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6 NFL teams that will make the playoffs in 2021 after missing last season

By Randy Gurzi

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to hand the ball off to Ezekiel Elliott #21 during the second half at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks to hand the ball off to Ezekiel Elliott #21 during the second half at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 13: (L-R) Christian Wilkins #94, Jerome Baker #55, Emmanuel Ogbah #91 of the Miami Dolphins line up against the Kansas City Chiefs at Hard Rock Stadium on December 13, 2020 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) /

2. Miami Dolphins

At 10-6, the Miami Dolphins were one of the best teams to miss out on the playoffs in 2020. They were unable to get in with the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, and Cleveland Browns all securing Wild Card berths with 11-5 records.

Looking forward to 2021, however, there’s reason to believe Miami will have better fortunes. Not only is it unrealistic to expect so many 11-win teams again, but they have a favorable schedule as well. According to ESPN, the opponents Miami will face had a winning percentage from last season of just .471 — which ties them for the fifth-easiest schedule in the NFL with the Denver Broncos.

There’s also plenty of reason to believe Tua Tagovailoa will improve in year two. Sure, there were those who thought he was a bust but that’s not exactly true. Tua did have some struggles but he really played like a rookie and was overshadowed by the performances of Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow.

In 2021, not only will he be more comfortable but the Dolphins also added Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle to help him improve.

Their defense should also continue to shine as an already strong unit just added Jaelan Phillips and Jevon Holland in the draft. Head coach Brian Flores has done a great job re-tooling that defense and they just became even more dangerous with those two potential starters.

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