NFL Week 3 Odds & Football Futures
by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager - 9/24/2010
We’re only two weeks into the 2010 NFL season and already some of the preseason favorites are in trouble.
The Dallas Cowboys (0-2) top the list of early disappointments. Prior to the regular season, they were getting 9/1 odds to win the Super Bowl, which, incidentally, Dallas will host. That number has since climbed to 18/1, thanks to a winless start that’s been highlighted by a litany of mistakes.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Cowboys, who get Houston, Tennessee, Minnesota and the New York Giants next. Win three out of four and they’re back to .500, but that’s a tall order. Even bettors who like to get value on their odds will be hesitant to take a shot on the ‘Boys at 18/1.
Next up is San Francisco (0-2), which was a preseason futures darling at Bodog. Two weeks ago, the 49ers were getting 25/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. Today? It’s 40/1.
One thing going for the 49ers is that they’ve got time to work things out and still make the playoffs. Remember that in the NFC West, a 9-7 record might win the division. Heck, the magic record might be 8-8. The Cowboys, on the other hand, don’t have the luxury of playing in a weak division.
If Alex Smith plays like he did against New Orleans on Monday night, minus the costly turnovers of course, the 49ers should win their division and make the playoffs. After that, anything can happen.
So we’ve touched on two teams that have disappointed. What about the pleasant surprises?
Let’s start with the Chicago Bears (2-0), who have a huge game this Monday night versus Green Bay. If the Bears’ defense keeps playing like it has been and Jay Cutler continues to shine, Chicago will be a legitimate contender.
Those brave bettors who took the Bears at 30/1 odds to win the Super Bowl before the season started have to be feeling pretty good about themselves today. Granted, you can still get Chicago at 28/1, but I fully expect that number to go down soon. It will definitely go down if the Bears beat the Pack as 3-point home dogs on Monday.
Kansas City (2-0) and Tampa Bay (2-0) are the other two early-season surprises, but bettors aren’t exactly all over them to win a championship quite yet. The Chiefs, who were preseason 90/1 long shots, can now be had at 50/1. The Bucs were at 150/1; now they’re at 80/1.
In case you were wondering, the current favorite to win the Super Bowl is Green Bay, at 13/2.
The biggest long shot? The Buffalo Bills, at 400/1.
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