NFL Betting: Nat Coombs' 2025 Season Preview

The 2025 NFL season kicks off on Thursday with the defending champs the Philadelphia Eagles hosting divisional rivals the Dallas Cowboys.

When weighing up potential Super Bowl winners, we can batch the 32 teams into four categories:

• Serious contenders
• Dark horses
• Long shots 
• No-hopers

This range narrows when looking at other outright markets on NFL betting sites such as divisional titles, play-off appearances and win totals, but realistically, the team lifting the Vince Lombardi trophy next February will come from one of those top two categories. 

So, we’ll focus on these, with a couple of long shots for good measure.

Let's start with the serious contenders of which I have four - the Eagles, Chiefs, Ravens and Bills.

Nat Coombs' Tips For 2025 NFL Season 

• Baltimore Ravens To Be Crowned AFC Champions - 13/4 With BetMGM 
• Philadelphia Eagles To Be Crowned NFC Champions - 13/4 With BetMGM 
• Los Angeles Chargers To Win Super Bowl LX - 30/1 With BetMGM 
• Arizona Cardinals To Win NFC West - 9/2 With BetMGM 

Eagles Aim To Join Elusive Club

In the history of the NFL, back-to-back Super Bowl wins have only happened nine times, and only twice in the last 20 years.

The Chiefs started last season with hopes of an unprecedented three-peat, but were denied by Philadelphia.

However, the Eagles have a credible chance of repeating last year’s success. 

General manager Howie Roseman is the best in the business, so the loss of some key pieces on defense such as Josh Sweat and Milton Williams will be felt but less keenly than on most other teams.

Jalen Hurts remains the most underrated quarterback in the game, presiding over a balanced offense that leverages his dual threat capabilities behind one of the best offensive lines. 

Even if he will be used a little less than last year, there is every likelihood of another All-Pro season from running back Saquon Barkley. 

It is a tough looking schedule, with their division paired with the hyper-competitive AFC West, but there is no doubt Philly will be in the mix once again.

Mahomes And Chiefs To Bounce Back

The Chiefs loom ominously given their effective campaign last time around (Super Bowl LIX notwithstanding), despite rarely hitting top gear. 

Much like the hangover after their last Super Bowl defeat to the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers a few years back, Kansas City have revved up their offensive line.

They spent their first-round draft pick on a tackle, which was found out when facing elite defenses (like the Eagles). 

A big question will be whether they have done enough, because if Patrick Mahomes isn’t constantly under duress, there is a sense that this could be a bounce-back MVP year.

Sure, it’s a different, more sedate offense from previous Andy Reid/Mahomes iterations, but the latter will benefit from a healthier wide receivers corps this time around. 

Not to mention the possible 'one last dance' with his old partner in crime Travis Kelce, which has Brady/Gronk vibes. 

The Chiefs are battling in a tough AFC West, which is arguably the strongest in the NFL, but there’s a ‘stick it to the haters’ feel to them, and another deep play-off run beckons.

Bills Window Is Still Open

The Bills are the nearly men of the last decade, but may finally be on for a Super Bowl appearance at last. 

Reigning MVP Josh Allen, another elite dual-threat quarterback, delivered last year with a supporting cast that is one year older and is sneakily underrated. 

Sophomore Keon Coleman is a star in the making, Khalil Shakir had a breakout season, tight end Dalton Kincaid and new signing Josh Palmer are reliable, consistent contributors. 

They may not be the most hyped crew on paper, but the Bills are effective. 

Unlike the AFC West, the East is more straightforward than it has been for a while.

Both the New York Jets and New England Patriots are rebuilding and the enigmatic Miami Dolphins are somewhat erratic. 

The Bills are 7/20 with BetMGM to win the division. 

Ravens' Ground Game Can Deliver Success

The Ravens are the other elite team in the AFC.

They lost to the Bills in a divisional round thriller last season, and given the continuity in personnel, they will expect to be there again. 

Quarterback Lamar Jackson, a deeply-underrated passer already with two MVPs in his locker, continues to get better, yet bafflingly his detractors remain and sadly probably will until he can deliver a championship.

Like Barkley at the Eagles, Derrick Henry is a running back showing no sign of slowing down, and alongside Jackson, the Ravens possess the most potent ground game in the NFL.

His receiving corp has improved year on year with the addition of veteran DeAndre Hopkins, who still has plenty in the tank.

On the other side of the ball, drafting Georgia safety Malaki Starks in the first round, could prove to be a touch of genius, providing Baltimore with one of the strongest secondaries in the game.

Keep An Eye On Chargers And Broncos 

Outside of those 'big four', there are several dark horses gaining a lot of traction. 

Worryingly for the Chiefs, two come from their AFC West division. 

Denver has one of the best defenses in the NFL, a sophomore quarterback in Bo Nix, who is very much in a ‘right time, right place’ situation with a great coach - Sean Payton, and they have a shot at a deep play-off run. 

I’m high on the LA Chargers, who possess a quarterback in Justin Herbert capable of breaking into the top tier, a clear offensive philosophy overseen by another top-drawer head coach - Jim Harbaugh, and some intriguing additions in the off-season, including rookie running back Omarion Hampton. 

That said, the loss of offensive lineman Rashawn Slater is a big blow. 

Alongside the Broncos and Chargers, I would add the Houston Texans, LA Rams, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers to the list of dark horses.

Texans Can Take A Step Closer To Glory

Given their high hopes, Houston disappointed last season and quarterback CJ Stroud regressed.

Like Denver, the Texans have one of the stronger defenses, some X-factor playmakers and should canter to the AFC South divisional title - if a porous offensive line can protect Stroud to a suitable degree.

What Does McVey Have In Store For Rams?

The Los Angeles Rams must be taken seriously given the speed and impact that general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have rebooted a young, dynamic roster.

They have moved on from legendary players like Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp fluently. 

Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is as good as any in the league on his day, but injury concerns remain, and he may struggle to play a full season.

Washington Command Respect This Season

The Commanders intrigue me and having sorted out a deal with star receiver Terry McLaurin, Washington will roll into the season with tails up. 

Quarterback Jayden Daniels - last season's offensive rookie of the year - thrived in an offense drawn up by Kliff Kingsbury.

The offensive coordinator will benefit from the explosive Deebo Samuel, who was a big-money free agency addition.

Time To Back The Pack?

Green Bay are getting a lot of deep play-off run traction, after enhancing their Super Bowl credentials by acquiring Cowboys superstar defender Micah Parsons.

If their talented, but error-prone young receiving corps, can sharpen up, they will be a dangerous offense, with the developing Jordan Love calling the shots. 

The Packers, who are 13/5 to win the NFC North with BetMGM, led the league in dropped passes last season.

49ers On The Way Up

The 49ers have seen a lot of transition in the off-season beyond the departure of Samuel.

Durability concerns surround Christian McCaffrey, but the upside is apparent, if their star running back can stay healthy.

The 49ers are 6/4 to win the NFC West and 8/1 to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl in their Levi's Stadium home in February. 

Lions Need To Cope With Key Coaching Losses

Is this the year that the Detroit Lions make the promised land?

They are going to have to do so in the face of adversity with their offensive and defensive co-ordinators (Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn), key architects of their recent success, off to pastures new. 

The Lions return with a lot of their top-tier talent though, and it’s impossible not to love the spirit that head coach Dan Campbell has built. 

However, it feels as though last year was their optimum window. 

Cardinals, Raiders Can Be Long Shots

As for long shots, I like the look of the Arizona Cardinals, who have a veteran defense stacked with talent.

They also have an offense that could chime, especially if second-year receiver Marvin Harrison pops. 

Super Bowl may be a wild reach, but I like them as one of the teams who didn’t make the play-offs last year and to reverse that. 

Finally, the Las Vegas Raiders are relevant again, but will suffer from being the fourth team in that stacked AFC West.

But the Pete Carroll factor at head coach, underrated Geno Smith at quarterback and plug-and-play star rookie running back Ashton Jeanty set to explode, they may just be a sneaky inside rail play-off pick. 

Jeanty is a very solid option for this season's offensive rookie of the year with odds of 5/2.