5 Super Bowl pretenders heading into NFL Week 6

3 more teams who will fall short of a Super Bowl challenge

Here are three more teams that have a winning record through Week 6, but do not have enough in the tank for a Super Bowl campaign.

#3 – Tennessee Titans

Derrick Henry is a phenomenon and there's a strong chance he will become the NFL's first rusher to produce back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons. But this Tennessee Titans offense is entirely reliant on the star rusher. What condition will Henry be in come the postseason if he continues to carry the load to the extent he has?

The only time this season that quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been asked to throw the ball more than 40 times was in the Titans' 27-24 loss to the New York Jets, where the offense did not function well. They went five for 19 on third downs and allowed seven sacks.

The passing attack is not operating at the level of Tennessee's last two playoff runs and, unless Henry can continue to carry the team on his shoulders deep into the postseason despite his astronomical workload, then the Titans are not going to the Super Bowl.

#4 – New England Patriots

It was once a pregone conclusion that Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots would be Super Bowl contenders year on year. Of course, times have changed in Foxborough, and now the 2021 Patriots team is average at best. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones has made a nice start to life in the NFL, but this team is currently relying on placekicker Nick Folk to keep them in games.

Belichick has built a reputation for being able to outscheme opponents, but even in victory, it has been a struggle through a 2-3 opening to the season. It may be Belichick's greatest achievement if he can lead this team to a Super Bowl.

#5 – Green Bay Packers

There's no doubting that, in terms of individual play, Aaron Rodgers is one of the best quarterbacks to have ever stepped on to an NFL field. But for the past 10 seasons since their last Super Bowl triumph, the Green Bay Packers have come up short in the playoffs (or in the regular season on two occasions) and it seems there are still too many limitations in this team.

While many have brushed off the season-opening self-destruction against the Saints, the Packers were a missed field goal away from defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. The NFC is far more open than the AFC, but it's hard to see the Packers toppling the Buccaneers, Cowboys or whichever team comes out on top of the NFC West, to reach the Super Bowl.