For the first time in the Super Bowl era, the Eagles begin a season with a clean slate — no longer can it be said of them that they’ve never won the modern version of the big one. They leave 12 sets of brethren behind, many of whom began 2017 the way the Eagles did: on nobody's radar to become the next NFL champions.
There are a handful, though, that will begin 2018 with good shots at escaping the notorious list the way the Eagles did. If these teams are not on the short list of Super Bowl 53 contenders, or for titles in the next four or five years, they should be.
These five are the closest to copying the Eagles’ feat of winning their first Super Bowl. (Spoiler alert: the Browns are not one of them.)
Jacksonville Jaguars
In 2017: 10-6, AFC South champions, lost in the conference championship game.
Closest call(s): Lost in the AFC title game after the 1996, 1999 and 2017 seasons.
How soon: Our too-early prediction had them playing the Saints in Super Bowl 53 and losing. Even if they don’t make the jump that fast, the potential for a Patriots decline opens the door for them in the AFC and, with the defense they’ve assembled and with Tom Coughlin making an impact this fast, they will be in contention for several years. Once again, they might just be a quarterback away.
Atlanta Falcons
In 2017: 10-6, NFC wild card, lost in the divisional round.
Closest call(s): Lost Super Bowls 32 and 51.
How soon: They have some explaining to do as to why they dropped off as much as they did last year, considering every key piece except offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan returned. They handled the post-Super Bowl defeat hangover fairly well. They’re in position to handle the year after the year after better. The biggest obstacles are in their own division, where the Saints are going to be back in the Super Bowl hunt and the Panthers finished ahead of them last season.
2018 NFL RANKINGS:
QBs | Coaches | GMs | Stadiums
Minnesota Vikings
In 2017: 13-3, NFC North champs, lost in the conference championship game.
Closest call(s): Lost Super Bowls 4, 8, 9 and 11.
How soon: Possibly very soon now that they believe they've solved QB with Kirk Cousins. Don’t be fooled too much by how badly the Eagles beat them in the NFC title game. The top-ranked defense in the NFL, the return of Dalvin Cook from injury, the presence of a stellar receiving corps and an outstanding head coach in Mike Zimmer make a Super Bowl run seem inevitable.
Los Angeles Chargers
In 2017: 9-7, second in the AFC West.
Closest call: Lost Super Bowl 29.
How soon: They are good enough to overcome the Chiefs and hold off the Raiders in their division, and if they can get in and turn Philip Rivers and that defense loose, anything can happen. Prepare yourselves now for an all-LA Super Bowl in the near future, as fast as the Rams are rising. The 2022 game is scheduled for the new Inglewood stadium the teams will share. That could take Rivers out of the picture, but that might give LA’s neglected franchise the added incentive it needs.
Houston Texans
In 2017: 4-12, tied for third in the AFC South.
Closest call(s): Three losses in the divisional round.
How soon: They’re talented, which should mean they'll have a long stretch of contention ahead. They’re also injury-prone, which means they might have a really small window. At full strength, Deshaun Watson, J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, DeAndre Hopkins and the rest of that roster should be dangerous, but Watt, Watson and others are coming back from serious injuries — and the Jaguars and Titans are ahead of them in the division. For now.
