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NFL preview 2024: Seven teams that can win the Super Bowl in New Orleans

(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; photographs from Associated Press)

Maybe this is the year the Detroit Lions finally win the Super Bowl.

Or perhaps the Houston Texans?

Or how about the Cleveland Browns, who last won a division crown in 1989? (Incidentally, since realignment in 2002, every NFL franchise but Cleveland has won its division at least once.)

Part of the NFL’s excitement and appeal is its competitive balance, the notion that so many teams at the beginning of the season feel the Lombardi Trophy is within reach.

In no particular order, seven teams with a solid opportunity to win it all this season:

Can coach Andy Reid and quarterback Patrick Mahomes lead the Kansas City Chiefs to an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl victory? (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

The Chiefs are at the doorstep of history, with a chance to win an unprecedented three Super Bowls in a row. With Andy Reid as coach and Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, anything is possible. The team has gotten this far without an outstanding receiving corps and the Chiefs made changes to that with the addition of Marquise Brown and turf-melting rookie Xavier Worthy, who set a record at the combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.21 seconds. There could be vulnerabilities at both offensive tackle spots and with the loss of shutdown corner L’Jarius Sneed, but the Chiefs are playing host to the opening game and could wind up in the final game as well.

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh (left) greets Baltimore coach John Harbaugh after the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 in New Orleans, the site of the 2025 Super Bowl. (Dave Martin / Associated Press)

The Super Bowl is returning to New Orleans for the first time since the 2012-13 season, when the Ravens won the Harbaugh Bowl pitting brothers John (Baltimore) and Jim (San Francisco). The Ravens haven’t been back to that marquee game since, despite having the NFL’s best record in two of the last five seasons. They came close last…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-preview-2024-seven-teams-101518535.html

Author : LA Times

Publish date : 2024-09-01 10:15:18

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