What NFL teams are the Super Bowl favorites?

The Bills opened the season as the Super Bowl favorites, and little changed after the first half of the season. Both the offense and defense have performed at an elite level, and the team owns critical AFC seeding tiebreakers against the Chiefs, Ravens, and Titans. The team's early struggles in the AFC East and Josh Allen's elbow injury did stand out as concerns.

An embarrassing loss at Indianapolis and a tough home loss to Buffalo cloud what has been another strong start for the Chiefs sans Tyreek Hill. The offense continues to roll with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, while the defense could get a late-season boost with the return of first-round cornerback Trent McDuffie from injury.

The 1972 Dolphins continue to have reason to keep an eye on the undefeated Eagles, who have been the clear class of the NFC. There remain skeptics about Jalen Hurts' upside in the playoffs, but the team has a dynamic running game and a star-laden defense that has added Robert Quinn.

The 49ers aren't what we thought they'd be entering the season, as Jimmy Garoppolo has returned to take over for the injured Trey Lance and Christian McCaffrey has been added to be Kyle Shanahan's dream running back. The passing game remains a work in progress, but the offense has even more dynamic ability with McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel, while the defense has been mostly stellar.

What a difference head coach Kevin O'Connell and pass rusher Za'Darius Smith have made. Minnesota couldn't be more thrilled with the first half of their season and seem likely to cruise to an NFC North title with Green Bay's struggles. Still, a brutal Week 2 loss at Philadelphia stands out as the Vikings look toward the playoffs.

The Ravens continue to work out the early-season defensive kinks, now showing defensive improvement after losing leads against the Dolphins, Bills, and Giants. The addition of star linebacker Roquan Smith was on full display against New Orleans, and Lamar Jackson has manufactured enough offense in spite of major injuries around him.

The Cowboys' success, despite injuries to Dak Prescott, Tyron Smith, and more, is reason enough to believe the team has a high ceiling when they get fully healthy. The defense has been ferocious, led by superstar Micah Parsons, though the NFC East is almost out of reach with Philly's undefeated start.

It's apparent Vegas isn't ready to give up on Tom Brady and the Bucs just yet, even as the team's play has been lackluster. Tampa Bay has been forced to contend with some major injuries, particularly among their receivers and offensive line, and the NFC South has offered them an early mulligan.

At their best, the Miami offense has been elite with new head coach Mike McDaniel and the addition of Tyreek Hill. Tua Tagovailoa's long history of injuries has continued, however, and the team has a rough schedule in the second half of the season. With Buffalo in the same division, the Dolphins face an uphill battle.

It's another year of major injuries for the Chargers, who have been without Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, Rashawn Slater, and Mike Williams for significant periods. The team's inconsistency continues, though Justin Herbert's great flashes give the Chargers a chance to win against almost any opponent.

Cincinnati is back on track after a shocking 0-2 start to the regular season, though they've also been forced to adjust to life without the injured Ja'Marr Chase. The AFC North could be a fight to the end between Cincinnati and Baltimore, but Joe Burrow and company have repeatedly shown that they can be elite.

Even playing without Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee gave the Chiefs all they could handle at Arrowhead Stadium with a defense that has been suffocating since they were embarrassed by Buffalo in Week 2. Once again, it looks like the Titans will coast to an AFC South title, but it remains to be seen if they can survive without a major passing game after trading A.J. Brown in the offseason. The team is still built to travel to colder climates, with Derrick Henry looking as imposing as ever.

Seattle is arguably the biggest surprise of the early season, not only competing but excelling with Geno Smith at quarterback. The former draft bust now looks like the long-term answer to replace Russell Wilson, while the young defense has shown potential. Perhaps we never should have doubted Pete Carroll.

The Patriots are buried in the brutal AFC East, but they are still in position for a Wild Card spot with an elite defense and strong running game. The biggest concern is the quarterback play, as Mac Jones has struggled following the loss of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in the offseason. Bill Belichick's incredible track record in the playoffs does make the Patriots an intriguing dark horse.

New head coach Brian Daboll has made a clear difference, especially with Daniel Jones. Almost every game has been a barnburner for the Giants in the first half of the season, yet they've could out ahead in most contests. It remains to be seen how far the Giants can go with sub-par talent in several areas of their roster, but even a playoff appearance should be considered great progress.

The Jets' defense has taken a giant leap forward, while the offense has also made strides in a 6-3 start to the season. Unfortunately, the team took a huge blow when promising rookie running back Breece Hall suffered a season-ending knee injury, and Zach Wilson hasn't looked great since returning from injury.

The Packers have been a huge disappointment on both sides of the ball, with Aaron Rodgers struggling to find receivers and the defense unable to keep the team in games. Major injuries to Rashan Gary and Romeo Doubs could be the last straw, but the Packers were able to pull out a win vs. Dallas.

Cleveland ended a four-game losing streak with a huge blowout of the rival Bengals, but the team remains on the outside looking in on a playoff spot. The pending Week 13 return of Deshaun Watson does make the Browns a more interesting longshot, but the defensive issues could be too difficult to overcome.

The defending champs haven't looked right following the losses of several key offensive players from last year's squad, with Cooper Kupp seemingly the only outlet for Matthew Stafford. Kupp's ankle injury in Week 10 could be the last straw. 

The offseason soap opera between Kyler Murray and the Cardinals has produced inconsistent play from the quarterback, and injuries around him haven't helped. Ultimately, the team's lack of defense has been the biggest issue, as the loss of Chandler Jones and a shaky secondary have forced the offense to be perfect.

The Saints inability to replace Drew Brees continues to haunt them, as the offense has sputtered with Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton under center. More concerning has been the decline of the defense relative to recent seasons.

The Falcons are doing more in 2022 than expected with an offense that has been adequate under Arthur Smith and an improved defense, particularly in the secondary. The weakness of the NFC South gives the Falcons a path to the playoffs.

Denver could be the most disappointing team of 2022, and it starts with the poor play of Russell Wilson. The trade of star pass rusher Bradley Chubb at the deadline was a sign that the team was waving the white flag on the season, as Denver has a tough second-half schedule that includes the Ravens, Chargers, and two games against the Chiefs.

Jacksonville has shown clear improvement with Doug Pederson as head coach, though young quarterback Trevor Lawrence has a lot of progress to make. The offensive weapons do look formidable, particularly running back Travis Etienne, and a playoff berth isn't out of the question with the help of the AFC South.

The Colts are trying to salvage their season with the shocking hiring of ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday. His first move was benching Sam Ehlinger for Matt Ryan, and the move worked against the Raiders. The team remains a long shot, but perhaps it's for the best, as the Colts could finally have an opportunity to draft a quarterback early.

The ineptitude of the Washington organization continues, but fans finally see some light at the end of the tunnel, with the team reportedly going up for sale. In the meantime, the quarterback position has remained inconsistent between Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke, and the defense has desperately awaited the return of Chase Young from knee surgery. The Commanders' prospects don't look great, buried in the NFC's toughest division.

Las Vegas has been able to stay in most games, but one heartbreaking defeat after another has fans questioning the Josh McDaniels hire. The optimism surrounding the team after the Davante Adams addition has waned considerably, as the Raiders are in a hole in the AFC West and at risk of seeing their season go completely sideways.

There have been clear signs of progress for the Lions, particularly on offense. The Week 9 win over Green Bay is something for the team to hang their hats on, but the defense still has a number of holes that need addressing in free agency and the draft. It's also unclear if Jared Goff is the true answer at quarterback.

The Panthers made another clear quarterback mistake by adding Baker Mayfield, and head coach Matt Rhule took the fall. The team's performance has been very inconsistent since the firing, but it's clear there will be huge changes in the offseason.

Head coach Mike Tomlin is set to have his first sub-.500 season, as Pittsburgh's performance, has been ugly in all facets. They expected some growing pains with the transition to rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett, but an early injury to T.J. Watt and other roster weaknesses show other glaring issues.

Perhaps the Bears have waived the white flag in 2022 after trading Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith, but they had a spirited performance against Miami in Week 9. Justin Fields is making great progress as he uses his feet more often, and the defense is getting strong contributions from young players.

Houston has seen some positives from young players like Dameon Pierce, but the roster has a long way to go. Quarterback Davis Mills hasn't made the progress many hoped, and the defense has struggled against legitimate opponents. The rebuild will continue with plenty of draft capital in 2023.