The Super Bowl 56 matchups I most want to see
Here's a ranking of all 16 Super Bowl possibilities this year. You might disagree!
Eight teams and seven games. That’s all that’s left of this NFL season.
In less than two weeks, we’ll know which of the eight left standing will be facing off in the Super Bowl. We could get a championship bout between two quarterbacks who have never been to the big game before, or we could get a Super Bowl matchup we’ve already seen before.
I think any combination of the four NFC teams and four AFC teams has the potential to be an exciting Super Bowl, but which one would make for the best title game? Well, that’s entirely subjective. That won’t stop me from ranking all 16 possibilities anyway.
My rankings are based on a few factors: whether the team is fun to watch, if it plays well in all three phases of the game, if its success is more recent rather than a being perennial contender, if it’s never won a Super Bowl, and how much national/global recognition it has.
For example, as I’ve stated before, I find the Packers to be a complete bore to watch, but I know they’re a big brand who would pique the interest of casual NFL fans (or even non-fans). While the Bengals might not have similar cachet, they are a fresh face in the postseason and have never won a Lombardi Trophy, so they get extra points in that regard.
Here are my rankings of all 16 potential Super Bowl 56 matchups, starting with the ones I’d most want to see. You probably disagree and that’s OK. There’s no right or wrong here … unless you’re rooting for Tom Brady to win an eighth ring. Why?!
1. Bills vs. 49ers
Both the Bills and 49ers bring the prospect of chaos. They’re just as likely to look unbeatable as they are to channel Sideshow Bob:
Even though both teams have been playing their best football lately — the Bills are No. 1 in weighted DVOA and the 49ers are No. 4 — they were struggling at midseason, providing an important reminder to other teams that it’s not how you start but how you finish.
The Bills and 49ers don’t have much of a history; their only recent meeting came during the 2020 season when Nick Mullens had to start at QB for San Francisco. Maybe they could start a new rivalry in an atmosphere that would pulse with electricity — from their diehard fans, of course, but also because this is a game where anything could happen, good, bad, or hilarious.
2. Chiefs vs. Rams
The last time the Chiefs didn’t appear in the Super Bowl, the Rams were there — and they stunk it up in one of the least inspired February performances since that time Anne Hathaway and James Franco co-hosted the Oscars ceremony.
BUT, the last time the Chiefs and Rams went toe-to-toe, they gave us one of the greatest games in regular season history. Some of the faces have changed, but the ones who matter most are still around: Andy Reid, Sean McVay, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Donald. Add in a few new characters — such as Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller and a resurgent, post-Baker Mayfield OBJ for the Rams; veteran pass rusher Melvin Ingram, freed from the cursed Chargers, and a healthy and versatile Jerick McKinnon for the Chiefs — and even if it didn’t live up to the hype of that 2018 matchup, it would still be pretty dang entertaining.
3. Bengals vs. 49ers
The 49ers have five Super Bowl titles in franchise history: three were blowouts, and two were close victories over the Bengals.
A majority of both rosters weren’t alive for “The Drive” in Super Bowl 23; only three active NFL players — Tom Brady, Andrew Whitworth, and Jason Peters (he was 2 days old) — were born before their first Super Bowl meeting seven years prior.
Those were the only two trips the Bengals have made to the championship game, and it’d be a pleasant surprise if they’d make a third — and, perhaps, deliver the first title in franchise history against the team that had denied them twice previously. The 49ers, who haven’t won a Super Bowl in 27 years, would get their own shot at redemption after surrendering a late lead to the Chiefs two years ago.
Besides, the last time these two squared off in Week 14, it proved worthy of a sequel:
4. Bills vs. Packers
The Packers have been the most consistent team in the NFC this season. The Bills, when everything is jelling, have played better than anyone in the AFC. This could be a really great game!
More than that, though, is what this matchup represents: the franchise with the most NFL championships (pre-Super Bowl titles included) vs. the one most synonymous with Super Bowl failure. Either the Packers would add to their collection, or the Bills would finally be able to put the early 90s — and those four straight losses in this game — behind them.
5. Chiefs vs. Packers
Although this would be a rematch of a Week 9 dud, the second meeting would almost certainly be more watchable than the first. The Chiefs came away with a 13-7 win, one of the lowest-scoring games in the NFL this season, but Aaron Rodgers sat out because of Covid/Joe Rogan brain and the Kansas City offense was temporarily broken.
Since then, the Chiefs have averaged 33.4 points per game and lost just once, while the Packers have averaged 31.6 points per game and also lost just once when Aaron Rodgers has taken the majority of snaps.
This time, we could finally get to see the Rodgers vs. Patrick Mahomes duel we’ve been refused for so long. These quarterbacks have been like two ships passing in the night — Mahomes was out due to injury when the Chiefs and Packers played in 2019, and Jordan Love had to start opposite Mahomes in November.
6. Bills vs. Rams
Along with Bills-49ers, Bills-Rams is the only other potential matchup that includes two teams that currently rank in the top 8 in both offensive DVOA and defensive DVOA (regular season + playoffs). These are two balanced squads who could put on a back-and-forth show, either a shootout or a slugfest. Or, somehow, both!
Like last season, when they played in September. The Bills took the forever cursed lead, 28-3, midway through the third quarter. Then the Rams, with Jared Goff, came storming back and forced two turnovers and scored touchdowns on four straight possessions to go up 32-28. With 15 seconds remaining, Josh Allen capped off a game-winning drive with this TD throw to Tyler Kroft:
Kroft is now with the Jets, and the Rams have upgraded at quarterback, but otherwise, that’s a rerun I wouldn’t mind watching.
7. Titans vs. Bucs
The Titans do not play the most captivating brand of football, but credit to them for continuing to pull out wins, even without Derrick Henry for half the season. In fact, they’ve beaten four of the other teams that will be playing this weekend.
One they haven’t faced is Tampa Bay. These two have met just 12 times ever, and five of them occurred when the Titans were still the Oilers. Mike Vrabel does know his former teammate Tom Brady pretty well — so well that he was the last coach to hand Brady a postseason loss.
If he did it again — certainly possible considering Tennessee’s defensive improvements this year — then he’d bring the Titans their first Super Bowl title. RIP to a certain body part, though:
8. Bills vs. Bucs
On the one hand, it’s been just over a month since we watched this exact matchup. On the other hand, it was thrilling enough to warrant a rematch.
In Week 14, the Bills rallied back from a 24-3 halftime deficit to force overtime. But they punted on their first possession in OT — make that their only possession, because you know what happens when you give Tom Brady a chance to win the game:
The Bills rediscovered their offensive spark during that comeback, however. They haven’t lost since and have looked like the team we expected them to be all year. Meanwhile, the Bucs are more banged up than they were then, potentially giving the Bills an edge in Round 2. Then again, this is the winningest quarterback in Super Bowl history vs. the losingest franchise in Super Bowl history …
9. Titans vs. Rams
The Titans and Rams could meet again, 22 years after they gave us an all-time memorable championship game ending. The Rams have been back to the Super Bowl since but haven’t won. The Titans have done neither.
This would be yet another rematch from the regular season. In early November, the Tennessee defense came up big, forcing Matthew Stafford to throw interceptions on back-to-back throws (the latter was a pick-six). The Titans took a double-digit lead and never looked back.
The Rams have gotten a few reinforcements since then, but Derrick Henry should return to the Titans’ lineup too. Even if the final result were the same, the game itself would probably be more competitive than their Week 9 clash.
10. Bengals vs. Rams
This one has shootout potential: two quarterbacks who can sling it and a loaded receiving corps capable of ripping off a big play at a moment’s notice. While the Bengals and Rams don’t have much history to speak of — they’ve played just once since the Rams moved back to LA — their coaches do. Zac Taylor worked under Sean McVay as the Rams’ assistant WR coach and QB coach before the Bengals hired him.
For most of Taylor’s tenure, Cincinnati’s search for “the next McVay” appeared to be a disaster, and then he surprisingly led the Bengals to an AFC North title and their first playoff win in 31 years. If Taylor gets them their first Super Bowl win, before his old boss gets one, then I guess Mike Brown knew what he was doing, for once.
11. Titans vs. 49ers
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: these two teams have already played each other this season. The 49ers blew a 10-point halftime lead in a sloppy Thursday night contest in Week 14; Randy Bullock’s 44-yard field goal with 4 seconds left ended up being the game-winner.
That was the only blemish on this hot streak the Niners have been on since Week 12. If the 49ers play like they have in every other game in that stretch, then they could get their revenge. Then again, the Titans would theoretically have Derrick Henry this time. Henry’s absence caused the Titans’ rushing efficiency to decline, but they still have proven capable of running the ball with former practice squaders D’onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard. However, those two struggled against the 49ers’ rush defense, which ranked No. 2 in DVOA this season.
Either way, this showdown might not look like their first go around.
12. Bengals vs. Bucs
On the surface, this could be fun. But as much as we might want to believe this would be a quarterback duel between the old man and the new hotshot, how many times have we seen Tom Brady outshine his younger counterpart on the biggest stage?
A lot! Most recently, last year. I have a hard time imagining this turning out any differently than Chiefs-Bucs, and I’d worry about Joe Burrow’s safety behind his OL and facing that fearsome Bucs pass rush.
13. Titans vs. Packers
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... I’m sorry, but I feel asleep on top of my keyboard just thinking about “Titans vs. Packers.” No thanks!
14. Chiefs vs. 49ers
Granted, they did put together a spirited finish in the Super Bowl two years ago. The problem is there’s about a 90 percent chance that this rematch would be destined to end in the same way — the 49ers build a lead, then crap it away thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo forgetting how to play football three-fourths of the way through the game. Been there, done that.
15. Bengals vs. Packers
We would hype up this Super Bowl, only to be disappointed when it ends with a 42-21 Packers win and a smug Aaron Rodgers saying “try canceling THIS” while he holds up the Lombardi Trophy. I’ll pass.
16. Chiefs vs. Bucs
Not only does this pit the two most recent champions against each other — and the past three Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks — we just saw this matchup last year. And it was not a particularly good game!
In fact, I only remember one play — and it’s all I need to remember because it sums up that night perfectly:
Even if it were to unfold differently this time — Patrick Mahomes is healthier and so is his OL — we gotta get new blood in there.