The Philadelphia Eagles closed the 2024 NFL campaign in a way that should've caught everyone's attention. They didn't simply win Super Bowl LIX -- a victory that gave the franchise a second Lombardi Trophy in the last eight seasons -- they absolutely dominated the Kansas City Chiefs, a team that was chasing an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl triumph but wound up suffering a 40-22 defeat. In doing so, the Eagles left no doubt about their stature heading into the 2025 campaign.
Philadelphia is the team to beat until somebody else proves otherwise.
The Eagles lost some key pieces from that championship squad, but there are still more than enough reasons to see why Philadelphia is the current betting favorite to win it all again. The offense features quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, dynamic pass catchers like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and arguably the league's best offensive line. The defense -- even with the departures of D-lineman Milton Williams, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and edge rushers Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat -- should still be elite after finishing as the NFL's top unit in 2024. There aren't many teams -- if any -- that can match the overall talent Philly currently boasts on its roster.
That doesn't mean the Eagles won't be challenged. They emerged as the best squad from a deep pool of contenders last season, and there are plenty of teams still capable of winning Super Bowl LX next February in Santa Clara, California. The goal of this exercise is to predict who has the best chance of dethroning the Eagles as the champs. Here's how I rank the top six competitors.
The Chiefs are always a safe pick when you're talking about teams that could contend for a championship. They've won three of the last six Super Bowls and they've played in five overall since Patrick Mahomes took over at quarterback in 2018. The Chiefs obviously weren't so fortunate this past February, when the Eagles blew them out on the sport's biggest stage, but that's another big reason they sit atop this list: Humiliation tends to be a useful motivator for most franchises, especially proud ones like Kansas City. Future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce, for one, made it clear that he spurned retirement because he didn't want to go out like that. The Chiefs also know Mahomes is most dangerous when he has a chip on his shoulder. Furthermore, most of the usual cast of characters remain on this roster, as Kansas City was able to keep both middle linebacker Nick Bolton and Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith from escaping in free agency. (Bolton signed a multi-year extension, while Smith currently carries the franchise-tag designation.)
Now comes the question that won't be answered until well into September: Have the Chiefs fixed the offensive line problems that plagued them throughout last season and ultimately killed them against an Eagles team that tormented Mahomes relentlessly in the Super Bowl? They signed former 49ers backup left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency and gambled on the health of OT prosect Josh Simmons -- who sustained a torn patellar tendon in his final season at Ohio State -- with their first-round pick. Head coach Andy Reid is praying one of those players can stabilize that position while last year's opening day starter at left tackle -- Kingsley Suamataia -- gets first crack at replacing All-Pro Joe Thuney at left guard.
There's a lot to like about Kansas City, including the fact that burgeoning star wide receiver Rashee Rice returns from injury and All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones remains one of the most disruptive interior players in football. However, the Chiefs are not going to win another championship unless that O-line improves. Everything this team aspires to revolves around that.
The Bills silenced a lot of skeptics in 2024, as the popular question at this time last year was how they would fare after losing key veterans like wide receiver Stefon Diggs and safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde. It turned out Buffalo didn't suffer from those departures, which is why this team should be even more dangerous this fall. There's no reason to wonder about who's going to step up with this bunch; it's about whether the key figures will step up at the right time. The lingering image of the Bills from last season is having the ball late in the AFC Championship Game at Kansas City and failing to put themselves in position to tie or take the lead in a 32-29 contest. That was the fifth straight season that Buffalo suffered a devastating loss in the playoffs, with Kansas City taking responsibility for four of those.
As much as those defeats have stung the Bills and their fans, there are still plenty of reasons to believe they'll win a championship sooner than later. Quarterback Josh Allen continues to evolve, for one. He's coming off a season when he won his first league Most Valuable Player award -- and it's fair to assume he'll be even better, given that his game continues to mature with each passing fall. All of his key weapons are back on offense, along with an offensive line that surrendered a league-low 14 sacks all season.
The defense largely should be solid once again, but that's the real issue with this bunch. That side of the ball needs to be more reliable when the postseason arrives. The Bills have allowed an average of 33.2 points per game in their last five playoff defeats. Buffalo also has shown an alarming inability to frustrate any of the quarterbacks it has faced in those contests. The Bills have the talent and the quarterback to eventually reach and win the Super Bowl. Creating those vital stops in critical situations will be the difference in whether that ultimately happens.
The Ravens are the most confounding team in football these days. They have as much talent as just about any organization in the league and they've been in great position to reach the Super Bowl in each of the last two seasons (including hosting the 2023 AFC title game). The problem is that Baltimore has routinely found ways to implode in clutch moments, with star quarterback Lamar Jackson committing four total turnovers in the team's last two playoff defeats. If the Ravens and their leader can shake those disturbing habits, then there's every reason to believe in their ability to win a championship.
It's not like Baltimore doesn't compare favorably with Philadelphia. These teams played in Week 13 last season, and the Ravens outgained the Eagles by 120 yards (372-252). The issue was former Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who missed two field goals and an extra point in that 24-19 loss. The Ravens had too many moments like that in 2024, but there also should be serious excitement about this team heading into the fall. Jackson made a strong case for his third MVP last year, as he threw for 4,172 yards, ran for 915 and accounted for 45 total touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions. Derrick Henry ran for the quietest 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns in NFL history, while a defense that struggled with breakdowns early in the season matured into a dominant unit by the end. The draft additions of safety Malaki Starks and edge rusher Mike Green give this defense a chance to cause as much chaos as it did in 2023, when it allowed the fewest points in the league.
There's no doubt the Ravens will be back in the mix for a championship, just looking at the talent in that building. Whether they get over the hump depends entirely on how they meet those moments in January.
Eagles fans won't appreciate this, but last season was supposed to be Detroit's year. The Lions had the motivation (after blowing a 17-point halftime lead at San Francisco in the previous season's NFC Championship Game), the talent (their offense led the league in scoring), the coaching (both their offensive and defensive coordinator would land head-coaching jobs after the season) and the urgency (this team hasn't won an NFL championship since 1957 and has never appeared in a Super Bowl). The one thing Detroit didn't have going for it was fate. A litany of injuries, especially on defense, eventually ruined all those lofty aspirations and led to the Lions losing to Washington in the Divisional Round. Detroit understands that there will be new challenges coming this season -- especially with OC Ben Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn moving on -- but the foundation that head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have built over five years remains solid.
The offense will once again feature Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff, first-team All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, one of the best lines in football and the dynamic running back duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery (who rushed for a combined 2,187 yards and 28 touchdowns). The defense can't wait to see star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson back on the field after a broken leg limited him to just five games in 2024. The Lions invested a lot of resources into rebuilding their secondary last offseason. Returning Hutchinson to the lineup means this D will play more like Campbell and Holmes envisioned: harassing quarterbacks with relentless pressure and suffocating receivers with sticky coverage. That happened to be the same formula Philadelphia used to overwhelm Kansas City in the Super Bowl, which surely wasn't lost on anybody in Motown.
The Lions did their best to overcome plenty of setbacks last season -- let's not forget, they were the top seed in the NFC with a sparkling 15-2 record -- but you only get so many chances at claiming a title. It simply wasn't their year in 2024. They're good enough to turn this coming season into a redemptive experience.
It might be surprising to some that the Rams are rated higher on this list than the Commanders, seeing how Washington was the team that faced Philadelphia in January's NFC title bout. It actually shouldn't be a stunner when considering how both teams performed against the Eagles in the postseason. The Commanders gave up 55 points to Philadelphia and lost by 32. The Rams lost after a pass from Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua fell incomplete with 26 seconds left in what would be a 28-22 Divisional Round defeat. The Rams gave the Eagles all they could handle on that snowy day, and it's not hard to think Sean McVay's bunch could do so again in the coming season.
Los Angeles was supposed to be the franchise festering in salary cap purgatory after going all in to win a Super Bowl in the 2021 season. Instead, the Rams have remade their roster with savvy personnel moves and smart drafting. The team that relied heavily on expensive stars to win a Lombardi Trophy four years ago is now young, confident and eager to chase another title.
Stafford is still around after flirting with other teams in the offseason before eventually signing a new contract with L.A. Free-agent signee Davante Adams replaces Cooper Kupp as the complement to Nacua at wide receiver, while running back Kyren Williams (1,299 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2024) remains one of the most underrated weapons in the league. The Rams are just as impressive on the other side of the football, specifically in the front seven. Combining interior defensive linemen Braden Fiske and Kobie Turner with edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young, defensive coordinator Chris Shula can create havoc for opposing offenses. Los Angeles proved as much in Philadelphia back in January. The Rams should be even more dangerous as this upcoming season plays out.
Washington was the feel-good story of 2024, which amounts to good and bad news. The good news is that head coach Dan Quinn immediately established a winning culture within a franchise that had been languishing for years and found a burgeoning superstar in quarterback Jayden Daniels, last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year. The bad news is that the Commanders won't be sneaking up on anybody any longer.
General manager Adam Peters was once again aggressive in his second offseason on the job, as he engineered trades for former 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel and former Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Washington still needs more help when it comes to rushing the passer, but it's obvious how this team wants to win games. The Commanders plan on putting as much pressure as possible on opponents with Daniels engineering a prolific offense. Last season, Washington went on a seven-game winning streak before losing to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship Game. The Commanders scored at least 30 points in four of those wins, including 45 in a Divisional Round victory at Detroit and 36 in a Week 16 triumph over Philadelphia. The Commanders ultimately proved last season that they're not intimidated by anyone.
This season will bring a different set of tests, including adjusting to how defenses attack Daniels in Year 2 -- remember the struggles that the highly touted Texans experienced last year after quarterback C.J. Stroud had exploded onto the scene as a rookie in 2023? -- and whether Washington can handle life as a perceived heavyweight.
