Immediately after winning Super Bowl 51, the New England Patriots were thrust into the favorite spot for Super Bowl 52.
Almost a year later, not much has changed.
New England enters the playoffs as favorites, albeit with a slimmer edge than we saw late in the season. New England is +210 to win the Super Bowl, actually not that far off from last year’s opening line of +600.
It’s the second-highest favorite that has climbed the most. Minnesota has the next-highest odds at +375, much better than the value of +2800 when Super Bowl 51 concluded. The Vikings are the clubhouse leader in a wide-open NFC, which features four of the top six teams, according to the best Super Bowl 52 odds.
While the Vikings and Patriots offer the worst value (but best chances at winning the Super Bowl), here’s teams from each conference that have a chance to win the Super Bowl, while also providing worthwhile value.
Kansas City Chiefs (+1800)
We’re falling asleep on the Chiefs again.
After a torrid start to the season, the Chiefs are finding their groove again. And it seems like the betting public is forgetting about Kansas City, even though the offense continues to be one of the better units in the NFL.
Kansas City owns the second-best total offense in yards per play. They’ll be able to move the ball against any defense, especially in the passing department, where they own the third-highest yards per pass attempt in the NFL.
Defensively, there are some major issues, and a divisional-round matchup with New England is likely. But, the Chiefs have experience and an elite offense. Any time I see a team with something elite, that offers them a chance.
The Chiefs lost their mojo during the middle portion of the season. But when they had everything going, they were considered the best team in the NFL. This value is the best heading into the playoffs. They will cruise to a wild-card win, so they should get your attention when considering Super Bowl odds.
Carolina Panthers (+2500)
There are some glaring issues with Carolina, starting with a wild-card date with New Orleans, a team that has defeated the Panthers twice this season.
However, it’s difficult for NFL teams to win three games against the same team. And the Panthers still have Cam Newton, who at times can be electrifying.
If the Panthers can escape the opener, they will square off against a Philadelphia team that nobody believes can win the Super Bowl.
The defense has the ability to be one of the better units in the NFL, and with Newton, the Panthers can be dangerous. If the running game can get going and gain some momentum, the Panthers offer decent value coming out of the NFC.
