Super Bowl Underdogs? Odds Say Chiefs Dethrone Bills As Title Favorites
As things currently stand the Buffalo Bills appear to be a near-guaranteed lock to make the playoffs. Of course, anything can happen down the stretch, but it would take a disastrous end to the season for Buffalo to be at home in front of their TVs once the playoffs start.
However, for the first time all season, they are no longer the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
That honor goes to their AFC foes out West, the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Chiefs now have +400 odds to win it all, while the Bills come in second just behind them at +450.
Being considered the second-most-likely to win the Super Bowl is far from a slight, but their recent stretch of the play has raised some questions about the Bills ability to get the job done.
While the Bills are still 8-3, they are 2-2 over their last four games. Those two losses came in back-to-back weeks against the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings, with one of the wins coming on a game-winning field goal against the Detroit Lions.
It shouldn't come as a shock, either, that the Chiefs have leapfrogged the Bills as betting favorites.
After all, the Chiefs have made the AFC Championship Game in each of Patrick Mahomes' first four seasons, as well as two Super Bowls ... of which they won one.
The Bills themselves are more than familiar with the Chiefs in the playoffs, with last season's 42-36 overtime thriller considered the "true AFC championship game" by some.
It isn't far-fetched to see the Chiefs making yet another run, especially if they clinch home-field advantage. Luckily for the Bills, there are still six games left during which to right the ship and show everyone why they were the favorites to win the Super Bowl all season.
Even better, four of their final six games are against their AFC East rivals, including Thursday at New England. As they sit a half-game out of first behind the Miami Dolphins, they are in perfect position to win the division once again.
In-season betting odds, of course, aren't a definitive way of predicting playoff outcomes. Indeed, if the Bills can get back on track down the final stretch, we can argue it will be hard to bet on anyone else once the playoffs roll around.
You can find Connor Zimmerlee on Twitter @Connorjz98
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