The goal for every team is to bring home the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Eleven teams remain without a Super Bowl title. Which of those are in best position to break through?
11. Detroit Lions
Matt Patricia brought a New England Patriots Super Bowl pedigree to the Lions. It did not work or help in his first season. The NFC North has three tougher teams. It’s hard enough to navigate your way into the playoffs in the division, let alone have a sub-.500 team turn into a Super Bowl winner.
10. Arizona Cardinals
All Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray have to do to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl is go from worst to first. It doesn’t appear to be happening in the near future.
9. Buffalo Bills
There isn’t a ton of traffic within the division for the Bills to find their way to the playoffs. However, as Josh Allen enters his second season, the reality is with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick present the best hope is a wild-card spot. And that means you still have to find a way to get by the Patriots to get to the Super Bowl. Reality is a fifth Super Bowl appearance doesn’t feel close.
8. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are starting over with Zac Taylor. However, Andy Dalton remains at the controls. Feels like a lot of changes have to occur for Cincinnati to challenge in its division, let alone for a spot in the big game.
7. Tennessee Titans
The Titans are another team with a coach with Super Bowl pedigree in Mike Vrabel. He’s brought a winning attitude to Tennessee. However, it’s gonna take improvement from Marcus Mariota to turn the team into a playoff menace, let alone Super Bowl contender.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
Tom Coughlin runs the show upstairs. He’s not going to tolerate another sub-par season. The Jags added a Super Bowl-winning QB in Nick Foles. Could 2018 have been an aberration or will Coughlin need to make changes to the coaching staff after 2019? The picture is murky but don’t be surprised if it changes for the better.
5. Atlanta Falcons
They were so close to not being part of this list. Up 28-3 on the Patriots and then disaster struck in Super Bowl LI. Dan Quinn has a quarterback in Matt Ryan whose window for a championship is starting to slip. The Falcons need to right themselves quickly and show they are the team from a few years ago and not the one that has failed to resemble championship quality since.
4. Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton isn’t as old as Matt Ryan, but he has a lot of wear on his body due to his style of quarterbacking. Passing, running and taking quite the pounding. Ron Rivera is another NFC South coach looking at critical times if he hopes to find a championship for Carolina.
3. Houston Texans
There is a lot to like about the Houston Texans. They have a high-powered offense led by Deshaun Watson and DeAndre Hopkins. The defense can be fierce with J.J. Watt as the centerpiece. The division is far from overpowering. With some improvement, Bill O’Brien could find a way to get Houston into a position to challenge for its first Super Bowl crown.
2. Los Angeles Chargers
This is a team battling time as Philip Rivers continues to play at an elite level without getting to the Super Bowl. Will Anthony Lynn be able to rally Los Angeles to another step up … and soon. There is a ton of talent on both sides of the ball. It wouldn’t be shocking for the Chargers to take another step, but they need to do it pronto.
1. Cleveland Browns
The kiss of death? A team that was bottom of the barrel for so long seems to have so much going for it. Baker Mayfield has brought a winning attitude to Cleveland. The challenge now in a challenging division is to take the next step and go from topping .500 to becoming a viable contender. Freddie Kitchens has a lot to deliver in his first year as coach. However, things finally seem to be aligning for the Browns and it wouldn’t be stunning if they find their way to the big game and eventually a ring.
