As such, the oddsmakers have adjusted to the shifting landscape in professional football. And here is a list and breakdown of the top Super Bowl contenders for the 2013 NFL Championship:
New England Patriots
Opening Super Bowl Futures Odds: +450
Current Odds: +350
I said at the start of the season that the Patriots were the best bet to win the AFC this year because they had an easy schedule and should have an easy path to the AFC Championship Game. I still feel that way, even though the Patriots have some work to do to secure a bye and home games this postseason. Regardless, whom do you trust more than Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in the AFC? The Patriots defense still raises major red flags. But this team has scored 190 points in its last four games and has lost just two games after Week 9 in the last three years. No bet on the Patriots is ever a bad bet.
San Francisco 49ers
Open: +800
Current Odds: +350
I will admit that my metrics calculated a regression from the Niners this year. Instead, this looks like the most well-rounded team in football. They are the most physical, they boast the best defense, and they have ample weapons on the offensive side of the ball. Jim Harbaugh is a brilliant tactician, and this team has enough experience to gut out hard wins in January. I am also a fan of the move to Colin Kaepernick. I think it adds explosiveness to the Niners offense that was lacking. That said, would you really trust Kaepernick against a Giants defense or on the road in Atlanta in the NFC Championship Game?
Denver Broncos
Open: +1800
Current Odds: +500
I bought into Denver early this year. After watching Peyton Manning just toy with Pittsburgh on opening night, I knew that this team was going to be very good. They had some growing pains early, but right now there might not be a hotter team in football. Manning has the best supporting cast that he’s had in at least four years. The Broncos defense keeps improving as they get players back from injury and suspension, and the offense will always be razor sharp with Manning at the helm. I absolutely think that this team can make it out of the AFC. And if they do, who is going to be betting against Manning in the Super Bowl?
Houston Texans
Open: +1000
Current Odds: +700
I will admit that I was wrong that the Texans shouldn’t have been one of the preseason Super Bowl favorites. I have had them in the top two in my NFL Power Rankings for about two months now. But for as much as there is to like about Houston, I still do not trust them to win a Super Bowl. This team has struggled to put away bad teams this year, and the defense has lost a plethora of playmakers. Teams can get by without depth during the regular season. But in the playoffs it is all about having top-end playmakers on both sides of the ball. And I just don’t know that Houston has enough top-tier talent to overtake a team like New England or Denver. And the oddsmakers agree with me. Because even though the Texans have the best record in the AFC, the have the third-highest odds to win the ring.
Baltimore Ravens
Open: +1500
Current Odds: +1000
This is still a tough team to get a handle on. I thought their odds should’ve opened around +1800 to start this season. But after a 9-2 start I now think that +1000 is about right. Baltimore just keeps winning games. They have an excellent system, a deep and outstanding roster compiled by Ozzie Newsome, and the experience to win games in January and February. However, I do think this team is a bit of a red herring. I don’t like what they do offensively, and outside of a home revenge win over New England early in the year (when the Pats were kind of a mess) this team hasn’t beaten anyone that I would consider a legit title contender. Tread very careful here.
Atlanta Falcons
Open: +2000
Current Odds: +700
Even though they have the fourth-best odds to win the Super Bowl, I still think that the Falcons might be overrated. They have the best record in the best conference in football. They have one of the most underrated home field advantages in the game, and they have the inside track to locking up the No. 1 seed in the conference. And, as I mentioned as why I am not as sold on Houston, Atlanta does have the top-end talent to win a title. The Falcons starting 22 is as good as any in football. Their issues have to do with a lack of depth behind their star-studded starters. Atlanta has lost to the team that went on to win the Super Bowl the last two years, and their last three playoff losses have come against the eventual NFC champions. I think that this year’s team has more than enough talent and will to take that next step.
New York Giants
Open: +1800
Current Odds: +900
At this point, the regular season just seems like a formality. Whether they are playing at home or not, the road to the Super Bowl leads through the Giants. This team is one Super Bowl title away from Dynasty Status, and they have built their reputation by being at their best when the games mean the most. The Giants have looked like their typical shaky self through this regular season. But they only start to play when their backs are against the wall, and that pass rush is still just as devastating as it was last postseason. Also, the Tom Coughlin-Eli Manning brain trust is one that I never question in the postseason. This is still one of the best teams in football, and you just have to ask yourself: do you want to bet against them?
Chicago Bears
Open: +1800
Current Odds: +1000
The Bears may not seem like true Super Bowl contenders, but they absolutely are. Remember: this team has been to a Super Bowl in the Urlacher-Smith Era and just two seasons ago they were one score away from winning the NFC Championship (with Caleb Hanie, no less). Chicago still has one of the most dominant defenses of this era, and when Jay Cutler is healthy the Bears have an offense that is just dangerous enough to strike fear into the hearts of bettors both for and against them. However, Chicago’s weakness across the offensive line is what keeps them two pegs behind the rest of the contenders on this list. I don’t see how Chicago could hold up against the pass rushes of either New York or San Francisco. Their best matchup may be with Atlanta, but the Bears would have to win that one on the road. This team is among the best in football but right now this is a ticket I’m not in a rush to purchase.
Complete List of Super Bowl Contenders and Super Bowl Futures Odds (Courtesy of Vegas Insider):
San Francisco 49ers 7/2
New England Patriots 7/2
Denver Broncos 5/1
Houston Texans 5/1
Atlanta Falcons 7/1
New York Giants 9/1
Baltimore Ravens 10/1
Chicago Bears 10/1
Green Bay Packers 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 40/1
Seattle Seahawks 50/1
New Orleans Saints 50/1
Cincinnati Bengals 60/1
Tampa Bay Bucs 80/1
Washington Redskins 80/1
Indianapolis Colts 80/1
Dallas Cowboys 80/1
Minnesota Vikings 200/1
Miami Dolphins 300/1
San Diego Chargers 500/1
Detroit Lions 500/1
Buffalo Bills 1000/1
Tennessee Titans 1000/1
New York Jets 1000/1
Arizona Cardinals 1000/1
St. Louis Rams 1000/1