2023 NFC South Betting Odds: Down There Where It Gets Wild
Good Luck Betting The NFL’s Most Unpredictable Division
Saints Lead the NFC South Odds… For Now
Last season, the NFC South was the worst division in the NFL. Not even Tom Brady could quarterback a winning record out of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which finished atop at 8-9. Now he’s gone, and it’s about to get wild. New Orleans, which acquired Derek Carr, leads the NFC South betting odds. But that’s about as secure of a position as a background actor in Hollywood right now. Too soon?
Say it Saint So: Is Your Dough Safe in NO?
At +125, the New Orleans Saints are the shaky favorites to win the NFC South. Denis Allen’s team is supposed to be the best of the worst, thanks to Carr and a fearsome defense. This is a perfect match on paper. Carr is a four-time Pro Bowler who’s consistently played on a terribly defensive Raiders while the Saints badly need a QB.
New Orleans finished ninth in scoring defense last season but still had a -15 point differential, thanks to an inept offense. Seven times, the Saints held their opponents to under 20 points. And only four times did they win.
Carr is supposed to fix this offense, which features some enticing skill players like wide receiver Chris Olave and running back Alvin Kamara (when he’s back from suspension). Thus, most NFL predictions have New Orleans finishing on top and making the playoffs (-190). It would be the first time without Sean Payton as the coach since 2000.
On top of that, the Saints have one of the easiest NFL schedules. The NFC South may just have a resurgence like the NFC East last year due to it. But to cash on its expectations, New Orleans must prove it is a tier above its division rivals.
Falcons and Panthers: Young Hunters Ready To Strike
Atlanta and Carolina are considered a tier below New Orleans when you refer to the NFC South betting odds. Atlanta is +200 to win the division, while Carolina is +375. And their finishing positions are all lined nearly evenly, meaning the public is clueless if they’re first, second, third, or even last.
And did you know that both teams finished with identical records as the Saints last season? All three went 7-10. New Orleans also swept Atlanta (2-0) but got swept by Carolina (0-2). The Falcons and Panthers then won one game apiece against the other.
But like New Orleans, both Atlanta and Carolina have had a bit of a facelift. The Falcons went on a spending spree and bolstered both sides of the team. They also used a first-round pick to take hotshot running back Bijan Robinson, thus giving them one of the best backfields in the league.
Carolina made an even bigger splash. The team hired former Colts head coach Frank Reich and then traded up to draft Bryce Young first overall. And through a series of signings and trades, Carolina’s offense now looks unrecognizable. Carolina might be the best bet in this division if the Reich-Young partnership pays off.
Big Bucks on the Bucs
Last but considered least are the Buccaneers. Life without Tom Brady is expected to get nasty as the team is favored to finish last in the NFL division standings (–105) and is a longshot (+375) to make the playoffs. Todd Bowles is also one of the three likeliest head coaches to be fired first.
But this team may be getting overlooked a little. Tampa still has a solid defense that is just two years removed from being fifth in scoring (13th last season). And the offense still has one of the best wide receiver tandems in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
The x-factor is either Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask at quarterback. The former is starting but will have a short leash, especially since winning the division is a possibility regardless of the +800 lines on the NFC South betting odds. If Dave Canales, the new offensive coordinator, can turn either into the next Geno Smith, the Bucs could make some big bucks.
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