The Baltimore Ravens have everything going for them in the playoffs to make a serious run at Super Bowl LIV
The NFL playoffs are officially upon us. Throw out all the regular-season records and what teams have done up until this point, everyone now starts at 0-0 and has an equal shot of heading to Super Bowl LIV.
But in reality, some teams are better suited for it. And while any team can win any week, there are some really good reasons why the Baltimore Ravens will be the team representing the AFC this season.
Let’s take a look at the six reasons the Ravens will make a Super Bowl LIV run.
Lamar Jackson
Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images
This feels like such a cop-out answer but it’s still a valid one.
Jackson has been the most electric player in the league this season and has effectively been unstoppable along the way, becoming a record-setting machine in 2019. Whether it’s on the ground or through the air, Jackson has destroyed opposing defenses en route to massive victories.
For all the talk about defenses being able to figure him out in his second season or in a second matchup, Jackson has actually gotten better over the course of the year. And as we’ve seen all season long, Jackson opens up the entire Ravens offense, forcing opponents to spend resources on him only to see other players create big plays because of it.
Through 16 games, Jackson has been nothing short of amazing. There’s no reason to believe that’ll end in the playoffs.
The Baltimore Ravens have been dominant this season and currently host the best odds to win Super Bowl LIV, according to BetMGM
The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2019 regular season on a high note, winning their 12th consecutive game by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers. But in spite of their 14-2 record, all 12 teams in the postseason effectively start over at 0-0 now and the Ravens will have to prove their superiority in the playoffs.
However, thanks to their record and level of dominance over nearly every playoff team currently in the playoffs, oddsmakers are pegging them as the favorites to win Super Bowl LIV and hoist the Lombardi trophy.
According to BetMGM, the Ravens are +235 favorites, which is by far the best odds given to the 12 teams in the playoffs right now. That means if you were to place a $500 bet, you’d take home $1,675 total if Baltimore were to win the Super Bowl.
The next best set of odds goes to the San Francisco 49ers, who are +400. Behind the Ravens in the AFC is the Kansas City Chiefs at +450.
Baltimore took home the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture which will give them a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. They’ll take on the lowest remaining seed from the wild-card round. A win there would put them in the AFC championship game with the winner going to Super Bowl LIV to take on the NFC’s best team.
With each win, the Ravens’ odds are likely going to get worse for bettors. So, if you’re interested in putting down some cash on Baltimore, now would be the time to do it.
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Previewing the Super Bowl LIV champions futures odds with 1 week left in the regular season, with NFL futures, betting odds, picks and bets.
The NFL playoffs are nearly here as most of the playoff seeding is set heading into Week 17. What we know for sure is that the Baltimore Ravens are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and all seeding spots are still up for grabs in the NFC.
To get you prepared for the playoffs, here are the five best Super Bowl bets you should be making ahead of Week 17.
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1. New Orleans Saints (+500)
Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports
The Ravens (+225) are currently the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl this season, but those odds might be off. The Saints could finish anywhere from the NFC’s No. 1 seed to No. 3. They have an incredibly deep roster on both sides of the ball, and they have a head coach and a quarterback who have been in several big games together.
The Saints have looked incredible this season, with their only losses coming against the San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Atlanta Falcons. They look to be a team that is just starting to hit their stride and can win games in a variety of ways.
2. New England Patriots (+550)
Photo Credit: Winslow Townson – USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots are +550 underdogs to win the Super Bowl despite likely being the No. 2 seed in the AFC. Considering the history and the quality of their defense, those odds seem awfully low.
For the Patriots to win the Super Bowl, they will need to win a home playoff game and then will likely travel to Baltimore. But there is also the chance the Ravens could slip up against the Texans or Bills, giving the Patriots another home game. It’s just hard to envision the Patriots not playing in the AFC Championship Game, and if they make it to the Super Bowl, they will likely be favored once again due to their experience. At +550, there is finally value in betting on the Pats.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (+750)
Photo Credit: David Banks – USA TODAY Sports
More than likely, the Chiefs will be the No. 3 seed in the AFC, and that means they will face one of the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, or Oakland Raiders in the first round of the playoffs. Despite losing to Tennessee on the road this season, the Chiefs will open as big favorites against any of those three teams in the first round.
From that point on, the road will get much tougher for Kansas City. The saving grace for the Chiefs is they may still have the best offense in the NFL. Given the talent level of QB Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense, don’t be shocked if the Chiefs get hot on offense and make a run through the AFC to the Super Bowl. At +750, they are a strong bet to make before the playoffs begin.
4. Seattle Seahawks (+1200)
Photo Credit: Jim Dedmon – USA TODAY Sports
Despite an ugly Week 16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, the Seahawks still have a chance to clinch the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the NFC. While the No. 2 seed is so much more valuable, Seattle is a team that has proven it can go on the road and win games in the playoffs. They have one of the best head coach-quarterback pairings in the entire league, and the Seahawks’ experience in big games makes them incredibly difficult team to beat. At +1200, Seattle is a nice longshot bet to win the Super Bowl.
5. Green Bay Packers (+1400)
Photo Credit: Brad Rempel – USA TODAY Sports
With their win over the Vikings in Week 16, the Packers’ odds of having a first-round bye have moved all the way up to a 78% chance, according to the New York Times. As long as they take care of business in Week 17, the Packers will get a bye and will likely be the No. 2 seed in the AFC.
With a future Hall of Fame quarterback and a potential home playoff game in Round 2, the Packers are a great longshot bet to make a run in the playoffs. Can Aaron Rodgers get hot for three-straight games and lead the Packers to a Super Bowl win? He certainly can, and given the odds, this is a bet you should be making right now.
To get some action on the Super Bowl LIV Futures odds or other games, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
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The Baltimore Ravens can guarantee themselves a playoff spot if they beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 14
The Baltimore Ravens haven’t lost a game since September. Since losing two straight games at the tail end of the month, Baltimore has gone on a league-best eight-game winning streak to a 10-2 record. As they prepare for the Buffalo Bills in Week 14, the Ravens have a rare opportunity to clinch a playoff spot early.
If Baltimore beats Buffalo, they’ll be guaranteed a playoff berth regardless of how the rest of the season fares. The Ravens could also clinch a playoff berth in the other following ways:
Ravens win
Ravens tie + Titans loss or tie
Ravens tie + Texans loss or tie
Texans loss + Colts loss or tie + Titans-Raiders ends in a tie
As noted in our AFC North standings article, a Pittsburgh Steelers loss and Ravens win would see them also officially clinch the division crown in addition to earning a playoff spot.
Baltimore currently holds the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture thanks to beating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13 while the New England Patriots lost to the Houston Texans. If the Ravens are able to hold on to their No. 1 seed, they’ll head into the postseason with a first-round bye and force all their playoff opponents to play in Baltimore.
This is somewhat unfamiliar territory for the Ravens. In the 11 seasons Baltimore has gone to the postseason in franchise history, only one season (2011) saw them skip the wild card round. Most of the time, the Ravens have had to pick up wins in the final week of the season and in some cases, they needed some outside help to back into the playoffs. To clinch a berth early really indicates just how special this team is.
The event will take place on Miami Beach on Saturday, Feb. 1, the day before Super Bowl LIV at the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium.
Rob Gronkowski will be in Miami for the Super Bowl in February, but not anywhere near the field.
The retired New England Patriot announced his latest venture on Tuesday, a one-day music festival called “Gronk Beach.” Per the event’s website, the festival will feature some of his favorite musical acts like Diplo, Kaskade, Flo Rida, and Rick Ross.
The event will take place on Miami Beach on Saturday, Feb. 1, the day before Super Bowl LIV at the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium.
Hear the details from the Yo Soy Fiesta man himself in this announcement video:
Rob Gronkowski shut down the possibility of a 2019 NFL return on Tuesday morning.
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Rob Gronkowski shut down the possibility of a 2019 NFL return on Tuesday morning.
The former New England Patriots tight end previously said that he had a ‘big announcement’ to make on Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. ET. With a deadline to return to the team on Nov. 30, many people hoped for Gronkowski to announce that he was coming out of retirement.
That wasn’t the case. Gronkowski announced that he’ll be in Miami during Super Bowl LIV weekend for a music festival called ‘Gronk Beach’. The festival will take place on Saturday, Feb. 1 on Miami Beach.
This isn’t exactly the news that Patriots fans were hoping for, but it’s definitely not uncharacteristic of Gronkowski to hype up the event in this fashion. He hasn’t ruled out a return to the NFL in the future, but he’ll thoroughly enjoy his retirement for now.
Oddsmakers weren’t discouraged when the New Orleans Saints got tripped up against the Falcons. They still have great Super Bowl odds.
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It was certainly disappointing to see the New Orleans Saints come up short against the Atlanta Falcons, but that loss didn’t turn into a big hit for their Super Bowl odds. Per BetMGM, the Saints (+650) trail only the New England Patriots (+260) in the Super Bowl LIV betting lines. Along with the Baltimore Ravens (+700) and San Francisco 49ers (+750), they form the group of four teams with odds better than +1000 to win a title this year.
Here’s how the top 10 shakes out after those four contenders at the top:
Green Bay Packers +1000
Kansas City Chiefs +1200
Seattle Seahawks +1600
Philadelphia Eagles +1800
Minnesota Vikings +2000
Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans +2500
So obviously the oddsmakers aren’t bothered by a poor Saints effort in their latest loss. New Orleans is still perceived as a top team (maybe the top team) in the NFC, especially now that San Francisco lost in a dramatic overtime finish on Monday night.
It’ll be fascinating to see how things develop down the stretch as the Saints, 49ers and Packers each compete for the top two playoff seeds in the conference. The 49ers will play the Packers (at home) and the Saints (on the road) twice in three weeks, with a road contest against the Ravens squeezed in between, adding even more intrigue.
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