Biggest NFC Rivalry Games in the 2017 NFL Betting Calendar

Why do so many people tune into the National Football League each Sunday (and Monday and  Thursday)? The rivalries that show up each week kindle energy within fans and make many of the meetings memorable. There are a lot of games in the NFC this season that bring those rivalries back to the forefront. As you look at your NFL betting for the coming season, take a look at these contests.

Biggest NFC Rivalry Games in the 2017 NFL Betting Calendar

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Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, October 8)

This is one of the oldest NFC rivalries of them all, dating back to that Ice Bowl in 1967 that gave the Green Bay Packers the NFL championship and sent them to the Super Bowl. The Packers had a major down phase during the 1970s and the 1980s, while the Cowboys became one of the league’s most dominant teams. Then in the 1990s, Brett Favre and the Packers were a frequent rival of Troy Aikman and the Cowboys. The Packers stayed dominant while the Cowboys went into the league’s basement for a while, but when the Cowboys returned to the postseason last year, the Packers were there to eliminate them in the divisional round — after the Cowboys had won a big game up at Lambeau in the regular season. Now Aaron Rodgers and the Packers look to knock off Dak Prescott in his sophomore season in Week 5.

N.Y. Giants at Dallas Cowboys (Sunday, September 10)/ Dallas Cowboys at N.Y. Giants (Sunday, December 10)

The Giants took two of the three victories that opponents had over Dallas in the regular season a year ago. It seems like they almost always open the season on Sunday Night Football — and Eli Manning finds ways to slice and dice that Dallas defense. Manning has two healthy wideouts in Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. while Dak Prescott has to worry about whether or not his tailback, Ezekiel Elliott, will open the season on the bench with a suspension. The Giants have upgraded their defense, while the Cowboys have seen theirs regress through free agency. These will be a pair of tough divisional tilts between two proud franchises.

Seattle Seahawks at L.A. Rams (Sunday, October 8) / L.A. Rams at Seattle Seahawks (Sunday, December 17)

Yes, the Seahawks have been in the playoffs regularly the past few years and made it to a pair of Super Bowls, winning one, while the Rams have had a difficult time getting to the .500 mark. However, the Rams have won four of the last seven meetings between the two teams, as their grinding defense pulls the Seahawks into a slugfest each time. With Jared Goff settling in for his sophomore season, can the Rams start to contend in an NFC West that sees Arizona sliding and San Francisco still a lost team? These two games will play a big part in answering that question.

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (Monday, November 6) / Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (Sunday, December 31)

Matthew Stafford is in his contract year, and in his first press conference at training camp he sounded more like a man with a mission than he ever has in his years with the Lions. Detroit was on their way to an NFC North title until they fell into a tailspin in the last month and a half of the season, ending up taking a wild card slot in the playoffs as Green Bay streaked past them to win the division. As Aaron Rodgers takes the field a year older, can Detroit push the Packers again? Or will things revert to old-time form, with the Packers winning the division easily?

Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers (Sunday, November 5) / Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons (Sunday, December 31)

The NFC’s participants in Super Bowls 50 and LI will square off twice in divisional play this year. Both will be looking over their shoulders at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but these are two talented NFC teams who have taken bad Super Bowl losses the past two seasons. Which one will fight their way past the other and contend in the NFC, and which one will settle to the bottom of the division?

Final 2017 NFL Betting Prediction on NFC Rivalries

As seen above, many of these NFC trams will meet a least a couple of times during the 2017 regular season. They might just even meet during the postseason, but it’s a bit too early to call. Either way, check out the latest NFL odds to have a better idea on where the teams are standing, so you can start making your picks before the season kicks off next month. Happy betting!