2013 Super Bowl Odds for Every Team

With the exception of some major depth chart remodeling, it is not too hard to predict who will be in the upper crust of teams next season. 

Obviously, the current Super Bowl contenders are always considered to have good chances for a run next year. Alongside them are the rest of the teams that made the playoffs this year.

Some of the favorites include the Packers, 49ers and Saints, while others like the Colts and Browns are most likely long shots.

Either way, here are some Super Bowl odds for each team going into the 2012-13 NFL season.  

Cleveland Browns: 0 Percent

Strengths

Management

Weaknesses

Everything

Why They Will Make It

Of course, saying something so definitive as teams WILL NOT make the Super Bowl is a bold statement. However, from looking at what the Browns have and can have next year, their chances are close to zero.

They have no legitimate quarterback, receiver or running back. The defense is shaky, and the team overall will need a couple more years to rebuild into a competing team.  

Jacksonville Jaguars: 0 Percent

Strengths

New ownership

Weaknesses

No legitimate quarterback

Lack of coaching

No faith in winning

Why They Will Make It

It will be tough for the Jaguars to make a real run for the Super Bowl.

However, what they will need is some major upgrades at the quarterback spot, as well as the head coaching position.

Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the league's premier running backs, so having an offense around him will definitely be needed. 

Along with those offensive changes, it will be necessary for the team to establish a solid defense.  

Arizona Cardinals: 10 Percent

Strengths

Larry Fitzgerald

Weaknesses

Kevin Kolb

John Skelton

Beanie Wells

Defense

Why They Will Make It

The Arizona Cardinals will most likely not make the Super Bowl next year.  The main reason being is that they have a non-elite quarterback and the overall production from the team is abysmal.

Last year, they ranked 17 and 24 for their passing and rushing offense respectively.  The defense was also ranked 17 and 21 for their pass and rush defense. 

Overall, nothing stood out, and nothing was really special from their team next year.  Unless some major moves from the team occur during the offseason, their chances will remain bleak.  

Indianapolis Colts: 10 Percent

Strengths

The No. 1 pick.

Weaknesses

Possibly losing Peyton Manning

Questionable defense

Lack of rushing offense

Why They Will Make It

It is most likely that the Colts will choose Andrew Luck with their first pick and get rid of Peyton Manning.

With the No. 1 pick comes a few years of experience before the Colts can make a real charge for the Super Bowl. Andrew Luck looks to be a great player and carry on the Colts' tradition of elite quarterbacking with him. 

They will not make the Super Bowl in 2013 unless Luck manages to become a greater quarterback than anyone could have expected.

Indianapolis’ defense will need to beef up as well. They have great pieces already there on the defensive line and linebacking core; however, the corner and safety positions will need improvement.  

Minnesota Vikings: 20 Percent

Strengths

Adrian Peterson

Rush defense

Weaknesses

Injuries

Quarterback

Receivers

Why They Will Make It

It will be interesting to see what this team does next year. With Adrian Peterson coming off an injury, it will be uncertain how effective his production is next year.

That being said, it looks like the offense might have to rely on Christian Ponder slightly more next year. Maybe Peyton looks to come to the Vikings and play for a championship there.

If that happens, then their odds increase tremendously with a pretty decent rush defense and an average pass defense. If Peyton can take a below-average Colts team to the Super Bowl, there is no doubt a healthy Peyton can take a Vikings team to the Super Bowl, especially with Adrian Peterson helping carry the load

Miami Dolphins: 25 Percent

Strengths

Reggie Bush

Brandon Marshall 

Weaknesses

Lack of quarterbacks

Lack of organization

Why They Will Make It

The offense is explosive. 

Regardless of their defense, if they can make the playoffs, they have a shot at making the Super Bowl.

Although this is unlikely, all a team in the playoff needs is a spark and momentum. The Dolphins are a talented young team that could feed off of energy generated during the playoffs and make a push towards a Super Bowl berth.  

Buffalo Bills: 25 Percent

Strengths

Talented receivers

Up-and-coming Ryan Fitzpatrick

Weaknesses

Immaturity

Why They Will Make It:

What the Bills have shown during the beginning of last season was that they can play with the best of them.

They defeated the New England Patriots, and they did it with some swagger. They were a younger team with great athleticism, and they believed they could win.

However, their biggest downfall was getting full of their “accomplishments.” It looked like they were overly confident and started making mistakes. Stevie Johnson looked to be the biggest culprit of it. 

Buffalo has the talent with the exception of maybe a few more pieces.  However, other than that and a few more games to build chemistry and maturity, this is a pretty decent team.  

Washington Redskins: 25 Percent

Strengths

Defense

Weaknesses

Quarterback position

Defense

Offense

Coaching

Why They Will Make It

They have a very low likelihood of making the Super Bowl anytime soon. The offense is struggling, and the defense (although the highlight of the team) is equally as bad.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 30 Percent

Strengths

Young talent

Weaknesses

Young talent

Why They Will Make It

Their strength and weaknesses is one in the same. 

Tampa Bay started off playing pretty well, but ended up trailing off towards the middle and end of the season. The young squad played with energy and the quarterback play of Josh Freeman. 

The Bucs started off 4-2 with big wins against the Vikings, Falcons and Saints. 

If Freeman can continue to play at that same pace throughout the entire season, the Bucs will have a good shot and making a playoff run.  

Tennessee Titans: 30 Percent

Strengths

Quarterbacks

Chris Johnson

Pass defense

Weaknesses

Rush defense

Overall rush offense

Why They Will Make It:

Regardless of what happened last year, the Titans have a bright future ahead of them. 

Matt Hasselbeck is playing at a high level, which is great for future starter Jake Locker.  Locker is a potential starting quarterback, and playing behind Hasselbeck for a few years will be good for him.

Chris Johnson started off slow, but managed to pick up his pace and finish the year off with over 1,000 yards rushing. 

Defensively, they struggled a bit against the rush, but if they improve their defense, they are right there on the border of making the playoffs and making a serious push.  

St Louis Rams: 30 Percent

Strengths

Steven Jackson

Sam Bradford

Weaknesses

Depth

Why They Will Make It:

The Rams will definitely need to rebuild their franchise in the coming years. This is not necessarily a bad thing considering they already have a franchise quarterback at the helm.

Unfortunately, Bradford played pretty poorly and underachieved this past year, but is poised and expected to play to his potential in 2012-13. 

St. Louis overuses Steven Jackson, which will hurt him in the long run. He is being used so much that his career has shrunk but a few years. If the Rams can pick up some more depth in the coming years, this team will have a good shot at making the playoffs and potentially making the Super Bowl.  

Kansas City Chiefs: 35 Percent

Strengths

Offensive rushing

Corners/safeties

Weaknesses

Defensive line

Offensive passing

Why They Will Make It

The Kansas City Chiefs ended the season 7-9 and did not look like a quality team.  However, among their poor offensive and defensive play, there were some pretty good highlights.

Kansas City maintained the league's sixth-best opponent passing-yard play. They were able to keep opponents to only 201.3 yards per game throwing. 

Chiefs running backs did a great job and holding their own as well, ranked 15 in the league. 

As long as the quarterback and defensive line struggles get fixed, this team will be a pretty good team in the future.  

New York Jets: 40 Percent

Strengths

Defense

Offensive line

Weaknesses

Rex Ryan

Mark Sanchez

Too much talk

Why They Will Make It

The Jets are never a team that should be counted out of the playoffs and Super Bowl. 

Although Rex Ryan may talk too much—and clearly, the audience is getting sick of it—he is still a good coach.

His defense is solid and has the capability to shut out opponents every Sunday night. 

However, with all the talk came hostility in the locker room for one another and the media.  Mark Sanchez folded under the pressure and played poorly.  

All of Ryan’s talk about Super Bowls set a target on the Jets' backs that was not handled well. 

If the Jets want to win again, Ryan needs to stop talking and just play the game of football. Sanchez needs to just get better, and the team will rally around him.  

Seattle Seahawks: 40 Percent

Strengths

Marshawn Lynch

Weaknesses

Quarterback

Defense

Why They Will Make It

They will not make the Super Bowl. However, Marshawn Lynch is one of the most underrated running backs in the league. 

Lynch’s highlight films are ridiculous and have some of the greatest runs the NFL has ever seen. 

In fact, he was the first running back to score a rushing touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers last year. 

They may not be built to win a championship, but Lynch is built to be a great running back with endless possibilities.  

Carolina Panthers: 45 Percent

Strengths

Cam Newton

Steve Smith

Offense

Weaknesses:

Defense

Immaturity

Why They Will Make It:

Cam Newton is, and hopefully will continue to be, a stud in this league. Physically, the league has not seen a player like him before. 

Along with receiver Steve Smith and a great offensive line, the Panthers can put up big numbers on the offensive side of the ball.

The real question lies on the defense end, where they gave up a ton of yards and points last year. If they bolster down the defense, this team looks pretty good on paper.

Having an extra year of playing with the same teammates always helps too.  

Oakland Raiders: 45 Percent

Strengths:

Carson Palmer

Michael Bush

Offensive line

Weaknesses

Defense

Why They Will Make It

Considering Carson Palmer started playing this season right off his couch, he did not look too bad.  If Palmer can continue to progress at this pace, along with the deadly offensive rushing attack of the Raiders, they can put up some points.

However, their weak defense is going to need some serious revamping if they want to make the Super Bowl. 

Last year, Oakland’s rush and pass defense was ranked 27 in both categories. Those are fairly weak positions considering they ended the season at 8-8.  

San Diego Chargers: 45 Percent

Strengths

Good Philip Rivers

Defense

Weaknesses

Bad Philip Rivers

Lack of a rushing offense 

Why They Will Make It

The Chargers are in a fairly easy division, with their main competitors being the Raiders and the Broncos. 

If they can win their division and make it the playoffs, they have a very good shot at making it to the Super Bowl. 

However, getting there has always been the issue for the Chargers. Some years, it was a lack of solid coaching, and more recently, turnovers from quarterback Philip Rivers.

If Philip Rivers can continue to play at the high level we expect from him, along with a low turnover ratio, San Diego will be a great team. They are anchored down by a defense that struggled late in the season, but still had talented players holding down the team. 

After a shocking and disappointing 2011-12 campaign, they will be back with a new-found motivation to win.  

Chicago Bears: 50 Percent

Strengths

Jay Cutler (healthy)

Matt Forte (healthy)

Defense

Weaknesses

Old age

Injuries

Why They Will Make It

What most people forget is that before Jay Cutler and Matt Forte were injured, the Bears had a good shot at making the playoffs.

Cutler was starting to hit his stride right before his injury, which derailed the entire team.  Forte was one of the most valuable players to his own team. He carried most of the load for the team and did it with effectiveness. 

If this team can stay healthy, they will be difficult to stop, especially with that solid defense. However, they better take advantage of this small window they have left before the core players start aging past high-level capabilities.  

Denver Broncos: 50 Percent

Strengths

Offensive line

Running backs

Defense 

Weaknesses

Too one-sided offense

Why They Will Make It

Whether it be a fluke, a miracle or just pure skill, the Broncos showed that they can win football games. It may not always be pretty or high-scoring, but they find a way.

Tim Tebow had a part to do with it, but whether or not he was a huge factor is up for debate. 

Denver’s offense needs to grow into a multi-dimensional team in order to truly succeed.  Tebow allowed a different look for teams to have to adjust to.

However, next year, when Tebow is analyzed for an entire season, teams will be ready. If the Broncos offense can run the ball like they way they have been, their chances of making the Super Bowl are not too bad.  

Cincinnati Bengals: 55 Percent

Strengths

Andy Dalton

A.J. Green

Weaknesses

Offensive rushing

Turnovers

Why They Will Make It

Andy Dalton showed last season that he is going to be an impressive quarterback in this league. Coming in as a rookie, Dalton has shown poise and talent in leading his team to the playoffs. 

If Cam Newton had not put up such ridiculous numbers, Dalton most likely would have won the ROY award. 

However, Dalton and Green have shown that the Bengals have a bright future ahead of them as long as they start to develop a stronger defensive squad and lower turnover offense. 

Once those factors are fixed up, this team will make a legitimate run towards the Lombardi Trophy.  

Dallas Cowboys: 55 Percent

Strengths

Defense

Weaknesses

Tony Romo

Receivers

Running backs

Why They Will Make It

It is safe to say at this point that Tony Romo has underachieved most people’s expectations. 

Although he has had his moments of greatness when he shows people exactly why he is the Cowboys starting quarterback, most of the time, his plays are career lowlights. 

He has yet to take his team deep in the playoffs, and it seems as if no matter how good the team is on paper, they find a way to lose. 

Especially with recent remarks about Romo from Jerry Jones, it looks like Romo might be on the hot seat. 

With a great defensive mind in Coach Ryan, it is the offense that will need to pick up it’s play. If they can do that, look for them to make a serious run towards the Super Bowl.  

Atlanta Falcons: 60 Percent

Strengths

Matt Ryan

Receivers

Weaknesses:

Inconsistency

Inability to win on the road

Why They Will Make It

The Falcons are talented. They have Matt Ryan, who is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, and the receivers know how to play the game. 

Atlanta’s rushing defense ranks in the top 10 in the league, along with their passing offense.

If the Falcons end up playing at home, it will be almost impossible to beat them in the dome. Watch out if the Falcons end up playing their playoff matches at home. If they do, their Super Bowl odds go up dramatically.  

Houston Texans: 60 Percent

Strengths

Defense

Matt Shaub

Andre Johnson

Arian Foster

Weaknesses

Injuries

Why They Will Make It

With Matt Shaub in the lineup, this Texans offense is probably one of the most underrated squads in the league.

Schaub has been putting up great numbers during his career, but has always taken a backseat to the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. 

However, Arian Foster is starting to emerge as a top-three running back, and Andre Johnson is in contention for title of best receiver in the league. 

Defensively under Wade Phillips, the Texans managed to gain the third-best passing defense and the fourth-best rushing defense in the league. This, paired with the second-best rushing offense and the 18th-ranked passing offense (partly due to the injury of Schaub) creates an deadly team. 

They will make it because on paper, they are the best all-around team in the league.  

Detroit Lions: 65 Percent

Strengths

Calvin Johnson/Matthew Stafford

Defense

Weaknesses

Immaturity

Why They Will Make It

With the exception of a few immature mistakes by players on the team, the Lions had a great shot at making it to the big game. 

Matthew Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson led Detroit’s offense all the way to the postseason. These two are arguably the best quarterback/receiver combo in the league. 

Even with all the praise on the offense, it was really the defense that set the atmosphere for this team. Ndamakung Suh is a force on the defensive line, and he caused huge problems for the opposing offenses. 

Another year of experience will help this team's immaturity and will let them grow together as a team. 

Next year will be a big year for them to show the world that 2011-12 was not just a fluke.  They want to prove to the world that they are serious contenders year in and year out for the next decade.  

Pittsburgh Steelers: 70 Percent

Strengths:

Defense

Ben Roethlisberger (healthy)

Weaknesses

Ben Roethlisberger (unhealthy)

Why They Will Make It:

It is the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are never a team that analysts are going to discount from making the Super Bowl.

They have veterans on both sides of the ball and know how to win in the postseason.  Tomlin is coaching them at a high level, and the Steelers are always ready to win. 

However, they do have aging veterans and have turnover issues from Ben Roethlisberger when he is injured. 

Ben’s mistakes are more costly now that the defense is starting to get older and can not cause turnovers at will like they used to. This is not to say that they can not win and can not do all the things mentioned earlier. But father time is definitely starting to make his way into the Steelers roster. 

As long as they can stay healthy and consistently play the way the audience knows they can, they will have a good shot at making the Super Bowl once again.  

Philadelphia Eagles: 70 Percent

Strengths

Talent

Weaknesses

Chemistry

Why They Will Make It:

The Eagles have one of the most talented rosters in the league. With names such as Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Nnamdi Asomugha, the talent level is at an all-time high. 

Philadelphia has arguable configured one of the most talented teams in NFL history and just need some time to play with each other before they can be a deadly threat. 

On paper, the defense and offense are solid.

With an entire offseason to work with each other, this team will be a force to be reckoned with next year. They will come off a year that had a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed. Now that the media has died down about this team, look for them to come out of the gates fast in 2012-13.  

New York Giants: 80 Percent

Strengths

Eli Manning

Tom Coughlin

Defense

Weaknesses

Offensive rushing

Why They Will Make It

This team is tough to put a persona on. They have one of the leagues best defensive lines and overall defensive plays. 

Along with that, they have a quarterback who is starting to put himself in talks with some of the league's elite. 

It looks like every regular season comes speculation on whether or not the Giants will make the playoffs, but whenever they do, New York does a great job at seizing the moment.

Coughlin knows how to coach his team in the postseason and has shown back in 2007 and even in 2012 that they can make serious runs in the playoffs. 

If the Giants make the playoffs, it is going to be tough to bet against them.  

New Orleans Saints: 80 Percent

Strengths

Drew Brees

Offense

Defense

Weaknesses:

Pass defense

Why They Will Make It

It is tough to say the Saints do not have a legitimate shot at making the Super Bowl as long as Drew Brees and Sean Payton are leading that offense.

The only real issue with the team is their pass defense, which was ranked 30 in the league last year. The reason is most likely coming from the aggressive style of play from the Saints defensive coordinator.

Bringing more blitzes puts pressure on the secondary, which does explains some of the shortcomings in the defensive stats. 

However, this team is one of the league's most well-rounded squads. The defensive line is solid, along with the linebackers. New Orleans’ offense is also second to none in the NFL.  

New England Patriots: 80 Percent

Strengths

Tom Brady

Offense

Coaching 

Weaknesses

Aging defense

Why They Will Make It

They are in the 2012 Super Bowl and basically made it to the big game solely on their offensive capabilities. 

Most of the same players are likely to come back, which leads us to believe that they have a great shot at making the big game again. 

They will need some luck, just as any Super Bowl team needs, but have a good shot at making it back as long as Tom Brady is there to lead the team. 

San Francisco 49ers: 80 Percent

Strengths

Coaching

Defense

Weaknesses

Turnovers

Why They Will Make It

With the exception of two costly turnovers towards the end of the game, the 49ers played a great football game against the New York Giants.

If the 49ers did not have those two mistakes, we could be having a different matchup in the Super Bowl this year. 

Being in a weak division helps their chances of making the playoffs, at which point, all teams turn into a different animal. 

With how close they were this year, it looks like San Francisco has a great shot at making the Super Bowl for the first in a while. The quarterbacks are decent, the defense is the best in the league and the coaching staff proved that they know how to win.  

Baltimore Ravens: 80 Percent

Strengths

Defense

Weaknesses

Joe Flacco

Why They Will Make It

Although there has been speculation about locker room chemistry due to Ed Reed’s comments about quarterback Joe Flacco, there will be no real love loss between the two.

Both players want to win, and that is the ultimate goal. Granted, the offense does need to pick up, and they must find a way to play consistently. 

The defense will always be stellar and put up some great numbers. However if this team wants to have a legitimate shot at making the Super Bowl, they will need to improve that offense or, more specifically, the passing game.

Ray Rice is doing a spectacular job at the running back position and is not necessarily the problem. The weakest link is Joe Flacco, which is a problem that many teams would wish they had. 

Baltimore has made the playoffs plenty of times with Flacco under the helm. Now, it is just time for him to get over that peak and into the Super Bowl.   

Green Bay Packers: 85 Percent

Strengths

Aaron Rodgers

Wide receivers

Mike McCarthy

Weaknesses

Defense

Why They Will Make It

This past season was a huge disappointment for the 2011 Super Bowl champs. They looked to be unstoppable during the regular season, throwing up some impressive offensive numbers.

Although their defense struggled at times, giving up tons of yards to opposing offenses, they managed to have created a high amount of turnovers, giving the explosive offense a chance to score. 

Unfortunately, late in the season, there was a tragic death to one of the Packers family, and the emotions were felt throughout the locker room. Although some may speculate that was a big factor into the loss, nothing can be known for certain.

However, coming off a loss and elimination from the playoffs, look for the Packers to have a new-found drive and hunger to be back on top. It looked at times they became complacent with how well they were playing. 

Now that they have a year without the trophy in hand, maybe it will compel them to play just a little bit harder in next year's playoffs.