In last year’s Super Bowl, the New England Patriots took the title yet again. But will they be successful for another year running? As the NFL season gets underway, it’s all systems go. Tom Brady has signed another two-year contract – will his experience and reputation help the Patriots? What about all the new roster changes, the retirements, the obvious predictions, and the upsets – it’s still a way to go until the Super Bowl final but who will take the trophy? And will the Miami Dolphins finally get a break?
Like in any sports, age is always against the player. Which means we’ve seen older players (and some young) retire from the game. And if they haven’t, then they have to pull out the stops to make sure the young guns don’t take their spot. Tom Brady is 42 yet still a key component of the Patriots, and most likely will be for the next two years until his contract ends. Although he didn’t top the stats last season, he was still a key player and will continue to be so as the Patriots chase success again. One of the biggest shocks was the retirement of Andrew Luck, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback and franchise player for the Indianapolis Colts. However, years of injury have seen no contribution from the once–promising star, except winning the league’s Comeback Player of the Year. Now, perhaps former Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett can fill the gap and help the Colts towards success this season? It’s not likely, but we’re sure they’ll try.
When it comes to aging players, how can we not mention New York Giants’ Eli Manning? Another player that’s perhaps past his prime, we’re not sure if we can see him reaching the same heights as he has previously in his career. From all the rookies, Daniel Jones stands out as the main replacement, and that’s saying something. So, it remains to be seen if the Giants will live up to their name this season.
There’s likely to be a few surprises coming up, which means betting on the NFL isn’t just restricted to the likes of the Patriots. The Philadelphia Eagles look to have one of the best rosters in the NFL at the moment and they are 13/1 to win the Super Bowl. There are no major weak links, especially if Carson Wentz sticks to his new workout regime and diet and suffers no more injuries. Plus there’s a bench full of players who can more than make up for any time lost. The squad looks refreshed and improved from their Super Bowl team a few years ago, with a nice mixture of experienced players, exciting rookies and solid coaching staff. We wouldn’t be surprised to see them in the Super Bowl final.
The Kansas City Chiefs are also looking like serious contenders this season. Last season they vyed for a Super Bowl spot but lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship. But with quarterback Patrick Mahomes winning the AP NFL MVP and further strengthening of the squad, who knows what to expect. The speed of Mecole Hardman, the strong offense and the even stronger defense, should see them advance far this season.
Let’s not forget the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. It’s a long time since the Dolphins’ glory years with Dan Marino (who’s now probably best known for his part in Ace Ventura) and sad to say, they’re often seen as the worse team in the NFL. It’s a tough title to have and one we’re sure they don’t want, but when the team traded its best receiver to the Houston Texans, a lot of us were left wondering if it’s a title they want to keep.
The Chicago Bears aren’t faring much better. They may have had the best defense last league with 27 interceptions but an abysmal kicking situation and inconsistent quarterback Trubisky doesn’t lend them much faith. Perhaps rookie David Montgomery could be the answer to this and actually give the Bears a fighting chance this season. They’ve got the defense in place and we reckon they might just be a wild card for the upcoming season. Saying that, as the season gets underway this September, they already lost 3-10 to the Green Bay Packers in the NFL opener. Let’s see what the rest of the season can bring.
September’s here. The NFL is underway, and we can all get involved. Time to place the right bets, create our fantasy leagues and follow our favorite teams to their deserved victory at the Super Bowl. Unless you’re a Dolphins fan, of course.
