The Bengals, Jets and Chargers are all quickly disappearing from the Super Bowl picture. [Image: Shutterstock.com]
Is it too late to save your Super Bowl odds?
The 2023 NFL season is just two weeks old, but the three teams ranked in the top 10 in Super Bowl odds — the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets and Los Angeles Chargers — already look as if their seasons may be over.
Entering a must-win game in Week 3
The Bengals are the biggest shocker of the bunch as they were among the top five in preseason Super Bowl odds. But they, along with the Chargers, are now 0-2 and entering a must-win game in Week 3.
Can any of these teams salvage their season, or do they need to accept that their Super Bowl window has already closed? Let’s take a deeper look.
Super Bowl game-changing odds
Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have gone to the AFC Championship Game in each of the past two seasons and claimed the Super Bowl title two years ago. Although oddsmakers had the Buffalo Bills ahead of them, they were widely viewed as the Kansas City Chiefs’ No. 1 contender in the AFC.
The Bengals’ aspirations were dashed when Joe Burrow suffered a calf strain during training camp, but instead of giving him adequate time to rest and recover, they had him play in the team’s first two games of the season against tough divisional teams. Opponents.
They were only one team in NFL history that started 0-3 and still made the playoffs
Needless to say, this decision has come back to haunt Cissi’s decision-makers, as they are now 0-2 and Boro has aggravated his injury. It now appears he will miss two weeks, which is significant because there has only been one team in NFL history that started 0-3 and still made the playoffs (2018 Houston Texans).
Last year’s AFC runner-up dropped from around +1000 points before the start of the season Super Bowl odds To +2000. That number still represents the eighth-shortest odds in the league, but they are now in a category of contenders that includes teams like the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns.
If Burrow were to miss significant time, the Bengals’ chances of making the playoffs, let alone winning the Super Bowl, would be virtually zero. This is a high price to pay for being so careful and letting him out in the first week, but it is the reality.
New York Jets
The Aaron Rodgers era with the New York Jets lasted four snaps before reaching its crushing end. Rodgers is hoping his torn Achilles tendon can be repaired and ready in time for the playoffs, but that’s unlikely to happen.
Even if Rodgers defied all modern medical expectations and prepared in a third of a year, the chances of his Jets survival were extremely low. That’s because, despite a completely unexpected Monday Night Football win in Week 1, they still have Zach Wilson at quarterback.
12/27 for 170 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions
In three years as a pro, Wilson has a completion percentage of 55.1%. He threw 17 touchdowns to 22 interceptions. His final attempt against the Dallas Cowboys saw him go 12/27 for 170 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions.
The Jets’ odds declined in every futures market the moment Rodgers took to the turf. Right now, the Jets have gone from +1600 to +7000 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and are -600 to miss the playoffs.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers bowed out of the postseason last year in memorable fashion with a 27-0 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. They entered the new year with a renewed spirit, a stronger roster, and a clean bill of health.
Despite ranking fourth in yards gained and sixth in points scored, Los Angeles is now 0-2 and staring down the dreaded 0-3 start.
They can’t win important games when it matters most
The Chargers have dealt with all kinds of problems in recent years, whether it’s coaching mistakes, poor decision-making, or injuries, but a recurring theme is that they can’t win important games when it matters most.
The Bolts have a chance to get their season back on track in Week 3 when they face a Minnesota Vikings team that plays an excellent offense. They have a +3000 odds of going into the Super Bowl, down from the +2300 they started the year with.
