NFL Week 15 overreactions
USA TODAY’s Prince Grimes breaks down the best storylines from NFL Week 15.
Sports Seriously
Expect the unexpected.
If the 2025 NFL season has taught us one thing, it’s that. There is no telling what will happen from one week to the next in a season where the best and worst can be easily confused. That’s all in the name of parity, where it seems the NFL’s margins are closer than ever before.
Before Week 1, it was easy to pencil the Kansas City Chiefs in as the AFC representative in Super Bowl 60 and the Indianapolis Colts as a group that would have a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. After 15 weeks of the season, the opposite is almost true.
The Chiefs are officially eliminated from playoff contention and the Colts were positioning themselves as a Super Bowl contender for most of the year, until they brought 44-year-old Philip Rivers out of retirement to start at quarterback.
Again, expect the unexpected.
That leaves an intriguing group of teams with no clear favorite, even though the odds might say otherwise. The Los Angeles Rams and Denver Broncos are the favorites in their respective conferences, but this hasn’t been the year of the favorite – just look at how that’s working out for the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
With more twists and turns promised along the way, the NFL is more wide open than it has been in years. Here’s a look at the latest odds to win Super Bowl 60.
All odds listed are provided by BetMGM Sportsbook on Dec. 15. Access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a complete list.
BETTING BONUS: Here are the top sportsbook promo codes and bonuses right now
Super Bowl odds 2026
1. Los Angeles Rams: (+350)
In a league of good-but-not-great teams, the Rams feel like a class above the rest. It makes sense that they take the top spot with the best odds to win it all. They’ve been there, done that. Matthew Stafford is almost certainly going to be the league MVP and his supporting cast is even better. Injuries feel like the only thing capable of slowing down a consistent LA squad, who now have to worry about Davante Adams’ availability going forward.
For now, they are the team to beat.
2. Seattle Seahawks: (+700)
The Seahawks keep finding ways to get the job done and don’t let the potential wild card spot deter you from believing in Seattle. Mike Macdonald’s group almost seems more comfortable on the road than they are at home. It’s quite the plot twist for a Seahawks team, but that’s the reality in 2025. If Sam Darnold can exorcise his playoff demons – watch out.
3. Denver Broncos (+800)
The Broncos, Patriots or Chiefs have been the AFC champions in 11 of the past 12 seasons. The Chiefs are out. The Patriots showed some cracks in the armor in Week 15. Denver’s offense is still a question mark, but no one is going to question this defense. If defense truly wins championships, expect the Broncos to have plenty to say before the confetti falls in February.
4. Buffalo Bills (+850)
With Kansas City out of the picture, is it finally Buffalo’s time to shine? Josh Allen can do a lot, but he hasn’t been able to clear the Patrick Mahomes-sized hurdle in the postseason. Now he won’t have to.
The Bills have required Allen to play like an MVP and more to win this season. It’ll take a big effort, but it’s hard to discount a team that will almost certainly have a big quarterback advantage in every game they play.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (+1100)
The Eagles are the defending champions, but they aren’t playing like that. Philly did dominate Vegas in Week 15, but the Raiders are barely an NFL team at this stage of the season. If the Eagles offense starts clicking, then they can be a real threat. The problem is, they haven’t shown that ability consistently through 15 weeks.
6. Green Bay Packers (+1200)
Green Bay acquired Micah Parsons in the offseason to put them over the top. With Parsons reportedly having suffered a torn ACL in Week 15, the Packers are right back where they started. Tucker Kraft is already out for the season with a torn ACL of his own, while Christian Watson went down with an injury that isn’t believed to be serious.
The Packers are clinging to a playoff spot, where they feel destined to meet a familiar fate – good, but not good enough.
T-7. Houston Texans (+1300)
Houston’s defense is a problem for every team they play, but offense is a problem for Houston. In other words, they are the store brand version of the Broncos when it comes to Super Bowl odds.
T-7. New England Patriots (+1300)
Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye were good enough to win 10 games in a row. By rule, that can’t be a fluke. However, the strength of opponent does come into play and those cracks began to show in their second half meltdown against the Bills.
New England feels like a team that is a year away from being a real threat.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (+1800)
What version of Trevor Lawrence are the Jaguars getting? The fact that there isn’t a definitive answer is telling. Jacksonville took a huge step forward in 2025. Their streakiness will determine whether they are primed for a deep run or early exit.
10. San Francisco 49ers (+2000)
Injuries are no excuse if you ask the 49ers. They are winning with and without key players all over the field. That’s good enough for the regular season grind. Is it good enough when the margins are finer in the postseason?
11. Baltimore Ravens (+2500)
Lamar Jackson has had an uneven 2025. Even with that, the Ravens are in a good spot to steal the AFC North from the rival Steelers. It’ll take some work, but Baltimore can be a threat if they get in after a difficult season where nothing has gone right.
T-12. Chicago Bears (+3000)
Ben Johnson could probably scheme open an 86-year-old Mike Ditka and no one would question it for a second. The Bears keep finding ways to win. Now it’s a question of whether their reliance on turnovers is sustainable.
T-12. Detroit Lions (+3000)
Good luck making sense of Dan Campbell’s team. They look like a well-oiled machine one week and then struggle the next. Detroit is a team that is still learning how to live without their former coordinators on the sidelines and that is a problem in mid-December.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6600)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (+10000)
16. Carolina Panthers (+25000)
17. Indianapolis Colts (+30000)
18. Dallas Cowboys (+50000)
19. Miami Dolphins (+100000)
