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The 2023 NFL season begins in roughly nine weeks. Just beforehand, everyone will be finalizing their predictions on who will win divisions and possibly playoff games. But what about some bets to look forward to in the early portion of the summer? NFL team win total bets provide a fascinating look between expectations and realistic finishes for teams that could be difficult to prognosticate.
There will be many teams that achieve more or less than what the experts are saying right now. From the perspective of winning and losing, there are many worthy candidates to point to for hitting the under on their win totals. We will list three teams that provide the best value if you believe they will hit the under on their win total for 2023. Last week, we did the same thing for teams that may hit the over on their 2023-win total, listing three tremendous values that we liked. To read that article, click here.
Who are three teams that provide intriguing value on the under for their 2023-win total? Let’s kick it off.
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook
Las Vegas Raiders: Under 7.5 Wins, -190 Odds
The Las Vegas Raiders are one of the most disappointing teams, when looking back at their 2023 offseason. Very few, if any, of their additions to the roster truly moved the needle. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo may not be much of an improvement over the departing Derek Carr as the team’s signal caller. For one, getting out of that San Francisco offensive scheme could expose some discouraging signs of Garoppolo. His health history and injury news from his initial signing period with the Raiders also inspire little confidence.
Defensively, the Raiders lack much depth. Maxx Crosby is an exciting piece to have as a pass rusher at defensive end. However, Chandler Jones has quickly become a shell of himself. Las Vegas also lacks any true sense of reliability or consistency to point towards in the back seven. That is a tough way to live in the AFC, which is filled with dominant and high-flying offenses. This team just did not get that much better entering 2023. Add in a head coach in Josh McDaniels who is hard to trust, and the Raiders likely being the worst team in the AFC West, and it does not take long to find double-digit losses on the Vegas schedule.
Chicago Bears: Under 7.5 Wins, +110 Odds
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For starters, the Chicago Bears “earned” the number one overall pick last year, before trading it to the Carolina Panthers. It is extremely challenging to envision much of an improvement in the win column, let alone one that keeps Chicago under double-digit losses. I think the fact that you are still able to get plus odds on this 7.5 figure is pretty favorable at this point in the summer.
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Now, there is still potential for someone like Justin Fields. Bears fans have to be encouraged with an addition like DJ Moore at wide receiver and last year’s play of the offensive line was better than most expected. However, the depth of this Chicago roster is still much too weak. The youth of this team, along with their conventional play style, is just not enough to bank on being around .500 in their 2023 finish. This coaching staff is also uninspiring for a group in need of a major jolt. Simply put, I still think the Bears are the worst team in the NFC North and this 7.5 number offers superb value as an under bet on the win total list.
Minnesota Vikings: Under 8.5 Wins, +110 Odds
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Obviously, the Minnesota Vikings are an easy pick to regress back to the mean this season. They received a plethora of bounces and miracle finishes in their favor in one-score games in 2022. It is also a team that has only two seasons of nine wins or more in five seasons with Kirk Cousins as their quarterback. Ironically, that 8.5 number on their win total fits in perfectly, regarding that last point.
There are still a couple of positives to point towards for the Vikings. Justin Jefferson has arguably become the league’s best wide receiver in a small period of time. Head coach Kevin O’Connell also inspired moments of confidence last year in his first year as a head coach.
Yet, the Vikings are in a difficult transition as a roster. Minnesota is actually being quite honest with where they sit. As tough as it was to say goodbye to names like Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen and Eric Kendricks this offseason, the lack of true depth did not support those stars anymore. Depth is a word that may not even come close to existing on this defense. Minnesota is a candidate to finish near the bottom of the league in points allowed. To boot, the lack of strength in the trenches on this Vikings team is a recipe for disaster. Even with a strength of schedule that is probably in the middle of the pack, this team could easily fall under .500 after what was a magical 2022 season at times.
Be on the lookout for more FPC NFL betting articles and analysis throughout the coming days. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.
– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.