One of the most suspenseful playoff seasons of all time in the NFL is in the books, as the L.A. Rams edged the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-20, to win their second world championship. Several quarterbacks have new locations, with Deshaun Watson heading to Cleveland (despite still facing possible NFL discipline for the allegations that have 22 civil suits filed against him for sexual harassment / assault), Russell Wilson heading to Denver. Tom Brady un-retired and will return to Tampa Bay, while Aaron Rodgers inked a huge deal to stay with the Packers, but Davante Adams has packed his bags for Vegas. Let’s take a look at some bold NFL betting predictions for the coming season.
NFL News: Bold Betting Predictions for the 2023 Season
Which longshot can make it to Super Bowl LVII?
Cincinnati came into 2022 with odds ranging from +800 to +1500 to win Super Bowl LVI. They didn’t win, but those who bet on them to make it to the championship raked in a profit. Right now, Kansas City (+610) and Buffalo (+665) are the top two favorites, with the Rams (+1000) and Bengals (+1100) right behind them. Of all of the teams that missed the postseason last year, Denver (+2000) has the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl. Why? Because their quarterback position has been significantly upgraded, with Drew Lock being replaced by Russell Wilson. Of the teams that made the postseason last year, Pittsburgh (+4900) has the longest odds to win a title.
Can Pittsburgh get there? They needed Indianapolis to lose in a shocker to Jacksonville to finish the season. Their defense was elite, led by T.J. Watt, who won Defensive Player of the Year and tied the NFL’s season sack record with 22 ½. Alex Highsmith and Chris Wormley joined him in creating a fierce pass rush. The problem was the quarterback play, as Ben Roethlisberger was clearly headed to retirement. Right now, it looks like the starter-in-waiting is longtime backup Mason Rudolph, who has had mixed results when he has gotten to start. He has a cannon of an arm but throws interceptions at backbreaking times. Dwayne Haskins, the Ohio State star who entered the NFL with Washington, recently passed away in a traffic accident in Florida, so the Steelers may be looking in the draft for a quarterback – but this isn’t a strong year at that position. They might also trade for one of the available quarterbacks out there – can you imagine Baker Mayfield taking the field for Cleveland’s bitterest rival?
Washington is an interesting name, if you can get past all of the drama in terms of league and congressional investigations of the franchise’s business dealings. They brought in Carson Wentz from Indianapolis to replace Taylor Heinicke as the starting quarterback. Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas are dangerous receiving targets if they can stay healthy and give Terry McLaurin room to run routes of his own. The Commanders are in a vulnerable division, as the Giants are still rebuilding, the Eagles are still sorting out how to have Jalen Hurts run the offense consistently, and the Cowboys just can’t get out of their own way.
What about Jacksonville? Hear me out. They have a second-year signal-caller who was the top overall pick the year before. They have decent running backs and a solid receiver corps. Their O-line and D-line need help in the draft and through free agency. However, they have the third-most salary cap space in the league. Getting rid of Urban Meyer was a must, but the team had a chance to replace him with Byron Leftwich. Instead, they added Doug Pederson, who excites exactly no one despite the fact that he led the Eagles to a Super Bowl. Jacksonville has tons of value (+10600), and while the AFC has a lot of exciting teams, there’s no team that is elite on both sides of the ball.
NFL Betting Odds
Love betting NFL football? | Xbet Sportsbook offers up to date NFL lines
