Super Bowl LII Contenders Slide Following Upsets in Week 4
Scott Morris | October 3, 2017
The 2017 NFL regular season continues its trend of unpredictability after Week 4 saw the Patriots, Cowboys and Falcons all lose at home. However, it appears that the Seahawks are turning things around following their 48-16 rout of the shorthanded Colts.
The Houston Texans behind rookie quarterback Deshaun Watson could be this season’s sleeper pick after their strong performance last week in knocking off the Tennessee Titans.
The loss by New England is the most significant of any of the Super Bowl contenders. The Patriots are now 2-2 after going 14-2 over the entire 2016 NFL regular season. New England sits behind the 3-1 Buffalo Bills in the AFC East, and is tied with the lowly New York Jets.
Due to its poor start to the season, New England’s Super Bowl LII futures moved to +450 from +350 the previous week. Not only has New England already lost a pair of games this season, but their two losses have come at home in Gillette Stadium.
Dallas saw its Super Bowl futures swell to +1400 following its loss on Sunday at home to the Los Angeles Rams, and now must regroup and prepare for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in a Week 5 marquee game for the NFL.
Dallas opened as 2-point chalk in its game against Green Bay but is 1-6 straight up in its past seven games against the Packers. The Cowboys will be at home, but with its loss last Sunday at home to the Rams, it appears home field is not that much of an advantage for the struggling NFC East defending champions.
Atlanta is 3-1 after losing on Sunday to the Buffalo Bills, and their wins over both Chicago and Detroit could have easily been losses. The Falcons also are facing a tougher NFC South division as both New Orleans and Carolina appear to be turning their seasons around after starting poorly.
The Kansas City Chiefs are moving up on the futures board. The Chiefs moved to 4-0 on Monday when they defeated the Washington Redskins and are the NFL’s only unbeaten team.
New England continues to top the futures board for Super Bowl LII at +450, but Green Bay is creeping closer at +750 and Atlanta, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City are all at +1000.
