Namely, Carson Wentz took a severe beating from Eagles fans and the media. Some of it was deserved. But a lot of it was not. Wentz was run out of town on a rail as the ultimate Eagles scapegoat. Wentz didn’t even get credit for Philadelphia’s 2017 championship. He was injured during that improbable playoff run. On the whole, the Eagles rank as one of the most dysfunctional franchises in pro football betting. But all of that is behind Wentz. He escaped to the Colts. At the onset of his arrival, Wentz made Indianapolis the AFC South favorite.
2021 NFL – AFC South Division Championship Odds
| Date: | Season Opens Thursday, September 9, 2021 |
|---|
2021 AFC South Division Odds at SBG:
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | +100 |
| Tennessee Titans | +110 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | +1200 |
| Houston Texas | +2000 |
2021 AFC South Division Futures SBG Odds Overview
So far, Carson Wentz created a sports betting buzz upon his Indianapolis arrival. Wentz walks into one of the best-run franchises in the NFL. Last year the Titans were coming off a Cinderella run in the 2019 NFL Playoffs. And a lot of gamblers bet they come because of that. However, the Titans were one of the worst values on the board in 2020. And they went out meekly in the playoffs. Jacksonville is the most interesting team in the AFC South. First-year head coach Urban Meyer is the reason why. At least gamblers are taking the Jaguars seriously. By contrast, nobody is considering the Texans as legitimate.
Urban Renewal Hits Jacksonville
The first overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Trevor Lawrence joins Urban Meyer in a massive franchise relaunch. Forget the Jaguars of the past, as this is a complete rebranding. Lawrence takes over an offense ranked 28th overall and 30th in scoring. Defensively the Jaguars ranked 31st both overall and for points allowed. As a result, Meyer takes over with nowhere to go but up. Also arriving is Lawrence’s Clemson running back teammate Travis Etienne. Offensively, the Jaguars are immediately balanced. And if Etienne can eat uptime with a lot of carries, he’ll protect Lawrence and the defense.
Moment of Truth for Wentz
At the onset of his arrival, Carson Wentz inherited a major asset. Colts head coach Frank Reich is a former NFL QB and the guru of the position. If anyone can get that Wentz’s mind right, it is Reich. But just how good or bad is Wentz? Certainly, some of his problems come from the circus team he played for. But in five years in Philly, Wentz played in only one playoff game (barely). His career QB rating is a mediocre 89.2. Specifically, running back Jonathan Taylor could be another major asset for Wentz. Taylor ran for 1169 yards as a rookie in 2020. He will keep defenses on balance.
A Titanic Decline on Defense
Tennessee covered only seven out of 16 games in 2020. Despite going 11-5 straight up. The defense ranked 28th in the NFL left the back door open too many times. Meanwhile, quarterback Ryan Tannehill slipped back to a 12/13 touchdown to interception ratio.
2021 AFC South Division Championship SBG Free Picks
In this situation, the Colts are the most fundamentally sound team in the division. Wentz should rebound into a weapon with the NFL lines.
2021 AFC South SBG Best Bet: Indianapolis Colts.