With the 2022 NFL season kicking off on Thursday night, the wait for football is over.
However, this starts the journey of 32 NFL teams who all want to reach one place.
That place is Glendale, Arizona and Super Bowl 57.
But only two teams can reach this championship game.
That leaves 30 other teams who will miss out on the biggest game in the NFL.
However, of those 30 teams, there are three teams who are Super Bowl pretenders in 2022.
3. Denver Broncos
Now that the NFL preseason is over, the Denver Broncos have somehow made talks of reaching the Super Bowl.
They have been in the top ten with betting odds of making the Super Bowl this season.
Current Super Bowl odds at @DKSportsbook:
Bills +600
Bucs +700
Chiefs, Packers 10-1
Rams 12-1
Chargers 14-1
Broncos, 49ers 16-1
Cowboys, Ravens 20-1
Bengals, Eagles 22-1
Colts 25-1
Browns 30-1
Vikings 35-1
Cardinals, Dolphins, Raiders, Saints, Titans 40-1
…
Texans 250-1— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) August 14, 2022
The rave over the Broncos comes from them trading for Russell Wilson this offseason.
However, Wilson isn’t the key to a Super Bowl run in Denver for 2022.
He needs a better team around him before he can push the Broncos into true Super Bowl contender status.
While he can help improve the Broncos record this season, they still need better receivers and an offensive line for Wilson.
Until they do, their Super Bowl hopes are nothing more than a dream.
2. Los Angeles Rams
Ever since Matthew Stafford come to sunny LA last season, things for the Rams have been great.
He took the team to Super Bowl 56, winning the game in their home stadium.
However, some health issues with him this season could derail a Super Bowl repeat.
From @GMFB: Detailing the key injuries heading into Thursday, looking at #Rams QB Matthew Stafford's elbow, #Rams WR Van Jefferson's knee, and #Bills S Jordan Poyer's elbow. pic.twitter.com/goBA7hM9lW
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 5, 2022
While his elbow injury isn’t keeping him from starting in Week 1, it could turn into an issue throughout the season.
But another issue is Stafford’s tendency to throw interceptions.
Pair this with his bad throwing elbow, and the Rams are having a recipe for disaster brewing.
They can’t make the Super Bowl solely on the shoulders of their defense.
The Rams need Stafford at 100% and not reverting to his status of interceptions leader.
Even at his age, he needs to improve his gameplay in Los Angeles.
The injury he’s dealing with will prevent this from happening.
It will also derail the Rams’ hopes of returning to the Super Bowl.
1. Green Bay Packers
The biggest Super Bowl pretenders are the Green Bay Packers.
Ever since Aaron Rodgers got his first Super Bowl ring, he hasn’t led the team back to the big game.
In fact, it was the Packers’ top five defense which helped them make that Super Bowl they won with him as quarterback.
Since the 2010 #Packers won Super Bowl XLV with a top-5 defense, none of the Packers' defensive units have ranked in the upper 25% of scoring defenses (points allowed) in the NFL. (5/) pic.twitter.com/ca1lHIbgcn
— Jay Sorgi (@jsorgi) September 10, 2021
So when the Packers defense isn’t in the top five, you can forget about them making a Super Bowl.
Rodgers now has lost key players on offense while the Packers defense looks suspect going into 2022.
To keep Rodgers, and to franchise tag Davante Adams before the start of the 2022 offseason, the team released several key players on offense and defense.
Without these players, the Packers’ chances of making the Super Bowl are down to zero.
However, everyone else seems to believe Rodgers can carry the team to Super Bowl 57.
People who believe this are backing the biggest Super Bowl pretenders in the 2022 NFL season.
NEXT: George Kittle May Not Play In Week 1 For 49ers