As the most popular pro sport in America, the NFL makes new 365 days a year. For the first time since 1978, when the slate went from 14 to 16 games, the NFL lengthened the regular season again this year. The 2021 NFL schedule was released on May 12 and all 32 teams will play 17 games over an 18-week season. That means NFL fans get an added week of NFL betting and fantasy football action. It will also affect win total wagering.
Week 1 opens with Dallas visiting defending NFL champion Tampa Bay on September 9. The week ends with Las Vegas hosting Baltimore in the Monday Night Football fight. Regular season action concludes with Seattle visiting Arizona on Jan. 9, 2022. Wild Card Weekend, Divisional Round playoffs, and Conference Championship Sunday follow. The season ends with Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Cali.
AFC South Division Futures Odds
In a two-team race from start to finish, Tennessee (11–5) and Indianapolis (11–5) battled for the AFC South championship throughout the season last year. Once the dust settled, the Titans claimed the title; winning a tiebreaker over the Colts based on best win percentage in division games. Both teams would be eliminated during the Wild Card playoff round.
Houston (4–12) struggled on defense and finished well off the pace in third. Jacksonville (1–15) defeated Indianapolis, during Week 1 action, before they “Tanked for Trevor” and lost their final 15 games.
Multiple sportsbooks are offering a variety of preseason betting options. AFC South Division title odds, plus team win totals, are posted on the NFL futures board at FanDuel. While the odds and prices below are subject to change, unless a stud player changes teams, or there is a serious injury, the moves will be subtle. Will the Titans claim their first ever back-to-back championships? Is Carson Wentz the answer at quarterback for the Colts? Who is going to be the starting pivot for Houston? Will QB Trevor Lawrence shine as rookie for the Jaguars?
Tennessee opened the season with five straight wins. The Titans were streaky after that and closed with a 6–5 run. Tennessee hosted Baltimore on Wild Card Weekend and lost 20–13 to QB Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The Jaguars jolted the Colts during a 27–20 Week 1 win in Jacksonville. Indianapolis was a (-8.0) favorite on the road. The Colts final four losses were separated by a pair of two and three-game winning streaks. Despite a vintage performance, from Colts’ QB Phillip Rivers, Indianapolis lost 27–24 during their AFC Wild Card battle with the Bills in Buffalo.
Okay, Houston, we’ve had a problem here. That was a mantra for the Texans as they opened with a 1–6 record. After winning three of four games, Houston closed the season with five straight losses. Houston was neck-deep in turmoil last year and things aren’t much better heading into the 2021 NFL season. A new era begins in Jacksonville with first-year head coach Urban Meyer and rookie QB Trevor Lawrence as the headliners. FanDuel bookmakers have listed the Titans and Colts as near co-favorites to win the division. I am passing until we get closer to the start of the season.
AFC South Champion Prediction: PASS
