The 2017 NFL season is just around the corner, and with it, the return of the famed National Football League season. As usual, we at BettingOdds.com have put together an in-depth guide to the upcoming NFL season, providing you with all of the betting odds and information you might need to get started. So let’s dive right into it!
Overview
The Cleveland Browns are coming off a 1-15 season in 2016 and will be looking to bounce back after an offseason full of additions via free agency and the draft. They will do so with a completely new starting quarterback (hope they can finally find the right one this season). With a new coach and a new signal-caller, there is bound to be some degree of transition in the passing game this year.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are going to be led by a rookie head coach in Josh McDaniels, who spent the past two seasons as the head coach in Denver. The Jags will also be undergoing some changes at wide receiver, moving from the retired Marques Colston to the young and the talented Jordan Lasley. Lasley caught 56 balls for 774 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie year, and many expect him to build on that this year.
The Oakland Raiders are back after a one-year hiatus and will be looking to get their quarterback Derek Carr back on track. Carr had his best season in 2016, throwing for 4,428 yards, 32 touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. He’ll have plenty of receivers to choose from as well in the form of Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson, among others. The offensive line should also be able to give Carr enough time to do his thing.
NFC East
The Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Mike McCarthy, and with him come a number of new faces, including young quarterback Dak Prescott, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. He will look to build on the success the team saw under his predecessor, Scott Linebrink, who took the team to the playoffs in each of his three seasons as the starter. The defense was one of the best in the league in 2016, allowing just 20.8 points per game, fifth best in the NFC.
The Philadelphia Eagles will also be looking to take the next step forward under new head coach Doug Pederson. They signed a number of big-name free agents this offseason, including wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and running back DeMarco Murray, who served as LeSean McCoy’s backup last year. The defense should also be significantly improved, with Timmy Jernigan and Michael Bennett in the middle and Lawrence Taylor coming back for one more season. Cornerback Ronald Darby, who was superb during his rookie year, will be looking to build on that this year as well.
NFC South
The Atlanta Falcons will be hoping to build on the momentum from their impressive playoff run last season, when they advanced to the NFC championship game for the first time in franchise history. They’ve been busy this offseason bolstering the offensive line and the receiving corps with the additions of Alex Collins and Justin Hardy from Baltimore, as well as Chris Gronkowski from New England. The defense, which allowed the third-fewest points in the NFL in 2016, should also be improved with the addition of former New York Giant Johnathan Hankins.
The Carolina Panthers will be looking to improve on their 10-6 season from a year ago and make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. They were one of the biggest disappointments in the league last year, having expected big things to come after their big free agent acquisition in center Ryan Kalil. Kalil went on to miss the entire season due to injury, meaning the Panthers had to turn to Josh Norman as their starting center. Norman had a quiet year, but he’ll still be in the lineup this year, and the offense should look for him to have a big year, as he was one of the best cover centers in football last year. The defense should be a big step forward as well, with rookie Bradley Chubb leading the way.
NFC West
The Los Angeles Rams had an exciting story in 2016 as they came from a horrible 0-16 start to secure a 10-win season and make the playoffs as a wild card team. It’s hard to put into words what happened to the team that year, and it won’t be easy to repeat that success. The offense will be looking to keep up with the high standards they set in 2016, with the addition of free agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back Todd Gurley II. Watkins was one of the most prolific and consistent receivers in the league in 2016, hauling in 104 receptions for 1,321 yards and 12 touchdowns. Gurley had an amazing rookie season, leading the league in rushing yards (1,845) and finishing third in the voting for rookie of the year. Head coach Sean McVay will be looking to continue that success this year, with the offensive line looking pretty stable, especially with the additions of Rob Laurin and Andrew Whitworth. The defense, which was middle of the pack a year ago, will need to shake off last year’s sluggish performance if they want to make another splash in the NFC West.
Chargers vs. Broncos
The battle of the California NFL teams will be one of the marquee matchups of the year, pitting the defending champs against each other in a rematch of the 2016 AFC championship game. The Chargers came out on top last year, edging the Broncos 19-16 in overtime, with both teams coming into the year with optimism about the upcoming season. The passing game will be a major focus for the Chargers this year, as they’re looking for Tyrell Williams and Hunter Henry to step up and take over as the primary targets for Philip Rivers. Both players were extremely productive in their rookie years and should flourish under Rivers’ tutelage. The defense will also be looking to assert its dominance, forcing a number of turnovers and picking off Rivers often, as he finished 2016 with a 65.3 completion percentage, the fifth-best mark among the 34 qualifying quarterbacks.
The 2016 AFC and NFC champions will both be looking to build on their impressive playoff runs last year. The Broncos came up extremely short in their quest for a repeat bid, falling short in their two-point conversion attempt in the final minute of the game. Nevertheless, the team’s ability to finish games it was in lead was fantastic, and it will be interesting to see how they stack up against experienced head coaches in John Fox and Sean McVay, respectively. The Chargers, meanwhile, will be hoping they have finally found their franchise quarterback in the form of Tyrell Williams, who had a very good rookie season, leading the team in both receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,102). The defense was also very good in 2016, allowing just 18.2 points per game, the second-fewest in the AFC. Linebacker Brandon Marshall led the team with 14.5 sacks, and he’ll be back to wreak havoc in the backfield once again.
Overall, the NFL is a highly competitive league and these odds should help you navigate the seas of competition with confidence. Be sure to bookmark this page as we update it with all the latest NFL odds as the season draws closer.