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All Super Bowl pretenders would like to have us believe that they are, in reality, Super Bowl contenders. Truthfully, they very well might be, and that is why we do a weekly roundup of Super Bowl pretenders and contenders because they change from time to time. After Week 14, we have decided to take some bold calls regarding who we consider Super Bowl pretenders.
We are sure you might not agree with all our choices but do let us know in the comments what you think should not be on the list and which Super Bowl pretenders, in your opinion, we have failed to include. Before we dive into the list, we also want to make it clear that this list of Super Bowl pretenders does not include teams outside the current playoff spots, because quite clearly they cannot be aiming for the Super Bowl just yet. It is an artificial boundary we have put on ourselves that we believe our readers will find fair.
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So without further ado, let's dive into who the Super Bowl pretenders are after Week 14 of the 2021 NFL season.
Super Bowl Pretenders in the NFC
#1 - Arizona Cardinals
Right off the bat, we know some of you think we have lost our minds when we are putting the 10-3 Arizona Cardinals as Super Bowl pretenders after just one loss. But we wanted to be bold in our selection of Super Bowl pretenders and that is why they are here.
Also Read: 5 Super Bowl pretenders after Week 13 of 2021 NFL season
The Arizona Cardinals still have the joint-best record in the NFL this season. However, two of their three losses have been against the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams, teams that they would be expected to beat if they are to win the Super Bowl. We considered them contenders even until last week, but losing against quality teams undermines the tag of Super Bowl contenders.
After next week's game against Detroit, they play the Colts, the Cowboys and the Seahawks, and the results of those games will determine if they deserve to be considered in this category.
#2 - San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have improved to a 7-6 record after Week 14, but they are still Super Bowl pretenders. Their last win was against the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime, a team that they could and should have defeated in normal time if they had designs to win the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers also lost to the Seattle Seahawks just a week back and are by no means consistent enough to be considered among the favorites. Jimmy Garoppolo, as good as he is, does not inspire confidence to call this team anything other than Super Bowl pretenders.
Super Bowl Pretenders in the AFC
#1 - Baltimore Ravens
Some would question our selection of the Baltimore Ravens amongst Super Bowl pretenders, but we stand by our decision. Many would argue that having an 8-5 record, which is just one win away from gaining top spot in the AFC, hardly makes them Super Bowl pretenders.
But if that were to come to pass, we would indeed revise our opinion. Right now, based on their current form, it does not look like they are going to leapfrog the Patriots, the Titans and the Chiefs. Their current form is woeful and they have lost their last two games. More importantly, those losses have been to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns, two teams that are hardly uprooting any trees of their own.
#2 - Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills again feature on our list of Super Bowl pretenders and the reason is simple. They are in an awful run of form. Not only have they lost two straight, they are now two wins behind the New England Patriots in the division. They have lost three of their last four matches. That is a miraculous fall from when they were occupying the top spot in the division.
Also Read: 5 Super Bowl contenders after Week 13 of 2021 NFL season
Often, in such cases, the blame falls on the quarterback. But in this case Josh Allen has been virtually blameless, and it is the team around him that has to step up. To stop being Super Bowl pretenders and to become contenders would require their defense to step back up to the plate when they are the top unit in the NFL.
They do have the saving grace that their next matches, barring one, are against the Panthers, the Falcons and the Jets, three teams that are also some of the weakest in the NFL. But the bad news is that the other game is against the New England Patriots. Win that game, and we could seriously start to discuss whether it's unfair to call the Bills Super Bowl pretenders.
#3 - Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts had a great bye week. They jumped over the Bills after they lost. The Bengals also lost and could not capitalize. That leaves the 7-6 Colts in prime position to make the playoffs and then go and win the whole thing.
But we will still call them Super Bowl pretenders for the simple reason that there are a lot of teams clustered on 7-6 records, all of whom might have a better chance of making it through. The Colts play their next couple of games against the Patriots and the Cardinals, who have the top two records in both conferences. A couple of weeks from now, we will know more about what their actual standing is.
