There are more than a few teams threatening the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' NFC crown entering the 2021 NFL season. So long as the Green Bay Packers have a willing Aaron Rodgers behind center, they're automatically in the picture. The NFC West is full of teams looking to make a push, including Matthew Stafford's Rams, Kyler Murray's Cardinals — who added J.J. Watt and A.J. Green, among other pieces — and the always competitive Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers, should their quarterback situation figure itself out in a good way, have to be seen as a top contender. The Saints, even without Drew Brees, should be in the running.
But one division that isn't getting all that much love from the general NFL community is the NFC East, nicknamed the NFC Least last year (for good reason). Just don't tell former general manager Mike Tannenbaum that. He had a pretty bold proclamation about one team in the division — one that dealt with injuries and coaching struggles last season — and expects them to perform way above expectations (h/t Mike Fisher).
The rest of the panel may not have been on board, but hey, bold takes are the best takes. And if Dak Prescott can come back and play at the levels we're used to — including the record-pace levels he was producing at to start 2020 — and Dan Quinn's revamped defense can, well, not be Swiss cheese... is it all that bold? The sports books view it as such, with DraftKings putting the Cowboys' odds to win the NFC at +1400, behind the Buccaneers, Rams, 49ers, Packers, Seahawks and Saints.
We know they've got the offensive firepower, though. There's little doubt about that. And we also know that a few big holes have been filled on the defense, with the first-round addition of Micah Parsons generating a whole lot of excitement. And we also know that the NFC East is what it is: a division that is completely up in the air and one that should be quite winnable for a competent Cowboys roster. Unless the Eagles suddenly cash in and go for an Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson in the final month and a half before the season starts, it looks like a two-horse race between Dallas and Washington.
And now to jump way ahead... once (or if) the division is won, it's a wide open world out there. Regardless of the postseason opponent, you probably don't want to go up against the unlimited offensive powerhouse that is Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and company. Not saying they should be favored at all, or their odds to win the conference are selling them short. Just saying that it's not a team to take lightly.
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