NFL Futures NFC West Odds

The Arizona Cardinals pretty much ran away with the NFC West division title last season, despite only going 9-7. With the rest of the division, except St. Louis, looking better this season will the Cardinals be able to stay on top or should NFL betting fans look elsewhere?

The first step for the Cardinals on the way to the Super Bowl last season was the NFC West title. It wasn’t much of a competition really, with the Seahawks and Rams combining to win only six games and the 49ers blowing any real chance at claiming the division with a horrible start. To repeat as division champs the Cardinals may need to win more than nine games this season. That isn’t out of reach, though, with a strong pass-happy offense and a defense that showed some real potential during last season’s playoff run.

The Cardinals made sure their offense would be solid again this season by re-signing veteran quarterback Kurt Warner. Last season Warner turned back the clock, and there appears to still be some life left in his 38-year-old arm. Of course it helps when you have one of the top receiving duos in the league at your disposal. Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin both rate as No. 1 receivers and are a terror for any defense to cover. The running game’s success will likely depend upon whether or not Tim Hightower’s breakout season from a year ago was a fluke. Edgerrin James was cut loose in the offseason, so Hightower will bear the brunt of the load with rookie Chris “Beanie” Wells backing him up. The Cardinals open the season as a +140 favorite on the NFL odds.

According to the oddsmakers the biggest threat to a Cardinals repeat are the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle is currently listed at +210 on the NFL odds despite finishing third in the division last season at 4-12. The Seahawks were decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball last season, and if they can avoid frequent trips to the hospital they should bounce back nicely. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was ineffective last season due to a back injury, but should return to his old form now that he’s healthy. His receiving corps received a boost with the addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and he should fit in well alongside Nate Burleson and Deion Branch. Look for a large improvement on defense as well, as long as Patrick Kerney can stay healthy.

The wild card in the division are the San Francisco 49ers, who are currently listed at +225. The 49ers finished the season strong last year under head coach Mike Singletary. The biggest question mark for San Francisco appears to be at QB, where Shaun Hill and Alex Smith could make or break the offense depending on who wins the starting job.