2012 AFC Conference Odds: New England Patriots Favored to Reach the Super Bowl

AFC teams have been largely ignored by the national sports media in terms of winning Super Bowl XLVI, but somebody is going to earn a trip to Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 5, 2012.

The New England Patriots can take a big step in that direction in locking up home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a victory Sunday. They are currently listed as 11.5-point home favorites against the Buffalo Bills.

Let's take a closer look at the betting odds for nine teams to potentially upset the NFC and walk away with the Lombardi Trophy.

Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee Titans close out the regular season on the road against the Houston Texans, but they have to be concerned with the lack of effort by star running back Chris Johnson the past three weeks.

First-year head coach Mike Munchak is also dealing with the distraction of Penn State mentioning his name to take over the football program.

Not going to happen.

Odds to win the AFC: 65/1

New York Jets

The New York Jets have lost in the AFC championship game the past two years, but head coach Rex Ryan will lead a deflated squad into its season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

Last week's loss to the New York Giants was truly a must-win situation.

Odds to win the AFC: 40/1

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals can definitely make some noise in the playoffs if they pick up a victory over the Baltimore Ravens as slight home underdogs this week.

Rookie wide receiver A.J. Green is a star, and the defense ranks sixth in the league in giving up just 314.2 yards per game.

Definite value.

Odds to win the AFC: 40/1

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are a major player if they can sneak into the postseason and have running back Darren McFadden in the backfield.

Hosting a revenge-minded San Diego Chargers team is no picnic, while relying on the Kansas City Chiefs to knock off the Denver Broncos is another story altogether.

Odds to win the AFC: 30/1

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos could already be sipping on champagne, but nothing's easy in the AFC West division.

Second-year quarterback Tim Tebow needs to get over last week's 40-14 blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills, as the Kansas City Chiefs would love to spoil the potential party in the Mile High City.

There's absolutely no value in the current betting odds due to the amount of media coverage this team has received since Tebow took over under center.

Odds to win the AFC: 20/1

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are getting very little respect in the betting market due to having a rookie quarterback guiding the offense.

Don't underestimate this squad with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips at the controls of the league's second-best stop unit in terms of total yards allowed.

Running back Arian Foster is a great weapon to have in colder weather, which could open things up for star wide receiver Andre Johnson on the outside.

Odds to win the AFC: 15/1

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have to be considered the favorites to win the AFC if quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is healthy.

He looked absolutely terrible against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football two weeks ago, something that should have been avoided entirely by playing backup Charlie Batch.

Batch piloted the team to a 27-0 home win over the St. Louis Rams last week, and the franchise should give him the keys against the Cleveland Browns in Week 17.

The pick.

Odds to win the AFC: 4/1

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens will once again rely on their defense in hopes of making a Super Bowl run, as quarterback Joe Flacco can't be trusted in big situations.

Avoiding the Pittsburgh Steelers in the postseason is crucial for this team.

It's no picnic trying to defeat a division rival three times in a season.

Odds to win the AFC: 11/4

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots have enjoyed a relatively soft schedule since dropping two games in a row to the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants.

I'm not a buyer at the current betting odds due to a defense that ranks last in the league in surrendering 412.1 yards per game.

No player in the playoffs needs to be more perfect than quarterback Tom Brady.

The scary thing is—he may pull it off.

Odds to win the AFC: 11/10