Every team in the NFC is mathematically eligible for the playoffs, thanks in part to the dreadful NFC East, in which every team has at least three wins but no team has more than five. In the AFC, the one-win Jacksonville Jaguars and the winless New York Jets have already passed from the possible contenders for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals are also out of contention. Even so, there are some teams in the upper tiers of the standings, in terms of record, that have a better chance of making a deep postseason run than others.
Let’s look at our latest thoughts about the various NFL betting chances that some of the top teams have to hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
NFL News: Updated Super Bowl Contenders & Pretenders
Contender: Los Angeles Rams (9-4)
Over the past few weeks, the Arizona Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams have all passed the NFC West load back and forth. For now, the Rams are in the lead with a 9-4 record after smothering the New England offense in a 24-3 win on Thursday night. Some of the Rams’ four losses have been unfortunate, as in that wacky pass interference call in the waning seconds in Buffalo, and as in the fluky outcome against Miami. In that game, the Rams became just the second team ever to lose a game in which they had permitted fewer than 150 offensive yards while gaining more than 450 yards. If Jared Goff can avoid the turnover bug, the Rams could go a long way, thanks to that grinding defense, which is second in the league in yards and points permitted.
Pretender: Seattle Seahawks (8-4)
Will a home loss to the New York Giants doom the Seahawks? Of course not. However, what we have seen since the 5-0 start to the Seahawks’ season has shown that Russell Wilson’s MVP-quality start to the season could only last so long. In losses to Arizona and Buffalo, the Seahawks put up 34 points but could not win, because their defense betrayed them. The Seahawks have been at or near the bottom of the NFL in passing yards and total yards permitted. They should be making hay with an easy finish to the season, but instead they slipped up against an NFC East opponent. The defense lacks commitment (with the exception of Bobby Wagner and the defensive line), and the offensive line is underperforming. That combination will doom the Seahawks against a better team in the playoffs.
Contender: Buffalo Bills (9-3)
The Buffalo Bills last won an AFC East title in 1995. They hadn’t won on Monday night since 1999. They ended that streak last week against San Francisco, and they can establish themselves as a heavy hitter with a home win over Pittsburgh on Sunday night. The Steelers are taking on water after losing to Washington on Monday. One reason why the Bills have a real shot is Josh Allen, who played the best game of his career against the 49ers, throwing for 375 yards and four touchdowns, completing 80 percent of his passes, and picking up his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week award of the season — a first for any Buffalo Bill. His rhythm with STefon Diggs and Cole Beasley will make the Bills a threat to any NFL team.
Pretender: Tennessee Titans (8-4)
Tennessee also roared out to a 5-0 start, and their win at Indianapolis was also impressive. However, losing the next game to Cleveland was not, in and of itself, a death knell. However, the fact that the Browns were able to build an immense 38-7 lead at the half, putting the game effectively out of reach, showed some of the flaws in the Titans’ team. Their pass rush doesn’t do much to bother opposing quarterbacks, and they can’t get stops on third down. Stephen Gostkowski cannot be relied upon to make clutch kicks, either. So while Derrick Henry might spend the rest of the season pounding the ball on the ground, it’s hard to see the Titans getting back to an AFC Championship this time around.
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
