Hump day! Time for Wednesday’s top 5.
With the conclusion of the NFL season, this week’s edition
will take a look at what to expect next year.
So this week’s topic is: Top 5
teams most likely to win Super Bowl 49.
1.
Seattle Seahawks, 2014 Super Bowl champions:
Seattle is a pretty easy No. 1 in my mind. The Seahawks are the youngest team in the league with an average age of 26. They should return everyone from the
best defense the NFL has seen in years. Not to mention quarterback Russell
Wilson, running back Marshawn Lynch and the entire receiving core will be back
as well. Seattle will be the clear favorite all year long and will have an
insane amount of pressure. I have no doubt that the Seahawks can win it all
again, but one thing to consider is money. Right now, they have everyone on the
cheap. But their stars are going to want their payday soon. Will it be this
year? I don’t know, but whenever it is, it’s going to effect this team in some
way.
2.
San Francisco 49ers, lost in NFC title game: The
49ers are basically the same team as Seattle. Strong defense, solid running
game, a passionate head coach. However, the key to this team is quarterback
Colin Kaepernick. When he’s playing well, the 49ers rarely lose. When he’s not playing well, they
struggle. This team is good enough to win without good quarterback play, but
that’s been the difference between Seattle and San Francisco over the last
year. Seattle has had more consistency at that position. The 49ers have a
defense to match the Seahawks, but right now they are a step behind because of
Kaepernick. However, that gap is closer than you think.
3.
Denver Broncos, lost in Super Bowl: This might
be the last year Denver can remain competitive. Peyton Manning isn’t getting any younger, even though he played the best season of his career en route to
the league’s MVP award. He’s still got talent around him. Wes Welker, Demaryius
Thomas and Julius Thomas might be the most dangerous trio in the NFL. Knowshon
Moreno and Montee Ball are no slouch at running back either. However, the thing
I worry about with this team is defense. Offensively, the Broncos can play with
anyone. But what happens when the offense stalls like it did in Super Bowl 48?
Can the defense keep them in games? Denver is still the best team (at least on
paper) in the AFC, but it’s going to take a defensive revamp to challenge the
NFC for the Super Bowl.
4.
Carolina Panthers, lost in NFC divisional round:
The Panthers might still be a year away from winning a title, but they are
still impressive. Cam Newton emerged as an MVP candidate last season, but it
was the defense that shined the brightest. Led by linebacker Luke Kuechly,
Carolina was one of the NFL’s top defenses. It smothered its opponents. The key
to this upcoming season will be whether the offense can keep up pace. The
Panthers run the ball well and have some weapons on the outside, but the
offensive line is inconsistent in protecting Newton. If Carolina wants to
contend with Seattle and San Francisco in the NFC, it needs to find a way to
score against those stingy defenses.
5.
Indianapolis Colts, lost in AFC divisional
round: It’s time to give Andrew Luck the credit he deserves. The guy urged his
team to victory against the Chiefs in the Wildcard round. He throws the
prettiest deep ball I’ve seen in a while—other than Aaron Rodgers—and he’s the
most intelligent guy on the field, except when they play Denver. Not only that,
he’s a born leader. The Colts have some holes to fill. They need some help at
linebacker and in the secondary. Running back Trent Richardson needs to find
his stride again. But as long as Luck is running this team, they have a shot to
win any game.
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Thanks for reading! Keep updated on the signing day news both nationally and in Nebraska today! A lot of big time athletes are making big time decisions today. Best of luck to them and their families! Have a great rest of your day!
Reach me at: award6344@gmail.com
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Where are the Chiefs at?
ReplyDeleteThey are close, probably No. 7 behind the Colts and Patriots. But I don't think they can win a Super Bowl with Alex Smith as their quarterback. Defense isn't good enough to get away with a game manager.
ReplyDeleteGolden Tate and Michael Bennett are FA's, so the Seahawks do have some work to do, although both want to return. Thought I would clear that up.
ReplyDelete