Updated Suck for Luck Odds

Week 10 of the 2011 NFL season is well underway, and all across America today, several NFL teams took a step towards a monumental achievement that could help define their franchise for years to come.

I'm not talking about the playoffs, either, because no team on this list has the proverbial snowball's chance of even sniffing those. I'm talking the quest to secure the first overall selection in the 2012 NFL Draft and likely acquire the services of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Here's a look at how a handful of the top contenders in the "Suck For Luck" sweepstakes fared today, as well as their odds of "winning" the lotto of losers.

1. Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns have emerged as a dark horse contender of sorts in the Suck for Luck sweepstakes, looking worse as a team each week, as injuries and poor play have taken their toll and bottoming out quite nicely in a 13-12 loss Sunday to the St. Louis Rams.

However, the Browns screwed themselves up by having the audacity to win three games earlier this season, so even if they lose out, they're probably also going to lose out on Luck unless they use their extra first rounder to trade up in the draft in April.

ODDS: 40 to 1

2. Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers quarterback Can Newton has certainly given fans in Charlotte something to cheer about with his electrifying play, but that play hasn't translated to wins, as the Panthers entered Week 10 with only two wins and were pasted, 30-3, by the Tennessee Titans Sunday.

That said the Panthers have enough talent to squeak out a win or two, which will probably be enough to bump them out of "Suck for Luck" and spare them the awkward decision of what to do with the top pick in a year where it should obviously be used on a quarterback one year after selecting Newton first overall.

ODDS: 40 to 1

3. St. Louis Rams

Earlier this season, it appeared that the St. Louis Rams were ready, willing and able to do whatever it took to be a serious contender in the "Suck for Luck" sweepstakes, as the Rams lurched to an 0-6 start and lost games in just about every way imaginable.

The Rams seem to have taken their eyes off the prize lately, though, as wins in two of their last three games (including a Week 10 win over the Cleveland Browns) have caused them to fade from front-runner to be the worst to just strong candidate to not being good.

ODDS: 20 to 1

4. Miami Dolphins

As recently as two weeks ago, it looked like the Miami Dolphins were right in the thick of the race for Andrew Luck, as the Dolphins were mired in a seven-game losing streak and looked to be a team in a tailspin that wasn't going to end until the season did.

Head coach Tony Sparano must have figured out that even if the Dolphins did land Andrew Luck he wouldn't be around to coach him, so he might as well win a few games, as Miami has reeled off back-to-back wins after Sunday's victory over the Washington Redskins and done serious damage to their chances of acquiring the franchise quarterback they so desperately need.

ODDS: 10 to 1

5. Indianapolis Colts

Now this is what I'm talking about!

At 0-10, the Indianapolis Colts are undoubtedly the worst team in the NFL this season, achieving a level of putridity reached only a few times in NFL history, and the Colts' best chance of not losing a game will likely come in Week 11.

When the Colts have their bye.

Even if by some bizarre chance Indianapolis actually manages to beat another National Football League team, the Rams and Dolphins were kind enough to win Sunday, affording the Colts a two-game cushion and making them the overwhelming favorites to win the battle to "Suck for Luck."

ODDS: 2 to 5