Super Bowl 54: 3 Potential matchups that should surprise no one

There are plenty of potential Super Bowl scenarios that could shock us, but nobody should be surprised if any of these three happen.

We’re still closer on the calendar to Super Bowl LIII than we are to Super Bowl LIV. Be that as it may, the soap opera nature of the NFL offseason — including free agency and the NFL Draft — forces everyone to look ahead and make predictions in regard to how the 2019 season will play out.

There are probably a dozen or so realistic Super Bowl contenders heading into the 2019 campaign, depending on who you ask. That leaves us with plenty of possible combinations of teams who could play in the big game.

I’ve narrowed down the focus to three matchups that — if should they happen — should not be a surprise to anyone.

The Boring Rematch: New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Rams

Both defending conference champions, the Patriots and Rams, suffered some key losses in the personnel department this offseason. They both subsequently filled those voids with capable veteran talent through free agency and had what appear to be solid drafts. Furthermore, the core of both teams remains intact.

It’s totally feasible that these two could meet up again for the first back-to-back meeting in the Super Bowl by two teams since the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills did it in Super Bowls XXVII and XXVIII.

The Sensible Blueprint: Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears

You draft a quarterback, protect the quarterback, put weapons around that quarterback and build a good enough defense to keep your quarterback out of shootouts. Both the Bears and Colts have done this over the last couple of seasons.

It’s entirely possible that both teams see all the hard work of their respective front offices come together this season, resulting in a meeting between the two storied franchises in Super Bowl LIV.

The Ratings Monster: Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas Cowboys

No team has made more noise or drawn more attention this offseason than the Cleveland Browns. No team moves the national needle year in, year out, like the Dallas Cowboys.

Both teams head into the 2019 season with rosters full of young superstars on both sides of the ball. If you ranked all 32 NFL teams on potential alone, there’s a decent chance these two would be No. 1 and No. 2.

Both fan bases are starving for a title after decades of being punchlines to the same jokes year after year. The nation would tune in to see which team gets the last laugh.