Las Vegas doesn’t let many opportunities pass them by and this year is no exception. The Las Vegas Hilton has already posted the odds to win the 2011 NFL Super Bowl to be held in Cowboy Stadium. From the current favorite Indianapolis Colts, at 6-1 to a Denver Bronco team that is 50-1, there can be value in some of the bets.
Remember one thing though, the sportsbooks will keep the money from the future bet for more than a year.
The long shots that just don’t have a chance.
St. Louis Rams 300-1.
Ndamukong Suh is a stud but he is only one man and new to the NFL. He can’t get the Rams and NFL title by himself.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 300-1.
Tampa Bay has a nice NFL draft pick but I have faith in them, they will blow it. They did look good at the end of the year though.
Detroit Lions 200-1.
Wow they aren’t the longest shot? They do have Calvin Johnson and Matt Stafford did show some guts and promise this year. Maybe they are one year away from going 8-8.
Oakland Raiders 100-1.
Are these odds right? More like 250-1. JaMarcus Russell coming back? Make it 300-1.
Kansas City Chiefs 100-1.
There are signs of life with this team. Jamaal Charles will be a stud next year. He may only last a few seasons but he is a strong back for now. Matt Cassell should have a better showing also in 2010 and have a few more receivers. This team will move up the ladder but no Super Bowl.
Cleveland Browns 100-1.
This team, believe it or not, isn’t far away from being good. Mike Holmgren will make the necessary moves in personnel and Mangini will have to straighten up or get out. If he continues to have locker room problems next year Holmgren won’t wait to drop the ax on him.
Buffalo Bills 100-1.
Sorry but 100-1 is extremely generous for a team that won’t win two games in their own division. They aren’t sure if they will even be in Buffalo or Toronto in two years. The line should be more than 250-1.
Some long shots that might be worth a few dollars investment.
Denver Broncos 50-1.
It really won’t take much for Denver to bounce back and win the AFC West. They did win the first six games of the season, but some of those games could have went either way. Denver has a strong defense and if they can get their running game established, they could be in the playoffs next year. Denver is the best long shot to bet at 50-1 to win the NFL Super Bowl.
Washington Redskins 50-1.
Mike Shanahan is a smart coach and has two NFL Super Bowl rings but this is the Washington Redskins. Washington does have a strong defense but the offense is a problem. Shanahan needs a quarterback and a young running back. Clinton Portis is on his last legs and Jason Campbell just hasn’t developed. Don’t forget wide receivers, they need three wide receivers. Washington is one to two years away.
Jacksonville Jaguars 50-1.
David Gerard is a workable quarterback and Maurice Jones Drew is a stud in the backfield, so the offense is not in bad shape. Jack Del Rio almost left for USC but he would have had to walk away from a millions of dollars so he stayed put. The NFL Draft will be interesting to watch and one good draft can do a lot for this team.
Chicago Bears 40-1.
What happened to Chicago? Three years ago they were in the Super Bowl and now they aren’t even on the radar to win their own division. Has the loss of Brian Urlacher hurt them in 2009? Will the defense rebound in 2010 with Urlacher healthy. Chicago will be better next year. Jay Cutler will have a year under his belt and Matt Forte will have to stay healthy but they still have no shot at the NFC North title and definitely no shot at an NFL title.
San Francisco 49ers 40-1.
Mike Singletary is fun to watch and a breath of old school fresh air but he can’t get this team anywhere until he gets a great offensive coordinator. Look for San Francisco to win some big games in 2010 but no more than 8 wins.
Seattle Seahawks 40-1.
Pete Carroll what did he just step in? He stepped out on a laundry list of NCAA violations and is looking to redeem himself in the NFL. He wasn’t successful then and he won’t be successful in the near future. The next ring Carroll will earn won’t be an NFL Super Bowl ring, it will probably be another NCAA title ring in seven or eight years.
Miami Dolphins 40-1.
Miami took a step down in 2009 and will probably remain an 8 or 9 win team. 9 wins can get a team in the playoffs though. Ricky Williams will have to be as strong as he was this season and Chad Pennington will have tow win another NFL Comeback Player of the Year award to get them in the playoffs.
Carolina Panthers 40-1
Possibly the worst of the 40-1 teams, they actually looked strong towards the end of the season with Matt Moore at the helm as quarterback. Julius Peppers looked like a man possessed towards the end of the season and gave Carolina hope.
Houston Texans 40-1.
A strong quarterback in Matt Schaub and the best wide receiver in the NFL Andre Johnson makes for a powerful offense. On the other side of the ball Mario Williams is a force on defense along with best defensive rookie in the NFL Brian Cushing. Houston could be worth a small bet and could be good bet to hedge later. Take Houston 40-1 maybe 10 or 20 bucks.
Tennessee Titans 30-1.
Vince Young made a statement this year. After Tennessee went 0-6, Young led them back to respectability but the off season will tell the story. This team is unpredictable don’t waste your energy.
Cincinnati Bengals 30-1.
2009 was an aberration for Cincinnati. Carson Palmer was awful most of the year and was propped up by a strong running game with Cedric Benson. The Cincinnati defense was a nice surprise but Cincinnati will be brought crashing back to reality in 2010 and win 8 or less games.
These teams have a small chance to make an NFL Conference title game.
New York Giants 30-1.
Remember when New York was 5-0? What a decline in the matter of 10 weeks. The final humiliation of losing to Minnesota in a blowout as the team flat out quit. Look for a lot of changes to this team in the off season. If they make the playoffs next year don’t count them out. Make a small bet on New York, ten bucks to win $300.
Atlanta Falcons 30-1.
Matt Ryan means the world to this team. He is a leader and the spark plug to this team. With a healthy Matt Ryan Atlanta has a shot and they are a live dog at 30-1. Put a small 10-20 dollar bet.
Arizona Cardinals 30-1.
Arizona may make it to the NFL Conference Title game and still will get no respect. This number will fluctuate wildly until is is known what Kurt Warner is doing in 2010. If he announces he will be back this will drop to 15-1.
Try to get it at 25-1 or 30-1 if lower don’t bet it.
New York Jets 20-1.
Mark Sanchez will be another year older and Thomas Jones and Shonn Green will still be the twin battering rams in the backfield. Defensively Rex Ryan has shaped this defense in his own image. This team is another year away.
Baltimore Ravens 15-1.
Joe Flacco is still young and the amazing running game is a credit to an awesome offensive line. The defense is aging and 2010 will show the effects. Look for Baltimore to fall off and not make the playoffs in the 2010-2011 NFL season.
Dallas Cowboys 12-1
Tony Romo has come of age and the 2011 NFL Super Bowl will be held in Arlington at Cowboy Stadium. Sounds like a fairy tale but Dallas should be the favorite for the 2011 NFL Super Bowl, with their outstanding defense and strong offense. Make the biggest bet on Dallas, never bet more than $100 on a future though.
Green Bay Packers 12-1.
Green Bay looked great when their defense was performing and awful when their defense didn’t show up. No problem with the offense, Aaron Rodgers has nothing to prove. They do need to draft a top five running back though. No shot in the 2010 season.
Minnesota Vikings 12-1.
Is Brett coming back? Look for Minnesota to draft a quarterback this year and hope Brett comes back. If he does he will hold he NFL and it’s fans hostage all off season again. The Minnesota defense has been inconsistent, but when they are on they are stifling. No shot even with Favre next year.
Philadelphia Eagles 12-1.
If Kevin Kolb is the quarterback, Philadlephia should be 8-1. If Donovan McNabb is the quarterback they are an 18-1 shot to win the NFL Super Bowl. No shot unless Kolb is the QB, then try to get them for 15-1.
4 out of 5 favorites to win an NFL title are from the AFC.
Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1.
The season Pittsburgh wanted to forget was 2009. Look for them to bounce back and have a shot at another NFL title. Worth a $20 bet if a fan of the team.
New England Patriots 10-1.
Tom Brady may not be the NFL MVP anymore but he is still in the top 10. That doesn’t mean New England can’t win, it just means they won’t win an NFL title again with Brady at the helm. The defense needs a ton of work. The NFL draft will answer questions about where this team is headed.
New Orleans Saints 10-1.
New Orleans fans the sportsbooks are begging the fans to bet this number. Drew Brees is on his way to being the most prolific quarterback in the NFL ever and they do have a running game with interchangeable backs. The defense has improved and is huge in the takeaway department. The NFL Draft is going to be big for New Orleans. Don’t be fooled, New Orleans true odds should be 15-1. Wait it out or just don’t bet it.
San Diego Chargers 7-1.
San Diego has an excellent change to win a an NFL Super Bowl in the next few years. Phillip Rivers is the kind of competitor that wins NFL MVP’s and NFL titles. The defense has room for improvement but they are solid. From a gambling stand point the numbers aren’t great to bet San Diego at 7-1 but that may be the best number.
Indianapolis Colts 6-1.
Peyton Manning will be going for a few more years but what about the defense? The defense is getting older and injuries hampered many of the defensive players. Bob Sanders is a key to the Indianapolis defense and he may be gone for the 2010 season. Not interested in sinking any money on a 6-1 shot that may not make the NFL Conference title game.
source:
Las Vegas Hilton NFL Futures
