These Are the Favorites to Win Superbowl XLIII

We are only a few moments removed from that spectacular Superbowl XLII finish in Arizona, but already people are lining up the favorites to win the Superbowl in 2009. Although many teams have many issues to address over the off-season, and despite the fact that no other professional sports league has more parity than that of the NFL, I have the most favored football teams to win Superbowl XLIII.

5. New York Giants - God bless their souls for their immaculate run to a Superbowl victory, but they are not the favorites to win the game next year. How do I suppose that? Well, I ask myself this question, "Will they be the favorites in every game they play next season?" The answer is no! Thus, they can't possibly be the favorite to win the Superbowl. And with a regular season record of 10-6, there is no guarantee that the Giants will be a playoff team in 2008. However, they are in a position to bring back every starter from this year's team, and if that is the case, another magical run is not out of the question. Only this time, it won't be magical; it will just be another Superbowl run.

4. Indianapolis Colts - Despite the Colts' Superbowl win last year, Manning still hasn't had a great playoff game in quite some time. Even during the Superbowl run, he threw just 3 touchdowns and 7 interceptions en route to a Superbowl victory. So it's hard to put the Colts any higher than this, especially when their defense showed some weaknesses in their loss to the Chargers, perhaps revealing that it wasn't quite as good as it appeared to be during a offensive-challenged schedule during the regular season. But Tony Dungy should be able to fix what is fixable on the defense, and as both Superbowls XLI and XLII showed us, you can never count out a Manning.

3. San Diego Chargers - No, this not a bandwagon move just because they beat the Colts. This team is actually a contender. They put up the best offensive performance the Colts defense had given up all year, and they kept Manning in check for most of the game. The Chargers have the pieces in place to be a great team. And had it not been for injuries to all of their top 3 players, perhaps they would have beaten that 18-1 team in the AFC Championship game.

2. Dallas Cowboys - Just about all of the pieces are there for the Dallas Cowboys. Although they haven't won a playoff game in over a decade, you have to believe that this team is due for one this season. Besides, they easily won the best division in the NFC, and they beat NFC runner-up during the regular season. If the Cowboys can sure up that secondary, and Tony Romo doesn't end the game with yet another bad play, there is little reason not to suspect the Cowboys to come out of the NFC this season.

1. New England Patriots - Despite their injuries, they have to be the favorite to win. They have all of the talent in the world, and let's be honest; they only lost the Superbowl by 3 points, a miraculous play, and a blown coaching decision or two by the best football coach in the game. And if history tells us anything, it's that great teams that don't win the Superbowl often bounce back to win it the next year. Think about the '1970 Colts, the 1972 Dolphins, the 1984 49ers, the 1985 Bears, and the 1995 Dallas Cowboys, where all of these historically great teams avenged either Conference Championship or Superbowl losses from the year before with Superbowl victories.