NFL Betting 2020: Updated Odds For Every Team To Make NFL Playoffs After Free Agency Signings

The 2020-21 NFL Playoffs are quite some time away, but it’s never too early to start projecting which teams will be participating at the conclusion of the upcoming campaign. With the league owners expected to approve an expanded 14-club field to contest for the Lombardi Trophy and the initial flurry of free agency finally cooling off, sportsbooks have released updated lines for every team to make the postseason. While the results of the impending 2020 NFL Draft will surely impact these odds further, one can get a good sense of how Vegas feels the 2021 NFL Playoff picture will crystallize based on the information provided.

The Kansas City Chiefs are unsurprisingly the largest favorite in the league to return to the postseason at -1500, which means bettors would have to risk $15 to return $1 on the reigning champions making it in. The Chiefs have reached the playoffs in each of the last five seasons and have only failed to get in once—all the way back in 2014, although they did boast a winning record that year—since Andy Reid took over as the organization’s head coach back in 2013. While the club hasn’t made any major acquisitions in free agency, Kansas City hasn’t lost any key contributors either and is coming off its first championship in 50 years. With the squad returning superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who earned the Super Bowl MVP award for a strong effort against the San Francisco 49ers, for his fourth NFL campaign, the sky remains the limit for the Chiefs. Given the weak status of Kansas City’s division—the three other AFC West squads each had losing records last season—it’s hard to envision a scenario in which the program isn’t defending its title come January.

Speaking of star quarterbacks, the Baltimore Ravens boast one of the brightest young signal-callers in the league in reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. With Jackson under center going into his third year, the Ravens are practically a lock to win a lot of games and have subsequently been given the second-best odds to make the 2021 NFL Playoffs at -1000. Baltimore was the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl going into this past postseason after a sterling campaign in which they earned the No. 1 overall seed thanks to an NFL-best 14-2 record. After taking the Wild Card off with a well-deserved bye, the Ravens had their dreams dashed in their playoff opener when the underdog Tennessee Titans upset them in the Divisional Round. While it was a disappointing end to the team’s best regular season history, it’s clear we haven’t seen the last of Jackson and this Baltimore organization in the playoffs. According to Jamison Hensley, Jackson pledged to improve on all aspects of his game after he was bounced from the postseason early for a second straight year:

All eyes will be on the NFC South when the NFL picks back up, especially with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers making the biggest splash of free agency by acquiring a future Hall of Famer in quarterback Tom Brady. After spending 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and going to a record nine Super Bowls, winning six of them, Brady elected to take his talents elsewhere this offseason. Tampa immediately elevated itself to a contender by enticing the superstar with a bevy of talented offensive weapons and $30 million a year for his services. Despite the big upgrade under center from Jameis Winston to Brady, the Bucs are still far from a lock to get into the playoffs for the first time since 2007, let alone reach the Super Bowl, something the club has done just once when it won it all back in 2003. Oddsmakers currently have Tampa Bay at -200 to make the postseason, well below the favorite in the division.

Although the Bucs have drawn most of the attention during this NFL offseason, the New Orleans Saints remain the team to beat in the NFC South. Bookmakers have them at -800 to reach the playoffs, the third-best odds of any team in the league at this juncture. It shouldn’t come as any surprise given veteran quarterback Drew Brees elected to remain with the club for one last year despite mulling a broadcast booth job, giving the team a familiar and reliable option at the most important position. New Orleans was forced to go without Brees for five games last year after he was injured early in the season, but went 5-0 in his absence thanks to an outstanding relief effort from backup Teddy Bridgewater. With Bridgewater now playing for the conference rival Carolina Panthers—who are in the midst of a rebuild and are just +700, or risk $1 to win $7, to make the playoffs this season—the team will groom Taysom Hill to take over the starting QB role at the conclusion of Brees’ final campaign. Although they were knocked out of the playoffs early following a stunning upset against the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round back in January, the Saints look to be in great shape to contend for a championship again this year and could send Brees into retirement with a second Super Bowl ring.

The San Francisco 49ers (-800) share the same strong odds to make the playoffs this year as the Saints and the Super Bowl runners-up will be hungry to avenge their shortcomings in the big game. The team looked unstoppable at times on offense last year and should only get better with many of the key contributors getting more comfortable in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s unique offensive system. Rounding out the list of favorites at the top of the odds table are the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots at -260. The Packers will lean on veteran signal-caller Aaron Rodgers to guide them back to the promised land this year, while the Patriots will have to turn to an unfamiliar face under center for the first time in two decades. New England is projected to turn to second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham to replace Brady as the starter and it remains to be seen if the Auburn product can handle the pressure of taking over for one of the greatest players in NFL history. Still, the Pats continue to employ legendary head coach Bill Belichick, who guided the team to an impressive 11-5 record in 2008 after Brady went down in the opener with a season-ending injury. Because of this, New England will remain a contender in the eyes of both the sportsbooks and fans until the team proves it isn’t.

With that in mind, here is a full look at the odds for every team to make the 2020-21 NFL Playoffs, courtesy of BetOnline.ag:

 

2020-21 NFL Playoff Odds

Will the Kansas City Chiefs make the playoffs?          

Yes                 -1500  (1/15)

No                   +1000  (10/1)

 

Will the Baltimore Ravens make the playoffs?            

Yes                 -1000  (1/10)

No                   +700    (7/1)

 

Will the New Orleans Saints make the playoffs?         

Yes                 -800    (1/8)

No                   +600    (6/1)

 

Will the San Francisco 49ers make the playoffs?       

Yes                 -800    (1/8)

No                   +600    (6/1)

 

Will the Green Bay Packers make the playoffs?         

Yes                 -260    (5/13)

No                   +220    (11/5)

 

Will the New England Patriots make the playoffs?     

Yes                 -260    (5/13)

No                   +220    (11/5)

 

Will the Buffalo Bills make the playoffs?        

Yes                 -240    (5/12)

No                   +200    (2/1)

 

Will the Dallas Cowboys make the playoffs?  

Yes                 -200    (1/2)

No                   +170    (17/10)

 

Will the Philadelphia Eagles make the playoffs?        

Yes                 -200    (1/2)

No                   +170    (17/10)

 

Will the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make the playoffs?  

Yes                 -200    (1/2)

No                   +170    (17/10)

 

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers make the playoffs?         

Yes                 -180    (5/9)

No                   +160    (8/5)

 

Will the Seattle Seahawks make the playoffs?

Yes                 -150    (2/3)

No                   +130    (13/10)

 

Will the Tennessee Titans make the playoffs?

Yes                 -150    (2/3)

No                   +130    (13/10)

 

Will the Indianapolis Colts make the playoffs?           

Yes                 -110    (10/11)

No                   -110    (10/11)

 

Will the Minnesota Vikings make the playoffs?          

Yes                 -110    (10/11)

No                   -110    (10/11)

 

Will the Cleveland Browns make the playoffs?           

Yes                 +120    (6/5)

No                   -150    (2/3)

 

Will the Houston Texans make the playoffs?  

Yes                 +150    (3/2)

No                   -170    (10/17)

 

Will the Los Angeles Rams make the playoffs?          

Yes                 +150    (3/2)

No                   -170    (10/17)

 

Will the Denver Broncos make the playoffs?  

Yes                 +165    (33/20)

No                   -190    (10/19)

 

Will the Chicago Bears make the playoffs?    

Yes                 +175    (7/4)

No                   -210    (10/21)

 

Will the Las Vegas Raiders make the playoffs?          

Yes                 +175    (7/4)

No                   -210    (10/21)

 

Will the Los Angeles Chargers make the playoffs?    

Yes                 +175    (7/4)

No                   -210    (10/21)

 

Will the Arizona Cardinals make the playoffs?           

Yes                 +220    (11/5)

No                   -260    (5/13)

 

Will the Atlanta Falcons make the playoffs?   

Yes                 +250    (5/2)

No                   -300    (1/3)

 

Will the New York Jets make the playoffs?     

Yes                 +400    (4/1)

No                   -500    (1/5)

 

Will the Detroit Lions make the playoffs?       

Yes                 +450    (9/2)

No                   -600    (1/6)

 

Will the Miami Dolphins make the playoffs?   

Yes                 +450    (9/2)

No                   -600    (1/6)

 

Will the New York Giants make the playoffs? 

Yes                 +450    (9/2)

No                   -600    (1/6)

 

Will the Carolina Panthers make the playoffs?           

Yes                 +700    (7/1)

No                   -1000  (1/10)

 

Will the Jacksonville Jaguars make the playoffs?      

Yes                 +700    (7/1)

No                   -1000  (1/10)

 

Will the Washington Redskins make the playoffs?     

Yes                 +700    (7/1)

No                   -1000  (1/10)

 

Will the Cincinnati Bengals make the playoffs?          

Yes                 +800    (8/1)

No                   -1250  (2/25)