Winning a Super Bowl is easier said than done.
Only one team can do it, and several factors have to favor a franchise in order to lift the prestigious Vince Lombardi Trophy.
So, even if you have the personnel and depth to go all the way, you could be one freak situation away from ending the season without hardware. Just ask the San Francisco 49ers, who had to complete last year's NFC Championship Game without a quarterback.
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With the 2023 regular season approaching, let's look at five teams who are facing a make-or-break campaign, whether that result in winning a championship or earning a few more years of breathing room:
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are known for blowing late-game leads. Then they set a franchise record by blowing a 27-point cushion in last year's playoffs against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and that was despite their plus-five turnover differential. So that's why they make this list.
Los Angeles has to get the monkey off its back. The talent is there: Justin Herbert, Khalil Mack, Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa, Asante Samuel Jr. and more. Kellen Moore is the new offensive coordinator to help Herbert and Co. take the next step, but if the Chargers don't push the needle further toward Kansas City and make a substantial playoff run, head coach Brandon Staley will have to be the first one out the door.
Minimum goal to hit in 2023: A respectable divisional round or championship game appearance.
Dallas Cowboys
The best way to describe the current state of the Cowboys is that it's something we've already seen before. Whether it's Dak Prescott making a few notable plays every few games, Mike McCarthy getting overconfident before succumbing easily in the playoffs after racking up the wins in the regular season, Dallas repeats the same story every year.
Can 2023 finally be different? Or is that just another broken record question at this point? If so, the Cowboys have a potential out on Prescott's contract next offseason to make him a free agent, and they could also move on from McCarthy and start with something fresh. Let's see if new additions in Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore help turn the tide in Texas.
Minimum goal to hit in 2023: A championship game appearance or win.
San Francisco 49ers
Hindsight is 20/20 on how the 49ers' playoff run last season ended. Maybe they beat the Eagles in a rough Philadelphia stadium with a rookie quarterback doing the unimaginable to save San Francisco's season. But we'll never know.
Unlike the Chargers or Cowboys, the 49ers' main hump to overcome is not themselves. It'll be Kyle Shanahan's decision on who the starting quarterback is. Will it be Trey Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick who San Francisco traded multiple prime draft assets for? Or will Brock Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, out stage Lance? Or does 2018 No. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold have a revenge story in him?
San Francisco has an elite crop of skill players and a deep defense, but Shanahan's choice could prove decisive for the franchise not just in 2023 but for the foreseeable future with their championship window still open. The #QuestForSix campaign can only go so long.
Minimum goal to hit in 2023: A Super Bowl appearance, preferably a win.
Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson's contract is already alarming, but it could transform into a complete nightmare if he doesn't show improvements under Sean Payton in 2023. The 34-year-old signal caller just looked like a totally different version of himself in his first year away from Seattle, but the Broncos quietly made some solid moves in the offseason to provide a more optimistic outlook for the coming campaign.
Both the offensive and defensive lines got upgraded, receiver Marvin Mims could turn out to be a steal from the draft and health may favor Javonte Williams, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. The Broncos are the biggest wild card in what is a fun AFC West on paper, but if they regress again in 2023, Payton may be wondering what he stumbled into.
Minimum goal to hit in 2023: A playoff appearance would be a significant shift in wins.
Buffalo Bills
Now let's take it a step further. Josh Allen has recorded fantastic numbers as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of his time. But his turnover rates have been way too high to give Buffalo any legitimate shot at succeeding.
Can the 27-year-old Wyoming product change that? Looking at the Bills' recent playoff history after 2019 (when they first showed signs of becoming a force), they lost in the AFC Championship Game in 2020 before two straight eliminations in the divisional round.
It's not their fault they're competing against stalwarts in Kansas City and now the Cincinnati Bengals, but this is the year to prove they can be the top dogs in the AFC.
Minimum goal to hit in 2023: A Super Bowl appearance.