The NFL offseason is plugging along. Training camp has started and on Aug. 1, football returns with the Hall of Fame game.
The pregame narrative: The real football doesn't begin until September, which is when the Kansas City Chiefs will attempt something no team has accomplished in the Super Bowl era — pull off a three-peat. KC is the offseason favourite, but the San San Francisco 49ers aren't far behind.
Check out the latest Super Bowl 59 odds.
Super Bowl 59 odds
Go to the latest Super Bowl LIX odds. Click linked odds to bet now.
Super Bowl betting favourites
The favourites: Kansas City Chiefs (+600)
As the Chiefs marched to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five seasons — and their third win — the primary knock on them was a lack of receiving threats.
That didn't stop them from winning the title, though. And it likely won't be as much of a perceived issue this year.
Kansas City spent its first round pick on speedy wideout Xavier Worthy, who had the highest NFL combine athleticism grade among WR draftees. The Chiefs also brought in Hollywood Brown, a former 1,000-year receiver and should get plenty of production from rising sophomore Rashee Rice (post-suspension).
Oh, and Travis Kelce hasn't gone anywhere.
L'Jarius Sneed's departure aside, last year's No. 2-ranked defence (scoring and yardage) is largely intact.
With Patrick Mahomes under centre, the Chiefs are always going to like their chances. But they've also built a legitimately scary team around him, and a three-peat is absolutely on the table.
Bills' Super Bowl odds
Buffalo Bills (+1,400)
At home, with a lead entering the fourth quarter, Buffalo had a golden opportunity to knock off Kansas City and ascend to the AFC championship for just the second time since the early-90s.
Instead, Buffalo's offence fell flat as time wound down. And that inspired an offseason of palpable change.
Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis will both catch passes for different quarterbacks this fall. Josh Allen's arsenal is unproven, with young players like Dalton Kincaid and Keon Coleman expected to take leading roles.
Much like Mahomes, Allen is a quarterback worth believing in. But three consecutive exits in the divisional round hasn't helped Allen's reputation as a big-game performer.
Super Bowl 59 betting notes
- The Texans feel like a trendy pick at 16-to-1. They boast the 2023 Rookie of the Year winners on both sids of the ball in C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson, and they shelled out some draft capital to add Diggs to an already talented WR room. As the favourites to repeat in the AFC South, the Texans are on a feasible path to host at least one playoff game.
- Perhaps you're still getting used to the idea of the Lions (+1,200) being genuine Super Bowl contenders. But it's true, and they don't seem to be going anywhere. Detroit addressed its biggest need in the draft, snagging cornerback Terrion Arnold in the first round. Jared Goff already has plenty of weapons, but a glow-up from Jameson Williams would really boost the team's offensive ceiling.
- The AFC North is shaping up to be the deepest division in the NFL, which helps explain why the Browns are positioned as 40-to-1 long shots. The Browns should have a stout defence again, but the offence has some big questions to answer: How productive can Nick Chubb be after a complex knee injury? Is Deshaun Watson a championship-calibre QB? Can Jerry Jeudy unlock something with his new team?
