The odds on the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints tasting Super Bowl XLIV success are far behind those for the Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers with all four sitting out this weekend’s first round of the NFL post-season.

The Colts and Chargers of the American Football Conference (AFC) are being offered at odds as low as 5/2 by some online bookmakers to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy next month in Miami but doubts remain as to whether the pair will be able to pick it up for the playoffs after resting for two weeks.

Similarly, the fact that the Vikings and Saints of the National Football Conference (NFC) limped into the post-season after posting great starts has many wondering whether either can win their first Super Bowl title.

After going 13 games unbeaten and winning its NFC South division, New Orleans wilted to lose its three remaining games and will meet the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals or Dallas Cowboys in the Divisional Round next weekend. BetFred.com is offering the Saints at odds of 7/2 to beat all of its opponents and win Super Bowl XLIV while SkyBet.com shows 19/5.

Led by experienced quarterback Drew Brees, New Orleans scored more points this season than any other NFL franchise but also allowed more than any team involved in the post-season. This fact has seen BoyleSports.com, SportingBet.com, Bet365.com, BlueSq.com, ToteSport.com, PaddyPower.com, StanJames.com, 888Sport.com, Ladbrokes.com, WilliamHill.com and Coral.co.uk offer the Louisiana franchise at odds of 4/1 to win the Super Bowl this year.

Stage fright may also be a factor as this is only the Saints’ third post-season appearance in the last decade. Combined with everything else, this detail sees BetDaq.com offering New Orleans at odds of 43/10 to win Super Bowl XLIV followed by WBX.com and Betfair.com with 9/2.

For its part, the Vikings posted a regular season record of twelve wins for four losses and won its NFC North division but lost three of its remaining five contests by a combined tally of 54 points to 92.

Although WBX.com is offering odds of 39/5 on a Minnesota Super Bowl win come February, this is as good as it gets with BetDaq.com, Bet365.com, VictorChandler.com, BetFred.com, BlueSq.com, 888Sport.com, StanJames.com, PaddyPower.com, ToteSport.com, WilliamHill.com and Ladbrokes.com going with 8/1.

Due in no small part to quarterback Brett Favre, the Vikings finished second in the regular season in terms of points scored while finishing fifth overall in yards. However, the franchise struggled away from home with a record of four wins for an identical number of defeats, which has prompted Betfair.com to offer odds of 42/5 on a Minnesota triumph at Super Bowl XLIV.

Slightly longer, SportingBet.com is going with odds of 17/2 that the ‘Purple People Eaters’ will triumph in Miami while BoyleSports.com and SkyBet.com show 9/1.