What To Look Forward To For The 2016 NFL Season
Kickoff is around the corner and NFL season is about to begin. Despite the fact that fall comes with colder temperatures and less daylight to enjoy, it also brings football back into our households.
When this one begins, here’s what to look forward to in the 2016 NFL season.
The Champion’s Defense
The Patriots seem to always be in the conversation, so we assume them to be there again this year. However, when you have a target on your back as the defending champions, it does make the road to the Super Bowl that much more difficult. Not only that, but the Patriots also have to worry about Deflate-gate floating over their head, which could result in the loss of Tom Brady for multiple games. Depending on how New England does during this time will greatly impact their ability to repeat as Champs.
Teams Rebuilding
Plenty of teams will be looking to take a run at the Patriots, especially if Brady is out of the equation. Denver, Seattle, San Francisco, and Indianapolis were all duking it out in the playoffs last year, and it looks like they’ll be doing it again this year. The Broncos have spruced up their defense; Seattle remains strong by bringing back a ton of key players; San Francisco has revamped their defense; and Indy looks to be one of the up-and-coming teams to really keep an eye on moving forward thanks to Andrew Luck. And since we always end up having a few surprise teams in the conversation that nobody expected to be there, we are even more excited about the competition level of the NFL this year.
The Rookie Impact
Rookies are a big topic every year. This year we’ll be looking at Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, as they were the 1st and 2nd overall picks in the 2015 Draft, respectively. The Bucs and Titans hope that these two guys will help their respective franchises starting this year. Some of the other rookies to keep an eye on include Landon Collins, Amari Cooper, and Todd Gurley.
Some Last Chances
While some rookies will be getting their first chance in the league, some players may be using up their last. Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson both return to the NFL after suspensions kept them out of the lineup last year. Then you have guys like Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall, who could be nearing the end of their time as contenders in Chicago. Finally, we still need to keep an eye on guys like Johnny Manziel and RGIII, both who are still trying to prove they belong in the league.
Football Back in L.A.
Last, but most certainly not least, one of the biggest storylines in the NFL this year is surely going to revolve around football heading back to Los Angeles. The talks have been around for years and it now looks like substantial movements are being made towards a team moving there. The question is, which NFL city will be rooting for a team this year, only to risk losing them to LA in 2017?
We’re so excited for the season to begin, as these are some of the top storylines in the 2016 NFL Season.