The last time the New England Patriots didn’t win the AFC East was back in 2008. However, with Tom Brady off to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Patriots could be in for a dogfight to win that division title in 2020 according to the NFL betting futures at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
The Patriots remain the +125 betting favorites on the AFC division futures at online sports betting sites even with their longtime quarterback having headed south. But the Buffalo Bills are right behind them on that futures list at +130 as they look to improve on their 10-6 record from a season ago and claim the AFC East title for the first time since way back in 1995.
That 10-6 mark in 2019 had the Bills just two games back of the division-winning Patriots, and Buffalo has made moves to improve their roster this offseason including trading for star wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. With New England’s quarterback position in flux that could give the Bills an opening to claim a rare first-place appearance. The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets both trail at +800 on the odds to win the AFC East.
The Houston Texans won the AFC South crown last season with a 10-6 record, but after trading away their own star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals this offseason they’ve slipped to third at +300 on the division title odds. That has them trailing both the Indianapolis Colts (+155) and the Tennessee Titans (+165), with the Colts bringing in veteran quarterback Philip Rivers for this season and the Titans coming off a strong playoff run and looking to carry over that momentum. The Jacksonville Jaguars trail at +1700.
The AFC West was won by the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs last season by five games over the Denver Broncos and Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, and the NFL odds don’t predict any changes at the top with Patrick Mahomes and company clear-cut -450 favorites to repeat as division winners. The Broncos sit at +800 on those futures, with the relocated Raiders at +1200, and the Los Angeles Chargers between those teams at +900.
And the AFC North was the domain of Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens last year, as they won 14 games including 12 straight to finish out their regular-season schedule. Baltimore is the -200 favorite on the odds to win the AFC North, followed by the Pittsburgh Steelers at +350 with Ben Roethlisberger expected back from elbow surgery to start the season. The Cleveland Browns are behind them at +500, with the Cincinnati Bengals longshots at +2500.
