NFL Pro Bowl Betting Prediction and Analysis for 2024

Will the NFC Break Its Losing Streak in Pro Bowls? | NFL Playoffs Betting Lines

This weekend the NFL will hold its annual Pro Bowl in Las Vegas as the football world anxiously awaits the Big Game a week later when the Chiefs and Eagles tangle in the Arizona desert to settle Super Bowl 57. Not wanting to starve the appetite of its fans, the league will once again stage the Pro Bowl between all-stars teams representing both the AFC and NFC. It’s time to get a look at our in depth NFL Betting analysis so you don’t miss your chance to bet on the NFL Pro Bowl Odds.

Will the NFC Break Its Losing Streak in Pro Bowls? | NFL Playoffs Betting Lines

For many reasons, the NFL Pro Bowl is regarded as the most meaningless all-star affair in all of pro sports from a competitive standpoint. It is the only all-star game that is held after the season, and players in the Super Bowl participants are not eligible to suit up since they are readying to claim the Lombardi Trophy.

There is a twist this season as the league announced, due to player feedback and injury concerns, that its All-Star game or Pro Bowl will consist on a 7-on-7 non-contact flag football game. The hope here was twofold: firstly, it eliminates the likelihood and injuries, and secondly, given the non-contact nature of the proceedings, perhaps more players will elect to come.

Traditionally scores of players have decided to begin their off-season early instead of venturing to exotic locales (the game was in Hawaii for years before relocating) and subjecting their bodies to another week of pounding.

The AFC has emerged victorious in the last five renewals of the game and have won more times than they’ve lost (25-22 SU) since the league changed from an East/West format in 1970.

What to Make of New Format

First off, there will be three games featuring seven skill players from each conference facing off. The initial two games count as six points for the competition, while the third and final game to end the weekend will start with the score from the previous contests and skill competitions.

The field will be 50 yards with a 10-yard end zone, and the games will be 7-on-7 with skill players only taking part. There will be a pair of 10-minute halves and a 25-second play clock, and a running clock before the final two minutes of each half.  Peyton Manning will lead the AFC, while his younger brother Eli will commandeer the NFC.

Will the Streak Be Broken?

It is very hard to forecast or predict the eventual victor since not only will there be three games, but there will also be a myriad of skill competitions. In addition to Dodge Ball and a passing accuracy competition, our personal favorite is Kick-Tac-Toe, an event for long snappers, punters, and kickers.

It is very hard to discern the amount of motivation either side will have in this made-for-television event. However, we feel as though the NFC has as good a chance as any year to break the streak. 

Previous Betting News

The Manning Bros go head-to-head in three games at this year’s NFL Pro Bowl Festival on Sunday. Eli will coach the NFC while Peyton coaches the AFC. Due to the unique, new, Pro Bowl format, we can only back the NFC or AFC to win.

Check out more NFL betting odds for Pro Bowl game on the flag football three-game competition.

2023 Pro Bowl AFC vs. NFC Three-Game Flag Football

• When: February 5, 2023
• Where: Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV
• To Win Odds: NFC +100 / AFC -140
• TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+

Pro Bowl Three-Game Flag Football

The Pro Bowl is unique this year, which is why it’s important for us to understand exactly what we’re betting on if we decide to go with the NFC or AFC.

Unlike past seasons, the Pro Bowl Festival takes place from Thursday to Sunday. The only betting option is on the three-game flag football mini-tournament that happens on Sunday.

The winner will be determined by a points system. So the team that has the most points at the end of the flag football tournament takes the victory.

Before getting to why you should be on either side, it’s important to understand flag football rules:
1. 7 players on each side
2. Center hikes the ball
3. Center then takes a knee

That’s pretty much it. On to our analysis and free pick.

Why bet on the NFC to beat the AFC

Consistency is key and Eli has a lot of Vikings to work with. If he starts Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, and Justin Jefferson, and then decides to have a player like George Kittle hike the ball and take a knee, Eli should have the edge.

Cousins, Cook, and Jefferson played together in every game during the regular season. The trio will be on the same page, which means Eli’s squad will move the ball no problem.

NFC Coach: Eli Manning

NFC Projected Offense Skill Position Starting Line-up

• QB – Kirk Cousins, Vikings
• RB – Dalvin Cook, Vikings
• RB – Saquon Barkley, Giants
• WR – Terry McLaurin, Commanders
• WR – Justin Jefferson, Vikings
• WR – CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys
• TE – George Kittle, 49ers

Why bet on the AFC to beat the NFC

On paper, Peyton’s team has more talent. Lawrence, Chub, Jacobs, Diggs, Hill, and Chase are as good as it gets.

Not only does Peyton’s squad seem more talented, but Peyton could mix it up. For example, Tyreek, Ja’Marr, or Nick could play quarterback. Lawrence is a good enough athlete to sit on the outside and catch passes from those guys.  

AFC Coach: Peyton Manning

AFC Projected Offense Skill Position Starting Line-up

• QB – Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
• RB – Nick Chubb, Browns
• RB – Josh Jacobs, Raiders
• WR – Stefon Diggs, Bills
• WR – Tyreek Hill, Dolphins
• WR – Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals
• TE – Mark Andrews, Ravens

Final Betting Analysis: Pro Bowl NFC vs. AFC Three-Game Flag Football

When it comes to actual football, the one with pads, a cohesive team almost always outplays it’s more talented opponent.

But Sunday’s three games are flag football contests. So in this case, talent trumps cohesiveness. No doubt, the NFC will play hard. However, Peyton has way more weapons.

The older Manning bro has more pieces he can work with, which means Peyton has more flexibility. Give the older Manning the edge. Back the AFC to cash.

Previous Betting News

The NFL Pro Bowl is a game that has had more than its fair share of detractors over the years, to the point where the idea of scrapping it became an option a few years ago. The game, though, has evolved and adapted and is now often used as a test game for potential new rules changes. This year is no exception, as the game will not have kick-offs to start each half, with team captains instead given the spot or choose option. In short, the team that wins the toss will have the option to spot the ball and choose the direction to play in or choose whether to start on offense or defense. This is a rule that could well be in the NFL proper next season. Let’s have a look at the upcoming Pro Bowl game so you can get ready to make your bets against the NFL Pro Bowl Odds.

2022 Pro Bowl Odds Analysis | NFL Playoffs Betting

Pro Bowl Odds

Something that is a little different with the Pro Bowl is that there is no moneyline option to choose from. Instead, bettors will be looking at playing either the spread or the point total. As we have seen in the past, this is one of the trickier games to handicap, as we are not really looking at a true game of football. Contact is limited and some players view this game as more of a fun event than something to take totally seriously. It is, in truth, a bit of a coin flip, which you can see by the current odds.

As it stands at the moment, the AFC is favored by a single point. The league has tried different things over the years, including having team captains pick teams in a draft format. In the last 4 years, the game has returned to the AFC vs NFC format, with the AFC winning each of those 4 games. Only one of those games was really close, so it might not be the worst idea to stick with the AFC to keep their current winning streak alive.

The general feeling among fans is that we will get a high-scoring game in the Pro Bowl, but it doesn’t always play out that way. The point total is set at 62 ½, which is perhaps a little high when you consider the last 4 years. We saw a scoring outburst last season, with the AFC winning 38-33, but in the 3 years prior, the average point total came in at just over 37 points per game. The question now is whether last year was an aberration or if it is more of a sign of things to come.

Previous Betting News

There’s no football that counts this Sunday ahead of Super Bowl 56 on Feb. 13 but the AFC/NFC Pro Bowl will be played Sunday from Las Vegas and shown on ESPN and ABC. The kickoff is at 3 p.m. ET and the NFL odds are TBA

Early Week 2022 Pro Bowl Game Betting Preview

The coach for the AFC is Mike Vrabel of the Tennessee Titans and his entire staff will be there as well. The Titans were the highest-remaining seed in the AFC to lose in the Divisional Round so that’s why Vrabel got the call.  The last time a Titans coaching staff was in charge of a Pro Bowl squad was back in 2003, when former head coach Jeff Fisher led the way for the AFC. Vrabel might win NFL Coach of the Year for the regular season. A handful of Titans players will be in the game but not star running back Derrick Henry.

The NFC will be coached by Green Bay’s Matt LaFleur. It’s the first time Green Bay’s coaching staff will work the Pro Bowl since 2016. LaFleur was Vrabel’s offensive coordinator in 2018. The Packers had three Pro Bowlers this season, but Kenny Clark and Davante Adams have already been replaced and Aaron Rodgers is not expected to play. Rodgers was voted as the NFC starter at quarterback.

A lot of players are going to skip the game and of course no players from the two Super Bowl teams are in it. Eight NFL teams were set to send at least five players to Las Vegas, led by the Indianapolis Colts with seven: running back Jonathan Taylor, defensive lineman DeForest Buckner, center Ryan Kelly, linebacker Darius Leonard, cornerback Kenny Moore II, guard Quenton Nelson and long snapper Luke Rhodes.

The Kansas City Chiefs (six), Los Angeles Chargers (six), Baltimore Ravens (five), Cleveland Browns (five), Dallas Cowboys (five), San Francisco 49ers (five) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (five) were the other teams to have at least five Pro Bowlers. Bucs QB Tom Brady set an NFL record with his 15^th Pro Bowl selection but he’s not playing. There were reports over the weekend that Brady has decided to retire but nothing official yet.

Brady, who turns 45 on Aug. 3, has already outlasted every player from his own draft class in 2000, when the Patriots selected him 199th overall in Bill Belichick’s first season. He’s also outlasted every player drafted in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Brady led the league in both passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43) in 2021, the second time in his career he’s led the NFL in both categories in the same season (2007).

Brady’s long-term replacement in New England, rookie QB Mac Jones, has been named to the game. Jones threw 22 touchdowns to 13 interceptions while completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,801 passing yards. Jones was named to the Pro Football Writers All-Rookie team last week. He joins Devin McCourty, Curtis Martin, John Stephens and Michael Haynes as Patriots to earn the Pro Bowl honor in their first seasons.

Buffalo star quarterback Josh Allen is among those who have chosen not to play. Allen was named a Pro Bowl reserve following the 2020 season, though the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Allen was merely voted an alternate. He completed 63% of passes in the regular season, throwing for 4,407 yards, 36 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. He rushed for a career-high 763 yards and a single-season low of six touchdowns.

“Unfortunately, I will be declining the invitation to play in the Pro Bowl this year — in order to allow my body to rest and recover from the harshness of the season,” Allen said. “The type of quarterback [that] I am, I obtain a lot of bumps and bruises along the road of a season, so I will use this time to let my body heal.”

The Chargers’ Justin Herbert was named the AFC’s starting QB and will play. Herbert is both the first Charger quarterback as well as the first former Oregon offensive skill position player to be named a starter in the game since Dan Fouts earned the honor back in 1983.

Previous Betting News

The deadline for NFL teams to slap the franchise tag on players was Tuesday and these players were given the tag: Bucs receiver Chris Godwin, Jets safety Marcus Maye, Panthers offensive tackle Taylor Moton, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, Bears receiver Allen Robinson, Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson, Washington guard Brandon Scherff, Broncos safety Justin Simmons, Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Saints safety Marcus Williams.

Dolphins, Jets Chasing Ex-Packers Pro Bowl Running Back Aaron Jones | 2021 NFL Expert Analysis

That means none of those players will hit free agency and that teams have until mid-July to work out a long-term extension with the players or they must play the 2021 season on the tag. Prescott actually already agreed to a record-setting contract Monday with Dallas but was given the franchise tag for the second year in a row simply as a procedural move.

Arguably the biggest surprise among players not tagged was Pro Bowl running back Aaron Jones by the Packers, but then again Green Bay hasn’t used the franchise tag since 2010 – that’s the longest such streak in the NFL.

The Packers still have exclusive negotiating rights with Jones — and the rest of their free agents to be — until Monday, when unrestricted free agents can enter into negotiations with other teams and the team can still try to sign Jones to a long-term deal, but with free agency opening on March 17 it’s more likely that Jones is a goner because he will get more money on the market.  Using the franchise tag on Aaron Jones would have cost the Packers about $8 million.

Green Bay essentially signaled that a breakup was brewing when they selected A.J. Dillon in the second round of the 2020 draft and then opted to not apply the franchise tag.

The 2021 NFL salary cap was set on Wednesday for $182.5 million. The official cap is about $500,000 less than what teams were expecting, and a marked drop off from 2020’s cap of $198.2 million. The pandemic and no fans in the stands last year caused the massive drop, but it should go way back up next year with the pandemic likely over and new TV deals kicking in. Some free agents this year could opt for more one-year contracts in hopes of signing more lucrative long-term deals next offseason.

Last season, Jones rushed for a career-high 1,104 yards and added nine touchdowns. He was fantastic catching the ball out of the backfield as well with 47 receptions for 355 yards and two more scores.

Two teams with a ton of cap space and a major need for a No. 1 running back are the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets and they should be considered favorites to sign Jones, who is one of only two players in league history to post 3,000-plus rushing yards (3,364) and 35-plus rushing TDs (37) with an average of 5.00-plus yards per carry (5.17) in their first four seasons in the NFL, joining Jim Brown (1957-60).

Jones ranks No. 3 in the NFL in rushing TDs (25) and tied for No. 2 in total TDs (30) since 2019 and has rushed for 37 TDs since entering the league in 2017, the most in franchise history by a player in his first four seasons in the NFL. Jones was only a fifth-round pick in 2017 out of UTEP.

There already has been reported mutual interest between the Dolphins and Jones. If the Dolphins were to sign Jones, it would provide the team with some added flexibility in the early portions of the 2021 NFL Draft. Miami’s current two top running backs are Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed. Players love living in south Florida and the Dolphins are a team on the rise so that should appeal to Jones. Miami is a +280 second favorite on the NFL odds to win the AFC East next season.

The Jets have even more cap space than the Dolphins and their top running back right now is likely 2020 fourth-round pick La’Mical Perine. The former Florida Gator was healthy for 10 games as a rookie, rushing for 232 yards (3.6 YPC) and two touchdowns as a change-up to Frank Gore.

New York finished last season averaging 105.2 rushing yards per game, 23rd in the NFL. As a team, New York rushed for more than 131 yards in a single game only one time. “The Jets and Aaron Jones to me is a perfect fit,” Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said recently on NFL Network.

Other teams likely to pursue Jones: San Francisco, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Atlanta.

Expect NFL Prediction: Jones signs with Miami