Josh Allen

The NFL season is still more than three months away, so football players have some free time before reporting to training camp later this summer. Some may be opting to spend that down time on the golf course, and four quarterbacks in particular will soon be putting their skills to the test.

Capital One's The Match is returning Wednesday at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas, and this time, there are no professional golfers taking part in the charity event, which is a change from the previous five editions. Instead, the two teams will be composed of NFL signal-callers.

Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who have both participated in the event before, are teaming up to take on Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, a pair of first-timers for the series. It's not yet known how much the charity purse will be for the competition, but Capital One's The Match has raised a lot of money previously.

Here are the odds for the showdown of quarterback duos set to take place this week.

Odds to Win Capital One's The Match 6

Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers: -165 (bet $165 to win $100)

Patrick Mahomes/Josh Allen: +145 (bet $100 to win $145)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Prop Bets

There's a good chance Rodgers and Brady are going to win this week, which is why they're strong favorites to do so. If you want some bigger winnings from betting on the event, then it could be smart to place some prop bets, mostly ones that involve the veteran QBs having success.

Rodgers is the best golfer of the four, and he should help his team get off to a strong start. So it could be wise to pick some props that involve the Green Bay Packers star and Brady doing well on the early holes.

The odds of them taking the first lead are at -140, while the line for them being the first team to go up by two points is at -165. Both should be safe bets, as they're likely to pull ahead during the middle holes of the 12-hole match-play contest.

Some of the props that give the highest payouts are for predicting which team will win a particular hole. The line for Rodgers and Brady winning the first is +200, while the line for them winning the second is at +170. So there's some big money to be made there.

Another good prop bet is picking Brady and Rodgers to be ahead after three holes, as the line for that is at -130. If Rodgers plays up to his potential and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star makes some solid shots, it's hard to imagine Mahomes and Allen will hang with them, even that early in the competition.

It's too risky to place bets on any of the props involving the quarterbacks shooting an eagle or making a hole-in-one. Even though Wynn Golf Club is a par-70 course, there is a lot of water surrounding the holes. These aren't professional golfers, so they're not going to play as well as Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau did on this course at The Match 5.

However, if you want to take a chance on a Mahomes/Allen prop, perhaps consider betting on them to have the most par-3 winners (+100). It's possible they'll fare better on the shorter holes, and while that won't be enough for them to win the event, they could use their short games to accumulate some points.

Unlike pro golfers, these quarterbacks don't have a long track record on the greens. So there's a risk associated with making any of these prop bets. Mahomes and/or Allen could play better than their handicaps, while Rodgers and/or Brady could underperform.

Still, it should be fun and entertaining to watch. And as the event begins to unfold, maybe some smart live bets will emerge, given that we'll have seen how the NFL stars have played on the early holes by then.

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Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See DraftKings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

It's never easy to predict what's going to happen during Capital One's The Match series. The charity golf events are known for some of the top figures in sports trash-talking each other, and not everybody on the greens is a professional golfer.

In fact, nobody participating this time around is a pro golfer.

On Wednesday, four NFL quarterbacks will be at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas for the sixth edition of the series. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Tom Brady and the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers will be teaming up to take on the duo of the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes and the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen.

So if you think it's been hard to guess what will happen in previous events, that could really be the case this time, though all four QBs have played enough golf in the past that we may have an inkling of what could happen during this high-profile event.

Odds to Win Capital One's 'The Match 6'

Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers: -160 (bet $160 to win $100)

Patrick Mahomes/Josh Allen: +140 (bet $100 to win $140)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

The Brady-Rodgers duo is a strong favorite to win, and there's a clear reason for that: Rodgers is easily the best golfer among this group. The Packers signal-caller has a 4.6 handicap, per the Wisconsin State Golf Association, which is much better than those of Brady, Mahomes and Allen.

Rodgers has even had past success in the series. In July 2021, he teamed up with Bryson DeChambeau and defeated the pair of Phil Mickelson and Brady at Moonlight Basin in Big Sky, Montana.

Placing a bet on the Brady-Rodgers team is the smart move. It wouldn't be surprising to see them win the match-play contest without having to finish the full 12 holes. But there's not a ton of money to be made with that wager, given the duo's short odds.

Of course, there are prop bets available. And it could be wise to take a gamble on Rodgers' golf skills to try to earn bigger winnings.

There's a good chance Rodgers and Brady will get off to a strong start, as they have the experience advantage over Mahomes and Allen, who have never previously participated in the series. So a good bet to make is on Rodgers and Brady to win the first hole at +200.

The odds for the veteran pair to lead first are at -140. That should be a safe bet, with a better payout than picking Rodgers-Brady to win the event.

Some other prop bets for the event include betting on any of the four quarterbacks to notch a hole-in-one or if there are going to be any eagles. But none of them are that proficient at golf, so those are all too risky to put any money on.

Neither Mahomes nor Allen is a bad golfer, so this should be an entertaining event. But Rodgers should make some impressive shots, and Brady is solid enough that he won't slow his teammate's likely momentum. So feel confident about making bets on Rodgers and Brady to have success.

Is it possible Mahomes and Allen surprise us and make things a bit more competitive than expected? Sure. But it's much more likely that Rodgers and Brady cruise to victory.

Gambling problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See DraftKings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

On the gridiron, everybody knows what Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are capable of. They're four of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. And if there's a game featuring two of these QBs, it's likely going to be a thrilling matchup.

But what will happen when these four quarterbacks hit the greens at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas?

On Wednesday, Brady and Rodgers are set to team up to face Mahomes and Allen in a 12-hole match-play round of golf during the sixth edition of Capital One's The Match. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET and will air live on TNT.

This is the second straight edition of The Match to take place at Wynn Golf Club. Last November, Brooks Koepka defeated Bryson DeChambeau when the golf rivals went head-to-head there.

Odds to Win The Match 6

Tom Brady/Aaron Rodgers: -160 (bet $160 to win $100)

Patrick Mahomes/Josh Allen: +140 (bet $100 to win $140)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

It's not a surprise that Brady and Rodgers are the betting favorites for this edition of The Match. Both NFL legends already have experience at this event, even though they've never been teammates before.

In May 2020, Brady teamed up with Phil Mickelson and lost against Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning in The Match: Champions for Change. Brady and Mickelson were teammates again in July 2021, when they lost to Rodgers and DeChambeau at The Match 4.

Rodgers appears to be the best golfer of the four quarterbacks participating in The Match on Wednesday. And he seems confident that he and Brady are the better golf duo.

"We have the experience," Rodgers said, per The Athletic's Greg Auman. "Tommy’s played a ton of Pebble Beach events; he’s played The Match a number of times. I’ve played in Pebble and Tahoe. We’ve got a decided advantage."

But this isn't football, a sport in which each of these four men are among the best at their craft. None of them are pro golfers, and it's always possible that a few bad shots could derail them and cause them to lose momentum.

Because this is match play, the pair that has the lowest number of strokes on each hole will get a point. Teammates will take turns playing the same ball.

Although Rodgers is confident that he and Brady will win as the favorites to do so, Allen doesn't want him and Mahomes to be counted out.

"We’re not just doing this to do it," Allen said, per The Athletic's Nate Taylor. "We want to win. We don’t want to lose, to those two guys especially. We don’t want them to hang this over our heads."

And it's not like Mahomes and Allen don't play golf. They're regular participants in the annual American Century Championship, a celebrity event that is held each year at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course. They're likely putting in some practice ahead of The Match, too.

So, it should be exciting to watch these four highly competitive QBs face off in a different sport. And given the trash-talking that always takes place at The Match, it will be entertaining.

Gambling problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See DraftKings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

Arizona Cardinals star J.J. Watt is joining Turner Sports' coverage of Capital One's The Match on June 1.

Warner Bros. Discovery announced Wednesday that Watt will host Hot Seat Press Conference 2.0, which will stream on Bleacher Report.

As part of the show, the six-time All-Pro will field questions from fans on the B/R app and B/R's social media channels. The questions will then be directed toward the four participants in the event: Josh Allen, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.

The press conference will begin at 5:45 p.m. ET on June 1 on the B/R app. Capitol One's The Match will then get underway at 6:30 p.m. ET, with coverage on TNT, truTV and HLN.

Allen and Mahomes will face off against Brady and Rodgers at Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.

Tom Brady's preparations for The Match are apparently going very well.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar shared a video of an amazing shot Wednesday:

Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, who will team up with Josh Allen to take on Brady and Aaron Rodgers, chimed in with a little trash talk:

For a world-class athlete such as Brady, bringing a camera to the course can certainly be helpful to catch those moments that are too good to be true.

For mere mortals, it might not be advisable. Nobody needs to know how many shanked drives or shots into the water you hit.

Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills have emerged as perennial Super Bowl contenders, a welcome sight for a fanbase that endured nearly two decades without playoff football before breaking the drought in 2017. But a championship has remained elusive so far.

The Bills reached the AFC Championship Game before coming up short against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2020. They met the same opposition in the divisional round last season and, after one of the wildest postseason games in history, were again eliminated by Patrick Mahomes and Co.

Buffalo's front office has spent the offseason trying to rectify the problems that have prevented the organization from getting its hands on the Lombardi Trophy.

Most notably, the Bills lured superstar edge-rusher Von Miller away from the Los Angeles Rams in free agency with a six-year, $120 million contract. It's the type of move a team makes when it's all-in on chasing a title.

Guard Roger Saffold, wide receiver Jamison Crowder, tight end O.J. Howard and a trio of defensive tackles—DaQuan Jones, Tim Settle and Jordan Phillips—were among the other notable signing to an already strong roster in free agency. They also added Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam in the first round of the draft.

Now the revitalized Bills know the path they'll have to take to earn another playoff appearance after the NFL released its schedule for the 2022 campaign Thursday.

2022 Buffalo Bills Schedule

Analysis

One thing most AFC teams will notice this season is the lack of "gimme" games. The conference is loaded with established, high-end quarterback talent and young signal-callers looking to make a move toward that upper echelon in 2022.

In Buffalo's case, the cross-conference games don't provide much relief, either. Only the matchup with the Lions is one that could be placed in the win column with a high level of confidence, though it'll be favored in most of the others, too.

So, the overall view of the schedule has a couple of layers.

On one hand, if the Bills want to establish themselves as Super Bowl contenders, they should be able to navigate even a semi-difficult slate and earn a pretty high seed in the AFC playoff picture.

It should help they play in the East, which is arguably the weakest division in the conference, and taking care of business against the Dolphins, Patriots and Jets would go a long way to trying to hunt down the valuable No. 1 seed in the AFC.

That said, Buffalo can't expect to breeze through the regular season without being challenged. There are enough potential pitfalls to make the team's life difficult if it's not playing at an elite level all the way through.

Getting off to a strong start would take away some of the pressure and help the Bills start charting a path toward the top of the standings.

Pivotal Matchups

As mentioned, everything for the Bills starts with the AFC East. Going at least 5-1 against their divisional foes will likely be necessary to achieve the No. 1 seed.

It's a reachable goal, but a lot of it also depends on the development of the young quarterbacks featured by their rivals—Miami's Tua Tagovailoa, New England's Mac Jones and New York's Zach Wilson. The division race could be tougher than it looks on paper right now.

Beyond that, head-to-head matchups against the Chiefs are always going to carry more weight for the Bills until they can beat the AFC's recent gold standard consistently.

Most of the pressure rests on the shoulders of the Buffalo defense, which is why the Miller addition was crucial. The teams have faced off twice in each of the past two seasons. Here's how many yards the Kansas City offense has racked up in each meeting:

• 2020 regular season: 466
• 2020 playoffs: 439
• 2021 regular season: 392
• 2021 playoffs: 552

The Chiefs' offense is a well-oiled machine with Mahomes at the helm and represents a major challenge for any opponent. Even so, those results are nowhere near good enough for a team with a defensive-minded head coach in Sean McDermott.

So, all eyes in Buffalo will be on that side of the ball when the teams meet at Arrowhead this year.