Browns Super Bowl Odds Fade to +2500 After Loss to Titans
- The odds of the Cleveland Browns winning Super Bowl 54 have climbed to +2500
- Cleveland was listed at average odds of +1467 prior to Sunday’s season-opening 43-13 rout by the Tennessee Titans
- The Browns’ odds of winning the Super Bowl were as low as +1200 at one point during the offseason
The Cleveland Browns took a beating in Week 1 of the NFL season, and so did their odds of winning Super Bowl 54.
The Browns entered the regular season listed as the fourth betting choice among AFC teams to win the big game at average Super Bowl 54 odds of +1467 across the leading sportsbooks.
Super Bowl 54 Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| New England Patriots | +450 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +700 |
| New Orleans Saints | +900 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +1200 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +1200 |
| Cleveland Browns | +2500 |
*Odds taken on 09/09/19.
Following Sunday’s season-opening debacle, in which the Browns were drubbed 43-13 at home by the Tennessee Titans, their odds jumped to +2500.
A Browns Out
As recently as August 7th, the average odds of the Browns winning the Super Bowl were at +1200.
Impressive numbers for a team that hasn’t played a playoff game since 2002. There’s not been a postseason win in Cleveland since they beat the New England Patriots 20-13 in a 1994 AFC Wild Card game.
Throwback Thursday: Cleveland Browns coach Bill Belichick for Starter (1994) pic.twitter.com/ksEZD07lpv
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) February 1, 2018
Cleveland’s coach for that last playoff triumph? Why none other than Bill Belichick.
Following that 11-5 season of 1994, entering the 1995 campaign was the last time Cleveland’s odds to win the Super Bowl were as low as +1200. They trailed only the Miami Dolphins (+600), Los Angeles Raiders (+800) and Patriots (+1000) on the odds board.
Sports Illustrated was touting the Browns to represent the AFC in Super Bowl 30.
And to think, the Cleveland Browns had Belichick AND Saban on their coaching staff at the SAME time… pic.twitter.com/1l9E5hGTAz
— Kevin Boilard (@KevinBoilard) September 3, 2019
Instead, the Browns went 5-11, and Belichick was fired – as was his defensive coordinator, a fellow by the name of Nick Saban.
You might have heard of him.
Oh, and another thing – following that 1995 failure of a season, Browns owner Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore and the Browns franchise went dormant from 1995-98.
Slow Starting Super Bowl Winners
Three teams have started the NFL season 0-2 and still gone on to win the Super Bowl.
The Dallas Cowboys got off to an 0-2 start in 1993. The second loss was to the Buffalo Bills, the team Dallas would beat 30-13 in Super Bowl 28.
QB Baker Mayfield at the podium https://t.co/glQrNySnTn
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 8, 2019
In 2001, the Pats were also 0-2 to launch. New England’s second loss was to the New York Jets, the same team the Browns face in Week 2. The Patriots would beat the St. Louis Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl 36.
The 2007 New York Giants broke from the gate 0-2. But they saved the best for last. The Giants upset the 18-0 Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl 42.
In total, nine teams have lost their season opener and still won the big game. The 1981 San Francisco 49ers, the 1986 Giants, 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots, 2003 Patriots, 2007 Giants, 2011 Giants and 2014 Patriots all opened a Super Bowl-winning season with a road defeat.
Only the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, like this year’s Browns, got off to a start that featured a home setback. The Bucs, who’d beat the Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl 37, opened the 2002 campaign by falling 26-20 in overtime at home to the New Orleans Saints.
Odds Against Cleveland Rocking
The Browns were 7-8-1 last season. They won four games total from 2015-17. They’ve endured 11 consecutive losing seasons. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a member of Cleveland’s core talent with any significant postseason experience.
The last time the Cleveland Browns won a season opener was 9/12/04 with QB Jeff Garcia. pic.twitter.com/4Qmov1ajjW
— History of Sports (@BeforeFamePics) September 8, 2019
Is Cleveland capable of being a playoff team? Absolutely. It’s still not out of the question for the Browns to win the AFC North Division title. They’re definitely in the Wild Card hunt.
Should you bet them to win the Super Bowl?
No. Not this year. Not at any price.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
