Biggest Underdogs of The Super Bowl
This weekend, the Bengals have a chance to win the Super Bowl for the first time in their history.
Even if they don’t manage to win, this is the first time they’ve been to the Big Game since 1988. Before the season started, they were ranked outsiders and given odds of +15000. That means that if someone had placed a $10 bet on the Bengals at the start of the season, they could be $1,500 richer if the Bengals succeed this weekend.
The Bengals will be facing the Los Angeles Rams, who were considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl at the start of the season. Aside from the fact that they have a stronger and more balanced side, the Rams will also be playing on home turf at the LoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The Rams currently have odds to win of -200 at Betway, while the Bengals are +170.
When it comes to previous Super Bowl appearances, there have been teams that were league leaders from start to finish and others that stunned everyone simply by making it to the big game. Cincinnati’s run this season comes to mind when we talk about the latter. The Bengals are currently the second-largest longshots in NFL history, having reached Super Bowl LVI as the second-largest underdogs since 1977. Here are some of the other big underdogs that have reached the Super Bowl throughout the history of the league.
· Rams, Super Bowl XXXIV: +15000
· Bengals, Super Bowl LVI: +15000
· Falcons, Super Bowl LI: +8000
· Chargers, Super Bowl XXIX: +7500
· Panthers, Super Bowl 50: +6000
· Panthers, Super Bowl XXXVIII: +6000
· Patriots, Super Bowl XXXVI: +6000
· Giants, Super Bowl XXXV: +6000
· Falcons, Super Bowl XXXIII: +6000
· Bengals, Super Bowl XVI: +6000
Of these ten sides, only two actually won the Big Game, proving that although underdogs do have a chance, the best sides are the favorites for a reason. The two teams that won as underdogs were the Rams in the 1999 season and the Patriots in the 2001 season. The Rams were the biggest underdogs in history to win the Super Bowl, and the Bengals could match that record if they beat them this weekend.
The Bengals’ Underdog Story
The Bengals hadn’t gone to the Super Bowl in 33 years, hadn’t even won a playoff game in 31 years, and had never won a postseason game on the road. This year, they overcame the Las Vegas Raiders in the wildcard round before going on the road to beat top seeds Tennessee in Nashville and top dogs Kansas City at Arrowhead in one glorious playoff season.
They’re just one game away from winning the Lombardi Trophy, thanks to a bright young, aggressive team full of confidence and attacking zeal. More importantly, they appear to be capable of continuing to challenge for a long time. The Bengals don’t have the same star power as the Rams, but they have a great team spirit and a record of making the correct plays at the right times to get by, especially in the playoffs.
They’ve been down, but they don’t give up. This is a strong second-half squad that makes excellent halftime changes. With the Super Bowl’s longer halftime, they could become much more efficient.
Ja’Marr Chase, one of the brightest stars on the team, scored a record season for a receiver in their first season. This was made all the more sweeter by the fact that the Bengals came under criticism for picking Chase in the draft rather than going for more defensive options. The choice was justified, and Chase could very well help propel this team to glory, along with star quarterback Joe Burrows.
