As of right now, which teams do you think have a legit shot at winning the Superbowl this season?

[handicappers]

Texans are quietly becoming serious. They have arguably the best playing QB from the 2016 or 2017 draft not named Mahomes and has better wheels than Goff.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If the Rams go 12-4 and the Saints go 10-6 that’s a pretty bad melt down for both teams.

Well...yes...from this point 5 losses does seem like a collapse for NO. I did say that was worst case, but they host LAR, go to CIN, host your boys, then ATL...all 50/50 games imo.@ DAL, @ TB, @ CAR, PIT, CAR...I don't think it's far fetched for NO to drop 5 of those games.

Rams next 3 are ball busters...2-1, they will do better than 12-4...1-2, they could drop 2 more coming in.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Texans are quietly becoming serious. They have arguably the best playing QB from the 2016 or 2017 draft not named Mahomes and has better wheels than Goff.

5 wins in a row has to be respected, but not very many quality wins. Hard to say where HOU is, but we know they can score and with the schedule they have, they could be a 3 seed ahead of the AFCN DIV winner.

I can see them as the 3 seed and winning a home game, don't see them going into NE and winning, KC...maybe, but I don't expect it.

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

Yeah, but would he call for a pass on the one yard line with the NFL's leading rushing standing on the sidelines looking at him like he is the second coming of Doofus McDumbass?

Mike Tice? Maybe not, but in that Philly/Minnesota playoff game in 2004, he botched a trick play before the half where they attempted to fool the Philly D into thinking Randy Moss was lazily walking off the field, only to snap the ball and have him sprint down the field unexpectedly for a fake punt/hail Mary type TD pass. The idea itself was honestly pretty creative, but he played a huge role in its failure and many others like it.

Not to mention throwing challenge flags because he was angry at officiating rulings, rather than thinking he actually had a good chance of getting them overturned based on replay evidence. And if all of that wasn't enough, in a halftime interview during that same 2004 playoff game against Philly, the reporter asked him about the failed Moss/fake punt trick play and he suggested that they might attempt the exact same play later on in the game lol.

 

[Thruthefog]

No one from the AFC.

Several from the NFC.

 

[GhostOfPoverty]

Well...yes...from this point 5 losses does seem like a collapse for NO. I did say that was worst case, but they host LAR, go to CIN, host your boys, then ATL...all 50/50 games imo.@ DAL, @ TB, @ CAR, PIT, CAR...I don't think it's far fetched for NO to drop 5 of those games.

Rams next 3 are ball busters...2-1, they will do better than 12-4...1-2, they could drop 2 more coming in.

The Rams have beaten the Vikings (4-3-1) and Packers (3-3-1... but still, beat Aaron Rodgers when he was having a great game) in close games, beaten the Chargers (5-2) handily at home, and the Seahawks in Seattle. Their next three games being the Saints in New Orleans. (definitely a difficult showdown), the Seahawks in L.A., and the Chiefs in a "Rams home game" in Mexico City, I'm not sure what makes you think they're going to have a huge collapse. Obviously anything could happen, but I don't see them dropping the game to Seattle, and think they'll at least split between the Saints and KC. Even if they drop 2 of those 3 games, the only likely tough games left on their schedule after that stretch are the Bears (4-3) in Chicago, and the Eagles (4-4) in L.A.

Basically, they'd have to drop all 4 of their most difficult remaining games, and they've already proven they can beat several contenders. So that being said, I think them going anything under 13-3 would be a meltdown for them, especially if they win in New Orleans to get to get to 9-0. The Saints aren't going worse than 11-5 unless Brees gets injured or they simply collapse. If you really think they're likely to go 10-6 with only the Rams having a better record than them in the NFC, then you can go ahead and put Minnesota, Carolina, Chicago, Washington, Philly, and Seattle all back into the mix for the #2 seed.

 

[noonthirtyjoe]

Bears. Right now no, but by seasons end I think we'll be on fire offensively and our defense is already SB worthy. We'll make people sweat come playoff time.

 

[handicappers]

5 wins in a row has to be respected, but not very many quality wins. Hard to say where HOU is, but we know they can score and with the schedule they have, they could be a 3 seed ahead of the AFCN DIV winner.

I can see them as the 3 seed and winning a home game, don't see them going into NE and winning, KC...maybe, but I don't expect it.

Ok, then I pick NE like always

 

[Ricky Roma]

5 wins in a row has to be respected, but not very many quality wins. Hard to say where HOU is, but we know they can score and with the schedule they have, they could be a 3 seed ahead of the AFCN DIV winner.

I can see them as the 3 seed and winning a home game, don't see them going into NE and winning, KC...maybe, but I don't expect it.

I also question how much losing Fuller will impact the Texans. That deep threat helped open up a lot of the under stuff for Hopkins. DT is a decent #2....I guess...but I wonder if he'll be a true replacement.

They also have Bill O'Brien at HC.....that's almost enough for me to believe they don't have a legit shot.

 

[Godstree]

Dallas. Got the NFL just where we want them!

 

[CaptainStubing]

FWIW, Rams haven't proven anything either. I like their defense more but if we're talking about proven teams then they aren't on the list.

The Rams have failed once ... the Chiefs fail all the time. The Chiefs have proven to me that they can't win in January. I can't say the Rams have proven that yet since it only happened once

 

[night]

The ones with good records.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

"I'm not sure what makes you think they're going to have a huge collapse. Obviously anything could happen, but I don't see them dropping the game to Seattle, and think they'll at least split between the Saints and KC. Even if they drop 2 of those 3 games, the only likely tough games left on their schedule after that stretch are the Bears (4-3) in Chicago, and the Eagles (4-4) in L.A.

Basically, they'd have to drop all 4 of their most difficult remaining games, and they've already proven they can beat several contenders. So that being said, I think them going anything under 13-3 would be a meltdown for them, especially if they win in New Orleans to get to get to 9-0. The Saints aren't going worse than 11-5 unless Brees gets injured or they simply collapse. If you really think they're likely to go 10-6 with only the Rams having a better record than them in the NFC, then you can go ahead and put Minnesota, Carolina, Chicago, Washington, Philly, and Seattle all back into the mix for the #2 seed.

You quoted my post so I assume you read it, but reading your response, I'm thinking maybe you didn't. I basically stopped reading at this point in bold.

I did mention the word collapse in response to a post, but I don't think either NO or LAR are collapsing at all. I said worst case NO goes 10-6...do I think it's probable? No...I agree with your 11-5, but it's not off the charts impossible for them to go 10-6 imo.

We're a game off what we feel is the meltdown point for the Rams, not a big deal there.

My general feeling is there are two contenders with real HFA...NO and NE...everybody else I don't see HFA being significant...from what I'm seeing, the DEFs are just not good enough.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The Rams have failed once ... the Chiefs fail all the time. The Chiefs have proven to me that they can't win in January. I can't say the Rams have proven that yet since it only happened once

Every team is different, not all of the players have the same level of playoff loss scar tissue...but Reid does have some playoff demons to battle through for certain.

IMO KC has to get better on DEF...one off game by Mahomes and they could be done facing a playoff caliber QB.

 

[sonnyblack65]

No one from the AFC.

Several from the NFC.

KC by 2 scores

 

[Fountain City Blues]

No one from the AFC.

Several from the NFC.

This NFC homerism was debunked in the offseason and it looks just as hokie now...

 

[mcnabb7542]

Eagles! and of course the Patriots, ( nobody seems willing to step up in the AFC to challenge them)

 

[SteelersPride]

Bears. Right now no, but by seasons end I think we'll be on fire offensively and our defense is already SB worthy. We'll make people sweat come playoff time.

based on what

 

[PolarVortex]

The Rams have failed once ... the Chiefs fail all the time. The Chiefs have proven to me that they can't win in January. I can't say the Rams have proven that yet since it only happened once

In the past, the Chiefs have not had a QB talented enough/creative enough to overcome the stupidity of the head coach, but that might not be the case now.

 

[Rex Racer]

Now that Hue Jackson is gone, I don't see a reason Cleveland can't jump back into the mix. If they're able to win their final 8 games, they'll definitely be right there.

That's the spirit!