WE are less than a week away from the beginning of the NFL season, and America is counting down the seconds until it gets under way.
The Super Bowl may not be until next year, but punters are feverishly poring over the form to pick a long-range ‘good thing’ heading into the regular season.
Luckily for our readers, the superstar team of analysts we have at our disposal did all the hard work for you.
We took a look at the four best options to bet on this year, and identified a player per team who we think will be in the running for the regular season Most Valuable Player award come the end of the campaign.
Best chances to win Super Bowl LI
Green Bay Packers
Perennial contenders for the NFC title, the Green Bay Packers will again be in the running to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to ‘title town’.
Not only do the Packers have arguably the best quarterback in the NFL in the form of Aaron Rodgers, but their running back Eddie Lacy is amongst the best in his position.
Couple that this by the return of Jordy Nelson – who missed last year through an ACL injury – and it is easy to see why their being talked up as a major NFC threat this season.
The big question will be whether Green Bay’s defence can step up, given last year it was a major issue but the pre-season thus far has shown a stout Packers D-Line which
Packers’ head coach Mike McCarthy said this season is “Super Bowl or bust,” and we agree.
Green Bay to win the NFC Championship: $5.50
Green Bay to win the Super Bowl: $10
Regular season MVP best bet: Aaron Rodgers – $8
Carolina Panthers
Last year’s Super Bowl contenders are an obvious choice to head back to the promised land, but both the franchise and their star quarterback Cam Newton have a lot to prove heading into this campaign.
The Panthers were shutout by the Broncos in Super Bowl 50; failing to bring their sensational offensive game to the big dance after a season of dominating defences.
Cam Newton in particular had a poor game and was castigated mercilessly for his lack of desperation deep in the game when he refused to dive on a loose ball, resulting in a turnover which some believe cost his team the game.
The prospect of redemption will run strong through the group however and we are expecting Carolina to once again be in the running for their first ever Lombardi Trophy.
Carolina Panthers to win the NFC Championship: $5.50
Carolina Panthers to win the Super Bowl: $10
Regular season MVP best bet: Cam Newton – $8
New England Patriots
How can you go past a team that makes it their business to play in the big matches?
The Pats are stacked on every line, but will be without superstar quarterback Tom Brady for the opening month of the season. Can they be competitive until he returns?
Jimmy Garoppolo seems the man most likely to fill the enormous void left by Brady, but he has failed to find the end zone for the entirety of the pre-season.
The key will be Rob Gronkowski.
The Gronk is arguably the best tight end of all-time, and if he is able to waltz into the end zone like last season New England will be unstoppable.
If the fill in can keep the Patriots within touch by Brady’s return, there is no reason to think they will not be competing for an AFC Championship again in 2016/17.
New England Patriots to win the AFC Championship: $5
New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl: $10
Regular season MVP best bet: Rob Gronkowski – $26
Seattle Seahawks
Another team who made the playoffs their domain over the last three years is the Seattle Seahawks.
After a rocky start to their campaign last time out, the Seahawks rocketed into contention late and were unlucky they ran into the white-hot Carolina Panthers, otherwise a third straight Super Bowl berth could have been theirs.
Much will be made of Marshawn Lynch’s retirement, but Thomas Rawls was sensational in ‘Beast Mode’s’ absence, and arguably would have kept him out at peak fitness irrespective.
Seattle has one of the best QBs in the division in the form of Russell Wilson, and their defence stacks up against the very best in the league.
The Seahawks go into the season as the joint favourites for the Super Bowl title, and we are finding a hard time mounting a case against the market.
Seattle Seahawks to win the NFC Championship: $5
Seattle Seahawks to win the Super Bowl: $9.50
