Three AFC & NFC Teams Not Named The Chiefs Or 49ers That Are Super Bowl Contenders

The Kansas City Chiefs have won back-to-back Super Bowls.

Last year, they faced the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl and were victorious.

Both the Chiefs and 49ers are understandably the favorites to come out of the AFC and NFC once again.

However, anything can happen in the NFL.

Injuries and luck play a huge role in a team’s success or lack thereof.

Injuries are impossible to predict and will not be taken into account for this article.

Below, we take a look at three AFC and NFC teams that are Super Bowl contenders that are not the Chiefs or 49ers.

Three AFC Teams That Are Super Bowl Contenders

The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl last year and are the obvious favorites to do so once again.

However, the AFC is stacked with good teams that can disrupt the Chiefs’ hopes to three-peat.

Cincinnati Bengals

Last year was an injury-filled year for the Bengals.

The only reason the Bengals finished 9-8, last in the AFC North, and missed the playoffs last year was because Joe Burrow dealt with injuries all year and his season ended in mid-November.

When Burrow is healthy, the Bengals are a Super Bowl favorite.

Two years ago, they lost in the AFC Championship game against the Chiefs.

Cincinnati made it to the Super Bowl three years ago but lost to the LA Rams.

Burrow will return and hopes he can stay healthy all year and if he can, the Bengals will return to being a top team.

He is arguably the second-best QB in the league after Patrick Mahomes and besides Tom Brady, Burrow is the only QB to ever beat Mahomes in the playoffs.

Tee Higgins signed his franchise tag and will play for the Bengals this season.

Star WR Ja’Marr Chase is seeking a new contract but he has shown up to mandatory minicamps and appears to not be holding out.

This is a very talented Bengals squad, led by one of the best QBs in the league.

With Burrow under center, the Bengals will return to the playoffs and be a Super Bowl contender.

Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore lost in the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs last year.

This was a close contest that could have gone either way.

Baltimore made some critical mistakes that cost them a chance to go to the Super Bowl.

The Ravens had a poor offensive scheme but were still very close to defeating the Chiefs.

They got better by adding RB Derrick Henry.

The Ravens always have a tough defense and this year will be no different.

Lamar Jackson is a star QB and when he is healthy, the Ravens are a top team in the league.

The problem for Baltimore has been Jackson’s health.

He stayed healthy last year but the previous two years before last, Jackson missed quite a bit of time.

As long as Jackson is healthy, the Ravens are one of the best teams in the AFC.

Houston Texans

CJ Stroud took the league by storm in his rookie year.

Stroud had 4,108 passing yards and a 23:5 TD: INT ratio in 15 games last year.

Among QBs that started 10 or more games, Stroud was first in passing yards per game last season.

He ranked fifth in QB rating among QBs that played 10 or more games last year.

Stroud had one of, if not the best rookie season a QB has ever had.

He will look to be even better in year two.

The Texans acquired Stefon Diggs to give Stroud another weapon at his disposal.

Diggs may be a bit older but he remains an elite route runner.

Houston’s defense was much better last year with Demeco Ryans as the head coach.

Will Anderson had seven sacks in 15 games in his rookie campaign.

The Texans took him third overall after taking Stroud second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Stroud and Anderson look to be stars for years in the NFL, making the Texans a dangerous team.

Houston is a Super Bowl contender and can defeat the Chiefs in the playoffs with Stroud under center.

Three NFC Teams That Are Super Bowl Contenders

The San Francisco 49ers lost in the Super Bowl last year and lost in the NFC Championship game two years ago.

The NFC got better fairly quickly and some teams can represent the conference in the Super Bowl other than the 49ers.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions played the 49ers very tough and looked like they’d represent the NFC in the Super Bowl during the first half of the NFC Championship game.

Unfortunately for Detroit, they could not hold on to the lead and the 49ers defeated them in the NFCCG.

Detroit played very well in San Francisco and they have a very talented team.

Their offense was one of the best last year.

They are getting the best out of Jared Goff and have helped him with a top rush attack.

Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery led an excellent rush attack behind one of the best offensive lines in the league.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has established himself as one of the best wideouts in the NFL.

Sam Laporta was highly impressive in his rookie season.

He will be even better in year two, along with Gibbs.

Aidan Hutchinson will take another step forward as he tries to establish himself among the top pass rushers in the league.

Detroit hopes to take another step forward in 2024 and represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Green Bay Packers

No player and team arguably had a better second half of the season than Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers.

In the final eight games of the regular season last year, Love had 18 passing TDs and just one interception.

He carved up the Cowboys in the Wild Card round, throwing for 272 passing yards, three passing TDs, and zero interceptions.

Love played well in the Divisional round but threw two interceptions and the Packers lost 24-21 against the 49ers.

In the final eight games of the season last year, Green Bay went 6-2.

If Love can take another big step forward this season, the Packers will be one of the best teams in the NFC.

Green Bay played the 49ers very tough in the Divisional round last year and are Super Bowl contenders in the NFC.

Philadelphia Eagles

This was a toss-up between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

Considering the Eagles defeated the 49ers in the NFCCG and made it to the Super Bowl two years ago, they are more of a threat to knock out the 49ers.

Dallas has yet to have playoff success and seems to falter come postseason time.

The Eagles started last year well but completely fell off in the second half of the season and the playoffs.

It was a bizarre downfall, considering they have a very talented roster.

Jalen Hurts is a very good QB and they have weapons on offense and defense.

Philly will get it right this year and be among the top teams in the NFC.