NFL Previews – 2013 NFC South Betting
The end of July marks the start of most NFL training camps as all 32 teams begin preparations for a run at Super Bowl XLVIII. While Bovada’s has released its NFL futures odds in a number of areas, we want to dig deeper into the ones for a team’s chances to win its division. This time around we will focus-in on the NFC South.
Odds from Bovada
NFC South Team Pages
Atlanta Falcons +110
Atlanta has been one of the top regular-season teams in the league for the past five seasons with double-digit wins if four of them including a NFC-best 13-3 mark last year. Winning the division has not been an issue but winning in the postseason has.
With most of the key pieces still in place there is little reason to believe this team will take a step backwards in 2013.
One of the biggest offseason moves could have been replacing Michael Turner with Steven Jackson at running back. The Falcons slipped to 29th in the NFL last season in rushing yards per game. The other move was keeping All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez around for one more season.
New Orleans Saints +175
Head coach Sean Payton was sidelined last season due to a league suspension for his role in a player bounty program and in his absence New Orleans fell to 7-9.
You know that he and this entire Saints’ team is going to be playing with a huge chip on their shoulder this year which could easily fuel a return to postseason play.
Whether or not they have enough juice to catch Atlanta remains to be seen, but the additions of some veteran depth through free agency coupled with draft picks such as safety Kenny Vaccaro in the first round and defensive tackle John Jenkins in the third should go a long way towards improving a defense that was ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +500
There has been a couple of false starts in Tampa Bay over the past few seasons but second-year head coach Greg Schiano remains confident that he is onto something more solid after guiding his team to a 7-9 record in 2012. The Buccaneers’ offense was ranked ninth in the league in total yards and their defense finished first against the run.
The big question mark for this team is quarterback Josh Freeman. Over the course of his first four seasons in the league he has shown flashes of brilliance but the overall consistency is still not there.
Given that the Bucs drafted Mike Glennon from NC State in the third round, Freeman may find himself fighting for his job if he falters this season.
Carolina Panthers +550
Carolina is another team that seems to take one step back for every two steps forward. It rallied back from a dismal start last season to finish 7-9 overall, but this team has not had a winning season since 2008. Ron Rivera is entering his third year at the helm and has this team headed in the right direction after winning six games in his first season as head coach.
All eyes will be glued on quarterback Cam Newton as to which direction he heads in 2013. After a stellar rookie campaign, the former Heisman Trophy winner fell prey to the dreaded sophomore slump.
He appeared to pull out of it towards the end of last season when the Panthers made their run, but he will need a fast start out of the gate to give this team any chance of seriously competing for the division title.
2013 NFL Divisional & Conference Odds & Previews
- 2013 NFC North Gambling Odds
- 2013 NFC East Gambling Odds
- 2013 NFC South Gambling Odds
- 2013 NFC West Gambling Odds
- 2013 AFC North Gambling Odds
- 2013 AFC East Gambling Odds
- 2013 AFC South Gambling Odds
- 2013 AFC West Gambling Odds
- NFL Handicapping: AFC Future Odds
- NFL Handicapping: NFC Future Odds
- Handicapping 2014 NFL Super Bowl XLVIII Futures Odds
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