The 2024 NFL season is well underway, and there has been no shortage of shocks in the opening five weeks of the campaign. The Cincinnati Bengals were considered genuine Lombardi contenders by many, but their shocking overtime defeat to their AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens on week five has left them 1-4 and with their postseason hopes in tatters. Over in Washington State, the Seattle Seahawks had surprised many with their impressive start to the campaign, but a stunning loss at home to the lowly New York Giants has left supporters reevaluating their hopes for the season. 

One thing that has remained constant however is the dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs. Led by the mercurial Patrick Mahomes, the Missouri outfit claimed their second straight Lombardi at Super Bowl LVIII last term, and they show no sign of slowing down. They have begun the new campaign with four straight wins to emphasize their status as favorites to complete the first-ever NFL three-peat. 

But while their odds on Lombardi glory remain sturdy, there have been plenty of market movers throughout the first five weeks of the season. Here are the four biggest of them. 

Minnesota Vikings

In the preseason, the Minnesota Vikings were not considered serious contenders for the Super Bowl, with odds at a distant +10000. The loss of quarterback ace Kirk Cousins to free agency was considered to be too big of a blow to navigate, while the addition of perennial backup Sam Darnold did little to lift spirits. However, the new man under center’s start to the season has dramatically altered perceptions both in him and on his team. 

The 2018 third-overall draft pick has been in scintillating form at the start of the season. He has already thrown for 11 touchdowns so far this season, the second overall in the league behind Joe Burrow, helping his team to a scarcely believable 5-0 record. Their start to the season has been so good that the week 5 NFL betting odds made them a -143 favorite for their clash with Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets in London, England, and they duly lived up the billing, winning by a score of 23-17 to ensure their perfect start to the season heads into a sixth week. 

This early success has seen the bookies slash odds on the US Bank Stadium side winning the Super Bowl down to +1100, marking the most significant shift so far this term. Their surge can be attributed to a robust offense spearheaded by Darnold, who has shown poise and precision in crucial moments. Coupled with a defense that ranks decently in both offensive and defensive yards per game, Minnesota has become a formidable force. 

Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders entered the season as an afterthought, and their Lombardi aspirations were priced as long as +15000 with some outlets. However, a string of sensational performances throughout the opening weeks of the campaign has seen their odds slashed to +3300. The addition of quarterback ace Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick of the recent draft has completely transformed the fortunes at Northwest Stadium. 

Not too many eyebrows were raised when the Commanders lost against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on week one, nor were they when they scraped past the Giants on week two. However, a stunning week three victory away at the heavyweight Bengals in a straight shootout certainly garnered plenty of attention, and they have gone on a tear ever since. Blowout wins against the Arizona Cardinals and the Cleveland Browns have sent Washington straight to the summit of the stacked NFC East, and a return to the playoffs for the first time in four years. 

Cincinnati Bengals

While both the Commanders and the Vikings have arrived out of nowhere to have genuine Lombardi aspirations, the Cincinnati Bengals have gone in the opposite direction. They started the campaign as a +1300 Super Bowl contender, however, a disastrous start has seen their odds plummet to +3500. Shock defeats to the rebuilding New England Patriots and reigning champion Chiefs meant that they started the season 0-2 for the third straight year, and since then things have gone from bad to worse. 

Despite the otherworldly performances of quarterback Joe Burrow, Cincy simply cannot buy a string of wins. They were stunned by the Commanders on week three and barely scraped past the rock-bottom Carolina Panthers on week four. In week five, it looked as though they would pick up a season-altering win against the Ravens, with quarterback Burrow picking up stunning numbers of 392 yards and five touchdowns. 

But ultimately, that still wasn’t enough. The ever-reliable Evan MacPherson missed an overtime field goal attempt that would have won his side the game and revitalized their campaign. Then, Derrick Henry charged down the field and handed a field goal attempt on a platter to Justin Tucker. He duly sent his kick between the posts to send the Ravens to the top of the AFC North, while the Bengals’ campaign is now in tatters.