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After 17 weeks, the Patriots are still the favorites to raise the Lombardi trophy in Houston.
Even after playing four games without Tom Brady, the Pats cruised to a winning season and another AFC East title. Bovada has the Pats listed as a +190 to win Super Bowl LI in Houston, much better odds than any remaining team.
The next-highest favorite, Dallas, will have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. That bodes well for their rookie QB Dak Prescott, who managed the team this season but had better numbers in front of home fans. Dallas is valued at +325, a much lower number than any other NFC team.
After the Cowboys and Patriots, the odds start to get longer for the remaining teams. Quarterback injuries have put a dark cloud over the AFC playoffs, and those teams have seen their odds plummet. The Raiders, who were one of the AFC’s best teams all season, are now +3300 to win it all without Derek Carr. The Texans and Dolphins, who have also had to make QB changes in the final month of the season, are valued at +5000 and +6600, respectively.
Two “sleeper” teams with playoff experience may be the best gambling values on the board. The Giants certainly have the playoff pedigree, and their sitting at +1400 to win it all. In the AFC, the Steelers are as formidable as any team in the AFC, especially with a healthy Le’Veon Bell in the backfield. The Steelers are +800, a solid number for a serious playoff contender.
Here’s the full list of odds from Bovada:
Patriots +190
Cowboys +325
Steelers +800
Packers +900
Seahawks +1200
Chiefs +1200
Falcons +1200
Giants +1400
Raiders +3300
Lions +5000
Texans +5000
Dolphins +6600