scorecard
  1. Home
  2. sports
  3. news
  4. Only 16 NFL teams still have a legit shot to win the Super Bowl

Only 16 NFL teams still have a legit shot to win the Super Bowl

Tyler Lauletta   

Only 16 NFL teams still have a legit shot to win the Super Bowl
Dak Prescott.AP Photo/Ron Jenkins
  • Halfway through the NFL season, you could cut down the Super Bowl contenders to half the league.
  • According to FiveThirtyEight, only 16 teams have at least a 1% chance of winning the Super Bowl.

Halfway through the NFL season, just half of the teams in the league remain legit Super Bowl contenders.

According to FiveThirtyEight's projections, just 16 teams have at least a 1% chance of taking home the title this year. That said, the race is still wide open - the Arizona Cardinals currently sit atop the rankings, with a 15% chance of lifting the Lombardi Trophy.

A few surprising teams missed the cut, including the Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals, but if they can secure key victories over the next two weeks, they could jump back into contention.

Check out where every team stands in the race for the Super Bowl below.

16. Las Vegas Raiders

16. Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr.      AP Photo/John Munson

Record: 5-3

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 1%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Giants, 23-16

Week 10 opponent: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

One thing to know: Derek Carr fumbled away the ball in the red zone with just 44 seconds left to play against the Giants to give the Raiders their first loss of the Rich Bisaccia era. With every team in the AFC West holding five wins, this week's game against the Chiefs is crucial to Las Vegas' path to the playoffs.

15. Indianapolis Colts

15. Indianapolis Colts
Carson Wentz.      AP Photo/Zach Bolinger

Record: 4-5

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 1%

Week 9 result: Beat the Jets, 45-30

Week 10 opponent: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

One thing to know: The Colts face a difficult decision in the coming weeks. Should they keep playing Carson Wentz and give up a first-round draft pick? Or bench Wentz in favor of protecting their future assets? If they can keep winning, the decision becomes a lot easier, but one small slip-up and their present and future prospects could both take a massive hit.

14. New Orleans Saints

14. New Orleans Saints
Trevor Siemian.      AP Photo/Derick Hingle

Record: 5-3

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 1%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Falcons, 27-25

Week 10 opponent: at Tennessee Titans

One thing to know: Trevor Siemian led the Saints on a miraculous second-half comeback only to have the Falcons bounce back with a comeback drive of their own. Still, the Saints defense is good enough that New Orleans has some life in them, even with Siemian under center.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers

13. Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris.      AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Record: 5-3

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 1%

Week 9 result: Beat the Bears, 29-27

Week 10 opponent: vs. Detroit Lions

One thing to know: After a shaky start to the season, the Steelers have now won four straight games and sit just one game behind the Ravens for the AFC North lead.

12. New England Patriots

12. New England Patriots
Bill Belichick.      AP Photo/Brian Westerholt

Record: 5-4

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 2%

Week 9 result: Beat the Panthers, 24-6

Week 10 opponent: vs. Cleveland Browns

One thing to know: The Patriots have won three straight games, with Bill Belichick's defense holding opponents to an average of just over 14 points during that span. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones is far from setting the world on fire, but he's given New England enough to contend this year.

11. Cleveland Browns

11. Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield.      AP Photo/Bryan Woolston

Record: 5-4

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 2%

Week 9 result: Beat the Bengals, 41-16

Week 10 opponent: at New England Patriots

One thing to know: The Browns offense looked rejuvenated after the departure of Odell Beckham Jr., putting up 41 points on the Bengals. That said, Baker Mayfield and company will have their work cut out for them this weekend, going up against a stingy Patriots defense and possibly without lead running back Nick Chubb, who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the week.

10. Kansas City Chiefs

10. Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes.      AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Record: 5-4

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 3%

Week 9 result: Beat the Packers, 13-7

Week 10 opponent: at Las Vegas Raiders

One thing to know: The Chiefs were able to escape with a win against the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers, but the result still wasn't exactly promising for Kansas City, as they only put up 13 points of offense. The Chiefs have averaged just 12 points per game over their last three outings, leaving them tied with the likes of Detroit and Houston for third-worst in the league over that span. Far from the high-octane Mahomes-led attack that made Kansas City a powerhouse over the past three years.

9. Los Angeles Chargers

9. Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert.      AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Record: 5-3

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 5%

Week 9 result: Beat the Eagles, 27-24

Week 10 opponent: vs. Minnesota Vikings

One thing to know: The Chargers have been one of the most aggressive teams in the NFL on fourth down this year, and it paid off well against the Eagles. With the game tied late in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles converted a fourth-and-1 to move further into Eagles territory. Rather than settle for a long field goal and give the ball back to the Eagles with plenty of time to tie or win with a score of their own, the conversion set up a 29-yard chip shot to win the game.

8. Dallas Cowboys

8. Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott.      AP Photo/Ron Jenkins

Record: 6-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 6%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Broncos, 30-16

Week 10 opponent: vs. Atlanta Falcons

One thing to know: The Cowboys put up a stinker against the Broncos, leaving team owner Jerry Jones to wonder what happened. "That's as flat as any team I've seen," Jones said, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "We basically played what seemed to be lackadaisical."

7. Los Angeles Rams

7. Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford.      AP Photo/John Munson

Record: 7-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 7%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Titans, 28-16

Week 10 opponent: at San Francisco 49ers

One thing to know: Matthew Stafford's potential MVP campaign took a big step back against the Titans thanks to interceptions on back-to-back throws that gave Tennessee a 14-0 lead before many fans had made it to their seats.

6. Baltimore Ravens

6. Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson.      AP Photo/Nick Wass

Record: 6-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 8%

Week 9 result: Beat the Vikings, 34-31

Week 10 opponent: at Miami Dolphins

One thing to know: Halfway through the season, Lamar Jackson has more rushing yards than all but five running backs in the NFL. He's also the ninth-best passer in the league, just behind MVP candidates Josh Allen and Kyler Murray. Jackson might be due for his second MVP award in three years if he keeps up this pace.

5. Buffalo Bills

5. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen sacks Josh Allen.      AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Record: 5-3

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 8%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Jaguars, 9-6

Week 10 opponent: at New York Jets

One thing to know: Josh Allen got trounced by Josh Allen in the most surprising result of the NFL season thus far when the Jaguars upset the Bills 9-6. Buffalo was held without a touchdown and somehow lost despite numerous efforts on the part of the Jaguars to give the game away. Luckily for the Bills, they have a great chance to right the ship this week facing off against the lowly Jets.

4. Green Bay Packers

4. Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love.      AP Photo/Peter Aiken

Record: 7-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 10%

Week 9 result: Lost to the Chiefs, 13-7

Week 10 opponent: vs. Seattle Seahawks

One thing to know: Jordan Love was far from impressive in his first NFL start in relief of Aaron Rodgers, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Rodgers should be back in the Packers huddle this weekend against the Seahawks but won't be able to join in team activities until Saturday due to league protocols.

3. Tennessee Titans

3. Tennessee Titans
Kevin Byard.      AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Record: 7-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 13%

Week 9 result: Beat the Rams, 28-16

Week 10 opponent: vs. New Orleans Saints

One thing to know: Even with the loss of the NFL's leading rusher Derrick Henry, the Titans dominated the Rams on Sunday night en route to a 28-16 victory. While no one can replace the load that Henry took upon himself, Adrian Peterson showed up basically off of his couch to run for 21 yards and a score.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady.      AP Photo/Justin Rex

Record: 6-2

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 14%

Week 9 result: Bye

Week 10 opponent: at Washington Football Team

One thing to know: The Buccaneers were off last week, but with the Rams, Packers, Cowboys, and Saints all losing around them, it was a great day for the team. Even when he's watching from home, Tom Brady still finds a way to win.

1. Arizona Cardinals

1. Arizona Cardinals
James Conner.      AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn

Record: 8-1

Chance at winning Super Bowl: 15%

Week 9 result: Beat the 49ers, 31-17

Week 10 opponent: vs. Carolina Panthers

One thing to know: Playing without MVP candidate Kyler Murray and without leading receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals absolutely embarrassed the 49ers. Led by Colt McCoy and a heroic rushing effort from James Conner, Arizona moved the ball with ease through a game that was never in doubt. If this is the type of result the Cardinals are capable without two of their best players, there's no limit to how far they could go fully healthy.

READ MORE ARTICLES ON

Advertisement