NFL playoff odds: Dolphins, Bears among best bets
Though much of the attention is generally paid to the Super Bowl and win totals markets, one of the best places to find value in the NFL is postseason odds, especially with the expanded 14-team field that began a year ago.
With the season just two weeks away, here are the playoff odds at theScore Bet with our favorite bets to make and miss the postseason:
| TEAM | MAKE | MISS |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | -1000 | +600 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -750 | +525 |
| Buffalo Bills | -400 | +330 |
| Baltimore Ravens | -330 | +260 |
| Cleveland Browns | -230 | +185 |
| San Francisco 49ers | -200 | +160 |
| Los Angeles Rams | -190 | +160 |
| Tennessee Titans | -160 | +130 |
| Dallas Cowboys | -155 | +125 |
| Seattle Seahawks | -130 | +100 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | +110 | -140 |
| New England Patriots | +110 | -140 |
| New Orleans Saints | +110 | -130 |
| Miami Dolphins | +120 | -150 |
| Denver Broncos | +150 | -170 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +150 | -180 |
| Washington Football Team | +150 | -180 |
| Arizona Cardinals | +175 | -210 |
| Chicago Bears | +210 | -260 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +225 | -275 |
| New York Giants | +225 | -265 |
| Carolina Panthers | +250 | -300 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +280 | -340 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | +330 | -400 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +350 | -475 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | +400 | -550 |
| New York Jets | +575 | -900 |
| Houston Texans | +950 | -1600 |
Miami Dolphins (+120)
The Dolphins are tied for the AFC's fifth-highest win total (9.5) and have the sixth-shortest odds to win the conference, yet they're underdogs to make the playoffs. In a field with seven playoff teams, something simply isn't adding up.
Aside from the basic math, Miami is a solid bet to make the postseason in what profiles as a breakout season for second-year passer Tua Tagovailoa. He'll be surrounded by dynamic playmakers at receiver and a chaotic defense that ranked fifth in points allowed per drive in 2020.
Chicago Bears (+250)
There are a handful of teams worth betting with dominant defenses and uncertain but intriguing quarterback options - namely the Bears, Broncos, and Washington. Chicago has the longest playoff odds of them all but may have the highest upside given the talent on the roster.
The Bears' playoff chances hinge on whether Andy Dalton or promising rookie Justin Fields can deliver during the regular season. But don't discount a defense that ranked in the top 10 in points allowed per drive and yards allowed per drive in each of the last three seasons - resulting in two trips to the postseason despite worse quarterback play than what Chicago should get in 2021.
Best bets to miss playoffsSeattle Seahawks (+100)
With the emergence of the Rams and 49ers as legitimate title favorites, somebody in the NFC West is going to pay the price. And though the Cardinals are risky in their own right, the Seahawks are still priced as playoff favorites despite a rough offseason and plenty of question marks entering 2021.
Chief among them is a defense that struggled in 2020 despite consistently favorable field position, and it's only gotten worse thanks to cost-cutting moves in the secondary and along the defensive front. Pair that with a flimsy offensive line that continues to put undue pressure on Russell Wilson to act as a miracle worker, and I'm not buying Seattle as a playoff team this time around.
Dallas Cowboys (+125)
If the Cowboys are perfectly healthy in 2021, they'll be a playoff team. But can we be certain of that? Dak Prescott is still recovering from a gruesome ankle injury that could affect him all season long, as could the recent shoulder strain that has kept him out of the preseason.
It might be different if we knew Dallas was a playoff team without a healthy Prescott, but what we saw in 2020 was a disaster on both sides of the ball. His return should rejuvenate a talented offense, but there are too many questions on defense and with Prescott's health to ignore the plus-money value here.
C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com.
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