Updated NFL Odds to Win the NFC – January 3rd Edition

The hottest team in the NFC going into the postseason might well be the Seattle Seahawks — and they struggled in splitting their games with San Francisco down the stretch. They play ferociously at home — unless their attention wanders. On the road, it’s hard to tell how intensely they will approach the game. They open their postseason in Dallas on Saturday night, against a Cowboys team rife with flaws. The only team that looks anything close to flawless going into the postseason on this side of the bracket is New Orleans — who only managed a dozen points against Carolina in Week 15. We have your NFL betting odds for each of the six remaining NFC contenders, as well as our thoughts about each team.

Updated NFL Odds to Win the NFC – January 3rd Edition

Who could the #Saints face in the divisional round? If the Eagles defeat the Bears in the first round, the Saints will host the Eagles If not, the Saints will host the winner of Cowboys vs Seahawkshttps://t.co/6WF7L7cHg7 pic.twitter.com/xnBSHSvUoZ

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 31, 2018

• New Orleans Saints                                                              11/10
• Los Angeles Rams                                                               5/2
• Chicago Bears                                                                      11/2
• Philadelphia Eagles                                                              10/1
• Dallas Cowboys                                                                    14/1
• Seattle Seahawks                                                                 14/1

New Orleans has never lost a home playoff game with Drew Brees at quarterback. In addition to Brees’ arm, the Saints also have a solid running game with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. The real reason why the Saints are contenders this year, though, is that defense. Their running defense is #1 in the NFL, and their pass defense has come along, particularly in the second half of the season. Their offense did bog down in a 13-10 loss at Dallas and in a 12-6 win over Carolina (the first time the Saints had won while scoring fewer than 13 points since 1999), but their defense was largely there to bail them out. It’s hard to find a flaw here, especially since the Superdome will host every game the Saints play in until Super Bowl LIII. The Los Angeles Rams seem to have figured their way out of an offensive funk in early December, but we did learn that Jared Goff will wilt if the pressure gets tough enough in the pocket. The Eagles, Bears, Cowboys, Seahawks and Saints can all apply the sort of pressure that can push Goff into making mistakes. Last year, the Rams also won the NFC West — and the team lost in the wild card round to Atlanta. Are the Rams mentally tough enough for the second season? That’s the biggest question for bettors to consider. Chicago might have the best defense in the NFC, but thanks to some early setbacks they could have to win twice on the road to get to the Super Bowl, and first they begin with a wild-card round matchup against the defending Super Bowl champions, who made their way back into the postseason. Can Mitch Trubisky hold up under postseason pressure? Can the Bears hold elite offenses now that the playoffs have begun? Philadelphia also went through the postseason last year with backup Nick Foles running the offense. However, they had built up so many wins in the early going that they had home field throughout the playoffs. Now they go to Chicago for their first game and would be on the road in any other playoff games. Can Foles and a revived Eagles secondary pull off the upset and end the Bears’ dreams early? Maybe. But they lost in New Orleans by 31 earlier this season, and it’s hard to see a rematch ending much differently. Dallas has a quarterback who is inconsistent at best in Dak Prescott. He looked amazing against the New York Giants, but the Giants finished at 5-11 for a reason. Against elite defenses, the Cowboys can’t move the ball well enough. They do have an elite defense, but that defense wears down when the offense can’t stay on the field, as we saw most recently in that 23-0 loss in Indianapolis. Seattle is a smart dark horse pick to make it through the conference, despite their run-first approach that makes them look like the only bicycle operating on the highway. Russell Wilson has carried the team on his back several different times this season, but winning three games on the road would be amazing. I think the Seahawks send Dallas home relatively easily in the wild card round, but then the Saints and Rams might have too many weapons for the Seahawks to stop, especially on the road.