With training camps beginning at the end of July, the football world is growing closer and closer to the start of the 2021 NFL season. However, even though September is a couple of months away, that hasn’t stopped people from trying to predict the future.
BetOnline is one of the many oddsmakers that have begun listing future markets for the upcoming season. The sportsbook has already listed the Kansas City Chiefs as likely being the best team in the league in 2021. Now, BetOnline is projecting that, at +175 odds, the Houston Texans will be the worst team in the NFL next season.
A couple of seasons ago, it would’ve been unfathomable to imagine the Texans being the worst team in the league. They won 21 games between 2018 and 2019 while having QB Deshaun Watson and WR DeAndre Hopkins as one of the best duos in the league. However, the Texans traded Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals last year, went 4-12-0 in 2020 and now Watson may not even play this season as he faces several sexual assault allegations.
If Watson misses any time this season, Tyrod Taylor is the backup, which is an immediate on-field downgrade. That’s not even to mention how the top receivers are Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb and Keke Coutee. Even though Cooks is still pretty good, Cobb is past his prime while Coutee has missed 25 games over the last three seasons. Combine that with a defense that allowed 29.0 points per game last season (27th), all the makings are there for the Texans to be one of the worst NFL teams in 2021.
Odds for Which Team Will Be the Worst in the NFL in 2021
Odds via BetOnline as of Tuesday, July 6
- Houston Texans (+175)
- Detroit Lions (+300)
- New York Jets (+700)
- Cincinnati Bengals (+1000)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (+1200)
- Philadelphia Eagles (+1200)
- Las Vegas Raiders (+1400)
- Carolina Panthers (+1600)
- Green Bay Packers (+2500)
- New York Giants (+2500)
Complete NFL odds list available at BetOnline.ag.
Will the Lions Continue Being Basement-Dwellers?
At +300, the Detroit Lions have the second-best odds to wind up being the worst team in the NFL next season. The Lions have been basement-dwellers for quite some time now and have 33 losses since 2018. To put that into context, only the Jacksonville Jaguars (36), New York Jets (35) and Cincinnati Bengals (35) have more losses than Detroit during that span. That’s not exactly the company a team wants to be a part of.
While some fans might be optimistic with Dan Campbell being the new head coach in town, it’s not hard to imagine a world where the Lions are at the bottom of the NFL again. Jared Goff is a downgrade from Matthew Stafford at quarterback. Neither Tyrell Williams nor Breshad Perriman is a proven No. 1 wide receivers either. In terms of defense, the Lions allowed a league-worst 32.4 points per game in 2020. Considering how they allowed 43.3 over their final three games, it’d be wise to temper expectations for Detroit next season.
Jets Round Out Top (Bottom) 3
The New York Jets haven’t made the playoffs in over a decade. Even though they’ve got a new franchise QB in Zach Wilson and the organization has made several coaching and management changes over the offseason, BetOnline has given the Jets +700 odds to be the worst NFL team next year. It shouldn’t be surprising, considering how the Jets were 2-14-0 last year and allowed 28.6 PPG (26th). The team isn’t that much better on paper and expectations shouldn’t be too high for Wilson, especially with him being just a rookie. While New York has made improvements, it likely won’t make that much of a difference in terms of the final record.
