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As the Los Angeles Rams have taken control of the NFC West, they mark as a team that possibly no one wants to see when it comes to the postseason. Add the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens to the list as the latter faces the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday as some ESPN insiders have insight into why these three teams could be viable threats.
Starting with Los Angeles, the season started disappointingly as they lost four of their first five games, but now are 7-2 in their last nine, standing at the top of a vulnerable division. With the offense led by Matthew Stafford with dangerous weapons in Kyren Williams, Cooper Kupp, and Puka Nacua, Jeremy Fowler speaks on the Rams winning another Super Bowl in the latest column.
“That the Rams can win it all again,” Fowler wrote. “Which I did not have on my bingo card in October. But Matthew Stafford is thriving again, and he's 12-5 when Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams are on the field together, averaging 27 points together before last week's rain-soaked slog in Santa Clara. But Los Angeles is officially the team that favorites don't want to see in the playoffs — as long as the secondary can hold up. That's a big “if,” given the lack of high-level personnel on that side. But the defensive line is impressive, and the offensive line is healthy. Sean McVay is, by some accounts, the game's best play-caller, too.”
Besides Rams, the Ravens seen as a team that others are concerned about
Another team that is deemed as a dangerous one that the ESPN insiders talk about is Baltimore, which could be unsurprising for people as some had them as favorites coming out of the AFC. Still, the team is second in the division to the Steelers, whom the Ravens have had trouble against in the past.
“I also think folks are concerned about the Ravens,” Graziano wrote. “Especially if they win Saturday against the Steelers and can chase them down for the division title. He might be trailing Josh Allen in the MVP race, but Lamar Jackson is playing the best football of his career this season, and some of the people I talk to think the Baltimore defense has the ability to play better than it has shown. I don't think anyone's going to want to play Baltimore, even if they don't look as dominant as they did this time last year.”
The Buccaneers have been “getting attention”
Another team that could be seen as Super Bowl contenders are the Buccaneers, who possibly are on their way to another NFC South crown amid a four-game winning streak. Some of them this season have been against such powerhouses as the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.
“I have to say, Tampa Bay is getting people's attention around the league,” Fowler wrote. “The Chargers' defense is well-regarded, but that didn't stop the Bucs from putting 506 yards and 40 points on it. Tampa Bay has wins over Detroit and Philadelphia, and it has averaged 23 points in its six losses. That last bit tells me the Bucs are built to win shootouts if the maligned secondary can hold up.”
There are three games left in the season for these three teams to show how much of a threat they are.
