Over the course of a 16-game regular season and three weeks of the playoffs, players are bound to get hurt. Injuries have kept some of the best players on teams out of the Super Bowl in the past, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be keeping up to date the Superbowl 46 injury report to keep you abreast of the most important Super Bowl injury news and notes leading up to the big game.

The New England Patriots came out of the AFC Championship Game in fairly good shape. They already have six players on injured reserve, most notably LB Jermaine Cunningham and DE Andre Carter. These two players were cogs on a defense that was a bit patchwork for the entire season, and they are surely going to be missed. However, the team’s leading sack man for the year, DE Mark Anderson played in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens in spite of a leg injury that had him listed as questionable, and we figure that two weeks’ worth of rest will make sure that he is capable in the lineup at full strength. Update 1/29: Anderson is no longer on the injury report for the Super Bowl for the Patriots and is considered good to go on Super Sunday.

On the offensive side of the ball, QB Tom Brady never appeared on an injury report last week, but we know that he missed some practice with a shoulder injury. Speculation was that perhaps the shoulder was the cause of some of the throws that just weren’t on target against the Ravens, but that was quickly dismissed in the postgame press conference. WR Chad Ochocinco missed the AFC Championship Game after the death of his father late in the week, but he should be back to play in his first ever Super Bowl. The news might not be as good for RB Shane Vereen and T Sebastian Vollmer. Vereen is one of the backs used in the stable for the Patriots, but he really hasn’t gotten all that many looks this year. The former Cal Golden Bear has a hamstring injury, and he starts the week listed as questionable. Vollmer has missed the whole postseason with a back injury and a foot injury. He is considered questionable right now as well, but only time will tell whether it is he or T Nate Solder that is going to be starting at right tackle in the Super Bowl.

Update 1/29: Both Logan Mankins and Vollmer were back in practice this week. Mankins has a slight MCL sprain that is so slight that he hasn’t even appeared on the injury report, while Vollmer has been out of the lineup for weeks. However, it must also be noted that Solder has still gotten his reps and will certainly be involved heavily, if not exclusive at right tackle for the Pats.

Update 1/29: The other injury of note to the New England offense is that of TE Rob Gronkowski. Gronk was seen in a boot last week after the AFC Championship Game, and there is some speculation that his ankle is in worse shape than the team is letting onto. He is still listed as probable on the injury report, though we know that he had missed some practices this week in the first of the two weeks of preparation for the Super Bowl.

The New York Giants have had their share of injuries this year, especially at wide receiver. WR Domenik Hixon and WR Michael Clayton are most on injured reserve, as are DBs Michael Coe and Justin Tryon. Up front along the offensive line, Stacy Andrews and William Beatty are on IR and have missed the entire postseason.

On offense, the only man that is on the initial injury report of any note is WR Hakeem Nicks. Nicks missed some time this year with a hamstring injury, but he was taken to the locker room in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers with a shoulder injury. He returned to the game, and we can only assume that he will be around for the Super Bowl, but it is definitely a situation worth watching after he logged 1,192 receiving yards this season.

Defensively, there could be some problems at linebacker. This is already a unit that isn’t all that fantastic. Little used LB Mark Herzlich hasn’t been in the lineup in two months, but the bigger injury of note is the shoulder injury suffered to LB Chase Blackburn. Blackburn only played in five games this year, but he is the starting middle linebacker for this defense, and if he couldn’t give it a go, it would be a huge loss, especially against the tremendous tight ends that the Patriots are going to throw at these linebackers.

Update 1/29: The Giants remain relatively healthy on the eve of Super Bowl 46. There were seven players that didn’t practice at times this week, most notably Nicks. Few are worried that Nicks won’t be ready to go on Sunday, and the only real notable doubt at this point is whether or not Blackburn is going to be able to give it a go on Sunday. He hasn’t practiced all week long.

Trying to beat the Super Bowl odds is never something that is easy to do, and that’s why there are a lot of amateurs that struggling with the Super Bowl gambling lines every year. However, history could be very important in this duel between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, and we are going to take the time to show you the most important Super Bowl betting trends for the game.

Patriots vs. Giants All-Time Series
2011: New York 24 – New England 20
2008: New York 17 – New England 14
2007: New England 38 – New York 35
2003: New England 17 – New York 6
1999: New England 16 – New York 14
1996: New England 23 – New York 22
1990: New York 13 – New England 10
1987: New York 17 – New England 10
1974: New England 28 – New York 20
1970: New York 16 – Boston (New England) 0

The all-time series between these two teams is tied at five games apiece, but as you can see, recent history is most certainly on the side of the Giants. They have covered three games in a row, including winning the one Super Bowl contest between the two in 2008 when they beat the then 18-0 Patriots by a field goal in a tremendous upset. All-time, New York is 7-3 ATS in this series.

These aren’t nearly the only good trends that the Giants have working in their favor. They are three point underdogs in this game, and as long as they stay that way, they have a tremendous Super Bowl betting trend on their side. They are 13-4-1 ATS in their last 18 games in which they are underdogs of a field goal or less.

More importantly though, the Giants are now 8-1 ATS in their last nine postseason games, including covering all four spreads in the playoffs in 2007-08, and covering all three here in the playoffs this year. They are also 7-0 ATS in their last seven games against teams with winning records, and that goes back to earlier this year as well when they were able to go into Gillette Stadium and beat these Patriots.

Things aren’t nearly as good for New England. It failed to cover against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, which dropped it to just 1-7 ATS in its last eight playoff games. The only cover came against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs, but even that win is a bit tainted considering the fact that Denver finished up the season at just 9-9 overall. New England only beat one team this year that finished with a winning record, that being this Baltimore side that it just beat to reach the Super Bowl, and it went 0-3 ATS in its three games against teams that ended the year on the right side of .500.

New England has played in six Super Bowls before, including four in the QB Tom Brady era. Brady, who has struggled mightily in the playoffs over the past few seasons if you take out the remarkable game that he had against Denver, is just 1-2-1 ATS in his four shots at the Super Bowl. His one cover came when the Patriots became united against the “Greatest Show On Turf,” the St. Louis Rams in the first of two Super Bowls that were ended with a field goal at the gun.

In regards to the ‘total’, there are a slew of Super Bowl trends that are pointing towards the ‘over’. The Giants have played five of their last seven games as underdogs ‘over’ the ‘total’. New England has gone 26-10-1 for ‘over’ bettors in its last 37 games played on field turf, as the Super Bowl will be played on this year at Lucas Oil Field. The Pats are also 22-7 for ‘over’ bettors in their last 29 games overall.

If you’re looking for some great ‘under’ trends, the Giants have played four straight beneath the ‘total’ in games played on field turf, while the ‘under’ is 5-1 in their last six games overall. In this series, four of the last five have stayed ‘under’, including the Super Bowl in 2008, which many thought could be a shootout. Save for the last three minutes of the game, which featured 14 points, the rest of the game only had 17 in it, making it one of the lowest scoring Super Bowls that we have had in quite some time.

The AFC West was one of the worst divisions is football last season, as the division generally disappointed and was out of the playoffs right away in resounding fashion. This year, there hasn’t been a lot of change, but our AFC West picks couldn’t be any harder to sort out.

The favorites of the bunch this year are the San Diego Chargers (Current AFC West Odds: 1 to 2. at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). The Bolts were head and shoulders above the rest of the division last year, but the team just didn’t end up getting the job done late in games when it really mattered. Now, QB Philip Rivers and company have a chip on their shoulder, but we’re not so sure that it is justified. Save for Rivers, TE Antonio Gates, and a returning WR Vincent Jackson, there really isn’t all that much that we are smiling about on this team. The Chargers might not be all that great after all, and we would feel a lot better about taking the field at +190 than the Bolts at this price.

Meanwhile, the defending champs of the division are the Kansas City Chiefs (AFC West Lines: 5.25 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook). We like to give credit where credit is due, and we know that Head Coach Todd Haley did a fantastic job last season. However, Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis is gone, and there is a real question how badly this will hurt an offense that was incredibly efficient last season. Cause for concern? You betcha, especially after not really doing anything major to bolster the team during the free agency period.

Though they’re the huge underdogs in this division, we like the chances that the Denver Broncos (Odds to Win the AFC West: 14 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) have of at least making things interesting. The team made the right call by bringing in Head Coach John Fox, a man with a winning pedigree from the Carolina Panthers, and he made the right decisions in using QB Kyle Orton and bringing in RB Willis McGahee. This is clearly going to be a smash mouth team this year, and the defense should be improved with the return of LB Elvis Dumervil and the drafting of LB Von Miller. Don’t be shocked if this team challenges for the division crown at very long NFL odds this year.

And then there is the laughing stock of football, the Oakland Raiders (2011 AFC West Odds: 6 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Raider Nation hasn’t seen a winning team in quite some time, and this year is probably going to be no exception with DB Nnamdi Asomugha flying the coup and heading to the Philadelphia Eagles. QB Jason Campbell at least gets to stay in the same offensive system he was in last year. There are high hopes for new Head Coach Hue Jackson, but it is likely to be a relatively long season in the Black Hole this year once again.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC West
Denver Broncos 12.50 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4.60 to 1
Oakland Raiders 6 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2.50

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Denver Broncos 165 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 80 to 1
Oakland Raiders 175 to 1
San Diego Chargers 11 to 1

AFC West Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC West Division
Denver Broncos 14 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 5.25 to 1
Oakland Raiders 7 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 5

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Denver Broncos 62 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 42 to 1
Oakland Raiders 50 to 1
San Diego Chargers 10 to 1

AFC West Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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2011 AFC West Odds
Denver Broncos 12 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4 to 1
Oakland Raiders 5 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2

AFC West Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Denver Broncos 70 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 35 to 1
Oakland Raiders 50 to 1
San Diego Chargers 12 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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AFC West Odds
Denver Broncos 10 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 4.50 to 1
Oakland Raiders 6 to 1
San Diego Chargers 1 to 2.50

Super Bowl Odds
Denver Broncos 80 to 1
Kansas City Chiefs 45 to 1
Oakland Raiders 65 to 1
San Diego Chargers 11 to 1

The AFC South might be the most intriguing division in football this year, as there are a slew of teams that think they are going to be playoff bound with a ton of new faces in place. Take a look at how we see things shaking out with our 2011 AFC South picks.

The team that everyone is buzzing about is the Houston Texans (Current AFC South Odds: 1.75 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). This is always the team that is the “Yeah, but” team in football, as it has never been to the playoffs in team history in spite of the fact that the talent level is seemingly always improving. Head Coach Gary Kubiak knows that this is the year that he has to get it right, or he will be out of a job. The defense was terrible last season, but bringing in DE JJ Watt, DB Johnathan Joseph, and DB Danieal Manning, along with new Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips should push this team to the next level as long as QB Matt Schaub and the offense continue to put up points at a torrid pace.

This might be a do or die year for Head Coach Jack Del Rio and his Jacksonville Jaguars (AFC South Lines: 6 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), too. QB Blaine Gabbert is going to take over for QB David Garrard at some point in all likelihood, and we know that that probably won’t be good enough to take this team to the postseason. The defense has some major holes in it, and there won’t be so many last second wins in all likelihood like this team got last year. There are major health questions about RB Maurice Jones-Drew this year, and if he doesn’t stay healthy, the Jags are in big trouble, especially with backup RB Rashad Jennings already out for the season.

The Tennessee Titans (Odds to Win the AFC South: 9 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook) just have to be happy that they resigned the face of their franchise, RB Chris Johnson just before the final week of the preseason started. Johnson is the only thing that the Titans have going for them, as QB Jake Locker and QB Matt Hasselbeck don’t exactly scare the wits out of the other defenses in this division. This is the first time in over a decade that the Titans franchise is going to run on the field without Head Coach Jeff Fisher, who was dismissed after a relatively dismal season in 2010.

And yet the team that is still favored in this division is the team that has dominated it for the last decade, the Indianapolis Colts (2011 AFC South Odds: 1.15 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Many think that this is the year that the Indianapolis dynasty comes crashing down, especially if QB Peyton Manning has any serious lingering issues with his neck injury. The offense is getting older but should still be able to put up some points, but the defense has never really been addressed. Head Coach Jim Caldwell will have to do a yeoman’s job coaching up this unit to get this team back into the playoffs in the stacked AFC this year.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC South
Houston Texans 1.33 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 1.15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 6 to 1
Tennessee Titans 7.50 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Houston Texans 26 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 23 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 125 to 1
Tennessee Titans 165 to 1

AFC South Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC South Division
Houston Texans OTB
Indianapolis Colts OTB
Jacksonville Jaguars OTB
Tennessee Titans OTB

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Houston Texans 25 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 60 to 1
Tennessee Titans 60 to 1

AFC South Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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2011 AFC South Odds
Houston Texans 1.75 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 1 to 1.20
Jacksonville Jaguars 7 to 1
Tennessee Titans 9 to 1

AFC South Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Houston Texans 35 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 15 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 65 to 1
Tennessee Titans 55 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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AFC South Odds
Houston Texans OTB
Indianapolis Colts OTB
Jacksonville Jaguars OTB
Tennessee Titans OTB

Super Bowl Odds
Houston Texans 25 to 1
Indianapolis Colts 18 to 1
Jacksonville Jaguars 75 to 1
Tennessee Titans 75 to 1

The AFC North has really been split right down the middle in recent years. Two of the teams have been great and have been postseason contenders every year, while the other two have struggled and struggled mightily. Check out whether our AFC North picks are changing this year.

The team that is the most interesting to watch this year is the Cleveland Browns (Current AFC North Odds: 12 to 1 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). With a new West Coast offense installed, QB Colt McCoy really could be a star in the making after a solid rookie campaign last year. Look for rookie WR Greg Little and WR Mohammed Massaquoi to have significantly better seasons in this offense, while RB Peyton Hillis might take a step back. The defense is the sticking point for GM Mike Holmgren’s team, but there are definitely some great, young pieces that can be built around. The Browns might still be a year away, but this is a team that could have some great value should anything happen to any of the important Steelers or Ravens over the course of the season.

And what about those Baltimore Ravens (AFC North Lines: 1.35 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook)? What’s not to like? The defense, save for LB Ray Lewis and SS Troy Polamalu is still awfully young, and the offense is only getting better as QB Joe Flacco and RB Ray Rice gain experience. Adding WR Lee Evans was crucial in the offseason, but the best signing might have been FB Vonta Leach, who arguably is the best fullback in the league. It’ll all come down to these two games with Pittsburgh once again to determine who is going to win the division crown in all likelihood.

The one team that we know has no chance whatsoever of doing anything useful this season is the Cincinnati Bengals (Odds to Win the AFC North: 30 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). QB Andy Dalton just doesn’t have it in him to lead an offense was largely no talent around him, and no matter how good of a coordinator that new OC Jay Gruden proves to be, there isn’t going to be enough against these outrageous defenses that this division has to offer. Oh yeah, and the defense for the Bengals? Don’t even ask about it. If Dalton and WR AJ Green don’t end up both putting up Rookie of the Year types of numbers, there’s nothing to even bother watching the Bengals about this year.

And then of course, there are the Pittsburgh Steelers (2011 AFC North Odds: 1 to 1.10 at Oddsmaker Sportsbook). QB Ben Roethlisberger will be in the fold for all 16 games this year barring injury, and that is only going to help out the continuity of this team even more. There’s nothing more that can be said about this defense either. This unit is just downright awesome and is the most consistent in the league. The black and gold are a shoe-in to be a playoff team this year.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC North
Baltimore Ravens 1.35 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 30 to 1
Cleveland Browns 10.80 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 to 1.20

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Baltimore Ravens 16.50 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 250 to 1
Cleveland Browns 200 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 13 to 1

AFC North Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC North Division
Baltimore Ravens 1.25 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 26 to 1
Cleveland Browns 8.50 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 to 1.35

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Baltimore Ravens 15 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 110 to 1
Cleveland Browns 65 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10 to 1

AFC North Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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2011 AFC North Odds
Baltimore Ravens 1.25 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 15 to 1
Cleveland Browns 12 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 to 1.10

AFC North Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Baltimore Ravens 14 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 75 to 1
Cleveland Browns 80 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 9 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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AFC North Odds
Baltimore Ravens 1.35 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 20 to 1
Cleveland Browns 8 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 1 to 1.25

Super Bowl Odds
Baltimore Ravens 16 to 1
Cincinnati Bengals 125 to 1
Cleveland Browns 80 to 1
Pittsburgh Steelers 15 to 1

Three of the four teams in the AFC East think that they have a real chance this year of being contenders to make the playoffs, but only one of the four might ultimately get into the playoffs in this very deep conference. Check out our AFC East NFL picks for 2011!

It really shouldn’t be considered all that much of a surprise that the New England Patriots (Current AFC East Odds: 1 to 1.70 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) are the favorites in this division. QB Tom Brady has a new target to play with in WR Chad Ochocinco, and he still has the use of both of his great young tight ends, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski as well. There is some concern about the defense for this team, but adding DT Albert Haynesworth should really help out the toughness of this team. Surprisingly though, on Saturday, SS Brandon Merriweather was released to cut down the roster size.

Does that really open the door for the New York Jets (AFC East Lines: 1.90 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook)? Probably not. New York might have a worse team this year than it did a season ago thanks to the fact that WRs Jerricho Cotchery, Brad Smith, and Braylon Edwards are all gone. Only WR Plaxico Burress replaces them. The defense, as always, is stacked, and resigning DB Antonio Cromartie helped out quite a bit. However, this is a team that will only go as far as QB Mark Sanchez takes it, and we aren’t convinced that Sanchez is an elite quarterback as of yet in this league.

The Miami Dolphins (Odds to Win the AFC East: 11.20 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) might be the biggest joke in football this year. Head Coach Tony Sparano knows that he has to win with this team right now, or he’ll end up getting fired at season’s end, but this is a team that is delusional about just how good it really is. QB Chad Henne is awful, and the defense has a slew of holes in it even though there are some nice, young pieces to build around. Losing both RBs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown hurt, and adding RBs Larry Johnson, Reggie Bush, and Daniel Thomas just doesn’t seem to be quite the same.

And then there are the Buffalo Bills (2011 AFC East Odds: 40 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), who really didn’t do anything to help themselves out this year. There were a slew of quarterbacks there for the taking in the NFL Draft, but instead, the team decided that it was going to stick with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, which will likely guarantee yet another year with a Top 10 pick in the NFL Draft.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC East
Buffalo Bills 40 to 1
New England Patriots 1 to 1.70
New York Jets 1.90 to 1
Miami Dolphins 11.20 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Buffalo Bills 210 to 1
New England Patriots 5.65 to 1
New York Jets 15 to 1
Miami Dolphins 100 to 1

AFC East Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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Odds To Win AFC East Division
Buffalo Bills 25 to 1
New England Patriots 1 to 1.75
New York Jets 1.65 to 1
Miami Dolphins 9.50 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Buffalo Bills 125 to 1
New England Patriots 5 to 1
New York Jets 9 to 1
Miami Dolphins 60 to 1

AFC East Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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2011 AFC East Odds
Buffalo Bills 40 to 1
New England Patriots 1 to 1.75
New York Jets 1.80 to 1
Miami Dolphins 9 to 1

AFC East Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Buffalo Bills 150 to 1
New England Patriots 6 to 1
New York Jets 9 to 1
Miami Dolphins 50 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 9/4/11):
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AFC East Odds
Buffalo Bills 20 to 1
New England Patriots 1 to 1.65
New York Jets 1.85 to 1
Miami Dolphins 9 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Buffalo Bills 150 to 1
New England Patriots 11 to 2
New York Jets 12 to 1
Miami Dolphins 60 to 1

The NFC West was one of the worst divisions is football last season, as all four teams finished below .500. This year, there has been a ton of change from top to bottom, and it could make handicapping the NFC West odds incredibly difficult.

The favorites of the bunch this year are the St. Louis Rams (Current NFC West Odds: 1.85 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook), who are just two years removed from having the worst record in football. St. Louis could have won the division title last year at 8-8, but it failed to do so on the last week of the season. QB Sam Bradford is already the best signal caller in this division bar none, and it is clear that Head Coach Steve Spagnuolo has the goods to do some tremendous damage. The Rams aren’t a Super Bowl team quite yet, but they are definitely heading in the right direction and could be a postseason team with a division title.

A change at head coach is only the beginning of the flipping around for the San Francisco 49ers (NFC West Lines: 1.85 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). This is the third straight season in which they were really supposed to be the breakout team, and only time will tell whether new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh will pay dividends for the squad. QB Alex Smith is going to have a new weapon to play with in WR Brayton Edwards, but the real key is the defense for this squad, which massively underachieved a season ago.

Watch out for the new look Arizona Cardinals (Odds to Win the NFC West: 4.50 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) in 2011. Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt just didn’t have a quarterback to work with last year, and he remedied that situation by taking QB Kevin Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles. We tend to believe that Kolb can play, as he really did look good in his limited action with the Eagles over the last few seasons. This is a team with the talent to win it all, but after badly being outperformed by virtually everyone in the division a year ago, we can’t blame the skeptics who are calling for this to be a last place team once again this season.

The team with the biggest change is the Seattle Seahawks (2011 NFC West Odds: 6 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook). It’s not often that a team sneaks into the playoffs with a losing record, but this was the case for the Seahawks last year. QB Matt Hasselbeck and QB Charlie Whitehurst were able to get this team into the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs, but it just wasn’t good enough for either man to end up with the starting signal caller job this year. Hasselbeck was let go and is now a member of the Tennessee Titans, while Whitehurst is apparently just going to be stuck with backup duties. QB Tarvaris Jackson never really got a fair shot with the Minnesota Vikings, but now that he has taken his trade to Seattle, he’ll have a chance to shine.

2011 NFC West Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 3.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.85 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 4.25 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.85 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Arizona Cardinals 65 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 52 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 85 to 1
St. Louis Rams 45 to 1

NFC West Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC West Division
Arizona Cardinals 4.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1 to 1.10
Seattle Seahawks 6 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.50 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Arizona Cardinals 70 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 42 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 95 to 1
St. Louis Rams 40 to 1

NFC West Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win The NFC West
Arizona Cardinals 3.50 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.75 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 5 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.75 to 1

NFC West Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Arizona Cardinals 75 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 40 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 65 to 1
St. Louis Rams 40 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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NFC West Odds
Arizona Cardinals 2.75 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 1.85 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 5 to 1
St. Louis Rams 1.85 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Arizona Cardinals 60 to 1
San Francisco 49ers 45 to 1
Seattle Seahawks 75 to 1
St. Louis Rams 45 to 1

Last season, the NFC South was one of those rare divisions that had three teams finish with at least 10 wins. Will things be as competitive this year? Check out the odds to win the NFC South in 2011!

The defending champs of the division are the Atlanta Falcons (Current NFC South Odds: 1.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Head Coach Mike Smith really had his team playing well last season, particularly at the Georgia Dome. It’s going to be hard to top this team once again this year, especially with this offense having yet another year to gel together. QB Matt Ryan, WR Roddy White, RB Michael Turner, and TE Tony Gonzalez were already strong as it is, but now, adding WR Julio Jones to the mix is almost not even fair. The questions that come up about this team are regarding its toughness. We saw a very weak team against the Saints and the Green Bay Packers at the end of last season, and if that doesn’t improve, this is going to be a tough division to try to win.

Instead, the team that might have the upper hand is the New Orleans Saints (NFC South Lines: 1.30 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Super Bowl champs from two years ago snuck up on no one last season, though it did still have a rock solid year. Many were shocked to see QB Drew Brees and company bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the pitiful NFC West champs, the Seattle Seahawks. RB Reggie Bush is on the short list of players that have departed this team, but now, RB Mark Ingram should be able to carry the load as a rookie along with a hopefully healthy RB Pierre Thomas. Brees just refuses to lose on a regular basis, and we know that the Saints will be marching on the playoffs once again this year in some capacity.

Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Odds to Win the NFC South: 3.50 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) put on a grand show and should have made the playoffs with 10 wins. It wasn’t quite enough down the stretch, but it was still a fantastic season for a team that had incredibly low expectations. QB Josh Freeman had a great season last year in his first full year running the team, and Head Coach Raheem Morris and company have a lot of good pieces to build around. We’re just puzzled why the Bucs didn’t try to make some free agent signings with their oodles of salary cap space this year, and we are afraid that they are going to take a step backwards and not be a postseason factor.

Historically in the NFC South, you have teams go from worst to first all the time. This year though, won’t be a year in which that happens. The Carolina Panthers (2011 NFC South Odds: 25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) do have a bit of a future to look forward to with QB Cam Newton running the show, but this isn’t the year that the team is going to be out of the gutter in this division. There’s no way that Carolina is going to be the worst team in the league this season, as the talent of Newton and RBs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams should be good enough for a few wins, but four or five victories won’t win this division by a longshot.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC South
Atlanta Falcons 1.25 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.25 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4.50 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons 16 to 1
Carolina Panthers 125 to 1
New Orleans Saints 16 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45 to 1

NFC South Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC South Division
Atlanta Falcons 1.10 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1 to 1.10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Atlanta Falcons 14 to 1
Carolina Panthers 150 to 1
New Orleans Saints 10 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1

NFC South Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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2011 NFC South Odds
Atlanta Falcons 1.20 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.30 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 to 1

NFC South Team Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons 14 to 1
Carolina Panthers 150 to 1
New Orleans Saints 15 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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NFC South Odds
Atlanta Falcons 1.20 to 1
Carolina Panthers 20 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.30 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4.50 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Atlanta Falcons 15 to 1
Carolina Panthers 125 to 1
New Orleans Saints 16 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1