The long wait is almost over, and the new NFL season will soon be upon us. More than five months of intense gridiron action are in prospect, with all 32 franchise teams hopeful of a positive campaign.
All of those teams are aiming for the ultimate prize; the Super Bowl is the season-ending match that crowns the best NFL team of the bunch.
Biggest Prize in Sport
While the NFL is exclusively for teams in the United States, many see it as the most important competition in world sports. It certainly attracts vast viewing figures, and there is interest among fans right across the globe.
As the final match of the campaign, the Super Bowl is the most important contest of all. Millions will tune in, and the winners will earn the right to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy as Super Bowl champions.
TV companies and other associated industries will focus on this game. All New York sportsbooks and those around the US will publish more markets for this fixture than any other.
Clearly, the Super Bowl is a big deal, but who are the teams in contention for 2023?
Teams at the Top
The two franchises that contested the 2023 Super Bowl led the way at the top of the markets. The Kansas City Chiefs won the game, and they are the clear favorites, while the Philadelphia Eagles are close behind.
The Chiefs won a thrilling game by a narrow margin of 38-35, and both teams are expected to be in contention once again. Their respective rosters include many of the players who contested the Super Bowl game in February, while NFL Drafts and trades have strengthened in key areas.
The most important player on Kansasโ side is the quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. Heโs the best in his position in the entire NFL and is shaping up to be the Tom Brady of his generation. At the very least, both the Chiefs and the Eagles should make it to the playoffs, but they will have plenty of competition.
The Chasing Teams
Behind the market leaders, the challenges are expected to be led by the Buffalo Bills, the San Francisco 49ers, the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Dallas Cowboys. Of those teams, the Bengals and the 49ers had the best returns last year.
Both San Francisco and Cincinnati made it to their Conference finals before losing out to the eventual Super Bowl contenders. Itโs suggested that the 49ers have the best all-around team in the NFL, but the lack of a star quarterback may be an issue again.
The Bills and the Cowboys both lost out in the Divisional Playoff stages last season. Despite the fact that sportsbooks give Buffalo and Dallas high ratings, little is known about them outside of those circles. Both teams should remain competitive, but could the Super Bowl winner come from further down the market?
The Surprise Package?
Can any of the underdogs come through to deliver a surprise result at this seasonโs Super Bowl? There is a lot of interest in the Los Angeles Chargers, who are not expected to make a title challenge, as far as the sportsbooks are concerned.
If the Chargers are to progress through the playoffs, much will depend on Justin Herbert, who many feel could be this seasonโs Most Valuable Player. The quarterback holds a number of records as a rookie and was the NFLโs offensive rookie of the year in 2020. At the age of 25, heโs now coming into his prime, and could just get the Chargers over the line.
As a long shot, there is some support for the Seattle Seahawks. Rather than enter into a transition period after losing Russell Wilson, the Seahawks consolidated, largely thanks to Geno Smith, who won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Seattle lost out to the 49ers at the first stage of last seasonโs playoffs, but they could go even deeper this time.
The Thrills Await
The retention of talented rosters, together with the addition of key trades and drafts, means that last seasonโs Super Bowl contestants will be strong once again. The Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will remain competitive, but there will be many challenges along the way.
Independent pundits have put forward a case for two underdogs, the LA Chargers and the Seattle Seahawks. Both teams should make the playoffs, but itโs debatable whether they can go all the way to the final game.
The danger among the chasing pack may well come from the San Francisco 49ers. Team players won awards in key positions last season, and the 49ers made it through to the NFC Championship final. If they can find a reliable starting quarterback, San Francisco can go all the way in 2024.
