2016 NFL Season: Separating the Contenders and Pretenders
By Erik Lambert
The 2016 NFL season has barely begun but already some teams have begun to separate from the pack, leading inevitably to questions of their Super Bowl readiness.
Are they truly ready to contend this season or are they just the beneficiaries of a fortunate schedule and some good luck? It’s time to explore which teams are which and what the future might hold for them. Be prepared for a few shockers.
Contender: Pittsburgh Steelers
It just doesn’t seem to matter who the Pittsburgh Steelers lose on offense. As long as they have Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and that sturdy offensive line things just seem to work out. What’s truly scary for opponents is they’re about to get one of their best playmakers back in Le’Veon Bell. He’s set to return from suspension. Add that to an already formidable attack and it’s hard to see anybody stopping this team in the AFC North.
Pretender: Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz has played much better than expected through the first two weeks, but he’s been aided by facing what turned out to be two of the lesser teams in the NFL thus far in Cleveland and Chicago. The Philadelphia Eagles are still a team in transition with lots of new faces on both the roster and coaching staff. Most likely they’ll come back down to earth at some point. That may disappoint fans, but the future is still very bright.