The Los Angeles Rams are favorites to make it three straight division titles per the NFC West betting odds. The Rams ran away with the division last season, and the NFC champions are odds-on to claim the crown once more. Seattle and San Francisco are seen as the teams with the best chance of stopping them according to the NFC West betting odds, while the Arizona Cardinals have some of the longest odds of any team to win their division.
2020 NFC West Sports Betting Preview
Arizona Cardinals
Rebuilding is the key term in Arizona. The Cardinals bottomed out in 2018, and they completely changed things up by bringing in Kliff Kingsbury and Kyler Murray this offseason. Kingsbury was seen as one of the best offensive minds in the college game, and he made no secret over the fact that he loved Murray and thought he would be a great quarterback for his system.
The jump from college to the pros is never easy for a coach though. Even the best college coaches around have failed at the pro level, as both Nick Saban and Steve Spurrier couldn’t break through in the NFL.
To make things even more difficult, the cupboard is pretty bare in Arizona. Larry Fitzgerald is potentially entering his last season in the NFL, and no other wide receiver has proven they can supplant him. The Cardinals used two picks in the first four rounds of the draft on receivers this year, and Christian Kirk was a second-round pick last year.
With Patrick Peterson serving a six-game suspension to start the year, things are looking even worse for the defense. Arizona is more likely to win two or less games than win the NFC West.
Los Angeles Rams
Everyone has been singing the praises of Sean McVay for two years now. McVay has sparked an offensive renaissance with the Rams, and he has turned Jared Goff into one of the league’s better quarterbacks. Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, and Cooper Kupp make for a devastating trio of receivers as well.
Todd Gurley’s knee issues seem to be pretty severe. Gurley has not been able to make the same cuts he did as a rookie, and there are growing fears that he is not a long-term option at running back anymore. LA drafted Darrell Henderson out of Memphis in the third round, and the speedster could be set to make an instant impact and his Rookie of the Year betting odds are very appealing.
Oh yeah, the Rams have the best player in the NFL too. Aaron Donald showed why he is the biggest force in the game today last season, putting up bonkers numbers for an interior defensive lineman. He is the lynchpin of a front seven that has seen some change this yer.
San Francisco 49ers
The Niners were seen as a potential surprise pick to win the division last year, but Jimmy Garoppolo’s season-ending injury in Week 3 derailed all that. San Francisco’s hopes this season revolve around Jimmy G, and the former Patriot hopes to live up to the hype after winning five straight games to close out 2017.
This offensive line will give him plenty of time, as the tackle duo of Joe Staley and Mike McGlinchey is a very impressive one. Draft picks Jalen Hurd and Deebo Samuel will pair with speedster Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis in the receiving corps, so there is potential, but it has been largely uncovered.
Nick Bosa is the latest first round pick to arrive on San Francisco’s defensive line, and the hope is that he will become a Pro Bowler like defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. There are a lot of questions though and I would avoid them when betting on the NFC West.
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson got paid this offseason. The Seahawks signal caller finally cashed in after being one of the league’s top quarterbacks in the 2010s, but his big contract meant Seattle parted ways with a lot of other players.
The receiving corps is depending heavily on rookies DK Metcalf and Gary Jennings, or else it will be a mess. Likewise with the running backs and Rashaad Penny, but the offensive line should be very solid.
The back seven has a ton of skill. Bobby Wagner is one of the best middle linebackers around for what he does and KJ Wright has been solid too. The Griffin brothers are both set to start the year as well after some solid play in 2018.
Check out the latest NFC West betting odds at the online sportsbook.
