4. Kansas City Chiefs
After two straight years with an offense that ranked in the middle of the pack in terms of scoring, you can’t help but wonder when Kansas City’s luck will run out and there will be some actual consequences for them. The Chiefs have been so elite at situational football that they’ve managed to be better than everyone else in one-score games all the way to their penciled-in spot in the Super Bowl. We’ll see if anyone can dethrone them this year.
3. Buffalo Bills
Right now, the Buffalo Bills are the second-best team in the AFC on paper, and they’ve got a chance to make a massive statement with a Week 1 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens in Buffalo. It’s going to be a huge year for the Bills, who saw the best of Josh Allen last season. The questions now are whether Allen can maintain that level of play, and whether the Bills can get past the Chiefs in the playoffs. Or the Ravens, for that matter.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
There are some good teams in the NFC, but I would say the Philadelphia Eagles have a pretty strong chance of getting back to the Super Bowl this year, or at least hosting the NFC Championship Game. They play in a tough division, of course, but this Eagles team is still loaded on both sides of the ball, and if they can get breakthrough years from some young pass rushers, they’re going to be in position to win back-to-back Super Bowls.
1. Baltimore Ravens
There is no better roster in the NFL from top to bottom right now than the Baltimore Ravens. They are elite all over the place, and should coast to one of the best records in the NFL this coming season. I have made the bold proclamation before that I don’t see the Ravens losing more than a couple of games, barring some kind of freak injuries. This team has it all, from coaching to continuity to depth.