NFL Super Bowl 52 Predictions

NFL Super Bowl 52 Odds are out. The New England Patriots, as to be expected, are huge +210 favorites. Minnesota at +375, Pittsburgh at +525, the New Orleans Saints at +750, and the L.A. Rams at +900 make up the Top 5.

The Philadelphia Eagles are at +1200. The Wildcard Weekend team with the lowest odds are the Kansas City Chiefs at +1800. The Chiefs won the AFC West Division. Check out a run down of every team with a shot at Super Bowl 52!

NFL Super Bowl 52 Predictions

My comments are about fair odds based on true chances of winning Super Bowl 52. See what you think! Your comments are always welcome.

NFL Super Bowl 52 Contenders with Odds

1. New England Patriots     +210

There are reasons to believe the Patriots dominate the AFC Playoffs. Terrific Tom Brady remains the Patriots QB. Brady had a fantastic season. He threw 32 TD passes to only 8 interceptions and completed 66.3% of his passes. He threw for 4,577 yards. His QB rating came out to 102.8.

The Pats also went 11 and 5 against the spread this season. Because the Patriots were the Super Bowl favorites going into the regular season, it’s difficult to say that they went off as an overlay in their games in 2017.

Still, +210 are awfully short odds to swallow. The reason is because the last team to repeat as Super Bowl Champions were the New England Patriots in 2004 and 2005. That was over a decade ago. I’m not swallowing the short odds.

2. Minnesota Vikings           +375

The Vikings aren’t even the 1-seed in the NFC Playoffs. Yet, here they are favored to win the NFC over the New Orleans Saints.  That’s how much faith odds makers, and players, so far, have in the Saints, Eagles, and Rams to upset the Vikings.

If you take the low odds on the Vikings, be aware of something ultra-important. The Vikings start a journeyman quarterback in Case Keenum. Keenum’s had a great season. But, he hasn’t ever played in the postseason. On the plus side, Minnesota went 4 and 2 straight up versus playoff teams during the regular season.

Like taking the short odds on the Patriots, though, it’s impossible for me to take the short odds on the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota must be a play against at anything less than +450 to win the deeper NFC.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers          +525

Save for an ill-timed pass on the goal line that led to an interception, the Pittsburgh Steelers almost assuredly would have garnered home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The interception that led to the loss to the New England Patriots is what killed Pitt’s chances to win home field advantage.

Pittsburgh has every right to turn the tables on the Patriots in the AFC Playoffs. Pitt’s defense and offense boast experienced players. Pitt’s QB, Ben Roethlisberger, has won 2 Super Bowls. There’s no reason to believe Pittsburgh won’t excel in the postseason. Then again, WR Antonio Brown might not be 100% in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

Pitt’s tough to back at the current odds.

4. New Orleans Saints         +750

New Orleans managed to lose straight up to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17. It didn’t matter. Because the Panthers lost to the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints won the NFC South Division. New Orleans presents the second most value on the board at +750.

The team that plays in the Big Easy boasts an NFL Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees. Their coach, Sean Payton, has already won a Super Bowl. The rushing attack is one of the absolute best in the NFL while the defense has been good all season long.

The biggest knock is that the Saints went a dreadful 2 and 5 against the spread in their final 7 games of the regular season. Teams that don’t perform against the spread often times fail in the playoffs. But, New Orleans has all the elements needed to win Super Bowl 52. The odds are good enough to consider a wager, I think.

5. L.A. Rams                            +900

Why are the Rams at higher odds to win Super Bowl 52 than the New Orleans Saints? To put it mildly, L.A. doesn’t appear ready to win the Super Bowl. Not just yet. Inexperience means a great deal in the postseason. Not only that, but the Rams’ defense doesn’t play the rush all that well.

L.A. also could have a heck of a time getting past the Atlanta Falcons this Saturday. The Falcons defense has come together big time in the past month.

6. Philadelphia Eagles        +1200

Although Philly has home field advantage throughout the NFC Playoffs, it’s difficult to see Philly doing enough to win the Super Bowl. Philly’s got a two-pronged problem. First, backup QB Nick Foles came back down to earth big time. Foles just isn’t as well-suited to run the Eagles’ offense as Carson Wentz was.

Second, Philadelphia’s defense was horrendous in the final month of the season. The fact that Philly also went 1 and 4 straight up in their final 5 games means that they aren’t nearly as formidable now as they were earlier in the season.

7. Kansas City Chiefs           +1800

Talk about value! At one point, the Kansas City Chiefs were at 8 to 1 to win Super Bowl 52. Then came the infamous mid-season swoon. The Chiefs lost 6 out of 7 games. They lost 5 games in a row. No worries.

Since the mid-season swoon, Kansas City has, again, become one of the Top 5 teams in the NFL. The Chiefs won their final 4 games. Week 17 didn’t even count because KC rested their top players on both sides of the football.

The 3 games in the middle is what’s impressive. The Chiefs beat the Raiders 26 to 15. They beat the Chargers 23 to 10. They beat Miami 29 to 13. The defense is peaking at the right time. QB Alex Smith is back to his dominating ways. I’m all over the 18 to 1 odds.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars      +2200

The Jags might not get out of the Wildcard Round. Jacksonville QB Blake Bortles was terrible versus the Tennessee Titans in Week 17.  Bortles should have dominated Tennessee. Jacksonville’s defense allowed the one-dimensional Titans to rush for 116 yards. The Jags defense allows 116.2 rushing yards per game. Jacksonville battles the Buffalo Bills in the Wildcard Round. I’m taking a pass.

9. Carolina Panthers           +2500

Carolina had to beat Atlanta to avoid playing the New Orleans Saints in the Super Dome this Sunday. Because Carolina failed to beat Atlanta, the Saints should march on while Carolina should march home. The Panthers just don’t match up well with New Orleans. The odds should be much higher than 25 to 1.

10. Atlanta Falcons              +2500

Of the long shots to win Super Bowl 52, Atlanta offers the most value. The team’s defense truly gelled in the final month of the season. The Falcons made it to Super Bowl 51. The offense has gotten better while Atlanta gets to play the L.A. Rams in the Wildcard Round instead of the rival New Orleans Saints in the Big Easy. That’s a positive for the Falcons. I’d definitely consider a wager at the 25 to 1 odds.

Atlanta could parlay sneaking into the playoffs into an NFC Championship appearance against either the Saints, or the Vikings. The Falcons barely lost to Minnesota, 9 to 14, when they battled the Vikings in the regular season.

11. Tennessee Titans           +7500

Kansas City should romp all over the Tennessee Titans this Saturday. Tennessee remains one-dimensional on offense. The Titans’ defense won’t be able to stop both Kansas City RB Kareem Hunt, and the Chiefs’ passing attack.

12. Buffalo Bills                     +7500

I do feel that Buffalo upsets the Jacksonville Jaguars straight up in the Wildcard Round. After that? It’s difficult to see Buffalo doing much of anything against the New England Patriots. Buffalo just isn’t good enough to upset the Patriots.

What do you think?

Written by D.S. Williamson