Top five story lines for the 2021 NFL season: More fans, more games and NFC West intrigue

1. Welcome back, fans!

An already eerie afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium became even stranger last Sept. 13 when Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers walked to the line of scrimmage laughing at how his vaunted hard count had impacted an indoor road game at Minnesota. Three times, all in critical situations, Rodgers used the empty building to get the Vikings to jumping offsides. It was a far cry from the silent count he normally has to resort to at Minnesota.

"Having no fans because of COVID-19 really affected us last year," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.

Home teams were an NFL all-time worst 127-128-1 last year. A year after drawing more than 16 million fans, only 109 of the 256 games had fans in attendance because of COVID-19 restrictions. That's expected to change this year. No one is happier about it than Zimmer and the Vikings' defense. Especially come Nov. 21 when Rodgers visits.

2. Rewriting history with a 17^th game

General managers are going to have to raise the bar for statistical incentives as the NFL expands its regular season for the first time since it went from 14 to 16 games in 1978. For the record, in the now 17-game season, a running back or a receiver needs only to average 58.8 yards per game to crack the once-revered 1,000-yard season.

Two-time defending rushing champion Derrick Henry averaged 126.7 yards in 2020. Over a 17-game season, that's 2,154 yards — 49 more than Eric Dickerson's NFL-record 2,105 set in 1984. Of course, a running back also will have to stay healthy for an extra game. Or he could be rested more often.

3. Dak Prescott is back, and other comebacks

There's certainly no shortage of NFL Comeback Player of the Year candidates. At the top of the list is Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, whose pressure-packed return to action starts with Thursday night's NFL opener at the defending champion Buccaneers. Dallas and its starved fan base — allegedly stretching throughout America, although that's probably the TV folks force-feeding a tired notion onto we the viewers — hasn't played in a Super Bowl since the 1995 season.

Prescott is expected to change that ASAP. That's why even owner Jerry Jones admitted he overpaid Prescott when he gave him a four-year, $160 million deal with an NFL-record $126 million guaranteed. No pressure, Dak. Prescott, 28, had nine touchdown passes in five games (2-3) before that gruesome injury to his right ankle last year.

Fighting him for comeback player of the year? Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey, Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Colts quarterback Carson Wentz and practically the entire 49ers team, including edge rusher Nick Bosa.

4. How will J.J. Watt's gamble turn out?

If he wanted to go out a winner, Watt's odds were better elsewhere. But he likes what the Cardinals are doing under Kliff Kingsbury. The offensive-minded head coach is developing Kyler Murray while adding A.J. Green to a receiving corps headlined by DeAndre Hopkins. Defensively, things look great on paper, especially up front with Chandler Jones — who had 19 sacks as a first-team All-Pro two years ago — back from injury and, of course, Watt looking to regain his five-time All-Pro form.

5. Rams looking for another Super home-field advantage

No team had ever played the Super Bowl in its home stadium until the Buccaneers won Super Bowl LV in Tampa seven months ago. Can the Rams make it two in a row come Feb. 13 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.? They certainly think so.

In the biggest leap of faith of the 2021 offseason, the Rams shipped quarterback Jared Goff, two first-round draft picks and a third-round pick to Detroit for disgruntled Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, a 33-year-old veteran of 13 seasons. Goff, by the way, was the quarterback three years ago when the Rams went 13-3 and reached the Super Bowl, only to have young offensive guru Sean McVay get soundly outcoached by old defensive guru Bill Belichick.

Stafford, by the way, has never won a playoff game. And nothing short of a Super Bowl win — preferably at home five months from now — will justify the trading of three prime draft picks and a 26-year-old former No. 1 overall pick with a Super Bowl on his résumé.