Best bet to win the Super Bowl?

The National Football League’s regular season is about to end. It is Week 17, and by the end of the weekend, we will know who the 12 playoff teams are and what road they will need to travel to make it to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara.

Of course, we already know 10 of the participants in the postseason. In the NFC, all six spots are locked down with the only question being whether the Minnesota Vikings or Green Bay Packers win the NFC North, with the loser of their take-all contest being a wild card team.

In the AFC, things are a little bit more complicated with two spots still open and nobody having locked down a seed. The Houston Texans are all but assured the fourth seed, but need either a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars or one of a multitude of things from happening to keep the Indianapolis Colts at home. One of the wild card spots is also up for grabs, with the New York Jets simply needing to beat the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium to clinch. Should the lose and the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Cleveland Browns, then it’s Pittsburgh going to the dance.

So, with all that in mind, who is the best bet to go to the Super Bowl?

In the NFC, the Arizona Cardinals are labeled as the favorites at 3/1, according to Vegas Insider. The New England Patriots pace the AFC challengers at 16/5, with the Carolina Panthers (6/1) and Seattle Seahawks (8/1) coming in third and fourth. To round out the top five, it is the Denver Broncos at 10/1.

If you want to go with one of the favorites, the move would be New England. Why? There is less competition in the AFC. Should the play of pictures hold true after Week 17, the Patriots will be the top seed and welcome in a crop of quarterbacks that includes Brock Osweiler, Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer and A.J. McCarron. In other words, it will take much more of an effort for an AFC team to be a the top dog, than it will be in the NFC with so many quality teams involved.

If you are looking for a bit of a sleeper pick, the Kansas City Chiefs might do well for you. Kansas City has won nine straight games and has a nasty defense, ranking second in points allowed. The Chiefs have a reliable offense led by Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce, and a coach who has been to the Super Bowl in Andy Reid. Kansas City could also have a nice road despite being away from home, taking on the Houston Texans and then perhaps the Denver Broncos, a team it already crushed at Sports Authority Field.