Friday, March 29

Longest chances to reach the Super Bowl: Where the Bengals rank after 150-1 preseason betting odds



The Bengals are in the midst of one of the most unlikely Super Bowl runs of all time. However, don’t just take my word for it. Take that from sportsbooks.

The Bengals were considered extreme chances to win the Super Bowl in 2022. They had posted a 6-25-1 record in Zac Taylor’s first two seasons as coach, and second-year quarterback Joe Burrow was coming off a torn hip. anterior cruciate ligament that was expected to limit it.

As such, Cincinnati’s preseason odds of winning the Super Bowl were among the longest in the NFL. Only the Texans and Lions’ odds of winning were greater than the Bengals’ 150-1 odds, by professional football reference.

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And after the Bengals’ up-and-down start coupled with the Ravens’ strong start, they just dragged on, as detailed USA Today’s Lance Pugmire.

At one point early in the season, the odds of Cincinnati winning the Super Bowl were 200/1 at sportsbooks, including the Las Vegas Superbook.

Jay Kornegay, director of racing and sports betting for the Superbook, said he placed 17 bets on the Bengals at 200/1, but declined to disclose the total value of the bets.

Now those 150-1 and 200-1 betting slips are just one game away from a possible cashout. Whether or not the Bengals pull off the victory, they will be one of the most unlikely Super Bowl teams in NFL history.

Since 1977, the Bengals are one of only two teams to reach the Super Bowl with preseason odds of at least 150-1, for professional football reference. The other is the 1999 Rams, who carried Kurt Warner’s breakout season to a Super Bowl victory over the Titans.

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Only 12 teams since 1977 have made it to the Super Bowl with preseason odds of 50-1 or better. The most recent example before the Bengals was the 2016 Falcons, who were at 80-1 odds to win the title before Matt Ryan’s MVP season.

Year Team odd
2021 Bengalis 150-1
1999 rams 150-1
2016 hawks 80-1
1994 chargers 75-1
2015 panthers 60-1
2003 panthers 60-1
2001 patriots 60-1
2000 giants 60-1
1998 hawks 60-1
1981 Bengalis 60-1
2008 cardinals 50-1
1981 49ers 50-1
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Below is a breakdown of the teams that had the highest odds of making it to the Super Bowl but were able to.

T-5. 2001 Patriots, 2003 Panthers and 2015 Panthers (60-1)

These three teams had 60-1 odds to make it to the Super Bowl and they did it. The 2001 Patriots were the only team that could win the big game. They rode an elite defense and efficient play from second-year quarterback Tom Brady to a title. Drew Bledsoe also played a big role that season, as the hit he took from Mo Lewis opened the door for Brady to start his historic career.

The 2003 Panthers are notable for going from worst in 2001 to first in 2003. They couldn’t beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl, but John Fox helped execute a quick roster turnaround and turned the Panthers into a solid and complete. Unit. Few believed Jake Delhomme would lead the Panthers to the big game, but he did.

Twelve years later, the Panthers repeated history and made it to the Super Bowl despite 60-1 odds. This time, they were marked by a strong defense led by Luke Kuechly and the rise of an MVP-level quarterback in Cam Newton. They ultimately lost to the Broncos in a tough defensive battle.

What is the common thread between these teams? All of them had strong defenses but had doubts about what their offenses would look like. Their quarterbacks exceeded expectations, which is a common theme among Super Bowl underdogs.

4. 1994 Chargers (75-1)

The Chargers went 8-8 in 1993, but made major changes to their team in 1994. They mounted running back Natrone Means, who set a team record at the time with 1,350 rushing yards, and a strong defense led by Junior Seau and Leslie O ‘Neal. to an AFC West title and eventually to the AFC Champions title.

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The Chargers were a balanced team. They had a top-five offense and a top-10 defense. Their kicker, John Carney, made 34 of his 38 field goal attempts and led the NFL in scoring. The Chargers lacked a top-tier quarterback and started Stan Humphries for most of the year, but he was efficient enough during their playoff run to get them to the Super Bowl.

However, the Chargers were no match for the 49ers in the big game. They were beaten 49-26 when Means was shut down and the Chargers’ defense, which had 17 interceptions for the season, couldn’t give up Steve Young. The 49ers quarterback threw for six touchdowns and helped the franchise win its fifth Super Bowl title.

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3. Falcons 2016 (80-1)

The 2016 Falcons were similar to the 1994 Chargers in that they had fairly low expectations despite going 8-8 the year before. Like the Chargers, the Falcons made incredible progress under coach Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, earning a Super Bowl appearance.

Matt Ryan was the league’s MVP in 2016, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes for 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Devonta Freeman was a running threat. Julio Jones was a strong No. 1 receiver for Ryan. More importantly, Quinn’s defense began to solidify, with young talent like Grady Jarrett, Deion Jones, Keanu Neal and Desmond Trufant making an impact at every level of the field.

The Falcons almost made good on their 80-1 walks as they held a 28-3 lead late in the third quarter of their game against the Patriots. However, they blew the huge lead and allowed Tom Brady to win his fifth Super Bowl. Their few holes — defensive inexperience, lack of a true No. 2 receiver and merely decent pass blocking — ultimately defeated them and showed why many viewed them as an unlikely Super Bowl prospect before the season.

T-1. 1999 Rams (150-1)

The Rams posted double-digit losses in three straight seasons before 1999, and despite trading Trent Green and acquiring Marshall Faulk, they still had a 100-1 chance of winning the Super Bowl after Green suffered an injury during preseason. .

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However, Kurt Warner took a big step forward for the Rams and emerged as a quality starter out of nowhere. He threw for 41 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while leading “The Greatest Show on Turf” to victory in the Super Bowl.

Warner’s rise from grocery store clerk to starting quarterback at the NFL level has inspired a movie, “American Underdog,” and helped induct him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Few seriously anticipated the Rams’ turnaround when Green went down, so they still rank as the least likely team to make the Super Bowl.

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T-1. 2021 Bengals (150-1)

The Bengals have put together one of the most unlikely playoff runs in recent memory. Burrow’s rise has marked his ability to keep up with the top teams in the AFC, and they showed it with their victory over the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game.

Why were the Bengals seen as unlikely before the season? A few different factors affected them, including Burrow’s recovery from a torn ACL, the team’s lack of quality blocking and an untested defense. That said, Burrow’s recovery was excellent and he has helped level the playing field with his red-hot game. Defense has also improved, as has first-round pick Ja’Marr Chase, but the offensive line is still a problem.

If the Bengals can win the Super Bowl, there will be a big debate about whether they or the 1999 Rams are the biggest losers of all time. For now, the Bengals are tied in terms of preseason betting odds, but they are a bit behind the Rams given that they are yet to win the Super Bowl. Doing so is great, but they have to finish the job to get past the Rams.




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