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Modi: Green Bay Packers
The Packers ended the 2023 regular season on a 7-3 run as Jordan Love seemed to take a step forward as well. Of course, we all remember them taking a blowtorch to the Cowboys defense in the Wild Card as well. They ended the year with the fourth-best passing offense in the NFL, according to DVOA, and figure to take a step forward in Love’s second year as the starting QB. All-in on the Packers this year.
van Straten: Lions
The Lions exceeded their lofty expectations in 2023, going 12-5 and nearly advancing to their first Super Bowl in franchise history. Detroit should be just as good in 2024, thanks to a loaded offense featuring QB Jared Goff, the RB combo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE Sam LaPorta.
It also helps that 14 of Detroit’s 17 games are indoors, which should play a significant role in Goff’s continued ascension into one of the NFL‘s most underrated signal-callers.
They’ll face stiff competition from teams like the Niners and Packers, but the Lions have enough talent and newfound confidence to win a conference championship.
NW Sports Betting Staff AFC Champion Picks
Everett: Kansas City Chiefs
If the Chiefs win Super Bowl 59 to make it three in a row, we’ll have a rule next year that everyone has to pick someone besides Kansas City when we do our Super Bowl 60 picks. But as long as Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are an option, that’s who I’m taking.
Absurd as it may sound, this team is probably going to be better than it was last year, when it won it all in spite of Mahomes’ supporting cast on offense. This year, WRs Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown will provide a boost, RB Isiah Pacheco and second-year receiver Rashee Rice are ascending talents, and Travis Kelce and Mahomes have shown no signs of a drop-off.
Modi: Houston Texans
The Texans fit the category of teams we have seen a bunch over the years, where they have a young quarterback heading into his second or third year in the league make an MVP-level leap that immediately vaults that team into Super Bowl contention. We saw it with Jalen Hurts and the Eagles in 2022 (and Carson Wentz back in 2017), Joe Burrow and the Bengals in 2021, and Patrick Mahomes with the Chiefs in 2018.
C.J. Stroud has this type of potential, and also has the best trio of receivers in the NFL to throw to in Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs.
van Straten: Cincinnati Bengals
Following a 9-8 season and a fourth-place finish in 2023, the Bengals are far from your average cellar=dweller. Cincinnati beat future playoff teams like the Rams, 49ers and Bills before Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury in Week 11.
Burrow, who led Cincy to two AFC title games and a Super Bowl in his two healthy seasons, is back to lead a dynamic offense featuring receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and the underrated Zack Moss at running back. Couple that with one of the NFL‘s easiest schedules, and the Bengals can return to the playoffs and spoil the Chiefs’ quest for a three-peat.
NW Sports Betting Staff Super Bowl 59 Picks
Everett: Chiefs
As much as I like the Lions’ roster, if the Super Bowl comes down to a fourth-quarter battle between Mahomes and Goff, is there any question about who has the advantage?
Modi: Texans
In the battle of young QBs, the Texans take down the Packers to win the Super Bowl and officially make everybody forget that Deshaun Watson ever existed.
van Straten: Lions
In a high-scoring shootout for the ages, the Lions will rule the jungle when they defeat the Bengals and deliver the Motor City its long-awaited Super Bowl victory.
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