Odds to Win the 2016-2017 AFC Championship
The Denver Broncos will open the 2016 NFL regular season as defending Super Bowl Champions, but the oddsmakers are not all that high on their chances to even win their division. BetOnline has recently updated its futures odds to win the AFC for all 16 teams in this conference and right now the numbers point to a two-team race.
A new season in the NFL gets underway in early September, but BOL is already looking way down the line with updated odds to win both of the conference championships as well as Super Bowl LI. While there are a pair of clear favorites to meet in the AFC title game, there are a few other contenders that might have something to say about that.
New England has won the AFC East 12 of the last 13 seasons so it is highly unlikely that 2016 will be any different. The Patriots’ betting odds to go on and win the conference are the best on the board at +275 after losing to Denver in the title game in 2015. The only glitch is quarterback Tom Brady’s pending four game suspension to start the year.
The New York Jets (+2200) and the Buffalo Bills (+2500) are expected to battle things out for a possible wildcard spot in the playoffs and Miami’s odds to win the AFC fall to +3600.
The second-favorite to win the AFC is Pittsburgh at +475 after finishing second to Cincinnati (+650) in the AFC North last season at 10-6. The Steelers last won an AFC title in 2010 and the Bengals losing streak in the opening round of the playoffs stands at five.
Baltimore has usually been in the mix to win the division title, but the Ravens took a big step backwards in 2015 at 5-11. Their odds to make a surprising run to an AFC title are set at +1400 while the woeful Cleveland Browns have the longest odds on the board at +6600.
This should be one of the tightest division races in the NFL this season, but when it comes to winning the conference, Indianapolis has the best odds of the four teams at +900. The Colts’ chances to improve upon last year’s disappointing 8-8 record hinge heavily on quarterback Andrew Luck’s ability stay healthy for all 16 games.
Houston has the next best odds at +1600 after winning the South last season at 9-7 and Jacksonville (+2500) is expected to be more of a factor in the division race this season. Tennessee went 3-13 last season behind rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans are +5000 longshots to win the AFC.
The tenuous quarterback situation in Denver has the Broncos listed at +800 odds to return to the Super Bowl out of the AFC with rival Kansas City right on their heels at +900 odds to take their place. The Chiefs are coming off an 11-win season with the potential to add to that total in 2016.
Do not go to sleep on Oakland in the AFC West race at +1200 odds to win the conference after improving to 7-9 last season. The prospect for San Diego turning things around from a 4-12 mark in 2015 does not look all that good as a +3600 longshot
It is easy to jump on the Patriots' bandwagon as perennial favorites to win the AFC, but you never know how this team will get out of the gate if Brady has to sit out the first four games. Pittsburgh is still going to run into some stiff competition just to win its division and no matter which team wins the South it will not have enough wins to avoid playing on the road in a conference title game.
That leaves Kansas City as my top pick to win the AFC this season. Denver is going to take a big step backwards to let the Chiefs to earn the top seed in the conference and a clear path to Super Bowl LI.
AFC Team Odds to Win
- New England Patriots +350
- Pittsburgh Steelers +525
- Cincinnati Bengals +800
- Denver Broncos +800
- Kansas City Chiefs +900
- Indianapolis Colts +1000
- Baltimore Ravens +1400
- Oakland Raiders +1400
- Houston Texans +1800
- Jacksonville Jaguars +2200
- Buffalo Bills +2500
- New York Jets +2500
- Miami Dolphins +3300
- San Diego Chargers +3300
- Tennessee Titans +4000
- Cleveland Browns +5000