totaled 5,817 scrimmage yards (3,145 rushing, 2,672 receiving) and 45 touchdowns (29 rushing, 16 receiving) in his first four seasons, while also recording nine games with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, the most ever by a player through his first four seasons.

With both a rushing and receiving touchdown against the Jets on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), McCaffrey will surpass CHUCK FOREMAN (nine games) for the most such games by a player through his first five seasons in NFL history. New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA, who is also entering his fifth season, has eight such career games and can tie Foreman when New Orleans takes on Green Bay Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX).

NFL Rookies No More

The 2020 Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT, and the 2020 Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year, Washington defensive end CHASE YOUNG, will meet in Week 1, when the Chargers visit the Washington Football Team on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS).

It will mark the fourth time in NFL history, and second-consecutive season, that the two reigning Rookies of the Year will meet on Kickoff Weekend. In 2020, Arizona quarterback KYLER MURRAY and San Francisco defensive lineman NICK BOSA met in Week 1.

Preview of Week 1 of the NFL 2021 Regular Season