Examining Super Bowl Odds After Week Two
Now that two weeks have past in the 2019 NFL season, the league has begun to sort itself out in tiers, separating the teams who once again look poised to make a run at the Lombardi trophy, from those who’re beginning to let thoughts of the 2020 offseason creep into the back of their minds. Looking at the updated Super Bowl winner odds, let’s break down the most impressive teams (or favorites) from both conferences (NFC and AFC) and make a case for their efforts.
You can place bets on the Super Bowl winner odds here.
NFC:
The Rams currently sit at 2-0 after beating both the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints of the NFC South. The Rams have yet to put forth a complete effort, one akin to their 2018 season, though they’ve still scored 30 and 27 points in their respective contests. That speaks to how strong the coaching staff and talent level of the team are. The Rams have suffered some injuries (namely right guard Austin Blythe), though majority of the starters remain healthy. The boys from Los Angeles look poised to be in the race for the Super Bowl once again as they look to truly hit their stride in the coming weeks.
Arguably the most impressive team thus far is the Dallas Cowboys, who also sit atop the NFC East at 2-0. The Cowboys began 2019 with two divisional wins over the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. Quarterback Dak Prescott looks poised to challenge for the Most Valuable Player award, and Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore has the offense ranked inside the top-5 in both points per game and yards per game. The Cowboys’ offense looks lethal as they contain every element needed to succeed. Stretching teams out vertically, horizontally, a strong rushing attack, a quarterback who can beat teams with both his legs and arm, and players who can create additional yardage after the catch. The defense has yet to truly hit their stride, though the amount of talent on that side of the ball suggests a dominant performance is surely coming.
The Saints were among the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, though those odds may come to a screeching halt with quarterback Drew Brees set to miss six weeks of play (estimate). The Saints barely came away with a week one win over the Houston Texans, needing a picture-perfect two-minute drive from the offense to get into field goal range before time expired. The week two matchup was ugly against the Rams as the team was hit with multiple injuries, scored only nine points, and couldn’t get any offense going on the shoulders of Teddy Bridgewater.
AFC:
The Patriots are once again the clear-cut favorites to win the Super Bowl, as they should be. After two absolutely dominating performances, the team looks to once again have the AFC East in the bag, with only the Buffalo Bills looking alive in the division. The Patriots now added a superstar receiver in Antonio Brown to an offense which needed no assistance, making them that much more potent. The Kansas City Chiefs are likely the only AFC team to stand in the way of this juggernaut.
The Kansas City Chiefs are fourth in points per game, third in yards per game, and are also seated atop their division with an undefeated 2-0 record. The Chiefs had a slight scare when quarterback Patrick Mahomes went down with an injury in week one, though he ultimately returned and finished the game (as well as played in week two). Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was lost to an injury that’ll cost him multiple weeks, though it doesn’t seem to have affected the offense whatsoever as receivers Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson have stepped in and produced seamlessly. Absolutely nobody would be surprised if the AFC Championship game is a rematch of the 2018 contest.
Along with the Cowboys, the Baltimore Ravens are one of the more surprising dominant teams thus far in 2019. The Ravens lead the entire league with 41 points per game, as well as their division with a 2-0 record. Quarterback Lamar Jackson looks unstoppable two weeks into the season, progressing as a passer and continuing to make teams pay with his lethal mobility. The additions of running back Mark Ingram and wide receiver Marquise Brown have played a major role in allowing tight end Mark Andrews to continue to dominate over the middle of the field. In what seems to be a constant, the Ravens once again field a fantastic defense that lands inside the top-four in both points per game and yards per game allowed. The Ravens are likely to return to the playoffs and could certainly be a factor at the end of it all.