AFC East
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Buffalo Bills
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Miami Dolphins
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New York Jets
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New England Patriots
Which teams play in the NFL?
American Football Conference
AFC North
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Baltimore Ravens
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Cincinnati Bengals
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Cleveland Browns
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Pittsburgh Steelers
AFC South
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Houston Texans
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Indianapolis Colts
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Tennessee Titans
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Jacksonville Jaguars
AFC West
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Las Vegas Raiders
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Denver Broncos
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Kansas City Chiefs
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Los Angeles Chargers
National Football Conference
NFC East
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Dallas Cowboys
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New York Giants
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Philadelphia Eagles
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Washington Commanders
NFC North
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Chicago Bears
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Detroit Lions
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Green Bay Packers
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Minnesota Vikings
NFC South
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Atlanta Falcons
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Carolina Panthers
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New Orleans Saints
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers
NFC West
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Arizona Cardinals
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Los Angeles Rams
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San Fransisco 49ers
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Seattle Seahawks
The best NFL sportsbooks
How many NFL teams are there?
The NFL is comprised of 32 teams, also known as franchises. The teams are aligned into two conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Each conference is aligned into four divisions: North, South, East, and West, with each division featuring four teams. You can bet on NFL conference and division futures every season.
Of the NFL’s 32 teams, 14 qualify for the playoffs. Teams that finish first in their respective divisions qualify for the postseason, and the three non-division-winning teams with the best records from each conference make the playoffs as wild cards. Conference rivals battle each other until just one is standing, with the AFC champions eventually playing the NFC champions in the Super Bowl.
Division alignments are not random. Up until 1970, there were two major football leagues in the US, the AFL and the NFL. The two leagues merged in 1970, with most AFL teams joining the AFC, and existing NFL teams moving to the NFC. This long-established structure has provided sports bettors with a wealth of historical data on team performance. The relatively large number of divisions also expands the opportunities for sports bettors to get into futures betting action, with wagering on eventual division and conference winners ongoing throughout the season.
How many players are on a football team?
Each NFL team includes a roster of 53 players, with a maximum of 46 players typically dressing for a game. During game action, 11 players per side are on the field. Overall, there are 24 different player positions, each requiring specific skills and carrying very specific responsibilities.
Most important among them is the quarterback. Responsible for calling and/or relaying plays and captaining the offense, a quarterback’s performance has a direct and lasting impact on a team’s results. As a result, the health or recent play of a quarterback has a dramatic impact on how game line odds are set at sportsbooks, and on the decisions of individual sports bettors. Running backs and wide receivers also play a crucial role. Also known as rushers and ball carriers, there can be as many as three running backs on the field at one time.
The NFL’s best running backs regularly compile well over 1,000 rushing yards in a season, with many also playing a receiving role. Meanwhile, the job of a wide receiver is to run routes and gain yardage by successfully catching passes from the quarterback. Look out for all sorts of game and player prop bets across the season, including rushing yards, receiving yards, passing yards, passing completions, touchdowns, and more.
The job of the defense is simply to stop the offense. Defensive linemen will attempt to sack the quarterback and stuff the running back, while the job of the defensive secondary is to stop receivers from catching the ball. Look out for turnovers and interceptions as some of the most popular betting lines for defensive player prop bets. These usually come with long odds, as betting on a specific player to make an interception is a tough wager.
All-time NFL team stats
Founded on the South Side of Chicago in 1898, the Arizona Cardinals are the oldest football franchise in the NFL. Originally known as the Morgan Athletic Club, the team operated under a variety of names until settling on the name Chicago Cardinals when it joined the American Professional Football Association, which would later become the NFL.
Other NFL teams with a history dating back to the early 20th century include the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers sit alongside the New England Patriots as the most successful teams of the Super Bowl era, with six Super Bowl titles to their credit. But with a record 11 total Super Bowl appearances, the Patriots have also lost the most Super Bowl games, joining the hard-luck Denver Broncos with five Super Bowl defeats.
The Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers have each recorded five Super Bowl victories. A total of 12 NFL teams have yet to raise the trophy on Super Sunday, with the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings both going winless in each of their four trips to the Big Game.
NFL teams FAQs
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BET.CA's football guides are written by our experienced team, who have spent years following the NFL, CFL, and NCAA football. Their expertise and advice will help you get the most out of your football betting.