Super Bowl Odds, Best Bets Before Divisional Round
The New Orleans Saints had the best record in football during the regular season this year at 13-3 straight up and 10-6 against the spread. Their postseason begins this Sunday when they host the Philadelphia Eagles.
New Orleans is the biggest favorite on the board this weekend as 8-point chalk against the Eagles on the NFL betting lines at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. With home field throughout the NFC Championship Game locked up and arguably the lightest matchup of the week, the Saints still look like the team to beat and are a worthy favorite at +250 on the updated Super Bowl odds.
The other three teams playing as home favorites this week after their bye are the Kansas City Chiefs (+400 to win the Super Bowl), the Los Angeles Rams (+400) and the New England Patriots (+550).
Strong cases can be made for all of these teams given the talent of the Chiefs and Rams and the experience of the Patriots. But as far as the favorites go, New Orleans looks to be the best bet of the bunch as the best team with the path of least resistance.
The four road teams this weekend are intriguing at their current odds. Given how hot they are, the Indianapolis Colts (+1200) and Philadelphia Eagles (+1400) could draw some backers at online betting sites. But the path to a Super Bowl victory looks too daunting for both, especially with better value available in the Los Angeles Chargers (+900) and the Dallas Cowboys (+1800).
The Chargers may be the best value play on the board at +900. The road to the Super Bowl is brutal including a trip to Foxborough on Sunday. Los Angeles could be up to the task, though; the Chargers ranked sixth in scoring offense and eighth in scoring defense across a 12-4 SU campaign this season, and last Sunday's win over Baltimore brought the team to 8-1 SU and ATS in its last nine games on the road, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
With Baltimore and Chicago both eliminated last weekend, the best remaining defense in the postseason may belong to the Cowboys. Add that to an 8-1 SU record over the team's last nine games, an elite running game led by Ezekiel Elliott and a win over New Orleans on the resume and bettors could certainly do worse than an 18-to-1 flier on this Dallas squad.
