Favorite NFL futures bets ahead of Week 13

Things are trending in a decent direction on a number of fronts — the Tennessee Titans, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks have taken commanding leads in their division, the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins are getting closer to playoff berths, and the Philadelphia Eagles are struggling their way to a 3-7-1 record.  The pickings are slim as we move on to Week 13, but there may be some value in the NFC playoff picture.

After Week 1

Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl: +550 after Week 1, now +280

Seattle Seahawks to win the NFC West and Super Bowl: +190 and +1400 after Week 1, now -240 and +950

Green Bay Packers to win the Super Bowl: +2600 after Week 1, now +1000

Tennessee Titans to win the AFC South: +125 after Week 1, now -450

After Week 2

Green Bay Packers to win the NFC North: -140 after Week 2, now -3000

Philadelphia Eagles to miss the playoffs: -170 after Week 2, now off the board 

Arizona Cardinals to make the playoffs: +104 after Week 2, now -122

After Week 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the NFC South: +100 after Week 3, now +1900

New England Patriots to win the AFC East: +125 after Week 3, now +2600

After Week 4

Cleveland Browns to make the playoffs: -182 after Week 4, now -410

After Week 5

Dallas Cowboys to win the NFC East: -125 after Week 5, now +460

After Week 6

Baltimore Ravens to win the AFC North: -165 after Week 6, now +2700

After Week 7

Washington Football Team to win the NFC East: +425 after Week 7, now +220

After Week 8

Miami Dolphins to make the playoffs: +184 after Week 8, now -122

After Week 9

Indianapolis Colts to miss the playoffs: +114 after Week 9, now +154

After Week 10

Philadelphia Eagles to miss the playoffs: +154 after Week 10, now off the board

After Week 11

Cleveland Browns to make the playoffs: -245 after Week 11, now -410

Our futures bet after Week 12

Minnesota Vikings -270 to miss the playoffs

We make this -300, which is about as good of a value as you’re going to get this time of year.  While this number very well could be cheaper next week, the Vikings are not above losing outright to a team like the Jaguars as 9.5-point favorites at home (they basically did the same thing against the Cowboys just two weeks ago). 

With road games against Tampa and New Orleans left on Minnesota's schedule, 8-8 appears to be the expectation here. And while that's likely better than San Francisco and Chicago, it won’t be enough to catch the Cardinals, who face two NFC East teams in their last five contests.