Super Bowl race down to 12 as Patriots favoured in NFL playoffs

THE New England Patriots will start as the $3 favourite to win Super Bowl LII at WilliamHill.com.au as the NFL playoffs kick into high gear.

The race to American football’s biggest prize is down to 12 teams as history was made in a drama-filled final weekend.

The Buffalo Bills (16 years) and Tennessee Titans (8 years) broke long post-season droughts, while the Minnesota Vikings ($5.50 second favourite) and Pittsburgh Steelers (+550 at WilliamHill.com.au) strengthened their claims as the main challengers to the Patriots’ claim to yet another NFL crown.

The NFL Playoffs begin on Saturday when Wild Card Weekend begins.

The Jaguars will face the Bills, the Chiefs play the Titans, the Falcons play the Rams and the Saints host the Panthers.

Get odds for each NFL Wild Card playoffs match at WilliamHill.com.au.

How the NFL Playoffs will work

Think your team can make it all the way to the Super Bowl? Check out their run to the ultimate decider in the graphic below:

Super Bowl favourites

You could be forgiven for thinking it’s Groundhog Day when looking at the main betting markets.

Tom Brady and the Patriots sit at the top of the heap yet again.

Although the Vikings could play a home Super Bowl if they make it, New England has looked a class above everyone else as the season has progressed.

What would the Vikings have to do to cause the upset? Minnesota’s defense is among the stingiest in the NFL, and Case Keenum has the Vikings winning games. If there’s one thing that we know about playoffs football, it’s that a great defense is absolutely vital.

The best of the rest in the Super Bowl LII race

In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills squeezed their way into the playoffs at the very last minute to snap the longest drought in professional US sports. The Bills will play against the Jaguars and could consider themselves a chance to advance, but pose no real threat to any of the real contenders.

The Titans survived and will play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, but are given very little chance of advancing past the first week.

The Eagles are the x-factor in these playoffs, and we’ll see how they compete without Carson Wentz. They will have a week to rest while their round two opposition battles it out. The odds-on favourite to be their competition is the fourth-seeded Saints.

2017 NFL Super Bowl LII odds