Breaking down the top 10 Super Bowl contenders

These are the 10 clubs most likely to hoist a Lombardi Trophy in February.

The National Football League latest season kicks off on September 10 when the reigning champions host the Houston Texans. Are the Kansas City Chiefs the frontrunners to win Super Bowl LV and become the first team to repeat as NFL champions since the 2003 and 2004 Patriots? Here’s a look at the top 10 contenders for the league crown as the 2020 campaign approaches — one that will certainly be different in many ways and that includes 14 playoff teams instead of 12 this year.

10. Seattle Seahawks

Offense: Only three teams in the league ran for more yards a year ago than Seattle. But these days, the offense clearly runs through quarterback Russell Wilson. Wideout D.K. Metcalf could be in for a stellar second season, the addition of Carlos Hyde makes the ground game even more potent and tight end Greg Olsen was a solid pickup.

Defense: General manager John Schneider gave up a lot to get All-Pro safety Jamal Adams from the New York Jets. But the league’s 26th-ranked defense and a club that allowed 398 points this past season need all the help they can get. Can the return of pass-rusher Bruce Irvin improve a unit that managed a disappointing 28 sacks in 2019?

Coaching: Pete Carroll has led the team to seven playoff appearances in the past eight seasons and the last two years have had to rely more on his offense than his once-fabled defensive unit. Fortunately for the latter unit, the Seahawks found a way to muster 32 takeaways. Coordinator Ken Norton Jr. could be feeling some heat this year.

X-Factor: Seattle had the 49ers’ number for the better part of five seasons and the veteran coach must find a way to re-establish his team’s dominance in the series if his club is to topple the reigning conference champions. The club also needs a big year from the offensive line if it is to avoid fading down the stretch as was the case in ’19.