NFL odds: Kansas City Chiefs stuck in middle
The latest NFL odds are out from BOVADA, telling us what Vegas believes we will see this season. The Kansas City Chiefs probably want to turn away. Kansas City is ranked eighth in the AFC and put into a group with the Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints at 40/1 to win the Super Bowl.
For now, let’s just focus on the AFC odds, which the Chiefs are sitting at 18/1 for. In front of them are the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots at 7/2, followed by the Denver Broncos (6/1), Pittsburgh Steelers (10/1), Baltimore Ravens (12/1), Buffalo Bills (16/1), Cincinnati Bengals (16/1) and Miami Dolphins (16/1). Frankly, this seems incredible low for Kansas City.
With all due respect to some of the franchises listed ahead of them, let’s go through a few things. While the Chiefs have their own question marks with a still-developing offensive line and a good-but-not-great quarterback, their roster seems fairly loaded. The Chiefs went 9-7 last year and now are playing an easier schedule, coupled with the returns of Derrick Johnson, Jeff Allen and Mike DeVito, along with the additions of Jeremy Maclin, Ben Grubbs and Tyvon Branch. Seems logic would dictate this is a better group, and that’s before you factor in the continued maturation of a young team.
How can the Bills and Dolphins be better than Kansas City? Offensively, Miami shuffled deck chairs on the Titanic and added Ndamukong Suh on defense. Listen, Suh is a great player, but the Chiefs pounded the Dolphins last year on the road without Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry, Johnson, DeVito or Allen. Pretty sure the result would have been even more lopsided if all those men were in the game.
Buffalo is improved on offense, and stayed about the same defensively. Guess what? The Bills also lost at home to the Chiefs last year. While it added LeSean McCoy, Charles Clay and Percy Harvin, Buffalo also has a quarterback competition between EJ Manuel and Matt Cassel brewing. That’s like being at a deli and having to pick between rancid ham and a salami the place just used to mop the floor with. Either way, you’re about to be sick.
How about Pittsburgh? The Steelers have a great coach in Mike Tomlin and an explosive offense with Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. The problems are on defense. Have you seen that depth chart? No? Let me show you.
In related news, the feelings of everyone in Pittsburgh right about now….
While I may disagree with some of the other teams being ahead of Kansas City, I can at least understand it. The Ravens are solid and have been for a decade. Denver is falling apart after a brutal offseason but Peyton Manning is still there. Cincinnati always blows up in the postseason, but it has been there four straight years. Personally, I think the Chiefs would beat any of these teams on a neutral field, but I don’t blame Vegas for putting them behind this trio.
What do you think, Addicts? Am I being a tad harsh on Vegas or should we all start placing bets immediately?