It’s been about a month since the Eagles dismantled Kansas City in the Super Bowl, ending the Chiefs’ bid for a third consecutive championship.
As dominant as the Eagles’ run to the title was — winning the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl by a combined 50 points — it’s remarkable to think that this time last year they were 16-1 to win it all.
It proves what we know, or what we think we know, heading into a season doesn’t always play out accordingly. This is especially true since the Eagles started a very pedestrian 2-2, before winning every game the rest of the year that quarterback Jalen Hurts finished.
With free agency and the NFL Draft just around the corner, let’s take a look at some teams who could be undervalued heading into the season.
The 49ers stood out to me at 14-1, considering this time last year they were the favorite and were completely ravished by injuries. Granted, they’ve traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel and have an older roster that has maybe missed its window. But at 14-1 (a similar price range to last year’s Eagles), perhaps there’s enough pedigree to take a shot on a team that has played in four of the last six NFC Championship Games.
Another team that jumped out to me was the Chargers at 28-1.
They have an outstanding head coach. And although questions about quarterback Justin Herbert’s ability to perform well in the big games are becoming more and more reasonable, they do have a good quarterback.
The Chargers also had a very solid defense last year. They are missing some help at wide receiver and running back, but those are positions that are somewhat easier to fill through the draft.
And maybe, just maybe, the Chiefs’ age is starting to show and that division becomes more winnable.
But the odds that really stuck out to me — and I’m not predicting they will win by any means — were the Dallas Cowboys at 60-1.
Are the Cowboys in danger of being left behind in the NFC East?
Cowboys 28-1 to win NFC (DraftKings)
I can understand the skepticism about a team that hasn’t been past the second round of the playoffs since the mid-90s. But let’s put things into perspective.
The Cowboys this time last year were co-favorites with the Eagles to win the NFC East and were 20-1 to win it all before the season. Two years ago, their odds were 15-1 heading into the season.
Now they’re 60-1?
Yes, they had a losing season at 7-10, but that was with quarterback Dak Prescott missing more than half of it. Prior to last year, the Cowboys went 12-5 in each of the previous three seasons.
Is it really farfetched that they get back to that level of success and find themselves back in the playoffs?
The Commanders have emerged as a contender in the NFC East, and that is certainly making the Cowboys more of a long shot, but let’s see them do it for more than a year before we pencil them in as perennial contenders. The Eagles, also in the NFC East, have a brutal schedule. They face the Lions, Chiefs, Vikings, Packers, Chargers, Rams, Bucs and Bills.
Philly also has four games against the Cowboys and Commanders, so it’s possible that, as great as the Eagles are, the strength of schedule bites them. It definitely didn’t help in 2023 when the Cowboys won the division.
Because I don’t think the Cowboys will actually win it all, I would recommend betting the Cowboys at 28-1 to win the NFC, making it possible to profit off of this bet as long as they reach the conference title game, giving yourself an opportunity to hedge.
It might seem crazy, but this time last year the Commanders reaching that game would have seemed way more unlikely. The Cowboys, believe it or not, are undervalued heading into 2025.
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bears Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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