There are 32 teams and 32 fan bases. So I am clearly going to tick off 29 of them with this post. But the truth is that there are really only three teams right now that are fully set up to compete for the Lombardi trophy. Sure, a few other teams will emerge throughout the year. But we’re talking about the top 3 Super Bowl favorites in the month of August. So here we go:
Top 3 Super Bowl Favorites
1. New England Patriots – Duh! The champs should put up a tremendous fight to defend their title. Tom Brady is healthy (and not suspended) and that’s really all that matters with this club.
2. Atlanta Falcons – There’s absolutely ZERO reason to downgrade the Falcons from contention. They were impressive from start to finish last year and surprised many (including me) on the defensive side of things. Matt Ryan now has a taste for the limelight and I don’t think he’ll let it pass him by.
3. Oakland Raiders – There’s face it: if Derek Carr doesn’t get hurt we might be talking about the Raiders as being the defending champs. That’s how good this team is. Their momentum was abruptly halted when they lost their quarterback prior to the postseason. But he’s back and the Raiders have some unfinished business.
This is my top three at the moment. Green Bay doesn’t have the running game or lock down defense, Dallas is missing their best weapon due to suspension to begin the season and Houston must prove that they can score enough points. That could all change prior to the playoffs. But for now these are my top three NFL picks. So deal with it.
Matthew Ross is a sports commentator and a radio host on TSN 690 Radio in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Follow him @MatthewWords.