This NFL playoff race has been unlike anything we have seen recently. Budding
superstars and injuries have defined this year’s current standings. In the AFC, as of early December, all four divisions have leaders who did not win the previous year, reminiscent of the mid-2010s, with the Patriots, Steelers, Jaguars, and Broncos. In the NFC, we have unexpected competitive battles in all four divisions. It is safe to say that finding a Super Bowl favorite this season is no cake walk.
When considering the potential Super Bowl favorites, one must consider the previous year’s victors, the Philadelphia Eagles. Early on, they looked like the team to beat, with a 4-0 start to begin the season, but since that close win over the Buccaneers, they have gone 4-4, with surprising losses to both the Giants and Bears. With the recent struggles of the Eagles, one might look to the runner-ups and three-time champions of the last six years, the Kansas City Chiefs, but that wouldn’t be a safe option either. They started the year with a relatively slow start, going 0-2, and while it has improved since then, they are still only 6-6, with elimination breathing down their necks.
With both of the top two teams from last year struggling this year, one might see how reigning MVP Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are performing. While they would be in the playoffs if the season started today, they would be holding onto the 7th seed with a two-and-a-half-game deficit to their division leaders. Lastly, considering last season, people might look at the Lions, who were a league-leading 15-2 last season before a surprisingly early exit in last year’s playoffs. Sadly, they are also struggling, ranked 3rd in the NFC North behind both the Jordan Love-led Packers and the Chicago Bears.
If all of these star teams from last year are struggling, who should you place your money on? A couple of teams that have looked good this year are the New England Patriots, captained by MVP candidate Drake “Drake Maye” Maye. While their schedule is seemingly weak compared to the rest of the league, they have beaten everyone put in front of them as of late with a 10-game win streak. Another viable option is the offense-led Seattle Seahawks, whose young receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, has taken the league by storm and is on pace to break most NFL receiving records. Unlike the Seahawks, the Broncos have been a tough team to beat, led by Patrick Surtain and widely regarded as having the best defense in the league. While their offense has room to improve, their quarterback, Bo Nix, has stepped up when it mattered most, helping bring Denver to a 10-2 record. While these teams are playing great football at the moment, the wide spread of talent in the league is going to make for an exceptionally entertaining sprint in these playoffs, where any team can come out on top.
