2017 NFL Predictions: NFC best bets and best picks

Betting on the NFL Season is fun and exciting, but what odds are best and which teams can be trusted? Our 2017 NFL Predictions begin in the NFC with a few incredible bets.

With less than a month remaining before the opening game of the NFL season, we have a pretty good idea of how each team is going to be constituted. Other than injuries, few major moves will change the landscape of the league from this point to Week 1.

That means it’s time to declare our best bets for the 2017 season. We will pick the best value pick in each conference and then the Super Bowl. All odds come courtesy of Vegas Insider. We begin with the NFC and our 2017 NFL Predictions.

Two brothers from New York, Dan Salem and Todd Salem, make their 2017 NFL Predictions in today’s NFL Sports Debate.

Todd Salem:

Taking a gander at the odds for winning the NFC championship, the Green Bay Packers are the favorite at 17/4, just barely ahead of the Dallas Cowboys at 9/2. Really the top four in the conference are all bunched closely together, with Seattle and Atlanta nipping at the heels of the top two.

Further down the list is where the best value starts to come into play. Before I saw the odds, I was ready to nab the Carolina Panthers as a dark horse, but the Panthers aren’t that dark apparently. They have the sixth-lowest odds, at 11/1.

Instead, my favorite picks in the NFC are a tier below Carolina. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals are getting 16/1 odds to come out of this conference. I expect a bounce back season from both, with Arizona being carried by its offense and Minnesota by its defense. Yet both have balanced rosters with stars littered across the depth chart. I wouldn’t be surprised if either one upset its division favorite, or sneaked into the postseason as a wildcard and made a run at the title.

More from NFL Spin Zone

Further down the NFC list, Philadelphia also intrigues me at 25/1, though I don’t have the guts to back them until I see how that offense operates with so many new faces and a second-year quarterback. Smart money is on Arizona and Minnesota, with a long-shot bet thrown in Philly’s direction.

Dan Salem:

I can get on board with the Arizona Cardinals at 16-1 odds to win the NFC. They were stellar two seasons ago and much better than their record would indicate last year. Yet that is where I must diverge from your manner of thinking. My best bets are not only getting decent to good odds, but they are also in a position to legitimately win the conference.

Because of the constant upheaval in the NFC South, I really like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 16/1 odds. Last year, Atlanta was on top. The year before, it was Carolina. The Buccaneers have slowly been improving season after season in a very winnable division. They are on track to make the playoffs this year, so why not go all the way to the big game?

I’m a bit surprised to find the Falcons behind Seattle and Green Bay on the list. This must have to do with the bad taste left in everyone’s mouth after their Super Bowl collapse. The team already proved they can win the conference. But they do play in a difficult division, which brings me to the New Orleans Saints. I have a hard time betting on these lower tier teams because I do not believe they can overcome the power above them.

New Orleans is the exception. With Drew Brees at the helm in one of his final seasons, I can see the Saints blowing away expectations. They have 25-1 odds, so if you are on the fence with taking Tampa Bay, go with New Orleans and the bigger pay out. Just pray that their defense is adequate.

Next: NFL 2017: One superstar megatrade for each team

Based on who I actually believe can win this conference, the New York Giants have the best odds at 8-1 in my humble opinion. The top five teams hold significantly more firepower on both sides of the football and we know the Giants can handle the Cowboys. Instead of a longshot bet, this is a smart money play for a team with all its cards on the table. Next we make our 2017 NFL Predictions in the AFC.

Home/NFL