Who Will Be Named the 2021 NFL MVP?
They might call it the NFL MVP, but this award really comes down to who the best quarterback is in any given season. The last eight NFL MVP winners and 13 of the last 14 MVPs have been quarterbacks with Adrian Peterson being the only non-quarterback to break that up in recent years. Derrick Henry couldn’t even win MVP honors after rushing for over 2,000 yards in 2020, so the only players to really consider for this award are quarterbacks. Favorite Patrick Mahomes is the favorite to win the 2021 NFL MVP. Mahomes won the 2018 NFL MVP award, and the best quarterback in the league is considered the favorite to repeat this year. He came up short in last year’s Super Bowl, but he had another strong season in 2020, throwing for 4,740 yards with 38 touchdowns and six interceptions. Mahomes was banged up over the tail end of the 2020 season, so he should be able to post even more impressive numbers if he stays healthy. Strong Contenders Through the first half of the 2020 season, it looked like Russell Wilson was the frontrunner to win the NFL MVP. Wilson threw for over 300 yards in five of his first eight games, but he only had one game with over 250 yards over the last eight games. He didn’t average better than 7.6 YPA in any game over the last half of the season, but he is a real threat to win his first MVP with threats like D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett on the perimeter. Matthew Stafford has become a trendy NFL MVP pick. Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams dealt Jared Goff, two first-round picks, and a third-round pick to Detroit to acquire the 12-year veteran, and that might take this offense to another level. Stafford will have a much better system with a lot more talent to work with in Los Angeles than he did in Detroit. Stay Away From… While Dak Prescott thrived through the first five games of the 2020 campaign before suffering a season-ending knee injury, he shouldn’t be considered one of the next level favorites behind Mahomes. Prescott has been limited in the preseason, and this offensive line is no longer as talented as it was a few years ago. While Dallas does have elite receivers, Prescott might not be able to stay healthy enough to use them. The Josh Allen love is downright puzzling at this point. Allen is coming off a superb 2020 season, but he was a mediocre quarterback in both 2018 and 2019. While this receiving corps is one of the best in the NFL with Stefon Diggs leading the way, Allen needs to prove he can put it together for another season before he can be considered an elite QB. Tom Brady is the GOAT, but his days of winning MVP honors are behind him. Brady won’t get enough credit for the success of the defending Super Bowl champion unless he posts absolutely dizzying numbers, and Tampa Bay would probably have to win at least 14 games for TB12 to have a real chance. Keep an Eye On… Jimmy Garoppolo has been widely overlooked this season. The San Francisco 49ers took Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick, and he will be the team’s starting quarterback in the near future. However, Garoppolo is the quarterback of the present, and he is on one of the most talented teams in the NFC. San Francisco had horrible injury luck in 2020, so Jimmy G could lead the Niners to a very successful season if they stay healthy.
Who Will be the First Head Coach Fired in the 2021 NFL Season?
It was a busy offseason in terms of NFL head coach hirings and firings. Seven teams decided to make a change at the end of the regular season. Atlanta, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Los Angeles (A), New York (A), and Philadelphia all enter the 2021 season with new head coaches. Five teams made a move at the end of the 2019 campaign, so 12 of the 32 coaches in the NFL are in their first or second season. Identifying the first head coach to be fired usually means leaving out coaches in their first two seasons, so let’s take a look at this year’s candidates. Favorite Vic Fangio is seen as the most likely coach to be fired at the end of the 2021 season. Fangio has been less than inspiring during his time with Denver, and patience is running thin in the Mile High City. He is 12-20 through two seasons, and many pundits are projecting the Broncos to finish last in the AFC West. This franchise hasn’t made the playoffs since 2015, and the offense is still struggling to put up points despite dedicating several top picks to this side of the ball in recent drafts. Strong Contenders Although he is entering his second season on the sidelines, Mike McCarthy might receive his walking papers before the end of the year. Dallas has the most talented offense in the NFC East, but an injury to Dak Prescott in 2020 led to this offense short-circuiting on its way to a 6-10 finish. The defense is still a mess, and Prescott is banged up yet again, so this could be a disastrous year in the Metroplex. Kliff Kingsbury will likely be gone if Arizona doesn’t make the postseason in 2021. Kingsbury was always something of a head-scratcher of a hire, and the offense hasn’t taken off like fans had hoped at the next level. He has made some puzzling decisions in close games that have cost his team games, leading to comparisons to Anthony Lynn. Despite being named the Coach of the Year during his debut season in 2018, Matt Nagy is on the hot seat. Nagy has led Chicago to two playoff appearances in his three seasons with the Bears, but he is an offensive guru, and the offense has been very stilted. He finally pulled the plug on the Mitch Trubisky era, and now he is hoping that rookie Justin Fields can save his job. Keep an Eye On… There is one rookie head coach that could be fired before the end of his first season. Dan Campbell was hired by Detroit in January, but he has already come under fire for some rather bizarre press conferences with concerning quotes. He stated that the Lions were going to bite the kneecaps off their opponents in his introductory press conference, talked about what it means to be a true Alpha, and claimed he would give up an arm to take Detroit to the Super Bowl. The Motor City Kitties are expected to be one of the worst teams in football in 2021, so Campbell could be in line for an early departure.
2021 AFC Preview
The New England Patriots are no longer the juggernauts of the AFC. After winning the AFC nine times and making it to the AFC Championship Game 13 times in an 18-year stretch from 2001 to 2018, the Patriots have retreated from their lofty pedestal. Now, it’s the Kansas City Chiefs that reign supreme in this conference, and they are once again the team to beat after winning the last two AFC Championships. Favorite As long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy, the Chiefs will be among the favorites to win the AFC. He has set the league ablaze in his first three seasons as the starter, leading Kansas City to a 37-8 record in the regular season over the last three years. Mahomes is in a league of his own with his gaudy stats at this stage of his career, and this offense figures to be the best in the conference once more in 2021. All of his favorite targets (Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman) are back, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire should progress in his second season. Kansas City has a solid defensive line with Chris Jones, Frank Clark, and Derrick Nnadi up front. However, there are concerns in the back seven aside from star safety Tyrann Mathieu. Linebacker Willie Gay is an X-Factor that could make this defense better than expected, but the cornerbacks could be a big issue. Contenders Buffalo was the most surprising team of the 2020 season. Josh Allen stunned everyone with a fantastic year that saw him complete 69.2% of his passes for 4,544 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The acquisition of Stefon Diggs helped this offense reach new heights, and they made it all the way to the AFC Championship Game last year after beating Indianapolis and Baltimore in the playoffs. If Allen plays at that same level in 2021, Buffalo should cruise to the playoffs. Is this the year that the Cleveland Browns make their first Super Bowl appearance? Cleveland’s historic woes have been well-documented, but the Browns won their first playoff game in 26 years this January. They only lost by five points to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, and they have reason to believe they will be even better in 2021. Odell Beckham Jr. is healthy once more, and this defense has continually improved over the past two years. Best Longshots The Miami Dolphins could be ready to contend after completely bottoming out two years ago. Miami made the most of its downturn in 2019, and the Dolphins surged back with a 10-6 record last season. Brian Flores is clearly a top tier NFL head coach, and this defense is solid with Xavien Howard coming to terms with the team. Everything depends on Tua Tagovailoa. This is his team now that Ryan Fitzpatrick is in Washington, and even above average play should lead to a double-digit win season given the talent on the roster. One of the biggest examples of addition by subtraction might be the Los Angeles Chargers replacing Anthony Lynn with another coach. Lynn was consistently harangued as one of the league’s worst coaches in his last two seasons at the helm of the Chargers. Brandon Staley is a first-time head coach, but he can’t do any worse than Lynn. There is a lot to like too after a promising rookie season from Justin Herbert, and this offense should be very good. The defense should be much better too if Derwin James stays healthy.
2021 NFC Preview
The Dallas Cowboys have won the NFC more times than any other team in the conference, but America’s Team has not been to the NFC Championship Game since 1995. That has allowed others to emerge and make the Super Bowl, including their long-term rival San Francisco. The 49ers are seen as one of the top contenders to win the conference in 2021, but it’s last year’s Super Bowl champions that are the favorites. Favorite Tom Brady continues to defy critics and conventional wisdom alike. Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their second Super Bowl title in his first season with his new team, and they have a great chance of repeating as all 22 of their starters from last season are back. This is one of the best receiving corps with Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Antonio Brown, and Rob Gronkowski, and the offensive line did a good job of keeping Brady upright. This defense is extremely underrated. Tampa Bay’s defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage against Kansas City in the Super Bowl, and now Vita Vea is fully healthy once again. Devin White is one of the best young linebackers in the game, and the whole linebacking corps is fantastic. The secondary is the only real concern, but they don’t have to cover long given the pass rush. Contenders Green Bay is a favorite in the NFC for at least one more season. The Packers were able to come to an agreement with Aaron Rodgers that kept the future Hall of Fame quarterback in green and gold for this year, and he will likely leave the team next March. With Rodgers at the helm, the Packers do have an offense that can put up points. The defense has been better than we have seen in previous years, but this team has lost in the NFC Championship Game in back-to-back years. Kyle Shanahan has said that Jimmy Garoppolo is his quarterback, but we’ll see how long that lasts. Garoppolo’s poor playoff performance two years ago is still running through the minds of many 49ers’ fans, and Trey Lance has looked impressive in training camp. San Francisco suffered a myriad of injuries that submarined this team’s postseason hopes in 2020. However, there is a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, so this team could easily be the top seed in the NFC with good play from the QB position. Best Longshots Minnesota has alternated between being a playoff team and a .500 team since 2014. The Vikings are good enough on both sides of the ball to contend, and this power run game is one of the best in the league with Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison toting the rock. Justin Jefferson was the best rookie receiver in last year’s class and could be one of the top wide-outs in the NFL. The front seven has been rebuilt and bringing in Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland at cornerback has shored up this secondary. The Atlanta Falcons might be an interesting pick too as a longshot. This offense is going to light up the scoreboard if Matt Ryan stays healthy, and they will pull off at least a few upsets behind their ability to put up points. If the defense shows any kind of stability and progression, the Falcons could be the second-best
UFC 265 Preview
Francis Ngannou is still the UFC Heavyweight Championship title holder. However, the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship will be on the line at UFC 265 this weekend when Derrick Lewis takes on Ciryl Gane. One of those two heavyweights is likely to get a shot at the belt soon, and the winner could get an opportunity to face Ngannou later this year if the rumored mega-fight between Ngannou and Jon Jones fails to materialize. This card was also supposed to feature the best female fighter in the UFC, but Amanda Nunes had to withdraw from UFC 265 last week after contracting COVID. UFC 265 is scheduled for Saturday, August 7, 2021. This promotion will be held at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, so Lewis will have the crowd at his back since he resides in nearby Cypress. The prelims will start at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN or ESPN+, while the main event will be available via PPV at 10 p.m. ET. Lewis vs. Gane Derrick Lewis is the more familiar name to UFC fans, but Ciryl Gane is the fighter to beat in the eyes of the oddsmakers. Gane has only taken part in nine professional MMA fights and just six fights in the UFC, but he has been incredibly impressive in those bouts and is far from raw or inexperienced. Prior to stepping into the Octagon, Gane was an accomplished Muay Thai fighter. Gane was a national champion in France and racked up a 13-0 record with nine knockouts in the discipline. He joined the UFC in 2019 after winning and defending the TKO Heavyweight Championship twice in three fights in that promotion, and he has three submissions, three knockouts, and three unanimous decision victories as an MMA fighter. Lewis challenged for the UFC Heavyweight Championship at UFC 230 less than three years ago. He was submitted in the second round by Daniel Cormier, and he lost his next fight to Junior dos Santos by second-round TKO. However, he has won four straight bouts since that defeat and has knocked out his opponent in 20 of his 25 victories. Aldo vs. Munhoz Former UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo was the class of the division early last decade. Aldo was the inaugural champion in November 2010, and he successfully defended that title seven times during his record 1,848 days as the belt holder. However, he has lost five of his last eight fights, and his move to bantamweight did not pay the dividends he was hoping for after losses to Marlon Moraes and Petr Yan. Aldo did secure a unanimous decision victory over Marlon Vera last December though. Pedro Munhoz has lost two of his last three fights. He is an exciting fighter as three of his last four fights ended in Fight of the Night bonuses being awarded, and the only convincing loss of his career came at the hands of current champion Aljamain Sterling. All of his losses have come by decision, but he has the power and grappling skill needed to end a fight inside the distance. Chiesa vs. Luque Michael Chiesa is a submission specialist that has racked up some impressive victories. He has yet to win a fight by knockout, but 11 of his 18 career wins have been via submission. Chiesa is on a four-match winning streak ahead of this bout with impressive wins over Rafael dos Anjos and Neil Magny in his last two fights. The Silent Assassin has lived up to his nickname over the course of his UFC career. Vicente Luque has finished his opponent within the distance in 18 of his 20 victories, and he has a significant amount of power. Luque showed he has some ground skills with his submission win over Tyron Woodley at UFC 260, but he will want to stand and fight in this one.
2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game Preview
We haven’t had much luck with the Hall of Fame Game over the last decade. The first game of the NFL season has been cancelled three times in the last 10 years. In 2011, the Hall of Fame Game was cancelled because of the lockout, and this game was called off less than an hour before kickoff in 2016 due to poor field conditions after a bad paint job left the field slick. The 2020 Hall of Fame Game, along with the whole preseason, was called off due to COVID-19. Two of the most popular teams in the NFL will take part in the 2021 Hall of Fame Game. The Pittsburgh Steelers will face the Dallas Cowboys in this year’s game after these two teams were unable to play in 2020. It will be the seventh trip to Canton for both the Steelers and the Cowboys, making these franchises the teams that have taken part in this game the most. The 2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game will take place on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. This game will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger will be the starting quarterback for one more year, but he does not play more than a possession or two in Pittsburgh’s first preseason game these days. Mason Rudolph will see some action as well under center, but it’s Dwayne Haskins and Josh Dobbs that will likely get most of the snaps at quarterback. Dobbs is the only quarterback of the quartet that has decent mobility, so there’s a good chance this offense is most productive with him on the field. First-round pick Najee Harris could see a decent workload on Thursday. Harris told the media that he wanted to see plenty of reps over the weekend since he’s a rookie and new to the league. Benny Snell, Anthony McFarland, and Jaylen Samuels will all see reps at running back too. The offensive line saw a lot of change in the offseason, so the Steelers might give their starters more reps than usual. Four of the five starters from 2020 left in the offseason with Chukwuma Okorafor being the lone returning starter. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys are thrilled to have Dak Prescott back, but there is a good chance that Prescott doesn’t take the field on Thursday night. He hasn’t been throwing in training camp to this point, so Garrett Gilbert has seen the majority of the action in his stead. Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush will split time under center with the latter two options likely seeing most of the reps. Amari Cooper will be unavailable on Thursday because of injury, and we aren’t likely to see much out of CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, or Ezekiel Elliott. Tony Pollard could see some nice run in the backfield, and keep an eye on Osirus Mitchell and Cedrick Wilson at receiver. Dallas’ offensive line figures to be much better in 2021 than it was in 2020. Tyron Smith and La’el Collins are one of the best tackle tandems in the league, and the guards should be good again too. There isn’t a lot of training camp fodder along the offensive line, so we could see the starters longer than normal. Prediction The Cowboys will likely have the edge in the first half since Gilbert has been seeing a lot of first-team reps. Dobbs is dangerous though, and he has the potential to lead the Steelers to a comeback victory in the second half.
Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics Preview
After being delayed for a year due to the COVID pandemic, the Summer Olympics will kick off in Tokyo, Japan on Friday, July 23. Athletes from around the world will compete for Olympic glory, and there will be betting on most sports given this is one of the slowest times of the year for sports with no NFL, NBA, NHL, or major European soccer in action. Millions of casual sports fans will be glued to their televisions for gymnastics, swimming, basketball, and track and field, as those are the sports that we most often see in primetime. Who Will Win the Most Gold Medals at the Tokyo Olympics? The United States is a heavy favorite to take home more gold medals than any other country over the next 16 days. The United States won 46 gold medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, and the only other countries to win more than 20 gold medals were Great Britain (27) and China (26). We saw the US best China by eight gold medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and the Americans grabbed four more gold medals than the Chinese at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Since the 1992 Olympic Games, the United States has won the most gold medals at every Olympics with the noticeable exception of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. With China scaling back its Olympic programs and Russia’s Olympic Team falling apart due to multiple doping scandals, it’s very unlikely for another country to take home more gold medals than the US. How Many Gold Medals Will Simone Biles Win at the Tokyo Olympics? There isn’t an athlete that will be on your television more than Simone Biles over the next two weeks. Biles has fully accepted the GOAT title as the greatest women’s gymnast of all-time, and she will be out to grow her medal count in Tokyo. She won four gold medals (Team, All-Around, Vault, and Floor) at the 2016 Summer Olympics, and Biles has a whopping 19 gold medals at the World Championships. Biles has won seven all-around titles at the US National Championships, and she won the all-around by a whopping 4.7 points in June. She is a prohibitive favorite in the all-around and vault, and anything less than three gold medals would be considered a disappointment for the 24-year-old. How Many Gold Medals Will Katie Ledecky Win at the Tokyo Olympics? We haven’t seen as much attention paid to Katie Ledecky yet, but she will be the biggest star in the pool. Ledecky is currently the world record holder in the 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1500 meters, and she won four gold medals in Brazil five years ago. At the Olympic Trials in June, Ledecky won the freestyle at distances of 200 meters, 400 meters, 800 meters, and 1500 meters. She has a chance to do something incredible at this Olympics and win gold medals in those four events as well as the relays. Will the United States Win the Gold Medal in Men’s Basketball? One of the biggest storylines coming into these Olympics is the struggle of the United States’ men’s basketball team. The US has won the gold medal in six of the seven Olympic Games conducted since professionals were allowed to participate, but many of the best players decided to sit this year out. That has led to the United States losing to both Nigeria and Australia in the run-up to this year’s event. The US pulled out a gritty win against Spain in their last exhibition game, but there are plenty of questions surrounding this team.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw Preview
Another weekend, another UFC. The upcoming Fight Night event is bound to bring in a lot of intensity as there are quite a few exciting matchups for fans to look forward too – including the main event between Cory Sandhagen and T.J. Dillashaw. Let’s take a look at three of the most anticipated fights that will be taking place at this event and see who may have the upper hand heading into the ring. Let’s kick this off with the main event. Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw Cory Sandhagen will be looking to march forward with his plan to get the Bantamweight title. He will be taking on T.J. Dillashaw here in this main event. Sandhagen is six years younger than Dillashaw in this matchup, which should make this one pretty interesting on its own. He is also pretty high up on the rankings in the bantamweight division, with a win possibly putting him into title contention. Sandhagen has also won his last two fights, his most recent win came in just 28 seconds into the first round against Frankie Edgar. Meanwhile, Dillashaw is making his return to the octagon after suffering a drug related suspension. Even though he hasn’t been in the ring for a bit, he is still a two-time bantamweight champion. He should be a terrific test for Sandhagen as he looks to build his case for a title shot. Aspen Ladd vs. Macy Chiasson Aspen Ladd looks to make a statement in her return to the octagon against Macy Chiasson here in this next fight. Ladd hasn’t fought in over a year but has remained in good enough shape to face off with Chiasson. Ladd is still the number three ranked bantamweight at the moment and could launch the ninth ranked Chiasson up the rankings if she loses. Chiasson has won her last two fights, beating both Shanna Young and Marion Reneau to move herself up in the standings. A win over the 9-1 Ladd could get her catapulted to title contention. It will be interesting to see how Ladd holds up after such a long break from the sport, as it gives Chiasson an opportunity that not many fighters get. Darren Elkins vs. Darrick Minner To some, this fight is considered long overdue. Both Darren Elkins and Darrick Minner have been hoping to match up with one another for quite a while now and they finally get the opportunity here. Elkins finally got himself off of a four-fight losing streak by submitting Luiz Eduardo Garagorri in the third round. On the other hand, Minner enters with back-to-back wins with a unanimous decision over Charles Rosa and a 52 second guillotine submission against T.J. Laramie. Minner has spoken out a couple times about his feelings towards Elkins, claiming that he is better all around and that he has wanted to fight him for years. That animosity may all come out in the octagon on July 24th and could possibly mark the end of the rivalry.
Return Of McGregor Highlights UFC 264
No one brings in crowds like Conor McGregor. The Notorious is not only the biggest draw in combat sports, but the highest paid athlete in the world according to Forbes. McGregor fight nights are just different, and the Vegas Strip will be abuzz for the first time in almost 16 months when he takes on Dustin Poirier for the third time. This is one of the few non-title fights to ever headline a UFC card, showcasing that McGregor is still the biggest name in MMA even when he isn’t a title holder. UFC 264 will be held at T-Mobile Arena off the Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday, July 10, 2021. The early prelims will be broadcast exclusively on UFC Fight Pass starting at 6 p.m. ET, while the preliminary card will be available on ESPN and WatchESPN at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is available on PPV through WatchESPN and will start promptly at 10 p.m. ET. Poirier vs. McGregor In the first fight between these former lightweight champions back in 2014, McGregor made quick work of Poirier. He hit Poirier with a left hook that caused Poirier to drop, dealing him the first knockout loss of his career. We saw Poirier avenge that loss at UFC 257 in January. He became the first fighter to deal McGregor a TKO loss, rattling the pride of Ireland with successive punches until Herb Dean stepped in to stop the fight. This will be one of the most watched PPVs of the year. While this main event will mean a lot to both fighters, it means a lot more for McGregor considering his recent performances. McGregor was completely dominated by Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229, and his win over Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone at UFC 246 last January wasn’t that impressive considering Cerrone has lost five of his last six fights. Burns vs. Thompson These two welterweight contenders both have their sights set on a potential title fight with Kamaru Usman. Gilbert Burns got his chance at Usman back at UFC 258, and he suffered a third-round TKO defeat. Meanwhile, Stephen Thompson is out to earn a third shot at the belt after fighting former champion Tyron Woodley to a majority draw before losing a majority decision in the rematch. Thompson has just one great win to his name. He scored a unanimous decision victory over Jorge Masvidal at UFC 217 in November 2017. However, Thompson also has recent losses to Darren Till and Anthony Pettis. Burns racked up six straight wins before losing to Usman. He earned Performance of the Night bonuses for his first-round TKO of Demian Maia and unanimous decision win over Tyron Woodley in 2020, but the experts really like Thompson’s chances here. Tuivasa vs. Hardy Greg Hardy had a lot of success in the NFL. Hardy was named to the Pro Bowl and selected as an All-Pro in 2013, but numerous off the field issues led to him leaving the league. He announced that he would transition to MMA in 2016, and he created a lot of buzz when he joined UFC in 2019. Hardy has had some ups and downs with a 4-3-1 record in the UFC. Although Tai Tuivasa doesn’t have nearly the same profile as Hardy, he knows about the ups and downs. Tuivasa won his first three UFC fights, and he scored a unanimous decision win over Andrei Arlovski at UFC 225. However, he lost his next three bouts, taking some of the luster off his start. This would be a chance for Tuivasa to p