The Washington Commanders, with just one win this season, find themselves on the brink of becoming one of the longest preseason underdog teams in NFL history. They face the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game as 6-point favorites at ESPN BET, marking a stark shift from their early-season status as 150-1 long shots to win the Super Bowl. Before last week’s game against the St. Louis Rams, Commanders were listed as long as 250-1 to reach the Super Bowl.
This season started with the Commanders at an monumental odds length of 150-1 to win the Super Bowl. In Week 3, their odds dipped to 498-1, though have since improved slightly ahead of Sunday’s game. A victory on Sunday would tie them with the 1999 St. Louis Rams for the longest preseason odds in NFL history.
The Commanders’ struggle this season has drawn limited interest from bettors. A $500 Super Bowl bet placed in August by a Virginia-based bettor through Caesars Sportsbook represents one of the largest reported preseason bets on Washington. In contrast, teams like the Tennessee Titans, New York Giants, and New England Patriots attracted significantly more bets last season.
Four months later, Commanders are the most popular team to win at BetMGM this week. More bets have been placed on them to beat the Eagles than any other outcome in either of this weekend’s championship games. However, Washington is a -240 favorite in the game itself.
Meanwhile, Kansas City Chiefs remain the favorite heading into their AFC Championship Game against Buffalo Bills. The Commanders’ recent performance and underdog status have drawn betting interest, though they still trail most teams in terms of popularity for this weekend’s games.
Source: https://www.espn.com/espn/betting/story/_/id/43546608/commanders-aiming-make-super-bowl-long-shot-history