posted June 19, 2008 at 17:41 in NFL Articles

BetUS Sportsbook has got the NFL covered – sports betting wagers are available on any of the league's eight divisions, not to mention the AFC and NFC champions, and of course, the winner of Super Bowl XLIII. One team who has been to the Super Bowl recently - in fact, just a few seasons ago - is the Seattle Seahawks, who will bid adieu to their head coach, Mike Holmgren after this season (he'll stay on in an executive capacity) So can the Seahawks send him out with another ring, like he won in Green Bay? We'll examine that today.

First, here's a look at the NFL football odds to win the NFC West title as well as the NFC championship, as it is posted at BetUS Sportsbook:

BetUS NFL Futures Betting Odds

To Win NFC West

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS -120
Arizona Cardinals +220
St. Louis Rams +550
San Francisco 49ers +650

To Win NFC Championship

Dallas Cowboys +350
Green Bay Packers +1000
New York Giants +750
New Orleans Saints +900
Philadelphia Eagles +750
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS +900
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1400
Washington Redskins +1600
Minnesota Vikings +800
Arizona Cardinals +2000
Carolina Panthers +2000
Detroit Lions +2500
Chicago Bears +1600
San Francisco 49ers +3000
St. Louis Rams +3000
Atlanta Falcons +7500

Mike Holmgren, who has won four consecutive division championships, will be stepping down as head coach after this season and turning things over to his assistant head coach, Jim Mora Jr. Because a serious contender in the division has not emerged, the Seahawks are once again a solid favorite to win the NFC West and the automatic spot in the playoffs that comes with it. But that doesn't necessarily mean things are going to be cakewalk for Seattle.

There is the issue of how the Seahawks are going to engineer a running game, or whether there is going to be a running game at all. It was more or less abandoned toward the end of the season, as Matt Hasselbeck's game plan consisted of mostly short passes. This season Seattle has made additions to the ground attack while the wide receiver corps has not necessarily been upgraded. Julius Jones, who lost out to Marion Barber as the primary back in the Dallas offense, came over via free agency, and Seattle also signed T.J, Duckett to a contract. They join Maurice Morris, who filled in when Shaun Alexander (since released) went down with injury.

Unquestionably the running game is going to be a key, as Hasselbeck does not have a deep crew of receivers to work with, as he did last year. First of all, Deion Branch has just had reconstructive knee injury, so how useful he is going to be is a subject of question. Bobby Engram may not show up to training camp at all. D.J,. Hackett left and signed with Carolina. Nate Burleson may have to have a big season to make up for some of that. And there is hope that Hasselbeck will be able to make a major target out of rookie tight end John Carlson out of Notre Dame. Needless to say, there are questions all around.

The defense seems a little more stable. There is Pro Bowl-level defensive end Patrick Kearney, who was second in the NFL in sacks last season. The rushing defense ranked 12th in the league, but the Seahawks have to be at least a little worried about the strength of their interior defensive line, which allowed Green Bay to exert complete dominance on the ground in a snow-filled NFC playoff game. If rookie Red Bryant, a fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M, doesn't prove to be productive right away, defensive coordinator John Marshall may find himself stuck for answers. But look - the linebacking corps is top-shelf; LeRoy Hill, Lofa Tatupu and Julian Peterson may be as good a trio as you'll find anywhere. And the secondary can be a team strength, anchored by cornerback Marcus Trufant, who is one of the best in the business.

For some reason, Seattle has often had special teams concerns under Holmgren. he went ahead and drafted two specialists, which is highly unusual. Placekicker Brandon Coutu, the seventh-round choice out of Georgia, may wind up beating out inconsistent Olindo Mare, while Tyler Schmitt of San Diego State may bring some stability to the long snaps. He had better, as Seattle spent a sixth-round pick on him.

The question here really becomes whether Arizona or St. Louis is ready to make a breakthrough in the NFC West, as Seattle is a very flawed team which gets an edge over the others because it more solid defensively than the others and because it is more experienced in so-called "big-game" situations. At -120, they might be a solid play to win the division, because Holmgren seems to have always found a way. But beyond that, this team doesn't have enough offensive talent to be exceptional.

JAY'S PREDICTION FOR 2008:

Seattle Seahawks -- 10-6, 1st place, NFC West

(-120 to win division, +900 to win NFC, +2500 to win Super Bowl in the BetUS NFL futures betting odds)

The 2008 NFL betting season is coming, and if you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The BetUS sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of games, totals and propositions, and you will also find NFL future lines up for the Super Bowl as well. Join BetUS today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLII and beyond!

(Charles Jay of http://www.ebookies.com is a member of the NFL too - that is, "not for long" if you don't get results. He is now a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)