Exploring Rams' odds for 2014/Wagoner

Exploring Rams’ odds for 2014
By Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/10778/exploring-rams-odds-for-2014

EARTH CITY, Mo. — This week, the folks at Bovada released a variety of odds on the NFL.

Among the bets available are offensive and defensive rookie of the year, which team will finish with the worst record in the league and which division will provide the Super Bowl winner.

Those props provided plenty of interesting bets related to the St. Louis Rams. Here is a quick look at some of the options:

2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year — Defensive tackle Aaron Donald — 15/1

Only four other rookies have better odds than Donald in the preseason prognostications: Houston’s Jadeveon Clowney, Oakland’s Khalil Mack, Baltimore’s C.J. Mosley and Pittsburgh’s Ryan Shazier. Minnesota’s Anthony Barr has the same odds as Donald. It’s not easy to win this award from the defensive tackle position because it is harder to accumulate stats from the interior of the defensive line. But Donald has the ability to load up on the sexiest of defensive stats: sacks. He won’t play as much as others listed here, but Aldon Smith of the 49ers won this award while averaging about 30 snaps a game in 2011. Donald could have a similar impact.

Who will finish the regular season with the worst record? — Rams — 40/1

There are 16 teams believed to have a better chance of finishing with the worst record in the league than the Rams. That is probably about right considering the Rams’ penchant for finding mediocrity in the first two years under coach Jeff Fisher. Even if they are hit by a rash of injuries, Fisher’s teams generally find a way to avoid finishing in the cellar of the entire league.

Which division will the Super Bowl winner come from? — NFC West — 11/4

It’s no surprise the division is the favorite to provide the Super Bowl champion considering it is home to the two NFC championship game combatants and the Super Bowl champion Seahawks. Arizona and St. Louis are also dangerous. Until someone can dethrone the division, this should be expected.

Will the Rams make the playoffs? — Yes – 3/1 or No – 1/4

Partially because of the strength of that division, Bovada doesn’t view the Rams’ chances of making the postseason in much of a favorable light. The 3/1 odds are better than just seven teams in the league. The Rams are going to have an uphill climb to get into the playoffs, but they have the talent in place to do it if they can get a bounce or two to go their way and have some luck with injuries. That actually makes them something of a good value considering the odds.