Breaking down 2020 NFC South odds to make playoffs

DraftKings Sportsbook has gone ahead and released the odds for each team to earn a playoff berth at the end of the 2020 season. The most significant part of NFL free agency is wrapped up, and while there are still some big names left to sign, much of the NFL is focusing on the upcoming NFL Draft. With that in mind, we’ll take a look at each team’s odds to make the 2021 NFL playoffs — breaking it down by division. Today, we look at the NFC South.

New Orleans Saints: Yes (-400), No (+305)

The Saints are coming back with essentially the same team they had in 2019. It makes sense that they have the best odds to make the playoffs. They finished 13-3 with Drew Brees missing five games. While they lost their backup quarterback (Teddy Bridgewater) to the Carolina Panthers, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara, and Jared Cook will be at Brees’ disposal in 2020. New Orleans also added Emmanuel Sanders to the receiving corps. It parted with Eli Apple on the defensive end but brought in Malcolm Jenkins. The Saints are the team to beat in the NFC South.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Yes (-177), No (+144)

Signing Tom Brady worked wonders for Tampa Bay’s playoff chances. The Buccaneers are second to the Saints on DraftKings Sportsbook after adding the GOAT to a team with one of the league’s most dynamic receiving duos. Brady hasn’t had an elite receiver in years, but now he’ll have Mike Evans and Chris Godwin in Bruce Arians’ vertical offense. The Bucs were one of the best run stopping teams in football last year, but the secondary needs work. They should easily exceed 2019’s 7-9 mark in 2020.

Atlanta Falcons: Yes (+277), No (-286)

The Falcons finished second in the division after posting the same 7-9 record as the Bucs, and have the third best odds in the NFC South. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are a lethal combination, and Calvin Ridley is an up-and-coming receiver with a ton of potential. But the team lost one of the league’s best young tight ends in Austin Hooper this offseason, as well as Desmond Trufant and Devonta Freeman. But Atlanta didn’t slack off over the offseason though, as it did manage to sign Todd Gurley. If it can find the same consistency it had defensively in the second half of 2019, it has a fighting chance.

Carolina Panthers: Yes (+360), No (-500)

The Panthers have the worst odds in the division and appear to be the only squad approaching a rebuild. They replaced Cam Newton with Teddy Bridgewater under center, but still have Christian McCaffrey to power the offense. Losing James Bradberry and superstar linebacker Luke Kuechly will deal a major blow to Carolina on the defensive side of the ball. It has a lot to overcome with a new coach and new quarterback.

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