Through just four weeks of the NFL season, many teams have had their hopes of winning a Super Bowl. For those who have started the season with wins, their dreams of hoisting the Lombardi trophy are becoming more and more of a reality. But the real question is how legit are these teams?
Philadelphia Eagles (4-0) Contenders
Coming off a victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, hopes were high for this team and they have started hot, beating the Cowboys, Chiefs and Rams to begin the season 3-0. Even though they left these games with wins, they do not appear to be the same Eagles that dominated the league last year. This is especially apparent when looking at the once-unstoppable offense of the Eagles, which is now struggling to put points on the board. Through the first two games, this offense looked sluggish, with little to no passing attack, and their all-pro running back Saquon Barkley struggling to dominate games like he did a year ago. However, all of this turned around during week three when Jalen Hurts and the Eagles turned the game around in the second half, putting up 26 points and winning off a miraculous field goal block against the Rams. In week four against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Eagles offense started where they left off putting up 24 points in the first half. Then in the second half they struggled to get much done and barely got out of Tampa Bay with a win. Despite this team’s slow starts and struggles through three weeks, they still do what they need to win football games. While it may not always be pretty, the Eagles are undoubtedly Super Bowl contenders.
The Indianapolis Colts (3-1) Pretenders
Before the season even began, the Colts were seen as a team that would be one of the worst in the entire league. With a big question mark at the quarterback and a less-than-astonishing team around him, nobody saw them doing anything. Through four weeks of the season, they are undefeated and are proving everyone wrong. The biggest reason for this is seven-year veteran quarterback Daniel Jones playing MVP-caliber football. Two key difference makers, like running back Jonathan Taylor and rookie tight end Tyler Warren, have proved everyone wrong by being some of the best at their position. Even though this team is off to a great start, I do not believe they are contenders. It is very difficult to trust that Daniel Jones will bring this team to Super Bowl contention due to his struggles in the past. In his six years with the New York Giants, he was consistently finding ways to lose his team the game through careless mistakes and turnovers. When the Colts find themselves in a must-win situation, Daniel Jones has proven he cannot be trusted, certifying them as pretenders.
Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) Contenders
Coming into the season, the Packers were seen as a very good team, and while it was possible they could make the playoffs, their hopes of a Super Bowl seemed unlikely. That was until just one week before the season, when the team traded for All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons. Parsons coming into this already talented defense gave them what they needed to be considered one of the best teams in the league. Through four weeks of the season, they have lived up to this standard, beating two very good teams- the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders. Not only did they win, but they did it in dominant fashion, holding two of the most explosive offenses to just 13 and 18 points. However, in week three, when faced with the 0-2 Cleveland Browns, they lost heartbreakingly. Green Bay was heavily favored in this game, and losing has made many wonder how good this team truly is. In week 4, the Packers tied with the Dallas Cowboys giving them the first tie of the season. The Packers defense struggled in this one while the offense was almost perfect. In my opinion, the Packers are still Super Bowl contenders; even though they lost to a team they were much superior to, I still think they have the talent it takes to be considered contenders.
Washington Commanders (2-2) Pretenders
Expectations for the Commanders were sky high coming into this season after the surprising one they had last year. During his rookie season, quarterback Jayden Daniels took a team to the NFC championship game for the first time in 34 years. Through four games, the Commanders have gone 2-2, beating the New York Giants and the Las Vegas Raiders, but losing to the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons. While the Commanders dont have a losing record, both of their wins have come against teams that are considered some of the worst in the league. When faced with a true contender in the Packers, they were subpar. If this team wants to be true contenders in the playoffs, they are going to have to be able to execute against the best of the best, and with how they have looked through four weeks, it is uncertain they will be able to do that. With all of this considered, while I do think this team could make a playoff run, I think they are ultimately pretenders.
New England Patriots (2-2) Pretenders
During free agency, the Patriots made many moves, leading to many high expectations for this season. Some notable acquisitions included veteran receiver Stefon Diggs, linebacker Harold Landry III, and cornerback Carlton Davis. The team also hired a new head coach, Mike Vrabel, who was the former coach of the year. While at times this team has shown flashes, they have been largely unsuccessful. This can be especially seen when looking at their week three game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots played an overall much better game than the Steelers, but turned the ball over 5 times, keeping Pittsburgh in a game they were fully outplayed in. While the Patriots definitely have a bright future ahead of them, they are certainly pretenders.
