Two teams you don’t want to sleep on in 2023

We know who the likely candidates will be heading into the season, but what about two franchises that will be quietly confident that they can upset the odds. 

The two franchises that I see being of great value this season and that are floating under the radar for many, are the Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers. So let’s look at why that is. 

Could the Raiders make a statement in the AFC West?

Let’s look at the host for this year’s Super Bowl, none other than the Raiders. Looking back at last season where they finished 6-11, including two overtime losses and four games where they lost by 3 points or less.

There was already a case to be made, saying that the Raiders didn’t need much more to have turned that poor season into a much improved one.

You then look at what they have done since then to ensure that this year doesn’t finish the same way. Head Coach Josh McDaniels will be hoping that year two is the one that shows he was the right man for the job in Vegas, he links back up with Jimmy Garoppolo, someone he knows very well from their Patriot days, a QB that knows how McDaniels will want to play and will fit into the offence perfectly.

Garoppolo is a really good QB who has just been extremely unlucky with injuries, however, I’m confident that in this offence, he can have a career best year. For me you need to look no further than the week 1 preseason display against the 49ers. They looked relentless on defence and offensively they looked so well coached, they controlled the game and they gained a lot of confidence to take forward. 

You then add in players like WR Davante Adams or DE Maxx Crosby and you can easily see that this Raiders team has what it takes to make some noise. I can see them, along with the Chargers being the main challenge to the Chiefs in the AFC West. Now the AFC is loaded and I mean loaded, but if you’re looking for an outsider, look no further than the Raiders, if they clinch a playoff spot, I wouldn’t be shocked. 

Can the Jordan Love-era Packers shock people?

Now we come to the former home of Aaron Rodgers, the Green Bay Packers. Many, many people will and have discounted the Packers simply because Rodgers is no longer there and whilst it is okay to feel that way, it doesn’t mean that they are a franchise to be overlooked.

They know what winning looks like, they have a HC who has been successful since he took charge back in 2019 and if you look at their new QB1 Jordan Love, he gets the chance now to show what he has learned from being the back up to one of the greatest QBS the game has seen. Love was drafted back in 2020 and I love the fact he has had a few years to just mature and learn.

Nothing will surprise him now, he knows what a winning side looks like, he has a great RB duo to help him. They have a young exciting group of receivers, Watson and Doubs both showcased their talents in their rookie campaigns and are likely to both make jumps heading into year two. 

The NFC North is wide open and is likely to be one of the most exciting divisions in the NFL this season. Personally, I put Green Bay as the most likely winner, as of now.

They know what it takes and if I look at their division rivals, the Vikings have lost Cook and Thielen, the Bears have improved but they need to prove they can win games and be consistent and the Lions, although very exciting and full of promise, again need to prove that last season wasn’t a one off. The NFC is so open, so I think it is really dangerous to discount or overlook this Packers side.

Yes, this is a new era that they are entering but that does not mean it can’t be a successful one. I’d be surprised if the Packers don’t make the playoffs and I’d be surprised to see this Matt LaFleur coached team not bounce back after last season and they are entering this season well under the radar.

This season is setting up to be one of the best ever, some teams will struggle to stay at the top, some will stumble, but some will go further than anticipated. The Las Vegas Raiders and The Green Bay Packers are two to keep on side.