Updated AFC Championship odds through Week 16
Sports are a massive part of life in and around Chicago. This is especially true for football, where the Bears pick up lots of support from fans in the city. The 2024/25 NFL campaign is well underway, and keen Bears fans will know that winning the NFC Championship is out of the question now.
An underwhelming season to say the least has left the side with a disappointing record overall and lots of questions to answer. This has left some supporters looking at how things are going in the AFC to take their minds off things.
But who are the favorites for the championship in this conference currently – and why is this the case?
AFC Championship 2024/25: Who looks most likely to win?
Before we look in more detail at why certain AFC sides are being tipped for success this year, it pays to find out which teams are being picked out by the bookies. As online sportsbooks have their finger on the pulse of things, and teams of people looking at who might come out on top this time around, it makes sense to pay attention to their opinion.
The latest data at https://www.wsn.com/nfl/afc-championship-predictions-odds/ is currently showing the Bills as favorites, with odds of around +200. This leaves them sitting pretty at the top of the betting and looking like the team others need to beat.
The Chiefs currently sit just behind the Bills in the betting, at odds of around +250, with the Ravens chasing hard with odds of around +460. The rest of the sides in the AFC have much longer odds with most bookies and this suggests that the Bills, Chiefs or Ravens are favorites to take the crown in 24/25.
But why are each of these teams’ hot tips for championship glory this season?
Buffalo Bills
Although a pre-season injury to defensive star Matt Milano was not ideal, the Bills have shaken this off and lived up the hype around them as potential AFC Championship winners. This has left them with an impressive record to date which has seen them taste defeat in only a handful of matches.
If the Bills do win the AFC title as many expect , it will mostly be about the stellar season their QB Josh Allen is having. He’s been on fire so far this year and looks to be in with a real chance of taking the MVP award. It’s not just his exceptional passing skills and vision which have stood out but also his partnership with rookie WR Keon Coleman.
This link-up has been a major plus for the Bills in 24/25 and beefed up their attacking power. Fellow wide receiver Khalil Shakir has done his bit as well and been a constant threat for opposition sides to deal with. The Bills offensive skills have is easy to see when you look at huge wins like their 31-10 romp over the Seahawks or their 35-10 victory over last season’s Super Bowl contenders the 49ers.
When you also take a rejuvenated Bills defense into account and a weak AFC East division this year, the team’s status as championship favorites is no shock.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Bills may not have it all their own way when it comes to taking the championship this season and the Chiefs look their main rivals for it. The mere presence of elite quarterback Patrick Mahomes is enough to make them hot favorites, as is their impressive record so far in 24/25.
Looking back over the season to date, it seems that the chance to not only win another AFC Championship but also win a third Super Bowl on the spin has given them the edge needed to grind out wins. This is despite season ending injuries to key players, such as Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, which hit the Chiefs’ offense.
Mahomes though has shown his usual class to help the team shake this off and stay on course for another championship title. He’s been helped greatly by how quickly rookie WR Xavier Worthy has settled into the league and the re-emergence of Juju Smith-Schuster.
Chris Jones has been a key player so far this year and helped the Chiefs defense keep it tight against most sides. Andy Reid knows how to clinch the AFC conference title, and his experience is another major reason why they’re favorite to do so again.
Baltimore Ravens
Just as there is always lots of Chicago Bears news for fans to keep up with, teams like the Ravens in the AFC also have plenty going on. Their form so far in 2024/25 has been a real talking point across the NFL and sees them listed as favorites to take the conference title. They will certainly be hoping to avenge a 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in last year’s AFC Championship game!
Two big early season wins against the Bills (35-10) and the Bucs (41-31) shows that it’s their offense which has been most effective. This naturally includes star QB Lamar Jackson, who’s been inspirational on the field for them and really made the side dangerous to play against. The returning Derrick Henry has warmed up as the season progressed and has lots of rushing yards/touchdowns to his name now.
One area they will have to brush up on if they are to take the title though is defense. They have been somewhat leaky in this area during regular season so far and too easy to score against. This explains why they sit behind the Bills and Chiefs as favorites for the AFC crown.
If they can get tougher to play against in their remaining games and still keep Jackson/Henry firing, they have a real chance though.
AFC Championship 24/25: Who are favorites to win it?
As the above shows, the Bills, Chiefs and Ravens are the sides being tipped to win the AFC Championship this time around – but the Bills are seen as most likely. With the Bears season nothing to write home about in 2024/25, keeping an eye on who actually does take the AFC Championship is a nice distraction for fans in Chicago.
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