We all know the usual suspects when it comes to competing for a Super Bowl. The New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos are always in the mix, led by three future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and the best defense in the game.
The tougher thing to do is projecting which teams might emerge from the shadows to become a force. Two years ago it was the Carolina Panthers behind Cam Newton and Ron Rivera. This year it was the Arizona Cardinals before Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton went down with injuries.
So which five teams could be playoff sleepers in 2015? Let’s take a look:
5. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings went 7-9 in 2014 without Adrian Peterson and with first-year men at head coach and quarterback with Mike Zimmer and Teddy Bridgewater, respectively. Minnesota appears set at both those positions, the two most important in the sport. With Peterson, the Vikings will either get cap relief or a fantastic running back returning. The NFC North is a tough division, but Minnesota has talent. If it improves the front seven, this could be a playoff team.
4. St. Louis Rams
The Rams are the forgotten team of a loaded NFC West. St. Louis has a superb group of defensive linemen and linebackers, but needs to add some secondary help. The bigger question lies on offense. If Jeff Fisher can finally settle on a productive quarterback, the Rams could be vying for the postseason. In the draft, St. Louis needs to target receivers and tackles, giving the mystery quarterback more help. The Rams need work, but there are pieces.
3. Miami Dolphins
Miami has not made the playoffs since winning the AFC East in 2008 with Tony Sparano and Chad Pennington. The Dolphins have plenty of playmakers on both sides of the ball, led by Ryan Tannehill, Jarvis Landry, Brent Grimes, Cameron Wake and Jared Odrick. In each of the last two Decembers, Miami has looked poised for a playoff berth only to fall apart down the stretch. It’s time for this group to put it all together and become a force.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs enter 2015 off consecutive winning seasons, including their most-recent 9-7 mark. Kansas City faced a brutal schedule in 2014 (Seahawks, Patriots, Bills, Dolphins, 49ers, Cardinals, Steelers, AFC West) and sustained a litany of crushing injuries, headlined by Derrick Johnson, Eric Berry and Mike DeVito. With the schedule projected to be easier, 11 draft picks, the No. 6 defense and a quality coach-quarterback combo, this is dangerous group.
1. New York Giants
New York has a top-10 draft pick, Tom Coughlin, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. to work with as a base. The Giants are not far off from becoming a postseason threat once again if general manager Jerry Reese can fix issues in the trenches. The NFC East is competitive but not overwhelming, especially while the Philadelphia Eagles are searching for a quarterback. The skill positions are solid on both sides of the ball, giving Reese plenty of hope.