UNITED STATES—The NFL is in full, glorious swing now, and thoughts are turning to Super Bowl LV. Fans and pundits alike are making their predictions about who will be stepping out onto the Super Bowl grid and winning. The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off a stunning, dramatic comeback against the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LIV and have started the season as the defending champions. This post profiles some of the favorites to lift the Lombardi trophy, starting with the Chiefs themselves.

The Chiefs

The Chiefs silenced their critics with a Super Bowl win in early 2020. They’re the major favorites to win the title, in the Super Bowl betting, the odds for a Chiefs victory place the team at around +275, depending on the betting operator ­– and why not?

Their coach, Andy Reid, has won NFL Coach of the Year three times, made the play-offs 24 times, coached in four Super Bowls, and enjoyed a total of 222 regular and post season wins combined. If that record doesn’t inspire confidence, nothing will.

Out on the pitch, the boys from Kansas have looked strong and, overall, are performing consistently. The team’s consistency is why many have backed them for the Super Bowl win.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Betting odds may vary from operator to operator, but the consensus seems to be +1600 for the Buccaneers. When the Buccaneers pounded the Green Bay Packers 38-10 earlier this season, they looked in commanding form; they looked in much less convincing form when they lost to the Bears in week five and scraped past the Giants with a two-point win.

Some were skeptical when Tom Brady made his off-season move to the Buccaneers, but he appears to have silenced the critics. There are some around who ask, too, whether the players around Brady can cope with the attention and pressure that Brady’s superstar player status brings to the team.

Despite all the doubters, some believe the Buccaneers could pull off a Super Bowl win. Brady may draw attention to the team’s offensive play, but believers in the Buccaneers highlight that the team has a strong defensive game as well.

The Saints

The Saints have had a thunderous season so far, despite getting off to a somewhat uninspiring start by suffering two losses in their first three games. They then enjoyed four straight wins.

In week 9, the Saints pummeled the Buccaneers 38-3. The question is whether they can muster up that type of form again to take them to the Super Bowl. Betting operators have responded optimistically with a +550.

After all, Drew Brees and coach Sean Payton are working as well together as they ever did, and the offense is strong. Basically, the Saints are looking good.

The Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have shown they’re a team to take seriously in any discussion around the Super Bowl. Although their offensive play isn’t as ferocious as it needs to be, their performance against the previously undefeated Titans revealed some mean defensive play, and the team have developed a good reputation for their solid defense.

In fact, several experts have tipped the Steelers to make it to the Super Bowl, basing their predictions on the team’s defense. Once there, they expect the team’s offensive play to see them through with a win over potential opponents such as the Packers, the Saints or the Buccaneers. Oddsmakers also seem to agree the Steelers are in with a chance, offering +600.

The Ravens

The jury seems to be out on whether the Ravens can go all the way. The oddsmakers are placing them at around +2500, whereas some pundits think the Ravens might surprise NFL fans.

In November, the Ravens crushed the Colts 24-10. The game gave the boys from Baltimore the NFL record for the team that has scored the most consecutive 20-point games.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson played a big part, as in other games with the team, and has proved his value. Some say that 2020 will be his season.

Perhaps one of the biggest concerns around the Ravens is consistency, which seems to be a double-edged sword for the team. The team have won 10 straight road games, but they’ve also lost 20 straight games when they’ve been losing at halftime.

The form they’re showing by the time they reach the grid, if they were to reach it, could well determine the outcome on it before they’ve even stepped out onto the field.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers are hungry for a Super Bowl win.

The last time they won it was Super Bowl XLV, in 2011, versus the Steelers. Before that was the Super Bowl XXXI, in 1997, against the Patriots; and before that, versus the Oakland Raiders at Super Bowl II, in 1968.

Ultimately, the Packers are going long stretches without Super Bowl glory, but some believe they can make it happen. Despite their sobering defeat at the hands of the Buccaneers, the Packers’ performance against the Colts showed they have a highly capable offense that can score against any team.

Oddsmakers have smiled more kindly on the Packers during the season. In the summer, they were around +2500, but this has increased to around +1400.

The Super Bowl is going to be immense, and it will be interesting to see who will step out on to the grid. Whichever teams do make it to the final fight for the Lombardi trophy, it will be an amazing battle.