Look at who owns the teams and you can find out who will win, plus who has more financial backing. The Patriots were a good example of showing how games are staged.
If financial backing mattered, then the Dallas Cowboys (the priciest franchise in the history of sports) would be in the playoffs.
As for cricket, no the games these days aren't rigged. About 10-15 years ago, there was a good chance some players would throw games after taking money from the bookies, but not any more.