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The only thing stranger than saying "Atlanta Falcons odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl" is saying "Miami Dolphins odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl". After all, these were two of the worst teams in the league last year. Even though the Dolphins had only one win last year, no team went through what the Falcons did. Miami made drastic changes during the off season, the biggest of which was hiring Bill Parcells as team President. Atlanta looked like a team that would spend the season rebuilding following debacles last year that included star quarterback Micheal Vick sentenced for illegal dog fighting and a coach that walked away from the team prior to the end of 2007.
Now here we are with Atlanta in the Playoffs and rookie coach Mike Smith is likely to be awarded "Coach of the Year".
The Falcons were listed with odds of +2000 to win the 2009 Super Bowl for a payout potential of $2000 on every $100 bet at Super Book. That's mere chump change compared to the $200,000 that could have been won for every $100 bet early on in the season (assuming the Falcons do somehow walk away with a Super Bowl title).
Atlanta will be playing the Arizona Cardinals, a team that many believe has no right being in the post season. The Cardinals, however, have gotten there by playing very solid football at home and this coming Sunday they host Arizona.
"The home team has won 7 of the last 9 in this series," Gambling911.com senior reporter and sports betting expert, Carrie Stroup, points out. "But it is Atlanta that has won 4 of the last 10."
The line on this game was -2 in favor of Atlanta.
In his first year as coach, Smith and rookie quarterback Matt Ryan led the Falcons to an 11-5 record one season after a 4-12 finish.
"We came a long way," said Jerious Norwood, who ran for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 45-yard run with 3:41 left. "Whoever would have thought we'd be in the playoffs?"
Atlanta's hopes of winning the NFC South and gaining a first-round bye ended with Carolina's 33-31 win at New Orleans.
The Falcons had hoped for a home game but instead will travel to NFC West champion Arizona for a wild-card game next week.
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Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
