Updated Odds to Win the 2018 NFC Championship

On Saturday, the wild card round of this year’s National Football League playoffs gets underway. On the NFC side of the bracket, the injury to Philadelphia quarterback Carson Wentz has shaken things up, as an Eagles team that looked like a clear favorite to skate to the Super Bowl now has a lot of questions to answer, with backup Nick Foles struggling to move the ball in his last two outings. The Eagles won the NFC East; the other divisional champs are the Minnesota Vikings (North), New Orleans Saints (South) and the Los Angeles Rams (West). Both of the wild card teams, Atlanta and Carolina, come out of the NFC South. Before you make your wagers on the conference winners, check out our NFC Championship odds for each contender.

Updated Odds to Win the 2018 NFC Championship

“Right now, I’m leaning towards the @Vikings​ being the team to beat in the NFC.” – @TroyAikman pic.twitter.com/idzrnAesGN

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 2, 2018

Minnesota Vikings

NFC Championship Odds: +165 The Vikings have a smothering defense — but that’s not really new, as head coach Mike Zimmer is a defensively minded coach who has had success shutting down opposing offenses. The problem in recent years has been issues with the offense. Teddy Bridgewater led the Vikings to a divisional title two years ago, but his injury last year (and issues with Sam Bradford) kept the Vikings out of the playoffs a year ago. Now, as Case Keenum has emerged as a confident quarterback who can throw the ball down the field with authority, the Vikings are firing on all cylinders again. With tailback Latavius Murray, the team has the offensive balance they need to work through the solid defenses they will see in the postseason.

Philadelphia Eagles

NFC Championship Odds: +450 I’m surprised that the odds are this favorable for the Eagles. Against Dallas in Week 17, the Eagles were unable to put up a single point. Nick Foles looked lost and ineffective in the first quarter, throwing a costly interception. The Eagles did beat Oakland the week before, 19-10, but that was against a Raiders team that had fallen apart offensively. The game was tied at 10 until a late field goal and then a hook-and-ladder play that went awry, with Philadelphia scooping up the ball and scoring a touchdown as time expired. The key for the Eagles is their defense, as they have an aggressive front seven and a shutdown secondary. However, can that defense hold when their offense is producing three-and-outs? It’s one thing to keep mediocre offenses like Dallas and Oakland in check, but the postseason brings elite offenses to town.

New Orleans Saints

NFC Championship Odds: +450 The Saints appear to have turned around some of their defensive issues that have plagued them in the past few seasons, and with the emergence of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara, they have a running back corps that can take some of the offensive pressure off quarterback Drew Brees. New Orleans has looked very impressive at points this year, such as their sweep of Carolina, but they have also been exposed, as in their matchup with New England earlier this season. The Saints need to get the most out of both units if they have a chance to advance. They will have to win at least one road game to get to the Super Bowl, and the road has been a scary place for the Saints in recent years.

Los Angeles Rams (+450)

The trio of quarterback Jared Goff, tailback Todd Gurley and wideout Cooper Kupp may be the most talented collection of young offensive stars in the league right now. Goff has come on strong in his second season in the league, and Gurley has returned to that same form that won in the NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. On the defensive side of the ball, the Rams have put together a strong scheme under coordinator Wade Phillips. If I were the one making this list, I might have these Rams right behind the Vikings — but the Rams have to play in the wild card division, so they would need three wins to get to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta Falcons

NFC Championship Odds: +1000 Why should you like Atlanta to make it to the Super Bowl? They still have the offense with the most explosive potential in the NFC. If Matt Ryan gets clicking with Julio Jones and Mohammed Sanu, the Falcons can fly up and down the field. The problem is that this unit hasn’t been clicking this year like it did last year. Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman make a solid running back pairing, but this team still hasn’t put it all together on a consistent basis. On defense, the secondary is fast and opportunistic, and the pass rush is strong. But can the Falcons make it through the Rams?

Carolina Panthers

NFC Championship Odds: +1200 This is another mercurial team — with a singular talent at quarterback in Cam Newton, who is a threat to run the ball as well as use his cannon of an arm to get the ball down the field. They also have Christian McCaffrey, who has shown signs of explosive speed but still hasn’t been used to his full potential. Their defense still has Luke Kuechly as its anchor but gives up too many big plays down the field. They have a tough wild card matchup at New Orleans; if you like them to win you see them putting that inconsistency behind them for a terrific playoff run.