The NFL season kicks off with a fresh look at every team’s chances of winning the 2027 Super Bowl. This ranking system places teams into tiers based on their roster construction and current trajectory, with the top groups holding the best odds to reach the championship game.
Super Bowl Contenders
The top five teams in this group are widely considered the class of the league. These franchises either have all the necessary pieces to hoist the Lombardi Trophy or have only minor issues that should not derail their season. Missing the playoffs would be a major surprise for any of these squads.
The Los Angeles Rams sit at No. 1, followed by the Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills. The Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens round out the top five. The Ravens are a perennial favorite, though they have historically struggled with a fatal flaw in the playoffs. New head coach Jesse Minter is expected to help them overcome that hurdle.
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Super Bowl Potential
The second tier contains extremely talented teams that could easily make a deep run. Each of these organizations has the table set for a championship, though a few key wrinkles need to be ironed out or a breakout performance is required.
This group features the Kansas City Chiefs, who are hoping to finally establish a consistent run game. The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers have struggled in the postseason, while the New England Patriots are still young and finding their identity. The San Francisco 49ers need to stay healthy to reach their ceiling.
There is a clear distinction between Tier 1 and Tier 2, but the gap is not insurmountable. A healthy 49ers team or a breakout season from the Patriots could easily push them into the upper echelon of the league. However, the established contenders in the first tier currently hold the edge due to experience and roster depth.
Super Bowl Dark Horses
This tier is filled with “dark horses”—teams with many traits of a contender but a glaring, impossible-to-ignore flaw. On paper, these teams should compete, but the question marks are significant enough that a deep playoff run would be considered a major upset.
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They include the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Chicago Bears. The Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, and Dallas Cowboys round out the group. The source notes that a flaw on paper does not always prevent a team from winning; history shows that the right quarterback performance can change the outcome of a season.
Playoff Caliber
The fourth tier consists of teams with the pieces to reach the postseason, but their ceiling is clearly a playoff berth. These franchises face issues ranging from a lack of top-end talent to one side of the ball being highly problematic. Many are simply too young to be considered true championship threats.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers represent the top of this group. The Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Minnesota Vikings are close behind. The margin between a playoff spot and a rebuild is razor-thin for these organizations.
Works in Progress
The teams in this tier are developing parts of their rosters and possess pieces that are genuinely likable. It is not out of the question for some of them to appear in the “Teams in the Hunt” graphics during the holiday season, but significant questions remain.
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Concerns for the Washington Commanders include the offensive line and whether Jaxson Dart can take a step forward. The Atlanta Falcons face questions about their quarterback situation, which currently includes Michael Penix Jr., Tua Tagovailoa, Cooper Rush, and Jack Strand. The New York Giants, Tennessee Titans, and New Orleans Saints also fall into this developing category.
The Tankathon Tier
The bottom of the list is affectionately called the “Tankathon Tier.” Fanbases in these divisions will likely spend October checking a specific website to track the draft lottery odds. While these teams have good football players, the questions at quarterback outweigh the answers for most.
This tier features the Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals. For the Raiders and Dolphins, the long-term hope lies with Fernando Mendoza and Malik Willis, though the jury remains out on their immediate impact. The Jets and Cardinals continue to search for answers under center.
