Which 3-0 NFL Teams are Contenders, Pretenders by Latest Super Bowl Odds?

Entering NFL Week 4, only five teams still boast an undefeated 3-0 record. But not every one of those perfect starts was created equally.

For example, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the Super Bowl odds favorites after three wins by a combined 13 points, all of which came down to the final minute.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings have outscored opponents by 55-plus points after blowout wins in Week 3, while the Seattle Seahawks and Pittsburgh Steelers round out the top five in point differential behind their elite defenses.

Which of those five teams are legitimate title contenders entering the NFL Week 4 odds? Here is a look at how we view each team and our confidence in a bet on their Super Bowl odds:

Super Bowl odds: Contenders

Kansas City Chiefs (+500)

Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Chiefs led my Super Bowl predictions entering the season, and I haven't seen anything to change my mind through three weeks - even if their "perfect" start hasn't been flawless.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, a two-time NFL MVP winner, is averaging career lows in passing yards (219.7 YPG) and QBR (51.2). On the other side, Kansas City's defense ranks 25th in opponent success rate (43.3%) and 26th in EPA allowed per play (0.06).

I'm just not sure how much I care about any of that after how bad the Chiefs looked in last year's regular season. They ultimately flipped the switch in the postseason, and this year's group is even better on paper and has survived a murderer's row through three weeks.

There's no doubt that Kansas City is a contender, and these +500 odds at FanDuel could be the best price we see all season. That's why the Chiefs earn an easy five-star endorsement from me in the title market.

Bet $5, Win $250 in Bonus Bets

New customers only. Min. first deposit and wager of $5+. Bonus bets are awarded within 72 hours of winning your first wager. T&Cs apply. OR a $2,500 VIP First Bet Offer.

Claim $250

Buffalo Bills (+800)

Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's hard not to be impressed with the Bills after a 37-point win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were 4.5-point underdogs by the Monday Night Football odds.

Buffalo jumped out to a 34-3 halftime lead behind four first-half touchdowns from Josh Allen, who had 247 yards passing by intermission. He completed passes to nine different receivers, four of which reached paydirt in a masterclass by Allen and offensive coordinator Joe Brady.

Even before Monday's offensive explosion, the Bills ranked fifth in scoring (28.2 PPG) and second in third-down conversion rate (47.9%) since Brady took over as the full-time play-caller in Week 11 of last season.

Then they averaged 7.4 yards per play with an 8-for-10 conversion rate on third and fourth down and a 3-for-3 mark in the red zone, extending their record to 9-1 with Brady calling the shots.

The Bills also flummoxed Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (178 yards, TD, INT), who was forced to settle for short throws all night long. That's a staple of this Buffalo defense, which is at its best when taking away the deep shot and keeping everything underneath.

That follows one of the biggest NFL trends entering Week 4 as defenses leaguewide take away explosive plays. However, I'm still skeptical that the Bills' defense can hold up all season given their aging personnel and the injuries we've already seen on that side.

That's why I can only offer four stars of confidence at these +800 odds via bet365, which are far shorter than this team's best preseason odds of +1700.

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose*

*Deposit required. Mobile app only. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. New customers only. 21+ Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Referral Codes are used for marketing/tracking purposes only.

Claim Now

Minnesota Vikings (+3000)

Confidence: ⭐⭐⭐

I broke down my thoughts about the Vikings odds and futures picks in a deep-dive analysis earlier this week, so I don't need to go overboard here.

In short, I'm a firm believer in what Kevin O'Connell and Brian Flores are doing in Minnesota, where Sam Darnold has revitalized his career and the defense looks like arguably the single-best unit in football.

It's one thing to make Daniel Jones look like an amateur in Week 1. It's another to do the same to NFL MVP odds contenders Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud, who looked mortal against the NFL leaders in sacks (16), tackles for loss (23), and opponent success rate (18.8%).

The biggest question, obviously, is whether Darnold can keep playing at an elite level under center for the next 15 weeks and beyond. That's the only reason BetMGM is still offering +3000 odds on Minnesota to win it all.

I view this more as a bet on O'Connell and the defense to lead the way in a wide-open NFC, which feels like a worthwhile bet with $10 returning a $300 profit.

Up To $1,500 First Bet Offer

Bonus bets will expire in 7 days. One new customer offer only. Additional terms and conditions apply.

Claim $1,500

Super Bowl odds: Pretenders

Seattle Seahawks (+4000)

Confidence: ⭐⭐

It pains me to put the Seahawks on the "pretenders" list, as I was high on this group entering the season and love the job Mike Macdonald has done in Year 1.

To his credit, Seattle has taken care of business through the first three weeks of the season, ranking fourth in scoring defense (14.3 PPG) and second in total defense (248.7 YPG) while sitting fourth in point differential (plus-30).

All of that is what you'd hope to see from a Super Bowl contender. It also came against a cupcake schedule, as the 'Hawks were favored by 3.5 points or more over three opponents that remain underdogs by the latest NFL playoff odds.

I think this defense is legit, but I have concerns about this offense under new play-caller Ryan Grubb, whose NFL career has opened with mixed results.

This team has Super Bowl upside if absolutely everything is clicking, which is why I still have some small degree of confidence at these +4000 odds via Caesars. I'll feel a little more motivated to place a wager once we see this group face someone other than Bo Nix, Jacoby Brissett, or Skylar Thompson.

Up To $250 Bet Match

New users only. Must use promo code. Min. $10 deposit. Max. bonus is one (1) $250 Bonus Bet. Unused Bonus Bets expire in 30 days. Void where prohibited. Full terms.    

Claim $250

Pittsburgh Steelers (+3900)

Confidence: ⭐

If you're betting on the Steelers to win the Super Bowl, which is priced as high as +3900 via FanDuel, I have a city of bridges to sell you.

Mike Tomlin absolutely deserves credit for leading his team in a way that seemingly only he can. Pittsburgh has scored just three touchdowns but is allowing fewer than 10 points per game amid a 3-0 start - the first time a team has pulled all that off in NFL history.

Make no mistake: this defense is for real. The Steelers lead the NFL in scoring defense (8.7 PPG) and total defense (229.7 YPG), and they have allowed the lowest conversion rate on third down (21.9%) and in the red zone (16.7%).

They're also the first team in 20 years to allow no more than 10 points or 300 yards in each of their first three games and just the eighth to do so since 1970.

Yet this offense remains a glaring concern. Pittsburgh ranks 27th in yards per play (4.6) with the NFL's worst red-zone offense (25%), and it ranks seventh in third-down conversion rate (43.2%) despite ranking 27th in total pass attempts (75).

Of the 43 teams to score exactly 51 points after three weeks, nearly 75% had a losing record and only three were 3-0. This just doesn't feel sustainable across a full season, even when Russell Wilson (calf) eventually displaces current starter Justin Fields.

Remember that Steelers team that started 11-0 in 2020 despite shaky play under center? They collapsed down the stretch and lost in the first round of the NFL playoffs. I'd be shocked if this iteration does any better.

Bet $5, Win $250 in Bonus Bets

New customers only. Min. first deposit and wager of $5+. Bonus bets are awarded within 72 hours of winning your first wager. T&Cs apply. OR a $2,500 VIP First Bet Offer.

Claim $250

NFL betting odds pages

Here are our best NFL betting sites:

• Caesars Promo Code: SBRBONUSDYW | Read our Caesars Review
• BetMGM Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our BetMGM Review
• bet365 Bonus Code: SBRBONUS | Read our bet365 Review
• FanDuel Promo Code | Read our FanDuel Review
• DraftKings Promo Code | Read our DraftKings Review

(21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER)
* Bonuses not applicable in Ontario.

Not intended for use in MA.
Each betting site featured on SBR has been meticulously researched and selected by our team of experts. If you sign up through our links, we may get a commission.

Related pages

• Best Sports Betting Sites | Best Sportsbook Promos (U.S. only)