Super Bowl LIX Favorites After Week 15

The NFL season is entering its home stretch, and there are only three more weeks to go. Not everything is said and done as of now, and after Week 15 results, we’re more confused about what awaits us in the future than we were before. Some teams continued their upward trajectory, while others disappointed us and their fans.  As of now, we can firmly say that Kansas City can beat any team, even on the worst of their days. 

At the same time, we can also add that the Buffalo Bills are preparing for a showdown against the Chiefs once again. They keep on scoring on all of their opponents, showing us that they have the firepower to go against anyone. With a win against the Detroit Lions, another highly potent offense, they have demonstrated that their Super Bowl chances rely on their quarterback, Josh Allen, the frontrunner for the MVP title. 

We’ve seen a few disappointments this week on the defensive side of the ball as both the Steelers and the Chargers suffered defeats. The Philadelphia Eagles have shown us what a championship drive looks like with their 10-minute march down the field in the 4th quarter, showing us that they possess a perfect offensive balance and that Jalen Hurts is hitting his stride at the right moment. The combination of him and Saquon Barkley is an enigma, even for one of the best defenses in the Pittsburgh Steelers league. 

The Chargers fell short against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who found their franchise guy in Baker Mayfield and are looking like the dark horse in the SB race after yet another dominant performance. The Ravens and Packers also won in games that showed the fans little to no contest and are also looking like teams on the brink of having a historic success and continuing God’s work that’s been ongoing in both Green Bay and Baltimore for decades now. 

Week 15 is behind us, and if we missed any team that made a point in their playoff run in the intro, we are looking to make up to them below, where we will list the top favorites to reach the 2025 Super Bowl LIX this February. 

Kansas City Chiefs (+450)

After being everyone’s darling in the first few seasons of Patrick Mahomes’s career, the Kansas City Chiefs are on the brink of being a dynasty if they aren’t already. Most neutral fans think they have come a long way and are now on the dark side. Yet, we can’t look past them as favorites for the incoming Super Bowl. Despite Mahomes suffering an evident ankle injury in the last minutes of Sunday’s game, we are sure he will be gearing up come playoffs. In his stead, the team can be anchored by experienced Carson Wentz. While their odds do not show this, the Chiefs are still the top dog to beat in our eyes. Kansas City Chiefs win pays with +450 odds if you’re into online sports betting. 

Detroit Lions +260

In Week 15, the Lions suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, conceding 48 points. Yet, they remain the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Yet, why do we have Chiefs listed as first despite having better odds? Mahomes and Reid have that ‘it’ factor. You can’t deny it. Dan Campbell, Jared Goff, Amon Ra St Brown & Co. appear ready to make that next step, but until they do, we will sit them behind the Big Red. With three more rounds to go and with some divisional rivals on their schedule, the doors are still open for the Lions to clinch the top of the National Football Conference despite having Eagles breathing behind their necks. 

Philadelphia Eagles +550

Since their majestic Super Bowl LII win against the New England Patriots and Tom Brady, the Eagles have been one of the most consistent teams in the NFL. This year, they have taken that consistency a step further by adding Saquon Barkley. The former New York Giant is one of the league’s top runners, and his presence was precisely what the Eagles needed. When paired with the Eagles’ superior O-line and strong-on-feet QB like Jalen Hurst, the recipe for success was there. Philadelphia also has an all-around strong defense and a relatively solid wide receiver corps. Their quality was tested against the league’s best defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Eagles won comfortably at 27:13. They sat safely at the top of the NFC East. If they do their best against their division rivals, such as the Commanders, Cowboys, and Giants, they could be at the top of the National Football Conference. The Cowboys and Commanders won’t roll over for the Eagles, with both having playoff aspirations, but the Giants should be easy prey. Thus, the odds of +550 appear fully justified, and we see them dropping in the coming weeks. 

Buffalo Bills +700

Bills are another team that has shown an ability to be consistent in the ever-changing landscape of the NFL. Their success lies behind their MVP-calibre QB, Josh Allen, the frontrunner for this award in 2024. In the match against the Detroit Lions, Allen proved himself again when he recorded a stat line of 362 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 68 yards and two scores. This is not a feat any other player, minus Lamar Jackson, can do, and the latter did it in his MVP seasons. In the past few seasons, the Bills couldn’t jump over the Kansas City Chiefs, with Allen and Mahomes putting out some of the games that will be remembered for eternity in their duels. With +700, the Bills are not top favorites to win it all, but with their latest outing, it is evident that they can put up 40 points on any team. We see them winning the SB if they go past the Chiefs or someone else eliminates the Kansas City juggernaut. 

Baltimore Ravens +1000

As the 2024/25 season is closing out, more and more people are starting to sleep on the Baltimore Ravens. Yet, we’re not one of those people. Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP in the league that doesn’t remember such a player. This year, Jackson is not playing to the MVP standard he set, but the Ravens are still close to the league’s top. Their team has the ideal balance of solid defense, unpredictable attack, and high-end coaching led by John Harbaugh. We should remember the addition of King Henry, who is still one of the top runners in the league. If the Ravens position themselves nicely for the playoffs, they could go far relying on their run game, good defense, and moments of magic by Lamar Jackson. The bookmakers do not see them as one of the favorites to win it all this late in the season. Still, they could pull a nice underdog story and come out on top in memorable fashion. Many sport betting outlets give odds such as +1000 on the Ravens, and after their 35:14 win over the New York Giants, you’d be crazy not to take them. 

Minnesota Vikings +1600

Vikings fans can dream. Their playoff spot is all but secured, and they can hope to even host a game in the Wild Card round. With odds set at +1600, it is not a close bet on the Vikings to win the whole thing. They are known as a historically unfortunate franchise, and hoping their fortunes change this year is impossible, even with some Nordic God’s prayers.  Sam Darnold is having a season of his career, which he will cash in in the offseason, but he is not the man to lead the Minnesota Vikings to the promised land. Kevin O’Connell is a Quarterback whisperer who has proven that he can do it with Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold. Their offense is top-notch, with a dynamic trio of receivers in Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, who is one of the best in the league. Add the running backs committee of Aaron Jones and Cam Akers, and you have yourself a potent attack as one gets. The Vikings always feature a solid enough defense, and their performances so far show that this team has both quality and an upside. Still, we doubt that this is their year, considering that they have Eagles and Lions on their path and are probably facing Packers, Buccaneers, or Rams before that. We don’t see them winning any of those duels. Yet if you like a nice risk, please go to Stake and cover the Vikings with odds of +1600. 

Green Bay Packers +1800

The bookies see the Packers as inferior to the Vikings, but we beg to differ. Matt LaFleur is one of the top football minds in the NFL. He’s showing that season in and season out. Even after Aaron Rodgers left Green Bay, he made the transition seamless by slowly introducing Jordan Love. It appears the Packers have a generational talent at QB after years under Rodgers and Brett Favre. Even better, they have a crop of young receivers growing together with Love in Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and Romeo Doubs. With a dynamic duo of RBs in Josh Jacobs and Chris Brooks, the Packers have what it takes to pose a danger to any opponent. Playing in one of the toughest divisions in the NFL only made these boys stronger, and this year, they might prove it on the biggest stage. All they need is the home advantage at the Lambeau Field. 

Pittsburgh Steelers +2000

For the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, they need to go on a run of form not seen since the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017. The Pittsburgh franchise has an experienced quarterback at the helm this year in Russell Wilson, and the former Seahawks SB-winning quarterback has shown glimpses of his old self in the last few weeks. The team needs to be consistent, with the only exception being their top defense. TJ Watt is a DPOY candidate who controls every game on a level of top Quarterbacks. The saying states that defenses win championships; if this is the case, the Steelers have a good chance of doing so. We should also pay attention to the level of coaching they receive every year from Mike Tomlin, one of the best and longest-tenured coaches in the league. The legendary Pittsburgh coach didn’t have a losing season in his career, and this year is no exception. They should position themselves nicely for the playoffs in the next three weeks. In that case, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be a team everyone should fear if Watt and the defense are fully healthy. Also, with the ability of Russel Wilson to break games with his scrambling and long balls, we may have one of the most unpredictable teams come January, and that’s the recipe for success in the NFL playoffs. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers +4000

With their odds set at +4000, you and we know that the Buccaneers are far from Super Bowl favorites. Yet, we believe they can be a black horse in this race. With Baker Mayfield playing in one of the best seasons of his career and playmakers like Mike Evans at his disposal, everything is possible. Buccaneer’s defense is as good as ever, and they can break havoc in any opponent’s rhythm, especially if Vita Vea comes out strong. Yes, this is not the same Tampa Bay team that Tom Brady took to the promised land, but they’re not far removed from that year. If the stars align, we could have a significant NFL fairy tale in Florida this year. 

Summary 

This is a biased opinion, but this year’s NFL is one of the most enjoyable sports seasons ever. Teams such as the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills have a chance to write history and put the years of failures behind them. In the same boat, you have the Ravens and Eagles, who want to add another Super Bowl to their trophy cabinets on the back of years of sustained success. Of course, all of them are wary of the Kansas City Chiefs, who are looking to three-peat and create a legacy that not even Bill and Tom had.

The post Super Bowl LIX Favorites After Week 15 appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/12/17/sports-betting/super-bowl-lix-favorites/