NFL futures betting: NFC Champion odds, picks and best bets

Previewing the NFL NFC champion futures odds with 1 week left in the regular season, with NFL futures, betting odds, picks and best bets

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)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (Photo credit: Cary Edmondson – USA TODAY Sports)

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)

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (Photo credit: Matthew Emmons – USA TODAY Sports)

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)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (Photo credit: Chuck Cook – USA TODAY Sports)

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.

To get some action on the NFC Futures odds or other games, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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NFL futures betting: AFC Champion odds, picks and best bets

Previewing the NFL AFC champion futures odds with 1 week left in the regular season, with NFL futures, betting odds, picks and best bets

Though there remains some jockeying to be done in terms of seeding, the teams that make up the top five spots in the AFC playoffs are locked in. The Baltimore Ravens are also locked into the conference’s top seed (and thus hold home-field advantage to the Super Bowl), and New England will likely finish with the No. 2 seed.

Today, we take a look at how to bet on the AFC in terms of who will emerge as the conference champion, and which teams present the most value for winning the conference. Here are the top five teams in AFC championship odds heading into the final week of the season.

Looking to get in on the final week of the NFL regular season? Get some action on the games or other sports at BetMGM. Sign up now!

1. Baltimore Ravens (-112)

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. (Photo credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports)

As you would expect, the Ravens are the favorites to win the AFC this season. Every game they will play up to the Super Bowl will be at home — which is only two games thanks to their first-round bye. They have the likely NFL MVP at quarterback in Lamar Jackson and a veteran team that is loaded with talent.

However, there just isn’t a ton of value in betting the Ravens here unless you are combing them in another parlay. At -112, the Ravens are a bet to avoid despite how much you make like them to advance to the Super Bowl.

2. New England Patriots (+250)

Patriots coach Bill Belichick. (Photo credit: Raj Mehta – USA TODAY Sports)

This number, +250, is larger than what we’re used to seeing the Patriots at to win the AFC with one week to go in the regular season. They will have a home playoff game in the divisional round, and that game will likely be against the Chiefs. A bye week would certainly help the Pats given their age, and if they get that then it’s tough to bet against them. The value here may be too good to pass up.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (+375)

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. (Photo credit: Isaiah J. Downing – USA TODAY Sports)

Having to win three straight games — with at least one and likely two on the road — isn’t a recipe for success when it comes to getting to the Super Bowl. However, few — if any — teams have ever had a player like Patrick Mahomes on their roster.

The Chiefs have shown they belong with the AFC’s best, having beaten the Ravens and Patriots this season, making them are fascinating pick at +375. But for them to get to the Super Bowl, they will likely need to beat both the Nos. 1 & 2 seeds on the road. It’s certainly not impossible, but the odds just aren’t quite good enough to bet on them. You are better off betting the Kansas City moneyline each week rather than picking them now to win the conference.

4. Houston Texans (+1600)

Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (10) and QB Deshaun Watson (4). (Photo credit: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports)

The team with the fourth-best odds to win the conference is the Houston Texans. While they have been mighty inconsistent this season, they also have the talent to compete with just about any team. And when you compare their talent vs. the Chiefs to their odds relative to the Chiefs, there is a lot more value in betting the Texans to come out of the AFC. Consider betting on Houston as a potential longshot.

5. Buffalo Bills (+2500)

Bills RB Devin Singletary. (Photo credit: Mark Konezny – USA TODAY Sports)

You can make a strong case that the Bills are the third-best team in the conference despite being the No. 5 seed in the AFC. They have one of the best defenses in all of football, and their offense seems to be improving by the week. Unfortunately, their road to the Super Bowl will be incredibly difficult as they would need to win three straight games in three straight weeks and, barring a miracle, all three games will be on the road. And if the seedings hold, their opponent will have the better quarterback each time, too. The Bills are certainly a great story and a fun team, but don’t count on them making much noise in the playoffs.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Marcus_Mosher and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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What’s happened since the Saints, Colts put Super Bowl XLIV behind them?

The New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are set to kick off on Monday night. How have their fortunes gone since Super Bowl XLIV?

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Week 15’s Monday Night Football feature will highlight a Super Bowl XLIV rematch, with the New Orleans Saints hosting the Indianapolis Colts from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Monday night’s game will mark just the third matchup between the two teams since the Saints’ 31-17 victory in Super Bowl XLIV nearly a decade ago.

New Orleans has won both of the previous matchups, with many fans probably recalling the 2011 blowout in which the Saints pummeled the Curtis Painter-led Colts 62-7. Both teams played a much more even game during the ir2015 meeting, but New Orleans was able to edge out the 27-21 win on the road.

Both franchises have storied histories, each as unique as the other. But, what has happened to the two franchises since Super Bowl XLIV, when Drew Brees and Peyton Manning last shared the field? And what may lie ahead for both teams?

New Orleans Saints

New Orleans has enjoyed a period of largely sustained success, as they have made the playoffs six times in the ten seasons (including this year) following their Super Bowl victory. There is an argument to be made that in three of those six seasons (2011, 2017, 2018) the Saints were a Super Bowl-caliber team, but we’ll never know given each year’s dramatic playoff exit.

While the six seasons of playoff appearances are the highlights of the last decade, there have been plenty of downs to help offset the positives. The Saints recorded a 7-9 record in each of these seasons they did not make the playoffs, often lowering the bar for historically-bad defense. The Bountygate controversy played some part of that when head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entirety of the 2012 season.

Despite some blemishes, the last decade has been very good to the Saints. Drew Brees has cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game after breaking nearly every single record in the book. Now, he will play tonight with one more on the line: the NFL record for career passing touchdowns. He will need three touchdowns to break Colts legend Peyton Manning’s record 539 touchdown passes. There is more than just playoff seeding at stake during Monday night’s matchup. New Orleans are eyeing another Super Bowl run, and looked poised to make a deep playoff push if they can build momentum against the Colts.

Indianapolis Colts

In the ten years following Super Bowl XLIV, the Colts have not quite enjoyed the same successes as their opponent. After their Super Bowl loss, Indianapolis continued to play well as evidenced by making the playoffs in five of those years (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018). However, only the 2014 squad truly looked like a contender. The Colts also experienced multiple losing seasons, including a 2011 season which saw them achieve an unsightly 2-14.

While the Saints have enjoyed stability, particularly at the quarterback position, Indianapolis has seen turmoil. Their franchise quarterback Manning left for the Denver Broncos, and his replacement, Andrew Luck, looked like he was making an early case for the Hall of Fame. Instead, Luck retired in 2019, making way for Jacoby Brissett.

Indianapolis is a proud franchise, and will always do whatever it takes to at least be competitive. Despite a huge blow to start the season, the Colts have played to an admirable 6-7, and will look to add New Orleans to their list of beaten foes during primetime on Monday Night Football.

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