We’re halfway through the 2023 NFL Week 10 schedule for this Sunday, so we have enough information to make some determinations. Who are the real contenders we could easily see in the Super Bowl in 2024? Who are the ones who don’t quite reach this level? And who are the ones pretending to play to see which draft pick they’ll get next spring?
It should be noted that this has nothing to do with gambling at all. Just because a team is considered a “contender” doesn’t mean a modest team can’t cover a spread or win outright with just one or two wins. Even though it could hurt their draft potential, all of these teams in the NFL have a certain level of professionalism and they bring it every week.
Here’s a breakdown of the REAL “Contenders and Pretenders” for the 2023 NFL season:
PARTICIPANTS: Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles
I would have liked to add a second team to the NFC, but I can’t think of another team that needs a win to save planet Earth that I would put my full trust in. The Ravens, Chiefs and Eagles have proven that they have strong offenses, a command of their defenses (the Ravens give up just 13.7 points per game) and that they are battle-tested. Both the Ravens and Eagles have some tough schedules (the Chiefs got the Raiders TWICE), but I think they’re legit.
PARTICIPANTS?: Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers
That’s the thing with these teams: They suffered a serious injury or a three-game losing streak because they fell into the “maybe next year” category. These teams have all proven to be great organizations…when they’re doing well. You can look at the past performances of each of these teams and find at least ONE game where they messed up big time. It’s hard to get behind any of these teams, especially when it comes to the Super Bowl.
MAYBE NEXT YEAR: Washington Commanders, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Houston Texans
All of these teams have two things: a lot of heart and a lot of question marks. You can see the Saints winning the NFC South and Cleveland and Cincy both getting in via the Wild Card, but they won’t get much further. The others need a bit of retooling and could be very dangerous from 2024.
PRETENDERS: New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Chicago Bears, Los Angeles Rams, Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots
All of these teams have major problems that need to be addressed before they can even think about getting out of their doldrums. Whether it’s coaching (could Dark Hoodie retire from the Pats? What about former Super Bowl champion Sean McVay?), players (the Giants and Pack both have serious quarterback concerns) or other matters (the Raiders as a whole ), these teams won’t do anything but play through the season – and that makes them dangerous.
We have some picks for you now, and we certainly hope they work better than last week’s choices (let’s just say that picking the Dolphins wasn’t the right call considering they didn’t all beat a winning team). have). Season!). As always, all advice is for entertainment purposes only, but make sure each selection has been carefully considered (Home Team in CAPITAL LETTERS).
Houston Texans vs. CINCINNATI BENGALS (-6.5)
If you find this game in the opening period of -7.5 for the 2023 NFL Week 10 schedule, snap it up quickly. Texas QB CJ Stroud impressed me last week when he led the Houston team to a win against the Buccaneers. While the Bengals will win this game, I think the Texans will keep this game extremely close, perhaps a three or four point final, which would give the Texans the tick at the current margin.
CHOOSE: Texans +6.5
New York Giants vs. DALLAS COWBOYS (-17.5)
This is an example of a bet you make simply because the spread is too large. There are too many components to an NFL contest for one team to beat another by more than two touchdowns. Even though the Giants will be playing with an unknown quantity at quarterback (seriously, Has anyone ever heard of Tommy DeVito?), there is enough talent to keep the Giants within that huge range.
CHOOSE: HUGE +17.5
Detroit Lions v. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (O/U 48.5)
This will be an affair full of ups and downs. Detroit is looking to re-establish itself as a force in the NFC, while the Chargers are also hoping to advance to the playoffs (they are just two games behind the Chiefs in the AFC West). You’ll hear a lot from Goff-to-Brown, as well as Hebert-to-Allen. It will come down to who has the lead play to impose their will – do you bet on Chargers RB Austin Eckler or Lions? RB David Montgomery? In any case, it will be entertaining and surpass the proposed framework.
CHOOSE: OVER 48.5
