Following their season-opening 28-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots have rocketed past the Seattle Seahawks on the Super Bowl 50 betting lines and now trail only the Green Bay Packers with 6/1 odds at the sportsbooks.
The Patriots were energized by the return of quarterback Tom Brady, who led the team to victory over the Steelers after having his four-game suspension lifted just days before it was to take effect at the start of the regular season, and have regained the NFL futures betting position they opened with following their Super Bowl XLIX win over Seattle.
The Packers continue to lead the way as strong 5/1 favorites. The Packers have seen seen their odds improve slightly since their 31-23 win over the Chicago Bears in Week 1, but face a major test in Week 2 when they take on the Seahawks.
Seattle has seen their Super Bowl odds dip to 15/2 following another loss to the St. Louis Rams on the road, dropping a 34-31 decision as 3.5-point favorites in Week 1.
The Seahawks are followed by the Indianapolis Colts and Philadelphia Eagles, whose odds have also tumbled following Week 1 road losses, from 17/2 to 12/1.
The Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos round out the front of the pack, holding steady at 14/1 following Week 1 victories.
The Cowboys continue to show remarkable resilience at the sportsbooks, maintaining their position among the frontrunners despite the loss of star wide receiver Dez Bryant, who could be lost to the club for as long as eight weeks after being injured in Dallas’ 27-26 win over the New York Giants on Sunday night.
However, the Cowboys now find themselves deadlocked with Philadelphia as +120 co-favorites to win the NFC East, ahead of a Week 2 showdown between the clubs which could dramatically alter the betting odds.
Other teams on the rise in Super Bowl 50 betting include the Buffalo Bills, who have vaulted from 50/1 to 25/1 following their 27-14 upset of the Colts.
The Atlanta Falcons also received a boost following their 26-24 win over Philadelphia, moving from 40/1 to 28/1, while the San Francisco 49ers have jumped from 66/1 to 33/1 following their 20-3 beating of the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.
Conversely, the Vikings have tumbled from 28/1 to 40/1 following their loss in San Francisco, while the Steelers have dropped to 33/1 from their strong 20/1 position at the end of the preseason.
Looking around the rest of the NFL, Buffalo is joined at 25/1 by the Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Arizona Cardinals, while the Steelers and 49ers sit alongside the San Diego Chargers and Cincinnati Bengals at 33/1.
The Vikings and Rams are joined by the Carolina Panthers at 40/1, trailed by the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints at 50/1, and the Giants, Houston Texans, and New York Jets at 66/1.
The Tennessee Titans have risen to 75/1, followed by the Bears at 125/1, and four teams at 200/1, including the Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Washington Redskins, while the Jacksonville Jaguars sit well back as 500/1 longshots.