As online NFL betting fans are undoubtedly aware of, the Arizona Cardinals currently hold the longest active championship drought of North American sportsball at 68 consecutive seasons, following the Chicago Cubs World Series win. This means that the Cards’ odds of winning Super Bowl 51 next year are logically their same odds of breaking said championship draft, because that’s how it works right? And if it doesn’t then my whole world will shatter around me. FYI, the Cardinals’ odds of winning the Super Bowl are, at this here football betting site, +3000.
Which is actually not quite that bad. As a matter of fact, those are the 9th best online NFL betting odds. That is to say, the Cardinals are within the top 10 teams with the best chances of winning the championship. Or, more vertically put:
1. New England Patriots +210
2. Dallas Cowboys +975
3. Denver Broncos +1575
4. Green Bay Packers +1275
5. Kansas City Chiefs +2050
6. Minnesota Vikings +1400
7. Pittsburgh Steelers +1150
8. Seattle Seahawks +975
9. Arizona Cardinals +3000
10. Oakland Raiders +3050
That’s the good news. Now, for the bad news. The Cardinals were actually supposed to be among the online NFL betting odds-on favorites to go all the way this season. Let’s take for instance NFL Media columnist Adam Schein’s Super Bowl LI pick; New England Patriots vs. Arizona Cardinals. “Yup, five months after they meet in Glendale on the season’s first Sunday.” At least he got that part right. According to Schein, the Cardinals were “the best team in football” with the “No. 1 roster.” Moreover, “The Cards can beat you in multiple ways.” From what we have seen so far this season, they can also lose in multiple ways; by a close margin, in a blowout, without scoring a single touchdown. Don’t let it be said the Cards aren’t versatile, though; they can also neither win nor lose a game.
So what went wrong? It might be a platitude to say that a season is made or broken in the very first game, but that’s what may have happened to the Cards. Once again, Schein’s prediction (which included the Cardinals not just reaching the Super Bowl, but winning it as well) took for granted – was even predicated on, one might be tempted to say – the fact that Arizona would “beat the visiting Patriots in Week 1.” We can all attest that that, in fact, did not happen. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20, and it’s very easy to criticize.
And fun, too. But who knows? The Cards could still both appear in and win the Super Bowl. It’s not impossible. It’s just very improbable at this stage. All things considered, Mr. Schein can take solace in the fact that at least almost half of his prediction – namely, the part about the Patriots – seems bound to come true. And our prediction for the other half? We are going to go ahead and go with the Minnesota Vikings. Skol, Vikings, Skol!