The confetti has just finished settling in the aftermath of Super Bowl LIV, which the Kansas City Chiefs won in comeback fashion, scoring 21 points in the last six minutes or so of the fourth quarter to turn a 20-10 deficit into a 31-20 win. Kansas City ended a fifty-year drought between championships and sent San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan to another disappointing collapse.
He was the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons when they surrendered a 28-3 lead and lost, 34-28 in overtime to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI — with conservative play-calling considered a major factor in Atlanta’s downfall. Then he lost the battle of adjustments in the late moments of Super Bowl LIV. Can the 49ers return next year?
The NFC has sent six different teams to the Super Bowl in the last six years, so the early Super Bowl betting odds are not in their favor. Take a look at each of the 32 NFL teams’ odds to win the title game next year, as well as our thoughts on some of the contenders.
Early Super Bowl LV Odds & Predictions
Chiefs opened as favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl. The Chiefs had 6-1 odds to win Super Bowl LV at Caesars Sportsbook, followed by the Baltimore Ravens at 7-1 and the 49ers at 8-1.https://t.co/ZzpaVZx3wK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2020
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | +600 |
| Baltimore Ravens | +800 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +1000 |
| New Orleans Saints | +1200 |
| New England Patriots | +1400 |
| Green Bay Packers | +1600 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +1700 |
| Seattle Seahawks | +1800 |
| Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers | +2000 |
| Los Angeles Rams, Tennessee Titans | +2200 |
| Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans | +3300 |
| Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears | +3500 |
| Indianapolis Colts | +4000 |
| Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers | +5000 |
| Denver Broncos | +6000 |
| Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, N.Y. Giants | +6600 |
| N.Y. Jets | +7000 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +8000 |
| Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins | +10000 |
| Washington Redskins | +15000 |
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs bring back Patrick Mahomes, and that’s why they are the favorites. He actually looked pretty lost for most of Super Bowl LIV, but then he found his stride (and the offensive line started giving him time in the pocket), and all of a sudden the Chiefs put up 21 points in less than seven minutes to complete the comeback. The Chiefs became the first team ever to come back from double-digit deficits to win three playoff games in the same season. Around Mahomes there are a lot of young weapons — Tyreek Hilll, Travis Kelce and Damien Williams on offense, and a stout defense. However, no team has repeated as Super Bowl champions since New England did it in Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers also return a ton of starters and also have a great deal of youthful talent on the squad. Only three starters are heading into free agency, so there will be some continuity. Kyle Shanahan’s defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh, will return, along with Mike LaFleur, who leads the passing game, and Mike McDaniel, who leads the running game. But if you noticed how the Los Angeles Rams went from losing Super Bowl LIII to missing the playoffs this year — with largely the same roster and coaching staff — you see that the Super Bowl hangover is a real thing.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens will have Lamar Jackson back, as well as all of the offensive starters. That unit put up 33.1 points per game, best in the NFL, and they scored 58 offensive touchdowns. The next-highest total for any team was 51. When Baltimore made it to 30+ points, they had an 8-0 record. If they can add to their offensive guards and bring in a top wide receiver, they could be even scarier on offense next year.
New Orleans Saints
The biggest question for the New Orleans Saints revolves around the future of Drew Brees. The ageless quarterback could retire, which would send their odds climbing. However, the Saints had 14 players named to the Pro Bowl or to the AP All-Pro team. Teddy Bridgewater started five games in relief of Brees when he was injured, and the Saints won all five of those games. Can the Saints bring all of their free agents back? If they can, they should be primed for another double-digit season in terms of wins — and another NFC South title.
