Patriots, Seahawks favoured for NFL Super Bowl 51

IT has only been a day since the Denver Broncos upset the Carolina Panthers in the NFL’s showpiece event, but the bookies have already been busy.

Our friends at WilliamHill.com.au have already churned out a market for next year’s Super Bowl, with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots sharing favouritism at $9 with Aaron Rodgers and the Seattle Seahawks.

The vanquished Panthers are next on the line at $10 as Cam Newton, fresh from becoming the latest internet meme after having Michael Jordan’s Hall of Fame speech crying face photoshopped onto just about every photograph ever taken of him, will be on the hunt for redemption.

There is no love for the Broncos, even though star quarterback and five time NFL Most Valuable Player Peyton Manning has not made a decision on his retirement, even though many tipped him to bow out after yesterday’s game.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers are both $11 hopes, ahead of the Broncos at $13, along with the Arizona Cardinals, who were smoked by the Panthers in the NFC Championship game.

“The Broncos bucked a huge Super Bowl trend of punters picking Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy,” WilliamHill.com.au’s Tim Ashworth said.

“In fact, Denver only accounted for 12 per cent of all William Hill’s head to head bets.

Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and the Broncos’ monster defence did what it had to do to stop Newton and the Panthers, putting the clamps on to register a 24-10 win in the main event.

Miller was in every thing, stripping Newton twice, with both plays leading to a touchdown and was a deserved MVP, even though the spotlight was on the legend Manning.

Manning heaped praise on his supreme defence, which absolutely destroyed Newton and the Panthers, the league’s highest scoring offence. Manning was 13-of-23 passing for 141 yards with an interception.

Newton, named the season’s MVP, was left that as a consolation prize as some pundits went on to say the Panthers took their opponents too lightly.

He was sacked six times and never really got into any sort of rhythm after a poor call on a catch early on began the frustrations.

“They just played better than us,” he said, in a press conference that featured just 80 words.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.

“They made more plays than us and that’s what it came down to.

“We had out opportunities.

“There wasn’t nothing special that they did.

“We dropped balls.

“We turned ball over, gave up sacks, threw errant passes.

“That’s it, they scored more points than we did.”

He did have one ominous shout out to Panthers fans: “We’ll be back.”

Ashworth said their was no love for the Broncos, purely because of Manning’s impending decision.

“The Broncos are $13 to go back to back, as we are expecting the great Peyton Manning to call time on his career.

“He’s definitely earned a well-earned slice from the nearest Papa John’s.”

Manning said he will take some time to make his decision as he basks in the glory of his second Super Bowl win.

The 39 year old said he would not rush in making a decision about retirement, but “I’ll be at peace, whichever way it goes.”

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Manning said, when asked if he was going to retire after the game.

“I’ll take some time to reflect.

“And I’m going to say a prayer and a thank you to the man upstairs for this opportunity as well.”

Manning’s mum and dad told ESPN that there had been a groundswell of support for him to hang up the boots.

“I’ve got 200 something texts on my phone, a lot of friends, and everybody wants him to retire,” Archie Manning said.

“Nine out of ten people feel that way. This has kind of come to a head. A lot of things are pointing toward what everyone wants him to do.”

His mum Olivia was more blunt.

“I would like Peyton to retire. I would,” Olivia Manning said.

“Well, we’re on top, and physically, I just don’t think it’s worth going on.

“You won a Super Bowl. That’s the best way to go out.”

In case you were wondering if Manning needed to do any thing else to seal his legacy, take a look at this:

He is a first ballot hall of famed who moved from the Indianapolis to the Broncos in 2012 after spending 14 years as a Colt, along the way winning five MVPs and two Super Bowls, reaching the playoffs 15 times in 18 seasons, made the Pro Bowl 14 times and was the All-Pro quarterback seven times.

In 2013 he set a single season NFL record for passing yards – 5477 – and touchdown passes – 55, making it the finest single season in NFL history. Outside of that, he has eclipsed 4000 passing yards in a season 15 times and holds two of the three best seasons for touchdown passes in history.

He had a question mark over his ability to win Super Bowls, but hopefully yesterday’s effort can dispel that.

Take some time to smell the roses.

And hey, if you couldn’t give a rat’s who wins next year’s Super Bowl, but just like this gridiron stuff because of Jarryd Hayne, then there are still some novelty markets to have a bit of fun with featuring the Aussie former Parramatta Eels rugby league star.

The 27 year old played eight games with the San Francisco 49ers in his first season.

Hayne is $1.40 to play in at least one regular season game next season, despite not being guaranteed a slot, with the former Eel is $2.50 to record his first touchdown of his career.

“I got close twice this year. I was devastated,” he said.

“It was actually a route that I ran that if I had run it a bit different, I would’ve scored against Detroit.

“I came close, and then obviously that one against the NY Giants as well.

“Definitely next year, it has to be done. It has to be done.”

2016 Super Bowl Market

New England Patriots ($9)

Seattle Seahawks ($9

Carolina Panthers ($10)

Pittsburgh Steelers ($11)

Green Bay Packers ($11)

Arizona Cardinals ($13)

Denver Broncos ($13)

Cincinnati Bengals ($17)

Dallas Cowboys ($21)

Kansas City Chiefs ($21)

Indianapolis Colts ($21)

Minnesota Vikings ($26)

Houston Texans ($26)

Buffalo Bills ($41)

New York Giants ($41)

New York Jets ($41)

Baltimore Ravens ($41)

Atlanta Falcons ($41)

Washington Redskins ($41)

Chicago Bears ($51)

Detroit Lions ($51)

New Orleans Saints ($51)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($51)

San Diego Chargers ($51)

Miami Dolphins ($51)

Oakland Raiders ($51)

Philadelphia Eagles ($67)

Jacksonville Jaguars ($67)

LA Rams ($67)

Tennessee Titans ($67)

San Francisco 49ers ($81)

Cleveland Browns ($151)

Odds provided by WilliamHill.com.au