We covered the AFC last week, which you can check out on the main blog page. We’re inching closer and closer to the season, and this week we’ll be covering the NFC. We start off with the NFC West, which may be one of the deepest divisions in football.We will provide odds for both Bovada and BetOnline’s divisional betting futures, but it’s still important to line shop for the best price available.
Bovada’s to Win NFC West Odds
BetOnline to Win NFC West Odds
Odds Analysis
Seattle rolls into the season as a heavy favorite in the NFC West. They’re coming off a 10-5-1 season after falling to the Falcons in the playoffs. Their offensive line woes are still a problem, but Russell Wilson is fully healthy from the ankle injury that bothered him last season. They’re a better bet at BetOnline -260 than at Bovada where they’re -275.
Arizona considered themselves Super Bowl contenders before last season began, but underperformed massively. The Cardinals managed to just a 7-8-1 record last season after Carson Palmer severely underperformed in the passing game. They’re +300 at Bovada, but just +225 to win the division at BetOnline.
The Rams didn’t have a great first year in L.A., but they did clean house, firing Jeff Fisher and hiring Sean McVay. McVay is the youngest head coach in the NFL but proved himself as the Redskins’ offensive coordinator under Jay Gruden in Washington. He will look to turn around a franchise that was 4-12 last season. They’re currently at +1400 on Bovada to win the AFC West and +1200 at BetOnline.
The 49ers also fired their coach, moving on from Chip Kelly to former Falcons’ offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan. His offense seems to be already taking shape in San Francisco after a few strong preseason outings. San Francisco is coming off a dismal 2-14 season. They’re a far better wager at BetOnline at +1800 than at Bovada where they’re +1200.
Our Pick to win the AFC West
The oddsmakers seem to think that Seattle has a hammerlock on the division, but I am not so sure that is the case. I am high on Russell Wilson and his pass catchers, but the offensive line is awful, and defensively they have shown plenty of cracks. At -260, I am not a fan of them to repeat this year.
Arizona looks like the closest competitor, but they also have problems of their own. Carson Palmer had an awful season in 2016 and doesn’t look much better this year. They don’t have many decent receivers, and most of the offense will run through David Johnson. An injury to their star running back may drastically hurt their chances of a strong year.
I’m high on San Francisco’s new regime, and I do believe their offense will make some strides this year, but defensively – they have major issues. Still, if you’re higher on than Shanahan, Hoyer, and Company, you might consider betting them at +2500.
I prefer the Rams as a dark horse. Goff was awful last year and has not been a world-beater in the preseason, but Sean McVay is a talented offensive coach. They also added an elite receiving threat with Sammy Watkins via trade. Their defense might be the best in the division, or very close.
Pick: Los Angeles Rams +1400 at BetOnline
About the Author
Joseph Falchetti
Editor-in-Chief, Pro Sports Bettor and Casino Expert
Joe is the author of the majority of sports betting pages on SBS and he serves as a gambling consultant to our content team. He's been mentioned on Forbes.com as a gaming analyst, and his articles have been linked by larger publications, such as the New York Times.
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