With the regular season concluded, the identity of the NFL Playoff field is set, with the Wildcard Playoffs beginning this weekend. The reigning champion the Kansas City Chiefs cruised in 2024, finishing the regular season with a 15-2 record, and they must be considered favorites to win a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
Patrick Mahomes gave the Chiefs a major scare when he left the field in the 4th fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns. But after being rested in the dead rubber final game week of the regular season, with the number one spot in the AFC already tied up, Mahomes was given more recovery time ahead of a grueling upcoming playoff schedule. He will be raring to go in the Divisional Playoffs once their opposition from the Wildcard Round is revealed.
While the Chiefs will be in strong contention to win their fifth Super Bowl trophy, who else could potentially dethrone Andy Reid’s charges?
Detroit Lions
Most experts and analysts currently have the Detroit Lions down as favorites to win their first ever Super Bowl title and sports betting companies also reflect that opinion in their Super Bowl LIX winner odds. Having never reached the Super Bowl in their long 94-year history (although the Super Bowl era only goes back 59 years), many believe that this might be their season, after coming very close last season.
Detroit suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the San Francisco 49ers (31-34) in the Conference Championship in 2023. However, after also posting a 15-2 record in the regular season to top the NFC North, Dan Campbell’s team will want to go one step further this season.
With weapons such as Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jameson Williams all feeding off star quarterback Jared Goff, there is certainly greater belief amongst the Lions ranks that they can finally break their Super Bowl drought.
Baltimore Ravens
One team that the Lions could potentially meet in Super Bowl LIX is the Baltimore Ravens. The team, orchestrated by MVP prospect Lamar Jackson, closed out the regular season in fine form, winning their last four games to claim the top spot in the AFC North division.
Despite losing their first two this season, to the Chiefs and Raiders, Jackson and co. managed to reel off a five-game winning streak, and got their season up and running. With Derrick Henry trailing only the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley in rushing yards, Henry will be looking to drive his team to Super Bowl glory and ensure that he finishes the entirety of the season plus postseason, at the top of that list.
The Ravens will come up against their fellow AFC North rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the Wildcard Playoff Round and will fancy their chances against a team that were leading the division with only four games remaining. However, while the Ravens embarked on a four-game winning streak, the Steelers trended in the complete opposite direction, losing all momentum going into the Playoffs.
Buffalo Bills
In Josh Allen, the Bills have a quarterback that can single-handedly win them the Super Bowl. And Allen’s statistics from the regular season can certainly back that claim up. Statistics that have propelled Allen into MVP contention. While Allen might not rank towards the top for passing yards, the versatility that Allen possesses gives the Bills a dual threat when he has the pigskin in his hands.
The 12 rushing touchdowns scored by the MVP favorite is only bettered by Jalen Hurts (14) with regards to quarterbacks.
Having thrown 28 touchdowns from 3731 passing yards, Allen of course possesses the arm to pick out the likes of Amari Cooper and Khalil Shakir, while James Cook has also enjoyed an outstanding season up until now with a season-high 16 touchdowns in the regular season.
Philadelphia Eagles
While the Super Bowl can throw up all sorts of surprises and shocks, the final team that is heavily backed by experts and analysts is the Philadelphia Eagles. Quarterbacks are usually talked about most in the MVP conversation, but Saquon Barkley will still be hoping to become the first running back to win the award since Adrian Peterson in 2012.
Although the race now seems to be between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, Barkley has kept himself in the running (excuse the pun) by finishing the regular season as the only player top 2000 yards in 2024. The Eagles will have to contend with the Lions in their side of the draw, but after closing out the regular season with a 14-3 record, Barkley and co. will back themselves to go all the way.