The AFC’s great young quarterbacks are at the center of the NFL’s power structure. Joe Burrow’s squad or Patrick Mahomes’ club has won the top NFL conference for the past four seasons in a row, with Josh Allen and the Bills also being major contenders this year.
The Chiefs (+550), the Bills (+850), and the Bengals (+900) are the odds-on favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl because of the ongoing power struggle among Buffalo, Cincinnati, and Kansas City.
Whoever triumphs in the AFC Championship Game next year will be heavy favorites to win the Super Bowl.
There is hope for the other AFC clubs, but the odds are much longer. The Jets’ chances of winning the Super Bowl have improved with the Aaron Rodgers revelation (more on that shortly), but the Chargers (+2000) pose an abstract danger.
Both the Ravens and the Dolphins (+2500) have significant quarterback baggage. If you think Baltimore and Lamar Jackson can come to terms on a new contract, the Ravens might be worth a gamble at this price.
If Tua Tagovailoa comes back in 2023 without showing any ill effects or decline in play, Miami’s offense will have all the makings of a Super Bowl contender.
The Jaguars (+2500) may be the strongest mid-range option since they are widely regarded as the league’s next great club following last year’s surprising run to the playoffs.
| NFL TEAM | CURRENT ODDS | OPENING ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +550 | +600 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +900 | +850 |
| Buffalo Bills | +850 | +900 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +900 | +900 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +900 | +900 |
| New York Jets | +1400 | +2500 |
| Dallas Cowboys | +1800 | +1400 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +2000 | +2000 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +2500 | +1800 |
| Detroit Lions | +2500 | +2500 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +2500 | +2500 |
| Miami Dolphins | +2500 | +3000 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +3000 | +3000 |
| Denver Broncos | +3500 | +4000 |
| New Orleans Saints | +4000 | +3000 |
| Cleveland Browns | +4000 | +4000 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +4000 | +4000 |
| Minnesota Vikings | +4000 | +4000 |
| New York Giants | +4000 | +4000 |
| Chicago Bears | +4000 | +6600 |
| Green Bay Packers | +5000 | +2500 |
| Carolina Panthers | +5000 | +5000 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +6000 | +5000 |
| New England Patriots | +6600 | +5000 |
| Washington Commanders | +6600 | +5000 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +6600 | +6600 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +6600 | +8000 |
| Tennessee Titans | +8000 | +6600 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +8000 | +8000 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +15000 | +25000 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +20000 | +15000 |
| Houston Texans | +20000 | +25000 |
Only four teams in the NFC are presently 10-to-1 or better merely to win the conference, suggesting that the betting market views the NFC as top-heavy.
The Eagles (+350 to win the NFC, +900 to win the Super Bowl), the 49ers (+350, +900), the Cowboys (+750, +1000), and the Lions (+1000, +2500).
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers were the league’s best teams, with the Dallas Cowboys giving them a run for the NFC East crown.
Nonetheless, the Lions’ prominence in the standings is unexpected. Detroit’s analytics-backed, go-for-it mentality grew during the season, turning the Lions into a club that few in the NFL wanted to face, despite the team’s failure to make the playoffs.
In 2023, the NFC North will be as wide open as it has ever been, and the Lions will have offensive coordinator Ben Johnson back on their roster.
But, the NFC’s true worth is probably found in its lower tiers.
Leave a Reply