For the first time ever, the Detroit Lions are the favorites to win the Super Bowl. As we approach Thanksgiving, now is a good time to explore the current odds to win the Big Game and how to bet on Super Bowl contenders like the Lions. Let’s dive into several contenders and why they have the upside to win it all.
Detroit Lions
The dominance of the Lions has been on display versus inferior opponents like the Cowboys, Titans, and Jaguars, with wins of 47-9, 52-14, and 52-6 behind an electric offense and a confident defense. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in football, Detroit has only slipped up in Week 2 against the Buccaneers past the halfway point in the regular season. Pass rusher Za’Darius Smith, acquired from the Browns ahead of the trade deadline, “fits right in” with Dan Campbell’s squad, and there doesn’t appear to be any weakness for what’s become an undoubted juggernaut.
Buffalo Bills
Fresh off an epic win over the Chiefs basically sealed by Josh Allen’s thrilling 24-yard touchdown run with just over two minutes remaining, the Bills are a confident bunch. Allen is arguably the league’s MVP through 11 weeks, helping the offense remain one of the NFL’s best despite offseason talk that Allen would take a step back following the trade of wide receiver Stefon Diggs. They didn’t even have tight end Dalton Kincaid or receiver Keon Coleman in the victory over Kansas City, and Amari Cooper is still getting acclimated to his new squad.
Baltimore Ravens
One team that more than had Buffalo’s number this year was the Ravens, as they blew them out by 25 points on Sunday Night Football in September. But the Bills had previously had success versus Lamar Jackson, so a rematch would likely be much tighter—and Baltimore is quickly falling out of the mix for homefield advantage in the AFC. Overall, the Ravens have monstrous upside with the duo of Jackson and Derrick Henry likely being difficult to stop in January.
Kansas City Chiefs
As we’ve seen over the years, including last year when they did not look good for much of the season, the Chiefs are not a team to count out. Despite coming off their first loss in nearly a year, they are still in the driver’s seat for the top seed in the conference. Patrick Mahomes is having a down year, but running back Isiah Pacheco is expected to return soon, and we know KC can win behind elite defense to keep games close and allow the offense to pull it out in the end. However, it’s very hard to three-peat, so keep that in mind when considering going with the current favorites in the AFC.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles have won six consecutive games since their 2-2 start, and they are squarely in the mix for homefield advantage in the NFC at a game behind the Lions. The defense might be tested more over the next couple of weeks at the Rams and at the Ravens—and they haven’t seen a team like the Lions, a potential postseason opponent—but Philadelphia is certainly in the Super Bowl picture after getting to the Big Game a couple of seasons ago.