The 2020 NFL season is heading to a start amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. And that means players will have to technically risk their healths and do their best to achieve the greatest dream any footballer can think of. Yes, you got it right. We are talking about winning the Super Bowl 2021. But the irony about dreams is that almost everyone sees it, but a very less number of dreamers actually see those becoming reality. But who will be the contender for the 2021 Super Bowl? Well, we are about to find out.
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The Super Bowl is all that matters
No matter how well teams do during the regular season. As the journey goes further deep into the season, each team’s weakness is fed upon, while strengths are admired. And those who turn out the weakest, are destroyed on the field. The offseason is bidding farewell. So, technically, the drums are rolling as players approach their respective training camps. But who will end their season with the ring on their fingers? Here are our top 5 picks to win the 2021 Super Bowl.
- Green Bay Packers: When Aaron Rodgers is on your side, you’re always a contender for the Super Bowl. Of course, football is a team game, and one man can seldom make a difference. However, in the past, we have seen how Rodgers singlehandedly turned around a lost game into an ecstatic victory.
This year though, the Packers don’t look absolutely settled. They have drafting Jordan Love when they already have a quarterback in their squad. And they drafted the Utah State QB right in the first round. That has somehow hurt the team’s morale, given that Aaron Rodgers had so far been the leader that his mates kept looking forward to. Now that another quarterback will be in the dugout, the future for Rodgers seems to be slowly fading.
So pressure would be more on the 36-year old more than this team itself. On the other hand, the Green Bay Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst enjoyed an impressive offseason last year. However, this year there hasn’t been any offseason. So he couldn’t properly evaluate his firepower. So the entire test will begin once the camp starts in late July.
- Baltimore Ravens: Last year, the Ravens had a 14-win season, which was spectacular. However, they still had some disappointments. Their entire team dependent solely on their 23-year old Lamar Jackson. Jackson’s presence on the field is enough to haunt the opponents. But their defense was questionable last year. However, they have figured out their mistakes, and this year, they’ve come prepared.
The Ravens have signed Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe to strengthen their defensive line. In order to fill their linebacking spot, they’ve also roped in Patrick Queen. Despite so many changes, Lamar Jackson will still be their number one man. And if he performs as per expectations, there’s no limit that the Ravens cannot achieve this year.
- San Francisco 49ers: The Niners have been one of the main teams this offseason to shuffle their roster to a greater extent. They went so close last season but fell against the Kansas City Chiefs, courtesy of that amazing display of quarterback excellence by Patrick Mahomes. But the 49ers did have their chances in the game. In fact, they were leading by double digits, before Mahomes’ mayhem completely destroyed the 49ers’ defense. This year, they will look forward to mending their defensive line, However, they have also added more firepower to their offense. They traded DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts during the first round draft and took Javon Kinlaw in exchange.
They also signed Trent Williams to add more arsenal to their offensive line, which added more strength to a lineup that was already hailed to be one of the best in the NFL. Then the Niners drafted Brandon Aiyuk to add some more depth to their receiver position. They also got Jerick McKinnon. So, on paper, they are one of the heaviest teams in the league right now to deal with.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They are other teams in the NFL and there’s one that has Tom Brady in their quarterback position. The 2020 season would be the first time that Brady would be wearing colors that of any team other than The New England Patriots. He also got his long-term deputy, Rob Gronkowski by his side.
And they didn’t stop there. Instead, the Buccaneers drafted Tyler Johnson, KeShawn Vaughn, and Antoine Winfield. They also have absolute firepower in the form of Chris Godwin, & Mike Evans. This year might just be the Buccaneers’ year in the making. Also, the 2021 Super Bowl will be held in Tampa Bay. So the home team will get full support, which can act as a major decider.
- Kansas City Chiefs: Considering the form that the chiefs displayed last year, and the heavyweight signing they completed this year, not many NFL enthusiasts will drop them from the number one position for being the contender for the upcoming season’s Super Bowl. They have shattered every record in the signing room, and now they are coming with full force. With Patrick Mahomes as their quarterback, there are really not many things that they cannot achieve. But there will be pressure on them. It’s not easy to defend the Super Bowl title.
Teams who defended their Bowl
The San Francisco 49ers did it in the late 1980s when they won the 23rd and 24th edition of the Bowl. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team to have accomplished this spectacular feat twice. First, they did it in 1975 and 1976 and then repeated the phenomenon in 1979 and 1980. Tom Brady’s New England Patriots also won consecutive Super Bowls in 2004 and 2005.
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Other teams to have done achieved such milestone, as Sports Illustrated reports, are the Miami Dolphins, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Denver Broncos. So, winning back-to-back titles isn’t something that cannot be done. The Chiefs have proven their worth over the last two seasons, ever since Mahomes became a starter. This year, they might take their game to the next level. And the Kansas City fans will be hoping this happens.
