Are the Pittsburgh Steelers or Indianapolis Colts more likely to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl? Its never too early for 2016 Super Bowl predictions. Dan Salem and Todd Salem debate in today’s NFL Sports Debate. Check out more of the brothers in Seesaw Sports Debate on BuzzChomp. Two brothers from New York yell, scream, and debate sports.
TODD:
Who has the best chance to win the Super Bowl this season, the Indianapolis Colts or the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Indianapolis finished 11-5 a season ago with the fourth-best point differential in the conference and the third-most yards in the league. People seem to annually pick the Colts to regress because they always seem to overachieve, but at a certain point, overachievers are what they are.
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This success can be partially attributed to quarterback Andrew Luck. Franchise quarterbacks win close games and pull out victories where others cannot. Perhaps Luck is the best reason for Indy’s yearly success. The team has won 11 games each of the past three seasons.
And this offseason, it attempted to retool even though it had been having success. Management brought in Andre Johnson, Vincent Brown and Phillip Dorsett at wide receiver. It added offensive line help and veteran Frank Gore in the backfield, all to improve an already potent unit.
I’m not sure it was enough to prop up a weak defense, nor was it enough to outshine what the Pittsburgh Steelers will deliver on offense in 2015.
Pittsburgh also won 11 games last season, finished ahead of Indy in net yards and enters this year with perhaps the best trio of offensive weapons in the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown are all elite at their respective positions. The latter two could also be called the very best their positions have to offer.
Overall, I like the AFC North to decline this season and the AFC South to improve. This should help the Steelers and hurt the Colts. Indy has been riding on the corpses of its divisional peers for a few years now, but it stops in 2015.
Neither of these teams is perfect, but choosing between the two of who is more likely to win the Super Bowl, I have to go with the Steelers.
Oct 26, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back
LeGarrette Blount(27) runs the ball against Indianapolis Colts linebacker
Andy Studebaker(58) during the second half of their game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 51-34. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports
DAN:
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The AFC feels wide open this season, especially with the turmoil in New England, and both the Steelers and Colts will be leading the pack in terms of victories and post season success. Yet picking which team wins the Super Bowl feels like a giant grey area itching for argument.
The AFC North came down to the final week of the regular season in 2014, while Indy locked up the AFC South by Thanksgiving more or less. I too see all of the AFC South teams trending up, but that does not make them playoff contenders or a threat to the Colts’ dominance. I’m a firm believer in getting battle tested throughout the season, building strength and confidence for playoff momentum. That is where Pittsburgh will shine in this new season.
Indianapolis will dominate and make the playoffs, but the Steelers’ running game will prove too much once the postseason heats up. Pittsburgh will have to use all of those star weapons you mentioned to squash the Bengals, Ravens, and Browns. But doing so is what Big Ben does best, and they ride that wave straight through the likes of New England and Indianapolis, towards a Super Bowl victory.
Both the Colts and Steelers have superstar quarterbacks, but only one has a dominating run game. No matter how well you pass the ball, a Super Bowl team needs to run in order to control clock and win big games. Pittsburgh is the pick and Le’Veon Bell their x-factor.
Dan Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spinzone. He’s also Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Vlogger at BuzzChomp, and a New York Jets Analyst for Pro Football Spot. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or Instagram.
Todd Salem is a Staff Writer for NFL Spinzone. He’s also a Contributing Editor at BuzzChomp, a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report, and an Analyst for Tipster Labs, among others. Follow him on Twitter.
Next: 2016 Super Bowl Predictions - Packers or Cowboys?
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