Early SuperBowl 2014 Favorites

[Ghazi]

Patriots +600
Niners +700
Broncos +800
Packers +1000
Texans +1000
Seahawks +1200
Steelers +1400
Ravens +1400
Falcons +1600
Giants +2000


It seems like Vegas thinks the Ravens SB win is an absolute fluke and is rating 7 teams more likely to win it next year.

I do agree with the odds though.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Don't be a sore loser. It has nothing to do with a fluke...it's just understood that they'll be cutting/not retaining a lot of key veterans next season. Boldin, Reed, and Kruger will all be gone, and that's likely just the tip of the iceberg.

[Ghazi]

I dunno DD. Vegas seems stubborn sometimes when it comes to NFL. Ravens were a 2 score dog to the Broncos/Pats and a dog to the Niners... and it feels like t carries over in these early odds.

Meanwhile the Patriots were slurped by Vegas all year and open as the favorite

[DeadlyDynasty]

The Patriots (or Packers) are always the favorites.

[DeadlyDynasty]

I love the Steelers if Wallace is somehow brought back. That team's gonna comeback with a vengeance next season.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

It's not calling the Ravens' superbowl a fluke, it's factoring the fact Baltimore is for sure going to lose Ray Lewis and probably several other key players in order to resign Flacco.

[Ghazi]

yea.. would never count that team out even w/ the OL issues and the defense declining.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Pittsburgh's 2nd rounder OT Mike Adams had a rough start but started to play well late in the season...don't forget they lost David DeCastro (stud rookie OG from Stanford) in the preseason too. They also lost OLB Sean Spence (from the U) in preseason. Pittsburgh always drafts well and if they can somehow get lucky health-wise (like the 49ers) then I wouldn't want to play them come playoff time

[JoeTait75]

I love the Steelers if Wallace is somehow brought back. That team's gonna comeback with a vengeance next season.

I've been burned burying that team prematurely before, but man they looked creaky this season.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The Steelers will have an elite passing game if their offense stays healthy this year. They've rebuilt their line with Pouncey, DeCastro and Adams, and I love their group of receivers assuming Wallace stays. Their defense is why I'm hesitant as it had too many key parts get old simultaneously.

[HarlemHeat37]

If the Broncos fire John Fox, which is highly unlikely, I'm pretty confident they would win the SB..

Green Bay is my pick if they ever fix that defense, but I've been saying that for 2 years, tbh..

[Ice009]

Why do the Ravens have to get rid of Bolden? I don't follow the NFL that much, so I am not sure how their salary cap works.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

If the Broncos fire John Fox, which is highly unlikely, I'm pretty confident they would win the SB..

Green Bay is my pick if they ever fix that defense, but I've been saying that for 2 years, tbh..

Both Green Bay and New England have gotten too complacent by surrounding their elite QB with a shitty incomplete team of guys who need the QB to make every play. Both teams fail the eye test in a weird way as if every time they win they do so looking like they overcame a huge physical disadvantage. They'd be the two favorites in each conference is they actually built a complete team.

[Ghazi]

as for the rest:

+3000: Redskins, Bears, Bengals, Cowboys
+4000:Chargers, Lions, Vikings, Colts
+5000: Panthers, Jets, Eagles, Dolphins, Rams, Browns, Chiefs
+6000: Bucs
+10,000: Cardinals, Bills, Titans
+15,000: Raiders, Jaguars

If I had to make a value pick, I'd go w/ the Panthers. They were a relatively solid teams on both sides of the ball this year but had horrible special teams and blew a lot of close games and had a brutal schedule. Would not be surprised to see them make the playoffs next year.

[Darth_Pelican]

What are the Saints odds? I don't see them in either of your lists.

[DeadlyDynasty]

I like the Eagles over the Panthers if we're talking value picks. New coaching staff with a very talented roster. Whatever gimmicky offense he decides to run the first year will likely work (but just for a year). He's used to the speed advantage at Oregon--and although the gap in talent is nonexistent at the pro-level--he still has a boatload of burners on the offensive side of the ball, with DJx, Maclin, McCoy, and Vick himself.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Also, how did the Chiefs escape the 15000 pool, with Jags and Raiders?

[Ghazi]

Saints are +1600, forgot to type em out bleh

[Ghazi]

Chiefs surprised me as well... not only escaped 15000, but escaped 10,000

unles its a glitch on the site, thats just the way it is :p

[JoeTait75]

Also, how did the Chiefs escape the 15000 pool, with Jags and Raiders?

The Chiefs do have some talent. If they can get competent coaching and QB play they won't be a bad team. The Jags and Raiders are just completely hopeless.

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

The Cardinals escaping that pool is what I find amazing. They finished the season 1-11 and fired their one competent coach.

[lefty]

lmao Chargers
lmao Raiders

[djohn2oo8]

If Schaub went down with a season ending injury, they would have a better chance of taking the division.

[Clipper Nation]

If the Broncos fire John Fox, which is highly unlikely, I'm pretty confident they would win the SB..
Peyton would still choke....

[Chinook]

Pittsburgh's 2nd rounder OT Mike Adams had a rough start but started to play well late in the season...don't forget they lost David DeCastro (stud rookie OG from Stanford) in the preseason too. They also lost OLB Sean Spence (from the U) in preseason. Pittsburgh always drafts well and if they can somehow get lucky health-wise (like the 49ers) then I wouldn't want to play them come playoff time

The thing is, Pittsburgh's in cap hell. Right now about 92 percent of their cap (110/120 Million) is devoted to 10 players. That's not counting Wallace, of course. I don't think they keep him or do much in free agency. They also have very little leeway to get more room. They've really restructured to the limit. Even if they start cutting people, they have almost $50 Million in cap penalties tied up in those contracts. It's very possible that they start hemorrhaging mid-level players. They better hope for a solid draft if they don't want to be in Browns' territory next season.

Also, the Ravens aren't in too terrible of a cap position. Right now, they have about $6 Million in cap space (Schefter messed up his numbers somehow) and that's not including obvious cuts/retirements (Lewis, Birk, Bobbie Williams). If they can avoid tagging Flacco, it's possible that they only need to restructure/extend Boldin and Jones and maybe cut Leach to be all right. They'll lose some free agents, but they always do. I don't see them being in any worse of a position than New England, Green Bay or Houston.

[TIMMYtoZO]

The Giants will be a threat if they quit beating themselves. They will lose Osi, Bradshaw, and probably Kenny Phillips but Jerry Reese has their replacements ready. Victor Cruz isn't going anywhere. If the Giants can give a shit for 3/4 of the season, they would be deadly come January. Elite Manning and this pass rush raises their game up when it comes to the postseason. They just need to quit beating themselves. :lol

[TIMMYtoZO]

All the Broncos need to do is improve their interior pass rush aka defensive tackle spot. They are set everywhere else.

[Phillip]

Broncos and 49ers should be the favorites in their conferences. They are the two most complete teams in the NFL.

Packers and Pats need a little work on their defense, but are right on the doorstep. Perhaps even just one solid signing or a young athlete blooming to stardom could vault either of them into the Superbowl.

Texans, Seahawks, and Falcons are all pretty complete teams, but just not as talent heavy as the Broncos and 49ers. If they have a run of good fortune like the Ravens had, they could find their way into the SB also.

Cowboys have comparable talent levels to the Broncos and 49ers, but their coaching is so incredibly awful that you can't rely on them to do anything. If they simply had a competent coach, they could be a serious SB contender. If they somehow lured Gruden back into coaching, I'd definitely say to watch out for them. But Jerry is too much in love with Garrett.



OTOH, I think the Raiders are an early favorite for getting the #1 overall pick next year... smh. So frustrating. Al Davis died, and they still find a way to be a shithole franchise. :depressed

[Lincoln]

Also, how did the Chiefs escape the 15000 pool, with Jags and Raiders?

The chiefs are a game managing QB away from making some noise. Good o line, playmakers on both sides of the ball too. I'd be happy if Alex smith went there with Andy Reid tbh if I was a chiefs fan

[Edward]

Cowboys have comparable talent levels to the Broncos and 49ers

No

[tlongII]

The Seahawks are more talented than the 49ers. They should be the favorites.

[Monostradamus]

I think with competent coaching the Cowboys would absolutely be one of the top 5 teams in the NFL. Since Romo isn't the field general that guys like Brady/Rodgers/Manning are, he needs a strong head coach. No different than Brees or Flacco. Brees had no HC this year and his team licked balls. If Flacco had Jason Garrett walking the sidelines and Aspergering shit up, the Ravens would have gone 8-8 like Dallas.

[Pelicans78]

I think with competent coaching the Cowboys would absolutely be one of the top 5 teams in the NFL. Since Romo isn't the field general that guys like Brady/Brees/Manning are, he needs a strong head coach. No different than Brees or Flacco. Brees had no HC this year and his team licked balls. If Flacco had Jason Garrett walking the sidelines and Aspergering shit up, the Ravens would have gone 8-8 like Dallas.

To be fair, Brees also had the worst defense in history. But yeah, losing Payton hurt since he made the whole team and coaching staff accountable. Brees also had a sub par year for his standards.

I do agree that Romo would do fine with a strong head coach. Garrett isn't that guy.

[LnGrrrR]

Pretty good odds for the Falcons.