Fansided

5 darkhorses to make a run at the Super Bowl after NFL free agency

By John Buhler

Nov 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) rolls out to pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of an NFL game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) rolls out to pass against the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter of an NFL game on Thanksgiving at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next

Every so often, there is a team that comes out of nowhere to play in a Super Bowl. Here are five teams that could do that in 2016 after NFL free agency.

Every year, there are roughly eight to 10 teams in the NFL that can realistically win a Super Bowl. They’ve usually got a great franchise quarterback, a 1,000-yard rusher, a strong defense and a smart head coach.

Usually, these Super Bowl contenders have made some noise in the NFL Playoffs the last few years with their current group of players. So with great team chemistry and a few breaks along the way, roughly a fourth of the league at any given time can have realistic Super Bowl expectations.

That being said, every once in a while a team will emerge that comes out of nowhere to take the league by storm. This unexpected wave of dominance is typically ushered in by either a transcendent star at the quarterback position or a brilliant new head coach at the helm.

Opponents don’t take these teams seriously until they are knocking on the door of Super Bowl contention. While the usual suspects like the New England Patriots, the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers, and the Pittsburgh Steelers may end up in Super Bowl LI in Houston, here are five teams in the NFL laying low in the weeds with an outside chance at crashing someone’s Super Bowl bid to the Space City in 2016.

Next: 5. Oakland Raiders

Home/Atlanta Falcons