Super Bowl 2015: Updated Odds and Predictions for Championship Tilt
From a fan’s perspective, there may not be a better weekend of football than the divisional round considering it is four high-stakes games spread out over two days that feature some of the best teams and players in the league.
However, the players only care about one thing—winning the Lombardi Trophy at the Super Bowl.
With that in mind, here is a look at the updated odds for each remaining playoff team to win the Super Bowl (via Odds Shark, as of Wednesday at 11:30 p.m. ET) and some predictions for which teams will reach the big game.
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| Baltimore Ravens | 22-1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 41-1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 64-5 |
| Denver Broncos | 132-25 |
| Green Bay Packers | 113-20 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 45-2 |
| New England Patriots | 343-100 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 53-25 |
Predicted NFC Representative: Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks started the season 3-3 and looked like they were about to fall victim to a Super Bowl hangover. Things looked even more precarious in Week 8 when they were about to fall to 3-4 before Russell Wilson led them down the field for a game-winning touchdown in the final minute against the Carolina Panthers.
All Seattle did after that win was dominate its opposition and string together nine wins in 10 games to finish 12-4. It also won the final six contests and gave up more than seven points only one time in that six-game stretch.
That red-hot defense is why the Seahawks will once again reach the Super Bowl.
One of the leaders of the defense, linebacker Bobby Wagner, discussed the playoffs and what it will take for his team to win, via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times:
"The playoffs are a new season and if you don’t bring the same energy that you ended the season with, then you could be out. There have been a lot of great teams that came in on fire and lost the first game. So we definitely have to make sure we bring that same energy, bring that same focus, so we can get to where we want to be.
"
Seattle finished first in the league in total defense, first in scoring defense, first against the pass and third against the run. The same combination of a stifling defense and strong running game (the Seahawks were first in the NFL in rushing yards per game behind Wilson and Marshawn Lynch) that led to a Super Bowl title last season is still in place.
What’s more, Seattle will be at home for the rest of the playoffs up to the Super Bowl and already beat the Panthers and Green Bay Packers (the predicted NFC Championship Game opponent) this season. The Packers game was a blowout and showed the rest of the league that the Seahawks meant business when it came to defending the trophy.
Three more wins, and they will do just that.
Predicted AFC Representative: New England Patriots
The path to the Super Bowl for the New England Patriots is all about matchups and the fact that they will be at home for the rest of the playoffs as well.
New England was 7-0 at home during the regular season if you don’t count the loss in the final game when a large portion of the starters sat out because home-field advantage was already clinched. Included in that home schedule were blowout victories over the Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions, which were all playoff teams.
The Patriots will be tested by the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round, but Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski should be able to exploit a secondary that was a dismal 23rd in the league against the pass.
Assuming the Patriots can get past Baltimore with an aerial assault against the vulnerable Ravens defensive backfield, next up will likely be a date with Peyton Manning and the Broncos.
We already saw the Patriots destroy the Broncos once this season (43-21), and it is impossible to overlook that result when projecting the winner of the hypothetical AFC Championship Game. What’s more, Manning played better back in Week 9 and earlier in the season than he did down the stretch, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:
The Patriots already beat Denver once, will have home-field advantage and could catch Manning at a time where he isn’t playing his best overall football. Anything short of a Super Bowl run would be a disappointment for New England.
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