My Super Bowl Contenders for 2007

Each and every year, 32 NFL teams start the season off, all with a chance at obtaining a Super Bowl ring, right? Wrong. Let's be real here, most of these teams don't have a snowball's chance in (you know where) of making the playoffs, much less winning the ultimate title in the greatest sport in the World.

So, lets go about this in a backwards manner, because that is how my mind works. Barring in-season injuries, this is how I see it.

You need a good defense to have a chance. Having a great defense helps, but you need to at least have a good (above average) defense. This is where we begin eliminating some of those 32 teams.

Washington, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Tennessee, St. Louis, Arizona, New York Giants, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Buffalo, Seattle, New York Jets, San Francisco, and Tampa Bay..... Thanks for playing, but you don't have a shot.

That leaves us with 16 teams.

Once you get past the test of having a legitimate defense to support you in the playoffs, you need to look at a very important position on the offense. The Quarterback. Do you need a star QB? No. It helps, but it is not required. What you need is a quarterback that is not going to kill you in big playoff games.

Chicago - You are gone.
Minnesota - Nice knowing ya.
Oakland - Don't think so
Atlanta - don't make me laugh
Jacksonville - The team has no faith in their QB

Ok, so that narrows it down to 11 teams, and I will list them here in order of how I have them ranked defensively.

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. New England Patriots
6. Miami Dolphins
7. Philadelphia Eagles
8. Denver Broncos
9. Carolina Panthers
10. Houston Texans
11. Green Bay Packers

Ok, the age old saying in the NFL when it comes to succes is being able to "run the ball, and stop the run", so our next elimination round will be the team's running game.

Miami - gone. Between that laughable offensive line, and the controversy at running back, this eliminates you.

Denver - A team needs a running back that they can count on, and the coach has to be dedicated to giving that guy the rock. This isn't Denver's philosophy, and besides, Travis Henry isn't the answer.

Green Bay - your running back is learning. He might be the guy for the job by next year, but no this year, sorry.

Below are your 8 Super Bowl contenders for 2007. Sure, one of the eliminated teams could sneak in, but that is highly unlikely. Teams in blue are your NFC possibilities, teams in red are your AFC possibilities.

1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Baltimore Ravens
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
5. New England Patriots
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Carolina Panthers
8. Houston Texans

Are you shocked that Indianapolis is not here, yet Houston is? Well, so am I, but that is just how it worked out. If I had to pick two teams from this list, I would have to go with Dallas and New England to play in this year's Super Bowl.