Steelers listed at 5/1 odds to win the Super Bowl

[hawaiiansteel]

Odds to Win Super Bowl XLV: Patriots Favored at Start of NFL Playoffs

Written by Drew Sharper
Monday, 03 January 2011 10:18

The 2011 NFL Playoffs are set and will begin this weekend and the odds are out for which team will walk away with the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

The New England Patriots enter the playoffs as the favorite to win with 13/10 odds according to oddsmakers from online sportsbook Sportsbook.com. Other short odds to win are the Atlanta Falcons (5/1), the Pittsburgh Steelers (5/1), Chicago Bears (10/1), and Green Bay Packers (10/1).

The Patriots have the top record in the NFL at 14-2 and will home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. New England was 8-0 at home and has currently won 8-straight games. The Patriots posted a league-high 518 points. New England has made six Super Bowl appearances, winning three titles.

The Falcons have the best record in the NFC at 13-3 and they will have the home-field edge throughout the NFC playoffs. Atlanta was 7-1 at home this season and 10-2 against the NFC. Atlanta has appeared in one Super Bowl, but lost in 1998.

The Steelers are 12-4 on the season and will have the No. 2 seed in the AFC. The Steelers are just 5-3 at home this season, but 7-1 on the road. They finished 9-3 against AFC opponents. The Steelers have appeared in 7 Super Bowls and have won an NFL-best six Super Bowl titles.

For complete odds to win Super Bowl XLV, see below.

Odds to win Super Bowl XLV

New England Patriots 13/10

Atlanta Falcons 5/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 5/1

Chicago Bears 10/1

Green Bay Packers 10/1

New Orleans Saints 12/1

Philadelphia Eagles 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 15/1

Indianapolis Colts 18/1

New York Jets 25/1

Kansas City Chiefs 40/1

Seattle Seahawks 150/1

http://www.thespread.com/nfl-articles/0 ... l-playoffs (http://www.thespread.com/nfl-articles/010311-odds-to-win-super-bowl-xlv-patriots-favored-at-start-of-nfl-playoffs)

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Seattle Seahawks 150/1



That's being a bit generous...I think the odds of me winning the powerball jackpot are better than than the 'Hags winning the Super Bowl.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers playoff primer

Pittsburgh Steelers
12-4 / First place in AFC North

Keys to offense: QB Ben Roethlisberger has led the Steelers to two Super Bowl titles, so playoff jitters aren't exactly a concern for him. His ability to keep plays alive with his feet makes this passing game dangerous. WR Mike Wallace has emerged as one of the NFL's top deep threats but has improved as a short and intermediate target, too. RB Rashard Mendenhall has been tough, durable and dependable, and he has the speed to take it the distance if he gets into the secondary. The big concern with the offense? Pass protection. Roethlisberger is exceptionally strong and has repeatedly shown he can take a pounding and persevere, but when he's given ample time to throw, the Steelers are tough to beat.

Keys to defense: No team is stronger vs. the run than the Steelers, a factor that forces opponents to attack with the pass. Pittsburgh has been vulnerable against offenses (like New England's) that spread out its defense and repeatedly throw, but such a strategy puts a lot of pressure on a quarterback and his pass protection, for the Steelers are known for their zone blitzes. This is a defense loaded with star power, especially at linebacker, with ROLB James Harrison a Pro Bowl starter, LOLB LaMarr Woodley a force vs. the run and as a pass rusher, and ILBs Lawrence Timmons and James Farrior having very good seasons. But the key to the entire operation is SS Troy Polamalu, who's exceptional near the line of scrimmage and in coverage.

Player to watch: Polamalu returned from an Achilles injury in Week 17 and immediately made an impact, intercepting a pass on the Browns' first series. Pittsburgh scored on the next play to take a 7-0 lead and never looked back. Polamalu, like the Ravens' Ed Reed, is a game changer.

They'll win the Super Bowl if ... the pass protection holds up, the running game is strong and the pass defense foils the opposition's best-laid plans.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/201...playoff-primer