Battle-tested will be an appropriate adjective for whichever team makes it out of what should be a grueling NFC playoffs. We know five of the six NFC playoff teams but who gets a bye, home-field advantage and the winner of the NFC East are all still up for grabs heading into Week 17. Here are my top three bets to win the NFC Championship.
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1. San Francisco 49ers (+250)
Currently the second favorite to come out of the NFC, the 49ers head into their Week 17 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks needing a win to clinch a first-round bye and home-field advantage through the NFC playoffs.
When healthy the 49ers defense could be the best unit in all of football. The 49ers completely overwhelmed the Green Bay Packers in their 37-8 beatdown in Week 12, holding the Packers to just 198 total yards. They kept future MVP, QB Lamar Jackson, and the world-beating Baltimore Ravens in check during their slugfest 20-17 loss to the Ravens in Week 13. The value isn’t great at +250 and there are injury concerns in the aforementioned defense but the 49ers should be ready to roll come playoff time given they’ve played a number of high-intensity games recently, including a three-week stretch against Green Bay, Baltimore, and New Orleans. The latter two games were on the road, too.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (+1400)
Obviously, the long odds of +1400 are the selling point here but if the Eagles can win the NFC East title by beating the New York Giants in Week 17 then every NFL bettor should entertain the Eagles’ chances to win the NFC. The Eagles are elite along the offensive line, defensive line and at quarterback. On their run to winning Super Bowl LII, the Eagles coaching staff ran trick plays, played its home-field advantage perfectly and ultimately coached up then backup quarterback, Nick Foles, to a Super Bowl-MVP performance.
Also, all we need is for the Eagles to make the NFC Conference Championship to earn money on this wager. If the Eagles make it to the NFC title game, you can hedge your Eagles to win the NFC futures ticket by betting the other side. So if you placed a $100 wager, which earns a profit of $1,400, betting whoever the Eagles are playing in that game—even if it’s at a juiced-up moneyline—will guarantee a profit.
3. New Orleans Saints (+185)
Again we aren’t in love with the Saints value here at +185, but they are the most complete team heading into the playoffs. Quarterback Drew Brees, ranks first in completion percentage (75.3%), second in QB Rating (115.7), third in QBR (73.7) and third in touchdown percentage (6.9%). His number one target—WR Michael Thomas—is now the record holder of most catches in a season and is a legitimate MVP contender. Everyone expects their offense to be elite, but a sneaky tough defense could make the 2019 Saints special. They rank No. 3 in sacks (49), fifth in rushing yards allowed per game and 14th in total yards heading into Week 17.
Currently the 3-seed, the Saints can still clinch a first-round bye if they win plus the 49ers or Packers lose. Playing in New Orleans gives the Saints a home-field advantage few teams have as Mercedes-Benz Superdome is a scary place for any opposing team. Getting the bye and at least two home games will be crucial for a Saints team that has a 74-38 record at home since Sean Payton took over as head coach in 2006.
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