We’re less than two weeks until actual NFL games are back in our lives and oddsmakers have installed the Dallas Cowboys as slight favorites to win the NFC East and take it back from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Cowboys sit with -120 odds from online sportsbook Bovada while the Eagles are right behind them at +145.

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Oddsmakers seem to think this division will be a two-team race as the odds jump significantly for the remaining two franchises in the NFC East, with the New York Giants at +1000 while the Washington Football Team comes in last at +1600.

Odds to Win The 2020 NFC east Team Odds Dallas Cowboys -120 Philadelphia Eagles +145 New York Giants +1000 Washington Football Team +1600

Odds as of August 28 at Bovada

Dallas Cowboys (-120)

On paper, the Dallas Cowboys always seem like the team to beat in the NFC East. They have Pro Bowlers at key positions on offense that can be alluring until you see the product on the field. Well, there’s hope for America’s Team coming into the 2020 season as owner Jerry Jones finally pulled the plug on the Jason Garrett regime and hired new coach Mike McCarthy, formerly with the Green Bay Packers.

It can’t be overstated how much a coaching change could revitalize a Cowboys offense that looked stale at times last season and lacked creativity. With weapons like RB Ezekiel Elliott and wide receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb, this team could average nearly 30 points per game. Time will tell if McCarthy used his time away from the game to change his game plans, because his lack of imagination on offense was criticized near the end of his tenure in Green Bay.

The defense also took a hit with Byron Jones and Robert Quinn leaving in free agency. At this point, take a wait-and-see approach on the Cowboys as you may be able to get better value on them during the season when they eventually lose to a team in the basement.

Philadelphia Eagles (+145)

Not much of a player in free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles did make a move by adding cornerback Darius Slay from the Lions. For the most part, though, they decided to stand pat with their current roster, with the exception of the release of key defensive players Malcolm Jenkins and Nigel Bradham. Both were cap casualties along with starting left tackle Jason Peters.

So, that’s bad news. The good news is the Eagles still return the bulk of the squad that carried them to a Super Bowl victory and QB Carson Wentz looked to finally be back in a groove until he was hit from behind in the postseason vs Seattle. Wentz played a full 16 games for only the second time in his career and while he wasn’t at his peak like in 2017, he still managed to toss 27 touchdowns against only seven interceptions in 2019, which is respectable.

If Wentz continues his upward trajectory and remains healthy, the Eagles will likely win the division again because they showed last year that they can beat the Cowboys in a winner-take-all matchup. They’ve got the Cowboys in Week 16 in Arlington so you can either take them now at +145 or back them as an underdog when the Eagles moneyline value will be nearly identical.

New York Giants (+1000)

It’s hard to be a New York Giants fan these days with some of the inept roster decisions they’ve made in recent years but they should be applauded for signing away ILB Blake Martinez from the Packers. Martinez was in the mix as the leading tackler in the NFL for the last two seasons and the Giants also made sure to franchise-tag DT Leonard Williams to solidify their defense up the middle.

But the G-Men will only go as far as second-year quarterback Daniel Jones will take them. Jones had a few games of dominance vs the Bucs, Lions and Washington, for instance, but overall he was a bit of a turnover machine in his first year in the Big Apple. Taking offensive lineman Andrew Thomas from Georgia in the draft should help Jones curb some of those issues.

Injuries also took a toll on New York in 2019 with RB Saquon Barkley, WR Sterling Shepard and TE Evan Engram all missing extended periods during the season. If the Giants don’t get a bit of injury luck and make smarter decisions in close games, it’s likely another losing season in NYC.

Washington Football Team (+1600)

With the second pick in the NFL draft, the Washington Football Team took DE Chase Young to add to the three first-round picks they’d already invested in the defensive line over the previous three years. That isn’t to say defensive line play isn’t important but with the team formerly mocked as the “Deadskins,” they have so many more holes to fill on the roster that they’re kind of in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” scenario with Young.

Washington looks to be going into 2020 with QB Dwayne Haskins under center and based on the limited sample size we saw in 2019, it’s going to be a long year in D.C. The Washington Football Team had the worst offense in the NFL last year and was dead last in points scored per game (16.6) and passing yards per game (175.8) and 30th in passing touchdowns (18). There’s a reason Washington is listed at +1200 and unless Chase Young makes them the 1985 Chicago Bears overnight, it’s shaping up to be another lost year for the franchise.

How to Read NFC East Odds

When you visit a sportsbook to bet on the NFL, you would see the odds laid out the same way as in the chart above. The team with the minus sign (-) beside their odds is the favorite. The rest are underdogs. If there is no minus sign, then the squad with the lowest odds is the fave.

Let’s say that Dallas is at -105 and you like their chances of taking the NFC East title. A $100 bet would get you a payout of $195 – your $100 is returned along with your winnings of $95. On the other hand, if you think that the Giants at +800 are going to turn it around and find themselves in contention, that same $100 would give you $900 – you get your $100 back coupled with your prize of $800.

To see how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet, see our Odds Calculator.

What is a Futures Bet for the NFL?

If you were to lay some money down on the odds we mentioned, you’d be making a futures bet. This is a bet made on events that will happen in time. For instance, you could make a futures wager before the regular season begins. As soon as odds are announced for the NFC East title, you can bet months in advance. If you see odds you like, jump on them before the line moves so much it’s not worth betting on.