NFL Futures Betting: Broncos, Patriots Biggest Division Favorites

NFL futuresPeyton Manning’s Denver Broncos and Tom Brady’s New England Patriots are listed with the highest win totals for the 2013 NFL regular season at 11.5 along with being the two favorites on NFL futures odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl Super Bowl XLVIII. Thus it’s not too surprising the Broncos and Pats are the two biggest wagering favorites to win their divisions in football at -500 apiece.
Threepeat for Denver?
The Broncos won the AFC West in 2011 thanks to Tim Tebow. They were a totally different offense last year under Manning as he led Denver to a 13-3 record, winning the West by a whopping six games over the San Diego Chargers. Manning should only get better this season with a year under his belt in the Broncos’ offense and one more year removed from neck surgery. Plus he now has Wes Welker to throw to. Denver is the 13/2 AFC betting favorite to win the Super Bowl.
Kansas City (-650) and San Diego (-650) are both distant second-favorites on AFC West betting odds.  The Chiefs added quarterback Alex Smith and former Eagles coach Andy Reid this offseason. The Chargers dumped Coach Norv Turner and replaced him with Mike McCoy, who was Manning’s offensive coordinator in Denver in 2012.
AFC East Dominance
No team has had a stranglehold on its division in the past 10 seasons more than the Patriots. They have won the AFC East every season other than in ’08, when Brady went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1.
Last season the Patriots were 12-4, winning the East by five games, but were upset at home in the AFC title game by Baltimore. Brady had been 67-0 at home in his Hall of Fame career when leading at home at the half before that defeat.

New England is 8/1 on football odds to win the Super Bowl.

The Miami Dolphins, 7-9 last season and the 2008 division winners, are +500 second-favorites to take the AFC East. The Fins have to replace Reggie Bush but did sign Mike Wallace.
Three NFC Divisions Tight
The closest division race on wagering odds is the NFC South, with reigning champion Atlanta at +110 and New Orleans at +160. Consider this on NFL wagering strategy: the South has never had a repeat winner. Atlanta tied Denver for the most regular-season wins with 13 in 2012. The Saints fell off to 7-9 last season, but Coach Sean Payton is back after his season-long suspension.
The NFC West looks to be a two-team race between defending division and NFC champion San Francisco (-125) and Seattle (+125). The 49ers are 6/1 betting favorites to win the Super Bowl despite losing top receiver Michael Crabtree due to injury likely for most of the 2013 season.
No team has repeated as NFC East champion since the Eagles in 2004. Washington is +240 to do so in 2013, same odds as Dallas. The Giants are +180 favorites. Philly, with new coach Chip Kelly, is +350.