Heading into the final three weeks of the NFL season the Green Bay Packers have strengthened their position as Super Bowl betting favorites, with slightly improved odds of 13/4 in NFL futures betting.
The 10-3 Packers posted their fifth straight SU win last weekend, topping the Atlanta Falcons in a 43-37 shootout but failing to cover as favorites for the second time in three weeks.
The 10-3 New England Patriots have also maintained solid Super Bowl odds, perched at 7/2 in Super Bowl betting.
New England can clinch their sixth straight AFC East title on Sunday when they take on the Miami Dolphins as eight-point favorites. The Pats are 8-1 SU in their last nine, and enter NFL Week 15 as heavy 7/5 favorites to win the AFC conference championship.
The outlook is not so bright for the 7-6 Dolphins. Losers of three of their last five, SU and ATS, including a 28-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens last weekend as three-point home favorites, Miami’s Super Bowl odds have tumbled, from 50/1 prior to their matchup with Baltimore, to a distant 125/1.
The Dolphins are not the only AFC club to see their Super Bowl odds take a major hit in recent days. After a strong 7-3 start to their season, the Kansas City Chiefs quickly emerged as one of this season’s dark horse Super Bowl picks with odds as short as 25/1.
But following three straight SU losses the 7-6 Chiefs have all but tumbled out of contention in the AFC Wild Card race and enter their Week 15 matchup with the suddenly resurgent Oakland Raiders as 150/1 longshots in Super Bowl betting.
Conversely, a pair of AFC North rivals have seen their Super Bowl betting stock rise following solid wins last weekend.
The Ravens improved to 8-5 SU with their win over the Dolphins, boosting their odds in Super Bowl 2015 betting from 50/1 to an attractive 33/1. While Baltimore sits deadlocked in the standings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers, they currently remain on the outside of the AFC playoff picture due to tiebreakers.
However, with a matchup at home against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend, followed by a visit to Houston to take on the fading Texans in Week 16, and a home date with the Cleveland Browns in their regular season finale, the Ravens arguably enjoy the easiest road down the stretch compared to the Chargers and Steelers.
The Steelers, who join the Ravens at 33/1 following their decisive 42-21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last week, must face a desperate Atlanta Falcons squad this weekend, before a Week 16 date with the Chiefs and a rematch against the AFC North-leading Bengals in Week 17.
The 8-5 Chargers remain in control of the top AFC Wild Card, but have seen their Super Bowl odds tumble from 28/1 to 50/1 following a 23-14 loss to the Patriots last weekend. San Diego must face the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos this weekend, and wind up their regular season with visits to San Francisco and Kansas City, two teams that will be looking to play late-season spoilers.