Week 2 of the 2010 NFL season is officially in the books. One quarter of the league is undefeated, one quarter is winless, and the remaining 50 percent stand at 1-1 through two games. As Tunch Ilkin said to maryrose during an interview here on BTSC, the dynamics of the NFL change about every four weeks. So, it's too early to break out the anointing oil just yet, or time to write off teams that have the personnel to get hot at some point. I still enjoy tracking the general sentiment of fans, the media and bettors. I did so this offseason by watching each team's Super Bowl odds fluctuate after significant calendar dates like the Draft, and after rosters started to take form during mini-camps and training camp during the summer months. So let's take a look at what we have through two weeks.
First, a sampling of Power Rankings...
ESPN Power Rankings: No. 5 (Last Week: No. 10)
With a punishing defense, it's scary to think how good the Steelers will be when QB Ben Roethlisberger returns (Walker)
FOX Sports Power Rankings: No. 2 (Last Week: No. 3)
Once they get starting QB Ben Roethlisberger back from his four-game suspension, the Steelers could very well be the AFC's best team. It's amazing how getting DE Aaron Smith and SS Troy Polamalu back healthy can seemingly make their defense dominant once again. The Buccaneers are in for a dose of reality this week.
SB Nation Power Rankings: No. 5 ; (Last Week: No. 10)
The Steelers ability to sustain their success despite missing Ben Roethlisberger is impressive. They'll have a good shot at starting 3-0 against the Bucs next week. It looks like, as usual, the Steelers will be a very good team (and even better when Roethlisberger returns).
NBC Sports Power Rankings: No. 2
Whatever Troy Polamalu is getting paid, it isn't nearly enough.
Walter Football Power Rankings: No. 4 (Last Week: No. 6)
Wow. Imagine how good this team will be when Ben Roethlisberger's suspension is over. I'd say they'd be as powerful as a big drunk man who forces opposing teams into bathrooms and does naughty things with them, but I used that awesome joke last week.
Very interesting. So it looks like some of the pundits have taken notice of the Steelers' impressive 2-0 start to the year. Hard not to when you play that dominantly against what was thought to be one of the NFL's more potent offenses.
How about NFL betting trends? Here, the data suggest that the betting public has not yet caught on. Understandably so. Who wants to wager any money on the Steelers before seeing how Big Ben fares upon his return in Week 6?
Team | Odds (Feb.) | Odds (post Draft) | Odds (mid-June) | Odds (mid-July) | Odds (mid-Sept) |
Arizona Cardinals | 35/1 | 40/1 | 40/1 | 40/1 | 80/1 |
Atlanta Falcons | 30/1 | 25/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 22/1 |
Baltimore Ravens | 20/1 | 18/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 | 10/1 |
Buffalo Bills | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 400/1 |
Carolina Panthers | 40/1 | 30/1 | 35/1 | 35/1 | 150/1 |
Chicago Bears | 35/1 | 35/1 | 35/1 | 30/1 | 28/1 |
Cincinnati Bengals | 30/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 25/1 |
Cleveland Browns | 100/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 300/1 |
Dallas Cowboys | 12/1 | 11/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 | 18/1 |
Denver Broncos | 50/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 50/1 | 80/1 |
Detroit Lions | 100/1 | 80/1 | 90/1 | 90/1 | 250/1 |
Green Bay Packers | 12/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 14/1 | 13/2 |
Houston Texans | 35/1 | 28/1 | 28/1 | 25/1 | 16/1 |
Indianapolis Colts | 13/2 | 8/1 | 9/1 | 9/1 | 8/1 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | 50/1 | 70/1 | 70/1 | 70/1 | 100/1 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 100/1 | 100/1 | 90/1 | 90/1 | 50/1 |
Miami Dolphins | 45/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 22/1 |
Minnesota Vikings | 12/1 | 14/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 | 28/1 |
New England Patriots | 10/1 | 9/1 | 12/1 | 12/1 | 14/1 |
New Orleans Saints | 10/1 | 9/1 | 9/1 | 9/1 | 7/1 |
New York Giants | 20/1 | 25/1 | 25/1 | 25/1 | 25/1 |
New York Jets | 25/1 | 12/1 | 10/1 | 10/1 | 12/1 |
Oakland Raiders | 100/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 80/1 | 125/1 |
Philadelphia Eagles | 16/1 | 18/1 | 18/1 | 18/1 | 40/1 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 11/1 | 18/1 | 20/1 | 20/1 | 16/1 |
San Diego Chargers | 8/1 | 10/1 | 11/1 | 11/1 | 12/1 |
San Francisco 49ers | 45/1 | 30/1 | 30/1 | 25/1 | 40/1 |
Seattle Seahawks | 45/1 | 40/1 | 40/1 | 50/1 | 85/1 |
St. Louis Rams | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 300/1 |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 100/1 | 80/1 |
Tennessee Titans | 25/1 | 28/1 | 28/1 | 28/1 | 35/1 |
Washington Redskins | 50/1 | 28/1 | 25/1 | 25/1 | 40/1 |
Couple of noteworthy trends:
- Despite being 0-2, people are apparently still believers in the Dallas Cowboys. Dang, I wish I owned a sportsbook and earned a bunch of free money every year from the suckers who think Tony Romo is going to take his team to the promised land.
- Just because it might be a race to 7 wins to get into the playoffs from the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers (40/1) and the Arizona Cardinals (80/1) are decent values.
- The Philadelphia Eagles may very well miss the playoffs, but they're explosive enough at multiple positions (offense, defense, and special teams) to be considered a good value. I don't think the NFC East winner emerges with more than 10 wins this year, so again, if they can just make the postseason party, who knows what might happen.
- The Steelers are still a great value at 16:1. Those odds are only going to continue falling after Ben Roethlisberger returns, and hopefully as the Steelers continue to win and show off their amazing defense.
We'll keep tabs on the Power Rankings each week just for fun, as well as revisit these odds a bit later down the road. More soon from me on Sunday's victory.