What a bizarre scenario.
On one hand, the 49ers lost their starting quarterback for the season. We won’t see Trey Lance until 2023, and who knows how long the broken ankle will stunt his development moving forward. Sunday was devastating.
On the other hand, by replacing Lance with the interminable Jimmy Garoppolo, the 49ers now have a better chance to win this season, at least according to the oddsmakers in Las Vegas.
Before Sunday’s 27-7 win over the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco’s odds to win the Super Bowl were +2000 via PointsBet. After Sunday’s win, they are now set at +1800, tied for seventh best in the NFL.
The jump in odds makes sense. San Francisco went to the NFC Championship Game with Garoppolo at the helm last season with arguably a less talented team than they have this year. Perhaps their ceiling is lower, but their floor has raised to the point that the 49ers have ironically become more of a sure thing without their starting QB. Talk about something that is unprecedented.
Here’s who the 49ers are behind in the odds via PointsBet:
Buffalo (+475)
Kansas City (+600)
Tampa Bay (+750)
Green Bay (+1200)
Los Angeles Rams (+1400)
Philadelphia (+1400)
Los Angeles Chargers (+1500)