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Vegas sure doesn't waste a lot of time. R.J. Bell of Pregame.com released the 2014 Super Bowl odds in the wee hours of the morning via Twitter. Sure, the Ravens and 49ers were the two teams left standing at the end of this season, but that doesn't mean squat when it comes to next year's odds.
From a historical perspective, the odds are stacked against either of this year's finalists making it back to the Super Bowl next year: over the previous twelve Super Bowls, the losing teams have only made the playoffs five times in the following season, only once (this year's Patriots) advancing beyond the divisional round.
Of the winning teams over the last twelve years, the Patriots were the only team that was able to repeat. No other Super Bowl winner even made it back to the conference championships. Incidentally, the last defending Super Bowl champion to win a playoff game in the following year were the 2005 Patriots. Five of the last twelve Super Bowl winners failed to make the playoffs altogether in the following year, including last year's winners, the Giants.
So let's take look at which teams the Vegas bookmakers see as the favorites for the Super Bowl next year. Like last year, the Patriots open as the favorites for 2014, closely followed by the Broncos and 49ers. The Cowboys open at 30-1, which puts them in the same general vicinity as the Bears and Redskins, but Vegas likes the Giants for the division win in the East. A lot can happen between now and then, after all, the Ravens tied for 13th with 20-1 odds on a similar post-Super Bowl odds ranking last year, and the Redskins won the East with 125-1 Super Bowl odds. So there's always that.
ODDS TO WIN 2014 SUPER BOWL | |||
Team | Odds | Team | Odds |
New England Patriots | 7 to 1 | Indianapolis Colts | 40 to 1 |
Denver Broncos | 8 to 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 40 to 1 |
San Francisco 49ers | 8 to 1 | San Diego Chargers | 40 to 1 |
Green Bay Packers | 10 to 1 | Carolina Panthers | 50 to 1 |
Baltimore Ravens | 14 to 1 | Kansas City Chiefs | 50 to 1 |
Houston Texans | 14 to 1 | Miami Dolphins | 50 to 1 |
Seattle Seahawks | 16 to 1 | New York Jets | 50 to 1 |
Atlanta Falcons | 18 to 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | 50 to 1 |
New Orleans Saints | 18 to 1 | St. Louis Rams | 50 to 1 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 18 to 1 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 60 to 1 |
New York Giants | 20 to 1 | Cleveland Browns | 66 to 1 |
Chicago Bears | 30 to 1 | Arizona Cardinals | 100 to 1 |
Dallas Cowboys | 30 to 1 | Buffalo Bills | 100 to 1 |
Washington Redskins | 30 to 1 | Tennessee Titans | 100 to 1 |
Cincinnati Bengals | 35 to 1 | Oakland Raiders | 150 to 1 |
Detroit Lions | 40 to 1 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 150 to 1 |
Eleven different teams have been crowned NFC champions in the last twelve years. Only the Cowboys, Falcons, Lions, Vikings and the Redskins have not won an NFC Championship game over that span.
The Ravens won the Super Bowl yesterday, but Vegas doesn't like their chances of repeating. Who is your favorite to take home the Lombardi Trophy next year? Let us know who your NFL underdog is, and why.