After the Los Angeles Rams won Super Bowl LVI by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals last February, teams across the NFL looked to find ways to improve in hopes of lifting the Lombardi Trophy themselves. 

The Rams did not have to look very far to see these improved teams, as their fellow tenants of SoFi Stadium, the Los Angeles Chargers, revamped their pedestrian defense from 2021 and are looking to make the playoffs as quarterback Justin Herbert takes another step. Also in their own division, other teams in the AFC West are sporting new looks.

After years of mediocre quarterback play, the Denver Broncos traded for Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. The Broncos hope the addition of Wilson will rejuvenate their offense and unlock the potential of wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton and running back Javonte Williams. The Las Vegas Raiders also have a shiny new toy on their offense known as Davante Adams. Adams was considered one of the top wide receivers during his time with the Green Bay Packers and will look to continue his success with Raiders’ quarterback Derek Carr. All these moves have been in response to the high-octane offense of the Kansas City Chiefs. Even with the loss of wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs hope to still move the ball down the field with tight end Travis Kelce and rookie wide receiver Skyy Moore. 

Other top teams in the AFC appear to be the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and the Cincinnati Bengals. These teams all have solid quarterbacks, such as Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen and Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson, who are both MVP contenders. In addition to offense, these teams are shaping up to all have strong defenses that could launch them into the postseason.

The top teams in the NFC are shaping up to be the Los Angeles Rams, who are hoping to defend their championship, the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have quarterback Tom Brady returning after going back on his off-season decision to retire. The San Francisco 49ers are also looking like a promising contender with plans to start quarterback Trey Lance. 

Other teams primed to compete are the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints. The season kicks off on September 8 when the Bills travel to Los Angeles to take on the Rams.

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