by Nelly's Sports
Friday, Dec 31, 2021NFC FUTURES SNAPSHOT
With two weeks left in the NFL regular season the playoff picture still has plenty of question marks. Here is a look at the futures market in the NFC with a few possible opportunities to consider this week.
OVERVALUED: GREEN BAY PACKERS +200
The Packers are in line to be the #1 seed in the NFC but that is the role they were in last season. While this team is a serious threat for a third straight NFC Championship trip, Green Bay has been blown out in that game the past two seasons. While Aaron Rodgers is likely to win another MVP this season, last season he led the #1 scoring offense and #2 total offense in the NFL. This year’s team is #13 in scoring and #15 in total offense and the defense for Green Bay has been among the very worst in the NFL in recent weeks even while facing the likes of Justin Fields, Tyler Huntley, and Baker Mayfield.
UNDERVALUED: DALLAS COWBOYS +500
If Dallas wins out and Green Bay loses one game, Dallas will be the #1 seed in the NFC, a not so improbable scenario given that Minnesota is playing for its postseason life this week and has won back-to-back meetings with the Packers. Dallas is the NFL’s #1 scoring offense and #1 total offense this season for a profile much more consistent with a potential championship team than Green Bay, or even last year’s Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, currently priced at +300. Dallas has faced a weaker schedule than the other NFC contenders but is 5-2 vs. the top half of the league, the best record of any NFC team (Green Bay 4-3, Tampa Bay 5-3, LA Rams 4-4).
LONG SHOT: SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS +1600
Only Tampa Bay has more wins vs. the top 10 in the league than San Francisco and this is a great pricing window on the 49ers with the current injury news on Jimmy Garoppolo while the 49ers are coming off a loss to still sit without a playoff spot confirmed. The 49ers play Houston this week as this is going to be a wild card team and the finale with the Rams may not be a meaningful game for Los Angeles depending on how things shake out this week. San Francisco’s scoring differential is only 13 points worse than Green Bay’s and the 49ers have a 5-3 record on the road this season. With two NFC West teams already in the playoffs the 49ers would have a good chance of facing a familiar foe in the postseason and this team has battled injuries all season as its full potential has not been reached yet.
