The NFL regular season is over, which means it’s time for the playoffs.
14 teams have earned the right to compete for the ultimate prize, the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles will get a BYE in their respective conferences, while the the other 12 teams will battle it out in the wild card round.
So, now that the field is set, let’s take a look at the odds to win Super Bowl 57. Then, I’ll break down a few dark horse bets that you should place.
Odds to win Super Bowl 57
Super Bowl 57 dark horse bets
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3000
Things have broken the Buccaneers way in recent weeks. Despite an 8-9 record, they will host their first round playoff game. The team they’ll face is the Dallas Cowboys, who have been slumping in recent weeks.
Over their last three games, the Cowboys rank 28th in net yards per play at -0.9. Their defense, which was one of the most elite in the NFL for the majority of the season, has allowed 5.4 opponent yards per play over their last three games while sporting a sack percentage of only 4.85%.
If the Bucs can get past them, they may face an Eagles team that has also stumbled as of late. Then who knows what will happen in the NFC Championship Game.
There’s no doubt that the AFC is going to be the tougher conference for a dark horse team to emerge from. Things in the NFC are falling the Buccaneers way, and it’s tough to say Tom Brady doesn’t have a chance to do what he’s done his whole career.
Jacksonville Jaguars +5000
If there’s a candidate to be this year’s version of last year’s Cincinnati Bengals, it’s the Jacksonville Jaguars. They got hot at the right time and won their division right at the end of the season.
If you look at net yards per play, the Jaguars rank fifth over each team’s last three games, coming in at +1. That’s a largely due to their defense, who has allowed the fewest yards per play over that stretch.
Let’s also remember their head coach is Doug Pederson, who led a team to a Super Bowl victory just a few short years ago. They’re only small home underdogs to the Chargers in the wild card round. If they can get past them, who knows what could happen.
Miami Dolphins +6000
Net yards per play is a stat that measures the average yards gained per play on offense, subtracted by the average yards given up per play on defense. It doesn’t tell the full story, but it is generally a good way to evaluate teams.
The top four teams in net yards per play also happen to be the top four teams in Super Bowl odds. It’s the Chiefs, Eagles, Bills, and 49ers who take the top four spots in that stat. The team that sits at fifth is the Miami Dolphins, yet they have the second longest odds on the board.
The Dolphins will need Tua Tagovailoa to come back, and if he does, they could be dangerous. Let’s not forget they’re 1-1 against the Bills this season, and their latest game against them in Buffalo came down to the wire.
At 60/1, the Dolphins are the best long shot bet on the board.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.