Rams Reclaim Title of Super Bowl 53 Favorites After Week 13
By Ryan Metivier in NFL Football
Updated: March 26, 2020 at 1:07 pm EDTPublished:
- With the league’s best record at 11-1 the LA Rams are now top favorites to win Super Bowl 53
- Do the Saints still pose a threat to LA’s number one seed?
- Are the Rams worth your money for a Super Bowl bet with average odds of +300?
A New Orleans loss, coupled by an LA Rams win in Week 13, has seen the Rams regain the distinction of being top favorites to win Super Bowl 53. Coming into Week 13, the Saints had average odds of +280 while the Rams trailed at +360.
After Week 13’s results, the Rams are now on top with average Super Bowl odds of +300 compared to the Saints who have slipped to +320.
Super Bowl 53 Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| LA Rams | +300 |
| New Orleans Saints | +330 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +550 |
| New England Patriots | +550 |
| LA Chargers | +1100 |
For a full list please click the link in the table.
Rams Regain Home Field Advantage
By virtue of their 30-16 win over Detroit and New Orleans’ loss, the Rams now own the NFC and league’s best record at 11-1.
That means the path to the Super Bowl currently runs through LA in the NFC. In fact LA are the only team who have officially clinched playoff participation with 100% probability.
Entering Week 14, which teams have the best chance to make the playoffs?
(via @cfrelund) https://t.co/5CfbvPSeg1
— NFL (@NFL) December 5, 2018
Though the Lions made the Rams work for it in a close game on Sunday, LA eventually did enough to pull away in the end.
While there is still plenty of jockeying for playoff positions over in the AFC, the Rams only real threat to their number one seed is the Saints.
LA should feel confident when you consider their remaining schedule features opponents who have combined for a 19-29 record.
LA should feel confident in maintaining this positioning when you consider their remaining schedule features opponents who have combined for a 19-29 record.
Their toughest challenge will likely come on Sunday Night Football this week when they travel to Soldier Field to take on the Bears. At 8-4 Chicago are the only remaining team with a winning record that LA will face.
The @RamsNFL are back on top in the NFC. pic.twitter.com/HTzrJxr5Gl
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 4, 2018
However, even at that, the Rams are currently three-point road favorites and could be facing a Bears team without starting QB Mitchell Trubisky.
Should LA leave Chicago with a win, it should be clear sailing to close out the regular season. They’ll then return home to face a 6-6 Eagles team, which has looked nothing like last season’s Super Bowl winners, and then travel to the 3-9 Cardinals and host the 2-10 San Francisco 49ers.
Can Saints Rebound After TNF Defeat?
Rarely can a team go wire-to-wire without facing some adversity. The Saints had been flying high behind MVP candidate Drew Brees having not lost since a Week 1 defeat to Tampa Bay.
The Saints ten-game win streak came to an end with a thud in an underwhelming performance last Thursday. After scoring 30 or more points in each of their previous five wins, and 40+ three times (and over 50 once), New Orleans managed only ten against Dallas in a 13-10 defeat.
Drew Brees leads the @NFL in comp. pct. (75.5 pct.) &
rating (123.2) & ranks 3rd in pass TDs (30)#GoSaints | #ProBowlVote https://t.co/vAEILC4DYH— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 4, 2018
New Orleans had actually looked the most complete team prior to their most recent loss. Especially when you consider they are responsible for the Rams’ only loss of the season, a 45-35 Saints win in Week 9.
The Saints will face a slightly tougher final month against teams which combine for a record of 24-23-1.
The 5-7 Bucs are currently the only team with a losing record which the Saints will face this Sunday. They’ll then travel to the 6-6 Panthers, host the 7-4-1 Steelers, and close out the season once again against the Panthers.
Are The Rams Worth A Super Bowl Bet?
Absolutely. The Rams, but also the Saints are the clear top contenders in the NFC, and from an odds perspective, the league overall as well.
.@ColinCowherd's NFC Playoff Tiers:
Tier 1: Rams, Saints
Tier 2: Cowboys, Bears
Tier 3: Everybody Else pic.twitter.com/NqMCvbMAa3— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) November 30, 2018
Should LA win out, or if New Orleans suffers any further slip ups, LA will maintain home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, which will give them the inside track to playing in Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta.
Sports Editor
Ryan is SBD's resident soccer pro, though his repertoire is by no means limited to a single sport. His articles have been published by the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and the Kitchener Rangers, and outlets like SportsXpress and Shredthespread.com
