One Reason to Believe Every NFL Team Can Reach 2013 Super Bowl

As we wrap up the 2011 NFL season with what promises to be a great Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and New York Giants, it has come time to start looking forward to the offseason.

30 NFL teams have already started to concentrate on free agency along with the draft and are attempting to get the right pieces in place to be successful in 2012.

Still, there can be only one Super Bowl champion. Certain teams surprised the entire football world with success that we had not seen from their franchise, other teams disappointed and some performed at a level that most of us expected.

This article is going to give ONE reason why each NFL team can reach the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Indianapolis Colts

Bruce Arians might be a little overrated, but at least he gives the Indianapolis Colts an offensive personality to help in the grooming process of Andrew Luck. Yes, I have already drawn a conclusion that the former Stanford quarterback will be the No. 1 overall pick in April. I don't think I am going out on a limb by saying that.

The addition of Arians to the Colts' coaching staff is going to be huge. He has worked with young quarterbacks in the past, has had some success grooming those young players and is coming off an extremely successful stint as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It is going to help to have that "culture of winning" surrounding Andrew Luck and leftovers from the Colts disastrous 2-14 season. Jim Irsay wants to bring that winning culture back and this coaching hire will go a long way in doing that.

Of course there is somewhat of a caveat in regard to the possible success of a Andrew Luck-Bruce Arians pairing. He was the Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator from 2001-04 when Tim Couch was tearing apart the collective souls of the Dog Pound.

St. Louis Rams

I am still under the impression that Sam Bradford is a franchise quarterback. With all the injuries and schematic issues that took place for the St. Louis Rams in 2011, he has to be given somewhat of a mulligan for a major sophomore struggle.

This is a quarterback that still possesses all the talent you are looking for in a franchise signal caller and he hasn't lost it overnight. The Rams are going to give Bradford some weapons on the outside this offseason, whether it is through free agency, the draft or both.

They have the running game, a franchise quarterback and a coach that has led a team to the Super Bowl. Give Bradford some continuity and he could surprise a lot of people.

Minnesota Vikings

I am a true believer in the idea that Christian Ponder can be a franchise quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. He showed flashes during what was an incredibly disappointing season for them.

What I liked most about his game was the fact that Ponder looked extremely comfortable in the pocket and made secondary reads a majority of the time. This is extremely important for a rookie quarterback. 

Of course, the Vikings are going to actually have to give Ponder some help if he is to succeed in 2012. This means finding a franchise tackle, getting a consistent receiver and scheming to his strengths.

The fact that Adrian Peterson will start the 2012 season on the sideline due to an ACL injury cannot help their cause. However, if I were to give one reason why the Vikings could get to the Super Bowl next season it would be on the improved play of the 2011 first-round pick.

Cleveland Browns

Whether you believe Colt McCoy is the answer at quarterback is pretty much irrelevant in regard to this article. Whoever is sitting behind center for the Cleveland Browns will not be the primary reason they have a successful 2012 campaign. Sure, he will play a role, but it is the defense that is going to lead the way.

This is a defense that finished fifth in scoring (19.2 points per game) and second in passing yards (184 per game). They have an extremely young nucleus of talented players. It starts with the likes of Jabaal Sheard and Phil Taylor along the front while Joe Haden continues to perform at a high level at corner.

If they can get a stud linebacker to go with these three standouts, the Cleveland Browns defense could make the jump to elite status. If that happens you are going to win a lot of games: just ask the San Francisco 49ers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In no way am I comparing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hiring of Greg Schiano as their head coach to the 49ers bringing in Jim Harbaugh last season. Oh wait, I am.

There are a lot of similarities between these two situations.

Schiano, as well as Harbaugh, turned a previously dormant college football program around and had major success over the course of their careers there.

After starting his Rutgers career a combined 3-20 in his first two seasons, Schiano turned the Scarlet Knights' program around. They made six bowl games in his final seven seasons as head coach. Prior to Schiano's arrival in New Jersey, this program had made a total of one bowl game in its history.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still an extremely talented team with a lot of young, up-and-coming players. Josh  Freeman regressed a great deal after a standout 2010 season as their defense ranked among the worst in the entire league.

To say that they underachieved would be a gross understatement, this is the primary reason Raheem Morris is now coaching the Washington Redskins defensive backs. The talent is there, they have cap room and a high draft pick. This hire could be instrumental in bringing the Buccaneers back to legitimacy in the NFC South and is a reason they could surprise a lot of people in 2012.

Washington Redskins

Yes, Rex Grossman is on this list. Don't worry, I am not losing whatever is left of my brain matter. Instead, I am indicating that the Redskins' quarterback performances this season have left them with no other option than to go after a top-tier signal caller in the offseason. 

This is the sole reason of hope for this underachieving franchise. Their defense has been solid, they have a decent coaching staff and have added some nice, young pieces via the draft.

Now it is time to bite the proverbial bullet and spend a high draft choice on a quarterback. That man is going to be none other than Heisman winner, Robert Griffin III. You can fully expect Washington to trade up for the talented quarterback, a decision that will be met be a chorus of cheers in Landover.

His existence on the Redskins' roster means they are one step closer to contending in the NFC East. As we all know, anything can happen in the playoffs.

You can thank the performance of Rex Grossman this season for that, because he disabled any false hope that Daniel Snyder and Co. might have of him being anything more than a marginal backup. Don't get me started with John Beck.

Game over, flip the script and draft a quarterback for hog sake.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars new owner, Shahid Khan, may look like a character out of Alice Through the Looking Glass, but he is all in when it comes to winning. This is a nice change of direction for the Jaguars' struggling fan base and it could mean a return to prominence for the once proud franchise.

They do have a few nice pieces in place, but are still a ways off in terms of contention. The first issue will be deciding whether or not Blaine Gabbert is their "franchise" quarterback. If so, they are going to have to provide him with some weapons on the outside.

Khan has already gone on record stating that the Jaguars are going to be players in free agency, which is a pleasant change from their MO over the course of the last few seasons. If they entrust Gabbert with the starting job, provide him with some young weapons and hit free agency hard: there is no telling what can happen.

Either way, they are in much better hands than they were just six months ago. That should be added relief for a fan base that faced the prospect of losing their team to Los Angeles just a couple of short years ago.

Carolina Panthers

Not only did Cam Newton electrify an offense that was so dormant in 2010, he helped the Carolina Panthers actually compete on a consistent basis against playoff teams. No one in their right mind would have believed this was going to be the case just one season after this franchise plummeted to a 2-14 record.

Carolina still has a lot of work to do with its 53-man roster. This is a team that has holes all over the football field, mostly on defense. They will have to add playmakers on every tier of the defense in order to be considered contenders to overtake the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. However, having that franchise, a top-10 quarterback will go a long way in rebuilding this team.

When you have a player of Cam Newton's caliber running your offense there is no telling how far the upward trajectory will go. At this point we have to consider the Panthers a dark horse team, much like the 2011 Detroit Lions, heading into next year.

Miami Dolphins

It really is hard to come up with a reason the Miami Dolphins could contend for a Super Bowl next season. They don't have an above-average quarterback or a bell cow in the running game. Their defensive secondary, considered a strength heading into the 2011 season, regressed a great deal. And they are once again having to tear apart the coaching staff in hopes of finding someone that can stick in South Beach.

That said, they could not have made a better choice than hiring former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

This is a coach that worked his way up the latter of the Green Bay Packers coaching staff since becoming assistant offensive line coach in 2003. Despite not being solely responsible for the play calling in Green Bay since being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2007, Philbin has been instrumental in the progression of Aaron Rodgers as one of the best quarterbacks in the game: if not the best.

He has the offensive mind, the play calling ability and the history of success that should electrify the Miami Dolphins fan base.

Additionally, you can expect the Dolphins to go heavy on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, which indicates a movement to get playmakers to go along with Reggie Bush, Daniel Thomas and Brandon Marshall

If Miami had an above-average signal caller on offense over the last couple of seasons, they would have made some noise in the AFC East and possibly made it to the postseason. Give them a Matt Flynn and this team can easily compete for a playoff spot.

Buffalo Bills

Ryan Fitzpatrick cannot lead an offense on his own. He is nowhere near elite status, thus needs a running game in order to succeed. This was evident during the 2011 season.

When Fred Jackson was on the field, Buffalo had one of the most dynamic offenses in the league. Once he went down to injury in a week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Bills offense looked in disarray.

The good news for fans in upstate New York and Canada is the fact that Jackson will be entering training camp fully healthy in August. He was having an amazing season before that soul-crushing injury in November. Added to this is the fact that C.J. Spiller actually showed something in Jackson's stead over the course of the last six weeks of the season.

We all know that Buffalo will need to fix their defensive shortcomings. However, when you have an offense with a ton of weapons that can put up 30 every week, they should be considered dark horses for a playoff spot.

We also know that anything can happen in the postseason.

Kansas City Chiefs

We will find out this weekend whether it is the New York Giants fearsome front seven that will bring home the Lombardi Trophy or if the New England Patriots high octane offense is going to grab the title. Either way, defenses have pretty much reigned supreme this postseason, which closely resembles what has happened in the past.

This brings me to the Kansas City Chiefs. They arguably have one of the best young defensive cores in the entire NFL. Brandon Flowers and Tamba Hali both played at an extremely high level, while Eric Berry (a Pro Bowl performer as a rookie) was sitting on the sidelines with an injury.

The AFC West was there for the taking this season and if the Kansas City Chiefs had not suffered a myriad of injuries from some of their best players, they probably would have grabbed the division title for the second consecutive season.

If the Chiefs are able to stay healthy and add a couple key figures on defense, you can fully expect them to compete for the AFC West crown and a shot at the AFC Championship in 2012.

Seattle Seahawks

The verdict may still be out on to Pete Carroll as a NFL head coach. After all, he hasn't had a great deal of success thus far. What I do know is that his players love playing for him, which is an extremely important factor in the locker room.

Responsible for a majority of the player personnel decisions, Carroll has also done a really good job bringing in talent in the back end of the draft and through the rookie free agent pool. Just think about the contributions that 2011 rookies, Richard Sherman (fifth round pick) and Doug Baldwin (undrafted) made this season.

If Seattle can continue to stockpile young talent in the draft, adding to what they already have, this team could surprise a lot of people in 2012. It will all come down to Carrol in the Xs and Os aspect of the game and him being able to get the most out of Tarvaris Jackson at the quarterback position.

Seattle put their trust in the former USC head coach and 2012 will be telling if that was smart.

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals have a really good young defensive core. Players like Patrick Peterson (pictured), Daryl Washington, Sam Acho, Calais Campbell (if he returns) and Dan Williams seem to be a really nice nucleus for this team in transition.

I fully understand that they are going to have to get better play from the quarterback position, but the improvement in the defense from early in the season to December was remarkable. Good defenses have the ability to keep teams above water as their offense continues to improve.

This enables them to project an aura of confidence and compete on a weekly basis. That is all a team can ask for when they lack the true play makers on the other side of the ball. This was also the MO of the 2011 San Francisco 49ers, who were an overtime loss in the NFC Championship Game from going to the Super Bowl.

Dallas Cowboys

I know, I know. The Dallas Cowboys must be completely helpless if I am saying that Tony Romo is the reason they could go to the Super Bowl in 2013. Maybe, I am completely helpless in coming to this conclusion.

However, hear me out for a second.

He was the only player on the Dallas Cowboys who consistently played at a high level throughout the 2011 season. Romo had the highest quarterback rating and lowest interception percentage of his career. He continually led the Dallas Cowboys back from deficits to win games. 

If the rest of the Cowboys' roster, DeMarcus Ware included, could play with the passion that Tony Romo exhibits on the football field, this team would be in a much better place.

He is a quarterback that can lead a team to the Super Bowl. However, there are 53 men on the roster that need to give their all in order for a team to succeed. If that doesn't happen you have half-ass performances like we saw in Dallas and Philadelphia this season. 

It is all about taking a page from the book of Tony Romo. If the rest of the Cowboys' players follow his lead, this team has the talent to contend in the ultra-competitive NFC.

Philadelphia Eagles

Probably the most dynamic backfield duo in the NFL when healthy, Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy are a couple of electrifying offensive football players. The key component to their success, or lack thereof, will be getting the rest of the Philadelphia Eagles roster to play up to that level.

This team still has a crazy amount of talent. You are looking at 10 current or former Pro Bowl performers on the same roster. Without being under a microscope and pressure, the Eagles will probably perform at an extremely high level.

It starts and ends with this backfield duo.

Michael Vick, who has proved himself over and over again, had a disappointing 2011 season. It could be concluded that this was more of a mirage than anything else. If he is able to morph back into the version we saw in 2010, the Eagles are going to be extremely dangerous.

Give LeSean McCoy another season to fully understand the nuances of the Philadelphia Eagles' complex offensive scheme and you have the makings of an unstoppable offense. While I do agree that defenses win championships, the other side of the ball does factor into success a great deal. Philadelphia currently has that foundation in place, which leads me to believe they will surprise a lot of people in 2012.

New York Jets

If the New York Jets could perform up to the level of Rex Ryan's mouth they would be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend. However, I am not sure any team can perform up to that level.

So, we are going to have to settle for an offseason devoid of any sound bites from the enigmatic head coach. What a crying shame that is.

It isn't like Rex Ryan has not had success in his three seasons as the head coach of the New York Jets. He led them to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010 before taking a step back this season. This is one heck of a head coach that does get the most out of players that lack the physical attributes to be elite (see: Mark Sanchez).

If the New York Jets, with coaching additions, can get the most out of this somewhat under performing unit, they will find themselves in the hunt for the AFC East crown come September. It is a major task considering what has come out about their locker room since the season ended. That said, Rex Ryan has the personality to handle those issues and bring this unit together.

Oakland Raiders

With the recent hiring of Greg Knapp as the Oakland Raiders' offensive coordinator, Carson Palmer has a quarterback orientated guy to lead this unit. Knapp also brings with him a hybrid, west coast offense mentality, which seems to fit Palmers' strengths to an extent.

Give the former No. 1 overall pick an entire offseason to learn the new offense and find a connection with the Raiders' group of young receivers and he will be able to come out of the gate strong in 2012. We all know that he doesn't lack the physical ability and leadership to be a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. This is something that he has proved in his career, however long its been since he did perform at that level.

The AFC West was ripe for the taking this season as Oakland finished a season finale loss to the San Diego Chargers away from capturing the division title. Expect Palmer and Co. to be much more dangerous with a full offseason together.

San Diego Chargers

There is no question that Philip Rivers had a down year in 2011. He struggled a great deal with mistakes, failed to come up big in important situations and was nowhere near the level as in previous seasons.

It is still incredibly hard to place the blame of the Chargers lack of success this season solely on Philip Rivers. Their coaching was horrendous, the defense took a step back and injuries popped up on a constant basis.

One lackluster season will not define Rivers as a quarterback, nor will it prevent him from re-emerging as an elite player in 2012. This is a quarterback that had been one of the most successful in the NFL over the course of the previous five seasons.

Of course, San Diego will have to tie up some loose ends on their talented roster, but no mistake about it: their success is reliant on the performance of Philip Rivers. No matter the reservations that some of you might have about Rivers' ability to win big games, he is a true team leader and will be successful moving forward.

If that happens, San Diego will be in a strong position to capture the AFC West in 2012. If not, mediocrity will be the name of the game in Southern California.

Chicago Bears

The window of success for Chicago's defense might be closing. Both Lance Briggs and Brian Urlacher aren't getting any younger and probably only have three or four seasons of elite performance ahead of them.

They are still one of the most feared linebacker tandems in the NFL, right up there with NaVorro Bowman and Patrick Willis in San Francisco. The ability of these two players to completely take over a game is a primary reason why the Bears are consistently in contention for a playoff spot.

In short, they make every other player along this unit better by their mere presence on the football field. While the window might be closing, you cannot discount their championship performance on Sunday.

Now it is up to the other 51 players on the roster to take a page from their book.

Tennessee Titans

Matt Hasselbeck isn't just a place holder for Jake Locker, he has a real chance to do something great with the Tennessee Titans in the twilight of his career. Remember, he is a quarterback that took the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl.

Give Hasselbeck a full season with a healthy Kenny Britt and an inspired Chris Johnson and you have the makings of an extremely surprising team.

Tennessee does have some issues on both sides of the ball, but they also have some play makers. If a team like the New York Giants, with all of their flaws, can get to the Super Bowl, there is no reason to believe that the Titans cannot shock the football world behind this grizzled vet.

Cincinnati Bengals

All Andy Dalton has done since committing to Texas Christian five years ago is win football games. By all accounts, he is one of those leaders on the football field that makes the players on his team better just by his presence on the field.

This was no different with the Cincinnati Bengals. He took a team that many predicted to win two or three games and led them to a rare playoff appearance. It is impossible to overstate what he did as a rookie.

Moving forward, I expect the Bengals to continue to put play makers around Dalton on the offensive side of the ball. Even at this point the Dalton-to-A.J.-Green connection promises to be one of the best in the NFL over the course of the next decade.

He is a difference maker that could lead the Bengals to a lot of success moving forward, starting in 2012.

Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan has not had playoff success as of yet in his career, but we have to remember he is still incredibly young and this lack of success cannot solely be placed on his shoulders.

It is important to note that Ryan has a career 43-19 record as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He has also gotten better each season.

While some may question the Falcons' decision to trade up for Julio Jones last April, he has given Ryan and Co. an added dimension on offense. If Atlanta is able to get a couple offensive linemen to shore up protection for No. 2, there is no reason to believe he wont be a championship-winning quarterback in the not so distant future.

After all, making the playoffs is half the fight and Ryan has done that in three of his four seasons as the Falcons starting quarterback.

Detroit Lions

It may not be on the level of Montana-to-Rice, but the connection between Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson is starting to gain steam as one of the best in the recent history of the league. Well, it has for one season.

I am not sure if it is more about Calvin Johnson being nearly unstoppable on the outside or Matthew Stafford consistently putting the ball on target, but this duo has "championship" written all over it.

Stafford, who is turning 24 next week, completely destroyed the Lions' record books this season by throwing for over 5,000 yards and 41 touchdowns. Johnson, on the other hand, continued to make his case for being the best receiver in the NFL. He caught nearly 100 passes for over 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns. It was possibly one of the greatest receiving seasons in the history of the league.

Now that Detroit has broken through to make the playoffs, their next logical step is to contend for the NFC Championship. With this core on the offensive side of the ball, there is no doubt that this team is going to stay on top for quite a while.

Pittsburgh Steelers

As long as Ben Roethlisberger is upright and somewhat healthy, the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be in contention for the Lombardi Trophy. This dude makes everyone around him better and is a true leader on the football field. He plays with an unmatched passion for the game, makes all the throws and has a body of steel.

Pittsburgh has also done a great job building and rebuilding their roster to best fit the era that the league is trending toward. This is what has separated them from some of the other successful teams in the league.

There is no question in my mind that the Steelers will find young talent to replace their aging veteran core and give Big Ben the weapons that he needs in order to keep this franchise in contention over the course of the next few seasons.

As it is, Roethlisberger is the one reason Pittsburgh will, once again, vie for the top spot in the AFC in 2012.

Denver Broncos

I bet that some of you expected me to put Tim Tebow as the primary reason why the Denver Broncos can contend for a Super Bowl in 2012. Well, that would be downright foolish. God's "chosen one" isn't going to carry a team on his back to a Lombardi Trophy. Rather, he is going to need help from every part of the team in order to be successful.

This is where the defense comes into play for Denver. While D.J. Williams, Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins aren't getting any younger, they have a really nice young core to build around on that side of the ball.

From Elvis Dumervil to Von Miller, the Broncos are stacked in the pass-rushing aspect of their defense. They also have a pair of nice safeties in Rahim Moore and Quinton Carter. These for young players are really nice cornerstones upon which to build a defense with.

Now it is time for Denver and John Elway to add some other "complementary" players outside of these four. They need to get a young corner and some help along the defensive line. If Denver's front office is able to do that, their defense is going to be downright scary moving forward.

As I have indicated before, defense will keep you in a lot of games.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans made their first postseason appearance in franchise history this season thanks, in large part, to their defense. This is a unit that was much maligned over the course of the previous few years, only to come together in a newly instilled 3-4 scheme to rank among the best in the league in 2011.

They are loaded with young talent across that front seven. J.J. Watt stepped up as a rookie to become one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league, while Connor Barwin brought home a team-high 11.5 sacks. Brooks Reed and Brian Cushing also did stand-up jobs at the linebacker position.

Possibly the best addition to this unit was the free agent signing of Johnathan Joseph, who picked off four passes and tallied 18 passes defended in route to a Pro Bowl nod.

With the possible return of Mario Williams from an injury that cost him the majority of the 2011 season, this unit could be elite for a long time.

It isn't like the Texans' offense isn't that good either. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson should be healthy and ready to team up with their two-headed monster at running back.

The future looks bright in Houston as they have quickly become one of the elite teams in the conference. If this defense continues to progress, the sky is the limit.

New Orleans Saints

Two words: Drew Brees.

This is a quarterback that will lead his team to championship contention every single season he decides to suit up. We are not just talking about a player that has put up some of the best numbers in the history of the game, Brees is a team leader. He is also community leader in New Orleans.

Never, in the history of the league, has a player represented his city and franchise with the dignity and respect that Drew Brees has New Orleans. He will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that the Saints consistently contend for a Super Bowl and do so in a respectful way.

Look for the Saints to add the necessary pieces on defense in order for them to improve from a surprising playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. If this happens, Brees will do his part to bring the city another Lombardi Trophy.

Of course, this is all contingent on him returning to New Orleans in 2012. That said, the citizens of New Orleans would literally run the Saints front office out of town through Lake Pontchartrain if they let this stand-up guy walk in free agency.

Green Bay Packers

Jay Clemons over at National Football Post put together a list of the best teams to not win the Super Bowl. Two teams from 2011 made this list: the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

I think it goes without saying that many of us had the Green Bay Packers projected to win the title this season. After all, they started out 13-0, breaking records all over the place in the meantime. This is a team that averaged 35 points per game and continually dominated the opposition for the better part of four months.

Their success started and ended with Aaron Rodgers, a quarterback that destroyed some records of his own: including a quarterback rating of 122.5.

He will be back at full force as will the Green Bay Packers offense. Don't let one sub-par postseason performance from this ultra-talented team fool you. They are for real and will be competing for a Super Bowl Championship on a consistent basis for the next decade or so.

You can pretty much take that to the bank.

Baltimore Ravens

William Shakespeare once said the following about greatness,

"

"Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them."

"

Ed Reed and Ray Lewis were never afraid of greatness. Nor, did they slip in the face of failure. These are two individuals that continue to define what it means to give your heart and soul for a franchise, team and city.

Never underestimate the heart of a champion. Both Ray Lewis and Ed Reed proved to the football world why they belong in the argument as the greatest players at their position in the history of the NFL. After a combined quarter-century of NFL experience, these two players still bring it every single Sunday. They are a prime example of what is right about the game of football on the field.

They were a dropped pass and missed field goal away from playing the Super Bowl. In fact, it could be said that the better team did not win in the AFC Championship Game.

The window is closing on the Baltimore Ravens, this is pretty much assured. However, as long as these two players are suiting up on Sunday's the Baltimore Ravens will vie for the Lombardi Trophy.

San Francisco 49ers

My colleague here at Bleacher Report Brandon FitzPatrick wrote an article this week entitled "Why Jim Harbaugh Has the San Francisco 49ers on the Edge of Another Dynasty."

While this may be a little premature, I can see exactly where he is coming from. This is a team that had continued to underperform for seasons under a myriad of average head coaches. That all changed when Jim Harbaugh joined the 49ers in January of last year. He brought an aura of confidence, if not smugness, that has since come to define 49ers football.

In the process, this team went from 6-10 to 13-3 and were a muffed punt in overtime of the NFC Championship Game from having a chance to make the Super Bowl.

The primary reason for this resurgence by the bay was a dominating defense—historically dominating. Justin Smith redefined what it meant to be a 3-4 defense end, NaVorro Bowman became a First Team All-Pro in his first season starting, Patrick Willis continued to cement his legacy as one of the greatest inside linebackers to ever play and a wide array of standouts stood strong along the secondary.

Until I am proven wrong, possibly on Sunday, I will continue to say defenses win championships. The San Francisco 49ers have the makings of one of the most dominant defenses in the modern history of the game. They are young, lean, mean, strong and passionate about the game of football. Those five factors enable me to sit here and say that they will be one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl next season.

After all, you just cannot teach the talent that this team has on its roster.

New York Giants

Eli "elite" Manning, okay the whole idea of Eli being elite is a little overplayed, don't you think? If he wins another championship, it really doesn't matter what "skeptics" want to conclude about where he stands among the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

He is as clutch as they come on the football field. This is a quarterback that led the Giants to seven fourth-quarter comebacks this season, throwing 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions in those games.

He was hit 20 times against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, but stood strong in the face of this pressure to lead the Giants to a gutsy win and a shot at a second Super Bowl in four seasons.

It is going to be extremely hard to repeat as the NFC Champions next season, especially with the talent that conference has. So, I cannot go out on a limb and say the Giants will be the odds-on favorites to go to their second consecutive Super Bowl. What I will say is that they will be right up there with the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions atop the conference.

This success is a direct correlation to Manning's continued growth as a quarterback and progression to Hall of Fame status.

New England Patriots

The Dynasty—two words that pretty much sum up the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era in New England.

Five Super Bowl appearances and possibly a fourth Lombardi Trophy in 11 seasons. Those are figures that define the greatest to ever play or coach in the NFL.

While the window might be coming to a close for this dynamic duo, they still have a lot left to prove. Or at least, this is what is driving them towards excellence after being great together for so many years.

As long as the city of Boston has these two on the New England Patriots this franchise is going to be threats to take home the championship every single season.

It really is that simple.