Super Bowl Odds 2015: Las Vegas' Biggest Hits and Misses

There are two weeks remaining in the NFL regular season and the playoff picture is nowhere near settled. This seems like a perfect time to begin speculating on the 2015 Super Bowl.

Before we delve into the updated odds for the league's big dance, let's quickly reflect on where things currently stand. Heading into Sunday's action, five teams—the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Arizona Cardinals and Detroit Lions—have clinched playoff berths. Their names will continue to remain in the Super Bowl discussion at least through Wild Card Weekend.

Another seven teams can clinch playoff berths due to certain scenarios in Week 16; however, there's a good chance not every spot will be filled and not every division will have an official winner prior to the season's final week. Keep all of this in mind, as the Super Bowl odds are sure to keep shifting as the season unfolds.

So, how did the folks in Las Vegas do with their latest odds projections? Let's take a look at the updated numbers for every team still in contention and decide which are the oddsmakers' biggest hits and misses at this points in the year.

Team	Odds
New England Patriots	3-1
Seattle Seahawks	13-4
Denver Broncos	5-1
Green Bay Packers	5-1
Dallas Cowboys	14-1
Indianapolis Colts	20-1
Detroit Lions	20-1
Pittsburgh Steelers	25-1
Arizona Cardinals	25-1
New Orleans Saints	33-1
Baltimore Ravens	33-1
Philadelphia Eagles	33-1
Cincinnati Bengals	40-1
San Diego Chargers	66-1
Carolina Panthers	100-1
Kansas City Chiefs	100-1
Atlanta Falcons	150-1
Buffalo Bills	200-1
Miami Dolphins	500-1
Houston Texans	500-1

All Super Bowl odds courtesy of Odds Shark and current as of December 21 at 1:30 a.m. ET.

Biggest Hits

New England Patriots (3-1 odds)

New England is already a lock for the playoffs, can clinch a first-round bye with a victory over the New York Jets in Week 16 and can gain home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with a Week 17 win against the Buffalo Bills.

The fact that the Patriots have the AFC's best chance to play at home throughout the playoffs is why Vegas got their odds right—this will be the scariest team in January. After all, New England has been virtually unbeatable at home this season, going 7-0 at Gillette Stadium and winning by more than 20 points in five of those seven contests.

There are plenty of talented teams residing in the AFC's playoff picture this season, and home-field advantage will be the catalyst that sends New England to the big dance. Facing an NFC opponent at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona won't be a cake walk, but the Patriots seem to have an advantage over anyone right now, looking like the NFL's most complete team heading into the penultimate week of the season.

Green Bay Packers (5-1 odds)

Green Bay may not be a lock to make the playoffs just yet, but that will change by Sunday afternoon, as a victory over the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers is all the Packers need to cement themselves in this year's postseason picture.

Much of Green Bay's Super Bowl chances will reside on a pivotal Week 17 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Both teams are likely to enter the season's final week with 11-4 records, meaning the winner will take the NFC North and likely gain a first-round bye.

Although, the reason why Vegas got Green Bay's odds right at 5-1 is due to a slight uncertainty about home-field advantage. Like New England, the Packers are extremely difficult to beat at home, going 7-0 at Lambeau Field this season and blowing opponents out of the water along the way. But this team has looked different on the road, and Super Bowl chances could dwindle if it needs to travel to Seattle in late January.

Biggest Misses

Arizona Cardinals (25-1 odds)

This one was a huge swing and a miss on Vegas' part. While the Cardinals currently own the NFC's best record at 11-3, they aren't playing like a dominant football team. Over Arizona's last four games, it has gone 2-2, losing by margins of at least 11 points and winning by margins of six points or fewer.

The obvious big reason why Arizona is no longer dominating opponents is due to a rash of injuries. Starting quarterback Carson Palmer and starting running back Andre Ellington are out for the season, severely hindering the offense's explosiveness. Coupled with several injuries on the defensive side of the ball, the Cardinals are running thin at many positions, and that's never a good sign entering January.

Don't expect much from third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, as Arizona is likely to fall out of the NFC West's top spot. Even when Drew Stanton returns, his lack of accuracy and experience won't translate into postseason wins. Even at 25-1, putting any kind of money on Arizona isn't wise given the state of the team.

Buffalo Bills (200-1 odds)

All right, the Bills need a lot to go in their favor to clinch a playoff berth—a win by the San Diego Chargers on Saturday night certainly didn't help matters. Although, this team does have a solid chance to reach the playoffs following Week 17.

First and foremost, Buffalo must win out. That's possible, as the team will steamroll the Oakland Raiders in Week 16, and after seeing what the Bills recently did against Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers, defeating the Patriots in Week 17 isn't out of the question. Of course, they still need losses by other AFC squads to help seal the deal, but if they get in, watch out.

No one wants to play the Bills right now. They have arguably the best defense in the NFL and a front seven that would give any quarterback nightmares. Their ability to shut down the league's elite signal-callers is incredible, and they're efficient enough on offense to avoid big mistakes and get just enough points on the board to win highly contested games.

Sure, the Bills are a long shot to make the playoffs, but 200-1 odds could yield a big payday for a bettor willing to take a chance on this team making the postseason.

All playoff scenarios courtesy of CBSSports.com and current as of December 21 at 1:30 a.m. ET.