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5 Dark horse NFL Super Bowl contenders primed to shine in 2021

By Randy Gurzi

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 06: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals looks to pass during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 06: Quarterback Kyler Murray #1 of the Arizona Cardinals looks to pass during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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NFL 2021
ORCHARD PARK, NY – JANUARY 09: Head coach Frank Reich of the Indianapolis Colts walks off the field after a game against the Buffalo Bills at Bills Stadium on January 9, 2021 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images) /

There are always favorites to win it all but that doesn’t mean we can’t have surprise contenders to make the Super Bowl. Here are five dark horse teams in the NFL 2021 season.

Entering the 2021 NFL season, there are two teams that most would agree are favorites to get to Super Bowl LVI. Those teams are the defending champion Tampa Bat Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs who won it the prior season — before losing to the Bucs in Super Bowl LV.

Of course, it’s not often that the two favorites to start the season end up meeting in the big game. That’s the design of the NFL, a league that’s based on parity.

With all that being said, we look at five teams that could surprise us all as unlikely Super Bowl contenders.

5. Indianapolis Colts

This offseason, the Indianapolis Colts made a big move to pick up quarterback Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles. Wentz faded out over the past couple of seasons with Philly but it wasn’t that long ago that he was one of the hottest quarterbacks in the game.

He was even an MVP candidate in 2017 before tearing his ACL. His team won the Super Bowl without him and after that campaign, he lost his offensive coordinator as Frank Reich headed to Indy to take the head coaching job.

In three seasons, Reich has a record of 28-20 with two double-digit winning seasons. Now reunited with his former star quarterback, there’s no reason not to buy into them as contenders — especially considering the improvements they have made on defense in recent years.

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