A Look at the Contenders as We Approach the New NFL Season

The NFL’s global footprint continues to grow. Plans to expand the number of international games are in action, with games in Ireland and Spain for the first time this season and a regular fixture coming to Melbourne from the 2026 season onwards. The NFL is not quite ready to supplant foreign nations’ favourite sports and pastimes just yet, but it is gaining significant traction. 

Aside from literally bringing the games to new shores, there are, of course, significant fan bases across the world, with Australia now estimated to have 6.6 million claiming to be fans of the NFL. Moreover, those numbers increased by one million annually (data from the Little Black Book and SMH reporting). 

In Australia, viewing figures still lag behind traditional Aussie sports. For instance, the 2024 Super Bowl had a TV audience of approximately 800,000, which was about one-fifth of the viewership for the AFL Grand Final the same year. Still, it’s undeniable that gridiron’s popularity is growing steadily, and the NFL seems relentless in maintaining that growth. 

In light of the new season, which gets underway on September 5, we wanted to take a quick look at the teams in contention for Super Bowl LX, which will conclude in early February. 

1. Baltimore Ravens 

The market leaders in the NFL odds for the Super Bowl preseason, there is a growing consensus that this is the Ravens’ moment, or at least that there’s an opportunity to do something more than become Playoff also-rans. Lamar Jackson – perhaps the best quarterback since Tom Brady hung up his cleats – has been given the backup he needs. No excuses this time. 

2. Buffalo Bills 

While some say Jackson is the league’s elite quarterback right now, Josh Allen got the nod as regular-season MVP last season, although Jackson did run him close. Nevertheless, the Bills find themselves in a similar situation to the Ravens, just coming up short when it mattered in the Playoffs over the last few years. The pressure is enormous for a famously unlucky team. 

3. Philadelphia Eagles

It’s not always the case that the Super Bowl winners are made betting favourites for the subsequent Super Bowl at the start of the season. Still, the Eagles find themselves marginally behind Baltimore and Buffalo in the betting markets. Can they repeat? Yes. But they made significant changes – and lost a few key starters – from the team that vanquished the Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX. 

4. Kansas City Chiefs 

Five of the last six Super Bowls have featured the Kansas City Chiefs, including last season’s defeat to the Eagles. They have been the dominant team of the 2020s, but there were signs last season that they relied on experience and nous to grind out wins rather than pure talent. They will be in the Playoffs again and probably win the AFC West for the 10^th season in a row, but sportsbooks have essentially put them 4^th of the four market leaders. 

5. Detroit Lions 

The Lions were arguably the best team in the regular season last time. However, their offensive and defensive coordinators have moved on to head coaching jobs with other teams, and many experts believe it might be difficult to recapture lightning in a bottle. Still, they have a roster stacked with talent, and head coach Dan Campbell is an astute operator. 

6. Washington Commanders 

Jayden Daniels was a revelation last season, putting in one of the best rookie campaigns for a quarterback in NFL history. The Commanders spent most of last season being written off, but that won’t be the case this time. Expectations are different, with them being new types of pressure, but if Daniels fires again, they could be in the Playoffs for a second year. 

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7. Minnesota Vikings 

Very rarely does a team that went 14-3 get so little respect, and there is a large contingent that believes the Vikings won’t be able to pull it off again. Regression is possible, but the Vikings love to prove doubters wrong. They will fight it out in a brutal NFC North with the Lions, Bears, and the final name on this list. 

8. Green Bay Packers 

If the Packers win the Super Bowl, it would be considered a shock, but only a minor one. There’s a good buzz around the camp, as if Matt LaFleur is happy to be coaching an under-the-radar team. Navigating that NFC North will be no easy task, and the Packers have one of the most demanding schedules in the league, but they look like prototype dark horse candidates.