The 2020-2021 NFL season is set to kick off with the reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs facing off against the Houston Texans. This season is going to be very competitive; however  COVID-19 will force the league to make some adjustments. The NFL which is known for rowdy fans will have very strict guidelines when it comes to attendance this year. Only the Dallas Cowboys, Chiefs, and Miami Dolphins will have fans present at the home opener.  The Kansas City Chiefs will only host 16 thousand fans, which is approximately twenty percent capacity. The Dallas Cowboys have no plan in place yet, but owner Jerry Jones promised to let fans in attendance.

Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. After a historic year, the Chiefs are favored to win it again. They are led by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and crafty head coach Andy Reid. These two great offensive minds together are a problem for the rest of the league. With an improved defense as well, the Chiefs are looking hard to bet against. Many experts believe the Chiefs high power offense is too much for anybody in the NFL to contain. So while a repeat won’t be a big surprise, it also won’t be easy.

“I believe the Chiefs will win.  They have one of the best offenses I have ever seen.” senior Nick Mehmeti said.

Senior Artur Ginter agrees, claiming the Chiefs are the “most well rounded team in the NFL.” Guinter thinks the Chiefs will meet the Seattle Seahawks in the Big Game.

Senior Kevin Plach isn’t all-in on the Chiefs, “It is easy for anybody to say the Chiefs. I think the Saints are a dark horse to win it all,” Plach said. “[With] a great coach and one of the greatest quarterbacks of our time, the [New Orleans] Saints are a threat.”

Another favorite to win The Big Game are the Baltimore Ravens. They are led by the reigning MVP Lamar Jackson at quarterback and a stellar defense. Last year they finished with the best regular season record at 14-2 but came up short against the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round. With  Jackson looking to prove his worth as an elite quarterback a lot of people see the Ravens making a deep run. This team is hungry and stacked with talent all over the field, they look ready to bring the Lombardi trophy back to Baltimore and be considered one of the legendary Raven teams.

Our hometown team, the Chicago Bears are looking for a bounce back year after a disappointing season last year. They have made some big off-season moves including signing Quarterback Nick Foles in free agency. This signing has provided competition for young quarterback Mitchell Trubisky who took a few steps back last year after a promising second season, in which he was named a pro bowler and led the Bears to the playoffs. Head Coach Matt Nagy has still not named who he will start between Foles and Trubisky as they have both been rotating between first team snaps, so keep a look out for that.

This season is looking to be a great one. With many solid teams, nobody knows for sure who will make a playoff push and who will be flat out disappointing. Nothing in the NFL is guaranteed. There is only one thing to do: watch and enjoy.