Patriots, Cardinals Super Bowl Favorites

The oddsmakers made some odd odds for the Super Bowl.

Despite nearly running the table, the 15-1 Carolina Panthers enter the postseason as not the favorite to win it all. The New England Patriots, who finished the season with just two wins in their last six games, enjoy that honor—at least according to VegasInsider.com— along with the Arizona Cardinals, who lost to the Seattle Seahawks to end the season.

The 9-7 Houston Texans appear as the longest of longshots at 75-1. The Washington Redskins, despite boasting an identical record, enter the playoffs at 38-1. The bookies like Pittsburgh, whose offense looks spectacular, at 7-1. The Kansas City Chiefs, despite winning ten straight, get no respect from Vegas at 24-1. Surely the house should know more than most the value of a hot hand, right?

Here’s the way the handicappers see it:

Arizona Cardinals 9/2
New England Patriots 9/2
Carolina Panthers 5/1
Denver Broncos 6/1
Seattle Seahawks 6/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 7/1
Kansas City Chiefs 24/1
Cincinnati Bengals 25/1
Green Bay Packers 35/1
Minnesota Vikings 35/1
Washington Redskins 38/1
Houston Texans 75/1

The preseason odds gave the Colts, Eagles, Cowboys, and Ravens great chances to win it all. But they watch from the couch. The Seahawks topped all teams with preseason odds of 9-2. Several other playoff contenders appeared to Vegas as long shots or even lost causes. The Cardinals and Chiefs faced 30-1 odds, Bengals, the Vikings, and Texans 40-1, the Panthers 60-1, and the Redskins 100-1.