NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Early Review, Final 2017-18 Super Bowl Preseason Odds

Power rankings and Super Bowl odds out of Las Vegas don't have a hard time agreeing at the top of the list.  

Long story short, it's the New England Patriots, followed by everybody else.

The two powerhouses of preseason talk go separate paths the further down the list one looks. A good example is the Carolina Panthers, where the power rankings aren't smiling on them after a rough season a year ago, yet Las Vegas oddsmakers seem to place plenty of faith in the most important position of all, with this one played by Cam Newton.

As usual, the preseason odds leave bettors some interesting angles of pursuit. Here's a look at power rankings and Super Bowl odds.  

2017 NFL Power Rankings and Super Bowl Odds

Rank	Team
1	New England Patriots (13-4)
2	Atlanta Falcons (12-1)
3	Oakland Raiders (10-1)
4	Pittsburgh Steelers (12-1)
5	Dallas Cowboys (14-1)
6	Seattle Seahawks (12-1)
7	Green Bay Packers (8-1)
8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (33-1)
9	Tennessee Titans (33-1)
10	Kansas City Chiefs (28-1)
11	New York Giants (18-1)
12	Philadelphia Eagles (40-1)
13	Detroit Lions (66-1)
14	Cincinnati Bengals (50-1)
15	Denver Broncos (28-1)
16	Washington Redskins (50-1)
17	Baltimore Ravens (50-1)
18	Miami Dolphins (75-1)
19	Indianapolis Colts (50-1)
20	Los Angeles Chargers (50-1)
21	Carolina Panthers (25-1)
22	Arizona Cardinals (33-1)
23	Houston Texans (25-1)
24	Minnesota Vikings (40-1)
25	New Orleans Saints (50-1)
26	Chicago Bears (150-1)
27	Jacksonville Jaguars (100-1)
28	Los Angeles Rams (150-1)
29	Buffalo Bills (150-1)
30	Cleveland Browns (300-1)
31	San Francisco 49ers (300-1)
32	New York Jets (300-1)

Worth a Look: Oakland Raiders (10-1)

Bettors looking for a nice meeting of possible odds and a decent payout can look at the preseason line here for the Oakland Raiders.  

An unfortunate late injury to David Carr derailed Oakland's plans a year ago, though it is hard to imagine the quarterback not taking another leap a year removed from completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 3,937 yards and 28 touchdowns against six interceptions.  

Carr, after all, once again gets to suit up behind a strong line led by Donald Penn and hit one of the NFL's more underrated duos: 

• Amari Cooper: 83 catches, 132 targets, 1,153 yards, 5 TD
• Michael Crabtree: 89 catches, 145 targets, 1,003 yards, 8 TD

Not only that, the Raiders added Marshawn Lynch to bruise his way out of the backfield. The departed Latavius Murray rushed for 12 touchdowns last year but only on an average of four yards per carry, so the team hopes for a more versatile approach. 

No need to take a deep dive on the defense. Khalil Mack is an MVP-caliber player, and names like Bruce Irvin, Karl Joseph and Sean Smith make it one of the most formidable units in the league. 

Granted, the Raiders have to compete in the brutal AFC West. But as the odds show, the Raiders are right on par with, if not looking past, the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. If Carr keeps improving, few could blame them for eyeing something bigger. 

Underdog to Consider: Tennessee Titans (33-1)

The quarterback makes all the difference, if readers couldn't tell the vibe of this one yet.

As such, the Tennessee Titans look like quite an attractive gamble at a payout like this. Marcus Mariota made an obvious second-year leap a season ago over 15 games, throwing for 3,426 yards and 26 touchdowns against nine interceptions while rushing for another 349 yards and two touchdowns. 

Few would argue against the notion Mariota has a big shot at becoming one of the league's next big superstars. Everything is there, including the reads, poise and ability to sling the ball into tight spaces with accuracy: 

That's only a small sample, too. Keep in mind the rest of the roster surrounding the budding star. DeMarco Murray is still around and rushed for 1,287 yards and nine scores a year ago. So is his backup, a potential breakout star in Derrick Henry, who hit 490 yards and five touchdowns on 110 rushes. 

On paper, the receiving targets should be better than a year ago as well. The Titans have high hopes for rookie Corey Davis, who joins a strong core already boasting Rishard Matthews, Eric Decker and Delanie Walker. 

It only helps the Titans look more attractive when taking a glance at the AFC South. It doesn't need a deep explanation: The Jacksonville Jaguars are a mess, the Indianapolis Colts have health issues at quarterback and are otherwise a mess, and the Houston Texans have a question mark under center. 

This isn't saying the Titans will go on to compete for a Super Bowl necessarily, but it is hard to ignore the circumstances here. 

Contender to Bet: Green Bay Packers (8-1)

For those tired of betting with Tom Brady and the Patriots, the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers might provide a viable alternative this year.

Rodgers enters 2017 after a monster season where he finished with 4,428 yards and 40 touchdowns against seven interceptions. 

As usual, Rodgers did his damage without much in the way of a running game behind him. The Jordy Nelson-Davante Adams-Randall Cobb trio did most of the work through the air, while Ty Montgomery flashed at running back on his way to 457 yards and three touchdowns on a 5.9-yard-per-carry average. 

The good news? Montgomery won't catch defenses off guard as a running back in 2017, but more actual experience at the position might help him remain as effective over more touches. And if not, the team has talented rookie Jamaal Williams ready to eat some snaps. 

Defensively, a Nick Perry-led pass rush returns and will try to help compensate for a secondary still searching for an identity. At the least, adding a veteran like Ahmad Brooks only improves the rotational rush, which is what the Packers want, given how often opposing teams need to pass in an effort to keep up with Rodgers. 

As for the division, the Chicago Bears aren't a threat this year and the Minnesota Vikings don't seem to have the offensive firepower necessary to keep up with Green Bay. The Detroit Lions are a different story, though Rodgers and the Packers sweeping them a year ago should at least get a mention here. 

With the Packers, barring an injury to Rodgers, bettors can at least almost guarantee their investment will provide entertainment all the way to the postseason. 

Stats courtesy of NFL.com. Odds courtesy of OddsShark.