It happens every decade. Someone, perhaps a couple of teams, will become the next team of the decade. And for you, that means teams you’ll be looking to put some money on in terms of over/under wins, the Super Bowl, division championships, conference championships, etc.
With that said, I’ve taken six teams in the NFL who own traits like young quarterbacks, championship-caliber defenses, decent coaches, players who fit the system, and of course, players who are young enough to remain with their team from the time of this writing until 2029.
These teams will all make hot bets for the criteria mentioned above and this article provides a summary as to why they are ideal championship bets for the next decade. Let’s get started!
1 – Baltimore Ravens
Starting with the obvious, right? Okay, so perhaps the Kansas City Chiefs are the obvious pick here since they actually made and won the final Super Bowl of the previous decade. But why the Baltimore Ravens?
For one, they have a lifer and former Super Bowl Champion of a coach in John Harbaugh. Since their founding in 1996, the Ravens have become one of the NFL’s most stable franchises with just a handful of head coaches and general managers in their relatively short history.
Along with a system and culture which the players bought into and fit, look for the Ravens to threaten for the Super Bowl, the AFC North crown, and a couple of conference championships in the decade.
If you didn’t think they were a hot bet yet, they’re going to be one very soon. If Lamar Jackson proves he can pick up a team and carry them as all MVPs must at some point in their careers to help them succeed, then the Ravens may be the safest bet in the AFC.
2 – Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals? Yes, you read that one correctly. The Arizona Cardinals, with just a handful of division championships and about five playoff wins and zero NFL Championship since 1947 plus one meager Super Bowl appearance can become the next great dynasty.
Okay, so how?
Well, it begins with coach Kliff Kingsbury and the dynamic that Kyler Murray brings to the table. Add stars like DeAndre Hopkins and surrounding talent like Andy Isabella, Christian Kirk, Dan Arnold, Kenyan Drake, and perhaps Larry Fitzgerald pulling off his greatest Jerry Rice impression and you got an offense.
Then, you got a revamped defense at the start of the decade. Add in the fact that at the time of this writing, everyone except the aging Fitz is under 30. And with a young, innovative coach in Kingsbury, you have a team who will threaten to win double-digit games from now until I’m in the latter part of my 30s.
With that said, look for the Cardinals to become something way more than just the NFL’s doormat in the 2020s. And you can bet some serious green that they’re going to at least win the NFC West a few times and encroach their over/under in terms of wins.
3 – Kansas City Chiefs
Well, if you bet on the Chiefs to win it all last season, you made some money. The only downside is that with the offensive power the team possesses, along with the dynamic that is quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid, you can expect the team’s odds to ever be in their favor.
Meaning, if you bet on this squad, you’re coughing up a little more green to win a little more green.
Anyway, if you like to bet conservatively or as a hobby, then the Chiefs are a hot bet for you. This team is just getting started and is probably the favorite to become the NFL’s, or at least the AFC’s, next great dynasty.
Look for several AFC West Championships, 11-win seasons, and yes, at least another Super Bowl appearance or two.
4 – San Francisco 49ers
Well, the Niners’ backups thrashed the New York Giants 36-9 just a few days before I wrote this piece. That says a lot about the team’s depth, and you should shudder to think what happens when the team at least gets a few notable starters back in 2020 and beyond.
The San Francisco 49ers proved a few things: The Week 1 loss to the Cardinals was a fluke, and the team can beat anyone regardless of who they’re playing.
And they’re young, with the core bit of players minus tackle Trent Williams in their 20s. And while there’s a salary cap involved that will let a few players go, you can rest assured that the Niners will remain in contention for a while.
The defense is strong, and their system to run the ball down your throats via committee while throwing when necessary is in place. It’s an old-school style that the team has a firm grasp on. Given the fact they execute it properly already should tell you they ain’t going anywhere for a while.
They’re a definite hot bet to contend for NFC West supremacy with the Cardinals and, at least through the early 2020s, the Seahawks as well. This may turn off some of you, but compare the Niners/Seahawks and perhaps even the Niners/Cardinals rivalry to other greats.
Like the Steelers-Ravens in the AFC, both teams remain in perpetual war and are in contention every single season in wins, for the division, and even Super Bowl representation.
With that said, the Niners are every bit as safe of a bet heading into the 2020s in virtually every avenue.
5 – Tennessee Titans
Man, the Tennessee Titans are starting to prove everyone wrong about their 2019 Cinderella campaign being a fluke. They’re not dominating anyone, but they’re winning. And at the end of the day, winning counts.
Other than their ability to pull out the close ones, what else makes this team so dangerous? They’re well-coached, and given Mike Vrabel’s success since his first season in Nashville, it’s clear he isn’t going anywhere and will remain on the Titans’ sideline for years to come.
Plus, Vrabel brings a hard-nosed approach to the Tennessee defense and a smashmouth, run it down your throat type of offense. Both click, and as a result, the Titans win.
Vrabel’s plug-and-play system will allow the Titans versatility on many fronts and that said, look for a New England Patriot type of way in Nashville for at least the next decade, barring a meltdown.
Also, the state of the AFC South is also in a decline at least for the moment, with Vrabel’s Titans being the sole survivors. The Colts have an aging quarterback and question marks in the pass-catching units and defensive backfield.
The Texans are in complete disarray. And if it’s not fixed soon, you can look for quarterback Deshaun Watson to revive a once-promising career in a different uniform. And the Jaguars are in the middle of a rebuild.
This leaves the Titans with a golden opportunity to win more games than oddsmakers give them before the season begins, and it can also evolve into something greater. They’re probably longer shots than your Chiefs and Ravens, but nonetheless among the safer bets in the NFL.
6 – Carolina Panthers
Yeah, things look bleak in Carolina, especially with a college coach and staff taking over in Charlotte. But coach Matt Rhule has a knack for rebuilding programs, and you should expect no different in the NFL.
Look for the Carolina Panthers to be the late bloomers here, but they’ll rule the NFC South when they do. No pun intended.
With the Saints nearing the end of their run, the Falcons are likely on the verge of firing head coach Dan Quinn since he can’t hold big leads. And the Bucs have another two seasons tops under Tom Brady and probably head coach Bruce Arians.
Similar to the Tennessee Titans
The Panthers have an opportunity to take control of a division that is losing strength by the week. And for teams who play in divisions like this, it gives them a huge advantage in the over/under win column since they’re playing division rivals six times a year.
And if you never noticed, the New England Patriots took full advantage of this for two decades under head coach Bill Belichick.
Not saying the Panthers are tomorrow’s Patriots. But I am saying that combined with Matt Rhule’s ability to rebuild downtrodden programs combined with a declining and aging NFC South, the Panthers will likely emerge as a contender for a decade.
It’s a hot bet on many fronts.
Conclusion
Here are a few teams who just missed the cut!
There’s the Buffalo Bills, whose offensive prowess may just put them in the same breath as the AFC’s Ravens and Chiefs. There’s the Green Bay Packers, where you can expect Jordan Love to come in and eventually pick up where Aaron Rodgers will eventually leave off, just as Rodgers did when Favre left.
The six teams mentioned above plus the Packers and Bills possess qualities of teams figuring to dominate the NFL landscape in the 2020s. With that comes better odds for you to win some green from taking a chance on these six squads.
Of course, other teams will emerge. Teams like the Cincinnati Bengals can easily join this conversation. And in some seasons, a few teams might put together one-hit-wonder seasons.
Which team on this list do you feel is a safe bet for the next decade? Or do you have a team not listed in mind? Let us know!
Michael Stevens
Michael Stevens has been researching and writing topics involving the gambling industry for well over a decade now and is considered an expert on all things casino and sports betting. Michael has been writing for GamblingSites.org since early 2016. …
