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There’s only four teams left and three games to play until the NFL closes the book on another season. The blank pages left will be filled with wonderful tales of big plays, wrong playcalls and missed opportunities. Veteran signal callers versus young upstart quarterbacks might be the theme but there are a lot more factors that will go into these wins. These rankings will reflect the team that has the best chance to win the Superbowl down to the team with the least chance.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints have the best balance of offense and defense, making big plays on both sides of the ball. New Orleans has played big team after big team this season and win or lose, they have looked good in almost all of them. The ageless Drew Brees is in his 18th season hoping to win it all one more time.
With the ability to control the clock with their rushing attack and their big play ability throwing it downfield, the rest of the teams in the playoffs might find it hard to stop them. They also have the luxury of home field advantage for the conference title game and even the Superbowl will be held close to home in nearby Atlanta.
New England Patriots
For all the talk that Brady is getting old and the Patriots are slipping they find themselves in the Conference championship once again. The combination of Brady and head coach Bill Belichick once again proved that a playoff bye week usually spells doom for their divisional opponent.
The Patriots do not have a roster full of top players anymore. What they do have is the best continuity and the most consistency to go along with the most experience at the top. Any team playing the Patriots have to be prepared for a full out war for four quarters, no lead is too big and no deficit too small. Chances are Belichick already has a game plan to stop his opponents. It will all come down to if they can follow their plan or another team can disrupt it.
Kansas City Chiefs
An offensive explosion in the regular season led the Chiefs to the best record in the AFC. Young Pat Mahomes has put his name at the top of the MVP conversation throwing for 5,097 yards and 50 touchdown in the regular season. Head coach Andy Reid will be making his sixth appearance in a conference title game but has only won the game once.
The Chiefs will have to forget history: the history of their franchise, Reid’s history in the title game and even the history of this season on the defensive side. The defense came alive in the divisional round and if this is the defense they will have going forward, they might need to be at the top of this list.
Los Angeles Rams
From top to bottom you probably wont find a more talented team left in the playoffs than Los Angeles. If every player on the team plays to their full potential I don’t see how anyone could stop them. That was on display in the divisional round as the Rams literally rammed their way to the conference title.
The young head coach Sean McVay will have his work cut out for him. Every other top man left in the playoffs has been to the Superbowl. McVay will have to keep his young team calm and not let the moment be too big. If Los Angeles cam keep the focus on the field and not let distractions get to them, it will be hard for any team left to beat them.
