AFC 2021 Futures Betting: AFC East Division
June 18, 2021
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The AFC East Division was flipped upside down with the departure of Brady from the Patriots. It really goes to show how much of a grasp the team had on the rest of the division for so long. This division has become much more competitive and should provide NFL fans with some great matchups down the road. Let’s take a look at how these teams finished last season.
Buffalo Bills: 13-3
Miami Dolphins: 10-6
New England Patriots: 7-9
New York Jets: 2-14
The following lines for these division futures bets will be pulled from PointsBet unless otherwise noted.Jets Odds to Win the AFC East Division: +2000
When were the Jets good? I honestly can’t remember. The bad news is that the Sam Darnold experiment didn’t quite pan out like they had hoped. The good news is that they have finally found the franchise quarterback they have been searching decades for. Well, maybe. At first glance, this roster is pretty bland. While there are some household names to be found – like Corey Davis, Crowder, and Tevin Coleman – nothing jumps out at you. The Jets loaded up on talent during the 2021 NFL Draft in hopes to build around Zach Wilson. The speedy wide receiver Elijah Moore should be fun to watch playing out of the slot and gives the Jets some more reliable wide receiver depth. They also drafted a dynamic ball rusher with Michael Carter. Not only should he carve out an important part of this backfield rotation, he can block. Zach Wilson will appreciate this considering the defensive rushers he will have to face in the upcoming season.Is There Any Value?
Let’s be honest, the Jets have been rebuilding since the Parcells days, and they will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Even if Zach Wilson has an incredible rookie campaign, he doesn’t have the supporting cast to make a splash in the division. While +2000 is tempting, you’re better off throwing it into a slot machine. Or bet it on a prop bet that might actually happen. Like another butt fumble. We can only hope.Dolphins Odds to Win the AFC East Division: +320
Finishing second in the division, it looks like the Dolphins have figured how to win games. The secret formula all along was to play Tua for three quarters and then send in Fitzpatrick to close it out. I’ve never seen the equivalent to relief pitchers in football, but whatever works, I guess. I’ll tell you something that is working – this defense. This unit absolutely dominated teams last year. They finished top five overall, but more important was this team's ability to ball hawk. Finishing with the most takeaways in the league, this defense was the reason why they had so many opportunities week to week. This team has the ability to make some waves this season. They have a great mixture of talented veterans and promising new faces. If this defense plays to the same caliber as they did last year and Tua and the offense can take a step forward – watch out, AFC East.Is There Any Value?
This roster is packed with potential studs in the making. I don’t mind throwing a couple of units on this team in hopes that everything clicks. If it does, don’t say I didn’t warn you. They could absolutely surprise the AFC East. Who knows, maybe they’ll even have another perfect season…Nah.
Patriots Odds to Win the AFC East Division: +350
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Tom Brady heads down south and the Patriots crumble. We all knew this team wouldn’t be the same team that we have become accustomed to, but boy – talk about night and day. The most notable move for the Patriots this offseason was selecting Mac Jones in the 2021 draft. This will not only give them a quarterback competition in hopes to light a fire under Cam, but Mac Jones could very well be the face of this franchise going forward. I was expecting Cam Newton to provide a much bigger spark than he did, but to his credit, he wasn’t given much to work with. It became clear that this year was a trial run to see what life after Brady would be like for Belichick. It’s apparent he didn’t like what he saw because the Patriots went on a massive spending spree during the off-season. The addition of two top tight ends in Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry will provide whoever is starting at the quarterback position with a nice security blanket. Honestly, it looks like Belichick is trying to replicate the glory days of Gronk and Hernandez, and it’s not a bad strategy.Is There Any Value?
I’m not used to seeing plus odds on the Patriots to win the division, and as much as I don’t like betting against Belichick, this seems like a trap line, and I’m staying away. They are a year or two away from being competitive again. Don’t waste your money.Bills Odds to Win the AFC East Division: -155
It looks like we have a new top dog in the AFC East. Why this line is only -155 after they ran through this division last year is beyond me. The Bills under McDermott have been fantastic, especially last season where they finished 2nd in points and offensive yards. The Bills had just a modest offseason with not many huge signings. Their biggest moves were the addition of Daryl Williams and that offensive line from last year. It’s no secret that this Bills offense lives and dies with the electrifying duo of Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs. As long as they stay healthy, they should continue to have a chokehold on this division, especially since the Belichick-Brady era is over.Is There Any Value?
At -155? Definitely. The Bills won every divisional game last year and appeared to be unstoppable. The play here is to bet heavily on them and hope they stay hot and also to hedge by betting on a team like the Dolphins to upset the division. This wraps up the AFC East. I have to tell you, it was a little weird not blindly throwing money on the Patriots, but I guess a shake-up is good once in a while. If you’re looking for non-stop content, follow us on Twitter. We’ve been putting out winning NBA picks daily – you don’t want to miss out any longer.
