Why Each Team Will/Will Not Win the Super Bowl: NFC
Photo by Matthew Huang from Getty Images
I mentioned yesterday that the AFC had four brand new division champions.
Well, the NFC had three new ones.
And the one that retained their division title does not look like the same team they were a year ago.
But will they once again come out on top?
Seattle Seahawks
Why They Will
This Seahawks defense is good.
How good, you ask?
This is the best defensive DVOA (Defense-Adjusted Value Over Average) in Seahawks history.
That’s right.
Better than the Legion of Boom era Seahawks.
They are flat out incredible.
Why They Won’t
Turnovers.
This team turns the ball over way too much.
It doesn’t matter how good your defense is. If you keep giving the opponent short fields, or end up with drives without points, you won’t win it all.
It’s been a problem all year. I don’t see it getting fixed.
Chicago Bears
Why They Will
Caleb Williams has shown signs of being really good, and Ben Johnson has shown he can coach, and they run the ball like crazy.
They have the pieces in place.
Why They Won’t
Those are the only pieces they have in place.
The defense is a total mess.
Good luck holding some of these offenses back come playoff time.
Philadelphia Eagles
Why They Will
The defense is absolutely excellent, and the offensive pieces that sent them on a tear come playoff time last year en route to a Super Bowl are all still there.
With that in place, they should be favorites to repeat.
Why They Won’t
Those offensive pieces were there all year, and they stunk.
They go three and out at an enormous rate, and seven times this year they’ve scored less than 20 points, and that doesn’t include week 18 when they rested starters.
Is it possible the offense flips a switch and gets red hot again? Of course.
But at a certain point, what we see is simply what we get.
And what we have gotten just isn’t good enough.
Carolina Panthers
Why They Will
Bryce Young ends up being a Tom Brady level playoff quarterback and we witness the birth of a new dynasty.
Why They Won’t
Probably not, right?
Yeah. Probably not.
And without that, this team just isn’t good.
Los Angeles Rams
Why They Will
This is the most talented team in football.
Matt Stafford is great. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are great. The running game is great. The defense is insanely talented. They’re well coached.
If you made me pick one of the 14 teams to win it all, my pick would be the Rams.
Why They Won’t
That talented defense the past few weeks has looked very, very leaky.
They spent most of the year being great, so maybe it was just a blip.
But it’s impossible to ignore, and it could be a huge issue.
San Francisco 49ers
Why They Will
Coaching matters in this league, and the Niners might have the very best duo in all of football.
Kyle Shanahan is an amazing offensive play caller, as is Robert Saleh as the defensive coordinator, even with all the defensive issues the Niners have.
Why can’t they coach their way to a title?
Why They Won’t
They’re soooo injured.
Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall are hurt, even if they might play this weekend.
No Nick Bosa. No Fred Warner for the time being.
Not to mention, Kyle Shanahan can call plays like nobody I’ve ever seen, but his game management in big spots has left a lot to be desired.
This has been a great year for the Niners even if it doesn’t end with a title.
And I don’t think it will.
Green Bay Packers
Why They Will
Jordan Love is good. Josh Jacobs is good. Matt LaFleur is a good head coach.
So why not?
Why They Won’t
Love is hurt, even if he might play.
The defense is banged up, including not having Micah Parsons, which is a huge loss.
And even if I think LaFleur is a good head coach, which I do, he never got to the Super Bowl even during Aaron Rodgers MVP seasons.
As a 7 seed? Fully on the road?
Not likely.
