On February 11, 2024, Super Bowl LVIII will kick off at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada. Late-game officiating tomfoolery aside, Super Bowl LVII was a hard-fought clash of the NFL’s two best teams. With the dust from the latest edition of football’s biggest game hardly settled, lines are already out for the 58th. And not a day too soon.
Best Early Super Bowl LVIII Odds
Cincinnati Bengals (+900)
Starting off, the fifth-best odds to win Super Bowl LVIII are the Joe Burrow/Joe Brr/Joe Sheisty-led Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati has had a history of paying its star players, despite outsiders’ concerns (see: Carson Palmer, Andy Dalton, Chad Johnson, etc). Burrow said the Bengals Super Bowl window is wide open as long as he’s playing, so we shall see. Between Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins, this offense could click in 2023…as long as Burrow has longer than 1.32 seconds in the pocket.
There are a few key free agents set to depart on the defensive side of the ball. If Lou Anarumo doesn’t get hired for the Arizona Cardinals job, the Bengals could still be in capable hands. Between D.J. Reader, Trey Hendrickson, Logan Wilson, and Chidobe Awuzie, the Bengals defense has been severely underrated and underappreciated.
The Bengals have drafted well enough recently and will need to continue that as Burrow’s, Chase’s, and Higgins’s price tags hit the books. However, for 2023, if they provide a little better depth on the offensive line, +900 could be an absolute steal of a bet.
Philadelphia Eagles (+900)
All doubts surrounding Jalen Hurts are gone; he is HIM. Hurts is a legitimate NFL quarterback and objectively out-played Super Bowl LVII MVP Mahomes. The league’s best offense is due for a double-dip with one of the NFL’s best leading the way.
If you’re an Eagles thruther no matter what, maybe you could hold steady. Their odds may get a little steeler in the coming months due to potential departures. Philly’s top defense is going to have to either pay up or replace a number of key contributors like Fletcher Cox, Robert Quinn, Javon Hargrave, James Bradberry, and Brandon Graham. They’re currently projected to be over the cap in 2023, so some decisions will have to be made.
San Francisco 49ers (+800)
A near-super team if we’ve ever seen it, the 49ers were seemingly a quarterback away all year. Between Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance, Brock Purdy, and eventually Josh Johnson, the 49ers had issues, but still nearly did it.
They were uber-aggressive at the trade deadline by acquiring Christian McCaffrey to pair with their other Swiss army knife, Deebo Samuel. Defensively, Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa continues to lead the way with linebacker Fred Warner, one of the best in the game.
Realistically,the 49ers could be even more serious if a quarterback, any quarterback, can play 17 games. Remember when they were an overthrow away from winning it all over Kansas City a few years? This team could be even better.
Buffalo Bills (+700)
Not too far behind the Chiefs are the Bills who were often favorites for LVII. With playmakers like Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs, who could blame the oddsmakers?
Buffalo’s offense was one of the best in the NFL all season, but their defense seriously let them down at home against the Cincinnati Bengals in the snow in the AFC Divisional Round. That viral image of Diggs and Allen may put you off, but this is still an extremely dangerous team and +600 odds are very attractive.
They finished 2022 with the sixth-best defense in the league but it always felt like there were issues. Remedying that will be priority number one this offseason, followed by getting Allen even more toys (if they draft Bijan Robinson…). Either way, Buffalo is going to be something else in 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs (+600)
It is the hardest thing in the NFL to actually run it back and great teams have tried each and every year. No team since the 2004 and 2005 New England Patriots teams have been able to run it back. As of now, the Chiefs have the best chance to do so.
The Chiefs seem immune to all kinds of curses, superstitions, and the like, so the Super Bowl hangover that plagued the LA Rams this year shouldn’t apply. Patrick Mahomes will be back and that’s that. With a second title under his belt, Mahomes is already being mentioned as the chosen one to unseat Tom Brady as GOAT.
Despite losing one of the best receivers in the league, the Chiefs leaned on eight rookies to win it all. If the Chiefs manage to draft as well as they did in 2022 this year, there’s no saying how high their ceiling could be. After rattling off a few early wins, the Chiefs could rise their already best Super Bowl odds and be an overwhelming favorite.
Perhaps then Travis Kelce will stop with this idea that the Chiefs were underdogs and counted out.
Main Image: Joe Rondone/The Republic – USA TODAY
