Super Bowl Preview: Who has what odds to win it all?
Joe Johnson
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What are the Odds?
Now that the wildcard and divisional rounds are over and done with, the field have been whittled down to the four final (and best?) teams. After the conference championship round this weekend, we will know which clubs will be the Super Bowl odds with many of the best online sportsbooks breaking down the odds thusly:
The Packers and Chiefs are co-favorites to bring home the Lombardi Trophy at +210. The Bills are listed at +325 and the Bucs are listed at +450.
As you can see, the two big guns in each conference championship are the defending Super Bowl champion, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Green Bay Packers led by Aaron Rodgers, a virtual lock to win the MVP trophy this season.
But is the problem solved? Is it that easy? Why even play the games if inevitably it will come down to the Chiefs vs. Packers on February 7, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida?
Before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s talk about the AFC and the game coming up between the Chiefs against the upstart Buffalo Bills. Patrick Mahomes, arguably the greatest quarterback in the game today, is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol, which may have both affected the betting lines as well as created chaos for punters.
However, Mahomes has been a full participant in practice this week which means you may want to toss a dime or two on the Chiefs as their odds have most likely been lowered due to the uncertainty surrounding the league’s brightest young star.
After all, he and the Chiefs have been there before and know what it takes to win it all.
After the Chiefs defeated the Browns, last weekend, their date with destiny and the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs played and beat the Bills way back in Week 6 of the 2020 season, 26-17.
Chances are the Chiefs will prevail but how they fare against a white-hot Bills team is going to be interesting. That will be a huge test for the Chiefs’ defense who haven’t seen a quarterback like Buffalo’s Josh Allen since… Josh Allen.
Can Anyone Beat the Packers?
Green Bay did oust the Rams without too many issues (simply because LA’s offense is pedestrian at best) in a game that wasn’t exactly a blowout. However, it’s only fair to note that the Rams’ defense is the stingiest in the league and the Packers still got their 32 points (which is nearly exactly the 31.8 they averaged during the regular season).
Like Aaron Rodgers, Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady is a future Hall-of-Famer and at times he’s elevated the Bucs to offensive juggernaut status. Because of that, and Tampa’s good defense, I think it’s safe to say that the Packers are definitely not a lock to advance to the Super Bowl.
It really just depends on which Tom Brady, and thus which Tampa, shows up.
Which Team Wins the Super Bowl?
The Chiefs are the most likely to get their ticket punched to the big game but their opponent is much more difficult to predict. The Packers have the better offense but Tampa has a better defense, and the Bucs are arguably more balanced than the Packers. It’s also worth noting that the Vikings laid out a blueprint as to how to stifle Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, etc.
But let’s take a chance on an upset and think about the Buffalo Bills upsetting the Chiefs and taking on the Tampa Bucs, a team that has caught fire down the stretch and has the greatest quarterback of all time under center, Tom Brady.
The Super Bowl will be played at Raymond James Stadium, aka The Ray-Jay, and that just so happens to be the home of the Bucs. Is it destiny? Perhaps, but wouldn’t it be a fairytale ending to a difficult 2020 season if Tom Terrific notched his seventh Super Bowl title in front of his own fans?
Yes, it would.
So. I guess I’ll have to say Go Bucs! Even if it makes my mouth taste bad. Vikings