Early 2016 NFL Betting Predictions For The Season

We are now less than two months for the start of the NFL’s preseason schedule as the Green Bay Packers will face the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, August 7, in the Hall of Fame Game from Canton Ohio, with it televised by ESPN. I’m here to make you two early NFL betting predictions for the coming season. And here’s one right off the bat: preseason results mean nothing — it’s all about keeping your key guys healthy.

Early NFL Betting Predictions For The 2016 Season

Time for work! #PanthersOTAs pic.twitter.com/37tr614VsM

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) June 9, 2016

NFL Prediction 1: Quarterback Wins MVP

The NFL is definitely a more pass-heavy league than it’s ever been and thus you can all but be assured that a quarterback will win NFL MVP honors again. A quarterback has won it each of the past nine years except for 2012 when Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson edge Peyton Manning — and Peterson had to nearly set an NFL rushing record to get it. As usual, the 2016 winner will be announced the Saturday before the Super Bowl. Last year’s winner was Carolina quarterback Cam Newton. He took 48 of a possible 50 vote, with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer each getting a vote. Newton guided the Panthers to an NFL-best 15-1 record with a career-best 35 touchdown passes to go with 10 rushing touchdowns in the 2015 regular season. Newton didn’t leave much room for debate, closing out his season with 26 total touchdowns and one interception in his last eight regular season games. Newton became the first black quarterback to win the MVP award outright. Tennessee’s Steve McNair shared the award with Manning after the 2004 season. Newton got his Panthers to the Super Bowl, but they were upset by the Denver Broncos. Newton is +600 on NFL betting odds to repeat, behind only Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers (+450), a former MVP winner.

NFL Prediction 2: Bills Miss Playoffs Again

The longest playoff drought in the four major American professional sports belongs to the Buffalo Bills as they have failed to make it every year this century (last in 1999). The previous longest mark was baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays, who hadn’t made it since 1993 but did last year in winning the AL East title. And if the Bills don’t make the playoffs this winter, head coach Rex Ryan and general manager Doug Whaley apparently will be looking for work. The Bills finished 8-8 2015 in Ryan’s first season, a one-game dropoff from their 2014 campaign. More problematic, though, was how the defense performed under Ryan, despite that being his specialty. The Bills dropped to No. 15 in points allowed and No. 19 in yards allowed this season after finishing in No. 4 in both categories last year. After the season, Pegula gave Ryan and Whaley a playoffs-or-bust ultimatum. Ryan has four years left on the deal he signed last season and is guaranteed to be paid $27.5 million over the span of that deal. He was fired by the Jets in 2014 after missing the playoffs in his final four years with the team. Whaley has been in Buffalo since 2010 and was named general manager in May 2013. The Bills went 9-7 in 2014 before head coach Doug Marrone decided to leave. Pegula is a fairly new owner, so he’s more likely to clean house than not and bring in all his own guys. Oddsmakers don’t think the Bills will make the playoffs as they have a wins total of just 8 on NFL betting lines and the under is favored. Buffalo is +200 to make the playoffs.