Chiefs Lead Super Bowl Contenders
We are five weeks into the 2020 NFL season and it’s time to take a look at the teams that seem to be front runners to make it to the playoffs and eventually the Super Bowl.
There are still a lot of games to be played, and a lot could change between now and Super Sunday.
Here are the contenders and how they are shaping up:
• Kansas City, the defending world champion, continues to head the list of Super Bowl contenders even though the Chiefs lost to the Raiders in Week 5. The Chiefs, with a 4-1 record, outclass the NFL field because they have the best player in football in Patrick Mahomes. They should win the AFC again.
Russell Wilson and Seattle Are the Real Deal
• Seattle (5-0) has all the makings of a serious Super Bowl entry. The Seahawks’ Russell Wilson is the early MVP front-runner with 19 TD passes in five outings. He has completed 73 percent of his tosses and is averaging close to nine yards per attempt. Seattle is for real.
• Green Bay, with Aaron Rodgers at the top of his game, is undefeated and racking up 38 points per game. The Packers are expected to challenge the Seahawks for the NFC’s top seed. Rodgers has thrown for 1,214 yards and 13 TDs. The veteran hasn’t thrown an interception.
• Pittsburgh (4-0) is charged up, thanks to the return of Ben Roethlisberger and the dazzling play of rookie receiver Chase Claypool. Claypool scored four TDs in Sunday’s 38-29 win over the Eagles The Steelers also have been playing well on defense, making them a justifiable Super Bowl contender.
• Baltimore is 4-1 and definitely in the mix. The Ravens may have the best defense among all the contenders and, of course, they have the talented young MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Observers say the Ravens haven’t been playing their best football and should as the season progresses.
• The Tennessee Titans made a huge statement Tuesday night by derailing the favored Buffalo Bills 42-16. Ryan Tannehill led the attack and enabled the Titans to remain unbeaten. Tennessee is playing like a Super Bowl contender and only time will tell how they hold up.
• Buffalo has a better team than the one that showed up Tuesday to play Tennessee. The Bills are potential Super Bowl contenders and should regroup even though they have to take on the Chiefs in Week 6. It should be an interesting game with Mahomes facing off against the Bills’ Josh Allen.
Picture Has Changed for Some Preseason Favorites
Before the season began, Super Bowl contenders included San Francisco, the reigning NFC champ, and New Orleans, Minnesota and Philadelphia. This picture has changed.
The 49ers have been plagued with injuries to key players and have fallen to 2-3. The Saints (3-2) are lackluster with Drew Brees beginning to show his age. The Eagles are off to a poor 1-3-1 start and the Vikings are stumbling at 1-4.
Teams with respectable 4-1 records at this point are the LA Rams, Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears. As far as being Super Bowl contenders, however, they are not.
As already has been stated, there is still a lot of football to be played. The way things are shaping up, though, I’d say put your money on Kansas City and Seattle to emerge as opponents in the next big one.
