NFL Championship Sunday kicks off this weekend. The Philadelphia Eagles host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. A look at Super Bowl 2023 odds sets the stage for what we can expect this Sunday, but to what degree should we buy in?
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2023 Super Bowl Odds
More often than not, when there are four teams left standing, each is a bona fide candidate to win it all. The Eagles, Chiefs, and Bengals are priced as such. However, the 49ers trail the pack by a bit.
Check out each team’s Super Bowl odds across some of the industry’s top sportsbooks:
Are 2023 Super Bowl Futures Sleeping On 49ers?
It’s certainly easy to understand why the 49ers are drawing longer odds than the other three Super Bowl contenders. Brock Purdy simply doesn’t provide the same juice as Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, or Joe Burrow. Not on paper, at least.
Naturally, the 49ers’ +124 moneyline odds are the longest of the four contestants to pull out a victory this week. They’re +2.5 on the road though, a testament to the overall quality of their team.
In spite of the perceived gap in quarterback quality and the home-field advantage the Eagles earned, the 49ers deserve more respect. Not only do they feature the game’s top defense, but head coach Kyle Shanahan orchestrates one of the most admired offenses in the league. An offense that features enviable and explosive skill-position player talent.
Additionally, San Francisco hasn’t lost since Week 7. There’s something to be said for a team that’s clicking on all cylinders.
Now, it’s not as if the Eagles stumbled – we’re not sweating their two losses with Gardner Minshew under center. However, we’re merely suggesting that the Niners’ Super Bowl odds may be a bit long compared to their peers who remain in contention.
This comes back to Purdy. Everyone from fans, bettors, and oddsmakers to grandmothers, nuns, and newborns will side with Hurts over Purdy in a head-to-head discussion. That shouldn’t diminish what Purdy is doing in his rookie season.
In six regular-season contests, Purdy completed 68.3% of his passes at 8.1 yards per attempt. For context, Hurts completed 66.5% of his attempts at 8 yards per. No, those two statistical categories do not tell the whole story. It only serves to illustrate that Purdy is doing some things on par with his peers.
It’s reasonable to feel a bit nervous about backing the Niners with a bet this Sunday. However, if you’re simply looking to have some fun and turn a modest wager into a bit of profit, don’t sleep on San Francisco’s underdog prices.
