2021 NFL Preseason Week 1 Predictions and Thoughts

Photo Credit: National Football League Logo

https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/100726692008/National_Football_League/2008/Primary_Dark_Logo

The first National Football League game of the season was played on August 5th.

Thursday, August 5th: Hall of Fame game: Preseason game #1: Cowboys 3, Steelers 16

Winners of the very last preseason head-to-head matchup in any prior season have a record of 1-0 this season.

Teams with the same current won/lost streak in the preseason prior to their head-to-head matchup have a record of 1-1 this season. The Cowboys and Steelers both had one game losing streaks in the preseason coming into the Hall of Fame game.

The record of teams that had a win in their previous game that specific week in a previous season are 0-1 this season (while their head-to-head opponent lost in that specific week in a previous season). The Cowboys won the Hall of Fame game in 2017 while the Steelers lost the Hall of Fame game in 2015.

..........................................................................

I provide scores from previous preseason head-to-head matchups until at least the last game for each teams' home and away games and the same can be said for preseason and regular season head-to-head matchups for Thursday's and Friday's games, I mention how each team did during the 2020 season and I talk about the head-to-head matchups I want to talk about.

I don't provide all or any of the scores from the previous regular season games for Saturday's and Sunday's preseason games which is most of the games. All scores from a long time ago can be found at the website footballdb.com.

.

I also make predictions for each game and I tell you which team should win each matchup based on previous games.

............................................................................................................

Thursday, August 12th games:

Washington Football Team at New England Patriots, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

Both of these teams finished 7-9 in the regular season last year.

The very last time these two teams met was in a regular season game on Sunday, October 6th, 2019, with New England winning at Washington 33-7 in Week 5.

Washington lost in preseason Week 1 at the New England Patriots 17-26 on Thursday, August 9th, 2018. In preseason Week 1, New England lost at Washington 23-6 on Thursday, August 7th, 2014.

The last time these two teams played in New England in the regular season, the Patriots won 27-10 over Washington in Week 9 on Sunday, November 8th, 2015.

So based on the last game these two teams played head-to-head against each other in the preseason and also the last time these two teams played in New England in the preseason (or ever in New England in the regular season), the Patriots should be expected to win.

If Washington had a better regular season record than New England in 2020 (and not the same record), I would give them a much better chance to win this game. Remember, former Patriots quarterback and current reigning Super Bowl LV MVP Tom Brady is no longer with the Patriots anymore if you don’t know that by now.

Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0 in the preseason) at Philadelphia Eagles, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

The Steelers went 12-4 and made the postseason in 2020 while the Eagles went 4-11-1 in the 2020 regular season.

The last time these two teams met was in a regular season game on Sunday, October 11th, 2020, in Week 5 and the Eagles lost at the Steelers 29-38.

The Pittsburgh Steelers in preseason Week 1 at the Philadelphia Eagles won 31-14 on Thursday, August 9th, 2018. In preseason Week 2, the Philadelphia Eagles won 17-0 at the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, August 18th, 2016.

The last regular season game in Philadelphia, the Eagles won big over Pittsburgh 34-3, on Sunday, September 25th, 2016, in Week 3.

The Steelers should be expected to win. They won the last time they played against each other and Pittsburgh also won the last time a preseason game was in Philadelphia. This game appears either team could win.

Friday, August 13th games:

Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

The last time these two teams played in a regular season game in Atlanta (and the last time they played each other), on Sunday, September 29th, 2019, the Titans won 24-10 in Week 4.

In preseason Week 1, the Tennessee Titans lost 24-31 at the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, August 14th, 2015. In preseason Week 3 on Saturday, August 23rd, 2014, the Tennessee Titans won at the Atlanta Falcons 24-17. On Saturday, August 24th, 2013, in preseason Week 3, the Atlanta Falcons lost at the Tennessee Titans 16-27.

The last time these teams played in Tennessee, the Falcons won 10-7 on Sunday, October 25th, 2015, in Week 7 of the regular season.

This game is a toss-up on who I think will win.

If you think the most recent game these teams have played against each other matters, pick the Titans to win.

If you think the preseason matters, pick the Falcons to win.

The Falcons in the regular season last year finished 4-12 while the Titans went 11-5 and made the playoffs. The Titans are likely going to win this game (and probably easily).

Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

The last time these two teams met in the regular season Detroit lost 13-14 at Buffalo on Sunday, December 16th, 2018, in Week 15.

The Buffalo Bills won in preseason Week 3 at the Detroit Lions 24-20 on Friday, August 23rd, 2019. The Detroit Lions lost at the Buffalo Bills in preseason Week 4 17-27 on Thursday, August 31st, 2017.

The last regular season game in Detroit between these two teams, on Sunday, October 5th, 2014, in Week 5 of the regular season, the Bills won 17-14 at the home stadium of the Lions, Ford Field.

This pick is easy, or maybe it should be easy. Everyone should be picking the Buffalo Bills to win this game.

However, Detroit won in the preseason 23-0 at Buffalo on Thursday, August 28th, 2014 in preseason Week 4. The Bills lost at the Lions on Thursday, September 3rd, 2015, in Week 4 of the preseason 17-10. Detroit won again 31-0 at Ford Field over Buffalo on Thursday, September 1st, 2016, in preseason Week 4.

The Lions won nine straight years in a row, every year, from 2008 through 2016 over the Bills in the preseason.

If you think preseason matters, which it always does anyway, pick the Detroit Lions to win.

But I’m not saying you have to pick the Detroit Lions to win just because it is a preseason game.

Here’s how both teams have fared against each other in the preseason over the last several years: The Bills won in 2006 and 2007 while the Lions won in 2004 and 2005. The Bills won in 2003 and the Lions won in 2000 and 2002. The Bills and Lions did not play each other in the 2001 preseason.

Dating back to before the start of the 2000-2001 season in preseason, the Lions have a record of 13-5 against the Bills.

In the regular season: The Bills won in 2010, 14-12 in Week 10. The Lions won in 2006, 20-17 in Week 6. The Bills won in 2002, 24-17 in Week 8.

The Bills lead the regular season series all-time 6-4-1.

In the 2020 regular season the Bills went 13-3 and tied for the second best-record in the regular season and won two playoff games while the Lions finished 5-11.

Dallas Cowboys (0-1 in the preseason) at Arizona Cardinals, 10 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

The Cardinals finished the 2020 regular season 8-8 while the Cowboys went 6-10.

The last time these two teams played, in Week 6 of the regular season, the Arizona Cardinals won at the Dallas Cowboys 38-10 on Monday, October 19th, 2020.

The Arizona Cardinals won in preseason Week 3 at the Dallas Cowboys 27-3 on Sunday, August 26th, 2018. The Dallas Cowboys won 20-18 vs. the Arizona Cardinals at the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday, August 3rd, 2017. The Dallas Cowboys lost 7-12 in preseason Week 2 at the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, August 17th, 2013.

The last time these two teams met in the regular season in Arizona, the Cardinals lost 17-28 in Week 3 on Monday, September 25th, 2017.

The Cardinals are 4-2 in their last six games versus the Cowboys.

Other than this being a preseason game, Dallas really has no reason or excuse to lose this game after their loss to the Steelers in the Hall of Fame game on Thursday, August 5th, about a week ago, with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott expected to return at some point this season from last year’s season-ending injury in regular season Week 5, the week before the last time they played Arizona.

I think the Cardinals should win this game despite the fact that the Cowboys probably are the more talented team when their starters are playing.

Arizona won against Dallas the last time they played and probably with an asterisk because Dak Prescott didn’t play in that game, the Cardinals won their last preseason game against the Cowboys, and Arizona won the last game against Dallas in the preseason in Arizona as well back in 2013.

The only thing the Cardinals have to worry about is the fact that the Cowboys won the last game between the two teams in Arizona in a regular season contest in 2017.

Arizona will also travel to Dallas during Week 17 of the regular season on January 2nd, 2022, for a currently scheduled 1 p.m. Eastern Time game. Remember there are 18 weeks of games including one bye week this year during the regular season.

Saturday, August 14th games:

Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears, 1 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

In preseason Week 1 on Thursday, August 13th, 2015, the Miami Dolphins lost at the Chicago Bears 10-27.

The Miami Dolphins lost vs. the Chicago Bears at the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio, 24-27 on Monday, August 8th, 2005.

In preseason Week 4 on Thursday, August 29th, 2002, the Chicago Bears lost at the Miami Dolphins 22-24.

The Dolphins went 10-6 last year and narrowly missed the postseason while the Bears went 8-8 and made the postseason.

Denver Broncos at Minnesota Vikings, 4 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

The Minnesota Vikings won at the Denver Broncos 42-28 in preseason Week 1 on Saturday, August 11th, 2018.

In preseason Week 4, the Denver Broncos lost at the Minnesota Vikings 24-31 on Thursday, September 2nd, 2010.

The Broncos went 5-11 in 2020 while the Vikings finished 7-9.

New Orleans Saints at Baltimore Ravens, 7 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

The Baltimore Ravens won at the New Orleans Saints in preseason Week 4 on Thursday, August 31st, 2017, 14-13.

In preseason Week 4 on Thursday, September 1st, 2016, the Baltimore Ravens won at the New Orleans Saints 23-14.

On Thursday, August 13th, 2015, in preseason Week 1, the New Orleans Saints lost at the Baltimore Ravens 27-30.

In the 2020 regular season, the Saints went 12-4, made the playoffs and won an NFC Wild Card game while the Ravens went 11-5 in the 2020 regular season, made the postseason and won an AFC Wild Card game.

The Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns have never played a preseason National Football League game against each other before.

The Browns will play their first preseason game ever against the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Saturday night at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and it will be televised on the NFL Network.

In their regular season history, Cleveland has won 6 games against Jacksonville while the Jaguars have won 12 games against the Browns, with no tie games.

Cleveland won at Jacksonville 27-25 in their last regular season contest on Sunday, November 29th, 2020.

Before that, the Jaguars won the three previous contests with two of those three games at the Browns home field.

The Jaguars are 5-4 in home games against the Browns all-time.

This game seems like a no brainer pick for me. I actually took the time to think about this game and I do think this could be a somewhat close preseason game if head coach Urban Meyer and Jaguars well-known player Tim Tebow are as competent and as competitive as I think they are, which means they are extremely competitive and they will doing almost anything to win.

Also, the Jaguars have first-round draft pick Trevor Lawrence on their team, a quarterback, who didn’t lose a single regular season game at Clemson and who won 41 straight games in high school from his sophomore year to his senior year. So Lawrence doesn’t lose a lot.

I think Trevor Lawrence might be one of the most overrated former college football players of all-time.

I will be surprised if he stays in the NFL for eight or more seasons. I think he is only going to last four or five seasons (if even that), but having Urban Meyer as his head coach I think definitely helps him to have a longer NFL career.

The Jaguars haven’t won a game since Sunday, September 13th, 2020, in Week 1 of the regular season.

Jacksonville went 1-15 in 2020 while Cleveland went 11-5 and won a playoff game.

The Browns are the better team right now and there’s no reason to choose the Jaguars to win until they actually do win another game or at least put up 17 or 20 points in the first half of a game.

I really do want to believe that the Jaguars are a better team than the Browns right now, but NFL players don’t listen to NFL head coaches all the time and the Jaguars will only listen to Urban Meyer because of his college football success and Jaguars players’ likely won’t fully listen to Meyer until after they suffer heartbreak and lose at least one game.

New York Jets at New York Giants, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

In preseason Week 1, the New York Jets lost at the New York Giants, on Thursday, August 8th, 2019, 22-31.

The New York Giants won at the New York Jets 22-16 in preseason Week 3, on Friday, August 24th, 2018.

The Jets finished the 2020 regular season 2-14 while the Giants went 6-10.

Cincinnati Bengals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

On Friday, August 11th, 2017, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost at the Cincinnati Bengals 12-23 in preseason Week 1.

On Monday, August 24th, 2015, in preseason Week 2, the Cincinnati Bengals lost at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11-25.

This will be the first preseason game in Tampa as a Buccaneer for Tom Brady if he even plays at all in this game.

The Bengals went 4-11-1 in the 2020 regular season.

The Buccaneers went 11-5 in the 2020 regular season and won four playoff games to win the championship, Super Bowl 55, at their home stadium.

Houston Texans at Green Bay Packers, 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

The Texans went 4-12 in the 2020 regular season.

The Packers went 13-3 in the 2020 regular season, were the #1 overall seed in the NFC playoffs and won a Divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC title game.

The Houston Texans lost at the Green Bay Packers 26-28 in preseason Week 1 on Thursday, August 8th, 2019.

The Texans and Packers have never played a preseason game against each other in Houston yet.

The Packers are 4-1 all-time against the Texans in the regular season.

Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers, 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

In preseason Week 3, the San Francisco 49ers won at the Kansas City Chiefs 27-17 on Saturday, August 24th, 2019. On Friday, August 11th, 2017, in preseason Week 1, the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs (at Kansas City) 27-17. On Friday, August 16th, 2013, in preseason Week 2, the Kansas City Chiefs lost 15-13 to the San Francisco 49ers in Kansas City. In preseason Week 1, on Saturday, August 9th, 2003, the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the San Francisco 49ers 6-24 in Kansas City.

On Saturday, August 10th, 2002, in preseason Week 1, the Kansas City Chiefs won at the San Francisco 49ers 17-14 in overtime.

The Chiefs are on a four-game losing streak against the 49ers n the preseason, but all of those games were played in Kansas City.

Fortunately, the Chiefs won their last preseason game against the 49ers in San Francisco all the way back in 2002.

The Chiefs went 14-2 and were the best team during the 2020 regular season, claimed the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs, beat the Cleveland Browns in the Divisional playoffs, won the AFC title game against the Buffalo Bills and lost Super Bowl 55 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The 49ers went 6-10 in the 2020 regular season.

Seattle Seahawks at Las Vegas Raiders, 9 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised: Unknown

This will be the first game ever for the Seahawks in Las Vegas.

In preseason Week 4, on Thursday, August 29th, 2019, the Oakland Raiders lost at the Seattle Seahawks 15-17. On Thursday, August 30th, 2018, in preseason Week 4, the Oakland Raiders won at the Seattle Seahawks 30-19. On Thursday, August 31st, 2017, in preseason Week 4, the Seattle Seahawks won at the Oakland Raiders 17-13.

The Seahawks went 12-4 during the 2020 regular season and made the playoffs.

The Raiders went 8-8 during the 2020 regular season.

Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams, 10 p.m. Eastern Time, Televised on NFL Network

In preseason Week 3, on Saturday, August 26th, 2017, the Los Angeles Chargers won at the Los Angeles Rams 21-19. In preseason Week 2, the San Diego Chargers lost at the St. Louis Rams, 6-7, on Saturday, August 16th, 2008. The San Diego Chargers won at the St. Louis Rams 30-13 in preseason Week 2 on Saturday, August 18th, 2007. The St. Louis Rams lost at the San Diego Chargers 21-36 in preseason Week 2 on Sunday, August 21st, 2005.

In the 2020 regular season the Chargers went 7-9 while the Rams finished 10-6, made the postseason and won a Wild Card playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Sunday, August 15th game:

The Carolina Panthers and Indianapolis Colts have never played a National Football League preseason game in Indianapolis before.

They will play against each other for the first time in Indianapolis on Sunday at 1 p.m. Eastern Time and it will be televised on NFL Network.

However, both teams have played against each other in the preseason once before.

In preseason Week 1, on Saturday, August 9th, 2008, the Indianapolis Colts lost at the Carolina Panthers 20-23 in overtime.

The Panthers have a 5-2 record in their lifetime regular season series over the Colts and Carolina has won two regular season games in overtime against Indianapolis.

The last time these two teams played, the Colts won for the first time ever in Indianapolis when playing against Carolina, 38-6 on Sunday, December 22nd, 2019.

Before that game, the Panthers won the previous two games against the Colts, and Carolina has a 3-1 lifetime record at Indianapolis.

The Colts also defeated the Panthers in Carolina 31-7 on Sunday, October 28th, 2007.

Former Colts quarterback and recent NFL Hall of Fame Inductee Peyton Manning will never be able to say he beat the Carolina Panthers in Indianapolis when he played for the Colts.

The Panthers went 5-11 during the 2020 regular season while the Colts went 11-5 in the 2020 regular season and made the playoffs.

My clear cut game-winner predictions for each game for those of you wanting to know. These are my predictions even though I don't feel 100% confident about some of them and will probably want to change some of them after I post this story: Patriots (I don’t know if they are actually going to win or not), Steelers, Titans, Bills (likely going to win), Cowboys (I don’t know if they are actually going to win or not), Dolphins (likely going to win), Vikings, Ravens (likely going to win), Browns, Giants, Buccaneers, Packers, Chiefs (likely going to win), Seahawks, Rams, Colts

Teams you should pick to win based on previous history*:

*The first number in parentheses signifies a team’s record against their opponent in their last game against each other at home and on the road and also their last game against each other in the preseason and in the regular season.

*The second number in parentheses indicates the record against their opponent in their last regular season game in the city they are playing their preseason game in this week and also their record in their last preseason game at home and also on the road.

Thursday’s games: Patriots (3-1) & (3-0), Steelers or Eagles (2-2) & Steelers (2-1)

Friday’s games: Titans or Falcons (2-2) & Titans (2-1), Bills (4-0) & (3-0), Cardinals (3-1) & (3-0).

Saturday’s games: Dolphins (3-1) & (2-1), Vikings (3-1) & (3-0), Ravens (3-1) & (2-1), Browns & Jaguars (1-1) & (1-1), New York Jets & New York Giants (2-2) & New York Jets (1-2) & New York Giants (2-1), Bengals (3-1) & (2-1), Packers (3-0) & (2-0), Chiefs & 49ers (2-2) & Chiefs (1-2) & 49ers (2-1), Seahawks (4-0) & (3-0), Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) & (2-1).

Notes:

The Browns-Jaguars game is clearly a toss-up. The Browns probably are going to win that game based on their 2020 season performance compared to the Jaguars, but based on previous history in head-to-head matchups you should clearly pick the Jaguars to win that game.

The Giants and the 49ers are the teams you should choose to win based on history, not the Jets and Chiefs.

Sunday’s game: Carolina Panthers (2-1) & Indianapolis Colts & Carolina Panthers (1-1)

The Panthers are the team you should pick to win based on history, not the Colts.