Five months out from Super Bowl LXI, it’s already fair game to start sorting through the teams that look built for a February run. Week 2 is here, the league still feels wide open, and that means the conversation gets fun fast: which NFC and AFC contenders actually have the kind of makeup that can carry them all the way to the last game of the season?
Last year’s Super Bowl LX was proof that the NFL can flip the script in a hurry. Seattle and New England had both missed the playoffs the year before, and suddenly they were on the biggest stage.
That kind of volatility is exactly why this exercise matters now. The league gives you enough surprises to keep you guessing, but some teams still flash one clear Super Bowl trait that makes them worth watching.
At No. 5, the pairing of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears comes with a lot of upside and a lot of buzz. Jacksonville has won nine regular season games dating back to the 2025 campaign, and there’s enough there to take them seriously. The roster may not be overflowing with talent yet, but this regime still feels a year ahead of schedule, and Trevor Lawrence plus head coach Liam Coen gives the Jaguars a legitimate chance to matter.
Chicago brings a different kind of appeal. As long as Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson keep stacking points, the Bears are going to stay in the spotlight. Their defense remains a concern, but if the offense turns out to be as dangerous as people expect, Dennis Allen’s group may not need to do too much heavy lifting.
At No. 4, the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Rams offer a much more established kind of Super Bowl case. Baltimore opened with a blowout of the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 and already checks most of the usual boxes. The big question is still health across the roster and whether Lamar Jackson can put together a full playoff run, something he hasn’t yet done.
The Rams are coming at this from the other direction. Their Week 1 blowout loss was ugly, but it also served as a reminder that one game can distort the picture.
This team has the most talent in the NFL, and it also has the reigning MVP. With Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay steering the ship, Los Angeles already has a championship track record, having won the Super Bowl in 2021.
From top to bottom, the ingredients for another run are there.
In Other News...
Jaguars Loss Just Sparked A Travis Hunter Debate Fans Feared
The Jaguars Week 2 loss to Denver did more than drop Jacksonville to 0-2, it reignited the conversation around Travis Hunters role and how the team is using its most talked-about newcomer. Hunter spent most of the afternoon on defense at cornerback, saw only limited work on offense, and still found himself in the middle of a pivotal moment when a pass interference flag went against him in a game the Jaguars could not afford to let slip away.
Liam Coen moved quickly to defend Hunter after the penalty, while also taking issue with the unsportsmanlike conduct call that followed. For a team still trying to settle its identity early in the season, the debate now is not just about one play, but about how Jacksonville balances Hunters two-way value with the need for cleaner execution in tight games. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Defensive Problem They Cant Ignore
The Jaguars got a reminder in Denver that a pass rush can look dangerous one week and vanish the next. After opening the season with five sacks and plenty of pressure in a win over the Browns, Jacksonville couldnt get home against the Broncos, and the difference showed in a game that forced defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile to keep tweaking his approach as it went along.
Campanile started with a four-man rush but had to send extra help later as the Broncos held up better than Jacksonville did up front. Josh Hines-Allen said he needs to raise his own level after being kept out of the sack column, and that kind of self-assessment matters for a defense that now has to prove its first game was the baseline, not the outlier. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Hunter Conversation Just Got More Personal For Jaguars Fans
Leanna Hunter made her way to the Jaguars game against the Broncos and showed up in a Jaguars-themed outfit, adding a little extra buzz to a day that already had plenty of eyes on Travis Hunter. She also took to Instagram to mark her husbands second season with the team, keeping her support for the rookie cornerback visible both in the stands and online.
The personal side of Hunters Jaguars journey has become part of the conversation around how he is being used, especially after Leanna Hunter voiced criticism of Liam Coens handling of Travis during the game. For Jacksonville fans, it adds another layer to a storyline that is no longer just about development and play selection, but also about how closely this new chapter is being watched beyond the sideline. [Read more 🡒]