The new NFL season may seem a little way off yet, but summer is the perfect time for NFL fans and bettors to take stock and weigh up the possibilities for the upcoming action.
Throughout the summer, betting fans claiming promotions such as the Fubo sign-up bonus will be weighing up the odds and making their selections for the action ahead. While there is always plenty of enthusiasm for the Super Bowl winners’ market, another betting favorite is predicting the win totals for each team during the regular season. So, which win total bets stand out at this stage?
Chicago Bears Under 6.5
The decision of the Bears to trade Khalil Mack in favor of draft picks made it clear that the franchise is going for a complete rebuild and not a refit. That may or may not make sense long-term but in the short-term, Bears fans could be in for more disappointment.
Justin Fields was already suspect and completed less than 59% of his passes in 2021-22, but now he has to cope with a weakened offensive line, a new head coach and the departure of wide receiver Allen Robinson II. With the defense no longer the reliable force it once was, the Bears may not be able to make it to seven wins this time round.
Kansas City Under 10.5
They are still one of the top franchises in the NFL, but this could be a tough season for the Chiefs in what is an ultra-competitive AFC West. Two factors, in particular, could work against Kansas City. The departure of Tyreek Hill is huge and the ramifications of that decision will be significant.
Equally important is the tough schedule that the Chiefs will have to reckon with. Patrick Mahomes and teammates will have to face the Chargers, Cardinals, Buccaneers, Colts, Bills, 49ers and Raiders in their seven-week run before their bye. Even after the bye, they still have to face the likes of the Bengals, Rams and Titans. Last season, they recovered from 3-4 to finish 12-5 but any repetition of that slow start this time around could be extremely costly.
Atlanta Falcons Under 5.5
The Falcons finished with a 7-10 record last season but they could be set for an even more disappointing campaign. There is a case for arguing that they have the poorest roster in the league right now. Marcus Mariota has to be regarded as an interim option, while, despite the presence of Drake London and Kyle Pitts, the offense he has to work with is not particularly inspiring. Looking through their schedule, it’s hard to find a game they would be favorites to win.
Pittsburgh Steelers Over 7.5
The Steelers aren’t getting that much love in the Super Bowl markets, and much of this may be down to Mitch Trubisky. The former Bears quarterback has yet to recover his reputation as the wrong pick in 2017, but having spent a year with the Bills, he is likely to have learned a lot. The fact that he has been added to a team that already had Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins suggests that the Bears organization are not convinced about their chances, and Trubisky has to be a good bet to start.
And he will have a lot to work with. Najee Harris will be the lead offensive threat, which will give Trubisky and his wide receivers some freedom. We can also expect more from tight end Pat Freiermuth, while the defense is one of the best in the NFL, particularly at the linebacker position. Throw in a relatively straightforward schedule and the Steelers look good for at least eight wins.
New Orleans Saints Over 8.0
The Saints have made some solid moves to strengthen the roster, even at the expense of future draft picks. Jarvis Landry is a strong addition, while there are new positional coaches and some of the holes in the squad have been filled through the draft.
And although Jameis Winston was only able to play seven games during the last season, he showed enough to give Saints fans something to look forward to. With a group of receivers who were less than ideal, he threw for 14 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. This time around, Michael Thomas and Chris Olave will give him more options with the pass, and given a healthy season, he can lead them to a better record than the 9-8 they finished with last season. Crucially, they had a good record against the Buccaneers last season and they could go well in 2022/23.
