NFL NFC CHAMPIONSHIP FUTURES: BEST ODDS AND PICKS – AUGUST 2024
NFL NFC CHAMPIONSHIP FUTURES BEST ODDS AND PICKS — AUGUST 2024 — The 2024 NFL season is right around the corner, and the preseason has already begun. Simply put, opening weekend will be here before we know it. With that in mind, it is a suitable time to see which NFC teams have the best odds to represent the conference in the Super Bowl.
Last season, the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions battled it out in the conference title game. Are these teams atop the leaderboard going into the 2024-25 campaign?
Let’s take a look and find out.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
Top NFL NFC Championship Odds: San Francisco 49ers (+250)
![San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) celebrates his rushing touchdown with ... [+]Associated Press](https://www.godzillawins.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/niners.webp)
Despite their shortcomings in the big game, the 49ers have been to the conference championship game four times during that five-year stretch, including title appearances in each of the last three seasons.
With that in mind, it’s not a surprise that oddsmakers have them leading the pack in this category.
Second-Best NFL NFC Championship Odds: Detroit Lions (+550)
The Lions raised a few eyebrows last season, posting a 12-5 record during the regular season. This was the team’s first playoff appearance since 2016.
It was also the first time Detroit had won a division title since 1993. Back then, it was called the NFC Central Division. Let that fact sink in your mind for a bit.
In last year’s NFC title game, the Lions were up 24-7 against the Niners at the break. However, they failed to seal the deal as the home team rallied for a come-from-behind 34-31 victory. Based on what we saw unfold last season, combined with the fact the Lions have improved on the defensive side of the football, a potential rematch of last year’s title game is definitely in the cards.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (+600)
The Eagles upended the 49ers in the NFC title game in the 2022-23 campaign by a 31-7 margin. But they came up short against a Chiefs team that has won three championships in the last four seasons.
The Eagles appeared to be heading back to the big game last season, as they posted 10 wins in their first 11 contests. The wheels came off the wagon after that, as Philadelphia posted a 1-5 record down the stretch.
In their wild-card matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Eagles trailed by just seven points at the break. However, the Buccaneers outscored them 16-0 in the second half en route to a surprising 32-9 victory.
Given that the Eagles are just one year removed from a Super Bowl appearance, it is realistic to foresee them challenging for the conference crown in 2024-25.
4. Dallas Cowboys (+700)
The Cowboys have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and have produced 12 wins in each of those seasons. That’s the good news.
On the other side of the narrative, Dallas has been ousted in the wild-card round twice during that stretch. This includes a 48-32 loss to the Green Bay Packers – a game in which they trailed by a 48-16 margin in the final frame before a couple of garbage-time scores to make the final score somewhat respectable.
Based on six postseason appearances over the past decade, Dallas seems like a lock to make it back to the postseason. However, they have not played in a conference title game in nearly three decades, and it is doubtful that will change next season.
5. Green Bay Packers (+800)
In 2022-23, the Packers missed the playoffs for the first time in four years, finishing with an 8-9 record. This came on the heels of three straight seasons in which they won 13 games.
Green Bay parted ways with Aaron Rodgers, catapulting Jordan Love into the starting quarterback role. In his first full year as a starter, Love guided the Green and Gold to a playoff berth, finishing with a 9-8 record. This was a noteworthy accomplishment, considering that his predecessors did not have the same success in their first seasons as the team’s starting quarterback.
The Packers knocked out the Cowboys in the opening round of the playoffs before losing to the 49ers 24-21 in the divisional round. Based on his stats last season (4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions), the Packers “may” have found their next franchise quarterback. But whether the Pack can leapfrog the top-tier teams in the conference remains to be seen.
