The 2020 season was undoubtedly a surprise for most Washington fans. Despite a 7-9 record, Washington won the NFC East and hosted the eventual Super Bowl champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round.
After going 3-13 a year before, it was quite the leap for a team that started four different quarterbacks throughout the season.
There is some optimism surrounding Washington ahead of the 2021 season. It signed veteran quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and added pieces to improve the rest of the offense.
But what you want to know if you're sports betting in MD is if Washington ready to take the step and be a legit Super Bowl contender?
Let's look at where the futures lines are for the Washington Football Team ahead of the 2021 season from DraftKings Sportsbook Maryland.
Washington Football Team Super Bowl Odds
The current Super Bowl odds for the Washington Football Team sit at +4000, good for 18th best in the NFL.
Even though it won the division last season, oddsmakers don't give those betting the NFL in MD much of a reason to think Washington will be a legitimate contender in the NFC. To prove that, their current odds to win the NFC sit at +1800, which is eighth in the conference.
What makes the road to the Super Bowl even more difficult is Washington isn’t even favored to win the division (+200) as the Cowboys, with Dak Prescott back under center, appear to be set to win the NFC East.
If Washington does make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, it's tough to envision this team winning four straight games on the road with (likely) average quarterback play.
It’s clear that oddsmakers and sportsbooks think Washington will be competitive again this season, but not a legitimate Super Bowl threat.
A quick look at the sports betting odds shows the team sits at +110 to make the playoffs, which means the implied odds to make the playoffs sit at just over 47%. So unless Fitzpatrick (or someone else) winds up having a near MVP season, it's best to avoid these odds right now despite the 40:1 payout.
Washington Football Team Win Total Odds
The current win total for the Washington Football Team in 2021 is set at 8.5 wins, which is 1.5 more wins than the team had last season.
Washington did finish the season with a positive point differential (+6), which is usually the sign of a good team. But for the over to hit, Washington needs to win two more games this season despite playing a first-place schedule after winning the NFC East in 2020.
Washington should again have one of the best defenses in football this season, but the quarterback play and the overall offense will decide the fate of this team.
Is the addition of Fitzpatrick, along with wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Dyami Brown, enough to make this a winning team in 2021? That remains to be seen, but expect the Washington Football Team to be competitive and potentially win the NFC East for the second consecutive season.
