Super Bowl odds: Each NFL team’s chances of winning it all
By Samuel Teets
Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl chances: 2%
Everyone wants to pick Kyler Murray as a dark horse MVP candidate. While he performed well as a rookie, the former Heisman Trophy winner isn’t on the same level as Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes. He won’t come close to winning the MVP, but Murray could take advantage of his new weapons, mainly DeAndre Hopkins, and get Arizona into Wild Card positioning.
Arizona’s defense and offensive line stand out as apparent weaknesses that could torpedo Kliff Kingsbury’s team.
Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl chances: 1%
The Rams are heading in the wrong direction. While Sean McVay’s team remains competitive within the division, Los Angeles didn’t look right last season. Jared Goff got rattled early in the year, and Todd Gurley wasn’t the same. With Gurley heading to Atlanta, Los Angeles’ offense features several unproven running backs, a shaky quarterback, and a struggling offensive line.
Los Angeles has a few bright spots on defense, but firing Wade Phillips was a bad move. The Rams scapegoated their aging defensive coordinator for the team’s shortcomings and lack of talent. Even with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, the Rams don’t have a strong defense.
San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl chances: 10%
We haven’t seen a team repeat as NFC champions since the Legion of Boom Seahawks in 2013 and 2014. Before Seattle, the last repeat division champions from San Francisco’s conference were the Green Bay Packers (1996 and 1997). Statistically, it makes sense to bet against the 49ers making another Super Bowl trip.
However, Kyle Shanahan’s team remains one of the most talented squads in football. The defense relies on Nick Bosa and Richard Sherman while the offense produced the second-best rushing attack last season. The 49ers won’t dominate the way they did in 2019, but San Francisco should at least get past the first round of the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl chances: 7%
I don’t bet against three quarterbacks in the NFL. Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Russell Wilson play the game differently. Some people throw Aaron Rodgers in that category too. Over the past several years, Wilson carried mediocre Seahawks teams to winning seasons and playoff berths. He’s doing a lot of heavy lifting, which is building his Hall of Fame résumé.
Over the past two years, Seattle got exponentially better. This year’s roster is the franchise’s best since the prime Legion of Boom years. Besides the defensive and offensive lines, the Seahawks look like Super Bowl contenders.