Remember when analysts thought Tom Brady might be over the hill after a blowout loss in Kansas City? Well, things have changed. (Photo credit: Keith Allison / Foter / CC BY-SA)
With six weeks remaining in the NFL season, no real Super Bowl betting favourite has yet to emerge.
The Broncos, Packers and Patriots are all listed as the Super Bowl betting favourites at Bodog, with the Cardinals and 49ers shortly behind. Darkhorse picks include the Colts, Seahawks, Cowboys, Chiefs, Lions and Eagles.
We take a closer look at the five Super Bowl betting favourites.
Denver Broncos (9:2)
A Peyton Manning-quarterbacked team will always be among the Super Bowl betting favourites, but there are things to be concerned about with this Broncos squad. The biggest is that in Denver’s two biggest step-up games of the year, at Seattle and at New England, the Broncos are 0-2. They’ve also lost three of five road games this season, not a good omen for a team that seems unlikely to earn home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. Finally, let’s not forget that for all of Manning’s gaudy statistics, he has won one (ONE) Super Bowl in his career.
Green Bay Packers (9:2)
Remember when Aaron Rodgers told everyone to relax after the Packers’ 1-2 start to the season? He obviously knew what he was talking about. Since the slow start, Green Bay has won six of seven, with five of those wins coming by 21 points or more. Like Denver, however, the Pack is just 2-3 away from home. Green Bay also ranks 25th in yards allowed and 29th in rushing yards allowed, which doesn’t seem like a Super Bowl champion’s resume.
New England Patriots (9:2)
The Patriots’ midseason turnaround is even more dramatic than Green Bay’s. Following a 41-14 loss in Kansas City in Week 4 on Monday Night Football, respected columnists were questioning whether Tom Brady was washed up. New England has responded with six straight victories (including wins over the Bengals, Broncos and Colts), all but one of them coming by 14-plus points. The 8-2 Patriots are in the driver’s seat when it comes to the top seed in the AFC playoffs. Their remaining six games include home dates with the Dolphins and Bills as well as a road game at the Jets, and they own the tiebreaker with Denver. We like the Patriots’ chances at a Super Bowl appearance if they can host all their playoff games at Gillette Stadium.
Arizona Cardinals (10:1)
Even at 9-1, the Cardinals still don’t seem to get much respect, especially when you consider they’ve beaten San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Detroit and San Diego. Several of those wins came without QB Carson Palmer, so perhaps the impact of his season-ending injury is overblown. If people seem like they keep waiting for Arizona’s bubble to burst, perhaps it’s because of their remaining schedule. The Cards will play two games with Seattle, visit San Francisco and host Kansas City before the end of the year. They also rank 30th in rushing yards, 20th in total yards and 29th in passing yards allowed.
San Francisco 49ers (10:1)
If the playoffs were to begin today, the 49ers wouldn’t even be in them. San Fran is a team that always seems to be teetering on the edge of oblivion this season, somehow losing home games to the Bears and Rams en route to a 4-4 start. The 49ers have come through with their backs against the wall the last two weeks, however, winning in New Orleans and then intercepting five passes in a victory at the Giants. Their remaining schedule isn’t easy, including two games with Seattle and a home date against Arizona. But if San Fran can get into the dance, you can’t take a team with the fourth-ranked defence and with an athletic QB like Colin Kaepernick lightly.
Bodog Super Bowl Betting Odds Through Week 11
