NFC Championship Odds
By WT Staff
The Chicago Bears rode through the NFC all the way to the Super Bowl last season and the oddsmakers at Bodog think they have what it takes to do it again.
The Bears' defense remains as one of the most feared in the league led by hard-hitting Brian Urlacher. Chicago may have parted with Tank Johnson but the defense should chug along without him. Offensively the Bears' hopes once again rely on the arm of Rex Grossman. If Grossman cannot show some consistency this season he could lose the starting job to Brian Griese. One offensive change the Bears have to cope with is the loss of running back Thomas Jones. Cedric Benson has the talent to be the No. 1 guy, but he needs to avoid injury problems that have dogged him in the past. The Bears are a 9/2 NFC favorite at Bodog.
Coming in behind the Bears on the Bodog odds list are the New Orleans Saints at 11/2. New Orleans came out of nowhere last year and boasts one of the top offenses in the NFC. Putting their money of Drew Brees paid off big for the Saints as did very late-round draft pick Marques Colston. The Saints' running game has power in the form of Deuce McAllister and speed in the form of Reggie Bush and both could put up huge numbers this season. The Saints can match any team on the scoreboard, but they may need their defense to step up a little bit to take the next step.
The third spot on the Bodog odds list is a three-way tie between Dallas, Philadelphia and Seattle, all at 6/1. All three teams went to the playoffs last year and all three appear to have the talent to make another postseason run. Dallas will go as far as Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Julius Jones will take them. New head coach Wade Phillips should also improve the Dallas defense. Philadelphia welcomes back a healthy Donovan McNabb, but with Jeff Garcia gone they need McNabb to stay on the field all season long or they could be toast. Seattle had to cope with a ton of injuries last season, but they could return to the old high-scoring Seahawks this season if Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander can avoid the injury cart.
Odds to win the 2008 NFC Championship
Chicago Bears 9/2
New Orleans Saints 11/2
Dallas Cowboys 6/1
Philadelphia Eagles 6/1
Seattle Seahawks 6/1
San Francisco 49ers 7/1
Carolina Panthers 8/1
New York Giants 12/1
Green Bay Packers 16/1
Arizona Cardinals 18/1
St. Louis Rams 18/1
Minnesota Vikings 20/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20/1
Washington Redskins 20/1
Atlanta Falcons 25/1
Detroit Lions 45/1