So even though the Super Bowl was only 2 months ago, it is time to once again think about who is in the run for the playoffs this year and who is not. To start, the draft has not come yet so this is a pre-draft Super Bowl contenders list. Automatically eliminate the Jaguars, as they have no QB and their defense is only so-so. The draft will help them, but unfortunately there is another losing season coming towards Jacksonville. We can also eliminate the Raiders, as Carr played well last year but they still need to find a run game and scrounge up any sort of defense they can. Buccaneers are also looking at another under .500 year, as they have started to bolster their D, but still have a lackluster offense. The Jets have also added some depth on to the defense side to the ball, but with the AFC east becoming more and more competitive every year, it is hard seeing them move up the ladder at all. With all the lowly teams being noted, my sleeper pick this year for a deep playoff run is the St. Louis Rams. They just acquired Nick Foles, a decent overall QB who had a bit of a rough last year with the Eagles. The Rams have always had a stout defense too, and as we all know, defense wins championships. The top picks for the Super Bowl this year are about the same as they have been for the past 3-4 years now.
Number 5: The Dallas Cowboys
This might be the only surprise pick on the list by far. The Cowboys may have lost Murray in the off season, but they added Greg Hardy to the already pretty packed defense in big D. The Cowboys have Tony Romo, and what that means for them no one is really sure of. Romo is hit and miss, but has been known to come up with a few really bright plays during the season. Do I think they make it to the Super Bowl? No, but they sure will give a team a run for their money.
Number 4: The New England Patriots
I would love to put this team higher on the list, but for right now it just does not make sense to. The Patriots have lost Vince Wilfork, Revis, and Browner during this off season. Those are some pretty big defensive names to have to make up for in the 2015-2016 season. The Pats still have Tom Brady and Gronkowski, both of which can make a major offensive impact as long as they remain healthy and the O-Line holds up. The Patriots sure will put up a lot of points in 2015-2016, but the defense is not capable, at least not right now, of winning the Super Bowl.
Number 3: The Indianapolis Colts
The Colts really showed what they were made of in the 2014-2015 season. Andrew Luck was on fire in the first half of the year, but fell off after the Colts bye-week. The offense for the Colts is superb right now, with Luck as the QB and Hilton as the wide-out to catch his long bombs. The only factors to worry about for the Colts is their lack of a run game and their not-so-strong defense. Those things could make it easy for teams to pick them apart. But the Colts have proven that not every team needs a run game, and they're hoping to bring that same mentality back this upcoming season.
Number 2: The Denver Broncos
As much as it hurts some of us to say, Peyton Manning is a great quarterback. He is, however, reaching the harsh decline age for most quarterbacks in the NFL. The Broncos still have roughly the same offensive power they had in 2014, as they still have Demaryius Thomas and C.J. Anderson to run the ball. They did lose Julius Thomas to Jacksonville in the off season, a bit of a joke within itself. The Broncos still have a pretty solid defense too, and if they keep playing that strong offense, hearty defense football, we could see a second ring on Peytons finger.
Number 1: The Green Bay Packers
The cheese-heads are an amazing football team to start. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, and Eddie Lacy on the offensive side of the ball. That is a pretty stacked offense, on top of the rookies they had and will be drafting too. The Packers organization knows how to handle the younger players too, which is another nifty advantage they have over some of these other teams. On the defensive side of the ball they also have Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, one of the leagues up and coming safeties. The Packers defense is pretty good, but it is nothing something to gloat about for sure. The Packers have one of the best offenses in the league, a top 5 coaching staff and a top 15 defense. These are all things that will help the Packers make it far in the 2015-2016 season.
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