5 Super Bowl pretenders after Week 13 of 2021 NFL season
As we leave Week 13 behind, we look at the Super Bowl pretenders who have flattered to deceive. Now, to be very clear, we are not looking at losing teams who have no chance of making the playoffs. Rather, our focus is on those teams that at one point looked like they were going to go all the way. They had the personnel and were playing well, but recent form has shown them more to be Super Bowl pretenders than contenders.
This list of Super Bowl pretenders is dominated by the AFC, as more teams have had uneven seasons than in the NFC, where there are clear leaders in three of the four divisions. Only one team from the NFC finds a place on the list of Super Bowl pretenders.
Super Bowl Pretenders after Week 13
#1 - Buffalo Bills
Perhaps no team has failed to live up to its billing more than the aptly named Buffalo Bills. Before the season, they were among the favorites to win the Super Bowl, given they had reached the AFC championship last year. They had a wide open division to aim for, in which none of their rivals were especially formidable. They had a settled team and their defense was getting better.
Bills are 1-4 this season against teams that currently own a winning record.
• vs. Steelers (L, 23-16)
• @ Chiefs (W, 38-20)
• @ Titans (L, 34-31)
• vs. Colts (L, 41-15)
• vs. Patriots (L, 14-10) https://t.co/GdNBjjE6TB
Initially during the season they lived up to expectations, but in the last few weeks it has all gone downhill. They have slipped to a 7-5 record, and in Week 13 they lost to the New England Patriots 10-14. Right now, they are two games behind the Patriots and look more like Super Bowl pretenders.
#2 - Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens had the chance to take control of the AFC and they failed to do so in Week 13, allowing the New England Patriots to take a march on them. And the reason we are calling them Super Bowl pretenders is not only because of one loss this week, but because of their play over the past few weeks.
The Baltimore Ravens came within inches of creating some much-needed breathing room in the AFC North.
Instead, they fell short in an agonizing loss to a division rival -- and now coach John Harbaugh's team has yet another major injury concern. baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/12/06/rav…
They lost to the Miami Dolphins three gamedays ago. Since then, they have won against the Chicago Bears and the Cleveland Browns by less than one touchdown score. This week they lost 20-19 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who were not in the greatest of forms either. In their last four matches, the Ravens have not faced premier opposition even once, yet their offense has failed to hit 20 points in any of those games. Because of their faltering offense, they are more Super Bowl pretenders at this point than genuine contenders, despite leading the AFC North with an 8-4 record.