Mid-April 2016 Rundown Of The Super Bowl 51 Betting Odds

Though the impending NFL draft and the training camps will certainly change the roster makeup of teams, some more than others, the finalization of major free agency movement has given us an idea of the veteran core that will feature in teams next season, which offers us a glimpse of what we can expect in the 2016-17 NFL odds. So although the rookies will generate a lot of fan and media reaction that could lead to some changes in the NFL lines, it is unlikely that any first-year class will impact a team’s Super Bowl 51 odds in a big way. With that in mind, here is a sweeping look at the current Super Bowl LI odds, with emphasis being made on the top teams to watch.

Got a favorite for Super Bowl 51?@Akbar_Gbaja+ @Jones_Drew32 do!https://t.co/IlypBsmL5M pic.twitter.com/v6ljRQsRbN

— NFL Now (@NFLNow) April 12, 2016

Mid-April 2016 Rundown Of The Super Bowl 51 Betting Odds

• New England Patriots +600 • Seattle Seahawks +1000 • Green Bay Packers +1000 • Carolina Panthers +1200 • Pittsburgh Steelers +1200 • Denver Broncos +1600 • Arizona Cardinals +1600 • Houston Texans +2000 • Cincinnati Bengals +2000 • Minnesota Vikings +2000 • Dallas Cowboys +2200 • Indianapolis Colts +2200 • Kansas City Chiefs +2200 • New York Giants +2500 • Oakland Raiders +2500 • Baltimore Ravens +3300 • Atlanta Falcons +5000 • Detroit Lions +5000 • New Orleans Saints +5000 • Chicago Bears +5000 • Buffalo Bills +5000 • New York Jets +5000 • Los Angeles Rams +5000 • San Diego Chargers +5000 • Tampa Bay Buccaneers +5000 • Washington Redskins +5000 • Jacksonville Jaguars +5000 • Philadelphia Eagles +6600 • San Francisco 49ers +6600 • Miami Dolphins +6600 • Tennessee Titans +15000 • Cleveland Browns +15000

The Best of the Best

To no one’s surprise, the trio of New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers are installed as the early favorites in the Super Bowl 51 odds. The Tom Brady-Bill Belichick quarterback-coach combo is as real as can ever be, so it isn’t news that the Patriots are heavily favored to make a return to the Super Bowl after winning the Lombardi Trophy two seasons ago. Russell Wilson returns with a solid offensive core while the Legion of Boom-led defense is still the real deal, meaning Seattle is likely to stay competitive in its quest for a third Super Bowl appearance in the last four seasons.. Pittsburgh wasn’t among the biggest performers last year, but that was because the team was hobbled with injuries, particularly in the offense. If Big Ben can have all his weapons healthy and the Steelers’ underrated defense (that showed massive improvements last year) is able to keep things tough on the other side of the ball, this Pittsburgh team will certainly make a solid Super Bowl 51 run.

The Best of the Rest

Last year’s finalists, the Carolina Panthers, will be looking to build on their solid 2015-16 campaign that saw them win 15 of 16 games in the season, including an impressive run in the playoffs. With Cam Newton returning to lead a solid dual-threat offense and Luke Kuechly leading one of the most disruptive defenses in the league, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Carolina having another championship-worthy season. The Denver Broncos, the defending Super Bowl Champs, still have a solid defense, but questions are being asked about how they will fill the gaps left by the retired Peyton Manning and now-Houston QB Brock Osweiler. Only time will be able to tell if Denver will use the ‘defense wins championships’ mantra to challenge for another Super Bowl Championship, or if the team’s glaring offensive concerns will be see them fall short of the stiff competition across the league. Arizona and Green Bay are the other two teams worth noting here, but the Cardinals are a questionable unit due to their lack of playoff experience while the Packers must deal with their leaky defense and ability to keep their players healthy throughout the season if they are to legitimately challenge for the 2017 Lombardi Trophy.

The Noteworthy Super Bowl 51 Longshots

Houston Texans: Houston has been on the upswing over the past two season under head coach and offensive guru Bill O’Brien, and the team could be due for a better season now that it signed former Denver QB Brock Osweiler (who had a promising 2015 season as a starter) and star running back Lamar Miller. Add these two stars to stud wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and the fact that the Colts struggled last year and could be due for further regression this year, the Texans could be one of the most exciting Super Bowl LI longshots in the upcoming season. Chicago Bears: Over the past couple of seasons, we’ve been talking about the Bears being on the verge of big seasons, but they somehow never end up doing much. This year is no different; Chicago has all the necessary talent to compete with anyone. What will happen is however anyone’s guess, with the ball starting and stopping in Jay Cutler feet. If the veteran QB can channel his old productive self, the Bears will make something good (if not great) out of their season. If not, then it will be the same case of so close yet so far for the talent-filled but oft-underwhelming Bears.