Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Bettors Banking on Eagles Resurgence, Cowboys Regression as NFL Season Begins
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 months ago on
August 31, 2024

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Robert Quinn during the second half of the NFC Championship, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

LAS VEGAS — The Eagles looked as if they were ready to return to the Super Bowl last season after beating the Bills 37-34 in overtime to move to 10-1.

Then Philadelphia fell apart, losing six of its final seven games, including a 32-9 stinker in the playoffs to the Buccaneers.

But now the Eagles are back to form — or at least many bettors are banking on it.

Eagles Favored to Win NFC East

Joey Feazel, head football trader for Caesars Sportsbook, said those placing bets believe not playing a first-place NFC East schedule should help the Eagles. He also pointed to the arrivals of coordinators Kellen Moore on offense and Vic Fangio on defense as reasons to believe both sides of the ball will improve.

Division rival Dallas is playing a first-place schedule, and Feazel said that coupled with the Cowboys being noticeably quiet during the offseason has bettors going the other way on Big D and toward the Eagles.

“If the Cowboys regress significantly, which is what the sharps (professional bettors) are perceiving, the division’s not going to be a problem,” Feazel said. “It’s going to put them in that prime spot to win that division and go for that one or two seed (in the NFC).”

The Eagles are -150 favorites at Caesars to win the division, meaning a $150 bet would pay $100. Dallas is next at +185, which means a $100 wager would pay $185.

NFC North Up for Grabs

The NFC North figures to be one of the more competitive divisions. Detroit is the +130 favorite at DraftKings, followed by Green Bay at +230 and Chicago at +280.

There are arguments for each team.

The Lions made the NFC championship game last season, the Packers came on strong late behind quarterback Jordan Love, and the Bears drafted quarterback Caleb Williams No. 1 overall this year to go with some quality weapons.

“People think that (the Lions are) going to have one of those spectacular years again, and they might,” DraftKings race and sports operations director Johnny Avello said. “There are three teams right there that are all in the hunt to win that division.”

The Packers are known as a public team, meaning they draw heavy wagering almost no matter what the circumstances.

Avello said the Bears have a similar core audience.

“There are Bears fans all over the country, so they take money when people have low expectations for them,” Avello said. “People are looking for a new Bear team that maybe doesn’t win it this year, but on the rise to better things to happen in the future.”

New Kickoff Rule’s Impact on Scoring

Feazel said some bettors expect an increase in scoring because of the new rule that encourages more kickoff returns, but Caesars is taking more of a wait-and-see approach.

He said that while the expectation is teams will receive about a four-yard drive advantage, there could be more punts that pin opposing offenses deep when those series stall.

“So we’re not overreacting,” Feazel said. “I think it might increase the (point) totals, but we saw such low totals overall last year. It will be interesting to see if that really does make an impact this year because we saw so many unders last year.”

Chiefs’ Three-Peat Bid Not Drawing Much Action

Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City will try to make history by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls, but the Chiefs aren’t getting a lot of betting action.

“You get some fans that say Mahomes can do it again, but that’s usually coming from Chiefs fans,” said Jay Kornegay, Westgate Las Vegas vice president of race and sports operations. “You get regular football fans out there that are betting other teams.”

Award Favorites

The favorites for the major awards at BetMGM Sportsbook are:

1. MVP: Mahomes, +500

2. Offensive Player of the Year: San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey and Miami’s Tyreek Hill each at +750

3. Defensive Player of the Year: Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt at +550

4. Offensive Rookie of the Year: Chicago’s Williams at +130

5. Defensive Rookie of the Year: Indianapolis’s Laiatu Latu and Minnesota’s Dallas Turner each at +400

6. Coach of the Year: Los Angeles Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh and the Bears’ Matt Eberflus each at +900

7. Comeback Player of the Year: New York Jets’ Aaron Rodgers at +175

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

22 Miles on Foot, 10 Minutes on a Tram: An ‘Extraordinary’ Day Hike

DON'T MISS

Bakersfield to Host Sanders and AOC in ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ Event

DON'T MISS

Jaguar and Land Rover Maker Pauses Shipments to US as It Develops Post-Tariff Plans

DON'T MISS

China Hit Brakes on TikTok Deal After Trump Announced Wide-Ranging Tariffs

DON'T MISS

Shohei Ohtani Throws Second Bullpen Since Resuming Mound Ramp Up

DON'T MISS

Visalia Traffic Stop Nets $30K in Xanax, Marijuana

DON'T MISS

Fresno Joins Global Protest Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk

DON'T MISS

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

DON'T MISS

The Latest: Trump’s Tariffs Unleash Trade War and Calls for Negotiations

DON'T MISS

Phone Footage Appears to Contradict Israel’s Account in Troops’ Killing of 15 Palestinian Medics

UP NEXT

Bakersfield to Host Sanders and AOC in ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ Event

UP NEXT

Jaguar and Land Rover Maker Pauses Shipments to US as It Develops Post-Tariff Plans

UP NEXT

China Hit Brakes on TikTok Deal After Trump Announced Wide-Ranging Tariffs

UP NEXT

Shohei Ohtani Throws Second Bullpen Since Resuming Mound Ramp Up

UP NEXT

Visalia Traffic Stop Nets $30K in Xanax, Marijuana

UP NEXT

Fresno Joins Global Protest Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk

UP NEXT

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

UP NEXT

The Latest: Trump’s Tariffs Unleash Trade War and Calls for Negotiations

UP NEXT

Phone Footage Appears to Contradict Israel’s Account in Troops’ Killing of 15 Palestinian Medics

UP NEXT

Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Gaza Crisis and Tariffs at Upcoming Meeting

China Hit Brakes on TikTok Deal After Trump Announced Wide-Ranging Tariffs

1 day ago

Shohei Ohtani Throws Second Bullpen Since Resuming Mound Ramp Up

1 day ago

Visalia Traffic Stop Nets $30K in Xanax, Marijuana

1 day ago

Fresno Joins Global Protest Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk

1 day ago

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

1 day ago

The Latest: Trump’s Tariffs Unleash Trade War and Calls for Negotiations

1 day ago

Phone Footage Appears to Contradict Israel’s Account in Troops’ Killing of 15 Palestinian Medics

1 day ago

Trump and Netanyahu to Discuss Gaza Crisis and Tariffs at Upcoming Meeting

1 day ago

Trump Doubles Down That Tariffs Will Pay Off for Americans

1 day ago

Senate GOP Approves Trump’s Tax Breaks and Spending Cuts After Late-Night Session

1 day ago

22 Miles on Foot, 10 Minutes on a Tram: An ‘Extraordinary’ Day Hike

The steep trail near the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway was covered in inches of spongy fallen needles and peppered with ankle-twist...

13 hours ago

13 hours ago

22 Miles on Foot, 10 Minutes on a Tram: An ‘Extraordinary’ Day Hike

1 day ago

Bakersfield to Host Sanders and AOC in ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ Event

1 day ago

Jaguar and Land Rover Maker Pauses Shipments to US as It Develops Post-Tariff Plans

1 day ago

China Hit Brakes on TikTok Deal After Trump Announced Wide-Ranging Tariffs

1 day ago

Shohei Ohtani Throws Second Bullpen Since Resuming Mound Ramp Up

A Visalia traffic stop on Friday, April 4, 2025, for tinted windows led to the arrest of a 22-year-old man after police found $30,000 worth of Xanax pills and a pound of marijuana in his vehicle. (Visalia PD)
1 day ago

Visalia Traffic Stop Nets $30K in Xanax, Marijuana

1 day ago

Fresno Joins Global Protest Against Donald Trump and Elon Musk

1 day ago

2 US Border Inspectors Charged With Taking Bribes to Wave in People Without Documents

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend