The race to SuperBowl 50, the 46th of the modern era, gets under way this weekend. The talking is over and teams now get down to the serious business of booking their place at the Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco in February.
Hopefully, there will be no more talk of deflated balls and we can concentrate on the action. We start with a look at the best early bets in the NFC.
The Green Bay Packers won’t be at full strength in the opening weeks of the new season but could benefit from a bit of momentum once they get up to speed and look banker material in the NFC North at Paddy Power‘s 4/9.
Everything is in place at Lambeau Field for a concerted challenge for the NFC title (a general 7/2). Tom Clements is a capable quarter-back and plays the percentages to good effect – but will he have the guts to make the big plays when the pressure is on in championship games.
Seattle Seahawks are only a general 2/5 to win the NFC West and 5/2 with betway and bwin to win the NFC. But success can’t be guaranteed this season in their section as the Arizona Cardinals should give them plenty to think about.
The Cardinals’ head coach, Bruce Arians, is a wily old fox and thinks he can get one more big season out of veteran QB Carson Palmer. The former Bengals and Raiders QB is now 35 but has been training hard ahead of what will probably be his swansong and his team are overpriced to beat the Seahawks in their section at 7/1 with 10bet, Boylesports, Coral and Skybet.
Philadelphia Eagles are also fancied to make a run for the NFC title this season. There are risks involved in the way Chip Kelly has been given total control over all footballing affairs at Lincoln Field. He is effectively the team’s general manager as well as head coach so will have his hands full.
But fans will have no-one else to blame if at all ends in tears and it could be an exciting few months. The experiment should be successful long enough for the Eagles to win the NFC East comfortably (11/8 with Boylesports, Betfred and betway) but the strain might be showing by the time the play-offs get under way and Kelly’s heroes can be backed at 10/1 with betway, Boylesports and bwin to win the NFC title.
The NFC South looks the weakest division but is also the most open according to bookmakers, who make have New Orleans Saints (2/1 with 10bet and Stan James) and Atlanta Falcons (the same odds in several places) vying for favouritism. The Saints are a real force at the Superdome nowadays but Carolina Panthers (14/5 with sportingbet, bet365, betway and 10bet) could give them a real run for their money if starting strongly.
