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ESPN staff
We are now through nine weeks of the 2021 NFL season, which means we’re officially at the midway point. And with roughly two months still to play in the regular season and at least eight games still on the schedule for all 32 teams, a lot can happen. Only a few teams are truly out of the playoff hunt at this point, and multiple players are on track to challenge league records with huge seasons. The stretch run promises to be exciting, and if last weekend’s big upsets were any indication, it will have plenty of surprises.
So we asked 15 of our NFL analysts for their best prediction for the rest of the season and how it will play out. Will we see shocking division winners and playoff teams? Which teams will earn the No. 1 seeds in each conference? Will stars enter the record books? Will one team set a draft record, and will another produce multiple award winners?
Let’s predict the final nine weeks, starting with a fantastic finish for one of the game’s top pass-catchers.
Los Angeles Rams receiver Cooper Kupp will finish in the top two of all time for receiving yards in a season — and flirt with the record
At his current pace, Kupp would finish the year at 1,925 receiving yards, just short of Calvin Johnson’s record of 1,964 set in 2012. But he might just surpass it due to his incredibly high usage rate in the Rams’ offense (though Odell Beckham Jr. could steal some of his targets). Quarterback Matthew Stafford has targeted Kupp at least 10 times in eight of Los Angeles’ nine games. The duo quickly developed chemistry in the offseason, and it’s paying off in 2021, with Kupp leading the NFL in receptions (74), yards (1,019) and receiving touchdowns (10).
And even if he doesn’t eclipse Johnson’s 1,964 — remember, he has an extra game to work with — Kupp will beat out Julio Jones’ 1,871 yards (2015), which currently ranks No. 2 all time. — Jeremy Fowler, NFL writer/reporter
Quarterback Russell Wilson might be playing his final months in Seattle…
Source : espn
