Why Your Team Won't Win the Super Bowl

SI Staff | Sep 6, 2013

Why Your Team Won't Win the Super Bowl /

Why Your Team Won't Win the Super Bowl

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have a new coach (Bruce Arians), a new quarterback (Carson Palmer) and a new running back (Rashard Mendenhall). But that combination won't be enough to produce a winning record.

Atlanta Falcons

After finishing last in the league in rushing last year, the Falcons ushered Michael Turner out the door and replaced him with former Rams player Steven Jackson. The good news: Jackson has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in eight consecutive seasons. The bad news: He just turned 30, the age when most running backs start losing their mojo.

Baltimore Ravens

Like many championship teams that have come before them, the Ravens -- who lost such key cogs as Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Anquan Boldin and Matt Birk -- will learn how difficult it is to try to repeat. Some will say they got their first lesson in a Week 1 49-27 blowout loss at Denver.

Buffalo Bills

Just getting to the playoffs would be a major feat for the Bills, who haven't had a taste of the postseason since 1999. Oh, and they might start an undrafted rookie quarterback in Week 1.

Carolina Panthers

Just guessing, but you probably won't see any full-page newspaper ads from center Ryan Kalil -- or any other Panthers player, for that matter -- proclaiming that the team will win the Super Bowl this year.

Chicago Bears

Retired linebacker Brian Urlacher said he hoped the Bears wouldn't win the Super Bowl without him. He won't have to worry, at least for this year.

Cincinnati Bengals

If he continues to improve, Andy Dalton could be a Super Bowl quarterback one year. And he doesn't have enough supporting characters to do so this year.

Cleveland Browns

Jimmy Haslam is tempering his expectations for a team that has won only 22 games over the previous five seasons. And he's the team owner.

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo plays great until crunch time. Then he somehow always seems to unravel. There are those in Texas who believe Dallas will never even reach a Super Bowl with him at quarterback.

Denver Broncos

Von Miller (18.5 sacks last season) will miss the first six games of the season because of a suspension, and Elvis Dumervil (11) is now in Baltimore. Peyton Manning can do a lot of things, but he can't rush the opposing teams' passers.

Detroit Lions

For the first time in 21 years, the Lions won't have Jason Hanson kicking field goals for them. They have replaced him with another long-time veteran, David Akers, who is coming off his worst NFL season. But more to the point, the Lions just don't have the talent at running back to get the job done.

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers was sacked an alarming 51 times last season. Now the Packers must try to keep their franchise quarterback upright without left tackle Bryan Bulaga (out for the season).

Houston Texans

GM Rick Smith said quarterback Matt Schaub realizes he has to play better to take the Texans to the next level. Knowing it is one thing. Doing it is another.

Indianapolis Colts

Emotion fueled much of the "Chuckstrong" Colts' run to an improbable 11-5 record and the playoffs last season. A return trip will be a much bigger challenge, even if Ahmad Bradshaw does hold up as the team's No. 1 running back..

Jacksonville Jaguars

Having to choose between Blaine Gabbert or Chad Henne as the starting quarterback is the true definition of a dilemma for first-year head coach Gus Bradley -- and not an omen for a winning season.

Kansas City Chiefs

If Andy Reid can transform a Chiefs team that went 2-14 and didn't lead a game in regulation until Week 10 into a championship contender in one season, it will be one of the greatest coaching feats in NFL history. It says here that he'll need more time.

Miami Dolphins

Without four-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jake Long to protect his blind side, quarterback Ryan Tannehill will have a more difficult time staying upright. The Dolphins might not even make the playoffs, let alone have visions of playing in the Super Bowl.

Minnesota Vikings

Despite quarterback Christian Ponder's improved performance down the stretch last season, not everyone is convinced he can finish the job.

New England Patriots

The departures of Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd, Aaron Hernandez and Danny Woodhead took away a combined 283 catches, 3,194 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns from last year's offense. Who knows when Rob Gronkowski will be at full strength? And if you think Danny Amendola can survive the entire season without an injury, you're whistling in the wind.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints hired Rob Ryan to fix a defense that last season allowed the most yards in NFL history. It will take him more than a year to rebuild this broken "D."

New York Giants

History is not on the Giants' side. No NFL team has ever made it to a Super Bowl that was played in its home stadium.

New York Jets

I'll say this standing sideways, standing with my back turned or standing on my head: The Jets will never get to a Super Bowl with the quarterbacks they have on the roster now.

Oakland Raiders

Do you really think Matt Flynn can lead the Raiders to a winning season? Do you really think Terrelle Pryor can?

Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Vick has the physical skills to succeed in first-year coach Chip Kelly's fast-paced offense that he brought with him from Oregon, but the flamboyant quarterback still has diagnostic problems and ball security issues.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Several young players need to step up their games if the Steelers are going to be contenders this season. That's asking a lot. Probably too much. And if rookie LeVeon Bell isn't the answer at running back, they're in a heap of trouble.

San Diego Chargers

Philip Rivers seems to raise the hopes of Chargers fans at the start of every season. Then, by the end, he breaks their hearts again. With the Chargers' receiving corps in a shambles, the expectations have been lowered considerably this season.

San Francisco 49ers

The Super Bowl runners-up will be challenged to cope with the loss of Michael Crabtree (Achilles tendon), the team's first 1,000-yard receiver since 2003. It's interesting how injuries can turn contenders into pretenders.

Seattle Seahawks

The absence of wideout Percy Harvin (hip surgery) and a killer span of four road games in five weeks could be a 1-2 punch that keeps the Seahawks from living up to great expectations.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams added a handful of weapons for quarterback Sam Bradford and should be an improved team in Jeff Fisher's second season as coach. However, they have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL and their coming-out party still is a year or two away.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The final three games -- vs. the 49ers, at the Rams, at the Saints -- may be a steep hill that keeps the Bucs out of the playoffs for the sixth straight year.

Tennessee Titans

In his first season as the primary starting quarterback, Jake Locker had 10 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and a 74.0 passer rating in 2012. He will have to make a quantum leap for the Titans to even get to the playoffs this season.

Washington Redskins

It's not just RG3's surgically repaired knee that must hold up for the Redskins. There still are questions about a secondary that contributed to the defense finishing 30th against the pass last season.

Published Sep 6, 2013

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