NFL Power Rankings Week 1: Early Review, Final 2018-19 Super Bowl Preseason Odds

Week 1 NFL power rankings coincide with preseason Super Bowl odds quite well. 

It's a Matt Ryan-Julio Jones sort of relationship, really. While some might scoff at the idea of power rankings before the season even begins, those seeking value in them will find a worthwhile tool offering a summary of where the league stands based on the entire offseason—those playing catch up have a cheatsheet of sorts in one simple list. 

Those serious about playing odds will find similar value in pre-Week 1 Super Bowl odds, mainly via poking holes in the lines for a potential big profit before oddsmakers can adjust. Playing the lines before the season kicks is intimidating, but those combing through the droves of information available will notice both lines worth investing in and a few worth steering clear of despite hype.

2018 NFL Power Rankings and Super Bowl Odds

Rank	Team (SB odds)
1	Philadelphia Eagles (17-2)
2	Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)
3	Green Bay Packers (14-1)
4	New England Patriots (13-2)
5	Minnesota Vikings (11-1)
6	Los Angeles Rams (10-1)
7	Atlanta Falcons (20-1)
8	New Orleans Saints (16-1)
9	Los Angeles Chargers (24-1)
10	Washington Redskins (70-1)
11	Jacksonville Jaguars (22-1)
12	Tennessee Titans (45-1)
13	Detroit Lions (55-1)
14	San Francisco 49ers (22-1)
15	Carolina Panthers (35-1)
16	Dallas Cowboys (33-1)
17	Seattle Seahawks (50-1)
18	Houston Texans (16-1)
19	Cincinnati Bengals (100-1)
20	Kansas City Chiefs (30-1)
21	Denver Broncos (40-1)
22	Chicago Bears (100-1)
23	New York Giants (45-1)
24	Baltimore Ravens (55-1)
25	Oakland Raiders (35-1)
26	Arizona Cardinals (100-1)
27	Miami Dolphins (125-1)
28	Indianapolis Colts (65-1)
29	New York Jets (175-1)
30	Tampa Bay Buccaneers (80-1)
31	Buffalo Bills (100-1)
32	Cleveland Browns (75-1)

Odds courtesy of OddsShark. 

Risk Worth Taking: Tennessee Titans (45-1)

James Kenney/Associated Press

It seems oddsmakers aren't in love with the idea of the Tennessee Titans, which could benefit bettors in a big way over the long term. 

After all, this is a team that quietly rattled off nine wins a year ago and won a playoff game on the road in Kansas City. The Titans check many of the boxes, too: there is a franchise quarterback, budding defense and plenty of notable offseason additions. 

Part of the lack of hype stems from Marcus Mariota's down season a year ago in which he threw more interceptions than touchdowns. But injuries and a not-so-friendly offense held him back, so there has to be hope he can get back to this form: 

Some of the offseason was tailored toward getting Mariota back to form, including the arrival of running back Dion Lewis, one of the best pass-catching backs in the NFL and a perfect spell for Derrick Henry. And back to form ideally means the Mariota who threw 26 touchdowns with nine interceptions in 2016. 

But while the offense gets the headlines, it's the defense that could carry the Titans over the course of a lengthy season. Elite corner Malcolm Butler is on the roster now and Mike Vrabel's team got a boost via the arrival of rookies Rashaan Evans and Harold Landry at linebacker. 

In short, the Titans are the perfect blend of team capable of upholding over the course of the season. Mariota has already shown he can make some serious noise in the playoffs too, so getting the bets in before the Titans start winning games is a good idea. 

Team to Avoid: Oakland Raiders (35-1)

It's best to avoid getting cute this time of year. 

Cute would be rolling the dice on the Oakland Raiders, a team seemingly getting universal criticism right now for the handling of the offseason. 

Which makes sense considering new head coach Jon Gruden has checked off some of the following boxes in one offseason: 

This isn't to say the Raiders will be terrible by any stretch of the imagination. But the theme seems to be acquiring players with recognizable names, not necessarily building the best roster possible, hence bringing on guys like Jordy Nelson and Doug Martin before trading for AJ McCarron. 

There is still some potential on offense with Derek Carr under center, as it is easy to forget he threw 32 touchdowns against 13 picks in 2015 and followed it with 28 and six, respectively, in 2016. But his offense has to roll through a 32-year-old Marshawn Lynch and Amari Cooper at wideout, who could only turn 48 of his 96 targets into catches last season (not all his fault, but it has to be said). 

Keep in mind the whole trading Khalil Mack thing, which meant letting a generational talent walk. That alone is enough to ignore the Raiders, but sprinkling in the rest and not even mentioning a potentially deep AFC West creates a disaster scenario from an odds standpoint. 

Give it a Shot: Cincinnati Bengals (100-1)

Gary Landers/Associated Press

Here we go again, right? 

The Cincinnati Bengals could be good and worth an investment, but it will take the team actually getting the most out of its talent. 

This seems like a longshot with Marvin Lewis somehow back for a 16th season, but unlike past contract extensions for the longest-tenured head coach not named Bill Belichick, the staff under Lewis has been completely revamped. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor gets to implement his own attack this year, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin is new, as is offensive line coach Frank Pollack and a slew of others. 

Not only are changes to the staff an admission of mistakes over the past two down years, so too was trading for a possible franchise left tackle in Cordy Glenn and using a first-round pick on center Billy Price. 

Cincinnati might have the most interesting youth movement of any team right now, too, as Lewis hinted at recently to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com: “They’re young in years and in the prime of what their careers are about. And they’ve played a lot of winning football. They’re hungry and disappointed the way we’ve finished the seasons the last two years and we have to go back and win the championship.”

On paper, the Bengals have an upgraded offensive line helping protect a talent-rich offense featuring A.J. Green, Joe Mixon and Tyler Eifert. The defensive line is once again elite featuring Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap, which plays nicely in front of a secondary featuring a top-10 corner in William Jackson. The AFC North is brutal and past history suggests brace for the mediocre, but the Bengals' upside and potential payout here is hard to ignore.