As the 2024 NFL season approaches, fans are buzzing with anticipation about which team will hoist the Lombardi come February. Super Bowl LIX will be taking place at the New Orleans Super Dome, the site of numerous heavyweight clashes over the years including the Baltimore Ravens’ famous 34-31 victory against the San Francisco 49ers amidst a blackout in 2013. The Maryland side hasn’t claimed the championship in the 11 years since then, however, they did come perilously close last term.
With Lamar Jackson back in the kind of form that saw him unanimously claim the MVP award in 2019, the Purple Murder finished the regular season as the AFC’s best team, securing top-seed status in the process. They then knocked off the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round before ultimately falling at the hands of the Kansas City Chefs in the conference championships. The experience of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce ultimately proved to be too much to handle, and it was they who progressed before going on to claim the Lombard for the second straight year.
This year, the Arrowhead outfit remains a team to watch and is gunning to become the first team in history to complete the elusive three-peat. And the bookies make them one of the favorites to do exactly that. But what of the teams that still wait for their maiden championship?
in recent years, there has been a power shift in the league unlike anything we have seen before, with more and more perceived unheralded teams making team postseason runs. Here are three such teams that could win the Super Bowl for the first time this season.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals have been knocking on the door of greatness for the past few seasons. Ever since selecting sensational quarterback Joe Burrow with the first overall pick in the 2020 draft, Cincy’s fortunes have been completely transformed. In his second season with the team, he led them to their first Super Bowl in 33 years, and it looked like they would walk out of SoFi Stadium with the trophy, only for Cooper Kupp to secure a last-gasp touchdown to secure victory for his LA Rams on home turf.
The following year, they made it back to the AFC championship game for the second straight year, forcing the NFL to abandon plans of a neutral conference championship in the process. However this time around, the Chiefs would have their revenge for the previous year, narrowly securing the victory at Arrowhead before going on to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVIII.
Last term, the Bengals missed out on the postseason due to their main man under center suffering a season-ending elbow injury and missing the second half of the campaign. This term, he is back and fully fit, and with support from wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, there is a very real chance that the Ohio outfit could challenge in the playoffs once more. They are the only team in the league that seemingly has the Chefs’ number – leading them 3-1 in games where both Burrow and Mahomes have started – and they may be the only team that can stop them from reaching yet another Big Game.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have been agonizingly close to Super Bowl glory, both in recent years and in decades gone by. Back in the early 1990s, the New York State side became the first team in history to reach four straight Super Bowls. Inexplicably, however, they lost all four, and they haven’t been able to make it back to the big game in the years since.
With Josh Allen at the helm, the team is back to its very best and has consistently been one of the top contenders in the AFC. The former University of Wyoming standout’s dual-threat capabilities make him one of the most versatile quarterbacks in the league, and his leadership has galvanized the entire franchise. Their offense is a juggernaut with wide receiver Stefon Diggs remaining the primary target and a bonafide superstar. The emergence of tight end Dawson Knox however has diversified their attack, while the addition of running back James Cook provides a balanced rushing threat, adding another dimension to an already potent arsenal.
The Highmaark side has a tough start to the season and they will play road games at the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, and Houston Texans all within the first five weeks.
As such, their week six trip to MetLife Stadium to face Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets could let us know where Buffalo’s Lombardi aspirations truly stand. While the NFL betting odds for week 6 haven’t yet been published – with bookies waiting to see how the early season matchups play out – the outright futures odds certainly have. One prominent outlet makes the Bills a +1600 contender. If they can somehow navigate their difficult start to the campaign, then those odds will surely be slashed ahead of the campaign’s midway point.
Conclusion
While the Kansas City Chiefs are favored for a three-peat, the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills are prime candidates to capture their first Super Bowl title this season. The Bengals have Joe Burrow’s magic and an ability to slay the Chiefs, having taken 3 of 4 meetings.
The Bills, led by Josh Allen’s elite play, have been persistent contenders and are motivated to finally break through after four straight Super Bowl losses in the 1990s. With explosive offenses, playoff pedigrees, and a hunger to make history, both Cincinnati and Buffalo possess the ingredients to dethrone the Chiefs and etch their name into championship lore for the first time.
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