The Cincinnati Bengals have proven to be the ultimate dark horse in 2021. Despite starting the year 7-6, Joe Burrow and Co. rallied to win three of their last four regular season games to clinch the AFC North then have won three straight victories. playoff games to make it to Super Bowl LVI, where they fell to the Los Angeles Rams. Although the Bengals haven’t lifted the Lombardi Trophy, their success in 2021 is likely a sign of things to come.
The Bengals weren’t the only fans of the team who were surprised to see success last year. The Tennessee Titans went 12-5 and clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC despite not having Derrick Henry for most of the season and having to play with a record number of different players. The New England Patriots made the playoffs with freshman quarterback Mac Jones and looked like a Super Bowl dark horse late in the year and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a 3-6 start to make the playoffs under freshman head coach Nick Sirianni. .
Which teams will be better than expected in 2022? Maybe there’s a team like the Bengals that could host a Super Bowl this season. Below, we’ll break down five potential dark horse teams that could be better than you expected in 2022. We’ll also list their Over/Under win totals and odds to make the playoffs if you’re looking to earn some money. ‘money.
All odds are via Caesars Sportsbook
Over/Under Total Wins: 8.5 (Over -135, Under +115)
Odds of making the playoffs: Yes +140, No -160
If you asked anyone who was the biggest addition the Dolphins made this offseason, they would probably answer Tyreek Hill. It makes sense; Hill has been one of the most effective wide receivers in the NFL over the past few years and could help accelerate Tua Tagovailoa’s development, but the brightest addition may be head coach Mike McDaniel.
The offensive prodigy played a major role in the San Francisco 49ers’ decision to move Deebo Samuel to the offense in 2021, and it was a successful strategy the 49ers capitalized on until they were ousted from the playoffs NFC championship game playoffs. Despite serving as offensive coordinator for just one season, McDaniel quickly gained attention on the coaching carousel. He’s someone who knows how to plan to find success on the court, which is why Miami has stocked running backs in free agency, adding Chase Edmonds, Sony Michel and Raheem Mostert.
Adding Hill and several running backs wasn’t all that front office did, as Miami signed wide receiver Ced Wilson from the Dallas Cowboys, signed a new left guard in Connor Williams and added one of the best players in this class of free agent in former New Orleans Saints left tackle Terron Armstead.
I understand Tagovailoa is a big question mark and it’s not sure if McDaniel is operational, but this Dolphins team might be the second best club in the AFC East. General manager Chris Grier said his defense had already noticed a difference in the offense during their short time together.
New Orleans Saints
Over/Under Total Wins: 8 (Over -130, Under +110)
Odds of making the playoffs: Yes +160, No -190
If you keep talking about Jameis Winston like he has an interception problem, you’re talking about yourself. The former No. 1 overall pick was 5-2 in his seven starts last season and threw for 14 touchdowns to three interceptions. He played in the Sean Payton system and wasn’t that keen on the court. He was more selective with those deep shots compared to how he played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. Winston may not be a top-five quarterback, but he showed some good things before his ACL tear last season.
Even if you’re not sold on Winston as a franchise quarterback, his wide receiver has been completely revamped. Instead of Marquez Callaway and a rotating No. 2, Winston will have Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave at his disposal. Throw Alvin Kamara in there and it looks like a pretty fun offense.
The Saints have also strengthened the secondary, replacing Marcus Williams with Marcus Maye, signing local hero Tyrann Mathieu, then selecting Alontae Taylor in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Even with the loss of Payton, this Saints team will be better than planned if she can stay healthy.
Over/Under Total Wins: 9 (Over -115, Under -105)
Odds of making the playoffs: Yes +105, No -125
Is Kevin O’Connell the next Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan? He’s a former Washington assistant who Jay Gruden had to promote to offensive coordinator at the time so other teams wouldn’t steal him. He was even considered head coach after Gruden was fired, but the franchise chose Ron Rivera instead.
The Vikings weren’t a “bad” team in 2021. They went 8-9, and it’s very possible they just needed some new leadership to really shake things up. O’Connell already has a rapport with quarterback Kirk Cousins, he also boasts one of the league’s best running backs in Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson is a rising star. Add to that the possibility of the Green Bay Packers regressing a bit, and this Vikings team could be better than you expected in 2022.
Over/Under Total Wins: 7.5 (More than +105, Less than -125)
Odds of making the playoffs: Yes +310, No -400
Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record in 15 seasons as Steelers head coach, but apparently Vegas expects that in 2022. Not only is Pittsburgh’s Over/Under win total 7, 5, but the Over is more money! It is very remarkable.
The Steelers made the playoffs after going 3-1 to close out the regular season in 2021, which came as a shock. It sometimes felt like this team was winning without much help from Ben Roethlisberger, leading some to believe that Mitchell Trubisky and/or Kenny Pickett might actually be an upgrade in 2022. It’s a debate of interesting preseason that we can have, but either way, these quarterbacks will be helped by Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth and that large receiving body that lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, but gained Calvin Austin III and George Pickens .
Defensively, you hope this unit improves in 2022. Myles Jack and Levi Wallace are two of the most underrated additions this offseason. There’s reason to be cautiously optimistic about this Steelers team in 2022, even if they reside in a tough division. I don’t see Pittsburgh as a Super Bowl contender this year, but I do see the Steelers might be better than people expect.
Over/Under Total Wins: 8.5 (More than +100, Less than -120)
Odds of making the playoffs: Yes +190, No -230
The Raiders finished second to the AFC West last year with a 10-7 record and made the playoffs, but the sports betting expects them to finish in last place in the division in 2022. It’s true that the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers have both made splash additions that could turn them into legitimate contenders, but the Raiders have also had a great offseason. They reunited Derek Carr with Davante Adams and made several defensive additions that should have immediate impacts such as pass-rusher Chandler Jones and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin.
I tried to predict every match on the Raiders’ 2022 schedule and ended with a final record of 8-9. It was a tough project, and I could have easily finished 9-8. Like their rivals, the Raiders will suffer from having to play the AFC West, but they should be improved from last season. Carr impressed me by throwing for a career-high 4,804 yards (fifth in the NFL), and the addition of Josh McDaniels as head coach could potentially help him.
