Super Bowl XLIII: All Eight Teams Showing Signs They Are Destined To Win

After recovering from elbow surgery in the off season, the Carolina Panthers hoped quarterback Jake Delhomme would return to the same form that helped the team get to the Super Bowl in 2005. Unfortunately, he has struggled at times throughout the season. Lucky for him, he has the support of strong players on offense to help him out.

The Carolina Panthers come into the playoffs with the second best record in the NFC at 12-4. Steve Smith has always been one of the team's most dangerous weapons. Even though he only had 6 touchdowns this season, he was still able to gain 1,421 receiving yards. Not only do they have solid play at the wide receiver position, another two stars has emerged for the Panthers at running back.

With the departure of DeShaun Foster at running back, the Panthers spent their first round draft pick on Jonathan Stewart out of Oregon to compete with DeAngelo Williams at running back. Instead, these two running backs have emerged as one of the deadliest duos in the league.

Prior to the season, Williams recorded a little over 1,200 yards rushing and five touchdowns in his two year career. In his first season as a full-time starter, he has rushed for 1,515 yards and 18 touchdowns. As a rookie, Stewart ran for 923 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Destined To Repeat As Champions...New York Giants

Last season, the New York Giants did the unthinkable when they beat the previously undefeated New England Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII. So why wouldn't it be in their destiny to win back-to-back Super Bowls?

For starters, there has only been seven teams in NFL history to ever win back-to-back Super Bowls (Packers, Dolphins, Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys, Broncos, and Patriots).

At one point in the season, the Giants seemed to be on pace for another Super Bowl title with their 11-1 record. Ever since the Plaxico Burress gun incident, the team has gone 2-3. However, they still clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the NFC.

The Giants will be without Plaxico Burress throughout the playoffs. Does this ruin their chances of becoming the eighth team in history to win back-to-back Super Bowls? Of course not.

Eli Manning has matured into one of the top quarterbacks in the league over the last couple of seasons. He will need extra help from wide receivers Domenik Hixon and Amani Toomer need to step it up in the playoffs if the Giants want to advance.

On a positive note, the Giants have one of the best running games in the league. Running back Brandon Jacobs should be good to go for the Giants after resting his knee injury for the last two weeks. Not to mention Derrick Ward has shown us he is capable of filling in for Jacobs if needed.

Destined To Believe In Miracles...Philadelphia Eagles

Out of all the teams to be in the playoffs this season, no team needed more help from other teams to clinch a spot than the Philadelphia Eagles.

With a 5-5-1 record, the Eagles playoff hopes seemed to be shattered as they sat in last place in the NFC East. At one point things became so bad for the Eagles, quarterback Donovan McNabb was benched in the second half of a game against the Baltimore Ravens earlier this season.

Ever since then, McNabb has been a different quarterback. After the game at Baltimore, McNabb led the Eagles to a 4-1 record to clinch the number six seed in the playoffs. However, they would not be in the playoffs if it wasn't for the help they received from other teams.

Thanks to losses from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Chicago Bears, the Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys 44-6 in the regular season finale to clinch the final spot in the playoffs for the NFC.

Last week, they went into Minnesota and defeated the Vikings 26-14. The Eagles are one of the hottest teams in football right now and they don't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. They knew they needed a miracle just to get into the playoffs and have taken advantage of their opportunity.

Destined To Be The First Team To Win Six Super Bowls...Pittsburgh Steelers

There are a number of teams such as the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos that have won numerous Super Bowl titles in their franchise history.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers won the Super Bowl in 2006, they joined the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers as the only teams to win five Super Bowls. With one of the top defenses in the league, the Steelers have a chance to become the first franchise in NFL history to win six Super Bowls.

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