Sportsbooks say Matthew Stafford key to Rams’ chances in NFC West

The Los Angeles Rams reached the playoffs 3 times successful 4 years, including a Super Bowl appearance, contempt having Jared Goff astatine quarterback.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford led the downtrodden Detroit Lions to the playoffs 3 times contempt them being, well, the Lions.

Now Stafford plays for the Rams, with some looking to permission “despite” successful the past — though it won’t beryllium casual successful the NFC West.

The Rams are +220 astatine Circa Sports to triumph the part this season, slotted successful betwixt the San Francisco 49ers (+210) and Seattle Seahawks (+240) successful the tightest three-way contention successful the NFL.

Red Rock Resort sportsbook manager Chuck Esposito said the “major upgrade” from Goff to Stafford, combined with a stout defence and manager Sean McVay, makes Los Angeles a rubric contender.

“It is hard to justice with Stafford due to the fact that helium played connected Detroit for truthful galore years,” Esposito said. “But this is the hand-picked feline that Sean McVay liked, and I deliberation successful that discourtesy with that defense, this catapults them to the champion squad successful the NFC West.”

The Rams are 15-1 to triumph the Super Bowl and -170 to marque the playoffs astatine Circa, with a play triumph full acceptable astatine 10 (over -125).

The Rams traded Goff, 2 first-round picks and a third-rounder to Detroit to get Stafford, who has thrown for 45,109 yards and 282 touchdowns successful 12 seasons.

Circa sportsbook manager Chris Bennett agrees that Stafford is simply a large upgrade from Goff.

“But they’re going to request Stafford to beryllium arsenic bully arsenic helium tin beryllium to triumph this division,” Bennett said.

Stafford volition get assistance from a beardown defence led by antiaircraft tackle Aaron Donald, The Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year successful 3 of the past 4 seasons.

BetMGM took a $500 stake to triumph $100,000 connected Donald to seizure NFL MVP honors this play astatine 200-1.

Here’s a speedy glimpse astatine the remainder of the division:

San Francisco 49ers

— Season triumph total: 10½ (-110)

— Make playoffs (yes/no): -180/+155

— Super Bowl odds: 14-1

The 49ers finished past successful the part past play (6-10) during an injury-ravaged campaign, but they’re the favorites to get backmost connected apical this season.

That presumption comes contempt a deficiency of clarity astatine quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo is the starter for now, but first-round prime Trey Lance is waiting successful the wings. Some bettors look to beryllium seeing into the future, with Lance going from 300-1 to 100-1 to triumph the MVP astatine BetMGM, becoming 1 of the sportsbook’s biggest liabilities successful the process.

Bennett said bettors person assurance that manager Kyle Shanahan tin triumph with either quarterback.

“If Lance doesn’t truly tally with the job, they tin inactive beryllium a bully squad with Garoppolo astatine quarterback,” Bennett said.

Seattle Seahawks

— Season triumph total: 10 (-110)

— Make playoffs (yes/no): -135/+115

— Super Bowl odds: 20-1

The Seahawks’ likelihood bespeak a assurance successful their way grounds nether backmost Russell Wilson. Seattle has ne'er won less than 9 games nether Wilson, and the Seahawks person made the playoffs successful 8 of his 9 seasons.

They besides won the part past play earlier losing to the Rams successful a wild-card game.

“Anytime you person Russell Wilson you person a accidental to triumph immoderate crippled and perchance triumph a Super Bowl,” Esposito said.

Bennett said crisp bettors took Seattle to triumph the Super Bowl and besides stake the Seahawks implicit their play triumph total.

Arizona Cardinals

— Season triumph total: 8½ (o-115)

— Make playoffs (yes/no): +170/-195

— Super Bowl odds: 60-1

The Cardinals went 8-8 past play and person a higher play triumph full this year, but they look stuck down the different 3 successful the division.

Fairly oregon not, this twelvemonth could service arsenic a referendum connected the matrimony of backmost Kyler Murray and manager Kliff Kingsbury.

“Don’t deliberation he’s regarded arsenic 1 of the apical coaches,” Bennett said. “I deliberation he’s got endowment determination to enactment with, and this mightiness beryllium a large twelvemonth for him arsenic acold arsenic his quality to support that job.”

Best bet

Cardinals nether 8½ wins (+100 astatine Station): Just not capable wins to spell astir successful the NFC West.

Contact Jim Barnes astatine jbarnes@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0277. Follow @JimBarnesLV connected Twitter.