What a year.
The first 17-game NFL season was a wild one. We saw crazy games, amazing individual performances, huge plays, constant drama, and unpredictable football. As we all watched on waiting for the next unexpected twist, the teams of the NFL battled it out to be the best.
I can’t crown the team whose best just yet, but what we can do is reminisce a little bit, and look at the best of everything else. The best games, the best individual performers, and the best moments throughout an incredible year. If every season can pack this much chaos and excitement into 18 weeks from now on, I’m all in on the 17-game season.
So, here we go. The best of the best all season. Let’s rewind.
What happened This Year in the NFL?
Games of the Year.
What better way to recap the year than to watch back the best games? Here is the best game from every single week this season, to relive the year, and I’ll follow it up with my top 5 games for you to watch back as you await the Super Bowl, or maybe when you’re missing football in the offseason.
Week 1 – Ravens @ Raiders
Week 2 – Chiefs @ Ravens
Week 3 – Chargers @ Chiefs
Week 4 – Chiefs @ Eagles
Week 5 – Browns @ Chargers
Week 6 – Cowboys @ Patriots
Week 7 – Bengals @ Ravens
Week 8 – Titans @ Colts
Week 9 – Vikings @ Ravens
Week 10 – Buccaneers @ Washington
Week 11 – Steelers @ Chargers
Week 12 – Raiders @ Cowboys
Week 13 – Ravens @ Steelers
Week 14 – Bills @ Buccaneers
Week 15 – Chiefs @ Chargers
Week 16 – Ravens @ Bengals
Week 17 – Chiefs @ Bengals
Week 18 – Chargers @ Raiders
Wildcard – 49ers @ Cowboys
Divisional – Rams @ Buccaneers AND Bills @ Chiefs.
Top 5 Games of the Season.
- Bills @ Chiefs, Divisional Round.
- Rams @ Buccaneers, Divisional Round
- Chargers @ Raiders, Week 18
- Chiefs @ Bengals, Week 17
- Browns @ Chargers, Week 5
Moments of the Year (The year of special teams!)
Justin Tucker Game-Winning Walk Off NFL-Record 66-yard Field Goal.
Jonathan Ward Helmet Catch
Jamal Agnew 108-yard FG-return TD with 0 seconds in the half.
Blunders of the Year
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys QB draw their path out of the playoffs
Dallas Goedert’s cartoonish fall
New York Giants QB Sneak on 3rd and 9
Individual Performances of the Year.
Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals, Week 1.
6 solo tackles, 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans, Week 2.
237 scrimmage yards, 3 TD’s.
Mike Edwards, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Week 2.
4 solo tackles and 2 Pick-Sixes.
Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens, Week 3.
4 of 5 field goals including NFL-record, game-winning walk off 66-yarder.
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns, Week 3.
6 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks.
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs, Week 4.
11 receptions, 186 yards and 3 TD’s.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens, Week 5.
86% completion rate, 442 passing yards and 4 TD’s, plus 62 rushing yards.
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Week 5.
73% completion rate, 411 yards and 5 TD’s.
James Conner, Arizona Cardinals, Week 9.
26 touches, 173 scrimmage yards and 3 TD’s.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Week 10.
70% completion rate, 406 yards and 5 TD’s.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, Week 11.
35 touches, 204 scrimmage yards and 5 TD’s.
Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers, Week 11.
17 touches, 115 scrimmage yards and 4 TD’s.
Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Week 12.
24 touches, 131 scrimmage yards and 4 TD’s.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 13.
5 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals, Week 16.
80% completion rate, 525 yards and 4 TD’s.
Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals, Week 16.
12 receptions, 194 yards and 2 TD’s.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals, Week 17.
77% completion rate, 446 yards and 4 TD’s.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals, Week 17.
11 receptions, 266 receiving yards and 3 TD’s.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers, Week 17.
5 solo tackles, 4 sacks, 2 passes defended.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills, Wildcard.
84% completion rate, 308 yards and 5 TD’s, plus 66 rushing yards.
Gabriel Davis, Buffalo Bills, Divisional.
8 receptions, 201 receiving yards and 4 TD’s.
Cooper Kupp, LA Rams. Conference.
11 receptions, 142 yards and 2 TD’s.
Players of the Year – 2021 Season.
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
67.5% completion rate, 5,316 yards, 43 TD’s – 12 INT’s. Retires as the GOAT.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
68.9% completion rate, 4,115 yards, 37 TD’s – 4 INT’s.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
63.3% completion rate, 4,407 yards, 36 TD’s – 15 INT’s, plus 763 rushing yards and 6 rushing TD’s.
Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
65.9% completion rate, 5,014 yards, 38 TD’s – 15 INT’s, plus 302 rushing yards and 3 rushing TD’s.
Wide Receivers
Cooper Kupp, LA Rams
145 receptions, 1,947 receiving yards, 16 receiving TD’s.
Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers
123 receptions, 1,553 receiving yards, 11 receiving TD’s.
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
77 receptions, 1,405 receiving yards, 6 receiving TD’s, plus 59 carries, 365 rushing yards and 8 rushing TD’s.
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
81 receptions, 1,455 receiving yards, 13 receiving TD’s.
Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
332 carries, 1,811 rushing yards, 18 rushing TD’s, plus 40 receptions, 360 receiving yards and 2 receiving TD’s.
Austin Ekeler, LA Chargers
204 carries, 911 rushing yards, 12 rushing TD’s, plus 70 receptions, 647 receiving yards and 8 receiving TD’s.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
292 carries, 1,205 rushing yards, 13 rushing TD’s, plus 42 receptions, 314 receiving yards and 3 receiving TD’s.
Tight Ends
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
107 receptions, 1,361 receiving yards, 9 receiving TD’s.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
92 receptions, 1,125 receiving yards, 9 receiving TD’s.
George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
71 receptions, 910 receiving yards, 6 receiving TD’s (in 14 games).
Defense
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
48 solo tackles, 64 combined, 22.5 sacks, 7 passes defended and 5 forced fumbles.
Robert Quinn, Chicago Bears
38 solo tackles, 49 combined, 18.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles.
Eric Kendricks, Minnesota Vikings
81 solo tackles, 143 combined, 5.0 sacks, 2 INT’s.
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
33 solo tackles, 51 combined, 16.0 sacks, 1 fumble return TD.
Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
43 solo tackles, 52 combined, 11 INT’s including 2 pick-sixes, 21 passes defended.
J.C Jackson, New England Patriots
44 solo tackles, 58 combined, 8 INT’s including 1 pick-six, 23 passes defended, plus two tackles for loss.
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
64 solo tackles, 84 combined, 13.0 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, 3 passes deflected and 3 forced fumbles.
2021 NFL Major Stat Leaders
Passing Yards – Tom Brady – 5316
Passing TD’s – Tom Brady – 43
Rushing Yards – Jonathan Taylor, 1811
Rushing TD’s – Jonathan Taylor, 18
Receiving Yards – Cooper Kupp, 1947
Receiving TD’s – Cooper Kupp, 16
Total TD’s – Austin Ekeler and Jonathan Taylor, 20
Tackles (combined) – Foyesade Oluokun, 192
Sacks – T.J Watt, 22.5
Interceptions – Trevon Diggs, 11
Tyler’s MVP Rankings
- Tom Brady – 5,316 yards and 43 TD’s – 12 INT.
- Cooper Kupp – 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, 16 TD’s.
- Aaron Rodgers – 4,115 yards, 37 TD’s – 4 INT’s.
- Jonathan Taylor – 2,171 scrimmage yards, 20 TD’s.
- T.J Watt – 48 solo tackles, 22.5 sacks, 5 forced fumbles.
Transactions and Picks of the Year (Super Bowl bias is unavoidable this year!)
- Bengals Drafting Ja’Marr Chase
- Rams trading for Matthew Stafford from Detroit
- Rams trading for Odell Beckham Jr. from Cleveland
- Bengals adding free agent Trey Hendrickson
- Rams adding free agent Von Miller
2022 NFL Draft Order
#1 – Jacksonville Jaguars (3-14)
#2 – Detroit Lions (3-13-1)
#3 – Houston Texans (4-13)
#4 – New York Jets (4-13)
#5 – New York Giants (4-13)
#6 – Carolina Panthers (5-12)
#7 – New York Giants via the Chicago Bears (6-11)
#8 – Atlanta Falcons (7-10)
#9 – Denver Broncos (7-10)
#10 – New York Jets via the Seattle Seahawks (7-10)
#11 – Washington Commanders (7-10)
#12 – Minnesota Vikings (8-9)
#13 – Cleveland Browns (8-9)
#14 – Baltimore Ravens (8-9)
#15 – Philadelphia Eagles via the Miami Dolphins (9-8)
#16 – Philadelphia Eagles via the Indianapolis Colts (9-8)
#17 – Los Angeles Chargers (9-8)
#18 – New Orleans Saints (9-8)
#19 – Philadelphia Eagles (9-8)
#20 – Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7-1)
#21 – New England Patriots (10-7)
#22 – Las Vegas Raiders (10-7)
#23 – Arizona Cardinals (11-6)
#24 – Dallas Cowboys (12-5)
#25 – Buffalo Bills (11-6)
#26 – Tennessee Titans (12-5)
#27 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13-4)
#28 – Green Bay Packers (13-4)
#29 – Miami Dolphins via the San Francisco 49ers (10-7)
#30 – Kansas City Chiefs (12-5)
#31 – Super Bowl Loser (or Detroit Lions if Rams lose)
#32 – Super Bowl Winner (or Detroit Lions if Rams win)
And there we have it.
The final season of Tom Brady’s career, the first 18-game season, the beginning of some new rivalries and so much more. Whether you consider this the end of an era, the start of a new one, or maybe even both – it was awesome, without a doubt.
That’s all I’ve got. I hope that this blog entry either helped recap an epic, historic season for you, or helped you bridge the gap to the Super Bowl or next season.
Whatever it is you’re waiting for, enjoy it, and hopefully it will be as exciting as the last 22 weeks have been.
