Week 8 of the NFL‘s action was certainly not a disappointment. The league’s biggest stars showed out when their teams needed them the most. The top two teams in the league, the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills, are a combined 13-1 on the season after both won this week.
We’re breaking down the latest 2023 Super Bowl odds in the aftermath of Week 8 and heading into Week 9. Two of the biggest risers are the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins. We’ll also dive into two notable fallers.
NFL Super Bowl Odds Heading Into Week 9
We’re here to make sure you’re locking in the best payoffs for all of your NFL betting picks. Each franchise has a varying record, but as you can see below, they don’t all offer the same betting odds. Our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook are my go-to, thanks to their favorable odds and betting options.
For example, a $100 bet on the team with the best Super Bowl odds — Buffalo at +300 — would pay a $300 profit if they manage to win Super Bowl LVII. Let’s take a look at the latest 2023 NFL Super Bowl odds and break down the teams whose odds present the best value.
San Francisco 49ers (+1300)
Welcome to the Bay Area, Christian McCaffrey! The 49ers were the safest bet to win this week, considering Kyle Shanahan’s continued dominance over Sean McVay’s Rams, but he fully unleashed McCaffrey in his second game with the franchise. Shanahan fed McCaffrey 18 carries, nine targets, and allowed him to throw one pass.
The results were phenomenal. McCaffrey produced 94 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards, and a 34-yard touchdown pass. He was the first player to record a touchdown rushing, receiving, and passing since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005. It’s fair to say this pairing could redefine a brilliant career that had gone sideways over the last two years.
MORE: NFL Playoff Picture Week 8
Shanahan will have to be careful to not overburden McCaffrey, considering his injury history, but this was the right time to feature him so heavily. On a day with Deebo Samuel inactive and the 49ers needing a difference-maker to emerge, who better than the player they just acquired for five draft picks? McCaffrey’s presence maximized the production that Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle could create.
The 49ers benefit the most from a wide-open NFC. While I very much like the Eagles, Minnesota was their best win in Week 2. Dallas didn’t have Dak Prescott back, and the rest of the Eagles’ wins came against bad teams. There is a bit of concern they’re being overvalued as the NFC’s top dog.
I certainly have reservations about any offense led by Jimmy Garoppolo. But the addition of McCaffrey to an absolutely otherwise loaded team has the right formula to elevate Jimmy G.
Miami Dolphins (+3500)
Through the first eight weeks of the NFL season, I can’t make a better argument for the NFL’s MVP than Tua Tagovailoa. The Dolphins have won every game he’s started, and Tagovailoa has been the lynchpin in an incredibly efficient passing game despite an awful offensive line and bottom-eight rushing attack. Patrick Mahomes would be my closest competitor.
Tagovailoa ranks third in completion rate and touchdown percentage, eighth in interception rate, first in yards per attempt by a full half-yard, second in yards per completion, seventh in yards per game, and first in QBR and net yards per attempt.
Skeptics can argue about dropped interceptions and occasional underthrown passes as Tagovailoa gets hit, but every quarterback in the NFL has the same experience. Mahomes and Josh Allen have famously benefited from dropped picks over the last few seasons, but it doesn’t change their greatness.
MORE: Could Tyreek Hill Be the First Wide Receiver To Win MVP?
The Dolphins are certainly an imperfect team, ranking 16th in offensive scoring and 22nd in points allowed. Their run game is a mess, sparking rumors of their interest in Kareem Hunt. The defense has been shockingly poor against the pass, ranking 26th in yards allowed with only four interceptions despite real stars in Xavien Howard and Jevon Holland.
Some of those problems can be fixed by internal improvements, stemming from a deep array of underachieving pass rushers and the return of Byron Jones. The offense is relying heavily on star receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Both have been so good that Cedrick Wilson Jr. could be traded just months after signing a free agent deal with the team because he’s not used at all.
Miami will have a hard time winning the Super Bowl in the way they are currently playing, but the potential to improve is certainly within their reach. This team is scary good thanks to their passing game. All they need is their pass rush to remember how good they were last year, and this team will be firing on all cylinders.
New York Giants (+8000)
We all knew the Giants were a bit of a farce at 6-1 with a quarterback who was being protected at all costs. It doesn’t change how impressive it is for this coaching staff to accomplish so much with a rebuilding roster.
Other analysts were missing the mark last week when there was more discussion on whether Daniel Jones could be extended in New York beyond this season. He may come back in 2023 after the Giants explore upgrades, but Jones has had maybe two weeks of competent play through eight games. His limitations again showed in Week 8 as the Giants lost a sloppy game in Seattle, 27-13.
But it wasn’t just Jones’ lack of playmaking or penchant for taking bad sacks that allowed the game to slip away from the Giants.
Saquon Barkley totaled only 53 rushing yards for an offense totally reliant on his playmaking. Two fumbles by punt returner Richie James cost the offense more opportunities to score and set the Seahawks up with premium field position. Former Giants QB and current Seahawks star Geno Smith was gifted the ball on New York’s 19- and 32-yard lines after those muffs.
It was a close game on the scoreboard until the Seahawks scored on Kenneth Walker III’s 16-yard touchdown after James’ final fumble, but Seattle thoroughly outclassed the G-Men with little effort.
The Giants must come out of their bye week a better team if they’re to make the playoffs. Winnable games against Houston, Detroit, two games against Washington, and Indianapolis are on their schedule. Tougher NFC battles against Minnesota, two Philadelphia matchups, and Dallas are coming as well.
Tennessee Titans (+5000)
The Titans didn’t have an impressive point differential against the lowly Houston Texans in Week 8, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t net winners. At 5-2 and pulling away from the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South, the Titans are looking more like a lock for the postseason.
The wild card here is that Malik Willis just started his first NFL game. Of course, with 10 passing attempts and only five rushes, there’s not a lot to talk about with Willis. He threw an interception that was well behind his intended target, and he looked apprehensive as a passer. Otherwise, Willis was an exciting addition for an offense that hasn’t been getting much out of Ryan Tannehill anyways.
The real story was Derrick Henry dominating this matchup with 219 yards and two touchdowns. Willis’ presence may have helped keep the Texans’ defensive front honest, but we’ve also seen Henry continue to destroy foes regardless of who was under center. The Titans are back to being a solid defensive team with a devastatingly good run game.
I’d guess Tannehill is back under center once his ankle and illness are better, but I’d be lying if I said the Titans should stick with the veteran over Willis. This offense needs another playmaker, even if he’s inconsistent, and Willis’ upside makes this offense potentially fierce come January.