NFL Burning Questions: NFC Edition
The NFL season kicks off next week and while teams should have answered some questions in training camp, there are surely more questions to be answered when the games matter for real.
With the NFL season almost upon us, there are still plenty of issues to be resolved, whether it involved new faces in new places, injuries, or whatever other issues might be lingering before the season begins.
Here are burning questions going into the season for each team in the NFC.
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NFC Burning Questions
Dallas Cowboys
Can the 'Boys protect QB Dak Prescott?
Starting LT Tyron Smith suffered a torn hamstring in practice, leaving the Cowboys' offensive line scrambling. They called retired left tackle Andrew Whitworth, trying to lure him back on the field, and the next alternative appears to be that they will go with first-round pick Tyler Smith, who was drafted to play guard. This seems less than ideal.
Super Bowl Odds: +2200 at DraftKings; +2000 at FanDuel and Caesars
New York Giants
Can the G-Men generate any offense?
Last season, the Giants ranked 31st in points (258), total yards (4,884), and yards per play (4.7). The first order of business for new head coach Brian Daboll is figuring out how to improve those results. The good news: there isn't much room to get worse.
Daboll takes over as the Giants head coach after serving as the offensive co-ordinator for the Buffalo Bills, where he helped Josh Allen become an elite quarterback. Can Daboll work that kind of magic with Giants QB Daniel Jones?
If Jones can’t take a step forward in his development, the Giants must hope that RB Saquon Barkley can recapture the form of his first couple of seasons, when he piled up 3,469 yards and 23 touchdowns in 29 games before putting up 940 yards and four touchdowns in 15 games across the past two seasons.
Somehow, some way, the Giants need to move the ball and score substantially more than they did in 2021.
Super Bowl Odds: +13000 at DraftKings; +8500 at FanDuel; +10000 at Caesars
Philadelphia Eagles
Is Jalen Hurts ready to take this team to the postseason?
The Eagles quarterback is heading into his third season and has the weapons, including newly acquired WR A.J. Brown and second year WR DeVontae Smith, to be a massive offensive threat. Last season, Hurts started 15 games and completed 61.3% of his passes for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also ran for 784 yards and 10 touchdowns, so if Hurts is ready, then the Eagles will have a shot to win the NFC East and set their sights on a goal loftier than just a division title.
Super Bowl Odds: +2200 at DraftKings; +2500 at FanDuel and Caesars
Washington Commanders
What is the situation with the Commanders’ running game?
Just when it looked like incumbent starter Antonio Gibson was going to lose the job to rookie Brian Robinson, the third-round pick out of Alabama was shot during an attempted carjacking. His injuries are not life-threatening, but that does leave the Commanders looking at the duo of Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic as the main men in the backfield, which should be fine, even if it was not the way the world was turning before Robinson was shot.
Super Bowl Odds: +7000 at DraftKings and FanDuel; +8000 at Caesars
Chicago Bears
Will Justin Fields take flight in his second season?
The 11th pick in the 2021 draft, Fields has talent but was overmatched when he hit the field as a rookie, starting six of the 12 games in which he appeared and completing 58.9% of his passes with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. It is not like the Bears have a strong supporting cast to help Fields along, so if this team is going to surprise, a lot of it is going to depend on his development in Year 2.
Super Bowl Odds: +15000 at DraftKings and Caesars; +12000 at FanDuel
Detroit Lions
Is there a reason to believe in the Lions?
After going 3-13-1 last season, head coach Dan Campbell’s first season in charge, the Lions did not make drastic changes, instead opting to bank on internal improvement. They signed WR D.J. Chark as a free agent, but the key players on offense remain the same as a year ago. On defense, No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson should improve the pass rush, and the Lions brought in a couple of free agents from the Baltimore Ravens – weakside linebacker Chris Board and strong safety DeShon Elliott. Maybe that will be enough to make the Lions competitive.
Super Bowl Odds: +15000 at DraftKings; +10000 at FanDuel; +12500 at Caesars
Green Bay Packers
Does it matter who is catching passes from Aaron Rodgers?
In the aftermath of the Packers trading star WR Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders, there was some expectation that no matter who replaced Adams, somehow back-to-back MVP Aaron Rodgers would still be able to put up huge numbers in the passing game. That might be how it goes, but the receiving corps is a major question mark. From the group of Allen Lazard, Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, along with rookies Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, the Packers should find competent receivers, players that are good enough to produce when the best quarterback in the league is throwing them the ball.
Super Bowl Odds: +1000 at DraftKings; +1200 at FanDuel and Caesars
Minnesota Vikings
Can the Vikings stop anyone?
There is little to worry about when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings offensively. QB Kirk Cousins has his critics but is very productive and has RB Dalvin Cook along with receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen as his primary options. That’s top-tier talent.
On defense, though, the Vikings ranked 30th in yards allowed and 27th in yards per play allowed last season. They added NT Harrison Phillips, ILB Jordan Hicks, and CB Chandon Sullivan in free agency and hope that star pass rusher Danielle Hunter can play more than seven games. The Vikings also used four of their first five picks on defensive players so they should have improved depth on that side of the ball, too – but they need results.
Super Bowl Odds: +3500 at DraftKings; +4000 at FanDuel and Caesars
Atlanta Falcons
Is there even a chance that the Falcons might be competitive this season?
When a team’s starting quarterback in 2022 is an NFL veteran who has not started a game since 2019, there are reasons to be concerned. Maybe Marcus Mariota will have a stunning career resurrection, or third-round pick Desmond Ridder will be ready to go at some point soon, but this does not look like a roster of a team that intends to be competitive this season. It should come as no surprise, then, that the Falcons have the consensus worst odds, among NFC teams, to win the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Odds: +20000 at DraftKings; +25000 at FanDuel and Caesars
Carolina Panthers
What kind of impact will Baker Mayfield have?
While there was a lot of hype surrounding the trade for the former Browns quarterback, it’s not like his presence will automatically turn around a Panthers team that went 5-12 last season. Mayfield had a 29-30 record as the starting quarterback in Cleveland, including a 6-8 mark last season when he completed 60.5% of his passes for 3,010 yards with 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
To this point in his NFL career, he has been competent, and that is not going to make a major difference for the Panthers. Now, if RB Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy (he has missed 23 of 33 games over the past two seasons), then the Panthers could be on to something.
Super Bowl Odds: +13000 at DraftKings; +10000 at FanDuel; +12500 at Caesars
New Orleans Saints
How good could a healthy Jameis Winston be in the Saints' offense?
Winston blew out his knee last season and has played just 11 games in the past two seasons, but this Saints offense is set up for him to be productive if he can stay healthy. WR Michael Thomas is expected to be healthy, and the Saints added first-round pick Chris Olave and veteran free agent Jarvis Landry to give Winston a lot of weapons to compliment running back Alvin Kamara, who is also one of the best receivers out of the backfield.
Super Bowl Odds: +4000 at DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Can the offensive line protect its 45-year-old superstar quarterback?
The Bucs have tons of talent, so there is a high probability that they will move the ball and score a lot – but it is fair to wonder if injuries to the offensive line could pose some challenges. Center Ryan Jensen and guard Aaron Stinnie suffered knee injuries that created long-term holes to fill – and while Tom Brady can read a play and get rid of the ball quickly, he is also not especially mobile. If the line can’t protect him, the Bucs could run into some challenges.
Super Bowl Odds: +700 at DraftKings; +750 at FanDuel and Caesars
Arizona Cardinals
Can the Cardinals survive the six-game suspension to WR DeAndre Hopkins?
When D-Hop was suspended for six games for using performance-enhancing drugs, that left the Cardinals without their No. 1 receiver – but Arizona has options. They traded for Marquise Brown from Baltimore; combined with holdovers A.J. Green and Rondale Moore, that might be enough to give QB Kyler Murray a chance to succeed.
Super Bowl Odds: +4000 at DraftKings; +3000 at FanDuel; +3500 at Caesars
Los Angeles Rams
Will there be a Super Bowl hangover in L.A.?
These are what we consider first-world football problems. Did your team have so much success last season that it might not be as hungry this year? That’s the only real concern for a Rams team that still has a Super Bowl core while adding WR Allen Robinson and star MLB Bobby Wagner. The Rams should be top contenders once again.
Super Bowl Odds: +1200 at DraftKings; +1100 at FanDuel and Caesars
San Francisco 49ers
Is Trey Lance ready for prime time?
The third pick in the 2021 draft, Lance barely got his feet wet as a rookie. He started just two games, completing 57.7% of his passes while throwing five touchdowns and two interceptions on a gaudy 8.5 yards per pass attempt. The 49ers have inserted Lance as the starting quarterback this season, and his readiness will go a long way towards determining if San Francisco has a playoff team or not.
Super Bowl Odds: +1600 at DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars
Seattle Seahawks
Is it good news when Geno Smith is your starting quarterback in 2022?
After the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, that left Geno Smith and Drew Lock to compete for the starting quarterback job in Seattle – a battle that was ultimately won by Smith. Smith has started five games in the past seven seasons, and that includes three starts last season when he completed 68.2% of his passes with five touchdowns and one interception. It’s likely going to be a long season for the Seahawks, but this is not unexpected.
Super Bowl Odds: +15000 at DraftKings and FanDuel; +20000 at Caesars
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