Early Favorites for Next Year's Super Bowl

It's been over 24 hours since the Super Bowl ended, so we're officially allowed to talk about the 2018 NFL season. Before the game even kicked off, Jeff Sherman of Westgate Las Vegas, one of the most significant books in the desert, dropped the Super Bowl odds for the upcoming season. 

We'll go through the eight teams we believe have the best Super Bowl odds for next season and compare and contrast how we handicapped the league with Westgate's odds. In the end, our top seven were the same, though they finished in different orders. Six of the eight come from the same conference.

As others debate what the Philadelphia Eagles should do with Super Bowl hero Nick Foles, we'll dive headfirst into making sense of the 2018 NFL landscape. A backup quarterback winning it all almost makes you want to throw all predictions out the window, but books don't build massive casinos because they're wrong about sports often.

Los Angeles Rams

Jeff Lewis/Associated Press

Few head coaches have ever posted the first-year success that Sean McVay had as the 31-year-old face of the Los Angeles Rams. Under the guidance of McVay, 2016 first overall pick Jared Goff went from throwing five touchdowns and seven interceptions as a rookie to 28 and seven as a sophomore.

There's no doubt that the additions of receivers Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and left tackle Andrew Whitworth rejuvenated optimism in the Rams offense, the young Goff and running back Todd Gurley. Orchestrated by McVay's play-calling, Los Angeles had the most explosive offense in the NFL in terms of points per play, per SettingEdge.com.

For that reason alone, it would not be surprising to see the Rams win the NFC West in back-to-back years, though the team's outgoing free agents come into play, specifically on the defensive end. All-world defensive lineman Aaron Donald is looking for a new deal, while the twice-franchise-tagged cornerback Trumaine Johnson and breakout safety Lamarcus Joyner are slated to hit the open market. Losing them could be the difference between pushing late into the playoffs and becoming an offense-heavy team like the 2014-2016 New Orleans Saints, who went 7-9 for three straight seasons.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 18-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 18-1

New Orleans Saints

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

Speaking of the New Orleans Saints, they took a massive step up in 2017 on defense.

2016 New Orleans Saints: 7.9 yards per pass allowed (t-30th), 27 passing touchdowns allowed (t-20th) and nine interceptions (t-27th)

2017 New Orleans Saints: 7.0 yards per pass allowed (t-16th), 22 passing touchdowns allowed (t-12th) and 20 interceptions (third).

With one of the biggest pass-defense turnarounds in years, a steady offensive line, a two-headed backfield and the Drew Brees-Michael Thomas connection, the Saints looked nearly unstoppable during their 11-2 run in the middle of the season. Injuries on the defensive side did catch up to them in the end, but they were neck-and-neck with the Minnesota Vikings in the divisional round before they lost on a Stefon Diggs walk-off touchdown.

Brees just turned 39 years old, so there's some uncertainty about the New Orleans' offense moving forward. But as long as the Saints make it out of the gauntlet of the NFC South in 2018, they have as good of a shot as anyone in the NFC to go home with the Lombardi Trophy. Brees is on pace to set every major NFL passing record in the next three years, but his ability to bring New Orleans another Super Bowl victory is likely what will be most important for his placement on the GOAT list.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 16-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 18-1

Atlanta Falcons

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

The 10-6 Atlanta Falcons team that beat the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round and went down to the line with the Philadelphia Eagles is likely the worst version we're going to see for a while.

First-time NFL offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian clearly went through growing pains in Atlanta. The result was just three receiving touchdowns for five-time Pro Bowl receiver Julio Jones. That seems like a quick fix for an offense led by 2016 MVP Matt Ryan and the backfield duo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman.

The the only real hole on offense is at guard, which is one of the easier positions to acquire talent in via free agency or the draft.

On the defensive end, Dan Quinn's speedy group features emerging stars like Grady Jarrett, Takkarist McKinley, Vic Beasley, Duke Riley, Deion Jones, De'Vondre Campbell and Keanu Neal on cheap rookie contracts. A month into 2018, we'll know if Sarkisian has control of the offense. By October, expect these odds to rise or fall significantly.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 16-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 18-1

Minnesota Vikings

Jim Mone/Associated Press

There's so much uncertainty in Minnesota at the quarterback position that it's hard to nail down exactly what tier of football the Vikings are. But their supporting cast is among the best in the league.

As the NFC Championship Game loser, they have plenty of unfinished business.

Their 2017 season featured a complete overhaul of the offensive line, a revamped ground game and one of the best receiver duos in the league in Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs. The question now is if Case Keenum, Sam Bradford or Teddy Bridgewater, all quarterbacks who at some point have been thought of as the long-term answer in Minnesota, will be the man at the helm in 2018.

On defense, though, the team is above average across the board, sans a penetrating defensive tackle. As long as the Vikings don't fumble their quarterback and offensive coordinator decision, they should be right back in the NFC North and NFC championship races. Still, those are about as significant ifs as you can have.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 10-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 16-1

Green Bay Packers

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

In the five games before Aaron Rodgers was injured, the former NFL MVP quarterback recorded 13 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Brett Hundley, Rodgers' replacement after his collarbone injury, had nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2017. To say the least, expect improvement in the Green Bay Packers' overall passing numbers with a healthy Rodgers under center in 2018.

Defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who was the longest-tenured defensive coordinator in the league, was told to pack his bags after the 2017 regular season. The addition of Mike Pettine, who almost certainly will bring in a coverage system that is easier to digest for young defensive backs, should help on the other side of the ball.

Health is always an issue in Green Bay, but the lack of Hundley and Capers in 2018 should bump up the Packers' 7-9 record enough to make a run for the NFC North title. Once a Rodgers team can punch into the playoffs, all bets are off. For his career, Rodgers has thrown 597 passes for 4,459 yards, 36 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 99.2 passer rating in the playoffs.

We're not as high on this Packers team as some books are, but it's hard to count the game's top quarterback out of any Super Bowl conversation.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 10-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 16-1

Philadelphia Eagles

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl with Nick Foles at quarterback this year! They get Carson Wentz back in 2018! There couldn't be an easier favorite to name in the NFC.

The biggest issue football savant Howie Roseman will face this offseason is not who to acquire, but how he is going to keep the band together.

As it stands, Philadelphia is almost $5 million over the cap in 2018, putting it in last place in cap space in the league. Even if the Eagles manage to clear the books of tackle Jason Peters, defensive end Vinny Curry and quarterback Nick Foles, who will all command a top-10 cap hit for the team in 2018, the team will have under $7 million in cap space, still ranking them 31st.

This is all while defensive end Brandon Graham will be seeking an extension, which should make him one of the five highest-paid ends in the league. Linebacker Nigel Bradham and cornerback Patrick Robinson are also among the top players at their positions slated to hit free agency. At the same time, the Eagles have just one pick in the first three rounds of the 2018 draft.

What Roseman has built in Philadelphia is impressive. The number of significant contributors he can bring back this offseason will decide how large of favorites the Eagles will be in the NFC for the upcoming season.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 10-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 8-1

Pittsburgh Steelers

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press

How many more times do you need to see this movie? Three quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger and Peyton Manning) have won 14 of the last 15 AFC Championship Games. Manning retired in 2015, and the AFC hasn't skipped a beat.

All evidence would suggest that, other than a miracle Joe Flacco run, the AFC runs through Brady's New England Patriots and Roethlisberger's Pittsburgh Steelers until someone can prove otherwise. The 2017 Steelers battled through a quarterback publicly doubting himself, a specific national anthem controversy and linebacker Ryan Shazier's emotional spinal injury. Despite all of that, they defaulted to their natural position in the world: the AFC's second seed behind the Patriots.

Unless the team manages to lose running back Le'Veon Bell, a major contributor in both the ground and air games, it's difficult to imagine a situation where it doesn't enter the season as a major Super Bowl contender, no matter what else it does this offseason.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 8-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 8-1

New England Patriots

Darron Cummings/Associated Press

Since 2000, when head coach Bill Belichick drafted quarterback Tom Brady in the sixth round, the New England Patriots are 214-74. That's the best mark in the league.

They have also played in 37 playoff games, 12 more than any other team in the league. Under the duo, the Pats have been to eight Super Bowls, the most by any team ever. The Brady-Belichick Patriots have been the to the AFC Championship Game 12 times together.

At some point, you just stop betting against them making a deep playoff push. For as long as 40-year-old Brady and 65-year-old Belichick want to keep the family together, they should be Super Bowl favorites.

Just Nate Solder (injury) and Malcolm Butler (off year) will look for significant deals this offseason, so 2018 will not be the year to derail the Patriots dynasty.

As long as Belichick can replace his coordinators, they'll win at least 12 games again in 2018.

Westgate Super Bowl Odds: 5-1

Bleacher Report Super Bowl Odds: 4-1