2:11 We've picked out the best moments from the Green Bay Packers' defense during their win over the Chicago Bears
The same is expected for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who missed out for the first time in five years in 2018. Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown are gone, but James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster are ready to fill the void.
With Russell Wilson at the helm, the Seattle Seahawks are always in the mix. But it’s no doubt they’ve lacked something in the past two seasons – something which Jadeveon Clowney might give them. They didn’t make the playoffs in 2017, and lost their knockout game last year. Is this the season they go on a run?
The Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars had major dips in 2018, but are expected to be back again this season – for different reasons. Atlanta were ravaged by injury and are returning some key players. For Jacksonville, the arrival of Super Bowl 52 MVP Nick Foles gives them the quarterback they have lacked.
Ready to compete
Lamar Jackson had a 6-1 regular-season record after taking over at QB for the Baltimore Ravens, but he was ‘exposed’ by the Chargers in a postseason loss. Can he perform now there is a blueprint to stop him?
Also in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns have been the talk of the summer. Acquiring Odell Beckham Jr was the major move, and hope and expectation has been building in Ohio. Will they finally reach the playoffs after a 16-season absence?
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The Minnesota Vikings were supposed to be ‘a quarterback away’, but Kirk Cousins did little to tip them over the edge last season as they missed the playoffs. An improved running game and solid defense will keep them competitive, but it is all on their QB.
When Cam Newton is ‘on’, he is unstoppable. But last year he was hurt, and the Carolina Panthers suffered. With him fully healthy, they are immediately ready to challenge in the NFC.
Could go either way
The Indianapolis Colts will clearly suffer after Andrew Luck’s retirement, while the Tennesee Titans have a QB conundrum of their own with the underwhelming Marcus Mariota.
1:31 Andrew Luck's retirement majorly affects the AFC playoff race
Both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are hoping to take big leaps in the second years of Josh Allen and Sam Darnold, but they must prove themselves in a division with the champions.
The San Francisco 49ers were injury-struck last year, so should improve. But there are still questions surrounding quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and who he really is as a QB. The Denver Broncos may well have a top defense this season, but how ‘elite’ will Joe Flacco be in his first year with them?
In the last four seasons under Jay Gruden, the Washington Redskins have gone 9-7, 8-7-1, 7-9 and 7-9. This year is make or break. Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions actually got worse under Matt Patricia in his first campaign, having achieved at least nine wins in three of four prior seasons. Which way will they go?
Long shots
There are three teams with new head coaches – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Arizona Cardinals, who have potential, but also changed coaches for a reason. Bruce Arians may need time to turn things around, Zac Taylor has a big rebuilding task, and Kliff Kingsbury’s offense is an experiment – especially with rookie Kyler Murray at the helm.
If you are looking for entertainment, look no further than the Oakland Raiders. They shipped off their best talent last season ahead of a revamp this time around, and it certainly hasn’t gone swimmingly. What happens with Antonio Brown is anyone’s guess but there are signs of another difficult season here.
The New York Giants also look set for another turbulent year after losing some of their top talents in Beckham Jr and Landon Collins. Saquon Barkley is the bright, shining hope, but can he do it all himself?
Finally, it would be naive to rule any team out of the running for this year’s Super Bowl – this league is so unpredictable – but if the Miami Dolphins even sniff the playoffs this season, it will be a miracle. They are going all-in on the 2020 Draft to secure a quarterback of the future, and have left the current team severely weakened.
Who do you think wins Super Bowl LIV?
Sourse: skysports.com
