NFL Futures: Broncos are Biggest Favorites to Reach Postseason
by Bovada Sportsbook Staff | Aug. 30, 2013
Despite losing one of the best defensive players in the NFL in end Von Miller, who had combined for 30 sacks the past two seasons, for the first six games of the 2013 season, the Denver Broncos are the biggest favorites to play in the postseason at -1000 on Bovada’s NFL team futures odds. That Denver will be sitting home this winter is +600.
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It’s not a huge surprise that Denver has the shortest playoff odds. The Broncos also have the highest wins total for the season at 11.5 and are 6/1 co-Super Bowl favorites with San Francisco. The offense should be tremendous with Peyton Manning now having Wes Welker to throw to. The defense, however, could be a question mark. In addition to losing Miller for the first six games that unit lost linebacker Elvis Dumervil and his 11.0 sacks from last year to Baltimore. Highly working in Denver’s favor is the NFL’s easiest schedule, with its opponents combining for a 110-146 record last year. Playing in the weak AFC West helps too.
The 49ers and Patriots have the second-highest wins totals behind Denver at 11. New England is -700 to make the playoffs and +475 to miss out. The Pats have made it nine of the past 10 seasons, only missing out in 2008 when they still won 11 games even after Tom Brady went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1. Brady might have to have his best season to get the Patriots back in the playoffs after losing Welker and Aaron Hernandez this offseason and not expected to have Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski for the first few games of 2013.
San Francisco reached its first Super Bowl since the 1994 season last year behind young QB Colin Kaepernick. At this point in 2012, most casual NFL fans had barely heard of the former Nevada star. The Niners did lose two key players from last year’s team: top receiver Michael Crabtree and Pro Bowl safety Dashon Goldson. Crabtree suffered a knee injury this summer and could be back by November. Goldson is now in Tampa Bay. The Niners also traded QB Alex Smith to Kansas City, meaning Colt McCoy is now Kaepernick’s backup should he go down. San Francisco is -325 to make the playoffs and +250 to miss out.
The Super Bowl champion Ravens have won at least one playoff game in each of the past five years, the longest active streak in the NFL. However, they lost nearly half their starting defense from 2012 as well as trading top receiver Anquan Boldin to the 49ers. Thus the Ravens are -125 favorites to miss the playoffs and -105 to return. Baltimore has a wins total of 8.5. It hasn’t won less than nine since going 5-11 in 2007 in Brian Billick’s final season as coach.
The Ravens aren’t the only 2012 playoff team favored to miss out this year. The Colts are -175 favorites to not qualify for the postseason. Bovada oddsmakers are really down on the Vikings, listing them at +350 to make the playoffs and -500 to miss. Robert Griffin III and the Redskins are -170 favorites to not play extra football.
There are two teams that missed the postseason last year favored to get back. The Saints are -150 to return now that coach Sean Payton is back from his suspension. The Steelers are -115 to get to the playoffs. They haven’t missed back-to-back postseasons since 1999-2000. The playoff long shot by far is Jacksonville at +1500.
