To get you ready for the 2013 NFL season, Bovada has recently released its prop bet odds for a number of different categories. This time around, Top Props is going to take a closer look at the current odds for a few team’s chances to make it into the playoffs this season.

Each NFL season the perennial winning teams in the league such as New England in the AFC and Green Bay in the NFC find themselves jockeying for playoff position as the regular season wears on. That being said, there is always turnover in the 12-team postseason tournament with a few new teams sneaking their way into the field. Last year it was teams such as Minnesota, Washington and Indianapolis that filled that role. The following is a look at a few teams that offer a tremendous amount of value in their odds to punch their ticket to the playoffs this this time around.

Chicago Bears

The Bears should have made it into the playoffs last season at 10-6, but they missed out due to a tiebreaker in a very competitive wildcard race. The current money line for this prop is set at +145 they do make it into the postseason and -175 they do not.

Marc Trestman replaces Lovie Smith as Chicago’s head coach this season. While there is a strong possibility that the Bears’ vaunted defense drops off a bit with the loss of Brian Urlacher patrolling the field, the main reason that Trestman was brought in was to try and get the most out of quarterback Jay Cutler. He is entering his ninth season in the league and still has incredible upside potential to be one of the best in the right setting and system. If these two can get on the same page right out of the gate this season, the Bears could give Green Bay a legitimate run for the NFC North title.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are one of the more trendy picks to make the playoffs this season after sitting them out the past four years, but this is not without merit. They have won at least six games each season during that dry spell and were 7-9 in 2012. The odds that Miami ends the drought in 2013 are set at +195, and the odds the streak reaches five seasons are listed at -250.

Joe Philbin heads into his second season at the helm with a number of key pieces in place on both sides of the ball. Miami added veteran wide receiver Mike Wallace as a free agent to help boost a passing game that was ranked 26th in the NFL last year, and it took a flyer in the draft by trading up to get defensive end Dion Jordan with the third overall pick. The real key to the Dolphins finally getting over the hump this season is the continued development of Ryan Tannehill. His overall numbers as a rookie last season were nothing to write home about, but he did show enough flashes of talent to make you believe that he has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback in this league.

Kansas City Chiefs

When the 2012 season ended and Philadelphia decided to part ways with Andy Reid after spending the last 14 seasons as the team’s head coach, the Chiefs wasted little time in snapping him up to fill the same position with their team. Reid’s last two seasons with the Eagles were more an end result of a coach staying in one place too long as opposed to an indictment of his ability to still lead a team. His past track record of five trips to the NFC Championship and one trip to the Super Bowl speaks for itself.

The other thing that gives Kansas City a leg up on its chances to quickly get back to the postseason this year is the amount of Pro Bowl talent on this team. Offensively the Chiefs have running back Jamaal Charles and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe in place, and the defense is anchored by the likes of linebacker Derrick Johnson and safety Eric Berry. The current odds that Reid works his magic in Year 1 and gets this team in the playoffs are +300, and the odds the Chiefs fall short in this quest are -400.

Read more articles by Dave Schwab