Everyone loves an underdog in sport. They are the teams or individuals that no one expects. They are the ones that pull up trees and do the impossible.
We’ve seen it happen in various sports. The NFL has had its fair share. There have been players who have thrived when no one gave them a chance. When it comes to the Super Bowl, there are teams that have shocked everyone. The New York Giants at the 2007 Super Bowl XLII game against the New England Patriots are an example, having beaten the undefeated 18-0 franchise 17-14.
Could we see something similar this year?
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Before examining which teams can be considered underdogs, it’s always a good idea to examine which teams are considered the opposite: the favorites.
Kansas City Chiefs are among those. That’s obvious. They’re the current Vince Lombardi title holders and have won three of the last five, appearing in the last four. For most, it’s impossible to look beyond the Chiefs while Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid are still there. It doesn’t help that they are 5-0 on the year heading into Week 7.
Elsewhere, the Baltimore Ravens are expected to put up a challenge. The AFC North franchise have had a top start to the year, beginning with a 4-2 record. This is more impressive than it sounds, as they started 0-2. Lamar Jackson is thriving as the quarterback, and some feel it might be their time to finally get to the Super Bowl some 12 years later than their last appearance.
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The San Francisco 49ers remain a popular choice in the NFC, with last year’s beaten finalists 3-3 on the year. However, with the NFC West leaders struggling for consistency, there might be a few underdogs in the NFC for this year’s Super Bowl looking to replicate and go one better than what the Cincinnati Bengals achieved in 2022 in the AFC.
Who are the Main Underdogs?
The NFL betting odds available currently suggest that there may be a few underdogs in the NFC; the Detroit Lions being one of them. Dan Campbell’s team are priced at 11.00, which is slightly longer than any of the other teams mentioned.
The Lions should be taken seriously, too. They are 4-1 in the league thus far, and have put in some impressive performances. They rank #2 in points allowed in the NFC, having given up 91. They’ve also been effective on offense, scoring 151 points in their five games thus far; an average of just over 30. In their last two games combined (against Seattle and Dallas), they’ve scored 89 and allowed just 38. If that’s not hot and deserving of underdog status, not much else can be.
However, the biggest issue for the franchise might be the fact that a bigger underdog exists in their own division. The NFC North has the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings, sitting on 5-0. The bookies even have them as a serious underdog, listing them at 14.00.
The Vikings have been exceptional since moving on from Kirk Cousins in the offseason. Sam Darnold appears to have found his feet in the north, having struggled elsewhere during his time in the league. Justin Jefferson remains a highlight reel and a strong target, while the Vikings are making moves too. Running back Cam Akers has returned to the team to give them something potentially more.
What is Most Likely To Happen at Super Bowl 2025?
Having already mentioned it, it would appear impossible to think against the idea of the Kansas City Chiefs not being there once again. They’ve made the best possible start and they look red-hot.
The NFC’s representatives are where it becomes a little harder to predict and perhaps where we’ll see an underdog in the game. Both the Lions and Vikings are looking exceptional at the moment, but with more than half of the season still to go, anything can happen.
Nonetheless, this shouldn’t stop anyone from rooting for them, especially if their team is out of contention this year or doesn’t look anywhere near challenging for the biggest honor in the sport.
