As always, the teams in the NFC East are going to have a lot of pressure on them this year to succeed. The Super Bowl champs are in this division, and there are three other teams that think that they can pull off the same task this year as well. The odds to win the NFC East are always tight, and that should lead to a great year of football once again in what is seemingly always one of the most competitive foursomes in the game.

Of course, it isn’t the defending Super Bowl champs, but the Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East Betting Odds: 1.40 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook) are the NFC East favorites this year. The so-called “Dream Team” was a bit of a nightmare last year, though hindsight being 20/20.  Losses to teams like the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers weren’t nearly as bad as they seemed to be at the time. The Eagles are still very talented and are extremely fast. The combo of QB Michael Vick, WR Jeremy Maclin, and WR DeSean Jackson is clearly the fastest in the league, and RB LeSean McCoy is most certainly not a slacker either. The defense seems to be more prepared now than it was at the outset of the year to dominate, and that could go a long way in helping out Vick as well. In the end though, it is going to be up to No. 7 to take care of the football. If he does that, the Eagles will win this division. If he doesn’t, it could be another year of missing the playoffs and the last year for Head Coach Andy Reid on the sidelines in the City of Brotherly Love.

Second in line is the team that won the Super Bowl last year, the New York Giants (NFC East Betting Lines: 2.05 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook). QB Eli Manning has definitely proven that he is an elite quarterback worthy of being called Peyton’s baby brother, though this year, he is going to be given a bit of a tougher task with WR Mario Manningham now in San Francisco. The ground game isn’t the greatest, but it is serviceable with RB Ahmad Bradshaw. It is the pass rush that really makes the team though, and Head Coach Tom Coughlin has been preaching that over the course of his entire tenure in the Big Apple. The question is whether there is a Super Bowl letdown coming for Big Blue, though. It happened a few years ago, and it could happen again in 2012.

As always, there is a heck of a lot of pressure on the Dallas Cowboys (2012 Odds To Win AFC East: 2.65 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). QB Tony Romo is always under a microscope, and that isn’t going to be an exception this year. He puts up great numbers thanks to the fact that he has a remarkable set of receivers, but perhaps he deserves more credit. No one had ever heard of WR Miles Austin before Romo put him on the map, and when both he and WR Dez Bryant were hurt last year, it was WR Laurent Robinson that suddenly became a hero. On the ground, it was supposed to be RB Felix Jones that carried the load, but instead, RB DeMarco Murray came out of nowhere to be one of the most punishing backs in the league. Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan was figured to be one of the hot head coaching candidates available in this past offseason, but after an atrocious year on the sidelines managing the Dallas defense, no one bit on Rex’s brother. It could be a make or break season both for Ryan and for Head Coach Jason Garrett, as more seasons of missing the playoffs won’t sit well with owner and GM Jerry Jones.

We give all the credit in the world to the Washington Redskins (NFL Betting Lines in the NFC East: 11.20 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook). Last year, they weren’t a bad team, though they weren’t exactly a fantastic one either. Young defensive players like LB Ryan Kerrigan and LB Brian Orakpo stepped up in a big time way, and there was enough talent at the skill positions to put some points on the board. Keep a close eye on TE Fred Davis this year as a potential top tight end in the league. What was missing was a quarterback. Washington had a good draft slot at No. 4, and it knew that it had to put together a great package to move up to No. 2 to take QB Robert Griffin III. And that’s exactly what the Redskins did. They got the job done, and now, they have the man that they hope will right the ship. We saw some rookie quarterbacks play well last year and get their teams to show big time improvement like QB Cam Newton with the Carolina Panthers and QB Andy Dalton with the Cincinnati Bengals, and if Griffin can do that with the Redskins, this might suddenly become a fun team to keep track of on a weekly basis.

NFC East Gambling Lines @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/3/12):
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Philadelphia Eagles Win NFC East +140
Field Wins NFC East -170

New York Giants Win NFC East +205
Field Wins NFC East -265

Dallas Cowboys Win NFC East +265
Field Wins NFC East -355

Washington Redskins Win NFC East +1120
Field Wins NFC East -1740

The NFC East odds are expected to be some of the toughest in the NFL this year, and here at Bankroll Sports, we’re keying in all four teams to make our pro football picks to make the NFL playoffs.

The team du jour right now in the NFC East is the Philadelphia Eagles (Current NFC East Odds: 1.10 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). The Eagles are definitely a significantly more talented defense this year with the additions of DBs Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha, but there is definitely a question or two about the other side of the ball. QB Michael Vick had as good of a season as any signal caller could have asked for both running and throwing, but if anything happens to him, the team is stuck with QB Vince Young instead of the traded QB Kevin Kolb.

We know that the Dallas Cowboys (NFC East Lines: 4 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) have to be an improved team this season. This was a team that was devastated by the new salary cap rules, but losing out on players like WR Roy Williams just doesn’t match what the team is going to be getting back with QB Tony Romo. Head Coach Jason Garrett had this team rolling at the end of last season, and we think that this could be the most dangerous team on the board this year in the NFC East.

Don’t forget about the New York Giants (Odds to Win the NFC East: 3.50 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). The G-Men always seem to have a solid team, and this year should be no exception. Losing rookie DB Prince Amukamara to a broken foot will hurt, but Head Coach Tom Coughlin still has a stout unit in his defensive front seven, and he definitely has the talent offensively with QB Eli Manning, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, WR Steve Smith, and company.

Bringing up the rear of the division this year will be the Washington Redskins (2011 NFC East Odds: 20 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Washington has a mess with its position players, as there just isn’t enough talent at wide receiver and running back to help out whomever is going to be playing quarterback. Head Coach Mike Shanahan knows that he has a lot of work to do on this team in a relatively short period of time before Owner Daniel Snyder gets frustrated, and we just don’t think that the combo of QB Rex Grossman and QB John Beck is going to put fear in anyone’s eyes. The Skins should be in the Andrew Luck sweepstakes this year as one of the worst teams in the league.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC East
Dallas Cowboys 4 to 1
New York Giants 3.50 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 1 to 1.55
Washington Redskins 25 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Dallas Cowboys 16 to 1
New York Giants 30 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 10 to 1
Washington Redskins 85 to 1

NFC East Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC East Division
Dallas Cowboys 2.55 to 1
New York Giants 2.35 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 1 to 1.55
Washington Redskins 25 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Dallas Cowboys 16 to 1
New York Giants 18 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 6.50 to 1
Washington Redskins 55 to 1

NFC East Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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2011 NFC East Odds
Dallas Cowboys 2.40 to 1
New York Giants 2.80 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 1.10 to 1
Washington Redskins 12 to 1

NFC East Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Dallas Cowboys 15 to 1
New York Giants 18 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 8 to 1
Washington Redskins 55 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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NFC East Odds
Dallas Cowboys 3 to 1
New York Giants 3 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 1 to 1.40
Washington Redskins 20 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Dallas Cowboys 18 to 1
New York Giants 25 to 1
Philadelphia Eagles 7 to 1
Washington Redskins 100 to 1

While most of the world focuses on the new start of the Major League Baseball season and the NBA playoffs, the guys of the grid iron are hard at work during the off-season. Nearly two weeks after teams wrapped up the 2009 NFL Draft, teams are now holding the customary mini-camp and other off-season festivities. Betus.com has officially released the new odds to win the NFC Championship following the draft and we will take a look at some teams to consider in 2010. Take advantage of off-season odds at our sponsored sports books and consider placing a wager for next year’s Super Bowl contender. We break down who to watch out for in the NFC in 2010 and will follow up with a breakdown of the AFC during the middle of the week.

NFC East

Odds to win the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys +300
New York Giants +150
Philadelphia Eagles +160
Washington Redskins +700

The NFC East is possibly the most unpredictable conference of all-time. Last year all four teams had legitimate chances to win the division throughout the season. The Giants were the most consistent team finishing with a record of 12-4. However, New York really faltered down the stretch after Plaxico Burress was apart of the off the field trouble. The Giants either never got back focused mentally or suffered offensively from not having Burress. The Giants lost 4 of their last 5 games of the season due to the flat offense. New York is a team with a lot of question marks heading into 2010. Could Hakeem Nicks be the spark they need back at wide out to get the offense rolling again? One thing is for sure is that the Giants defense did play solid all year and should be a force again in 2010. Philadelphia caught fire during the 2nd half of the season after Donovan McNabb was benched for the first time in his career. The Eagles defense was another strong unit that played very well. The question this year will be again surrounding the offense and quite possibly McNabb. Will the veteran quarterback have his act together early or will he show more signs of inconsistency? The Eagles top pick Jeremy Maclin could make an immediate impact especially if he gets the chance to help out the special teams. Philadelphia has strong possibility to be strong again as they fell one game short of the Super Bowl last season losing to Arizona. The Dallas Cowboys landed a lot of depth through the off-season, but there are still a lot of question marks in the air. How will the defense play and will the offense be better or worse after Terrell Owens? The Cowboys definitely have the ability to be a front runner, but they late season stumbles have become an unwanted tradition. Washington first round pick Brian Orakpo has a bright future in the NFL. The Redskins simply had problems moving the ball last season and will need more explosiveness. The defense like the rest of the division had its bright spots, but the offense still needs some work. Clinton Portis had strong start to the season running the ball, but that dwindled away towards the end of the year. The Redskins were 5-1 when Portis reached the 100 yard mark and 3-9 when he was held to less than 100 yards.

Pick – Philadelphia +160

NFC North

Odds to win the NFC North:
Chicago Bears +200
Detroit Lions +1500
Green Bay Packers +160
Minnesota Vikings +150

The NFC North is another division that could be wide open in 2010. The Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers are both moving in the right direction with their franchises, but how long will it take them to truly get there? The Bears landed a big fish during the off-season with Jay Cutler. Cutler should finally end all the question marks behind center and put the focus on another aspect of the field. The offense lacks the playmakers needed for them to be among the best in the NFC, but things could see an upswing with Cutler at quarterback. The Packers made some moves to fill the defensive side of the ball with the 2009 draft. The Packers were on the verge of having a great year last season. In their 10 losses, 7 of those defeats came by less than 4 points. Turn just half of those around and Green Bay would have been in the playoffs easily. With most of the offense returning and some more depth on defense, look for Green Bay to turn some losses into wins this time around. In this division, 10-6 could win the division again. Minnesota won the North last year behind the legs of Adrian Peterson. Peterson posted 1760 yards on the year and Minnesota developed into an offensive threat during the closing weeks. Percy Harvin could add to the explosiveness or could become a let down as well. The Vikings main concern may be behind center. Gus Frerotte threw 15 picks last season and Tarvaris Jackson just has not been what they have hoped. However, the Vikings will still grind out some wins through a talented running game and a defense that matured at the end of the year. As far as Detroit is concerned, do we really have to consider them for winning the division? The question for this team is how many games they will win this year. Better days are ahead for the Lions, but 2010 would be a success with as little as 4 victories.

Pick – Green Bay +160

NFC South

Odds to win the NFC South:
Atlanta Falcons +180
Carolina Panthers +200
New Orleans Saints +180
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +600

The Carolina Panthers closed out the 2009 regular season out very strong led by one of the best running back duos in the league. DeAngelo Williams had 1515 yards for the season while Jonathan Stewart added 836 yards as well and the two combined for 28 touchdowns. Carolina went out on a limb to draft Everette Brown as Julius Peppers made it public that he was exploring options out of Carolina. The offense will be another similar Panthers offense with Steve Smith at wide out and strong rushing attack. However, Jake Delhomme still has not convinced anyone that he is a true winner. Also, the Panthers will have to defend their NFC South crown from some talented up and coming teams. The New Orleans Saints could be one of the surprise stories this season. The Saints offense is a lot like the Cardinals offense that shined in 2009. However, New Orleans had one of the worse defenses in the league last year that allowed 24.6 points per game. The Saints drafted Malcom Jenkins in the first round that could start from day one in the weak secondary. If the Saints defense could just come together and improve, New Orleans offense could have the Saints marching again. Atlanta will be looking for superstar sophomore quarterback Matt Ryan to lead the Falcons back to the playoffs. The Falcons possess a solid balanced passing and rushing attack that keeps defenses on their hills. If Ryan can continue to impress the world, there is not much reason to bet against the Falcons as they are solid in all aspects of the field. Tampa Bay has finished at 9-7 the past two seasons and mediocrity appears to be the future. The Buccaneers drafted Josh Freeman with their first round pick who they hope can be the Matt Ryan type lottery pick. However, Freeman will need time to develop and nothing looks to immediately impact the struggling offense.

Pick – Atlanta +180

NFC West

Odds to win the NFC Wtst:
Arizona Cardinals +140
San Francisco 49ers +260
Seattle Seahawks +180
St Louis Rams +800

The Arizona Cardinals were the biggest surprise story of 2009. Kurt Warner return to the main stage was a great feel good story, but for the possibly Hall of Fame quarterback it will be another work in progress in 2010. The Cardinals had 3 receivers to reach the 1,000 yard plateau in that impressive offense last season. If Kurt Warner could just hook up with Larry Fitzgerald like they did in the playoffs that could be enough to win the division. After all, the Cardinals won the NFC West last season with only a 9-7 record. The St. Louis Rams completely fell apart last year as they lost their last 10 games of the season. The Rams drafted Jason Smith at the number 2 overall pick to try and help Steven Jackson at running back. Unfortunately, the Rams defense gave up 29 points per game last season which was among the leagues 2nd worse defense. The Rams just have not made enough changes to see a big difference this fall. Seattle sported another weak defense in 2009 that gave up 24.5 points per game. However, Aaron Curry was the best defensive pick in the draft and should give some help in the heart of that defense. The offense needs some playmakers as well before they can contend with the rest of the NFC. However, the Seahawks may have what it takes already to contend in this division. San Francisco actually finished the year fairly well despite only having a 7-9 record for the year. The 49ers lost 6 straight games through the middle of the season, but did finish winning 5 of their last 7. Michael Crabtree should add excitement at wide receiver and Glen Coffee is a downhill runner who may be very under rated. The 49ers could just focus on the NFC West wins and make some noise in the division race next season.

Pick – Arizona/San Francisco

The Big D in Dallas may stand for many things in the month of December. Drama, downfall, doom, deterioration, and others come to mind. The Cowboys have been anything but stellar in the closing months of the football season in the last decade and their troubles continued this week with a loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Dallas needed another big win in the month of December and failed for the 2nd time in 3 weeks. Luckily for the Cowboys the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles lost paving the way to a week 17 showdown with the Eagles that could still land Dallas in the playoffs. However with the trend of late season success the Cowboys have taken, one must ask has “America’s” team lost their star status?

The Dallas Cowboys are the most popular franchise in professional football. With the spotlight, come big anticipations for the team loved by so many. The Cowboys were perhaps the best team of the 90s winning 3 Super Bowls that tied them for the most Super Bowl victories in NFL history. However, since 1996 the Cowboys have not posted one postseason victory. Dallas has performed well at times, but like recent years has fallen apart at the end of seasons. Since 2002, Dallas has won 11 times in 28 games in the month of December equaling a 39% winning percentage. Outside the month of December since 2002, the Cowboys are 50-35 equaling a 70% winning percentage. That is a huge difference at a time when you need to be playing your best football. Perhaps now you may understand why the Cowboys have not won a playoff game in over a decade. The reasons for the Cowboys constant late season downfalls may not be known, but here a few possible reasons.

Especially over the last few years Dallas entire team has been based around the performance of the offense. Many times the defense simply showed up hoping that the offense would score more than they would allow. Last year, the Cowboys averaged 33 points per game heading into the month of December. However in the month of December, Dallas only averaged 15 points per game. The reason may be that when you have a high power offense a lot of times they fade off towards the end of the season. The defenses get better, teams have seen the films more, and the offensive players wear out down the stretch. Even the New England Patriots of last season who were perfect during the regular season slowed down a little on scoring in the latter part of the year. Dallas best years of scoring in the months of December have been based around teams that performed well defensively as opposed to offensively. However, if this was the sole reason owner Jerry Jones would be stacking up the defensive side of the ball rather than signing star after star players on offense.

Another reason that the Cowboys may have late season trouble is the weather. Despite many people beliefs, the weather plays an important factor in the closing months of the season. Face it, Dallas is almost as good as a Desert town when it comes to warm temperatures. Could the guys in blue simply not play as well in the cold? Perhaps that reason can not be proven, but it must be considered. Coaching has been discussed as a problem for the Cowboys late in the season as well. Good coaches are known for changing up schemes and designs so teams will not be able to plan for their game style. Dallas plays in the NFC East meaning they get to play the Redskins, Giants, and Eagles twice every season. In the month of December since 2002, the Cowboys are 2-10 against these opponents in their 2nd match-up of the season. That number may surprise even those who despise the Cowboys. Can part of the blame be on the coaching staffs of the past few years? I mean after all you should be able to have a better winning percentage when facing teams for the 2nd time around. Before their victory over the Giants two weeks ago, Dallas had not won a NFC East game in December since 2004 against the Redskins. The Cowboys simply have to be better than that in their own division so late in the year to have any kind of success.

Big D could possibly stand for the biggest disappointment year in and year out for the most popular team in football. However, Dallas still has a chance this season to right the ship. The Cowboys will clinch a playoff spot next weekend if they can pull off the win against NFC East nemesis the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Boys can pull off the victory, they will get another shot to grab their first postseason victory in 12 years. However, America’s team will get a #1 or #2 seeded NFC team in the playoffs. Meaning the Dallas would likely play New York or Carolina. While Dallas may have beat New York two weeks ago, I imagine the Giants would be the favorites this time around and Carolina would be big favorites with their superior running game. Dallas may very well have to wait another year to attempt to end the disappointment streak. Still the Cowboys will get their chance to prove their league’s status. Will the Cowboys finally overcome the troubles of December and January, or will the Big Disappointment continue?