With the possibility of an NFL lockout diminishing, football season is quickly approaching, and fans and bettors alike will be trying to glean as much information as they can in order to make as many correct picks in the upcoming NFL season. <\/p>\n
So here\u2019s a little help, as we look at the Top 10 NFL futures according to Bodog this week.<\/p>\n
Green Bay Packers 7\/1<\/strong> \u2013 After last season\u2019s impressive Super Bowl performance, the Green Bay Packers look like a dynasty in the making behind the leadership of QB Aaron Rodgers, who has proven himself to be one of the league\u2019s elite players. Despite having the most players on the injured reserve list in the NFL in 2010, the Pack charged through the season finishing with a 10-6 overall record, while boasting the best scoring defense (15 PPG) in the NFC behind the efforts of linebacker Clay Matthews. With plenty of veterans out of last year\u2019s lineup, backups and rookies gained some valuable experience that should help them make another championship run in 2011.<\/p>\n New England Patriots 7\/1<\/strong> \u2013 After starting the season 1-1, the Pats stormed to a 6-2 record by Week 6, and then finished the season with eight straight wins, including a 31-27 victory over the Super Bowl champion Packers in Week 15. An overall record of 14-2 was enough to win the AFC East, but New England would lose to the Jets for the second time, this time in the playoffs because of a weak defensive front seven. But it\u2019s not just the defense that needs some adjusting; the Patriots also lack a real threat at wide receiver. However, even though they did not pick up one in this year\u2019s draft, this team should still be able to outscore the rest of the teams in the division. And what they lack in team speed on offense, they make up with Tom Brady\u2019s laser arm.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh Steelers 11\/1<\/strong> \u2013 Pittsburgh weathered a four-game suspension of QB Ben Roethlisberger to begin the 2010 season, and then overcame a suspect offensive line to win the AFC last year. But it all fell apart in their Super Bowl appearance against the beat up Packers. And despite their aging O-line, the Steelers used four of their first five draft picks on shoring up a defense that has been a mainstay at time when the offense has simply run out of gas. They did however pick up guard Marcus Gilbert from Florida, who may be able to upgrade the line sooner than expected.<\/p>\n San Diego Charger 12\/1<\/strong> – Despite being the AFC West preseason favorite in 2010, and rebuilding their running game after the departure of Landanian Tomlinson with rookie hopeful Ryan Matthews. The Bolts stumbled out of the starting gate losing five of their first seven regular season contests. Although they led the NFL in both total offense and total defense, San Diego finished with just a 9-7 record overall. With the emergence of a more competitive Kansas City Chiefs, and an improving Oakland Raiders, if the Chargers fail to shake their annual slow start under head coach Norv Turner, they could find themselves in the middle of an AFC West battleground. A quick start will not only be important in establishing the Bolts return to the top of the division, but could preserve Turner\u2019s job.<\/p>\n Baltimore Ravens 14\/1<\/strong> \u2013 Baltimore was once again close to dethroning their division nemesis Pittsburgh, and despite mimicking the Steelers 12-4 regular season record, lost the head-to-head battle yet again. Pittsburgh\u2019s Roethlisberger, who is now 6-0 all-time since knocking the Ravens out of the playoffs last season, again tarnished QB Joe Flacco\u2019s heroic season, and It won\u2019t get any easier for Flacco this season after quarterback coach after Jim Zorn was let go in the off-season. Zorn was a key ingredient to Flacco\u2019s development and his departure could prove costly. The Ravens will once again need to rely on its defense, which did show signs of slowing, but finished the year with a No. 4 overall ranking.