Only a fool would start dropping serious prediction for the upcoming NFL season in the middle of June. After all, we are going to see a few key players go down during training camp and the preseason games, as well as seeing a few early favorites come out and stink the joint up.
Still, since I am in the business of writing about football and making predictions, I will be your fool for the day as I look ahead at the 2019 NFL season. I am going to break it down by division winners betting picks in this piece, saving playoff and Super Bowl predictions for a later date. With that in mind, let’s get to it.
Early NFL Betting Predictions for the 2019 Season
AFC
East
Until some team can come along and prove otherwise, the New England Patriots will remain the team to beat in this division. Tom Brady is now in his 40’s and age will at some point catch up to him, while Gronk retiring is also a blow. That said, who looks like a real challenger in this division?
Predicted Winner: New England Patriots
West
We are potentially looking at a coin flip here, as this division looks like a 2-horse race between the Chargers and the Chiefs, both of whom won 12 games last season. Will Patrick Mahomes have a sophomore slump? I don’t think so.
Predicted Winner: Kansas City Chiefs
North
The Cleveland Browns had a breakout season last year and have made some more big moves this season. They are the sexy pick to win the North, especially with the Steelers losing Bell and Brown. I think this division is going to be a whole lot tighter than a lot of people think.
Predicted Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers
South
One of the biggest questions in this division last season was how Andrew Luck would make out in his return from extended injury. Luck had an outstanding season and is likely to be even better this year. The Colts look like the class of the division at the moment.
Predicted Winner: Indianapolis Colts
NFC
East
Nick Foles has now moved on, which means that the Philadelphia Eagles really need Carson Wentz to stay healthy this season. If he does, I think that the East will be no contest, as the Eagles are just that far ahead of the rest in terms of depth.
Predicted Winners: Philadelphia Eagles
West
This has the potential to be one of the most wide-open divisions in the NFL this season, making it a tough one to call.
The Rams are absolutely stacked, so it’s tough to bet against them, but both the Seahawks and 49ers could challenge.
Predicted Winners: LA Rams
North
The Chicago Bears proved to be the class of the division last season and it’s tough to imagine that they will take any sort of major step back this season. If anything, they might even be a little better than they were in 2018.
Predicted Winner: Chicago Bears
South
The New Orleans Saints are coming into this season with a chip on their shoulder after their controversial exit last year. This is a team that is stacked from top to bottom, and who may well be the most balanced team in the league.
Predicted Winner: New Orleans Saints
