William Hill released NFL futures odds for Super Bowl LV with the Kansas City Chiefs 7/1 co-favorites to win back-to-back championships in 2021. MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are also co-favorites at 7/1 odds to win the 2021 Super Bowl along with the current runner-up, the San Francisco 49ers.
If Tom Brady returns to New England to play with Bill Belichick, then the Patriots look like a solid value pick. The Pats need to bolster their roster and provide Brady with better offensive weapons. If Brady’s days are numbered, then his clock is ticking to squeeze out one more title? Or are the Patriots’ dynasty finally dunzo?
If the Pats are dunzo, then it’s time for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens to become the next giants of the AFC. With a young and talented QB at the helm, the Ravens are both a strong and popular pick at 7/1 odds to ship the 2021 Super Bowl.
2021 SUPER BOWL ODDS – TOP 9
Kansas City Chiefs 7/1
Baltimore Ravens 7/1
San Francisco 49ers 7/1
New Orleans Saints 10/1
New England Patriots 12/1
Green Bay Packers 15/1
Philadelphia Eagles 15/1
Seattle Seahawks 17/1
Dallas Cowboys 20/1
Drew Brees has not made a final decision on returning for another season with the New Orleans Saints. If Brees does not retire, then the Saints will be a popular pick at 10/1 odds to win Super Bowl 2021.
The Green Bay Packers seem like the best value at 15/1. Aaron Rodgers showed the world he still had gas in his tank. After a sensational rookie season as a head coach, Matt LaFluer proved he could do a good job stacking up against difficult NFC North competition while also managing the mercurial Rodgers.
The Dallas Cowboys finally axed Jason Garrett. But was Mike McCarthy the right choice? The Cowboys feel like that Hollywood flick that looks super slick with big-time stars but the plot goes sideways in the third act and the entire movie goes flat.
Super Bowl Hangover and Debunking Backing the Runner-Up Myth
It’s difficult to win back-to-back championships, which makes the Kansas City Chiefs fade worthy for 2021 if you’re a student of history. Then again, Patrick Mahomes does magical things with the football, so can you really count out the Chiefs to miss out on another title and win in the 2021 Super Bowl?
Teams won in consecutive years nine times in the history of the Super Bowl. However, three of them occurred in the first ten Super Bowls (Green Bay, Miami, Pittsburgh).
Even during the domination by Brady and Belichick, they only won back-to-back titles once (Super Bowl XXVIII and XXXIX) out of their six titles.
William Hill released their odds before the Super Bowl kicked off, so despite the outcome, the Chiefs were among the co-favorites at 7/1 odds to win the 2021 Super Bowl.
The Super Bowl runner-up is always a popular pick, which bodes well for the San Francisco 49ers. However, the runner-up only won the Super Bowl in the next year on three instances. It first occurred back in the 1970s when the Dallas Cowboys lost Super Bowl V but won Super Bowl VI and when the Miami Dolphins lost Super Bowl VI but won Super Bowl VII. It last occurred with the New England Patriots when they lost to Philadelphia in Super Bowl LII but won Super Bowl LIII.
By the way, the Niners are in a precarious situation. Ask the LA Rams. They went from the runner-up in Super Bowl LIII to busting on the playoff bubble this season.
Middle Class: Who Will Ladder Up?
Every year there’s one or two playoff teams that do not make the postseason in the next season. On the flip side, one or two non-playoff teams make the jump to the playoffs.
This season, the LA Rams were the big disappointment. Sean McVay and the Rames went from the Super Bowl to the NFC playoff bubble. Can they return to the playoffs? Oddsmakers think so with 25/1 odds to win the 2021 Super Bowl.
The Titans, Texans and Vikings made the playoffs this season. Oddsmakers think they’ll be good enough to secure postseason berths, but still not in the upper echelon of potential Super Bowl teams.
The Buffalo Bills made the Bills Mafia super stoked with a postseason appearance. Now that the Bills are good again, will just making the playoffs be enough for Josh Allen and company? The bookies posted the Bills at 30/1 odds to finally win a Super Bowl.
2021 SUPER BOWL ODDS – MID-TIER
LA Rams 25/1
Tennessee Titans 25/1
Houston Texans 25/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 25/1
Chicago Bears 30/1
Buffalo Bills 30/1
LA Chargers 30/1
Atlanta Falcons 30/1
Oakland Raiders 30/1
Cleveland Browns 40/1
Indianapolis Colts 40/1
Denver Broncos 50/1
Tampa Bay Bucs 50/1
The LA Chargers need a new quarterback after Phil Rivers bounced (and rumored to join Tampa Bay. Will Tom Brady become the new Chargers QB? That’s probably the only reason the Chargers are 30/1 odds because who would bet a team to win the Super Bowl when you don’t even know who your QB will be?
Brady has also been linked to the Las Vegas Raiders. They have a new stadium in Vegas with talented young wideouts. Maybe “Chucky” Gruden and Mark “Bowl Cut” Davis can persuade Tommy Boy to move to Sin City?
Long Shots: LOLJets and Joe Burrow’s Bengals?
Oddsmakers do not have a positive outlook for nine teams have odds that are 60/1 or higher. Both New York City area teams, the Giants and Jets, are 60/1 odds. They should be higher, but due to the popularity of both teams as bad as they’ve been, the Jets and Giants are at the front of the class of the worst teams in the NFL.
Three cat teams are lumped in with the worst of the worst including the Panthers, Jaguars, and Lions.
2021 SUPER BOWL ODDS – LONG SHOTS
NY Giants 60/1
NY Jets 60/1
Jacksonville Jags 60/1
Carolina Panthers 60/1
Detroit Lions 60/1
Arizona Cardinals 75/1
Washington Redskins 100/1
Miami Dolphins 100/1
Cincinnati Bengals 125/1
The Washington Redskins are 100/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. So long as Dan Snyder owns the team, his toxicity will prevent the Skins from returning to their old glory as one of the stalwarts of the NFC East.
The Miami Dolphins supposedly made a pitch to Tom Brady, but they’re doomed at 100/1 odds.
The Cincy Bengals went 2-14 as the worst team in the NFL. The Bengals are interested in drafting Heisman Trophy winner, Joe Burrows, from LSU. Maybe Burrow can lead the Bungles out of the NFL’s basement? The Bengals are the highest team on the board at 125/1.