The NFL season is flying by as we enter week five already.
Certain teams with high expectations have not gotten off to the best start.
The Kansas City Chiefs are 2-2 but have not looked very good on offense. They improved on offense in week 4 against a banged-up Ravens defense and with the return of WR Xavier Worthy. WR Rashee Rice’s return will also help the offense.
The Baltimore Ravens are 1-3 and have major injury concerns. Lamar Jackson is dealing with a hamstring injury that could sideline him for 2-3 weeks. This would put him out of action against the Texans in week 5 and the Rams in week 6. Baltimore is at risk of being 1-5 if Jackson were to miss time.
Cincinnati is 2-2 but will be without superstar QB Joe Burrow for most, if not the rest of the season. They have looked dreadful in the last two games without Burrow. With Burrow, the Bengals were considered a potential Super Bowl contender if their defense improved from the previous season.
The Houston Texans are a surprising 1-3 to begin the season. Despite being what was considered a weaker division, the Colts and Jags are both 3-1. The offense for the Texans has been a major issue. Houston was a fairly heavy favorite to win the AFC South before the season. This could still happen, but their offense will need to improve drastically.
Washington is 2-2 but hopes superstar QB Jayden Daniels can return sooner rather than later. If Daniels continues to miss time, the Commanders are in severe jeopardy of missing the playoffs.
It is becoming clearer which NFL teams are Super Bowl contenders and which are not.
Which NFL Teams Are Super Bowl Contenders After Four Weeks?
Certain 3-1 NFL teams are not Super Bowl contenders despite getting off to a good start.
AFC East
- Buffalo Bills: 4-0
- New England Patriots: 2-2
- Miami Dolphins: 1-3
- New York Jets: 0-4
In the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills are the only Super Bowl contenders. The Bills are favored to win the Super Bowl, according to oddsmakers. Buffalo is just one of two teams to remain undefeated. Josh Allen has been the best QB in the league this season.
New England looks improved from last season, but it is not a Super Bowl contender; it is a playoff contender.
The Dolphins and Jets are a mess and will not sniff the playoffs.
AFC West
- Los Angeles Chargers: 3-1
- Kansas City Chiefs: 2-2
- Denver Broncos: 2-2
- Las Vegas Raiders: 1-3
The AFC West has three possible Super Bowl contenders.
The LA Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Denver Broncos are Super Bowl contenders.
LA has been very good on both sides of the ball. They are banged up at the offensive line, but still possess a very good offense and defense.
Despite starting slow on offense, the Chiefs can never be counted out. As long as they have Mahomes and Reid, the Chiefs are a threat. They started heating up on offense in week 4 and will continue to improve.
Denver has a good offense and defense. The two losses for Denver this season were by one point and three points, losing both games on a last-second field goal. Denver can easily be 3-1 or even 4-0 on the season.
The Raiders are the only team in the AFC West not to be considered a Super Bowl contender.
AFC North
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 3-1
- Cincinnati Bengals: 2-2
- Baltimore Ravens: 1-3
- Cleveland Browns: 1-3
As it currently stands, no team in the AFC North should be considered a Super Bowl contender.
Despite a 3-1 record, the Steelers are not good enough to be a Super Bowl contender. They have a ton of issues on both sides of the ball, despite the 3-1 record.
The Bengals would be a Super Bowl contender if not for the Joe Burrow injury. They have been dreadful without their star QB.
Baltimore is banged up on defense, and it is unknown how long Jackson will be out due to a hamstring injury. If Jackson were healthy, despite the 1-3 record, the Ravens would still be a Super Bowl contender. However, if Jackson misses two or more games, this puts the Ravens at risk of being 1-5, and it will be a challenge just to even make the playoffs.
Cleveland is not a Super Bowl contender.
AFC South
- Indianapolis Colts: 3-1
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-1
- Houston Texans: 1-3
- Tennessee Titans: 0-4
Despite two teams in the AFC South being 3-1, no team in the division should be considered a Super Bowl contender.
While the Colts and Jags have looked impressive so far, it is unrealistic to think they can defeat the Bills, Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers in the postseason.
Houston’s offense is holding them back from being considered a Super Bowl contender. The Texans need to improve offensively to just make the playoffs after starting the season 1-3.
Tennessee is a disaster this season and will not come close to making the playoffs. They are positioned to once again have the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
NFC East
- Philadelphia Eagles: 4-0
- Washington Commanders: 2-2
- Dallas Cowboys: 1-2-1
- New York Giants: 1-3
Philadelphia is the class of the NFC East. They are stacked on offense and defense. The Eagles are one of two teams to remain undefeated. They are favored to come out of the NFC.
Washington’s status as a Super Bowl contender depends on the health of QB Jayden Daniels. If he is healthy, the Commanders are a Super Bowl contender.
The Cowboys and Giants are not Super Bowl contenders.
NFC West
- San Francisco 49ers: 3-1
- Seattle Seahawks: 3-1
- Los Angeles Rams: 3-1
- Arizona Cardinals: 2-2
The NFC West is stacked with all four teams at .500 or better.
San Francisco is 3-1 despite being very banged up. The loss of Nick Bosa will hurt the defense tremendously. They are well coached and, when healthy, have a good offense. The 49ers are a borderline Super Bowl contender.
Seattle is 3-1 after winning three straight games. However, nobody is taking them as a true Super Bowl contender. Seattle is more of a playoff contender, but not a threat to come out of the NFC.
The LA Rams are the best all-around team in the NFC West. They are stacked on offense with Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, and a very good offensive line. They have a good young defense that can pressure the QB. The Rams are a Super Bowl contender. Their only loss on the season was a road matchup against the Eagles, which the Rams dominated for most of the game and should have won.
Arizona is a playoff-contending team but not a real Super Bowl contender.
NFC North
- Detroit Lions: 3-1
- Green Bay Packers: 2-1-1
- Minnesota Vikings: 2-2
- Chicago Bears: 2-2
Each team in the NFC North is .500 or better.
The Detroit Lions bounced back nicely after a dreadful Week 1 performance. They have shown the last three weeks that they are Super Bowl contenders. Their offense has been lights out, and the defense has been holding up. The Lions are a very good team.
The Green Bay Packers began the season 2-0 and looked like the best team in the league. However, they lost in week 3 against the Cleveland Browns and tied the Cowboys in week 4. Green Bay has a good offense and defense. The Packers are still a Super Bowl favorite, despite not being overly impressive the last two weeks.
While Minnesota and Chicago are both good teams, they are not a true Super Bowl contender.
NFC South
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 3-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 2-2
- Carolina Panthers: 1-3
- New Orleans Saints: 0-4
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a Super Bowl contender. Their only loss was against the Eagles. Despite missing WR Mike Evans, the Bucs put up a fight against the Eagles. Tampa Bay is a Super Bowl contender as Baker Mayfield has been very good since joining the Bucs.
The Falcons, Panthers, and Saints are not Super Bowl contenders.
