We have a serious one-team race in the NFL after just 10 weeks of play. The Buffalo Bills haven’t officially clinched the AFC East, but they have five more wins than anyone else in the division, and they could realistically clinch the division before we get to December.
The fastest a division has been clinched was Week 11, done by four teams – the Chicago Bears in 1985, the San Francisco 49ers in 1997, the Philadelphia Eagles in 2004, and the New England Patriots in 2007.
With 17 regular season games, it now takes longer to do it. But it is possible for the Bills to clinch in Week 12, when they are on their bye. Buffalo hosts the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, and if the rest of the division loses this week, and the Dolphins Miami Dolphins beat the New England Patriots in Week 12, Buffalo can clinch before Thanksgiving.
Some of our individual races are also becoming one-man races.
MVP Award
We’re not counting Josh Allen out just yet. But for the first time this season, the MVP favorite, Lamar Jackson, is paying negative money. The face of the Baltimore Ravens is -110 on the board, while Allen is +350. Patrick Mahomes is third at +750, but his odds continue to get longer as the Chiefs keep winning with defense and special teams, and not because of his arm.
Offensive Player of the Year
Ravens running back Derrick Henry’s touchdown streak remains alive, and he is the heavy favorite to win Offensive Player of the Year at -140. In any other year, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley would be the favorite. But with Henry on a weekly tear, Barkley will have to settle for second on the odds board at +300.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was a combination of Randy Moss and Calvin Johnson in his 264-yard, three-touchdown performance last week against the Ravens. Any more games like that, and he will further close the gap. At the moment, the Bengals wide receiver is +550.
Defensive Player of the Year
T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers was Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, and he is -200 to win the award for a second time. His brother, J.J., won the award three times, and the most recent three-time winner was former Rams great Aaron Donald.
Well behind Watt at +1000 is Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. Jones has been First-Team All-Pro in each of the last two seasons, and Lawrence was Second-Team All-Pro. Neither has won DPOY.
At +1200 are two other players – Will Anderson with the Houston Texans and Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
No one is a bigger favorite than Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is paying -3000 to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Preseason favorite and Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has fallen off a cliff, and he is now +5000 and behind seven other players. Bo Nix won’t catch Daniels, but he is second at +1200, and he is giving Denver Broncos fans the feeling that their search for their next franchise quarterback is finally over.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
If you watched the Los Angeles Rams and Dolphins on Monday night, you saw first-hand why Jared Verse is the favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. The 19th overall pick by the Rams had four tackles and a strip sack and recovery, making it the third straight game he’s had a quarterback sack.
Verse is -500, and the player behind him at +1000 is Laiatu Latu of the Indianapolis Colts. Latu has two sacks on the season.
Coach of the Year
He’s won three Super Bowls and 293 games, with nine of those wins coming this year. But it’s been more than 20 years since Andy Reid won Coach of the Year. Reid is +400 to win Coach of the Year, and he is tied with Mike Tomlin, who is also paying +400. Reid has juggled injuries and still keeps winning, and Tomlin had the guts to change quarterbacks three weeks ago, which has put the Steelers on another level offensively.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is just behind them at +450, and four coaches are tied at +500 – Jonathan Gannon with the Arizona Cardinals, Jim Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers, Dan Quinn in his first year with the Commanders, and Kevin O’Connell with the Minnesota Vikings.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.
