Which Team is the Next to Shock the League?

It feels that nearly every season, there is one team in the NFL that comes out strong, seemingly from nowhere, and shock the entire league. This team is usually expected to finish in the midfield or a fringe playoff team, they may even be expected to be towards the top of their division. But throughout the season the team’s chemistry just clicks and their performance goes above and beyond what anyone expects. So, heading into the 2021 NFL season, we want to take a look at which team in the league could accomplish this task and make the leap that will inevitably come.

First, we must specify how a team would qualify themselves as the shocker of the season. It doesn’t just take exceeding expectations in one category to achieve this, but also defeating teams convincingly that they shouldn’t, putting up massive numbers in the stats column, rising in the standings and most importantly, collecting win after win even into the postseason. All of this combined could qualify a team not only for postseason acceptance but also awards such as offensive and/or defensive player of the year possibilities, and maybe even the lucrative MVP award which so many strive after. All of this can be a daunting task for teams but is truly what it takes to claim the title of the most shocking team in the league.

So, with all that being said, who can achieve this all and shock the league as we’ve said. We believe a team that has an ascending quarterback still on his rookie contract, a team with two former all-pro receivers, a team that has two of the sack leaders in the past decade and a team that has addressed all their needs this offseason, from kicker to cornerback to defensive line and running backs, this team has fixed everything they’ve needed to. This team is the Arizona Cardinals. In 2020 the Cardinals fell just short of the playoffs with an 8-8 record. Now, having addressed all their needs this offseason, as previously stated, they are certainly poised to make a push. Last year, if the team would have won the games which they lost by a single score, they would have finished at the top of the entire NFC with a 13-3 record. Most concerns over the Cardinals being successful in 2021 comes down to the simple fact that they are in the most difficult division in all of football. Their division opponents consist of a super bowl runner up two years removed in the 49ers, as well as two 2020 playoff teams in the Seahawks and Rams. The Cardinals aren’t and shouldn’t be locked for division winners or even a playoff team, but should really be one to watch throughout the season next year.

In conclusion the NFL is one of the most unpredictable leagues in all of sports. Saying that one team will do something before the season begins will not make it happen or even guarantee that it will come to fruition, but the only point that we are trying to get across is that this team is certainly one to watch, and is certainly one that will shock a few teams and possibly (hopefully) the league.