Assessing the futures market in NFL

At this point, after two weeks, what teams have really impressed us?

have the Chiefs been very impressive? Mahomes did not look good last week

the Lions? They still have holes in their defense, despite the additions in the secondary. Ben Johnson passed against TB and got away from the running game that is the Lions staple.

The Eagles? Their offense looks potent, but major question marks plague this defense who can’t rush the passer or cover in the secondary.

lastly, the 49ers with their injuries to CMC, Deebo, Greenlaw and holes in their O-line makes me feel like this year truly can be anyone’s year.

What team (s) do you feel is worth looking at as SB futures odds given what we know this season?

Chiefs to win superbowl is a good bet 

No team is a good bet to win the Super Bowl at their current odds.  To make the playoffs, or to win their division, perhaps, but not the Super Bowl.

@KillaPicks

 at 4.5/1 on the Chiefs feels like not good odds. I get that they are 2-0 but they looked shaky in both games. Obviously it is early and there is some rust as guys don't play in the preseason but i would be surprised to see what the KC line goes to if they (very well could) lose to Atlanta this week. 

Personally I am looking at my pre-season predictions, and the teams that I thought would be the favorites and those that would be pretenders and flop. Kansas City, everyones obvious choice because of their pedigree and three-peat factor was excluded from the list.

Contenders: Jets, Bengals, Lions, Eagles

Pretenders: Cowboys, Bengals, 49ers, Bills.

Bills beat what now looks like a good Arizona team and handled Miami on the road. I anticipate that they will regress and come down back to earth at some point. Their injuries, the loss of Matt Milano, and the lack of a true WR gives me some pause. Bills future will depend primarily on how Josh Allen decides to play and which version shows up. The 49ers, with the worst rest disadvantage may continue to pile up injuries (Deebo and CMC both are hurt) and if their offensive line doesn't block well they will continue to lose games.

The Bills look great. Their defensive head coach McDermott can plug and play seemingly anyone out there. Their starting CBs Benford and Douglas are elite. Josh Allen looks under control and doesn’t have the usual zoomies or recklessness to him. The run game with Cook looks great. They haven’t even unlocked their true offense yet with Kincaid and Shakir, lotta room for the offense to get even better. 

I got them preseason to win the Super Bowl at 22/1 ($50),  to win the AFC at 10/1 ($200) and MVP Allen at +1050 ($200).

I'm personally looking at pounding the hometown Steelers Under 9.5.

The Herbert injury in their home opener has me considering waiting to see if they can pull out another win with little to no offense and an even better Under 10.5 or sweeter Under 9.5 possibly becomes available before they hit a four-game stretch where they'll likely lose three of the four. They then get a few winnable cupcakes, that they have a history of imploding against, before closing out the season with a brutal eight-game stretch that includes all three divisional opponents twice, Philadelphia, and Kansas City.

I hope I'm wrong, but this team will not win ten games, and sure as hell will not win eleven regardless of the outcome of this Sunday's game. 

I like the Chiefs but losing wide receivers due to injury could prevent the 3 peat.

AFC side it has to be the Chiefs or Bills. The Bengals look broken against the Patriots. Texans and Ravens are the surprise teams that could make it or choke in the playoffs.

NFC side it has to be the Lions or Eagles. 49ers, Rams and Packers are broken due to injuries. Cowboys choke in the playoffs.

I got Detroit at +1200 to win the Super Bowl. They need to improve on defense but their offense is so balanced and complete. 

I actually think the Bills are the most complete and best constructed I've seen them in a long time. I love the balance on offense. Josh Allen is chillin now because he doesn't have to be superman to win games and that is a great thing. I really thought the Bills would be down this year and with a tough schedule i expected them to miss the playoffs, but after seeing these 2 games I'm feeling good about them. McDerms can really coach up the defense and the Oline and rush attack is super solid. Even when they were down big against the cards they looked incredibly composed and there was no doubt they were coming back to win in my opinion. 

@TumblingDice75

@PepeFrog

@Yanasaur

I really like the Steelers and what they’re doing. Their defense is elite and Watt is a game wrecker. Last year the line was adjusted 7 points without him and now they add Patrick Queen. As long as fields or Wilson manage the game Pitt will win these ugly games. 

Saint in Caesars Superdome.

Superbowl rings.

@Supat125

That would be a thing to see. I am not sure about Carr in the playoffs, and that offensive line playing the way they have been playing? They have been playing well but they decimated the Panthers with Bryce Young and faced a Dallas team that I have been saying has been overhyped, especially their defense. I think we will learn a lot about the saints this week when they face Philadelphia

saints at 25 to 1 look good to me

I just have a hard time believing you can win, with any consistency, in today's NFL with a bottom-ten offense. If they can't run the ball they are in trouble. Their offensive line, which I do love, is extremely young and I struggle to see how they will consistently get a push in the running game if opposing defenses are loading up against the run. Or they fall behind and the opposing defense pins their ears back and attacks these young first and second-year tackles with edge rushers such as Myles Garrett and Roquan Smith.

The quarterbacks, with a current starter that 30 other teams decided wasn't worth more than a sixth-round pick and a backup/starter 1B that is being paid nearly $40 million by another team, to not play for that team don't inspire a lot of confidence.

Will one offensive touchdown, every other game, be enough to beat teams like Kansas City, Cincinnati, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Baltimore? That's a hard sell for me unless they strike lightning in the bottle with one of these castoff quarterbacks.

I do agree the defense may be amongst the best and Watt, if he can stay healthy, is a force.

Teams have been exploiting the same down the seam, between the linebackers and safeties hole since Ryan Shazier's injury years ago despite the Steelers' efforts year after year to remedy it, from trading up to draft a bust in Devin Bush to the horrible signing of Cole Holcomb. Patrick Queen, and a full season from Minkah Fitzpatrick, may finally close that hole up. Assuming that hole is plugged, my two other big concerns are their corners holding up against elite quarterbacks, who they faced very few of last year, but will see a lot of this year. The nickel corner is very questionable, and Porter Jr. is sticky but also handsy and takes a lot of big penalties. 

And secondly, again, this offense. How long can the defense hold up if Fields reverts to his turning the ball over ways, especially when the game script dictates he throws the ball? Or when, what looks like another one-dimensional offense can't stay on the field enough to give the defense a break? Or the offensive woes of being unable to put up at least league-average points continue and they can't alleviate some of the pressure on a defense trying to hold explosive, playoff-caliber offenses like the ones mentioned above to two touchdowns or less? 

In short, for me, it comes down to either Fields finding what he has yet to show in the NFL and not turning the ball over or Wilson reigniting a semblance of what he once was under a Head Coach and an Offensive Coordinator not exactly known for many successes with quarterbacks or for their passing game acumen. 

I'm forever hopeful but not at all sold on either happening from what I've seen up to this point this year and over the last several years.

My heart hopes you're right, but my mind is saying otherwise.

That was always my attitude. I have never bet a superbowl future because I always thought the odds were total dogsh*t. Patrick Mahomes gets hurt and the odds should go from +450 to +450,000. Just can’t ever make sense of those kinds of bets in the NFL.