The regular season of the NFL has ended. The league has entered its playoff stages, with teams battling it out to fight for the most glittering prize in American football: the Lombardi Trophy. The showdown takes place on February 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, and is the most significant event not just on the NFL sporting calendar but also on the US one.
Several teams will feel like 2025 could be their year to win it, and with good reason. Below is a look at the teams that will feel like they’ll be the ones lifting the trophy at Super Bowl LIX.
Detroit Lions
The sportsbooks have given the Detroit Lions Super Bowl odds of +275, making them the favorite to win the tournament and enough to make any team feel confident. In Week 18, the Lions ran riot against the Minnesota Vikings and chalked up a commanding win of 31-9. The | takedown of the Minnesota side has earned them the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
They’ve got a challenging game against sixth-seeded Washington Commanders, who have already eliminated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Super Bowl contention. One thing that will make the Lions confident, however, is their genuine resilience. As games go on, they tend to get stronger. No matter how stubborn the opponents are, the Detroit side pushes right until the end and has a habit of coming out on top.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles will feel confident about their Super Bowl prospects after kicking the down-on-their-luck Green Bay Packers out of the running. The Packers, who have formed a habit of starting slowly against prominent opponents and then chasing the game, lost 22-10 to the Eagles in an NFC wildcard game and went crashing out.
The Eagles have gone into this season with a strong roster and, between seasons, have done some work on their secondary. Tightening up this defensive line has made it harder for opponents to break them down and kept them in Super Bowl contention. They’ve also developed a sneaky ability to convert well in short-yardage situations, something opponents will have to watch out for.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are often high amongst the favorites to win the Super Bowl, if not the favorites themselves. The fact they’ve won the last two Super Bowls, first versus the Eagles and then against the 49ers, will undoubtedly give them the confidence to do it again and make it an impressive “threepeat” (three Super Bowls in a row). They have +350 on the betting lines.
In addition to this imposing reputation, the defending champions have developed an impressive ability to ramp up the pressure. They’ve forced opponents into making many mistakes and chalked up many sacks. This ability in the Super Bowl high-stakes game could work in their favor.
The fact that they have one of the toughest quarterbacks to beat in NFL history, Patrick Mahomes, also helps them crank up the pressure. Mahomes has prolific passing numbers and does what it takes to win. Whether they need the play at the end of the game or the end of the season, he’ll make it to carry his team to victory.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens sit on the betting lines at +475 and beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wildcard weekend. A grueling divisional showdown awaits with the Buffalo Bills, who crushed the Broncos 31-7 and, around a month ago, also beat the Super Bowl favorites, the Lions, 48-41.
But if the Bills are going to continue their road to the Super Bowl, they’re going to have to get past Lamar Jackson. The Ravens quarterback, who has sometimes faltered in playoffs, has been highly efficient for his team this season. As soon as he gets the ball in his hands and goes running with it, the other team is in trouble, and his strong arm and ability to hit deep targets with his throwing allows the Ravens to make massive gains. He also doesn’t make a great deal of mistakes.
However, the Ravens need to be careful not to rely too much on Jackson. Much work must be done to reach Super Bowl-level defensive performance. Some consider Jackson a one-person team, and defensive players must raise their game to make the offensive count heavier.
The Super Bowl is fast approaching, and the teams above will all fancy their chances of becoming the NFL champions and retaining the title in the case of the Chiefs. If none or only one of these teams makes it to New Orleans in February, the Buffalo Bills might be the other team to take the remaining spot.