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NFL betting: Rams are favorites in NFC, but Cowboys aren't far behind

Sam Cooper
College football writer
·3 min read
8

The Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams are the betting favorites to emerge from the NFC next season as well, but the Dallas Cowboys aren’t far behind.

BetMGM posted its conference championship odds on Wednesday, and the Rams were listed atop the NFC at +450.

The Rams just knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl, but there are a lot of questions to answer in the coming weeks and months with players like Odell Beckham and Von Miller entering free agency, veteran tackle Andrew Whitworth potentially retiring and offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell leaving for the Minnesota Vikings head-coaching job.

There hasn’t been a repeat NFC champion since the Seattle Seahawks did so in 2013 and 2014. Before that, you have to go back to the Green Bay Packers in 1996 and 1997 to find the same team making back-to-back Super Bowl appearances out of the NFC.

So if not the Rams, then who could emerge from the NFC next season?

Dallas Cowboys just behind Rams in NFC odds

According to the oddsmakers, the Cowboys are the next most likely at +500. The Cowboys went 12-5 and won the NFC East but disappointingly lost in the wild-card round at home to the San Francisco 49ers.

Still, there’s a lot of talent coming back on both sides of the ball. The emergence of Micah Parsons was an especially notable development for Dallas this season.

Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons (11) celebrates sacking Denver Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in Arlington, Texas. Denver won 30-16. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)

Behind the Cowboys are the Packers at +600. The big question there, clearly, is whether Aaron Rodgers will be back. Amid disagreements with team officials, Rodgers’ contract was restructured last offseason, giving him the freedom to move on to another organization if he chooses to do so. If he does, 2020 first-round pick Jordan Love is waiting in the wings, but he has struggled in limited on-field action.

Next in line are the Rams’ two biggest competitors in the NFC West — the 49ers at +700 and the Arizona Cardinals at +900. The 49ers, who lost to the Rams in the NFC championship game, are expected to trade Jimmy Garoppolo this offseason, opening the door for No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance to take over at quarterback.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, won 10 of their first 12 games but crumbled down the stretch. They lost four of their final five regular-season games, surrendering their NFC West lead to the Rams before getting blasted by the Rams in the wild-card round.

Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have +1100 odds after the retirement of Tom Brady. Another playoff team, the Philadelphia Eagles, are tied with the Minnesota VIkings, New Orleans Saints and Seattle Seahawks at +1800.

Full NFC odds via BetMGM