NFL Playoff Bracket 2021: Super Bowl Scenarios, Odds Before Divisional Round

It's been 16 years since a team repeated as Super Bowl champions, when the New England Patriots won back-to-back titles in the 2003 and 2004 seasons. And the Kansas City Chiefs, the No. 1 seed in the AFC in this year's playoffs, are looking to join them by winning their second straight championship this season.

However, there are seven other teams still in the postseason field that are hoping to win the Lombardi Trophy, too.

After six Wild Card Round matchups last weekend, the playoff field (which was expanded to 14 this season), is now down to eight teams. The Chiefs and the Green Bay Packers, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, are the only teams that had first-round byes, and they'll both return to action for the divisional round this weekend.

While Kansas City is currently the favorite to win the Super Bowl, it's not always the team with the best odds that ends up celebrating at the end of the season. A lot can happen between now and Feb. 7, which is when Super Bowl LV will take place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.

Here's a look at the odds for the four divisional-round matchups and for each of the eight teams to win the Super Bowl, per DraftKings Sportsbook, along with potential scenarios for the end of the postseason.

Divisional-Round Schedule, Odds

Brett Carlsen/Associated Press

Saturday, Jan. 16

No. 6 Los Angeles Rams at No. 1 Green Bay Packers (-6.5), 4:35 p.m. ET, Fox

No. 5 Baltimore Ravens at No. 2 Buffalo Bills (-3), 8:15 p.m. ET, NBC

Sunday, Jan. 17

No. 6 Cleveland Browns at No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (-10), 3:05 p.m. ET, CBS

No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 2 New Orleans Saints (-3), 6:40 p.m. ET, Fox

Current Super Bowl Odds

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Kansas City Chiefs: +205 (bet $100 to win $205)

Green Bay Packers: +375

Buffalo Bills: +600

New Orleans Saints: +600

Baltimore Ravens: +800

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +900

Los Angeles Rams: +2000

Cleveland Browns: +3000

Potential Super Bowl Scenarios

Brett Duke/Associated Press

The Chiefs may be looking to win the Super Bowl championship for the second year in a row, but they're not the only team among the eight still in the field that have a title to their name.

The Ravens (2000, 2012 seasons), Packers (1966, 1967, 1996 and 2010), Saints (2009), Buccaneers (2002) and Rams (1999) are all looking to add another Lombardi Trophy to their franchise's history.

The Bills and Browns have not been as successful in the past. Buffalo reached four straight Super Bowls from the 1990-93 seasons but lost all of them, while Cleveland has never made it to the Super Bowl. However, both are already off to strong starts this postseason after ending long playoff win droughts.

Cleveland, which is in the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season, notched its first postseason win since the 1994 campaign with its Wild Card Round win at Pittsburgh. Buffalo hadn't won a playoff game since the 1995 season before it beat Indianapolis at home last weekend.

If the Bills or Browns can make a run through the AFC playoffs, it'd be exciting to see either franchise try to win the Super Bowl for the first time. But in order to get there, they will likely have to get through the Chiefs.

Kansas City has home-field advantage through the AFC Championship Game. It welcomes the Browns to Arrowhead Stadium in the divisional round, while the Bills face a difficult matchup of their own when they host the Ravens, who are coming off their first playoff win with Lamar Jackson at quarterback.

The 24-year-old is one of four young, exciting quarterbacks on the AFC side of the playoff bracket. Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes (25), Buffalo's Josh Allen (24) and Cleveland's Baker Mayfield (25) are also among the best at the position in the NFL and will be fun to watch the rest of the postseason.

The quarterbacks in the NFC are more experienced. Tampa Bay's Tom Brady is a six-time Super Bowl champion (although those titles came with the New England Patriots). New Orleans' Drew Brees and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers have also won Super Bowl titles, in the 2009 and 2010 seasons, respectively.

Although Jared Goff is only 26, he also has Super Bowl experience after leading the Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl LIII, which they lost to the Patriots.

With eight teams remaining, there are a bunch of scenarios for how the rest of the playoffs could unfold. But some are more likely than others.

In the AFC, it will be difficult to get past the Chiefs. And in the NFC, the veteran leadership of the Packers, Saints and Buccaneers (particularly at quarterback) could make any of those teams viable contenders.

It's worth noting, though, that a wild-card team hasn't won the Super Bowl since the 2010 season, when the Packers claimed the championship despite being the No. 6 seed in the NFC. So while it can be done, it hasn't been common in recent years.

If the Buccaneers can reach the Super Bowl as the No. 5 seed, that would create another interesting scenario. No team has played in a Super Bowl at their home stadium, and with this year's game being held at Raymond James Stadium, the Bucs have an opportunity to become the first.

In that scenario, Brady would also have an opportunity to win his seventh Super Bowl title, which would extend his record for most championships won as a player. Former linebacker Charles Haley ranks second with five.

---

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).

21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.