Anyone who claims to have THE Super Bowl LXI bet is either lying to you or, by definition, misleading their audience. The season hasn't even started yet and we can successfully eliminate about half the league from Super Bowl contention in part because that's not their main goal for the upcoming season.
Some of these teams are more obvious than others. The Rams will not be included on this list, as they added a ton of talent this offseason (such as Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie, among others), but the Browns? Well, Cleveland's going to have a tough time winning four games, let alone the four it'd require them to take home the Lombardi Trophy in the postseason.
Cleveland Browns
- Browns bold prediction: 2027 No. 1 overall pick
The Browns are not a serious NFL franchise. Cleveland named Deshaun Watson their starting QB to begin the season, which is convenient given their first two games are on the road. Browns fans hate Watson, which they made perfectly clear by booing him in the preseason. Watson responded by playing the victim card in his postgame press conference. Yeah, the Browns are starting that guy.
Beyond Watson, though, the Browns also gave their quarterbacks no one to throw to. The offensive line needs a ton of work, even beyond new offensive tackle Spencer Fano. The defense was a strength last season, but the Browns front office responded by trading franchise icon and all-time sack leader Myles Garrett. If the Browns land Arch, he'll be Tim Couch 2.0. A Super Bowl is not in their future.
Miami Dolphins
- Dolphins bold prediction: De'Von Achane is traded
Jeff Hafley made a big splash in his first season as Miami Dolphins head coach, as the franchise signed Malik Willis as their next quarterback of the future. This meant giving up on Tua Tagovailoa (more on his later), and starting from scratch. The Dolphins wide receiver room is unrecognizable from years past, as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are no longer in town. Malik Washington, Jalen Tolbert and Caleb Douglas aren't going to cut it on the outside, leaving Miami's offense with little more than De'Von Achane.
On defense, there's plenty of room for improvement, as well. The Dolphins gave up 5.8 yards per play in 2025, which was fifth-worst in the NFL. The addition of Hafley, who is a defensive coach first, should help matters. Miami drafted Chris Johnson out of San Diego State in the first round and Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech in the second. Expect those rookies to get plenty of playing time, and learn from their mistakes in the long run.
A Super Bowl is well out of reach for this team.
New York Jets
- Jets bold prediction: Aaron Glenn doesn't get fired
Geno Smith is the starting quarterback for the Jets this season. I could probably end my reasoning there, but I won't. The return of Garrett Wilson should do the Jets offense some good, assuming Smith actually targets him as he should. Breece Hall is still the starting running back with Braelon Allen behind him. Offensively, the Jets have some firepower at the skill positions, but that only matters if the offensive line can protect them. Add in Smith's tendency to hold onto the ball too long and throw passes into traffic, and New York's offense should be boom or bust in 2026. My money is on the latter.
The Jets defense was middle of the pack last season, but after trading Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys, New York needed some push up front. That's why the Jets drafted David Bailey in the first round, and added D'Angelo Ponds in the secondary for good measure in the second round. I like this Jets rookie class, and Aaron Glenn is finally starting to build a foundation. Winning a Super Bowl — or even making the playoffs for that matter — would be well ahead of schedule for this group. Hard pass.
Tennessee Titans
- Titans bold prediction: Cam Ward turns into a franchise QB
My friends and I play in a Fantasy Football sicko league. This league is constructed around the worst players in football doing bad things to help their team lose games. This is how I know just how poor Cam Ward played last season. It's also how I know Tony Pollard is little more than a three-yards-per-carry back, and the Titans were in desperate need for a receiver not named Calvin Ridley in 2025. The good news is they draft Carnell Tate in the first round. The bad news is he and Ward haven't developed much of a connection yet if the preseason is any indication.
Defensively, the Titans gave up 5.8 yards per play and were ranked bottom-10 in the NFL in total yards alone, mainly because they were on the field so often. Tennessee's offense did little to give Jeffery Simmons and Co. some rest. I don't expect that to change much in 2026, even if Ward takes a major leap forward.
Las Vegas Raiders
- Raiders bold prediction: Fernando Mendoza doesn't start until midseason
No first-overall pick has ever won a Super Bowl in their rookie season. I could pretty much end the argument right there. As poised as Fernando Mendoza looked at Indiana, there is bound to be a learning curve in the NFL. There's also no guarantee Mendoza starts Week 1, as the Raiders would be smart to roll out Kirk Cousins as this young offensive line learns to play together. If any quarterback takes big hits in 2026, it really ought to be Cousins, rather than the face of the franchise.
The Raiders were bad by most metrics last season, but ranked 19th in total yards allowed. Maxx Crosby remains despite Vegas's best attempts to trade him. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham left for the Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning the Raiders seem likely to take a step back on that side of the ball. A Super Bowl is a pipe dream this year.
New York Giants
- Giants bold prediction: John Harbaugh has questions about Jaxson Dart
No team hurts themselves more than the New York Giants. I mean that figuratively and literally. Jaxson Dart still doesn't know how to slide, and Cam Skattebo probably doesn't believe in concussions. The Giants also led the NFL last season in penalty yardage. Are we still questioning why Brian Daboll was fired midseason?
John Harbaugh should use his first season in charge to evaluate everyone. Is Dart really the QB of the future in New York? What of this defense, particularly the young pieces in Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese? And can Malik Nabers stay healthy long enough to be a true No. 1 on the outside? All of these will eventually be answered, but not at once. The Giants aren't a Super Bowl contender just yet, though they do have some promising talent.
New Orleans Saints
- Saints bold prediction: Kellen Moore wins the NFC South
Whatever Kellen Moore is building in New Orleans is nearing completion. Tyler Shough looked like the real deal in his rookie season, a surprise few Saints fans saw coming. If he can make a sophomore leap, perhaps the Saints front office will have something to work with moving forward. Chris Olave struggles to stay healthy but is elite when on the field. New Orleans basically drafted Olave 2.0 in Jordan Tyson, another electric talent with a long injury history. Travis Etienne Jr. and Alvin Kamara make for an intriguing backfield.
Am I talking myself into the Saints? Not so fast, my friend. The Saints could make the postseason this year in a weak NFC South. Heck, that's a good bet to make.
Yet, Moore and Shough are only in their second season together and they're relying on a lot of players who tend to get hurt. New Orleans' defense ranked 24th-best in yards allowed last season and gave up just 4.8 yards per play. Cameron Jordan is a year older and the Saints did little to replace him. I have questions about this unit.
Atlanta Falcons
- Falcons bold prediction: Atlanta benches both veteran QBs in 2027
The Falcons are relying on Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr. to take them back to the postseason and beyond. Next question. I like the Falcons on paper. As always, Atlanta was one of the winners of free agency. Kevin Stefanski was a nice hire, and never should've been blamed for the Browns misfortunes. Atlanta did the right thing and gave Bijan Robinson a new contract. Drake London is better than you think. Rookie Avieon Terrell and Zachariah Branch could make an early impact.
That's a lot of if's, and's or but's. A case can be made for the Falcons to win the NFC South. They came close last season, after all. Yet, a postseason run in the loaded NFC would be a relative surprise. Are Tua or Penix Jr. carving up the Rams and Seahawks defenses? Yeah, I didn't think so.
Arizona Cardinals
- Cardinals bold prediction: A RB trade is coming by the deadline
I appreciate the layup. Arizona's not a bad bet to finish with the worst record in the NFL next season. Jacoby Brissett should not be a starting QB in the NFL. Carson Beck was in the conversation to supplant him this preseason, which says more about Brissett than the rookie out of Miami. Jeremiyah Love is a weapon if he can stay healthy, but he's also an odd fit in a backfield that already features Tyler Allgeier and James Conner. Will Marvin Harrison Jr. ever become the guy we watched at Ohio State?
The Cardinals had the sixth-worst defense in the NFL last season in total yardage. They gave up the ninth-most passing yards. So, what did they do about it? Virtually nothing, besides taking a running back in the top 5. Mike LaFleur seems like a nice guy and a decent hire, but he has his hands full in Arizona. Let's hope his leash is long.
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Steelers bold prediction: Aaron Rodgers calls out Mike McCarthy by Week 10
A surprise! Yes, are boring you with nine teams expected to pick in the top-10 of next year's NFL Draft, we had to throw you for a twist. While there are plenty of teams that could fit this category — trust me, I looked — the Steelers are on the downswing. It's brutally obvious to everyone but the Steelers and their ownership group. Pittsburgh had a chance to move forward and retool this offseason when Mike Tomlin left. The Steelers were embarrassed in the AFC Wild Card round, after all, and have lost seven straight postseason games largely in the same fashion.
Instead, the Steelers kept course. Art Rooney Jr.'s sole goal is to make the playoffs every season. He blacks out after that point. Mike McCarthy was a safe hire, and a PR victory, as he's from the Pittsburgh area. He's also smart enough to surround himself with great assistants like Patrick Graham and Tom Arth, among others. McCarthy's faults are all too obvious in big games. Clock management is not this man's strength, but to be fair he grew up in Greenfield. What else can we expect?
On the field, Aaron Rodgers remains. Or I should say the remains of Aaron Rodgers remain after the Texans pummeled him into the turf last January. The roster, more or less, has improved around the margins. The running back room is better thanks to Rico Dowdle. The Steelers traded for Michael Pittman. Defensively, it's more of the same, plus Jamel Dean and some nice additions in the secondary.
Let's get to the nitty gritty, though. Joey Porter Jr. doesn't have a contract extension. Rodgers is older than most dads. The offensive line doesn't look remotely ready for regular-season football despite the resources invested in it. And the run defense was an issue for what feels like the 100th straight year in 2025. Why would we assume it'll improve in 2026 when they've done nothing to address it?
If all goes right for the Steelers, they finish 10-7 and win one single playoff game. They'll throw a parade and hang a banner, because that's exactly how far this franchise has fallen. If the wheels fall off, they'll go 9-8 and blame Jalen Ramsey somehow.
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