TEN NFL TEAMS IN THE MIDDLE…
20. Kansas City Chiefs (16/1 to win the Super Bowl) A preposterous price to win the Super Bowl for a team that looks unlikely to get to the playoffs this year. Trent Green cannot get it done at that level, although we do like the new coach. Herm will make them tougher, and maybe they will play a little D but still not enough to convince us.
19. Atlanta Falcons (33/1 to win the Super Bowl) Remember this isn’t a typical power rating system, it’s based on betting value not on predicting straight-up results. This is a popular team to bet on, but can they deliver the goods with ATS wins? We think not, because their division is brutal, and the Panthers and Bucs are both superior this season. One note about this team: Bet on them in the preseason as their backup QB (Schaub) is a money-maker when he starts against other reserves.
18. San Diego Chargers (25/1 to win the Super Bowl) This team could go either way – they could be surprisingly competitive or they could be awful. That doesn’t amount to much of a prediction, does it? Okay here goes. They’ll surprise early on ATS but oddsmakers will get their number later in the season. The team has a great running game and a solid defense, and NFL teams with that combo can survive inexperienced QBs.
17. Philadelphia Eagles (25/1 to win the Super Bowl) No longer a powerhouse team, but they can still hang with the best. They’ll need to be good to keep up with a very menacing division. In the right spots this team can be bet on because they should bounce back from a dreadful 05 campaign.
16. St. Louis Rams (66/1 to win the Super Bowl) Life is going to be okay in St. Louis without Mike Martz. This team has potential from a betting point of view. They’re clearly the second-best team in their division, have weapons on offense, and are tough at home. Sleeper material.
15. New Orleans Saints (80/1 to win the Super Bowl) We don’t like the head coach appointment but the combination of Brees and Bush might make that hire a non-issue. They’re not going to be a great team but they’ll play a lot better than an 80/1 shot and that means they could be betting value to cover games (they don’t need to come out winning, they just need to keep them close).
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (33/1 to win the Super Bowl) This team gets better and more experienced at key positions every season. They have explosive talent, and tend to give the Colts all they can handle in the regular season. Expect good things from the Jags in 06. And they can play in the preseason as well, with a very solid second string.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (25/1 to win the Super Bowl) An overexposed team – they are clearly talented, but you might not get the right price on their games this season. Also, they have players with physical and emotional question marks, and only time will tell if they should be ranked any better than middle of the road.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25/1 to win the Super Bowl) Chris Simms is legit, and if he stays healthy the Bucs are going places. Not an easy division or schedule, but they can definitely make a lot of waves in the upcoming season.
12. Baltimore Ravens (33/1 to win the Super Bowl) The team can go far if McNair remains healthy, but that’s a huge question. He’s the most beat up dude in the league, and hasn’t been able to practic for three years due to many, many injuries. He’s tough though, and a good fit for a tough team and coach. They could be a surprise contender if they catch a few breaks.
11. Dallas Cowboys (14/1 to win the Super Bowl) It doesn’t matter if you have TO running flashy routes if your immobile QB is lying prone on the ground. They need the world’s greatest O Line to protect Bledsoe and they don’t have it. They also have a soft running game, which means they can’t rank in the Top 10. They are #1 for media attention, though.
