Top 5 NFL Super Bowl Contenders for 2015-2016
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — As the NFL season approaches, we analyze the five teams that have the best chances to take home Super Bowl 50.
5. Denver Broncos
Bovada Odds To Win Super Bowl: +1400
Peyton Manning will try to get the bitter taste of defeat out of his mouth this season after losing in the first round of the AFC playoffs last season to Andrew Luck and the Colts.
After receiving a bye in the wild card round in the AFC playoffs, the Broncos fell to the Colts in the divisional round, 24-13.
It was the Broncos' first home loss of the season, as prior to that defeat, they had gone 8-0 at Sports Authority Field in Denver.
The Broncos had finished the season with a 12-4 record and clinched their fourth consecutive AFC West title.
The Broncos were able to re-sign franchise wide receiver Demaryius Thomas as well as LB Brandon Marshall, who led the team in tackles last season.
The team was also able to draft Missouri DE Shane Ray with the 23rd overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft. Ray was a projected top 10 pick, but due to a positive marijuana test just days before the draft, he slid to the Broncos at No. 23.
Denver also let go of head coach John Fox and brought on Gary Kubiak as head coach. Kubiak had great success as the Baltimore Ravens' offensive coordinator last season, and hopes to bring some of that success to Denver.
With a loaded backfield of C.J. Anderson, Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman, the Broncos should be able to run the ball more effectively than last season, where they ranked 15th in total team rushing last season.
One hurdle for the Broncos in bringing back a Super Bowl trophy to Denver is the injury to starting left tackle Ryan Clady, who will miss the entire season after tearing his ACL. If the Denver O-line can keep Manning off the ground, the Broncos have a legitimate chance to take home the Vince Lombardi trophy.
4. Dallas Cowboys
Bovada Odds To Win Super Bowl: +1400
The Dallas Cowboys should have beaten the Green Bay Packers last season in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs, but a late Dez Bryant touchdown was overturned and the Packers went on to win the game.
Bryant was ruled to have lost possession of the ball on that play, and the uproar among fans across the NFL caused the league to issue a rule change as a result of the fiasco.
The play caused the definition of what a "football move" really meant to be re-examined and eventually redefined.
Despite losing star running back DeMarco Murray, the Cowboys gained a massive amount of talent this offseason.
In the NFL draft, the Cowboys were able to secure three projected first-round picks by drafting CB Byron Jones with the 27th overall selection in the first round, DE Randy Gregory in the second round and signed undrafted free-agent OT La'el Collins.
Gregory was not drafted in the first round due to concerns over some previously failed drug tests, while Collins was not drafted at all due to an investigation of the murder of his former girlfriend.
After the draft, Collins was ruled out as a suspect and subsequently signed a one-year, $1.65 million deal with the Cowboys, while receiving interest from multiple other teams as well.
The Cowboys have best offensive line in the NFL, and with the addition of Collins, whoever is running the ball for them, whether it be Joseph Randle or Darren McFadden, should have an easy time filling in for DeMarco Murray.
3. Green Bay Packers
Bovada Odds To Win Super Bowl: +600 (Favorite)
Despite the suspect call made by the referee nullifying a Dez Bryant touchdown in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs last year, the Packers did plenty last year to show why they are one of the best teams in the NFL.
The team went 12-4 last season, going undefeated, including the playoffs, at the historic Lambeau Field.
The Packers would eventually lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC conference championship game, 28-22, in overtime.
QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Jordy Nelson, WR Randall Cobb, FB John Kuhn, LB Clay Matthews, CB Sam Shields, and G Josh Sitton were all selected to the Pro-Bowl roster last season.
The Packers will bring back all of their seven Pro-Bowlers from last season and were also able to draft CB Damarious Randall out of Arizona State with the 30th pick in the 2015 NFL draft.
Cornerbacks Davon House and Tramon Williams both left the team in free agency but were able to draft CB Quinten Rollins in the second round and Stanford WR Ty Montgomery in the third round. Michigan MLB Jake Ryan in the fourth round and UCLA QB Brett Hundley in the fifth round add depth to their squad.
Aaron Rodgers will determine the success of the 2015 Packers, but head coach Mike McCarthy has the team ready to go in his pursuit of a second Super Bowl trophy. The Packers last won the Super Bowl in 2010.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Bovada Odds To Win Super Bowl: +600 (Favorite)
The Seattle Seahawks were one Marshawn Lynch rush away from being crowned Super Bowl champions last season.
However, the Seahawks elected to throw the ball at the goal line and the Russell Wilson pass was ultimately intercepted by Patriots CB Malcolm Butler, as the Seahawks went on to lose the Super Bowl, 28-24.
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and head coach Pete Carroll will be forever questioned about that play call, as Marshawn Lynch had rushed for four yards the previous play and has been one of the most consistent running backs in the NFL for the past five years.
Regardless of the result of last year's Super Bowl, the Seahawks seem determined to win their second Super Bowl in three years.
The Seahawks made quite the splash this offseason by trading starting center Max Unger and some draft picks for Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.
The team drafted Michigan DE Frank Clark in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft and Kansas State WR Tyler Lockett in the third round.
They were also able to re-sign MLB Bobby Wagner, RB Marshawn Lynch, and QB Russell Wilson to multi-year deals, securing the cornerstones of the team for years to come.
Their impenetrable secondary featuring S Earl Thomas and CB Richard Sherman is arguably the best in the league, and with the addition of red-zone threat and vertical passing target Jimmy Graham, the Seahawks look primed to return to the Super Bowl.
1. Indianapolis Colts
Bovada Odds To Win Super Bowl: +900
Last season, the Colts finished with a record of 11-5 and ultimately ended up losing to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game, 45-7.
Led by Pro-Bowl QB Andrew Luck, the Colts' offense was explosive last season, leading the league in both passing yards (4,894) and receiving yards (5,062).
The Colts defense, however, ranked 11th in the league in yards allowed per game and 21st in interceptions.
The team added veterans RB Frank Gore and WR Andre Johnson to the already high-powered offense led by Luck.
They also drafted Miami WR Phillip Dorsett to add to the already deep receiving corps that features T.Y. Hilton, Donte Moncrief and Andre Johnson.
The Colts rushed for 1,612 yards last season, which ranked them 22nd in the NFL.
Luck has gone 11-5 in each of his three NFL seasons and threw an NFL-leading 40 touchdown passes last season.
He also threw for 4,761 yards, which broke the personal record of 4,374 yards he set his rookie season in 2012.
Andrew Luck can literally do it all, and when his career is over, he could be regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
After spending his entire career with the San Fransico '49ers, Frank Gore is ecstatic to be in Indianapolis and especially excited to have Andrew Luck as his quarterback.
"The quarterback, man. He's the real deal," Gore said. "I can just tell by the huddle. He runs the show. When you're around him, yeah, he's different. Like in the offseason, he doesn't need a coach. He respects the coaches, but he's like a coach on the field."
