Remaining relevant, throughout the entire calendar year, the NFL is the most popular sport in North America. For the first time since 1978, when the slate went from 14 to 16 games, the NFL lengthened the regular season again this year. The 2021 NFL schedule was released on May 12 and all 32 teams will play 17 games over an 18-week season. That means NFL fans get an added week of NFL betting and fantasy football action. It has also had an effect on team win total betting odds and the price of juice.
Week 1 opens with Dallas visiting defending NFL champion Tampa Bay on September 9. The week ends with Las Vegas hosting Baltimore in the Monday Night Football fight. Regular season action concludes with Seattle visiting Arizona on Jan. 9, 2022. Wild Card Weekend, Divisional Round playoffs, and Conference Championship Sunday follow. The season ends with Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Cali.
NFC West Division Futures Odds
Seattle raced out to a 5–0 start last year, before sputtering during a 3–3 run. The Seahawks (12–4) closed with four straight wins and claimed the NFC West title after a Week 16 victory against the Rams. Sporadic throughout the season, the Rams (10–6) longest winning streak was two games. Los Angeles earned the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. Arizona lost a tiebreaker against the Bears, for the final NFC wild-card spot. The Cardinals (8–8) lost five of their final seven games. San Francisco closed on a 2–7 slide. The 49ers (6–10) finished last in the division and 10th overall in the NFC.
Several U.S. sportsbooks are offering preseason wagering options. NFC West Division title odds, plus team win totals, are posted on the NFL futures board at FanDuel. While the odds and prices are subject to change, unless a stud player changes teams, or there is a serious injury, the moves will be subtle. Are bookmakers correct in making San Francisco top chalk in the West? Will gunslinger Matthew Stafford recharge the Rams? Did Seattle add enough weapons for Russell Wilson? Based on talent, why are the Cardinals such huge underdogs? Let's break down the division for answers.
Every team rides different waves of injuries during the season. San Francisco had most of the waves crash down on them as they lost several key players on both sides of the ball. We dig into why the 49ers are co-favorites to win the NFC West below.
After regressing the last two seasons, Los Angeles decided to end their four-year experiment with QB Jared Goff. The Rams defeated Seattle in the Wild Card round before losing to Green Bay in the Divisional playoffs. Stafford is saddled with high expectations heading into his first season with the Rams. If he stays healthy, he has weapons around him.
While not as publicized, as the Aaron Rodgers vs. Green Bay feud, Wilson is trying to hammer out a new contract with Seattle. He carried the Seahawks again last season and isn’t showing signs of slowing down. While Seattle lost 30–20 to the Rams in the NFC Wild Card round, their third favorite price is slightly surprising. The Cardinals' bloated fourth-favorite moneyline odds are even more surprising. Arizona added multiple big-name veterans including J.J. Watt and A.J. Green, but also lost a couple notable names in Kenyan Drake and Patrick Peterson during a busy offseason. While I'm not betting the farm, I will take the generous (+600) moneyline price and back Arizona to surprise in the West.
NFC West Champion Prediction: Arizona Cardinals (+600)
