NFL Power Rankings: 5 teams that could realistically dethrone the Chiefs next season

The last time we saw this happen, Tom Brady was still seen as a glorified game-manager. As of last night, the 2003-04 New England Patriots are no longer an answer to a very important sports trivia question: Who was the last team to repeat as Super Bowl champions? By beating the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers back-to-back that would be the 2022-23 Kansas City Chiefs.

This is their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history, as well as the third of the Patrick Mahomes/Andy Reid era. There is no way around this. The Chiefs are dynastic, having gone 3-1 in four Super Bowls over the last five seasons. The only time they did not win the AFC was at home to Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. Right now, the Chiefs could three-peat, but football can be so unforgiving.

To date, no NFL team has ever three-peated as Super Bowl champions. The same topic was up for discussion last year in the college football world. My beloved Georgia Bulldogs were on the precipice of doing just that, but lost to Nick Saban's Alabama Crimson Tide one final time before Nick Saban ultimately retired. Georgia did not in fact three-peat, despite going 42-2 over the last three seasons.

With history no longer on their side, here are five teams most likely to stop the Chiefs next season.

5 teams most likely to stop Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl three-peat

5. Buffalo Bills will have one last shot to dethrone the Chiefs in the AFC

Admittedly, I didn't really have a good choice for a fifth team, so I guess I'm going with the Buffalo Bills. Eventually, it is going to break in the Bills' favor in the postseason, right? Well, after losing at home to the Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Round, Sean McDermott and his coaching staff are running out of time to do that. It really comes down to how patient ownership is, but my patience would be tested.

The one think I liked the most about the Bills this past season is they finally seemed to have a running game outside of Josh Allen carrying it himself. Who knew that James Cook would be a good pro? I sure did. Go Dawgs! Anyway, I feel like the Bills are still the best team in the AFC East, and that should matter when it comes to playoff positioning. Experience is why I have them edging out another team.

I could have easily gone with the Houston Texans in this spot, but I need to see a little bit more to think that they will repeat in the AFC South. It feels way more likely that somebody else eclipses them in division than say Miami getting past Buffalo in the AFC East. I could see Jacksonville being the team to beat in the AFC South next year. It is hard to see an AFC playoffs without Buffalo a part of it.

Assuming there is a crashing sense of urgency, I could see Buffalo getting it right for once vs. KC.