Dolphins are still underdogs in AFC East, but oddsmakers say it’s not by as much as usual
The Miami Dolphins are still the long shot in the AFC East, but Tom Brady’s departure from the New England Patriots means oddsmakers are giving the Dolphins a better shot to win the division than in past years.
Caesars Entertainment Corporation released its initial win totals, division, playoff and Super Bowl odds for the 2020 season Thursday and the sportsbook pegs Miami as a 45-1 long shot to win the division with its win total over-under set at six. It’s still a low total, but a step up from last season, when the Dolphins’ win total was set at 4 1/2. Miami hit the over with five wins by upsetting the Patriots 27-24 in the season finale.
A big reason for Miami’s more manageable 45-1 odds to win the division is the presumed drop-off New England will have without Brady. The Patriots are still the favorite to win the division with 9-1 odds, according to Caesars’ sportsbook, but their over-under win total is set at 8 1/2, which is worse than the Buffalo Bills’ nine.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who signed Brady last month, have a win total set at nine and better Super Bowl odds than New England.
“My raw number on the Patriots is less than eight” Caesars head oddsmaker Jeff Davis told ESPN. “Outside of the secondary, which is one of the best in the league, the rest of their roster I think is one of the worst in the NFL.”
The Bills have the second best odds to win the division at 12-1 and the New York Jets sit in third at 20-1 with a win total set at 6 1/2. Both New England and Buffalo are favored to reach the postseason, while the Jets and Dolphins are favorite to miss out on the playoffs. Miami is -700 to miss the playoffs and +500 to make it. The Dolphins are also +1,000 to win the division, meaning a bet of $100 on Miami to win the East would net $1,000 if the Dolphins pulled it off.
Miami remains one of the four biggest long shots to win Super Bowl 55 with 100-1 odds. Only the Washington Redskins, with 150-1 odds, and Jacksonville Jaguars, with 125-1 odds, are bigger long shots to win the Super Bowl. The Cincinnati Bengals, who have the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft next Thursday, also have 100-1 odds. No other team has odds worse than 60-1.
The defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl favorites at 4-1, followed by the San Francisco 49ers at 7-1, Baltimore Ravens at 8-1 and the Dallas Cowboys at 11-1. The Patriots still have the best odds in the AFC East at 20-1, while the Buccaneers’ odds are set at 17-1.
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 10:58 AM.
