NFL Betting: NFC West Picks for the Regular Season

Previous Betting News

The best division in football this season could be the NFC West as all four teams are good enough to make the playoffs but obviously will be beating up on each other plenty. Here’s a look around the division with NFL odds to win.

Will the NFC West be the best division this season?

Los Angeles Rams (+180)

Rams fans will have to wait until the regular season to get a look at new starting QB Matthew Stafford as Coach Sean McVay will not play him at all in the preseason. Stafford has had his ups and downs in training camp getting used to a new offense. Although Stafford is veteran with a dozen years’ worth of NFL experience, and wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods each have had four seasons in Sean McVay’s offense, it will still take time and reps together to develop the chemistry necessary to get this offense ready for the season. “It’s been great working with him. He’s a really a bright guy has great energy and knows how to command a room but at the same time he’s so approachable and everybody loves him,” Stafford said of McVay. “It’s really fun challenging each other. He’s trying to get the best out of me and I’m trying to get the best out of him. That kind of friendly fun competition and pushing each other is what it’s all about. I’m loving it.” Running back Raymond Calais will miss 4-6 months due to a broken foot. In the wake of Cam Akers’ Achilles tear, Calais was in contention for RB reps behind starter Darrell Henderson, but the injury suffered in Saturday’s preseason game is threatening to wipe out his entire 2021 campaign.

San Francisco 49ers (+180)

The 49ers will be without their best offensive lineman in Trent Williams for a bit but he should be ready for the regular season. The left tackle had his knee drained following a hit in practice last week. Williams graded out as the league’s best tackle in 2020, his first season spent with the 49ers following a holdout in Washington that ended with the trade that sent him out west. Williams was rewarded accordingly in March with a six-year, $138 million deal. Rookie QB Trey Lance has been getting some first-team reps but will not be the Week 1 starter barring injury to Jimmy Garoppolo. Meanwhile, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans believes star defensive end Nick Bosa will be better upon his return from a torn ACL in his left knee less than a year ago. “On the side, it looks really good — I’ll say that,” Ryans said of Bosa. “His drills and all the individual stuff that he’s doing, he’s looking fast, he’s looking explosive. So it’s just a matter of any time guys come off an injury, the biggest hurdle is just mentally.”

Seattle Seahawks (+275)

One issue hanging over Seahawks camp was All-Pro safety Jamal Adams holding out for a new contract, but he and the team agreed last week so all is well now. Adams got $70 million over four years that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid safety. The deal has a max value of $72 million over the four new years, a $20 million signing bonus and includes $38 million guaranteed. Adams was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2019 and has been named to the Pro Bowl in each of the past three seasons. He set the league’s single-season record for sacks by a defensive back last season with 9.5. That figure led the team, as did his 14 tackles for loss and his 30 pressures. Seahawks WR John Ursua was carted off with a knee injury in the team’s second preseason game with a torn ACL. Ursua, a 2019 seventh-round pick, was competing for one of Seattle’s final receiver spots after spending last season on the practice squad.

Arizona Cardinals (+400)

Rookie wideout/returner Rondale Moore has been one of the talks of Cardinals camp. Moore secured three of five targets for 15 yards, rushed once for nine yards and returned one kickoff for 11 yards in the Cardinals’ 17-10 preseason loss to the Chiefs on Friday. Moore is primed to open the season potentially battling Christian Kirk for No. 3 receiver reps. Through the Cardinals’ two exhibition games, Moore has a total of nine targets, good enough to lead the team. Moore has also carried the ball three times, being the only receiver to touch the ball out of the backfield in either game for Arizona. When the Cardinals drafted Moore No. 49 overall in 2021 NFL Draft, it came with questions about his 5-foot-7, 180-pound frame. However, Moore was a proven playmaker while at Purdue. There is now reason to believe Moore can be the 2021 version of Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb, both of whom put together stellar rookie seasons with their respective teams.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet NFL Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Previous Betting News

The San Francisco 49ers are the defending NFC champions but their injury-ravaged season just got worse with the news that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo could miss six weeks and Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle the rest of the season. The Niners are solid home underdogs on Thursday vs. Green Bay and, let’s be honest, their season is essentially over now.

San Francisco 49ers | 2020 NFL West Expert Analysis

Both Jimmy G and Kittle have been banged up all season and both left Sunday’s loss to Seattle. Kittle and Garoppolo’s injuries came within minutes of each other early in the fourth quarter. Garoppolo is dealing with a high ankle sprain that figures to cost him six weeks and perhaps the season, while Kittle’s season is likely done with a broken bone in his foot.

Garoppolo completed 11-of-16 passes for 84 yards and an interception through three quarters Sunday before Nick Mullens entered. Garoppolo, clearly rushed back from the high-ankle sprain he suffered in Week 2, failed to finish two of the four starts he made since returning from injury. He’ll get multiple opinions before ultimately making a decision on whether or not he should undergo season-ending surgery or hold off until the end of the year.

Nick Mullens completed 18-of-25 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the 49ers’ Week 8 loss to the Seahawks and should be the guy going forward. Mullens’ raw traits are questionable and he’s still inexperienced, but he can get the ball out to his top playmakers. His passer rating of 128.4 was the second-highest of his career behind his 151.9 rating against the Raiders in Nov. 2018.

To make matter worse for the Niners, wide receiver Dante Pettis suffered a shoulder injury on his first kickoff return of the game and did not return and running back Tevin Coleman left the game in the first half after re-injuring his knee. Coleman missed the last five games after suffering his initial injury during the 49ers Week 2. Several other Niners missed the game injured.

SEAHAWKS: Seattle was without top running backs Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde for Week 8’s win over the Niners and it’s too early to tell if they will play Week 9. DeeJay Dallas played 79 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 8 against the 49ers and saw 18 of the 20 rushing attempts. He would be the main guy if those two are out again. Seattle is a 2.5-point favorite in Buffalo. There is some good news, though, around former Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams. He has missed the past four with an injury and illness (not COVID-19) but Coach Pete Carroll expects him Sunday.

Receiver DK Metcalf had a career-best game in Sunday’s win over the 49ers, a performance that even caught the attention of LeBron James. Metcalf had the best game of his career with 12 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns, giving him new career bests in both receptions and yards. On Instagram, LeBron referred to Metcalf as “Baby Bron” and wrote “We built different.”

RAMS: The Rams looked terrible Sunday in a blowout loss in Miami. Jared Goff completed 35-of-61 passes for 355 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also lost a pair of fumbles, taking two sacks, and all four of Goff’s turnovers came in the first half. In a game where the Rams held the Dolphins to just 145 total yards, the offense simply was not good enough. The Rams had a chance to move to 6-2 and claw closer to the top of the division with a win, but instead they’re now sitting at 5-3 heading into their bye.

CARDINALS: Arizona comes out of its bye this week and hosts Miami – Kyler Murray vs. Tua Tagovailoa. Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury said the team had two positive COVID-19 tests during the bye week. Kingsbury said the team would operate “as usual” at practice this week because contact tracing had shown limited interactions between the COVID-positive people and others in the organization. Kingsbury declined to say which players tested positive, but linebacker Devon Kennard Tweeted out he was one.

Arizona likely will be without top running back Kenyan Drake, who hurt his ankle a couple of weeks ago. Kingsbury elaborated Monday that Drake is essentially day-to-day, although unlikely to play against the Dolphins. “I know it looked more severe than it’s going to end up being, hopefully,” Kingsbury said. “From where we started to where we are now, we’re very fortunate.” The Cards are 4.5-point favorites vs. the Dolphins.

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet NFL Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Previous Betting News

Can the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers repeat as, both, NFC West and conference champs in 2020? After nearly sweeping the Niners a year ago while recording 11 wins, are the Seattle Seahawks ready to get back on top in the loaded division? Could the L.A. Rams take a step forward after taking two back a year ago? Last, but not least, are Kyler Murray, Kliff Kingsbury and the mostly young Arizona Cardinals poised to surprise in a big way after their successful first season together a year ago? With the 2020 NFL regular season set to get underway in a mere matter of weeks, let’s find out what the likely scenario is for NFL futures odds bettors in the NFC West heading into 2020 so you can place your bets against their odds to win the NFC West division.

2020 NFL Odds & Picks for NFC West: Title winner, favorites, surprise, upset

San Francisco 49ers -110

The Niners went 13-3 last season and were outstanding on both sides of the ball a year ago in finishing the 2019 campaign ranked second in scoring (29.9 ppg) and eighth in points allowed (19.4 ppg). San Francisco has a powerful rushing attack that finished second in yards per game and they have a pair of legitimate superstars in tight end George Kittle and defensive end Nick Bosa. The Niners parted ways with defensive tackle DeForest Buckner but added South Carolina defensive end Javon Kinlaw with the 14th overall pick in the draft and Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk with the 25th overall pick. Frisco also re-signed safety Jimmy Ward and defensive end Arik Armstead and will enter the 2020 season almost intact from the same unit that reached Super Bowl 54. The biggest question for me is whether or not Jimmy Garoppolo can go from good to great.

Seattle Seahawks +200

Seattle went 11-5 last season, but the Seahawks were just one yard short of sweeping the 49ers and taking the division title. Seattle finished the 2019 campaign ranked ninth in scoring (25.3 ppg), but an uninspiring 22nd in points allowed (24.9 ppg). To address their needs, the Seahawks selected Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks with the 27th overall pick in the draft and defensive end Darrell Taylor in the second round. Seattle picked up veteran tight end Greg Olsen, tackle Cedric Ogbuehi, tackle Brandon Shell and wide receiver Phillip Dorsett in free agency while re-signing defensive end Bruce Irvin and tight end Luke Willson in free agency. Veteran quarterback Russell Wilson is a superstar of the highest order and Seattle has some Pro Bowl talent in running back Chris Carson (1,230 yards) and veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett (1,255 yards). Oh yeah…Seattle is also led by a future Hall of Famer head coach in Pete Carroll.

LA Rams +550

Change is in the air for Sean McVay and the L.A. Rams heading into 2020. One year after reaching Super Bowl 53, the Rams suffered the proverbial Super Bowl hangover by going 9-7 last season. Still, L.A. finished a solid 11th in scoring (24.6 ppg) and respectable 17th in points allowed (22.8 ppg). The Rams did struggle to run the ball in finishing 26th while also struggling to stop the run defensively. Los Angeles did make a series of roster-altering changes, starting with their jettisoning of former franchise running back Todd Gurley and veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks. L.A. picked Florida State running back Cam Akers with the 52nd overall pick and Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson with the 57th overall pick while picking Alabama linebacker Terrell Lewis and Utah safety Terrell Burgess, both in the third round. The Rams also replaced linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. by signing veteran Leonard Floyd in free agency while also adding defensive tackles Michael Brockers and A’Shawn Robinson, along with tackle Andrew Whitworth in free agency.

Arizona Cardinals +600

Arizona went 5-10-1 last season, but it was the most encouraging five-win season I’ve ever witnessed. First-time head coach Kliff Kingsbury and rookie quarterback Kyler Murray both had fantastic campaigns as the cards played hard for Kingsbury in every single game and Murray won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award by throwing for 3,722 yards with 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions. Arizona finished the 2019 campaign ranked 17th in scoring (22.6 ppg) and an encouraging 10th in rushing, thanks to the late-season contributions of clearly underrated running back Kenyan Drake. The Cardinals struggled mightily on defense in finishing dead last in total defense and 28th in points allowed (27.6 ppg). To address their needs on offense, Arizona completely suckered Houston’s Bill O’Brien to get superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for aging running back David Johnson while using their transition tag on Drake. More importantly, Arizona addressed their defensive issues nicely by drafting Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons with the eighth overall pick while signing linebackers De’Vondre Campbell and Devon Kennard and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips in free agency. Make no mistake about it, Arizona is moving in a positive direction heading into Year 2 of the Murray/Kingsbury era.

Predictions

The Niners are loaded and the prohibitive favorite to claim consecutive NFC West division titles, but I genuinely believe Seattle will challenge them for conference supremacy again in 2020 even if a lot of other ‘experts’ have already penciled in the Niners as division champs. I like Arizona to approach .500 this coming season while the Rams finish right around the same 9-7 mark they recorded last season. I’m going with Seattle as my upset pick while Arizona surprises in a big way. The Seahawks have the best quarterback and head coach in the division and I believe their offseason upgrades on defense will led them to the division upset. Frisco might be favored in the NFC West, but I’m going with Seattle for the stunning upset as Russell Wilson unleashes a campaign for the ages – again!

2020 Division Finish: Seattle, San Francisco, Arizona, LA Rams

I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?

Bet NFL Today
MyBookie Betting Lines for the Game

Previous Betting News

Are Jimmy Garoppolo the San Francisco 49ers in for a Super Bowl hangover of a season after coming up just short in their quest to win it all last season? Could Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks win the NFC West after nearly doing so in 2019? Are Jared Goff and the once, explosive Los Angeles Rams going to return to their high-scoring ways in 2020 and last, but not least, will Kyler Murray and the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals continue to build on their positive first steps from a year ago? While free agency and the 2020 NFL draft now in the rear-view mirror, now is a great time to offer up some expert insight into the recently released odds to win the NFC West division.

NFL NFC West Divisional Odds After Draft

San Francisco 49ers

Odds To Win NFC West: +105

The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a fantastic 13-3 season that saw them reach Super Bowl 54 before falling to Kansas City. Frisco finished second in scoring (29.9 ppg) and eighth in points allowed (19.4 ppg) last season. Still, after finishing 13th in passing and 17th against the run, Frisco had some needs to address this offseason. San Francisco accomplished both goals by re-signing veteran defensive lineman Arik Armstead and selecting South Carolina defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw with the 14th overall pick while adding Arizona State wideout Brandon Aiyuk with the 25th overall pick. I expect Frisco to seriously contend for consecutive Super Bowl appearances.

Seattle Seahawks

Odds To Win NFC West: +250

The Seattle Seahawks literally came up one yard short of from sweeping San Francisco last season and winning the NFC West crown. Still, after going 11-5 last season and reaching the playoffs, I think even bigger things could be in store for Russell Wilson and company in 2020. Most of Seattle’s issues were on defense where they finished in the bottom third in every significant statistical category, including points allowed (24.9 ppg, 22nd). The Seahawks signed veteran tight end Greg Olsen to replace the mostly ineffective Jimmy Graham. Seattle also added a pair of veteran tackles that could start in Cedric Ogbuehi and Brandon Shell. The Seahawks also addressed their defensive needs by signing veteran defensive end Bruce Irvin and selecting Texas Tech linebacker Jordyn Brooks with the 27th overall pick before adding Tennessee defensive end Darrell Taylor with the 48th overall pick.

Los Angeles Rams

Odds To Win NFC West: +350

Los Angeles Rams suffered a Super Bowl hangover last season by going 9-7 one year after reaching Super Bowl 53 opposite New England. More importantly, Los Angeles saw its once, high-powered offense held in check more often than not despite finishing a solid 11th in scoring (24.6 ppg). The bad news is that L.A. also finished a dismal 26th in rushing, 19th against the run and 17th in points allowed (22.8 ppg). The Rams made a bunch of free agent additions to their offensive and defensive lines while parting ways with veteran running back Todd Gurley and veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks. L.A. did select Florida State running back Cam Akers with the 52n overall pick and Florida wide receiver Van Jefferson with the 57th overall pick,but I’ve got the Rams looking up at Seattle and San Francisco again in the NFC West in 2020.

Arizona Cardinals

Odds To Win NFC West: +850

On the surface, it might look like Arizona’s 5-10-1 mark from a year ago was underwhelming at best, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth as Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury had very successful first seasons in the desert. Murray, the top overall pick in last year’s draft, won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award by throwing for 3,722 yards with 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions. Kingsbury succeed as he got his rebuilding team to play hard each and every single week. Arizona needed to improve their defense this offseason and I believe they did well by adding a trio of veteran defensive linemen in free agency while getting arguably the best defensive player in this year’s draft in former Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons with the eighth overall pick. Oh, did I forget to mention that the Arizona Cardinals suckered Houston’s Bill O’Brien to get superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for aging running back David Johnson? Yeah, there’s that as well as all signs are pointing up for the Cards heading into 2020.

Overall Analysis

San Francisco might be loaded and they might be favored to win the NFC West in 2020, but I’m a huge Russell Wilson fan and I believe Seattle could very well finish off what they barely failed to accomplish last season – upsetting the Niners for division supremacy. I’m also expecting Arizona to approach eight wins in 2020 while the Los Angeles Rams finish right around where they did a year ago. Frisco is favored in the NFC West, but I like Seattle for the upset!

Division Winner: Seattle Seahawks

Previous Betting News

We expected there to be some wheeling and dealing when NFL draft day rolled around on Thursday, but the craziness has started early, with Rob Gronkowski landing in Tampa Bay on Tuesday night. This is not one of those moves that will have an impact on how other teams go about their draft strategy, especially since Gronk was not really part of the picture, but it does set the tone for what could be a crazy weekend. While that move is going to send serious shock waves through the NFC South, it is the West that we are going to focus on right now. The San Francisco 49ers are the cream of the crop, but this is a division that has the potential to be very tough next season. Let’s take a look at how teams in the NFC West might tackle the 2020 NFL Draft and their betting odds.

NFC West Mock Draft For 2020 Draft

San Francisco 49ers

After a 13-3 season and a trip to the Super Bowl, which they ultimately lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, you might not think that the 49ers would have very many holes to fill. Like every team in the league, though, they have lost players through free agency, so they certainly have some things to think about. San Francisco as a pair of picks in Round 1, which they will almost certainly use to land themselves a WR. It’s a very deep pool this year, so they will definitely land themselves a legitimate playmaker if they do go that route. They will also look at getting a DT and a CB as the draft goes on.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks began to see some success again once they committed to their run game, allowing Russell Wilson to stay in the pocket more and go deep. That helped them go to 11-5 last season, which got them into the Wild Card. They made it through the first round, but they ran into trouble in the NFC West Divisional Round. If Seattle plans on sticking with their current style of play, they will need to get some O-line help. More importantly, though, they really need a disruptive edge rusher, with a couple of good options sure to be available when Seattle gets to pick.

LA Rams

At 9-7, the LA Rams were certainly not awful last year, but the strength of the NFC West division as a whole meant that 9 wins wasn’t nearly good enough to get them close to the Wild Card. While the offensive line had a little it of a down year last season, there is every reason to believe that they will bounce back. The Rams have plenty of weapons at their disposal on the offensive side of the football, so we should expect to see them address their defensive issues in the early rounds. Expect to see a healthy dose of LB’s taken by the Rams, although they may also pick up a WR given that they are going to have problems keeping all their guys after this season.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals finished last season at 5-10-1, and while that left them well off the pace in the West, they have already shown that they are ready to go big this offseason, trading for DeAndre Hopkins from the Texans. The Cardinals could also use a tight end and some O-line help, but their early picks are almost certainly going to be defensive players. This is the team that gave up the most yards last season, so look for them to go after some help in the secondary, as well as trying to land a pass rusher.

Previous Betting News

With training camps starting up in late July, Super Bowl betting should also start to heat up. Right now, the two hottest teams in Super Bowl futures both reside in the NFC West: the L.A. Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.

We dig deeper into why Super Bowl future bettors, so far, have been all over the Niners and Rams.

Super Bowl 53 Futures: Bettors Love the 49’ers and Rams

Let’s first take a look at the San Francisco 49’ers. Then, we’ll look at the Rams.

Why do bettors love the 49’ers to win Super Bowl 53?

The current odds in MyBookie on the San Francisco 49’ers to win Super Bowl 53 are +1600. 16 to 1 might seem like low odds. They aren’t. San Francisco was around a +15000 odds choice to win Super Bowl 52. Not only that, but the 49’ers offer lower odds than Carolina, Houston, and New Orleans.

There are reasons why so many bettors like San Francisco. Check out two reasons.

QB Jimmy Garoppolo – The former backup to Tom Brady in New England has turned out to be an excellent NFL quarterback. He only played in 6 games. He managed to garner a 96.2 QB rating while completing over 67% of his passes. Also, San Francisco went 5 and 0 in every game Garoppolo started last season.

San Francisco’s Defense – The 49’ers defense should be much improved from last season. San Francisco MLB Reuben Foster has put his legal troubles behind him. Foster has the makings of one of the best linebackers in the league. The 49’ers also added CB Richard Sherman. Sherman was one of Seattle’s top defensive players.

Why do bettors love the Rams to win Super Bowl 53?

The Rams are at +900 in MyBookie. That makes the L.A. Rams one of the favorites from the NFC to win Super Bowl 53. The only teams ahead of the L.A. Rams from the NFC to win Super Bowl 53 are the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles, both at +750.

Why do so many bettors love the Rams? Check it out!

The L.A. Rams Might Have the Best Offense in the NFL

Last season’s Rams’ offense averaged 361.5 total yards per game. The Rams ranked 10^th in passing yards per game. They ranked 8^th in rushing yards per game. The Rams ranked first in the only offensive stat that really matters, points per game. L.A. scored close to 30 points on average per last season. There’s a good chance the offense is better this season than it was last season.

L.A. Also Might Have the Best Secondary in the NFL

L.A. went out and grabbed two of the top cornerbacks in the NFL this past offseason. Both Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters can play single coverage. That means the Rams can blitz much more on defense this season than they did last season.

Of the two hot teams in Super Bowl futures, the L.A. Rams right now are the bettors’ choice. San Francisco’s odds are surprising, though. Being favored to win a Super Bowl over Carolina and New Orleans, two teams that have won Super Bowls already, says something.

Will the enthusiasm on the Niners and Rams continue? We shall see!

Previous Betting News

There are a couple of teams in the NFC West that has garnered crazy attention to win Super Bowl 53. The first team, the L.A. Rams, are the odds favorites to win the NFC West. The second team, the San Francisco 49’ers, have seen their Super Bowl 53 odds drop precipitously since the beginning of the offseason. Check out why the Rams are the NFL betting favorites to win the NFC West along with info on the smart and longshot plays to take the NFC West Division.

2018 NFC West NFL Odds & Picks

Founded: 1967

Most Recent Champion: Los Angeles Rams

Most NFC South titles: San Francisco 49ers (19)

NFC West Betting Favorite

L.A. Rams -150

The Rams are favorites for multiple reasons. First, the offense could be better this season than it was last season. Think about it. RB Todd Gurley and QB Jared Goff just played their first season in head coach Sean McVeigh’s system. If anything, the two-star players should be more effective in McVeigh’s system this season.

Second, the Rams now have the best cornerback duo in the NFL. Aqib Talib is as solid as it gets. He comes to L.A. from Denver. Marcus Peters comes to L.A. from Kansas City. Both are shut down corners.

Acquiring the best cornerback duo in the league didn’t come without a cost. The Rams will be without one of their starting defensive ends from last season, Robert Quinn. They’ll also be without their top tackler from last season, Alec Ogletree.

That could lead to the Rams’ defense underperforming against the run this season.

Smart NFC West Betting Pick

San Francisco 49’ers +220

A smarter wager might be to back the San Francisco 49’ers at over +200 odds to win the NFC West. San Francisco’s offense is set. The 49’ers have a very good quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo. Garoppolo went 5 and 0 as a starter with the Niners after SF traded for Tom Brady’s backup QB in New England.

The 49’ers drafted OT Mike McGlinchey with the 9^th pick in Round 1 of the 2018 NFL Draft. McGlinchey should keep rushers from getting to Garoppolo up the middle. He should also open up massive holes for free agent RB Jerrick McKinnon who was ultra-effective with the Minnesota Vikings last season.

Now that Reuben Foster’s issues are behind him, the former Alabama linebacker should have an excellent season. The defensive line is decent. SF is a nice play to win the NFC West at the current odds.

NFC West Betting Longshot

Arizona Cardinals +900

The odds on the Arizona Cardinals winning the NFC West Division are overlaid. Arizona has a much better chance of winning the division than the +900 odds indicate. When QB Sam Bradford is healthy, he’s incredibly effective.

Rookie QB Josh Rosen is the best NFL ready of any QB drafted these years. Also, Arizona’s defense figures to have a bounce-back season. The Cardinals could provide a big surprise come the regular season.

At +900, the San Francisco 49’ers deserve a long look to win the NFC West Division.

Last 10 NFC West Champions

Previous Betting News

The Seattle Seahawks may not have looked quite as formidable in 2016 as they had in some of their recent previous seasons, but Russell Wilson and company still managed to record a double-digit winning campaign a year ago and are now the odds-on-favorite to repeat as division champs in 2017 at a solid -350 selection. Thus, thanks to some expert NFL betting insight, you’re about to find out about the favorite, the ‘smart pick’ and the longshot betting odds to win the NFC West in 2017.

The question for NFL betting enthusiasts that want to place a wager on this division’s odds this coming season all want to know whether Seattle will fulfill their division odds or whether a division rival, namely, the Arizona Cardinals, could beat them out for the division crown as a +200 pick.

A Closer Look at the Expert Picks to Win the NFC West Division Title

The Favorite: Seattle Seahawks -350

The Seahawks went 10-5-1 SU and 8-8 ATS a year ago in what was a ‘modest’ season for the fairly recent Super Bowl champs. The problem for Seattle last season, was basically, their inability to rush and score the ball with any sort of consistency.

The Seahawks put up a pedestrian 22.1 points per game (18th) and finished 25th overall in rushing (99.4 ypg) and that simply wasn’t good enough for them to advance to the NFC Championship despite having another excellent year on the defensive side of the ball. Seattle ranked fifth in total defense in 2016, eighth against the pass, seventh against the run and a third in points allowed (18.2 ppg), so clearly, defense wasn’t the problem.

After drafting a handful of defensive players in the NFL Draft (yeah, just what they need), the Seahawks signed former Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy in free agency and plan to get back to the power rushing style that helped them win Super Bowl 48 and nearly repeat one year later. If the Seahawks can improve their offense and continue to play defense at a high level, they’ll be tough to beat in the NFC West, if not impossible.

The Smart Pick: Arizona Cardinals +200

Simple and plain…Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals (7-8-1 SU, 6-10 ATS) are looking to get back in the playoffs in 2017 after having their two-year postseason and three-year run of winning double-digit games run come to an abrupt halt a year ago.

There’s good news though and plenty of reasons to believe the Cardinals could rebound in a big way. First and foremost, the Cardinals finished ninth in total offense and sixth in scoring (26.1 ppg) in 2016 and they still have arguably the best and most versatile running back in all of football in David Johnson and a future Hall of Fame wide receiver in Larry Fitzgerald that is still playing at a high level. To address some of their offensive issues, Arizona drafted wide receiver Chad Williams in the third round and a trio of other offensive rookies with their next three picks.

Defensively, Arizona also was pretty solid in ranking second in total defense and inside the top 10 against both, the run and pass. Unfortunately they didn’t fare as well when it came to keeping the opposition off the scoreboard as they finished 14th in points allowed (22.6 ppg). To improve their defense, the Cardinals drafted linebacker Hassan Reddick with the 13th overall pick and safety Budda Baker at No. 36 overall. Arizona also signed veteran safety Antoine Bethea as well as brining back former linebacker Karlos Dansby in free agency. If all goes according to plan Arizona could get back to being a double-digit winner and playoff participant in 2017 while challenging Seattle for division supremacy. In the NFC West.

The Longshot: San Francisco 49ers +2800

While the San Francisco 49ers changed the direction of their team this season, starting in the front office, they’re still a huge longshot to win the NFC West in 2017 at their +2800 odds suggest. That’s okay though, I believe the Niners got a ton of things right this offseason. San Francisco won just two games last season as Chip Kelly finished his flame-out of the NFL in spectacular fashion.

First, owner Jed York hired former NFL safety-turned-TV commentator John Lynch as his rookie GM, who then hired former Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan as the team’s new head coach. After ranking 27th in scoring a year ago (19.3 ppg), the Niners parted ways with every quarterback on last year’s roster before signing veterans Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley in free agency and trading up in the third round of the draft to take Iowa’s C.J. Beathard.

San Francisco 49ers Offense Analysis

As bad as they were on offense last season, the Niners were even worse on the defensive side of the ball in finishing dead last in total defense, last against the run and last in points allowed (30.0 ppg).

The good news is that Lynch played the Chicago Bears for fools by trading down from No. 2 to No. 3 while getting a third- and fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and a 2018 third round pick. The best part of the move was that they still got the guy they were going to take with the second overall pick in Stanford defensive end Solomon Thomas.

While the Niners didn’t make a big splash in free agency, the fact of the matter is that they have nowhere to go but up in 2017, although I maintain that I would have taken Clemson’s Deshaun Watson first overall. Save your money on the Niners as a long shot pick to win the NFC West. It’s not going to happen for a few years at the very least.

Final NFC West Predictions

It would be very easy to simply say the Seattle Seahawks, which is the best team within that division. But, as we all know, Football is a very weird sport and sometimes, what you would expect doesn’t happen at all. So, my best suggestion would be to keep on the lookout for your favorite team and their latest betting odds as well. Also, we’ll have more previews and guides once we’re close to the start of the regular season.

Previous Betting News

In 2010, the NFC West became the first division in NFL history to have a champion with a losing record, as the 2010 Seattle Seahawks won the division title with a record of 7-9. What a difference six years makes. Now it might be the best all-around division in football with two excellent teams in the Seahawks and Cardinals, one potentially good team in the Los Angeles Rams and … OK, one bad team in the San Francisco 49ers. Who wins the West this year? Here are the teams’ odds.

Here’s a Closer Look at the NFL Betting Odds & Picks for NFC West

Seattle Seahawks (-125)

Seattle finished second to Arizona last season but gets the early nod as division favorite. Seattle won the division in both 2013 & ’14 in reaching the Super Bowl both years, winning one. Seattle lost top running back Marshawn Lynch to retirement but made sure it wouldn’t lose top receiver Doug Baldwin in free agency after this season. He signed a four-year, $46 million extension on Wednesday. Through four NFL seasons, Baldwin had 15 total touchdowns and hadn’t surpassed 825 receiving yards in a season. In 2015, he exceeded 1,000 yards and caught a whopping 14 TDs, a Seahawks single-season record. Baldwin had 1,007 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns when lined up in the slot last year. In the last 10 years, the only other receiver to hit the 1,000-yard and 10-TD marks from the slot was Randall Cobb.

Arizona Cardinals (+165)

Arizona won the West for the first time since 2009 and reached the NFC Championship Game, getting clobbered there by the Carolina Panthers. QB Carson Palmer is off an MVP-caliber season. But he’s also 36 and has a history of collapsing at the wrong time. After failing to win a playoff game in his previous 12 seasons, he cleared that hurdle with Arizona’s dramatic victory against Green Bay in the divisional playoffs. But he was dreadful in the loss to Carolina and overall in those two playoff games he threw six interceptions and coughed up two fumbles. But if Palmer can stay healthy, he can equal or even surpass last season’s 4,671 passing yards and 35 TD passes with 11 interceptions as all of his weapons return.

LA Rams (+1000)

The Rams probably could stink this year and still get a pass because fans in Los Angeles are so happy to have an NFL team back. The Rams might struggle on offense as they are likely to start 2016 No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff at quarterback from Week 1. But St. Louis has the best young running back in the NFL in Todd Gurley, last season’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. A total of 403 of his 1,106 rushing yards and two of his 10 touchdown runs came in four divisional games, including a 146-yard coming-out party at Arizona. If there were a draft right now among non-quarterback offensive skill position players in the NFC West, Gurley would go No. 1.

San Francisco 49ers (+3000)

Some team has to finish last, and there’s frankly no question it will be the 49ers who do so again. They have holes everywhere on the roster and should be in the running with the Cleveland Browns for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

Previous Betting News

The Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals are the obvious NFL betting predictions to win the 2016 NFC West Division Championship and, barring any calamitous injuries, the two teams should be in a heated dogfight to the very end of the season. What about the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers? Well, if the offseason is any indication, the Rams will be a markedly better team and moving into a new city may act as a new source of motivation for success while the 49ers could equally make some noise under new Head Coach Chip Kelly, but when all is said and done, the NFC West crown will ultimately come down to the superior duo of Seattle and Arizona. With that backdrop in mind, here are our early NFL picks and thoughts on who is likely to win the 2016 NFC West Championship.

Analyzing The 2016 Expert Picks To Win NFC West

Favorite NFC West Pick 2016: Arizona Cardinals

In all honesty, there isn’t much to separate the Arizona Cardinals from the Seahawks in terms of title credentials. Both teams have good quarterbacks, good defensive units and good coaches. But in the end, we can only have one winner and we feel that the Cardinals will be that team. Unlike Seattle that will be dealing with questions in its running game and a relatively depleted offensive line, the Cardinals return with all the key pieces from their fluent ball-moving offense of 2015 intact. Meanwhile, the defense is likely to get even better after the team made upgrades in the offseason by adding big-time pass-rusher Chandler Jones and standout rookie DT Robert Nkemdiche. Throw in the additional fact that Arizona has the softest strength of schedule in the NFC West, it doesn’t take a genius to say that the Cards have the most edge in this title race.

Smart NFC West Pick 2016: Seattle Seahawks

With Zona serving as the best favorite pick, the Seahawks (who are placed as the odds-on favorites in most sportsbooks) will have to settle for the smart NFC West pick. Besides their aforementioned challenges, the Seahawks are pretty much solid in every department. Plus, even if the running game won’t be as lethal as it was in the days of the now-retired Marshawn Lynch a.k.a. Beast Mode, Russell Wilson has sufficient aerial targets in players like Tyler Lockett, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin to keep the offense on song. And then, of course, we have that legendary Legion of Boom defense that has allowed the least points in the league for an NFL-record four straight years; a front that should give the team a much-needed boost in case the offense runs into a hiccup. All that considered, Seattle will remain a solid team in 2015 and make the playoffs, whether or not they do so as NFC West champs.

Longshot NFC West Pick 2016: Los Angeles Rams

The 49ers would have made a good longshot pick (or even a smart pick), but long gone are the days of Jim Harbaugh doing so much with very little. And with barely anyone formidable to work with in his team (especially in the offense), we don’t see Kelly taking that big a flight in his rebuilding agenda. The Rams aren’t particularly better than San Fransisco, but they do have a more experienced unit and rookie quarterback is talented enough to keep the Rams competitive in a good number of games. That, along with a new fan base in Los Angeles to cheer them, should be enough to serve the Rams as an appealing longshot NFC West betting pick.

2016 NFC West Predictions

If you are all about history and riding on the public wave, then Seattle should be your preferred NFC West winning pick. But if you are all about balanced talent and hoping that good football has its place in today’s league, then bank on the Cardinals to win the division in 2016, and mark the Rams to steal at least a couple of key games for a finish around the .500 mark. For the Niners, it’s all about rebuilding in 2016 so don’t waste your hopes by getting them up, unless you are looking to get disappointed.

My 2016 NFC West Winning Pick: Arizona

Previous Betting News

While the Arizona Cardinals won the NFC West last season, oddsmakers everywhere are apparently expecting Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks to regain division supremacy and bag their third division title in the last four years.

Thanks to the fun-filled analysis you’re about to get on the NFC West, you’re going to have a great idea of just which Super Bowl title hopeful will bring home the bacon and cash in on their odds to win the NFC West in 2016. Okay, with that said, let’s get started.

Early 2016 NFC West NFL Betting Prediction – Will Seahawks or Cardinals Soar in 2016?

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle managed to win 10 games last season, but finished second in the NFC West and got bounced out of the playoffs in a one-and-done postseason run that finished far earlier than they hoped. Now the Seahawks will look to get back on top in their division and compete for their second Super bowl title in the last four seasons. However, they will do so without star running back Marshawn Lynch following his unexpected retirement.

The good news is that this team is built for long-term success with many of its most valuable core players returning for the foreseeable future. Seattle added tackle Germain Ifedi in the first round, defensive tackle Jarran Reed in the second round and running back C.J. Prosise in the third round. All three players are expected to play immediately with Reed, likely starting at nose tackle. Seattle also brought in veteran defensive end Chris Clemons and cornerback Brandon Browner in free agency and has a fairly easy schedule in 216 that I believe will result in a dozen wins and the NFC West crown in 2016.

Arizona Cardinals (9.5)

The Arizona Cardinals has a fantastic 13-win season in 2015, but they fell short of reaching Super Bowl 50 and enter 2016 with an even greater sense of urgency, seeing as how veteran quarterback Carson Palmer is aging faster than an octogenarian approaching his next birthday. Still, I see no reason why the Cards won’t win at least 11 games in 2015 under widely-respected head coach Bruce Arians.

Arizona added standout defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche in the first round of the NFL Draft before adding cornerback Brandon Williams and center Evan Boehm with their next two picks.

The Cards also added veteran offensive lineman Evan Mathis in free agency and will again have one of the best defenses in the league next season. Reaching the postseason is fine and well, but for Arizona, anything less than an appearance in Super Bowl 51 will be a failure. While it could happen, right now, I’ve got the Cardinals finishing second to Seattle in the NFC West with 11 victories.

Los Angeles Rams (7.0)

I think its all fine and well that Los Angeles got quarterback Jared Goff with the first overall pick in the NFL Draft, but I think the Rams are making a mistake by not starting over with another head coach not named Jeff Fisher. If you didn’t know, the Rams have never won more than seven games in four seasons under Fisher. More importantly, seven of Fisher’s last 11 seasons have produced losing campaigns.

The Rams had a modest free agency and may have missed out on an opportunity to address more than one position by drafting two tight ends with their next three picks. Tough non-division matchups against Carolina and New England, among others, combined with their four division dates against Seattle and Arizona lead me to believe the Rams are looking at a half-dozen wins at best in 2016!

San Francisco 49ers (5.0)

Despite his widely-publicized failures in the City of Brotherly Love, the San Francisco 49ers made Chip Kelly their new head coach after a disastrous five-win season and last place finish in the NFC West a year ago. The good news is that Kelly is an offensive genius, but the bad news is that enigmatic quarterback Colin Kaepernick doesn’t want to play in Frisco anymore and the Niners have holes on both sides of the ball.

San Francisco did get one of the best players in the NFL Draft in immediate-impact defensive end DeForest Buckner while addressing their needs on both lines by nabbing three offensive lineman and one more defensive lineman in their fist six picks. The Niners were quiet in free agency and have a long way to go to get back to respectability in 2016. Still this will be a fun team to watch next season in Kelly’s up-tempo offense, even if they don’t win more than six games at best!

Previous Betting News

Todd Gurley and the reeling St. Louis Rams will look to snap their four-game losing streak while brining the streaking Arizona Cardinals’ five-game winning streak to an abrupt halt when they square off in their Week 13 NFC West divisional match up on Sunday. With these two teams heading in polar opposite directions, only one real question matters when it comes to this Week 13 pairing. Can the Rams cover the NFL betting spread?

Arizona @ St. Louis Week 13 NFL Betting Game Information and Odds

When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 6, 2015
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri
NFL Odds: Arizona -5.5
Over/Under: 44.5

St. Louis Rams (4-7 SU, 4-6-1 ATS)

St. Louis has failed to score more than 18 points in each of their last four games and more than 13 points in each of their last three games. The Rams were limited to just one score in their 31-7 Week 12 beatdown at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals while never coming close to covering the spread as a 10.5-point home underdog.

The Rams offense ranks last in the league in passing. St. Louis switched quarterbacks last week, but Case Keenum was injured, forcing head coach Jeff Fisher to turn back to former starter Nick Foles. Foles, who started the first nine games, returned after being benched, but player poorly in tossing three interceptions and no touchdowns. Cincinnati defensive back Leon Hall returned one of Foles’ three picks for a touchdown. “I forced it trying to make a play,” said Foles. This is a bump in the road, a character builder. There’s no choice, you can’t give up.”

Fisher blew up at reporters when asked about his team’s effort following the loss. “Anyone who implies it’s an effort issue and kiss my (butt),” he said. It’s not an effort issue right now. It’s execution.”

Foles has now thrown just seven touchdowns and nine interceptions since being acquired from Philly in the offseason to replace former starter Sam Bradford. The Rams came into their Week 12 affair with 30 sacks, but didn’t get to Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton once.

Arizona Cardinals (9-2 SU, 6-5 ATS)

Arizona had a tougher time on their hands than expected, but the Cards managed to get past San Francisco 19-13 last weekend despite covering the spread as a 7.5-point favorite.

Veteran quarterback Carson Palmer completed 24 of 40 passes for 271 yards and added a surprising rushing touchdown in the win, though the lead-legged signal-caller took a tumble after spiking the ball despite not being touched. ”I’m taking a lot of heat for that and I could care less. The teasing’s not going to stop,” Palmer said. ”More looks than comments, more just laughs and head shaking. But the comments will come as soon as we get on the plane.”

The Cardinals limited San Francisco to just 67 rushing yards in the loss and won the turnover battle 2-0. Veteran wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald had 10 catches for 66 yards, surpassing Hall of Famer Steve Largent for 16th place on the career list for receiving yards and moving him into 12th place for catches past Randy Moss.

Cardinals @ Rams NFL Betting Game Analysis:

A whopping 69 percent of the betting public like Arizona to win and cover the spread on the road – and if you say that’s because Jeff Fisher’s Rams have a lack of effort, then you can kiss his a-double-squiggle his words, not mine).

All jokes aside, I full expect Carson Palmer and company to roll all over the beleaguered Rams in this mismatch of NFC West division rivals. Todd Gurley has been held to just 219 yards over his last four games (54.7 ypg) and was limited to just 19 yards on nine carries against Cincinnati this past weekend. St. Louis has given up at least 31 points in two of their last three games while going 0-3-1 ATS over their last four games.

Arizona has scored 34 points or more in three of their last five games and I believe they will come close to that figure in this contest while beating the Rams by double digits to easily cover the spread.

My Pick: Arizona 28 St. Louis 17