Steve Brownlee

My pre-Super Bowl column each year often deals with the various odds surrounding the NFL’s premier game.

I found some odds to start this year, maybe a good way to kick off a season when we’re still dealing with this unique coronavirus pandemic.

While I don’t want to get too caught up in this hype — really, who knows what’s going to happen? — here are just a few numbers that come from www.SportsBettingDime.com:

• Surprise, surprise, but the Kansas City Chiefs are given the shortest odds — 7 to 1 — to repeat as Super Bowl winner, followed by Baltimore (8-1), San Francisco (11-1), New Orleans (12-1) and now-Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay (15-1).

They didn’t put all the odds in the correct order, so a little investigation shows Green Bay tied with Philadelphia for the 11th-best odds at 33-1, while Detroit and the Las Vegas Raiders are each 23rd at 70-1. Best in the NFC North is Minnesota, just ahead of the Packers at 28-1, while Chicago is just ahead of the Lions at 65-1.

• Some all-league numbers include the odds that every NFL team plays all 16 games is at 1-3 (meaning they see it as a 75 percent chance), odds the regular season ends on schedule on Jan. 3 as 5-6 (slightly better than 50 percent) and the over-under attendance for Super Bowl LV in February at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, is at 19,400, way short of regular capacity of 65,618 and temporary seating capacity of 75,000.

• And finally, some individual odds: MVP odds show KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes as the favorite at 11-2, with Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers at 12-1 (fourth behind QBs Lamar Jackson of Baltimore and Russell Wilson of Seattle) and Detroit QB Matthew Stafford ninth at 38-1. Best among non-QBs is Carolina running back Christian McCaffrey at 65-1 (16th best).

Probably due to his pass-catching ability, McCaffrey is only sixth in odds to lead the league in rushing (12-1) joining Minnesota’s Dalvin Cook with those odds and trailing No. 1 Derrick Henry of Tennessee (6-1) and No. 2 Ezekiel Elliott (7-1) of Dallas.

Now onto the Week 1 picks:

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Today, 8:20 p.m.

Houston at Kansas City — This week’s themes will be continuity and proven track records, especially for Week 1 in a season without off-season workouts nor a preseason. Chiefs, 42-30.

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Sunday, 1 p.m.

Seattle at Atlanta — Oh yeah, forgot another theme — limited home-field advantage without fans in most stadiums to start the season. These are two teams used to big home edges. Seahawks, 27-23.

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Cleveland at Baltimore — I like the Browns revamping what they have, but just not against Baltimore. Ravens, 30-20.

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New York Jets at Buffalo — Buffalo should get better with third-year QB Josh Allen under helm. Bills, 24-17.

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Las Vegas at Carolina — While McCaffrey is there, Carolina still has to start over at QB with Teddy Bridgewater. Raiders, 19-16.

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Chicago at Detroit — It’ll feel like the Bears are starting over, even with Mitch Trubisky retaining his starting QB role to start the season. Lions, 24-19.

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Indianapolis at Jacksonville — The Jaguars say they’ll allow 25 percent capacity in their stands right from the start. Still, though, they’ve let just about every talented player go in the off-season, while if any player can adjust to a new situation without much practice, it should be a veteran QB like Phillip Rivers for Indy. Colts, 31-17.

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Green Bay at Minnesota — C’mon, admit it, you cheated and shot right down to this pick before you read any of the others. Well, let’s see, no fans, but they can still play that annoying Viking “skol” horn. To start the second year of the Matt LaFleur “administration,” take the Packers, 27-24.

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Miami at New England — The perfect confluence of circumstances for a road team — no fans, Miami-like weather in early September and Patriots trying to adjust to a new QB after around two decades of Brady. Only problem, the Dolphins won the last regular-season game in December. For Bill Belichick revenge’s, Patriots, 33-23.

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Philadelphia at Washington — The Associated Press does list this game on Sunday, but also lists “Open: Washington” meaning the (ex-)Redskins also aren’t playing this weekend. A Fruedian slip? Eagles, 37-28.

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Sunday, 4 p.m.

Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati — Another perfect road-team set-up, with last year’s worst team trotting out either their No. 1 draft pick (Joe Burrow) or his placeholder until he’s ready to play. And no fans. Chargers, 23-16.

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Tampa Bay at New Orleans — Give Brady, Gronk & Co. a week to adjust in what might be a sloppy game. Again, no fans. Saints, 20-15.

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Arizona at San Francisco — Despite the 49ers mopping up on Green Bay in the NFC Championship game,

San Fran got taken to the woodshed in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl two weeks later. The redemption factor may work for one week, anyway. 49ers, 23-9.

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Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Dallas at Los Angeles Rams — The opening of SoFi Stadium but no one will actually be there to witness — well, not many, anyway, though plenty will see it on TV. Without a solid running game to complement him, Rams QB Jared Goff was mostly exposed as a fraud last year after making Super Bowl LXIII. Give ’em at least a week to readjust, or maybe 17 weeks. Cowboys, 27-20.

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Monday, 7:15 p.m.

Pittsburgh at New York Giants — I didn’t know what to make of this game till I found a few online reports. The Giants still to have more rebuilding while the Steelers are more reloading with players like QB Ben Roethlisberger returning from injury. For Week 1, that means Steelers, 37-28.

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Monday, 10:10 p.m.

Tennessee at Denver — One thing the coronavirus can’t take away from the Broncos is their altitude advantage. While Tennessee ground its way through the playoffs last season, I don’t see that happening in Week 1. Broncos, 23-16.

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Last season — regular season, 171-84-1, 67 percent; playoffs, 7-4, 64 percent.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.