After months of posturing and pandering between the league and its players, normality returned to the NFL on July 25th, when a new collective bargaining agreement was reached. With the lockout over, the league went through a helter-skelter month leading up to the season, with all 32 teams feverishly tweaking their roster priming for the mad dash to the NFL season.
Here’s five of the teams that look destined to be in the hunt when Superbowl 46 rolls into Indianapolis next February.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
All eyes will be on the Green Bay Packers as they set out to defend their crown. The Packers, led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers, emerged victorious in 2010 after they vanquished the Pittsburgh Steelers in Superbowl 45.
The Packers didn’t add any marquee players to their roster during the offseason; with the most notable change being the loss of defensive anchor Cullen Jenkins, who departed to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
If they are to get close to defending their Super Bowl championship, Rodgers will need to complete his ascent towards the top of the quarterback rankings, otherwise the Packers could struggle to reach the heights of last season.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Philadelphia Eagles were the big winners during the off-season, adding a host of top-tier talent to a side that made the playoffs in 2010. Led by polarising quarterback Michael Vick, the Eagles should have the league’s most explosive offense in 2011.
Philadelphia secured the services of prized free-agent corner-back Nnamdi Asomugha, and acquired fellow Pro-Bowl defender Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Arizona Cardinals. Doubts surfaced about how the Eagles would manage to fit their new signings in– alongside their All-Pro corner-back Asante Samuel – but the trio have proven in the preseason that they can co-exist on the field, creating a scary prospect for opposing offenses.
The biggest concern for the Eagles is their offensive line, and if they are unable fix it early in the season, it could derail their Super Bowl aspirations.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
The San Diego Chargers will be looking to bounce back from a sub-par 2010 season, when they missed out on playoff action for the first time in five years. The Chargers were ranked in the top two in both offensive and defensive rankings last year, but somehow managed to avoid the playoffs.
Philip Rivers, one of the best quarterbacks in the league, will once again be at the helm of the Chargers. Rivers is gifted with a cannon-like arm and sublime accuracy, which should see him in the discussion for MVP honours at the end of the season.
San Diego was able to retain their stars in the off-season, while adding two pro-bowlers to their defensive unit. Safety Bob Sanders and linebacker Takeo Spikes add an extra level of toughness to their defense. The added toughness could be the difference that allows San Diego to finally turn their recent regular season success into playoff glory.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Baltimore Ravens won the Superbowl 11 years ago, led by an incredible defense that made up for offensive inefficiencies. Fast forward to the beginning of the season, and the Ravens haven’t changed much.
The Ravens defense – led by the enigmatic Ray Lewis – has long been one of the premier defensive units in the league. Safety Ed Reed, linebacker/lineman Terrell Suggs and lineman Haloti Ngata anchor the defensive group. Baltimore’s hard-hitting defensive play is second to none, but in previous years, those offensive shortcomings dragged the side down. However, that shouldn’t be the case this year.
Yet, the only doubt that remains for the Ravens falls on Joe Flacco. While he has improved, Flacco is still yet to prove that he can perform in the big moments. If Flacco steps up, the Ravens will have a successful season.
DETROIT LIONS
Detroit are a bit of a wild-card this season. Just two years ago, the Lions only won two games. Last year, they won six. But don’t let that fool you. Detroit won the final four games of their 2010 campaign, finishing the season on a high. Just recently, the Lions went undefeated in the preseason.
This resurgence is due to the fact that the Lions have built the best young lists in the NFL. Quarterback Matthew Stafford enters his third season in 2011, and is perhaps the best young quarterback in the league. Fellow 2009-draftee Brandon Pettigrew is incredibly reliable in the tight end spot, and running back Jahvid Best should improve greatly this season.
But as is the case with most young teams, inconsistency could kill off any hopes the Lions have of challenging in 2011. However, even if they cannot quite make the jump, the Lions will be one of the teams to beat for the remainder of the decade.
Liam Quinn is a first-year Bachelor of Journalism student at La Trobe University. You can follow him on Twitter: @liamquinn23.
