Ricky Dimon
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And then there were four…
The top teams in each conference followed up their first-round byes and took care of business to reach their respective championship games. In the AFC, the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs held off the Cleveland Browns — but may have suffered a loss in the process. NFC action saw the Green Bay Packers cruise past the Los Angeles Rams. Kansas City and Green Bay and joined in the final four by the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Let’s take a look at the Super Bowl odds for each of the remaining contenders.
Still the favorites
Kansas City Chiefs (+200) – The Chiefs are suddenly a huge question mark, as 2018 NFL MVP and Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes was forced out of Sunday’s game with a concussion. However, the odds do not reflect that question mark. Kansas City is still a +200 favorite; the same as it was following wild-card weekend.
The challengers
Green Bay Packers (+220) – Aaron Rodgers is going to win NFL MVP honors for the third time in his career. He continued to play like it in Green Bay’s first playoff game, throwing for 296 yards and two touchdowns on 23-of-36 passing. The combination of Rodgers, Davante Adams, and Aaron Jones makes this offense borderline unstoppable.
Buffalo Bills (+325) – Assuming Mahomes can play, this coming weekend will feature a three-time NFL MVP (Tom Brady), a soon-to-be three-time NFL MVP (Rodgers), a one-time NFL MVP (Mahomes), and a future NFL MVP (Josh Allen). Obviously, that last one remains to be seen, but Allen clearly has all the makings. His connection with Stefon Diggs is downright lethal and Buffalo’s defense is playing at its highest level of the season right now.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+425) – Death, taxes, and Brady winning in the playoffs… those are basically the three certainties of life. Okay, he lost last year — but that was at the end of New England’s dynasty when he was throwing the ball to absolutely no one. Now the six-time Super Bowl winner has weapons around him like Mike Evans, Antonio Brown, Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette, and Ronald Jones II.
Super Bowl Predictions
Super Bowl champion: Kansas City Chiefs (+200) – Despite what transpired in a too-close-for-comfort 22-17 win over the Browns, there is no reason to dive off the bandwagon at this point. That will very much change if Mahomes is ruled out by his concussion. Until then, the Chiefs remain the choice.
Best value: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+425) – The Bucs were just warming up in a relatively lackluster first-round win over the Football Team. They picked up the pace immensely with Sunday’s 30-20 upset of the New Orleans Saints. Brady was stellar, Jones ran like a man possessed, and the defense forced four turnovers. This team has won five in a row and is clicking in every phase of the game. Even though the Bucs’ odds are improving big time (+900 to +425 in the last week), they still have value.
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