Brady obviously knows a thing or two about winning divisions as he won the AFC East every year but twice in his New England Patriots career, and in one of those he didn't, 2008, Brady suffered a season-ending injury in Week 1.
Tampa Bay didn't just improve its offense by upgrading on Brady over Jameis Winston but also kept three key defenders in place by slapping the franchise tag on NFL sack king Shaquil Barrett and re-signing Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh. The only legitimate hole on the team might be at running back with Ronald Jones.
The Bucs are +175 second-favorites at William Hill to win the South, and overall they are taking the biggest lean to win a division title of any team in the NFL – the Buffalo Bills are second. A total of 86 percent of all money wagered on odds to win the South has been on the Bucs and 66 percent of all tickets sold.
New Orleans is the -115 favorite to win a fourth straight NFC South title and talked Drew Brees out of possible retirement, but bettors are not bullish on the Saints as they have taken just eight percent of all dollars wagered and 14 percent of the ticket handle.
Atlanta is +600, which might be decent value as the Falcons added running back Todd Gurley and pass-rusher Dante Fowler Jr. in free agency and traded for promising tight end Hayden Hurst from Baltimore to replace the departed Austin Hooper. Bettors are blah on the Birds, though, with just four percent of all money wagered on them and 10 percent of tickets.
Finally, the Carolina Panthers are +1400 long shots under first-year coach Matt Rhule and new starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Carolina has been gutted on defense, though, topped by losing superstar linebacker Luke Kuechly to retirement. Just two percent of money wagered has been on Carolina to win the South and 10 percent of tickets sold.
