Seahawks May Be Record Super Bowl Long Shot; Patriots Picked by Oddsmakers

The Seattle Seahawks may have the longest shot of any playoff team in National Football League history to win the Super Bowl, according to Las Vegas oddsmakers.

The NFL’s postseason begins this weekend with the New England Patriots 6-5 favorites to win their fourth league championship in 10 years. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the second choice among the 12 teams at 9-2, followed by the Atlanta Falcons at 5-1.

The Seahawks have 250-1 Super Bowl odds after becoming the first NFL team with a losing record (7-9) to qualify for the playoffs in a non-strike season. Jeff Sherman, the assistant manager at the Las Vegas Hilton’s Race and Sports Book, said he can’t remember a playoff team with longer odds in more than 20 years of setting betting lines.

“You get to this juncture and these teams are supposed to be competitive enough if they’re at home,” Sherman said in a telephone interview. “It says a lot to be getting double digits at home in a playoff situation.”

The Seahawks, champions of the National Football Conference West, are 10-point underdogs in their Jan. 8 postseason opener against New Orleans even though they’re at home and the Saints have never won a road playoff game.

Seattle lost to the defending Super Bowl champions 34-19 in New Orleans on Nov. 21. The Seahawks would have to beat the Saints and then win two more games on the road as underdogs to reach the NFL’s championship game, which is scheduled for Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium outside Dallas.

‘Historically Futile’

As a result, the Seahawks’ chances of winning the Super Bowl are longer now than at the beginning of the season, when they were 50-1. RJ Bell, president of Las Vegas-based handicapping information website Pregame.com, said the city’s sports books generally have been reluctant to offer high future odds for the NFL since the 1999 St. Louis Rams won the Super Bowl after having 200-1 odds at the start of the season.

“The fact that Vegas is now putting higher odds on a playoff team speaks volumes about how historically futile they consider Seattle’s chances,” Bell said in an e-mail.

The Kansas City Chiefs have the next-longest Super Bowl odds at 40-1, followed by the New York Jets at 25-1, according to Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which helps Nevada’s sports books establish betting lines.

Seattle has been overmatched in more than half its games, with all nine losses coming by at least 15 points. For the season, the Seahawks were outscored by almost 100 points and beat only two teams with winning records.

Winning Record

The only way the Seahawks can finish with a winning record is by taking the Super Bowl title.

“It doesn’t matter what’s happened before,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said yesterday at a news conference. “It matters what’s coming up next. We’re in and what matters now is, will we rise up again this week?”

Dan O’Brien, a senior oddsmaker at Las Vegas Sports Consultants, said he doubts that any NFL playoff team has had longer Super Bowl odds than the Seahawks.

“It’s tough to imagine,” O’Brien said. “You’d have to go back to a team having to beat the dominant (Chicago) Bears or dominant San Francisco) 49ers back in the 1980s. Even then you’re talking about only two layers (of playoffs), not that third game. That’s another multiplier as well.”

Best Record

The Patriots, who started the season as the No. 5 pick to win the Super Bowl at 9-1, are the favorites after rolling to an NFL-best 14-2 regular-season record.

They scored a league-leading 518 points, earned a bye during the first round of the playoffs and have the chance to play two postseason games at home, where quarterback Tom Brady has lost once since the start of the 2007 season.

The Jets have the third-longest odds because they would have to win three road games to reach the Super Bowl, starting with a Jan. 8 meeting with the Indianapolis Colts, the preseason favorites at 13-2. New York is about a 3-point underdog. A win would send the Jets to a second-round game in New England, where a 45-3 loss last month was their worst since 1986.

“If that game comes to fruition, a lot of people are going to say, ‘I’ve already seen this game,’” Sherman said. “And that’s not going to be a 3-point spread like this week.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan predicted a Super Bowl victory before the season and isn’t backing down, even if the odds are against his team.

“We’re going to give it a shot,” Ryan said during a news conference. “We believe we’re going to get it done.”

================================
TEAM                        ODDS
================================
New England Patriots         6-5
Pittsburgh Steelers          9-2
Atlanta Falcons              5-1
Philadelphia Eagles          8-1 Chicago Bears               10-1
New Orleans Saints          10-1
Baltimore Ravens            11-1
Green Bay Packers           12-1
Indianapolis Colts          14-1
New York Jets               25-1
Kansas City Chiefs          40-1
Seattle Seahawks           250-1
================================
Courtesy of Las Vegas Sports Consultants

2011 Super Bowl Odds: Patriots, Falcons Favored To Meet In Dallas

Online betting players woke up on Monday to find their updated Super Bowl odds, as the picture was finalized after Week 17 ended and now, the real fun begins next Saturday with the AFC wild-card round. Here is a look at the 12 teams looking to lift the Super Bowl trophy in Dallas on February 6th.
AFC

New England Patriots (+175): The Patriots have won eight in a row and have the probable MVP in Tom Brady, who powers the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. The defense is young, but makes plays when they need to, and we all know coach Bill Belichick is a defensive genius. Not to mention, they get a bye and will be at home, where they would love to avenge a loss to Baltimore from last year, and that is the only time since 2006 that Brady has lost at Gillette Stadium.

Pittsburgh Steelers (+600): The Steelers have won two of the last five Super Bowls, and they’re loaded with championship experience, and the defense is, well, a Pittsburgh defense (No.2 overall, No.1 in rushing by a mile). The offensive line has to protect Ben Roethlisberger better, but that’s not new. Troy Polamalu came back in the regular-season finale, and now has a week off to rest his injured Achilles.

Baltimore Ravens (+1400): The Ravens may have the Defensive Player of the Year in Ed Reed, who led the league in picks, but missed the first six weeks of the season. But overall, the Baltimore defense isn’t as fierce in the front seven as they used to be. Mainly, Baltimore’s NFL betting odds hinge on Joe Flacco, who has thrown one touchdown and six picks in five career playoff games. He has to be better if the Ravens are going to come out of the AFC.

Indianapolis Colts (+1600): Betting against a Peyton Manning team is one of the scariest things in the NFL, and this year is no different. The defense is sketchy and are missing one of the best players (Clint Session), the offensive line hasn’t been that great, and even though the ground game has improved in recent weeks, we’re still skeptical. Still…it’s Peyton Manning, and that means the Colts have a very good chance of getting to the AFC championship game, at least.

New York Jets (+2800): If you’re looking for a long shot bet, here you go. The Jets have been all over the map this year, and they haven’t really been dominant (six of their 10 wins have come by nine points or less), and there was the 45-3 debacle in New England, not to mention coach Rex Ryan’s off-field problems. But the Jets have all the talent to come out of the AFC, they just need quarterback Mark Sanchez to take care of the ball.

Kansas City Chiefs (+4000): The Chiefs are a great story, going from 4-12 to 10-6, and they’re hosting their first playoff game since 2003. But they looked out of sorts in their finale against Oakland, and that could be due to the impending exit of offensive coordinator Charlie Weis, who is going to the University of Florida. The running game is in good hands, but the big question mark is Matt Cassel, who has never thrown a pass in the playoffs. He has experience from being in New England, but he only got some mop-up time, back in 2005. Also, how will coach Todd Haley handle his first postseason trip?
NFC

Atlanta Falcons (+600): The Falcons are NFL betting monsters at the Georgia Dome, but they showed some nerves by losing to the Saints late in the season. Atlanta has played one playoff game since 2004, which they lost to Arizona in 2008, and now Matt Ryan is going to have a real chance to confirm his “Matty Ice” nickname. And do you trust the defense?

New Orleans Saints (+800): The defending champions showed they still may be the team to beat when the chips are down due to their win in Atlanta, and strangely, despite a worse record, they may be better than last year. The defense is stronger and more consistent, and even though Drew Brees hasn’t been spectacular, Brees at B+ is better than 95% of the league at A+.

Chicago Bears (+1000): When it comes to physical tools, there may not be any better quarterback in the league than Jay Cutler. But he makes some boneheaded throws, such as his last pick against Green Bay in the regular-season finale and it makes us wonder, can you really trust Jay Cutler in the playoffs right now? The Chicago defense may have to carry the team as we’re betting Cutler will throw at least two picks in his first playoff game….at least.

Green Bay Packers (+1200): The Packers are a better bet than the Bears, not only due to their win over them in Week 17, but we trust Aaron Rodgers far more than Cutler (concussions and all, although Cutler had some too), and Green Bay has a better secondary. Rodgers is really the key to Green Bay’s NFL betting chances here: he’s third in the league in passer rating.

Philadelphia Eagles (+1200): The Eagles are the most explosive team in the league, but we’re wondering how banged up Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson are after missing the final game of the regular season. Without these two, the Philadelphia offense is rather pedestrian. The defense lost their leader, linebacker Stewart Bradley, a couple of weeks ago as well. Healthy, the Eagles can play with any team, but they may have too many ailing players to even get past Green Bay in the first round.

Seattle Seahawks (+12500): The worst playoff team in the history of the league. Matt Hasselbeck will likely be back in the lineup after Charlie Whitehurst started the make-or-break game against St. Louis, but neither of those two inspire confidence. The defense is one of the worst in the league and have given up 30 points or more in eight of their 16 games. They also get the Saints in the first round, and we know the Seahawks are decent at home, but they’re not worth a dark horse wager in your sports betting book.

Was Super Bowl III greatest playoff upset?

Six Super Bowls top this list of the biggest postseason upsets in NFL history, including the top spot. But which game was it?

Was it Super Bowl XXXII, when Broncos QB John Elway finally won the big one? The Giants dealing the Bills the first of four losses in Super Bowl XXV? Lenny Dawson leading the Chiefs over the Vikings in Super Bowl IV? The birth of the Patriots dynasty in Super Bowl XXXVI?

This race seems to come down to two games — the Giants’ upset of the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, or the Jets over the Colts in Super Bowl III.

The Patriots were undefeated and expected to roll in that game, especially after dismissing the Giants in Week 17 of the 2007 season. But the Jets gave legitimacy to the American Football League and cemented the merger between the two leagues with their win. Tough call.

They counted down the list on “NFL Total Access” in the video above. After viewing that, be sure to weigh in with your own thoughts below.

Super Bowl XLV Patriots playoff primer

PFW examines the Patriots as they prepare for the playoffs, identifying the keys to the offense and the defense, a player to watch, and what they have to do to win the Super Bowl.

New England Patriots
14-2 / First place in AFC East

Keys to offense: The Patriots' offensive juggernaut succeeds when Tom Brady has time in the pocket to pick apart defenses with a short-to-intermediate passing game. Brady likes to get WRs Deion Branch and Wes Welker the ball in space and utilize his rookie tight ends, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. Both are threats up the seam and in the red zone, accounting for 16 touchdowns. The Patriots need to stay mistake-free. They turned the ball over the fewest times in NFL history (10), and Brady was sacked just 25 times. The breakout running game is good enough to keep defenses honest with the powerful BenJarvus Green-Ellis and shifty Danny Woodhead.

Keys to defense: The opportunistic defense is statistically the worst in Bill Belichick's tenure but leads the league in takeaways with 38. It's a bend-but-don't-break "D" that succeeds when it can force teams into 3rd-and-long situations. It has Pro Bowlers at each level, with NT Vince Wilfork and ILB Jerod Mayo stopping the run and rookie CB Devin McCourty, who has seven interceptions, manning the defensive backfield. The Patriots don't put a whole lot of pressure on quarterbacks, but they disguise their looks enough to confuse opponents into making mistakes.

Player to watch: To defeat New England, a team will have to score a lot of points. Teams likely will throw at CB Kyle Arrington, who has struggled at times. The Pats generally don't give up big plays, but teams will challenge Arrington down his sideline to avoid McCourty. If Arrington can keep receivers in check and make a big play or two, it will go a long way for the defense.

They'll win the Super Bowl if ... the defense continues creating turnovers. The offense will score points, but the defense has shown it will give up points. No one will beat New England if its defense takes the ball away at the rate it did the last eight regular-season games (24 takeaways).

Read More >> Super Bowl 2011  , Super Bowl XLV 

Brandt predicts the Falcons will reach Super Bowl XLV

Got to check in with two of my favorite folks around the league this week: the Godfather Gil Brandt and Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. I spoke with the Godfather about the importance of winning the No. 1 seed for the playoffs from a historical perspective. The Seahawks gave us Hasselbeck, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in sixth round of the 1998 draft out of Boston College, on the conference call. We’d asked for Lawyer Milloy.  (Usually, you get the defensive player and they don’t give you the quarterback.) The Godfather, who you can catch on NFL.Com and Sirius Radio these days, always give you more than you need. So I like to share his overflow with you all. “Go back into the 90s in the NFC,” Brandt said. “(Home-field) advantage was a huge, huge deal. It wasn’t quite as much in the AFC.” The NFC home-field advantage in the playoffs was six percent stronger in the 1990s. The home team won 74 percent of the time to 68 percent in the 2000s.

“I don’t think that the home team in most cases has as big of an advantage as they used to have because of the competitive balance in the league,” Brandt said. “It’s a lot closer than ever before. The other thing is that teams have the capabilities of making more big plays than we had 20 years ago or 15 years ago consequently, with that said, it gives the underdog a better chance. The team that comes to your city in the playoffs is the underdog.” The Falcons could wrap up the home-field in the NFC by winning out. The Saints had the home-field last season, but needed some late help from Brett Favre, to reach the Super Bowl. “In the case of the Atlanta Falcons, I think that the crowd is tremendous,” Brandt said. “I think that the quarterback plays really well at home. He plays good on the road, but he seems to play even better at home. I would say that in Atlanta’s case the home-field advantage is a huge, huge advantage.”

The Falcons are 19-3 at the Georgia Dome under Mike Smith. Ryan is 19-1 as a starter. THREE-GAME ROAD TRIP: Brandt noted that the Falcons are trying to win their third game in a row this week and how difficult that’s been. Since 2000, 35 teams have had a three-game road trip and only four teams have won all three. A win over Seattle and the Falcons can join the 2001 and 2005 Jacksonville Jaguars, 2005 Philadelphia Eagles and 2009 New York Giants as teams that have pulled off the feat.

Smith was on the 2005 Jacksonville staff. “It’s really tough to win all three,” Brandt said. “This is a huge game for them against Seattle.” FALCONS ARE SUPER BOWL BOUND: Brandt has been big on the Falcons all season. He predicted that Matt Ryan would win the MVP this season. Brandt helps out with the NFL draft each year and met Ryan and his family before the 2008 draft. On his radio show Brandt talks about how impressed he was with Ryan’s football acumen. “I still think that (the Falcons) right now are the best team in the NFC and I think they’ll have home-field advantage,” Brandt said. “I think they’ll be in Dallas in February.”

ON NEW ENGLAND’S SURGE: It’s pretty hard to ignore the surging New England Patriots. They dismantled the New York Jets and Sexy Rexy Ryan on Monday Night Football and then went to the Windy City and showed the Bears how to get it done in the snow.

“I think the competitive balance is so great,” Brandt said. “Every week we put up our rankings on NFL.com. I changed this week. For the last three, Atlanta was the No. 1 team. I put New England ahead of them this week simply because of what New England did on the road to Chicago. “I think that when you look at these teams, about eight of them are all pretty equal. New Orleans is a very, very good team. I think the Matt Hasselbeck was Brett Favre's understudy in Green Bay. (Associated Press) Matt Hasselbeck was Brett Favre's understudy in Green Bay. (Associated Press)

Giants are good. Philadelphia is good. I thought the Jets were good, but they seem to be going backwards.  We’ve got some really good teams. The scramble, the real scramble is going to be for those two wildcard spots, especially in the NFC. I think a team that has 10 wins in the NFC might not make it to the playoffs.”

HASSELBECK REFLECTS: I covered the Packers back when Hasselbeck was in the fold. I asked him to reflect on Favre’s 297-game streak. “It’s a great accomplishment,” Hasselbeck said. “I was talking to him on Monday before the game. He let me know, and I just said, ‘It was a great run, man. It was a great a career and congratulations. Who would have thought?’ “He almost did it in Atlanta. It was close. It was Chris Miller that kept him on the bench. Chris Miller and somebody else too. “He was so much fun to be around. I learned a lot from him. He’s a great storyteller. One of the best was when he wasn’t in the Atlanta Falcons team photo his rookie year and all of that. It’s good stuff.”

Read More >> Super Bowl 2011 , Super Bowl XLV , 2011 Super Bowl

Forward Progress: Which NFC Team Will Reach Super Bowl XLV?

After watching two of the NFC's best teams battle it out on Monday night football, it's time to start making sense of the NFC playoff picture. The Saints may have gotten the best of the Falcons this week, but it's clear that the two NFC South clubs are evenly matched and either of them is capable of representing the conference in Super Bowl XLV. With the Patriots looking like the favorite in the AFC, let's take a look at what the NFC has to offer.

Atlanta Falcons - Despite their loss on Monday night, the Falcons are still in position to clinch home field throughout the playoffs. Mike Smith's team has managed to stay relatively injury-free up to this point and will have a big role in how the NFC plays out in January.

Chicago Bears - Everyone kept waiting for the Bears' train to get derailed, but if anything, they have become stronger as the season progressed. Their defensive front seven consistently gets pressure on opposing quarterbacks and they are one of the few teams that match up well against pocket passers and mobile pivots like Michael Vick. Their win over the Jets in Week 16 was a sign that they are a legit challenger in the post-season.

Philadelphia Eagles - Regardless of how the Eagles fare in Tuesday's game against the Vikings, Andy Reid has once again led his team to the playoffs. Their comeback victory against the Giants showed just how explosive their offence can be, making no lead safe. The Hollywood script would see Vick return to Atlanta for the NFC championship game.

New Orleans Saints - Beating the Falcons was a big step for the 2010 Saints, who seem to have shaken their Super Bowl hangover. New Orleans may not have the same magic that propelled them to the Lombardi Trophy last season, but they have the weapons and experience to get back to the big game.

Green Bay Packers/New York Giants/Tampa Bay Buccaneers - All three teams are sitting at 9-6 heading into the final week, with only one wild card spot left. The Packers control their destiny after dominating the Giants this week. New York seems to be following their usual routine of coming undone near the end of the season. Tampa Bay is an exciting young club, but their record has been inflated by wins over bad teams and they will need a lot of help to get their hands on the golden ticket.

St. Louis Rams/Seattle Seahawks - Sam Bradford is a great story, taking the Rams from the first overall pick in the draft to the doorstep of the post-season. Now he needs to take his team into Seattle for a playoff-style game that will see the loser's season abruptly end. The Seahawks play much better at home, but they may be forced to go with Charlie Whitehurst at quarterback, as Matt Hasselbeck is dealing with a hip injury.

INS AND OUTS

In The Zone
If Josh Freeman's name wasn't in your football lexicon yet, then maybe his five-touchdown performance against the Seahawks will help get him in there. The Buccaneers quarterback should get some consideration as an MVP candidate as he has kept a young Tampa Bay team in playoff contention and likely saved head coach Raheem Morris' job in the process.

Out of Time
Not sure who plans on protecting Gotham City, but it won't be Terrell Owens (Batman) and Chad Ochocinco (Robin). The two likely played their last game together in Cincinnati and possibly their last games ever for the franchise. The Bengals upset the Chargers on Sunday, but that likely won't be enough to keep the old gang together in Cincy.

Back In The Hunt
When a four-game losing streak hit Indianapolis it looked like the Colts might sit this year out when it comes to the playoffs, but with one week to go they control their own destiny once again. The Jaguars, who are their only competition left in the AFC South, lost to the Redskins. A late-season loss to Washington should be more than enough to let Jacksonville know they don't deserve to play on wild card weekend.

Out of Nowhere
Here's a sentence I never thought I would type: Tim Tebow threw for 300 yards in an NFL game. Sure it came against the Texans' secondary, and it was primarily screens and wobbling passes, but it was still a 300-yard game. As someone who lost a friendly bet over the fact that Tebow was drafted in the first round, count me among the group of people who are surprised by his stat-line.

THIS WEEK IN HYPERBOLE

"It's hard to feel good about anything. I understand that it's a nice accomplishment and all that, but right now at this moment, with the way (Sunday went, the way the season has gone, it's not possible to feel good about it." Whether Kerry Collins was willing to admit it or not, I'm sure it had to feel at least a little nice to join such an elite club in NFL history. Collins became the 12th quarterback ever to throw for more than 40,000 passing yards in the NFL. He is sitting 98 yards behind Johnny Unitas, which doesn't seem right, but Collins has put together a surprisingly lengthy career. Collins also showed off his arm strength on Sunday when one of his passes went out off bounds and off the helmet of defensive lineman Jovan Haye, leaving Haye concussed. You can't make this stuff up. Head coach Jeff Fisher confirmed the concussion and that the training staff wouldn't let Haye return to the game.

DOWNRIGHT OFFENSIVE

Move over Matt Flynn. Aaron Rodgers came back to the Packers lineup with a 404-yard, four-touchdown showing in a must-win game against the Giants. The Pack put up 45 points and slid into the last wild card spot, at least for the time being. A win next week would lock down that position and have the Packers on the road the first week of the post-season.

EASIER SAID THAN DONE

"I probably won't say it a whole bunch. I'm proud of the guys. There's a lot of people who have struggled through some tough times. The reward in this business is winning, and winning big games. This just gives us an opportunity to play in some bigger games. We'll see how far we've come." Like a parent that doesn't know how to tell their kids they love them, Chiefs coach Todd Haley mustered up the courage to do just that after Kansas City clinched the AFC West crown on Sunday. Haley, along with general manager Scott Pioli have done an excellent job of making the Chiefs relevant again. The Hollywood script for Pioli would be a visit to Foxboro in January against his old Patriots team. I'm sure coordinators Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel, QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel feel the same.

HALFTIME

In a recent Ted Talk, Sir Ken Robinson points out ways the education system needs to modernize itself. One of the problems it faces is that the system was designed for a different time. He believes that educators need to revolutionize the current models in order to better help all students. The NFL knows about replacing a broken old model. The league will likely be bringing in a rookie pay scale, to reduce the obscene signing bonuses players get in the first round of the NFL draft. It should also help keep young players hungry to prove themselves as they learn how to succeed in the NFL.

COACHING ADJUSTMENTS

Kudos to the Lions, who have become the league's new road warriors. After ending their embarrassing streak of road losses, Detroit has put together back-to-back wins away from Ford Field. This week was particularly impressive as they scored 17 points late to shock the Dolphins. We could be witnessing the start of something good in Detroit, especially since they'll have another top ten pick to add to their roster. They could definitely use help in their secondary, which could come in the form of Nebraska CB Prince Amukamara or LSU CB Patrick Peterson.

THE DEFENCE RESTS

The defence rests took on a whole new meaning this week when two defensive juggernauts met in Chicago. A matchup between the Jets and Bears in bad weather was expected to be a defensive duel, but turned out to be anything but. Jay Cutler and the Bears posted 38 points, and the Jets added 34 of their own, in a back-and-forth battle that featured a surprising amount of trips to the end zone.

THE BIG SCREEN

"Can anybody tell me what's wrong with this picture?" -Bill Foster (Falling Down, 1993)

What's lost in the fight between Mike Singletary and Troy Smith was the role Ted Ginn played. Ginn came over and stuffed a towel into Smith's face in what appeared to be an attempt to calm things down. Ginn may very well have saved Smith's life in the process. While Singletary may not be the 49ers coach anymore, you still don't mess with Samurai Mike. Especially after you threw an interception to his future son-in-law. Rams S O.J. Atogwe is set to marry Singletary's daughter.

"I've passed the point of no return. Do you know what that is, Beth? That's the point in a journey where it's longer to go back to the beginning. It's like when those astronauts got in trouble. I don't know, somebody messed up, and they had to get them back to Earth. But they had passed the point of no return. They were on the other side of the moon and were out of contact for like hours. Everybody waited to see if a bunch of dead guys in a can would pop out the other side. Well, that's me. I'm on the other side of the moon now and everybody is going to have to wait until I pop out." -Bill Foster (Falling Down, 1993)

The 49ers weren't the only franchise past the point of no return with their coaches. Tom Coughlin is at risk of not making the playoffs, and there always seems to be a sentiment in New York that he could be replaced. Gary Kubiak failed to get the Texans into the playoffs yet again, leaving his job in jeopardy. Others include Tony Sparano who came up short in Miami this season, as well as Marvin Lewis and John Fox whose long tenures may be over in Cincinnati and Carolina, respectively.

The 10 Most Improbable Super Bowl Teams Of All Time

After another wild weekend in the NFL, the final seeds are set for this year’s playoffs. Twelve teams will enter the postseason with Super Bowl aspirations, all of which believe they have a realistic shot at making the Big Game. As most teams gear up for this “new” season, they believe all bets are off. Regular season records no longer matter. It’s what you do in this next 3-4 games that counts. So, if you’re a Chiefs or Seahawks fan and you think there’s not a shot in hell your team’s holding the Lombardi Trophy come February, you might want to take a look at this list of Super Bowl improbable.

10. 1986 Denver Broncos

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. New England Patriots, W, 22-17; AFC Championship Game: @ Cleveland Browns, W, 23-20 (OT); Super Bowl XXI: vs. New York Giants, L, 39-20

The 1986 Broncos started the regular season 8-1 before fading down the stretch and finishing 11-5.  After edging the Patriots in the Divisional Round they traveled to take on the Cleveland Browns in the first of three AFC Championship Game matchups over the next four seasons.  But this one may have been most memorable, as Denver quarterback John Elway engineered what has become known simply as “The Drive.”  Elway took the Broncos 98 yards late in the fourth quarter to tie the game, and then kicker Rich Karlis would kick the game-winning field goal in overtime.  A record-setting performance by Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms, as he completed 22 of his 25 passes, would bring a loss for the Broncos in Super Bowl XXI.

9. 2003 Carolina Panthers

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st NFC South)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Dallas Cowboys, W, 29-10; Divisional Round: @ St. Louis Rams, W, 29-23 (2 OT); NFC Championship: @ Philadelphia Eagles, W, 14-3; Super Bowl XXXVIII: vs. New England Patriots, L, 32-29

The Panthers made the playoffs for the second time in their nine-year history in 2003, as they won the NFC South and earned the #3 seed in the NFC playoffs.  They would dominate the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round before winning back-to-back road games to advance to the Super Bowl.  In the NFC Championship Game, Panthers’ cornerback Ricky Manning, Jr. intercepted Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb three times in a 14-3 victory.  Carolina would give the New England Patriots a challenge in the Super Bowl before losing the game on a game-winning field goal by kicker Adam Vinatieri

8. 1999 Tennessee Titans

Regular Season Record: 13-3 (2nd AFC Central)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Buffalo Bills, W, 22-16; Divisional Round: @ Indianapolis Colts, W, 19-16; AFC Championship: @ Jacksonville Jaguars, W, 33-14; Super Bowl XXXIV: vs. St. Louis Rams, L, 23-16

Despite having a 13-3 regular season record, the Titans were a Wild Card team heading into the post season. In the first round of the playoffs, it looked like the Buffalo Bills had them on the ropes, down 16-15 with less than 2o seconds to go in the game.  What ensued has become known as “The Music City Miracle” as Titans’ tight end Frank Wycheck threw a lateral all the way across the field to wide receiver Kevin Dyson, who would run 75 yards for the game-winning score. The Titans would win their next two playoff games on the road before losing  a close finish to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV, as Dyson was tackled just shy of the goal line on the game’s final play.

7. 2001 New England Patriots

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC East)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Oakland Raiders, W, 16-13 (OT); AFC Championship: @ Pittsburgh Steelers, W, 24-17; Super Bowl XXXVI: vs. St. Louis Rams, W, 20-17

Early in head coach Bill Belichick’s second season, the Patriots lost long-time starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe to a severe chest injury. His backup, a sixth-round draft pick in 2000 out of the University of Michigan named Tom Brady, would take over the starting job and still has not let it go to this day.  In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, a snow storm hit Foxboro in what would come to be known as the “Tuck Rule Game” after Brady was hit by Raiders’ cornerback Charles Woodson and appeared to have clearly fumbled as the ball was recovered by the Raiders. The play led to the game-tying field goal by Patriots’ kicker Adam Vinatieri to force overtime where New England ultimately prevailed.  Bledsoe led the Patriots to victory in relief of an injured Brady in the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.  New England would then upset the heavily favored St. Louis Rams in the Super Bowl, in what can be considered the launching point for their current stretch of success.

6. 1998 Atlanta Falcons

Regular Season Record: 14-2 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. San Francisco 49ers, W, 20-18; NFC Championship: @ Minnesota Vikings, W, 30-27 (OT); Super Bowl XXXIII vs. Denver Broncos, L, 34-19

It’s hard for a team with a 14-2 regular season record to be an improbable Super Bowl participant, but considering the powerhouse Vikings were in the same conference led many to believe the Falcons would be the odd team out.  After edging the San Francisco 49ers in the Divisional Round, they traveled to take on the 15-1 Minnesota Vikings and their record-setting offense.  Many things would go the Falcons’ way in the game, most notably Vikings’ kicker Gary Anderson missing his only field goal of the entire season late in the fourth quarter.  Atlanta would fall behind the Denver Broncos early and never quite recover in Super Bowl XXXIII, but fans of the “Dirty Birds” certainly have good memories of 1998.

5. 1999 St. Louis Rams

Regular Season Record: 13-3 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Minnesota Vikings, W, 49-37; NFC Championship: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 11-6; Super Bowl XXXIV vs. Tennessee Titans, W, 23-16

A preseason knee injury to starting quarterback Trent Green had expectations on the decline in St. Louis heading into the 1999 regular season.  Head coach Dick Vermeil proclaimed the team would rally around back up quarterback Kurt Warner (who?) and would be ok.   Warner would take the league by storm, passing for 4,353 yards and 41 touchdowns during the regular season directing the Rams’ offense that was proclaimed “The Greatest Show on Turf.”  Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans provided one of the most thrilling finishes in Super Bowl history, as Rams linebacker Mike Jones tackled Titans’ wide receiver Kevin Dyson just shy of the goal line as time expired.

4. 1979 Los Angeles Rams

Regular Season Record: 9-7 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: @ Dallas Cowboys, W, 21-19; NFC Championship: @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 9-0; Super Bowl XIV vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, L, 31-19

The Rams became the first team with a 9-7 regular season record to reach the Super Bowl. Things looked bleak when starting quarterback Pat Hayden was lost for the season with a broken index finger on his throwing hand, but Vince Ferragamo replaced him capably and running back Wendell Tyler had over 1,400 total yards (1,109 rushing yards) and scored 10 total touchdowns (nine rushing) during the regular season. Ferragamo would have a solid playoff run, including three touchdown passes in the Divisional Round against Dallas, before the Rams ran into the last Super Bowl team of the Steelers’ dynasty of the 1970′s.

3. 1994 San Diego Chargers

Regular Season Record: 11-5 (1st AFC West)
Playoff Results: Divisional Round: vs. Miami Dolphins, W, 22-21; AFC Championship: @ Pittsburgh Steelers, W, 17-13; Super Bowl XXIX: vs. San Francisco 49ers, L, 49-26

The Chargers finished 8-8 in 1993, and were looking to improve in head coach Bobby Ross’ third season. Led by quarterback Stan Humphries, they would ride a 6-0 regular season start to an AFC West title and upset victories over the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs.  They would run into an offensive juggernaut in the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX, as 49ers’ quarterback Steve Young had a Super-Bowl single-game record six touchdown passes as the Chargers were overmatched and lost 49-26.  This is the only time the Chargers’ franchise has reached the Super Bowl to date, despite the abundance of talent they have had in recent seasons.

2. 2007 New York Giants

Regular Season Record: 10-6
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, W, 24-14; Divisional Round: vs. Dallas Cowboys, W, 21-17; NFC Championship, vs. Green Bay Packers, W, 23-20; Super Bowl vs. New England Patriots, W, 17-14

The Giants finished second in the NFC East behind the favorite Dallas Cowboys with a 10-6 record and entered the playoffs as a Wild Card with a #5 seed. They traveled to Tampa and used timely turnovers along with a balanced offensive attack to defeat the struggling Bucs. From there, they went to Dallas where absolutely no one outside of Giants fans thought a victory was possible. After stunning the heavily favored ‘Boys, they managed to go toe-to-toe with the Packers in one of the coldest games ever played. With kicker Lawrence Tynes finally hitting the game winner (after missing two previous), the Road Warriors became the 9th wild card team in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl and the 5th wild card team to win the Super Bowl when they ruined the New England Patriots perfect season thanks to one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history courtesy of David Tyree’s helmet. They were also the third team in history to win three road playoff games en route to the Super Bowl and set a league record for most consecutive road wins in a single season.

1.  2008 Arizona Cardinals

Regular Season Record: 9-7 (1st NFC West)
Playoff Results: Wild Card Round: vs. Atlanta Falcons, W, 30-24; Divisional Round: @ Carolina Panthers, W, 33-13; NFC Championship, vs. Philadelphia Eagles, W, 32-25; Super Bowl XLIII vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, L, 27-23

The Cardinals won a perenially weak NFC West and headed into the postseason having lost four of their last six games (allowing at least 35 points in all four losses).   Despite hosting the Atlanta Falcons in the Wild Card round they had to be considered underdogs. Of course, they moved on to face the Carolina Panthers in the Divisional Round, and they took advantage of 5 interceptions by quarterback Jake Delhomme to blow out the Panthers.  Arizona hosted the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game and got three takeways to move their postseason turnover differential to plus-9 and move onto Super Bowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Arizona became the second team with a 9-7 regular season record to advance to the Super Bowl.  They would actually finish 10-6 in 2009, but lost the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Round.

Super Bowl 45: Be Ready to Pay to Play

Few things Super Bowl related are a bargain.  And if you want to experience Super Bowl 45 to its fullest, be ready to hand over some cash (or high-interest rate plastic).  Email offering Super Bowl 45 "packages" is filling my inbox and it continues to amaze me how many people are buyers.

Jetsetter.com is a site that bills itself as "a private online community that provides members with insider access, expert knowledge, and exclusive deals on the world's greatest vacations."  I've bought one or two hotel stays on the site as it offers relatively decent bargains at good properties.

Jetsetter is offering five Super Bowl 45 packages ranging in price from $8300 to more than $23,000.  Each package offers game tickets, a three-night stay at the Intercontinental Hotel in Addison, a bus ride to the game from the hotel and two tickets to the open-bar ESPN Game Day Super Party VIP Lounge.

The price for the Premium Package starts at $12,000 and offers two 100-200 level tickets in a corner and two tickets to the Pepsi Musica Super Bowl Fiesta at Nokia Live on February 4th.  There is a $14,000 Player Package that offers 100-300 level tickets between the end zone and 15 yard line and also comes with passes to the Leather & Laces party at Hotel Zaza (which I've also heard a certain musically-gifted celebrity couple is renting ....more on that later).

If you really want to break the bank, go for the MVP Package.  It features 100-200 Club level game tickets between the 15 and 25 yard lines, two VIP passes to the MAXIM Super Bowl Party, airport transfers, and an upgrade to a 750 square foot executive suite at the Intercontinental Hotel.

How much will all this fabulocity set you back? $23,000.  Yeah.

Are you interested?

How much cash would you drop for a "Super Bowl Experience"?