With the new NFL season underway, there’s a lot to look forward to – and it’s not just the adrenaline-filled games. We’re talking about drafting our fantasy teams, placing bets and becoming champions ourselves. Will the New England Patriots win the Super Bowl again? Will Brady still be in our fantasy squad? Or can the Miami Dolphins surprise everyone (and that would be a surprise) and make it to Super Bowl success? Imagine the outcome of betting on that? There are even NFL player prop bets to enjoy.
However, before we get stuck in and begin making our picks, it’s worth reminding ourselves that upsets do happen, and the favorites don’t always win.
Not a Complete Fish Out of Water
We feel bad; perhaps the Dolphins don’t deserve the reputation they’ve got. Take for instance how they performed just a few years ago in the 2017 game against the Atlanta Falcons. They were trailing 17-0 at halftime, and we all thought that it was just standard Dolphins luck. But that wasn’t the case at all. Jay Cutler helped to bring the Dolphins back into the game, and they ended up beating the Falcons 20-17. It wasn’t the best year for Falcons fans, as they also saw their team suffer in the Super Bowl against the Patriots. In Super Bowl LI, the Patriots were trailing 28 points, and the Falcons looked set to be the new champions. Until of course we saw one of the best Super Bowl comebacks and the Patriots took the match 34-28.
The Buffalo Underdogs
In the 2018 season, the Buffalo Bills were responsible for one of the biggest upsets in the last 23 years. That’s saying something. So, what was the deal? They went into a match against the Minnesota Vikings, living up to their all-conquering Nordic name with an unbeaten run and eyes on the Super Bowl. The Bills were 17-point underdogs going into the match and in the lead-up, there were 24 favorites of 17 or more points. That streak ended as the Bills left the Vikings in the dust, rushing out with a 27-0 score at halftime and winning 27-6 at the end. Key performances by quarterback Josh Allen saw the Bills lead within five minutes and cornerback Tre Davious White let us all know the jubilation of the Bills’ first win of 2018 with his “you like that!” exclamations.
It wasn’t good for everyone, though, especially with one Las Vegas bettor placing an $18,000 bet on the Vikings winning. Ouch. On the flip side, there were lots of bets on the Bills’ unlikely victory, with one lucky player earning a ten-grand profit from a $1,000 wager. It certainly pays to spot the best betting options for the next NFL games – that’s why we love the NFL season, right?
September’s Upset Sunday
Last year, the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings match was part of a week three to remember (or forget, depending on who you support). It’s reckoned if you lose at home after being ahead you can wave goodbye to any Super Bowl hopes. Jacksonville Jaguars lost 9-6 to the Tennessee Titans, and the Green Bay Packers put the Washington Redskins to bed at 31-17. Blake Bortles and Aaron Rodgers weren’t at the top of their game for their teams, but what was the excuse for the Patriots’ loss to the Detroit Lions? That particular Sunday hammered home to the big four that they needed to up their games. While those one-off results were a surprise, we now know that the Patriots still went onto win the Super Bowl, so losing unexpectedly on home territory in September was not the disaster that many expected.
Special Namath Mention
We can’t talk about the biggest NFL upsets without mentioning the legendary 1969 match between the Jets and the Colts. Joe Namath and the Jets were massive Super Bowl underdogs and shocked the world when they won. Especially with Namath being the first quarterback to win MVP without even throwing a touchdown pass. This match has been considered the greatest upset in Super Bowl history and paved the way for all the quirks and nuances with NFL betting and fantasy drafts. The sport is never stagnant so we can never be sure of one team ruling the roost, even if the Patriots have won the Super Bowl twice in three years. There are always going to be upsets – and that’s part of the excitement of the game we love.
