ESPN Insider: Arizona Cardinals among best bets to reach Super Bowl 50
Apr 1, 2015, 10:13 PM | Updated: 10:14 pm
There is still plenty to sort out with regards to NFL rosters before we truly know what each team will look like in 2015.
More free agency, the draft, workouts and camps all must be completed before Week 1.
But that does not mean people are not placing odds on who will fare the best, as the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook has the Arizona Cardinals are 25-1 to win Super Bowl 50.
That, according to Dave Tuly in an ESPN Insider piece, makes them among the best bets, you know, if that’s your kind of thing.
While I’m sticking with the Steelers as my official pick, I like to have a rooting interest in each conference. Like Rynning’s pick above, the Cardinals were unceremoniously eliminated in the playoffs, losing 27-16 to Carolina. But while most people viewed Arizona as a laughingstock for only compiling an NFL playoff record-low 78 yards and losing by double digits, I see it as a positive that they weren’t blown out by 30 or 40 points. We all know the Cardinals were down to their third-string quarterback and had injuries up and down the lineup. Yet, they still led 14-13 at halftime and were within a touchdown until Ted Ginn Jr. fumbled a punt to set up the Panthers with an insurance touchdown.
Now Carson Palmer is back at QB with all of his same weapons. They lost two offensive linemen in free agency but replaced them with center A.Q. Shipley from Indy and left guard Mike Iupati. The defense has some new faces but should be among the league’s best units again. We’ll have to wait to see the schedule, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cardinals get off to another strong start, down to single digits and among the favorites again in the future book.
The Cardinals’ odds have improved, the story notes, as they were 30-1 on February 1, but even now are still behind 10 other teams according to the oddsmakers.
