The 2024 NFL season is just a few weeks away and teams are whittling down their rosters to the magic number of 53 ahead of September’s big kick-off.
Free agents have been signed , rookies drafted, lots of cuts made and we’re almost ready to roll, so let’s take a look at who’ll be defying expectations and who’ll be crashing underneath them with some regular season win total calls.
NFL Tips
Baltimore Ravens – Under 10.5 Wins
New Orleans Saints – Over 7.5 Wins
Denver Broncos – Over 5.5 Wins
Carolina Panthers – Over 5.5 Wins
Los Angeles Rams – Over 8.5 Wins
Dallas Cowboys – Under 9.5 Wins
*All odds and lines quoted are accurate at time of publication but are subject to change
Baltimore Ravens – Under 10.5 Wins
This line was originally set at 11.5 and I’d have made it the lock of the pre-season, so it took me some time to evaluate this move.
But I’m still coming down on the side of the under.
The biggest reason is the loss of Mike Macdonald, whose defense is now the next big thing in the NFL – with every co-ordinator trying to emulate him. Zach Orr, aged 32, comes in to call plays.
Adding in the loss of Morgan Moses, Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson and I’m far from convinced they’ll have the time on offense to go through progressions like they did last year.
Regression on both sides of the ball in toughest division in football, the AFC North? Under.
New Orleans Saints – Over 7.5 Wins
I know a lot of people weren’t keen on their aggressive approach which resulted in them losing draft picks, but the ones they did make will be instant impact starters – Tailese Fuaga and Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Dennis Allen is back, as is Derek Carr – who remains the most disrespected QB in the league. Their division is appalling, they still have two very good corners in Paulson Adebo and Marshon Lattimore, who can give time for that pass rush to get home. You know, the one that features Cam Jordan and Chase Young?
They’ll be just fine, particularly with the fifth-easiest schedule in the league.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – AUGUST 10: Derek Carr #4 of the New Orleans Saints warms up before a preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images)
Denver Broncos – Over 5.5 Wins
Listen, I’m a Chargers fan. I enjoy laughing at Denver more than anyone. But we’re now in a post-Russell Wilson world where they can reset with a head coach who now has the quarterback he wants and they have a Vance Joseph defense. add in younger pieces and that homefield advantage, you cannot tell me they won’t sneak into six wins in a division with LA and the Raiders?
The biggest concern for Broncos haters? Bo Nix looked pretty good in his preseason debut, too…
Carolina Panthers – Over 5.5 Wins
Y’know what the best thing about year two of Bryce Young is? The fact you can now move on from him if it’s too bad.
That, and the fact they’ve brought in the man who turned Baker Baker Football Faker into Baker Baker Touchdown Maker to help him, head coach Dave Canales, should see an upward curve here.
Also, for all that they had some pieces on offense last year, they didn’t have a tonne of separation – which is a quarterback’s best friend. Enter Xavier Legette. That, and they may have CMC 2.0 in Jonathon Brooks out of Texas.
Six wins is entirely possible in the NFC South.
Los Angeles Rams – Over 8.5 Wins
Losing Aaron Donald does not turn this team from being a wildcard for a Super Bowl into a flop. I need people to understand that.
Sean McVay is still the best play caller in this league, and he will hopefully have a full season of Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp together to scheme that.
They’ve also brought in an incredible pairing of Jared Verse and Braden Fiske who played together at Florida State to shore up the pass rush. They have an elite QB, a top-tier running back, two elite receivers, an above average offensive line.
Wait, why are we even having this conversation?
Dallas Cowboys – Under 9.5 Wins
So, they don’t want to pay Dak. They don’t want to pay CeeDee Lamb. They’re not sure they’ll pay Micah Parsons.
We’re in the closing stages of Jerry Jones’ dictatorship now, and his puppet in Mike McCarthy may have got lucky once, but this team are set up for a total flop due to in-fighting, a lack of offensive innovation and poor leadership.
Running it back with Zeke and losing Pollard, Biadasz, Hankins, Vander Esch, Gilmore…I’d go as far as predicting seven wins, let alone eight.
NFL Tips
Baltimore Ravens – Under 10.5 Wins
New Orleans Saints – Over 7.5 Wins
Denver Broncos – Over 5.5 Wins
Carolina Panthers – Over 5.5 Wins
Los Angeles Rams – Over 8.5 Wins
Dallas Cowboys – Under 9.5 Wins
*All odds and lines quoted are accurate at time of publication but are subject to change
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