After a ton of dominant performances were put on display in Week 12, there seems to be a new wave of Super Bowl contenders that have emerged. Now that we've reached the home stretch of the 2021-22 NFL season, these last six weeks will determine playoff seeding and decide which teams are forreal and which ones are all hype.

With another exciting week of football ahead of us, there's no knowing who will rise to the occasion and who will falter under pressure. As we get closer to the start of the NFL playoffs, let us now discuss the four teams that have emerged as Super Bowl favorites with 12 weeks of football now behind us.

Super Bowl Favorites

4. Cincinnati Bengals 

Coming off back-to-back double-digit wins with a new and improved offense and a well-balanced attack on defense, the Cincinnati Bengals have climbed their way into the AFC elite and look like favorites for this year's Super Bowl. Their dominance on both ends of the field have propelled them to new heights and taken the league by complete surprise.

On the other hand, when you've got Pro Bowl caliber talents like Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, C.J. Uzomah, Eli Apple, Jessie Bates III, Mike Hilton, and Chidobe Awuzie, it shouldn't come as any surprise to witness the cohesive and fiery play of this deep and dynamic Bengals squad. The Bengals have shown that they can hold their own against the best teams in the NFL and with the skill and will this team possesses, it's hard to overlook them as legitimate title favorites.

3. New England Patriots 

Fresh off a rebuilding year filled with a series of headaches and setbacks, the New England Patriots have turned things around and fought their way back to first place in the AFC East. Currently on a six-game winning streak, the Patriots have put together an impressive string of wins while working tirelessly to get back into the postseason picture.

If we've learned anything in the past, it's that you can never count out the Patriots – especially with Super Bowl champion head coach Bill Belichick calling the plays. As the new no. 2 seed in the AFC, the Patriots are starting to make their case as the new team-to-beat in the AFC with the strong possibility of bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Gillette Stadium.

2. San Francisco 49ers 

Heading into this season, the San Francisco 49ers had high expectations and were expected to hit the ground running with all their star players back at full strength. After their promising 2-0 start to the year, the 49ers endured a series of injuries and went on a four game losing streak.

Now having won four of their last five games and improving to 6-5 on the season, the 49ers now trail the Rams by just one game for second place in the NFC West. Despite their lack of depth in the backfield, Deebo Samuel has stepped up immensely and showcased his versatile skillsets as the focal point of the San Francisco's offense.

Add to that the return of George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk continuing to elevate his play each week, and Fred Warner, Jimmie Ward, and Nick Bosa continuing to lead the charge for them on defense and they're back in the driver's seat. Lead by an innovative football mind in Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers have battled through their early season struggles and their persistence has definitely paid off. With all this going for the 49ers, they've found themselves back in the conversation for Super Bowl favorites this season.

1. Green Bay Packers 

With all the drama surrounding Aaron Rodgers this season, the Packers looked as if they were destined for a losing season – especially after their dismal showing against the Saints in Week 1. Once Rodgers put his differences aside with the Packers front office though, Green Bay came out of the gates swinging and went on a tear winning their next seven games. They even handed the Cardinals their first loss of the season.

Even though Rodgers wound up having to miss a game due to the controversy surrounding his stance on the league's COVID-19 vaccination policy, the Packers were able to bounce back and come away with a quality win against the Rams last weekend. While reasserting their dominance and claiming their stake as the best team in the NFC, the Packers are also looking like the frontrunner to win this year's Super Bowl.