In any sport, there can be upsets. While the strongest team often goes on to lift the trophy, there are those memorable occasions when an underdog comes through to provide a significant shock.
Surprise results are rare across a long NFL season, but they have happened and will undoubtedly continue to do so. The favorites for the 2025 Super Bowl are in place, but which teams are best placed to come through and provide an upset this season?
In Pole Position
As the 2025 NFL playoff series began, the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs were the teams to beat. Early Super Bowl odds placed these two franchises at the top of the market while the remaining teams were all looking to challenge.
Following the first round of wild card games, there have been some early eliminations, and those sides are left to prepare for next season. For the remaining franchises, it’s time to focus on the divisional playoffs and see whether they can produce another Super Bowl shock in 2025.
No Problem for Houston
According to those odds markets, the team least likely to win the Super Bowl this year is the Houston Texans. They are the biggest underdogs as the playoffs progress, but they were also the most impressive in wild card week.
Against a strong LA Chargers side, Houston came through via a 32-12 scoreline to book their place in the divisional playoffs. The Texans enjoyed a solid regular season, winning the AFC South with a 10-7 record.
The key player for Houston in that wild-card victory was quarterback C.J. Stroud. He threw 282 passing yards, the highest return for anyone in the first week of the postseason.
The big issue for Houston Texans fans is that their next game is against the Kansas City Chiefs. It will be tough to overcome one of the favorites for Super Bowl glory, but if the Texans can edge past the Chiefs, they will have a relatively easy run to the final game.
Buffalo Buoyant
Another team to impress in the wild-card round was the Buffalo Bills. They are down among the underdogs for the Super Bowl, but a 31-7 win over the Denver Broncos suggests they can cause an upset as the playoffs progress.
The Bills enjoyed an awe-inspiring regular season as they topped the AFC East. A 13-4 record was only eclipsed by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC, and it may be surprising that Buffalo isn’t more highly rated.
While they have a talented roster, all eyes are on the starting quarterback again. In the case of the Bills, they have one of the best-performing players in the League right now.
Following a stunning regular season, Josh Allen is the favorite to win the NFL’s season-long Most Valuable Player award. Allen has been with Buffalo since the first round of the 2018 draft, and in this campaign, he’s been delivering on his vast potential.
Nobody is a one-person team, and the Bills have a talented roster, but so much depends on Josh Allen. Buffalo could provide the surprise package in 2025 if he is at his peak.
Eagles Soaring
It wouldn’t necessarily be a great surprise if the Philadelphia Eagles were the team to upset the favorites’ party. Independent sources expect Super Bowl LIX to feature the Lions and the Chiefs, but Philadelphia is the closest challenger, according to the markets.
Over in the NFC East, the Eagles topped the division with an impressive 14-3 regular season record. Only the Detroit Lions produced a better return in the regular campaign.
Philadelphia also has a talented roster with an in-form quarterback at its heart. Jalen Hurts is another player in contention for the MVP award, and he’s targeting a Super Bowl appearance this season.
Behind the Eagles in the NFC East were the Washington Commanders. The runners-up in the division will also be hoping for a surprise appearance in the Super Bowl after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round.
It will be tough for Washington to progress any further, however, as they are set to face favorites the Detroit Lions in the divisional playoffs.
While those favorites are in place, many teams aim to topple the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs. The closest challenges for Super Bowl 2025 are expected to come from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Baltimore Ravens, but as we have seen, some underdogs have started the playoffs positively.
Upsets happen in football, and the picture will become more evident as those playoffs progress. Teams that started as underdogs at the beginning of the series may gain momentum, while favorites could experience injuries and a dip in form.
The Lions and the Chiefs may be in pole position but never rule out the potential for a shock result.
