While the 2019 NFL Playoffs still aren’t quite as clear as the CFP National Championship hunt, the pieces are falling into place.
Most of the postseason is shaping up about like fans and bettors expected, with a few notable exceptions.
Mainly, the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams were officially eliminated from playoff contention with their Week 16 loss against the San Francisco 49ers (themselves a major surprise at 12-3). The Rams are only the second team in a decade to play in the Super Bowl and miss the following postseason.
Meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys just gave up the NFC East lead to the Philadelphia Eagles, who beat them 17-9 on Sunday. Now, their odds to make the playoffs are lower than ever, as they’ll need to beat the 3-12 Washington Redskins and see Philly lose to the 4-11 New York Giants.
While the writing was already on the wall, Cowboys head coach Jason Garret will now almost certainly not be brought back in 2020, as it would take nothing less than a Super Bowl victory to save his job at the helm of America’s (Perpetually Underachieving) Team.
And of course, no list of disappointments would be complete without an appearance by the Cleveland Browns. Before the 2019 season kicked off in September, the Browns were popular at most USA sports betting sites, with more money wagered on the team’s Super Bowl odds than any other.
But the past got in the way of those futures, as the Browns are 6-9 entering their final game against the rival Cincinnati Bengals and have now endured 17 straight seasons without earning a playoff berth.
Going into the final week of the 2019 NFL season, here’s how the playoff picture looks:
2019 AFC Playoffs Standings
- 1. Baltimore Ravens (13-2)
- 2. New England Patriots (12-3)
- 3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
- 4. Houston Texans (10-5)
- 5. Buffalo Bills (10-5)
- 6. Open (Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders)
2019 NFC Playoffs Standings
- 1. San Francisco 49ers (12-3)
- 2. New Orleans Saints (12-3)
- 3. Green Bay Packers (11-3)
- 4. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
- 5. Minnesota Vikings (10-4)
- 6. Open (Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys)
2019 NFL Preseason Super Bowl Odds
- New England Patriots +400
- Kansas City Chiefs +600
- New Orleans Saints +1000
- Chicago Bears +1200
- Philadelphia Eagles +1200
- Los Angeles Rams +1400
- Pittsburgh Steelers +1800
- Cleveland Browns +2000
- Dallas Cowboys +2000
- Green Bay Packers +2000
- Los Angeles Chargers +2000
- Minnesota Vikings +2000
- Seattle Seahawks +2000
- Jacksonville Jaguars +2500
- Atlanta Falcons +3000
- Baltimore Ravens +4000
- San Francisco 49ers +4000
- Carolina Panthers +5000
- Houston Texans +5000
- New York Jets +6000
- Denver Broncos +8000
- Detroit Lions +8000
- Indianapolis Colts +8000
- Tennessee Titans +8000
- Buffalo Bills +10000
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers +10000
- Cincinnati Bengals +20000
- New York Giants +20000
- Oakland Raiders +20000
- Arizona Cardinals +30000
- Washington Redskins +30000
- Miami Dolphins +50000
2019 Super Bowl Futures (as of Week 17)
Via Bovada
- Baltimore Ravens +230
- New England Patriots +550
- New Orleans Saints +550
- San Francisco 49ers +600
- Kansas City Chiefs +650
- Seattle Seahawks +1200
- Green Bay Packers +1400
- Minnesota Vikings +2200
- Philadelphia Eagles +3000
- Houston Texans +3500
- Buffalo Bills +5000
- Dallas Cowboys +6000
- Tennessee Titans +8000
- Pittsburgh Steelers +12500
- Oakland Raiders +35000
Overall, the Ravens – with likely MVP Lamar Jackson under center and outside the hash marks – have been a surprise, albeit one that was realized early in the season. The team has been atop the NFL power rankings for some time now, and they are heavy favorites to win Super Bowl 54.
The other big surprise this year has been the ascendancy of the 49ers, though like the Ravens, they’ve been clear standouts since early on.
The defending champion Patriots, while 12-3, have had to earn it by staying ahead of the suddenly strong Bills, who – at +10000 to start the season – are the biggest Super Bowl longshots to clinch a playoff berth so far. Fortunately for the Pats, a win at home against the lowly Dolphins in Week 17 would lock up a first-round bye for Belichick and Brady.
The Saints are no surprise, being perennial contenders, while the Chiefs also weathered an early Patrick Mahomes injury to make the playoffs. And as usual, the Seahawks, Packers, and Vikings are in.
Overall, the NFL playoffs are mostly what the football betting crowd expected going into the season, with just enough intrigue to make this year’s iteration a bit more interesting than usual.
Who ya got?