Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season featured no shortage of surprising results. After all, the two teams that played in Super Bowl 56 were on the wrong end of their final scores. Losing in Week 1 does not mean that a team is doomed to miss the NFL Playoffs, though, as there are still 16 more games to go.
This is the perfect time for bettors to get in on futures action and back some teams that may be flying under the radar after starting off the year off with a defeat. Betting on squads to make the playoffs is an exciting route to go because it's a bet that could cash via a division title or a Wild Card berth.
With that being said, here's a look at three teams with 0-1 records to bet on to make the playoffs.
NFL Playoff Betting
3. Cincinnati Bengals (+104)
Just about everything went wrong for the Bengals on Sunday. Joe Burrow turned the ball over a whopping five times (4 interceptions, 1 fumble) and kicker Evan McPherson had his game-winning extra point blocked at the end of regulation. McPherson than also missed a 29-yard field goal in overtime. It's easy to look at the Bengals and assume that last year was a fluke, but this is still a team that put up the fifth-most total yards of any NFL team in Week 1 (432) and was one play away from a victory. Cincinnati's next two weeks include matchups against the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets. It's safe to say they'll be favored to win both of those contests, meaning their odds to make the playoffs will jump.
2. Denver Broncos (-112)
There's a ton of Broncos fans panicking right now after watching their favorite team lose to the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football. However, there's still reason for optimism here. There's always going to be growing pains with a new quarterback and a new head coach. While Russell Wilson looked shaky, he has time to develop a chemistry with his wide receivers and running backs. The Broncos were also stuffed at the goal line twice on fourth down. Just a few more inches and Denver would've walked out of Lumen Field with a win. A home matchup against the Houston Texans in Week 2 should help the team get back on track. Keep in mind Wilson has guided his team to the playoffs in eight of his 10 NFL seasons.
1. Los Angeles Rams (-205)
Bettors unafraid to take on a juiced line should be jumping all over the Los Angeles Rams right now. Yes, the defending Super Bowl champions suffered a loss in Week 1. However, it was against the current Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills. Sean McVay has guided this team to the postseason in four of his five seasons as head coach and in the year that he didn't, the Rams still posted a winning record (9-7). LA has matchups against the Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers in the next five weeks. Those are three teams that struggled in Week 1 and give the Rams a perfect opportunity to bounce back. When it comes down to it, these odds will likely never be this low again. Take advantage of that.