The NFL action is well underway. The tone for the season was set when there was a shock to start things off as the current holders of the Vince Lombardi trophy fell to a narrow 22-21 home defeat to the Detroit Lions.
Despite that Patrick Mahomes and his Kansas City Chiefs have performed well and still feature highly in the NFL futures odds and are many peoples pick to go the distance again this season and win their fourth Super Bowl.
How accurate is that prediction? What about the Philadelphia Eagles? Could a dark horse emerge from nowhere and go the distance? Read on to find out the answers to those questions and more as we shine a light on five teams heavily backed to do well this season.
The Dallas Cowboys
Everyone knows who the Dallas Cowboys are, even way beyond these shores they are known as “America’s Team” and are the biggest franchise in the NFL. The Cowboys’ hold the record for most consecutive sell-outs (190), they have the second most appearances in Super Bowl history and are the only team in the NFL to record 20 straight winning seasons.
Yet despite that, the Cowboys’ haven’t won a Super Bowl since the Clinton administration but all that could be about to change this season. Last time out they posted a 12-5 season and lost in the divisional round to the San Francisco 49ers.
In beating Brady and the Bucs in the previous round the Cowboy’s showed that they have improved and on paper they have a resolute defense and an offense absolutely teeming with playmaking talent.
Ending their near three decade Super Bowl hoodoo isn’t out of the question.
Buffalo Bills
A couple of seasons ago Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs were two talented upstarts who looked like taking the Buffalo Bills all the way to the NFL glory. Two seasons on after back-to-back playoff seasons that finished prematurely in the divisional round and Bills fans are beginning to question whether the past two seasons were nothing more than false dawns.
The fact that the Bills still feature so highly in the betting odds clearly shows they are a force to be reckoned with but this far out from the playoffs, it’s impossible to say whether or not they will have developed the requisite cohesion and mental fortitude required to turn all that promise into success.
Philadelphia Eagles
At one point last year it looked as though the Eagles and the 76ers might both go the distance and win the Super Bowl and NBA Championships respectively.
Ultimately James Harden and his 76ers had to settle for a conference semi-final and Nick Sirianni and the Eagles had to watch on as Patrick Mahomes and co lifted the Vince Lombardi trophy.
Much of what happens this season for the Eagles will be dependent on how they respond to the disappointment of losing in last season’s Super Bowl. If they use that defeat as motivation, as great teams tend to do, then do not be surprised to see them grinding out a win at Super Bowl LVIII.
San Francisco 49ers
According to the majority of bookmakers the 49ers are the second favourites to win the Super Bowl this season and it’s hard to argue with their reasoning. In the NFC West they don’t have much in the way of a challenge to overcome so should go into the playoffs well rested and raring to go.
Once there they will be able to call on the experience of advancing to the NFC championship game three times in the last four season. Add into that the return of Brock Purdy and all of a sudden you’re looking at a very threatening side.
Kansas City Chiefs
Despite losing in their opening game of the season the Kansas City Chiefs are still the clear favourites in the betting odds to win a back-to-back Super Bowl. The main reason for that starts with the letter ‘P’ and ends with…atrick Mahomes.
The legendary quarterback, with the help of his more than adept teammates, went to the well time and time again last season in the playoffs to beat seemingly better teams.
That experience and that raw, unadulterated will to win count for a lot in professional sports so it’s easy to see why the bookmakers have put so much faith in the Chiefs.
