NFL Odds: Patriots Pegged As Overwhelming Favorites To Win Super Bowl LII
Following a busy offseason, the New England Patriots have opened strong on the NFL Week 1 odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com, where they are pegged as early 7.5-point home favorites for their season-opening clash with the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Patriots were the class of the NFL in 2016, posting a league-best 14-2 regular-season record en route to a second Super Bowl title in three years, and they will gun for an 11th consecutive victory in Week 1?s Chiefs vs. Patriots betting matchup at Gillette Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 7.
Led by four-time Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady, the Patriots were perched among the regular-season leaders in multiple offensive categories last year, including third in points per game (27.6), and first in points allowed per game (15.6).
The Patriots stole the headlines in early March by signing free-agent cornerback Stephon Gilmore to a lengthy contract, then swinging a trade with the New Orleans Saints for highly touted wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
The team parted ways with popular tight end Martellus Bennett, who landed with the Green Bay Packers, and elected not to re-sign running back LeGarrette Blount, who led the NFL with 18 rushing touchdowns last season.
But perhaps most notable is a trade the Patriots did not make. Backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will return to New England for the upcoming season after becoming the subject of intense trade rumors following his solid performance during Brady?s early season suspension last September.
Overall, the Patriots? moves have offset a quiet weekend at the NFL draft, where they were limited to just four selections, and have kept them firmly positioned atop the Super Bowl LII odds as +350 favorites.
Trailing the Patriots are five clubs sporting +1200 odds, including the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders, while the Pittsburgh Steelers sit alongside the Houston Texans at +1600 on those NFL futures.
The Raiders received a lift on the Super Bowl odds after convincing running back Marshawn Lynch to come out of retirement. Conversely, questions linger in Houston as to who will be under center following the offseason trade of Brock Osweiler.
The Denver Broncos follow the favorites at +1800, ahead of the New York Giants at +2000 and the Chiefs at +2500, while five teams remain deadlocked at +3300, including the Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Saints, who have vaulted from a distant +6600 since their signing of former NFL MVP Adrian Peterson.
Thumbnail photo via Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports Images
