Why each team will/won't win the Super Bowl

Why they will: The Cardinals were right on the cusp last season, after ranking second in the NFC in points scored and advancing to the NFC Championship Game vs. Carolina. They've addressed their pass rush by adding Chandler Jones and have loads of talent on both sides of the ball.

Why they won't: Star defensive back Tyrann Mathieu is returning from another major knee injury, and Carson Palmer struggled during the playoffs last season. Both players will need to rebound for Arizona to beat Seattle and Green Bay.

Why they will: Atlanta played like a contender early last season, starting the year 6-1. The defense is likely to improve in the second year of coach Dan Quinn's system.

Why they won't: Matt Ryan collapsed late last season, and the defense still hasn't been better than average in years. It will take a drastic improvement by the defense for the Falcons to be true contenders.

Why they will: The Ravens are healthy. They're rebounding from a nightmarish season that saw them lose Terrell Suggs, Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett and Steve Smith Sr., among others.

Why they won't: This isn't the 2012 Ravens. The team has major questions at running back, and it remains to be seen what Terrell Suggs has left after an Achilles injury. The team should rebound, but can the Ravens compete with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in the brutal AFC North?

Why they will: Buffalo has an opening in the AFC East with Tom Brady suspended for four games and has a strong offense led by Tyrod Taylor, LeSean McCoy and Sammy Watkins.

Why they won't: The defense regressed last season and won't get the contributions they were counting on early in the year from first-round pick Shaq Lawson and second-round pick Reggie Ragland. The Bills also be without star defensive tackle Marcell Dareus for the foreseeable future.

Why they will: The Panthers were favored to win the Super Bowl vs. Denver, but their offense, namely Cam Newton, failed to deliver. They still easily marched into the big game after going 15-1 in the regular season and tearing through opponents in the playoffs. The return of Kelvin Benjamin from injury only makes the offense better.

Why they won't: Teams that make a jump like Carolina did last season usually regress some. The Panthers probably can't count on Jonathan Stewart to stay as healthy as last season given his track record, and the loss of Josh Norman will really hurt the secondary.

Why they will: Head coach John Fox enters his second season after the team showed major progress last season despite a 6-10 record. Jay Cutler played some of the best football of his career, and the defense showed some young building blocks.

Why they won't: Chicago is still in rebuilding mode, and its performance this preseason has been downright atrocious. They Bears were booed off the field in Week 3 of the preseason against Kansas City and still have major talent deficiencies at key positions.

Why they will: Cincinnati was clearly one of the elite teams in the AFC last season before Andy Dalton's season-ending thumb injury. The team started the season 8-0 and finished with a plus-140-point differential, second best to New England in the AFC.

Why they won't: Cincinnati suffered major losses on offense, including offensive coordinator Hue Jackson and wide receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu. Star tight end Tyler Eifert is also set to miss the start of the year. Oh... and the team has lost on Wild Card Weekend in their last seven playoff appearances dating back to 2005-06.

Why they will: Uh, the Cavs just broke the Cleveland curse so anything can happen, right?

Why they won't: The Browns are in complete rebuilding mode and have seen major turnover on their roster. Anything greater than five wins would probably be asking for a lot.

Why they will: The team drafted running back Ezekiel Elliott to help return to a ball-control offense and give the defense some rest. Dez Bryant is back healthy, and the offensive line is arguably the best in football. The NFC East is also very winnable.

Why they won't: Tony Romo is already injured, and the defense has major issues. They will have trouble rushing the passer after losing Greg Hardy and with DeMarcus Lawrence suspended to start the year.

Why they will: The Broncos are coming off a Super Bowl win and return the majority of their elite defense from last season. Most of the offense also returns, with one very notable exception...

Why they won't: Denver is set to start a seventh-round pick from 2015 at quarterback in Trevor Siemian, with the fallback option a rookie (Paxton Lynch) who few thought would be ready this season. That could create a tough situation in a tough division with Kansas City and Oakland.

Why they will: Detroit played much better during the second half of the season, going 6-2 over the last eight games and seeing significant growth from the defense and Matthew Stafford. The Lions have a chance to compete if they can build on that momentum.

Why they won't: Calvin Johnson retired, which could halt the momentum that the offense had late last season. The team also allowed 400 points last season, so there's plenty of room to grow.

Why they will: Favored to win the Super Bowl, the Packers have Jordy Nelson returning from an ACL injury and running back Eddie Lacy is much better shape. That should only help Aaron Rodgers. The team also has a very easy schedule and is the runaway favorite in the NFC North following Teddy Bridgewater's knee injury.

Why they won't: Can Green Bay's defense match up with Seattle, Arizona and Carolina? The Packers allowed only 323 points last season, fifth best in the NFC, but are still lagging behind those teams.

Why they will: Houston finished 9-7 last season despite extremely sub-par quarterback play between Brian Hoyer and a host of backups. The play at that position can probably only get better, and the team has also added Lamar Miller and Will Fuller to help the offense. The defense was strong, and expect big things in Jadeveon Clowney's third season.

Why they won't: Is Brock Osweiler really good enough to take the Texans to the next level? Denver didn't bring him back despite mediocre options elsewhere. J.J. Watt could also get out of the gate slowly following back surgery.

Why they will: Andrew Luck returns healthy following an injury-plagued season. The Colts still managed to finish 8-8 last season and were 11-5 in each of the previous three seasons.

Why they won't: Luck struggled when he was healthy last season with the team's lack of a running game and poor offensive line play. The defense also allowed more than 400 points, and the AFC South is only getting better.

Why they will: The Jags are loaded with young talent on both sides of the ball, led by quarterback Blake Bortles and wide receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Chris Ivory adds another dimension to the running game, and the defense should get a boost from draft picks Jalen Ramsey, Myles Jack and returning 2015 first-rounder Dante Fowler Jr.

Why they won't: Jacksonville has huge upside, but it probably isn't ready just yet. There's a lot of ground to cover on defense after allowing 448 points last season, second most in the NFL.

Why they will: Kansas City finished last season on a 10-game winning streak and won its first playoff game in 20 years. The Chiefs ran out of gas at Foxborough against the Patriots without Jamaal Charles, Spencer Ware, Jeremy Maclin and Justin Houston. They enter the season healthy, with the exception of Houston. The offensive line has also gotten a boost with the addition of tackle Mitchell Schwartz.

Why they won't: The team had a key offseason loss in cornerback Sean Smith, and the Chiefs don't know when Houston will be ready to return from knee surgery. The defense could have issues against elite passing teams if he can't return. There are also questions about whether quarterback Alex Smith can lead the team from behind late in games.

Why they will: The Rams return to Los Angeles with one of the most dominant defensive lines in football, led by Robert Quinn and Aaron Donald. The offense is similar to Minnesota, leaning on running back Todd Gurley, which helps support the defensive effort.

Why they won't: The team took Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the draft, but he hasn't looked close to ready. Instead, Case Keenum will remain at quarterback, leading an offense that scored the third fewest points in the NFC last season.

Why they will: New head coach Adam Gase is acclaimed for his work with quarterbacks, and the Dolphins have plenty of raw talent with Ryan Tannehill, Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker. The defense also has its fair share of talent, led by Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake and new addition Mario Williams.

Why they won't: The running game will be an issue if Arian Foster can't rebound, and the defense has some questions beyond the pass rush. While the Dolphins continue to spend big on defense, they haven't seen much results to show for it.

Why they will: Minnesota won the NFC North last season with an old-fashioned recipe of a ball-control offense led by Adrian Peterson and an elite defense that allowed the second fewest points in the NFC. That recipe remains the same after going 11-5 last season and getting ousted in the playoffs vs. Seattle on a chip shot field goal miss.

Why they won't: Minnesota has major issues at quarterback after losing Teddy Bridgewater for the year. The team will turn to veteran backup Shaun Hill, and the pressure will be on Peterson at age 31. Rival Green Bay is also expected to rebound with the return of Jordy Nelson.

Why they will: These are the Patriots. They have arguably the best head coach in NFL history in Bill Belichick and the best quarterback in Tom Brady. Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski enter the season healthy, and the team has won the AFC East in 13 of the last 15 seasons.

Why they won't: New England could start from behind due to Brady's four-game suspension, and weapon Dion Lewis is also facing his second straight knee surgery. The defense has some questions, particularly with the pass rush after trading Chandler Jones.

Why they will: The offense remains strong, led by Drew Brees, Mark Ingram and new acquisition Coby Fleener. The Saints finished fifth in points scored in the NFC last season and have the talent to keep improving if Brees can maintain his play.

Why they won't: That defense... New Orleans' defense has been historically bad in recent seasons and allowed a league-high 476 points last season. The Saints addressed some of the personnel issues in the offseason, but that's not the first time we've said that.

Why they will: The Giants already had a strong offense, finishing fourth in points in the NFC last season, and could get another boost with second-round pick Sterling Shepard adding another target for Eli Manning. The defense has also seen an influx of talent, led by Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins and first-round pick Eli Apple.

Why they won't: The team is rolling the dice after firing Super Bowl-winning head coach Tom Coughlin in favor of former offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, and it remains to be seen how the defensive additions will mold together. The team allowed 442 points last season, second most in the NFC.

Why they will: The Jets return a very strong defense, which allowed only 314 points last season. They're hopeful that the defense plays even better in head coach Todd Bowles' second season. The offense lost Chris Ivory but added veteran Matt Forte at running back to go along with star wideouts Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.

Why they won't: Ryan Fitzpatrick was absent until the start of training camp, which was a major distraction for the team. Many felt he overachieved last season, and the rest of the offense isn't exactly young. Of course, there's also the issue of getting over the Patriots in the AFC East.

Why they will: Oakland already has an impressive young core on offense led by Derek Carr, Latavius Murray and Amari Cooper. Despite losing Charles Woodson, the defense looks primed to improve after several notable additions, including Bruce Irvin and Sean Smith, to go alongside star pass rusher Khalil Mack.

Why they won't: The defense still has plenty of ground to cover after the team allowed 399 points last season, and the AFC West remains tough with Denver and Kansas City to jump over. Despite the offensive talent, the Raiders only scored 359 points last season, in the middle of the pack in the league.

Why they will: Just one season removed from going 10-6, the Eagles are hoping to get a boost with their new coaching staff led by former assistant Doug Pederson and acclaimed defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. There are certain talent deficiencies on both sides of the ball, but the team isn't far behind the rest of the NFC East.

Why they won't: The quarterback situation isn't great with Sam Bradford hoping to rebound from last season, and the rest of the talent on the roster certainly lags behind the rest of the division overall. The Eagles are probably more balanced than the other teams in the division, but even if they can get out of the NFC East, they're unlikely to compete with the conference elite.

Why they will: Pittsburgh ran out of gas during last season's playoffs due to injuries, including Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The Steelers scored the second most points in the AFC despite missing Bell for most of the year and Ben Roethlisberger for a chunk of the season.

Why they won't: As always, the AFC North is set to be a fight all year. Pittsburgh's 22nd-ranked defense from last season hasn't really done much going into 2016.

Why they will: Philip Rivers leads the Chargers' offense after one of his best seasons, as the team ranked ninth in offense and was fourth in passing yards. The offense could get a further boost with the return of offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and healthy wideout Keenan Allen, along with running back Melvin Gordon's second season.

Why they won't: The running game still went nowhere last season, and it remains to be seen if Gordon will be the player the organization hoped. The defense has major holes and shot itself in the foot by failing to sign first-round pick Joey Bosa until two weeks before Week 1.

Why they will: Chip Kelly's vaunted offense comes to San Francisco, and running back Carlos Hyde is fully healthy after suffering a foot injury last season.

Why they won't: Blaine Gabbert is likely the starting quarterback. The defense has plunged over the last two seasons due to age and retirements. The talent on the 49ers is miles behind division rivals Seattle and Arizona.

Why they will: Russell Wilson became a truly elite quarterback on the stats sheet late last season, breaking out along with Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett. The team now has Thomas Rawls returning at running back after rushing for more than five yards per carry last season, and backup Christine Michael has looked like he's gotten over the hump this summer. The defense remains elite, allowing the fewest points in football during the regular season in 2015.

Why they won't: Arizona is a very formidable foe in the NFC West, and while those two teams are fighting it out, Green Bay has an extremely easy schedule and is the favorite for home-field advantage in the playoffs. That could be the difference in this year's NFC playoffs.

Why they will: Tampa Bay loved what it saw from 2015 first overall draft choice Jameis Winston in his rookie season after throwing for more than 4,000 yards. That was with a sub-par season from Mike Evans and an injury-plagued year from Vincent Jackson. Along with the running back tandem of Doug Martin and Charles Sims, the Bucs have impressive offensive talent.

Why they won't: The Bucs fired defensive-minded head coach Lovie Smith, and that side of the ball remains a huge weakness. Tampa Bay allowed 417 points last season, and while the Bucs have a core of defensive stars like Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, there are probably too many holes to overcome.

Why they will: The Titans have added some nice offensive weapons to support young quarterback Marcus Mariota, including DeMarco Murray, Derrick Henry, Rishard Matthews and Tajae Sharpe. Mariota showed great potential when he was on the field last season. The AFC South also remains one of the weakest divisions in football.

Why they won't: The offensive line still has issues, despite drafting Jack Conklin in the first round, and the defense allowed the third most points in the AFC last season. All the new names on offense will probably need more time to develop, as well.

Why they will: The Redskins surprisingly claimed the NFC East last season, getting solid play out of quarterback Kirk Cousins and a breakout season from Jordan Reed. The defense was in the middle of the pack and adds star cornerback Josh Norman from Carolina.

Why they won't: Many still aren't sold on Cousins, and the running game remains to be seen with Matt Jones now stepping in as the surefire starter. The defense is far from elite even after Norman's addition, and the NFC East could be tougher with the rest of the division making major additions.