With the spectacle and the outcome of Superbowl LVII now firmly assured in the NFL history books, fans will be quick to claim as to who they strongly believe will be capable of mounting a challenge for next year’s Superbowl event which is scheduled to take place in the newly constructed Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Superbowl LVII featured several sublime plays and entertaining performances that culminated in the Kansas City Chiefs winning their second Vince Lombardi title in just four years following a narrow yet wildly eccentric 38-35 encounter against the Philadelphia Eagles in an instant classic.
Both teams showcased their immense talent throughout the game, which could have easily swung back in the Eagles favor, yet Patrick Mahomes’ stellar play at Quarterback elevated the Chiefs to their third Superbowl victory in franchise history.
Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 NFL season, there is already plenty of palpable attention directed towards the upcoming draft class and the opening week of next season which is set to begin on the 7th of September later this year.
In the buildup to the long-awaited 2023/24 season, these are some of the top predicted teams who are likely to mount a considerable challenge for next year’s Superbowl event from both the NFC and AFC:
- Kansas City Chiefs:
Unfortunately for all AFC West and Conference teams, the Chiefs will likely remain as the frontrunner to contend for a Superbowl across the next several years due to their star-studded roster that is highlighted with two-time regular season and Superbowl MVP QB Patrick Mahomes, who has already emerged as a lively candidate to topple Tom Brady’s status as the ‘GOAT’ of the NFL.
The current outright NFL lines for the 2024 Superbowl winner has the reigning champions at +600 odds to retain their title status and become one of the few teams in NFL history to win the Superbowl game on consecutive occasions, which would leave many to label the Chiefs as a dynasty franchise.
Alongside the aforementioned Mahomes, the Chiefs also possess other notable All-Pro talent and star players such as TE Travis Kelce, DT Chris Jones, C Creed Humphrey and LG Joe Thuney, with other players enjoying great development and continued success at the Chiefs such as seventh round RB Isiah Pacheco and WR Kadarius Toney.
This is still a very young roster and, given its recent success, they are very much likely to compete for a Superbowl every season whilst Patrick Mahomes dons the fabled red and white of the Chiefs franchise with head coach Andy Reid also earning a reputation as one of the leagues most respected and heavily prestigious coaching staff members.
- Philadelphia Eagles:
The Eagles locked up the NFC top seed after a tremendous regular season of play and defeated their NFC East rivals in the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs to earn a trip back to the Superbowl where QB Jalen Hurts put on a tremendous showing in what was ultimately a losing effort.
The game would be truly decided by a controversial holding call in the fourth quarter against the Eagles which would set KC up to score a deciding field goal to win the contest 38-35.
Despite the heartbreaking loss, there is still plenty of optimism around the Eagles organization following Superbowl LVII as they’re still considered to be lively contenders for a spot in the game next season after a tremendous rejuvenation process that they endured throughout 2022/23.
Jalen Hurts has developed into a perennial MVP candidate and has since found great success when scoring touchdowns in both passing and rushing, thanks to the Eagles genius draft night trade with the Titans for WR AJ Brown to pair up alongside DeVonta Smith.
The Eagles Offensive Line is also one of the best in the game today alongside a feared defense that can force many noticeable turnovers from any of the league’s most established offensive players.
No matter the outcome of Superbowl LVII, the Eagles are set up to compete for years and should remain a perennial contender in the NFC for years to come.
- Buffalo Bills:
The Bills franchise is no stranger to heartbreak, which was especially apparent during their disastrous 27-10 divisional round exit at the hands of the 2022 AFC Champions Cincinnati Bengals, who would go on to lose to the eventual champions Chiefs in the AFC Championship game.
Whilst many may sight the Bengals as the consensus pick to make the Superbowl in the AFC behind only the Chiefs, there is no denying the sheer star-power that this Bills team has to offer, which mainly comes in the forms of QB Josh Allen and WR Stefon Diggs.
The Bills also suffered several critical injuries on the defensive end such as former Superbowl MVP Von Miller requiring MRI after a knee injury during their Week 12 28-25 win over the Lions, alongside the heartbreaking collapse Damar Hamlin after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field during the Bills MNF clash against the Bengals.
With the Bills star defensive players now returning back into the rotation, they are still a major force in the AFC and are likely to mount a greater challenge towards the Chiefs reign of dominance ahead of the Bengals, given that Cincinnati is still suffering from great worries on their Offensive Line who simply cannot prevent QB Joe Burrow from being sacked on a consistent basis.
