NFL Betting – NFC East Up For Grabs

The World Cup is over, there is no Basketball, and no Hockey – time to think about some NFL betting futures. The NFC East offers possibly the most interesting yet unpredictable NFL betting opportunities. Dallas appears to be the class of the division with the Giants, Eagles and Redskins all looking to make some waves. With six divisional games for each team, anything can happen and it probably will.

NFL betting futures odds:

Dallas Cowboys: +125

The Dallas Cowboys are NFL Betting darlings who are favored to win their division and why not? They appear to be the most complete team in the division. But can the NFL betting public trust the chronic underachievers or is 2010-2011 the year that they finally break through?

The Cowboys were strong on offense last year and appear to have only gotten better in the off season. Felix Jones appears to be in line for an increase in carries while Marion Barber and Tashard Choice are more than capable backups for the main man. Promises of a more focused running game have been heard before, but haven’t been realized.

Dallas’ 2nd ranked offense and defense should be good again this year. The offense added uber-talented Dez Bryant in the draft to play alongside Miles Austin, Jason Whitten and Roy Williams. DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the defense should once again terrorize opposing offenses.

Dallas should win the division this year and is one of two or three teams that are a legitimate pre season Super Bowl favorite. At +125, they are surprisingly good value in the NFC East.

New York Giants: +275

The New York Giants are only a few years removed from a Super Bowl Championship and Eli Manning has quickly developed into one of the most reliable signal callers in the NFL. So why do oddmakers have them +275 to win their own division. Maybe it is because of a lack of a 1000 yard rusher from last year and maybe it is because of the competition within their division.

The Giants will be better this year – the ownership, the players and the NFL Betting world demand it. Dominic Hixon was lost for the season but Eli Manning still has emerging star Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Kevin Boss at his disposal.

The Giants defense was a mess last year but with the departure of some, the retirement of others and the drafting of future stars such as Defensive End Jason Pierre, they appear to be moving in the right direction.

The Giants are still the Giants. They are a good team but may just need another year or two in order to seriously contend for the NFC East crown. Their schedule is brutal this season and the division has gotten a whole lot better. Some may see the +275 as good value for an elite status team, but in a division full of “haves”, they are destined for a second place finish.

Philadelphia Eagles: +270

The Philadelphia Eagles finally made the long awaited break up with Donovan McNabb and now put the ball in the hands of Kevin Kolb. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek are weapons indeed but their success relies on the effectiveness of a Quarterback that has never played even half of a full season. Kolb is a huge question mark and is a huge risk in terms of NFL Betting.

The Eagles will also turn to a young Running back, LeSean McCoy after Brian Westbrook was released.

Philadelphia is the quintessential team in transition. They could win the NFC East and they could finish dead last. Their schedule is tough, their offense is unproven and their psyche may just be affected by the two humiliating losses they suffered to the Cowboys at the end of last season. Winning the division appears out of the question – a .500 season and a third place NFC East finish seems more realistic.

Washington Redskins: +550

Those of you putting your NFL betting faith in the Washington Redskins had better give their heads a shake. Sure they brought in a Hall of Fame Coach and a Stud Quarterback, but there are too many missing pieces for the Skins to be considered contenders. There were as many bad acquisitions as there was good ones in DC this past offseason – Larry Johnson is not the answer.

Washington promises to be the weak link in a strong division once again. Sorry Skins fans, it’s going to be another long year.

The NFC East could be the most interesting race to watch this season and has potential to provide a surprise or two to the NFL betting world. Dallas is a decent bet at +125 but if you are looking for an underdog, the Giants and Eagles are OK value to pull off an upset.