It’s never too soon to look ahead to next year’s Super Bowl, especially after the dud that was bestowed upon football fans this past weekend when the Patriots essentially sleep walked to a victory over the Rams. That win netted New England quarterback Tom Brady his sixth Super Bowl title in nine appearances which further cemented him as the undisputed best quarterback to ever step foot on a football field… ever.
But could Brady further add to his growing collection of Super Bowl finger decoration before he decides to call it an NFL career?
Based on these odds for Super Bowl LIV, it certainly seems like it’s a possibility. Out of the last five Super Bowls, the Patriots have appeared in four of them and has won three. Needless to say it won’t be surprising to see Brady in another Super Bowl. However, New England wasn’t always the favorite to win Super Bowl LIII. Their odds fluctuated throughout the season so check back on those odds in a few months to see if there are any changes.
As far as the Patriots go, as long as Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are together you can never completely count New England out from any Super Bowl equation. Betters would be crazy to.
However the power tilt in the AFC will certainly have the Patriots looking over their shoulder all season.
The Kansas City Chiefs will probably give the Patriots their biggest run for their money out of the AFC especially if that bell curve of Patrick Mahomes‘ development continues to take the upswing. Sure there may be questions regarding Kansas City’s run game with Kareem Hunt no longer in the equation, however Mahomes will still have plenty of weapons at this disposal with Travis Kelce and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Sammy Watkins all coming back next season.
Sticking with the AFC West, the Chargers could still definitely be a factor as well for 2020. This would especially be the case if Philip Rivers can capitalize on his 4,300 yard with 32 touchdown season in 2018. However Rivers is 37-years-old and the window is beginning to shut so next season could very well be his last chance.
Heading over to the NFC, the defending conference champion Rams will definitely be looking to make a return trip to the Super Bowl which they’ll be in excellent position to do just that. You would have to think too that a young innovative football mind like Sean McVay would have a Super Bowl in him somewhere down the line. Not to mention it’s expected that Jared Goff puts his horrid second half the of the season behind him to rebound next year. This can also be said for running back Todd Gurley who was basically a ghost the final two games of the NFL playoffs.
The Rams though will need to make adjustments. Like previously eluded to, they were exposed a bit after week 13, especially when it came to the offensive line plugging pressure on Goff up the middle, something Les Snead will need to fix for 2019.
Other than that, the Rams will once again have one of the best defensive lines in football next season with Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh in the fold. The same can also be said when it comes to their weapons at wide receiver as Brandin Cooks and Robert Woods will also return in 2019.
Finally, the New Orleans Saints may be the angriest team in the entire NFL and will more than likely use the officiating gaffe from this past NFC Championship Game as motivation to put themselves in position for a Super Bowl LIV appearance. Much like the Chargers though when it comes to QB in the twilight of their career, the Saints’ success or failure will undoubtedly depend on quarterback Drew Brees and whether or not his age will be a factor after a big 2018. Brees though should continue to benefit from one of the best running back duos in the entire NFL with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram towing the rock.
Other teams to keep an eye on in 2019 include the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts out of the AFC while the Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons could also make a pitch for Super Bowl LIV in 2020.