March 11, 2022
Kate Frese/for PhillyVoice
PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 26: Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during the game against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on December 26, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The NFC is undergoing rapid changes. Drew Brees retired following the 2020 season. Tom Brady retired this winter. Russell Wilson has just been dealt to Denver. The quarterback mainstays that have come to dominate this conference are dwindling.
It’s pretty easy to see that the AFC is the superior conference, especially given the quarterback discrepancy. Wilson. Patrick Mahomes. Justin Herbert. Joe Burrow. Josh Allen. Lamar Jackson. It’d be unsurprising to see any of those guys take home the 2022 MVP award.
The competitive balance between the two conferences is massively lopsided.
This is good for the Eagles.
Aaron Rodgers remains in Green Bay and Matthew Stafford just won his first Super Bowl with the Rams, but outside of them, who specifically jumps out? The 49ers are dying to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo. Kyler Murray was a train wreck in his first playoff game. Dak Prescott puts up elite-level stats, but has been hampered by injuries over the last two seasons.
That leaves the Eagles with an outsider’s chance of contending in this wild card of a conference. Yes, the Eagles rode their way to the postseason against subpar competition late in the season while looking horrendous in their own right in the Wild Card round against the Bucs. They nevertheless have the best offensive line in the conference and an elite running game, plus cap space and three first-round picks to bolster the talent on their roster.
It’s because of this that BetOnline has the Eagles tied for the fifth-best odds of winning the NFC in 2022. Here's how their numbers play out:
| Team | Odds |
| Packers | 13/4 |
| 49ers | 5/1 |
| Rams | 11/2 |
| Cowboys | 8/1 |
| Eagles | 14/1 |
| Cardinals | 14/1 |
| Buccaneers | 14/1 |
| Vikings | 16/1 |
| Saints | 20/1 |
| Commanders | 22/1 |
| Falcons | 28/1 |
| Panthers | 28/1 |
| Seahawks | 33/1 |
| Bears | 45/1 |
| Giants | 50/1 |
| Lions | 60/1 |
Odds can differ from one sportsbook to another of course. On DraftKings, the Eagles have the 10th-best odds to win the NFC at +2200 ($10 to win $220). On FanDuel, they have the ninth-best odds at +2000 ($10 to win $200).
It’s still early enough in the offseason that things can shift rapidly. Perhaps a team like the Buccaneers or Seahawks trades for Deshaun Watson as he deals with the legal ramifications of his sexual misconduct suits. Huge free agent signings and draft picks are still to be made.
If you’re confident the Eagles can nail this offseason, you could do a lot worse than throwing a small wager on them to win the NFC if you shop around and get the best odds.
As for how I’d rank NFC teams at the moment, here’s what I got:
1. Rams
2. Packers
3. 49ers
4. Cowboys
5. Eagles
6. Cardinals
7. Buccaneers
8. Saints
9. Vikings
10. Commanders
11. Falcons
12. Seahawks
13. Panthers
14. Giants
15. Lions
16. Bears
