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The 2021 NFL season has taken fans on a wild ride so far. Week 12 brought even more surprising results as teams thought to be contenders took home a tough loss.
But through it all, a few teams have remained firmly entrenched as top Super Bowl contenders. These five NFL teams seem to be getting stronger and have Super Bowl contention set in their sights.
5 NFL Super Bowl contenders after Week 12
#5 - New England Patriots
The New England Patriots look like their old selves again. Week 12 brought what was supposed to be a brutal NFL showdown with the Tennessee Titans. Instead, the Patriots blew the doors off of them via a 36-13 scoreline.
The exciting part of the game was that the Titans managed to run the ball for 270 yards. But it didn't matter as Mac Jones picked apart the Tennessee defense. Meanwhile, the Patriots' defense held Ryan Tannehill to 93 yards on the day.
The win puts the Patriots at 8-4 for the year and sets them atop the AFC East. When the NFL season began, it seemed like the Buffalo Bills would quickly run away with the division. Yet the Patriots have rattled off six consecutive wins and show no signs of slowing down.
Their biggest test comes in Week 13 on Monday night. They are taking on the Bills in Buffalo for the right to hold the AFC East lead. The two teams will also meet again the day after Christmas.
New England has proven to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender to this point. Taking down the Bills in Week 13 could make them a favorite.
#4 - Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs did not even play in Week 12 and still make this list as they enter Week 13 atop the AFC West with a 7-4 record. The Chiefs went into the bye week riding a four-game winning streak that most recently featured a 19-9 domination of the Dallas Cowboys.
The key for Kansas City is Patrick Mahomes looking like his old self again. He threw for 406 yards and five touchdowns back in Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders and is at 25 on the season. So for all the talk of Mahomes struggling, he is still near the NFL lead in passing touchdowns.
It is hard to count this team out until we see evidence of significant regression with our own eyes. And it's not just deterioration, such as a 3-4 start to the season. This Chiefs team led by Mahomes will have to have an early playoff exit for the NFL world to lose faith indeed.
Next up is a Sunday night NFL showcase against the Denver Broncos, who are one game back in the division at 6-5. The Broncos, Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers all sit at 6-5, one game behind the Chiefs. Kansas City will play all three divisional opponents in the coming three weeks, so they will get a chance to prove that they are a top Super Bowl contender.
5 NFL Super Bowl contenders after Week 12
#3 - Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers spent Week 12 knocking an early-season NFL Super Bowl contender down a notch. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers beat the Los Angeles Rams as the West Coast defense had no answer for Rodgers' unit.
Green Bay scored 36 points, and the final score (36-28) made the game seem competitive due to the Rams' 11-0 rally in the fourth quarter. The win puts the Packers at 9-3 and near the top of the NFC playoff race.
So much drama has surrounded this Packers team, thanks to Rodgers. First, it was the NFL offseason questions of whether he would even be on the team this year. Then came the positive COVID test, followed by the news of his injured toe. But the Packers continue to win and look to be among the NFL elite once again in 2021.
#2 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are starting to run away with the NFC South as their competitors deal with different levels of turmoil. Having Tom Brady under center usually helps an NFL team stay steady.
Week 12 saw the Buccaneers pull off a thrilling victory over an Indianapolis Colts team playing like a real contender. Brady had only one touchdown in the 38-31 win, but he left the scoring to his running backs. Leonard Fournette ran in for three scores while Ronald Jones II added another. Fournette also had a receiving touchdown on the day.
The defense is a concern, but Tampa has the top scoring offense in the NFL. Giving up 31 points and still winning without Brady playing at his best proves this team will be tough to beat this season.
#1 - Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals have been pacing the rest of the NFL all season thanks to a 7-0 start. The team is now 9-2 and hasn't even had Kyler Murray on the field the past three games. It shows the depth and structure in place that is tough to match around the NFL.
The team was off in Week 12, and that should mean Kyler Murray returns healthy and ready to go in Week 13 against a reeling Chicago Bears team. Arizona already beat San Francisco and Seattle without him, so the Bears may not stand a chance after barely scraping by the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving.
A significant question for the Cardinals was supposed to be about whether they could hold off the Rams. The Rams are now two games back in the NFC West at 7-4, with one matchup remaining between the two teams in Week 14. If Arizona wins, they seem headed toward the top spot in the NFC playoffs.
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