2018 NFL Odds to Win Every Division

We’re moving closer and closer to the opening of training camps for the 2018 National Football League season, so it’s time to start looking at the sports betting chances for each team to walk away with their respective divisions. Will Philadelphia waltz to another easy NFC East title and then roll through the postseason? Will Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski report to OTA’s anytime soon? Take a look at NFL odds on each team — and our thoughts on several of the contenders and pretenders.

2018 NFL Odds to Win Every Division

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AFC East

• New England                         -150
• N.Y. Jets                                 +800
• Buffalo Bills                           +1200
• Miami Dolphins                     +1200

There is only one legitimate starting NFL quarterback in this division — and he hasn’t shown up at team facilities yet. Tom Brady may be feeling his age more than we think at the age of 40, but the fact is that it’s Brian Hoyer out there getting first-team reps with the offense until Brady shows up. Rob Gronkowski hasn’t shown up either, and you have to wonder how much desire either of these two vets has to come back and roll through another season. Even so, the Pats should skate to a division title. Why? The Jets come next in the odds list, even though their quarterbacks will consist of journeyman Josh McCown, Teddy Bridgewater and rookie Sam Darnold. The Jets still have problems on defense and they don’t have a real running back. After that, we have Buffalo, who is trying to rebuild with AJ McCarron holding down quarterback until Josh Allen is ready, and Miami, who is still trying to revive Ryan Tannehill. Expect the Patriots to struggle a bit out of the gate but ultimately to roll to another division title.

NFC East

• Philadelphia Eagles              -150
• Dallas Cowboys                    +350
• N.Y. Giants                            +450
• Washington Redskins          +1000

Even if Carson Wentz isn’t ready for Week One, remember that it was Nick Foles who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl. LeGarrette Blount has left for Detroit, but Jay Ajayi returns for the Birds. Dallas didn’t do anything to burnish their defense, so it really won’t matter how much Dak and Zeke can score. The Giants are relying on Eli Manning to work magic behind a Swiss-cheese O-line, while Washington made the baffling decision to bring in Alex Smith at quarterback when they already had a signal-caller who was at least as good in Kirk Cousins…who now plays for the Vikings. Given the nonsense at work in the other three front offices in this division, I expect the Eagles to roll again.

AFC North

• Pittsburgh Steelers               -275
• Baltimore Ravens                 +400
• Cincinnati Bengals               +1000
• Cleveland Browns                +1200

The Cleveland Browns have two elite receivers in Josh Gordon and Jarvis Landry, and they have Tyrod Taylor and Baker Mayfield at quarterback. Their defense has gotten better thanks to a wealth of draft picks. It would take Ben Roethlisberger blowing an ACL and the Ravens imploding for the Browns to win a division, but I do see Cleveland as a sleeper who could win six or seven games. Pittsburgh needs a defense, as they showed in the playoffs, but no other team has the offense to catch them this year.

NFC North

• Minnesota Vikings                +125
• Green Bay Packers               +140
• Detroit Lions                          +600
• Chicago Bears                      +1000

The Vikings could be scary good with Kirk Cousins at the helm, so long as his interception bug doesn’t bite too often. Green Bay still has problems with their offensive line — and how many injuries can Aaron Rodgers return from? However, with a healthy Rodgers, it will be hard to get me ever to pick against the Pack in this division. Detroit adds Matt Patricia at coach and Blount at tailback, but they still don’t have a defense. And the Bears are still wallowing in the post-Marc Trestman malaise they’ve been in for too many years now.

AFC South

• Houston Texans                    +175
• Jacksonville Jaguars           +200
• Indianapolis Colts                 +400
• Tennessee Titans                 +400

A healthy Deshaun Watson — if he stays on his feet all season long — leads Houston to the division title that we saw coming for them until he had that knee injury last year. I see Blake Bortles regressing from last year’s terrific postseason run, simply because he showed too many yips in the “win” over Buffalo and the loss to New England. I don’t trust Andrew Luck, and I’m starting not to trust the Tennessee defense. This will be a nip-and-tuck division race, though.

NFC South

• Atlanta Falcons                     +150
• New Orleans Saints              +175
• Carolina Panthers                 +300
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers       +1000

I like the Buccaneers in this division — Jameis Winston is looking more and more impressive with each passing season, and he has the receivers around him to lead a high-octane passing game. Tampa Bay also has a stout defense. The Saints will bring back Drew Brees after a season that saw them take a shocking loss to Minnesota in the divisional playoffs. But in Atlanta, is the Super Bowl hangover over? The Falcons never looked like the same team last year that went to the Super Bowl and almost won it all two seasons ago. And then there’s the question as to which Cam Newton will show up. If I’m dropping one big value bet on these futures, it’s on the Bucs here, thanks to all the other questions in the division.

AFC West

• L.A. Chargers                        +150
• Oakland Raiders                   +200
• Denver Broncos                    +450
• Kansas City Chiefs               +450

The Chargers didn’t even make the playoffs last season but are projected by the oddsmakers to vault the rest of the division and win it all. Why? Well…the Chiefs think that this is the time for Patrick Mahomes II at quarterback, and they were shaky enough with Alex Smith running things last year. The real problem — Andy Reid’s second-half “adjustments” — is still in the stadium. Oakland brings in Jon Gruden 2.0 after years in the broadcast booth, so we wonder whether he will be able to coach effectively given the changes in the league. Yes, the Chargers have Phillip Rivers once again, but what about the L.A. defense? Denver brought in Case Keenum to lead the offense, but their defense may be too long in the tooth for them to contend.

NFC West

• L.A. Rams                              +140
• San Francisco 49ers             +150
• Seattle Seahawks                 +350
• Arizona Cardinals                 +1600

The Rams and the 49ers have a pair of exciting young quarterbacks in Jared Goff and Jimmy Garoppolo, so this West Coast rivalry could be back for the first time since the 1980s. Seattle has an aging defense but still has a proud quarterback in Russell Wilson. Meanwhile, the Cardinals are swirling down toward Rebuild City.