Super Bowl 54 is still 11 months away, but that doesn’t mean the odds haven’t made a shift since the final piece of confetti fell after what was arguably the worst Super Bowl in the history of the game. The teams at the top of the odds aren’t a surprise, though their positions might be.
What’s more interesting to me is looking beyond that top group to see if there’s an opportunity to really make some cash before the 2019-20 NFL season kicks off. Here are the Top 13 odds-on favorites to win Super Bowl 54 and some interesting teams outside that group, according to BetDSI.
Super Bowl LIV Odds
Los Angeles Rams +750
Kansas City Chiefs +800
New England Patriots +800
New Orleans Saints +1100
Los Angeles Chargers +1550
Pittsburgh Steelers +1600
Chicago Bears +1650
Indianapolis Colts +1650
Minnesota Vikings +1700
Philadelphia Eagles +1900
Green Bay Packers +2000
Dallas Cowboys +2150
Cleveland Browns +2150
Teams Worth a Look
Seattle Seahawks +3750
San Francisco 49ers +3750
Jacksonville Jaguars +4500
Carolina Panthers +6600
While the Patriots are tied for second in the odds, it’s a surprise, at least to me, to see the Rams at No. 1 at +750. Sure, they’re the defending NFC Champions, but that didn’t come without controversy in itself. While the New Orleans Saints and their fanbase may never get over it, the missed pass interference call didn’t cost them the game; poor offensive playcalling and an overtime interception did. What can’t be argued is that the Rams didn’t dominate their way to Super Bowl LIII and the certainly didn’t show up on offense when they got there.
So why +350 points better than the Saints? I’d guess it has plenty to do with the Drew Brees’ age and the possibility that he’s heading on a downward career trajectory. Certainly Los Angeles will still be loaded and only add to their roster once free agency and the draft hits. They’re likely the safest bet in the NFC.
What about the Patriots and Chiefs? Who do you like more there? Everyone is going to be pumped to jump on the Kansas City bandwagon once again and for good reason. The problem is, there’s plenty of film on their offense and quarterback Patrick Mahomes now. They’ll still be good, but I don’t see another 50 touchdown season happening.
Is this finally the year the Patriots are finished? I wouldn’t count on it until I see it with my own eyes.
I can tell you right now, there are few of those teams you can go ahead and put a line through; the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.
Anthony Lynn spent all last season convincing me he was a legitimate NFL head coach only to Keyser Soze me in the playoffs. I won’t be fooled again. The Steelers aren’t going to have an offensive team left at this rate and the Vikings are still the Vikings (and Kirk Cousins is still Kirk Cousins) until they prove otherwise. They’re like the reverse Patriots.
The Packers, with their new head coach Matt LaFleur are intriguing, but likely a year away. In fact, if I was laying some cash on a Super Bowl LV, a Browns vs. Packers match up wouldn’t scare me off at all.
Outside that top group, the Seahawks are a solid Russell Wilson run away from making it back at any time. If Cam Newton’s shoulder is healthy, the Panthers should bounce back. For the first eight weeks of the 2018 season they looked like a top four team in the league. Potentially adding Nick Foles to the Jacksonville Jaguars immediately makes them a contender and 2019 might be the year we finally see what Jimmy Garoppolo can do in a 16-game season.
In spite of all that, the smart money is probably the Rams or Patriots.
