2008 NFL football Article Archive
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Below is a listing of articles appearing on Doc’s site sorted by date.
2009 Super Bowl Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 12/30/2008
Back in November I took a look at the Super Bowl futures odds, trying to separate the contenders from the pretenders. The results weren't entirely embarrassing, so it seems like now is a good time to do it again. Here's an attempt to split the 12 surviving teams into three groups - the contenders, pretenders, and sleepers. All odds are from Bodog:
Read more about Super Bowl Predictions.
Sorting Out the NFL Playoff Mess
by Greg Melikov - 12/24/2008
Winter's latest blast of freezing temperatures prompts this question concerning past late-season NFL games staged in less than ideal conditions: Can warm-weather squads overcome the 12th man on teams in cold country: Old Man Winter?
Read more about NFL Playoffs.
NFL Playoff Picture Is Coming Into Focus
by Greg Melikov - 12/17/2008
It's getting down to the nitty-gritty in the National Football League as the race to the playoffs gets tighter in both conferences.
Read more about NFL Playoff Picture.
NFL Betting: Team That Wins Covering Spread at High Rate
by Trevor Whenham - 12/12/2008
If you sit down and talk to old-timers who have sports betting careers that can be measured in decades, or read old sports betting books, you'll inevitably start hearing or seeing some pearls of wisdom that have been hard gained through the years. Some of them might not hold up under scrutiny, but others would be very valuable if you were to spend the time to listen to them. The other day I was thinking about one such insight that I have heard or read a few times but never given much thought - that the teams that win almost always cover in the NFL.
Read more about NFL Winners Cover the Spread.
NFL Betting: When a Team Clinches Playoff Spot
by Trevor Whenham - 12/11/2008
Week 14 of the NFL season was when a good deal of the potential drama at the end of the season disappeared. Three teams - the Giants, Titans and Cardinals - clinched their playoff spots. A fourth, the Broncos, moved very close to clinching with a "magic number" of one (one Chargers loss or a Broncos win and Denver wins the division).
Read more about NFL Playoff Teams.
Thursday Night NFL Preview: New Orleans at Chicago
by Matt Severance - 12/10/2008
Thursday night's New Orleans-Chicago game has the look of a do-or-die for both teams, but in reality only the Bears have a realistic chance at the playoffs, and that's a long shot at best.
Read more about Thursday Night NFL Preview.
Last Half of NFL Season Can Be Springboard to Playoffs
by Greg Melikov - 12/10/2008
NFL teams that fail to shine during the first half of the season aren't necessarily out of the playoff picture.
Read more about NFL Playoff Positioning.
NFL Betting: Messy Situation for Browns at QB
by Trevor Whenham - 12/04/2008
Even the coldest person on the planet, or the biggest fan of the Steelers of the Bengals, has to have some compassion for the messy situation the Cleveland Browns find themselves in. They have had a terrible season for 100 different reasons, all coming back to unrealistic expectations and incompetent coaching. The latest quarterback struggles go far beyond that, though, and far beyond what any team deserves. In consecutive weeks they have lost both the quarterback of the future, and the former quarterback of the future for the season.
Read more about Cleveland Browns.
NFL Betting: Bucs Offer Value
by Trevor Whenham - 12/04/2008
I am a huge fan of the way Tampa Bay is playing this year, and I am not ashamed to admit it. I feel a bit like I should be, though. Everywhere you turn you read someone else saying that this team is no good. They are leading their division, and they have the second best record in the NFC, yet Sports Illustrated didn't even pick them to make the playoffs last week. I firmly disagree. This is a very good, undervalued team, and they are going to be playing in January. And causing some problems for opponents when they get there. Why am I so high on this team? Let's take a look:
Read more about Bucs Betting Value.
NFL Handicapping: Teams to Write Off
by Trevor Whenham - 12/02/2008
If there is one thing I have learned in all the years that I have been watching the NFL, it's that you can't count any team out at any time. As soon as you think you have everything figured out you get shown just how wrong you are. That being said, there are several teams that I am ready to write-off--squads that are far too broken to be trusted with your bankroll or anything else that matters. I'm not talking about the no-hope teams like Cincinnati, Detroit, Seattle and so on.
Read more about Teams You Can't Trust.
NFC Teams Find December a Difficult Month
by Greg Melikov - 12/02/2008
December has proved a disappointing month for NFL teams in the NFC. None of the past champs have posted outstanding records in the 21st Century.
Read more about NFC Teams.
Can Wild Cards Rule Supreme? Odds Are Against Them
by Greg Melikov - 11/27/2008
Wild card teams over the years haven't done particular well in the National Football League playoffs since the format was adopted in 1970 when the two conferences were realigned into three divisions each.
Read more about NFL Wild Cards.
Handicapping NFL Thanksgiving Games
by Trevor Whenham - 11/26/2008
It's almost Thanksgiving. Besides a turkey and mashed potato induced coma, Thanksgiving is all about football. There are three NFL games to watch this year. That means three games to handicap. For the most part handicapping these games is pretty much the same as any other game - it's still football, after all. There are a few things to consider, though, if you want to treat these games a little bit differently, and potentially give yourself a bit of an edge.
Read more about Handicapping Thanksgiving NFL Games.
Can Cowboys Bounce Back?
by Trevor Whenham - 11/26/2008
As the Cowboys get ready for their annual Thanksgiving tilt, and the rest of the season beyond it, you really have to wonder if a team with this many issues can be a contender. They have been the worst kind of soap opera this year. They are still right in the mix, though. They have the record to be a wild card team right now, though they would miss out if the playoffs started today thanks to tie-breakers.
Read more about Dallas Cowboys.
NFL Betting: Soft Schedules Down the Stretch
by Trevor Whenham - 11/20/2008
There is no such thing as an easy schedule in the NFL. Playing any NFL team is a real challenge, and a team can lose at any time. That being said, some teams certainly have comparatively easier schedules than others. That can obviously be an advantage to the team as they try to make the playoffs, and to bettors looking for soft spots. Here are five teams with relatively soft NFL schedules down the stretch:
Read more about Soft NFL Schedules.
Tennessee's a Perfect 10, But Tough NFL Games Ahead
by Greg Melikov - 11/20/2008
About this time a year when an NFL team or two is unbeaten, talk always centers on if there is a chance for another Perfect Season.
Read more about Titans Perfect Season.
Football Wagering Strategies
by Spencer Patton - 11/20/2008
It's always smart to have a successful strategy or plan for yourself when starting to bet on sports. Before you can formulate your plan, however, you have to decide on what types of betting strategies you want to use. Because football is where a great number of bettors get their start, I will cover some basic yet essential football wagering strategies that have withstood the test of time.
Read more about Football Wagering Strategies.
Football Betting: Handicapping the Weather
by Trevor Whenham - 11/18/2008
Winter may not have officially started yet, but as I look out the window of my office at the snow and ice I can't avoid the inevitability that cold weather is here, and it's staying for a while. Cold, snowy weather can add an extra wrinkle to our football handicapping efforts. It doesn't have to be difficult, though. Here are six tips to help you incorporate cold weather issues into your handicapping effectively.
Read more about Handicapping the Weather.
Thursday Night NFL Preview: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 11/18/2008
Two teams involved in two of the most bizarre games of the NFL season this past Sunday will square off against each other Thursday Night at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Read more about Thursday Night NFL Preview.
Resurgent Warner Unlikely MVP Candidate
by Trevor Whenham - 11/18/2008
Can Kurt Warner really win the MVP? Is this really 2008? The answer to both of those questions is a definitive yes. Teams have only played 10 games, so there is a lot of football left, and pretty much anything can still happen in the MVP race. However, for now it's Warner's race to lose. Not convinced? Let's look at what Warner is doing this year, and how he stacks up to four of the closest contenders.
Read more about Kurt Warner MVP.
Despite Thursday Loss, Pats Still Look Good for Playoffs
by Trevor Whenham - 11/14/2008
After the first half of the New England Patriots' first game it seemed like the story of the year would be The Injury. Though Tom Brady's knee has largely set the tone for the season, the team has probably been better than most people expected they would be. Sure, their loss last night to the Jets puts them in an unfamiliar situation - out of first place in the AFC East. Still, they are sitting at 6-4 and very much in the wild card hunt. Given how the season has gone in the AFC, 3-3 down the stretch may be enough to get them into the playoffs, and 4-2 almost certainly would.
Read more about New England Patriots.
2009 Super Bowl Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 11/12/2008
It would be much easier to make 2009 Super Bowl predictions if we could wait until the season is half over before doing it. That would help us avoid some of the regrettable opinions that we inevitably form every year. This year, for example, I can take pride that I didn't like San Diego at all, but that joy is tempered by the fact that I did believe in Minnesota and especially Jacksonville. Oops. Virtually everyone saw their opinion of the Patriots change dramatically with one sore knee, and few would have guessed that the two quarterbacks leading their teams to the highest heights would be Eli Manning and Kerry Collins.
Read more about Super Bowl Predictions.
Thursday Night NFL Preview: New York Jets at New England
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 11/11/2008
The New York Jets and New England Patriots come into the Thursday night game with identical records, both straight up (6-3) and against the spread (5-4).
Read more about Thursday Night NFL Preview.
NFL Betting: Finding Value in Second Half of Season
by Trevor Whenham - 11/06/2008
We are now more than halfway through the NFL season. That means we have seen more than enough football to form opinions of the teams in the league. More importantly, the public has been able to form their opinions of the teams. That's important because once the public gets an opinion they like to hang onto it. We can find betting value in the second half, then, if we can identify teams which seem likely to be stronger in the second half than they were in the first half. Those teams may exceed public expectations and cover some lines.
Read more about NFL Betting Value.
No Way Around It: The Raiders Suck
by Trevor Whenham - 11/06/2008
I struggle to find words to describe just how insanely messed up the Oakland Raiders are. There are so many ways you could describe their problems that it's hard to know where to start. We don't really need to look too far beyond last week, though. That was when they managed just 77 total yards of offense, including 31 through the air. The bright spot of that offensive mess, if there was one, is that they improved significantly in the second half. That's not hard to do, of course, when you put up a total of -2 yards in the first half. If you wind up with zero yards in the second half you've shown improvement.
Read more about Oakland Raiders.
Thursday Night NFL Preview: Denver at Cleveland
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 11/05/2008
In terms of overcoming cold trends, the Denver Broncos have a tall task on their hands Thursday night when they travel to Cleveland to take on the Browns in the NFL's first Thursday Night NFL Network game of the season. The Broncos have not only been struggling against the number but they are also in a precarious situation as an underdog in a Thursday night game.
Read more about Thursday Night NFL Preview.
Monday Night Football Predictions
by Todd Lepow - 11/03/2008
Tonight's Monday Night Football Game features the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) heading on the road to face the Washington Redskins (6-2). The oddsmakers have set the Redskins as a two-point favorite and the total is posted at 36.5. Check out a preview for what should be a physical football game from the opening kick.
Read more about Monday Night Football Predictions.
NFL Betting: Double-Digit Favorites Horrid Through First Eight
by Trevor Whenham - 10/31/2008
There is, of course, no such thing as a lock in sports betting. The naive belief that there is has allowed dozens of people to make lots of money selling systems to suckers. There is one thing that has been pretty close to a lock this year in the NFL, though - the double-digit underdog. Teams have been favored by 10 or more points 13 times in the first eight weeks of this season. The underdog has covered in 12 of those games. Only the Giants, favored by 10 against the Niners in Week 7, were able to buck the trend, and they only managed it by two points.
Read more about Double-Digit NFL Favorites.
NFL Betting: Hangover From International Games?
by Trevor Whenham - 10/31/2008
Whether you love them or hate them (I fall emphatically into the second group), it seems like the NFL's obsession with international games isn't going anywhere soon. New Orleans and San Diego played the second straight regular season game in London, and they have been successful enough at the box office that they are sure to keep happening. There is also going to be a preseason game in China next August - a game that was originally scheduled for 2007.
Read more about NFL International Games.
NFL Betting: Best and Worst Against the Spread
by Trevor Whenham - 10/29/2008
We are halfway through the NFL season, give or take. This is a good time, then, for us to take a look at the teams that are being particularly kind to bettors, and those that are soaking the money bet on them in gas and lighting a match. Here, then, is a look at the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.
Read more about Best and Worst NFL Bets.
NFL Bettors Shouldn't Jump On Falcons Bandwagon Quite Yet
by Trevor Whenham - 10/16/2008
I don't like to make a habit of it, but from time to time I can admit when I am wrong. When it comes to the Atlanta Falcons this season, I was really, really wrong. I thought, and think, that the future is reasonably bright with Matt Ryan and company in town. I didn't think, though, that the future would be now. They are 4-2 straight up and ATS, and in their last two wins against Chicago and Green Bay they have shown that they can be competitive against decent if not overwhelming teams.
Read more about Atlanta Falcons Betting.
NFL Betting: Ranking the NFL Divisions
by Trevor Whenham - 10/09/2008
One of the big stories so far this NFL season has been the power of the NFC East. All four teams look like they have playoff potential, and they have already served notice that they will be beating each other up all year. If you had to pick a conference that was going to provide the eventual Super Bowl winner, you'd be hard pressed to find one more compelling than this one. But how about from a betting perspective? That's what we're all here for, right? Which divisions are the best and the worst for bettors so far this season. Here's a look at the eight groupings in order from best to worst treatment of bettors:
Read more about NFL Division Rankings.
NFL: Will Giants or Titans Finish Regular Season Undefeated?
by Trevor Whenham - 10/09/2008
Last year we finally had an undefeated team in the NFL over the course of the entire regular season. It didn't work out very well for New England in the end. Despite the fact that it was a bit anticlimactic, though, people still seem to want to see another season of perfection. We are only five weeks into the season, but if it's going to happen this year it is going to be one of just two teams. Tennessee sits at 5-0, and the Giants are at 4-0 with their bye already under their belt. Can either of these teams run the table? Not likely, but let's have a look:
Read more about NFL Undefeated Season.
When Using Trends, Large Sample Size Important
by Trevor Whenham - 10/03/2008
There is nothing that the public likes more than passing in football. Heck, I would be the worst offensive coordinator in history - I'd just send five guys deep on every down. I respect good running backs, and I know that establishing the run is usually crucial, but watching a well planned, methodical running game isn't nearly as interesting as watching a team throw, throw, and throw some more. I know I'm not alone in that, either. That's why Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the biggest stars in the league, and no one really likes watching the Ravens these days.
Read more about Trends.
Football Betting: Handicapping Coaching Changes
by Trevor Whenham - 10/03/2008
In a bizarre and unprecedented reality, we have seen two NFL coaches fired just four weeks into the season. The league isn't that keen on mid-season changes - they just increase the already high chances of a lost season. Scott Linehan of the Rams and Lane Kiffin on the Raiders really did deserve their fate, though. Linehan had proven to be inept, and Kiffin was embroiled in the most ridiculous personality struggle with an owner since Al Davis last hired a really young coach. The Rams weren't going anywhere, and the improvements the Raiders were making were being handicapped by the fact that the head coach wasn't speaking to his owner or, for the most part, his defensive staff.
Read more about Football Betting: Handicapping Coaching Changes.
What Did We Learn From Redskins Win Over Cowboys?
by Trevor Whenham - 10/03/2008
The NFC East is giving me a serious headache. It is very hard to handicap a division where all of the teams are competitive, and all four teams here have the right stuff to not only make the playoffs, but to be decent when they get there. The biggest problem they face, though, is that they are all going to beat each other up on the way to the playoffs. It's divisional cannibalism.
Read more about Redskins-Cowboys.
The Ins and Outs of NFL Pleasers
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 10/01/2008
Have you ever scanned online sportsbooks looking at the lines for the upcoming NFL weekend and though a particular line was way far off? You probably said something like "Wow that is too easy" or "They'll cover that by 10." Well a pleaser lets you put your money where your mouth is. Besides looking like a typo of a teaser, a pleaser has other things in common with a teaser. They are most popular when done with six points and two teams. Unlike the teaser though, the pleaser makes things harder on the bettor.
Read more about NFL Pleasers.
Will Chiefs or Rams Go 0-16?
by Trevor Whenham - 09/25/2008
I want to see a team go 0-16. Really, really badly. I think it's at least as hard to do as what the Patriots pulled off last year. We have come close many times, but each time they have found a way to stumble into a win and therefore break my heart. I'm as optimistic at this stage of the season as I have probably ever been, though. Usually by now there is a team that clearly has little hope. This year there are two that are so incomprehensibly bad that the players' mothers are embarrassed of them. Both St. Louis and Kansas City have a long laundry list of issues, and none of them will be fixed easily.
Read more about Chiefs or Rams Winless?.
Great Value on the Niners
by Trevor Whenham - 09/25/2008
It's time for me to partake in what has become, though not by intention, an annual activity for me - praising the Niners. San Francisco isn't a great team, but they re better than people give them credit for, and they are shaping up, in my mind, as a pretty attractive bet in the right spots. I first backed them publicly two seasons ago, and it went very well - they ended up 9-7 ATS, and had a perfect November for bettors. I was perhaps overly enthusiastic that this was the first step in a renaissance, because they weren't nearly as good last season. They were just 5-11 ATS, and the only real highlight was a strong finish last year when they easily could have folded.
Read more about Value on the 49ers.
NFL Six-Point, Two-Team Teasers
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 09/23/2008
NFL bettors tired of suffering bad beats on last second coaching decisions, dropped balls or backdoor covers often turn to teasers to try and make up for missing the spread by a few points. In football a bettor can tease two teams by six points each while maintaining the -110 juice. The tradeoff is adding a team to your bet, but, unlike a parlay, the payout does not increase. The bettor gets to move the line six points in the favorable direction for both teams on the ticket (totals can be teased as well). If you were to tease the Steelers at +3.5 last week and the Patriots at -13.5 you would have had the Steelers at +9.5 and the Patriots at -7.5 with both needing to hit to cash your teaser ticket.
Read more about NFL Teasers.
NFL Quarterbacks Performing Below Expectations
by Trevor Whenham - 09/23/2008
Quarterbacks cost the public money. Thanks to media hype and overexposure, the public is quick to come to the conclusion that a quarterback is good, but much, much slower to realize that he isn't playing up to form. It takes just one big game to fuel a media frenzy, but when that quarterback fails to excite later on, the media most often ignores him instead of commenting on the poor play, and the public keeps right on playing to their perceptions. That means that the bettors will accept bigger spreads than they should, and that means that they are throwing away money. It's early in the season, but already we are seeing a surprising number of quarterbacks who just aren't as good as their reputation.
Read more about NFL Quarterbacks.
Sports Betting Money Management
by Trevor Whenham - 09/18/2008
If you are at all serious about sports betting then you know that money management is the key to long-term success. Or if you don't know that first hand then at least you have heard it from a hundred different places. I'm obviously not going to disagree with that bit of wisdom - it doesn't matter how many winners you can pick if you go broke doing it. The important point I do want to make, though, is that there isn't just one proper way to manage your money. I don't pretend to be an expert on the subject, but I have spent lots of time thinking and reading about it over the years. For what it's worth, here are five points that I believe to be crucial to any successful approach to sports betting money management:
Read more about Sports Betting Money Management.
Football Betting: Alternate Lines
by Trevor Whenham - 09/18/2008
Yes, football bettors, there is a world out there beyond the point spread, money line and totals. There are more different ways to bet on the NFL these days than there are teams in the league. One of the more interesting ways, if not always the most useful, is the alternate line. Oddsmakers and sportsbooks will often offer several different lines on a game besides the normal one. In some the favorite is favored by larger spreads, while in others they face a smaller spread. Typically they are available from at least some books in both a moderately adjusted and extremely adjusted form, and usually in both directions.
Read more about Football Betting: Alternate Lines.
Football Quarter and Halves Betting
by Trevor Whenham - 09/18/2008
For the large majority of sports bettors betting on football starts and ends with point spreads, the money line, and totals. There are so many more options out there, though, and sometimes those options are a better way to pursue profit if used carefully and appropriately. Two of those options that are filled with potential are half and quarter bets. They get a small fraction of the action that the more popular bets do, but in some cases they make much more sense.
Read more about Football Quarter and Halves Betting.
NFL Favorites Facing Big Numbers in Week 3
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 09/17/2008
This week in the NFL five home teams will take the field as heavy favorites, with the point spread hovering around 10 or more. Two teams with the coaches admittedly on the hot seats, Oakland and St. Louis, are facing point spreads of 9.5. Buffalo is hosting Oakland and St. Louis travels to Seattle. Also on Sunday, two teams are pushing towards two touchdowns in the favorites category with the defending Super Bowl champion Giants laying 13.5 at home against Cincinnati and New England giving 13 while hosting winless Miami. On Monday Night Football the winless Chargers are favored, yes favored, by 9.5 over Brett Favre and the New York Jets.
Read more about Big Betting Favorites.
How To Deal With The Houston-Baltimore Postponement as a Bettor
by Trevor Whenham - 09/17/2008
Hurricane Ike caused a relatively unique situation in the NFL this past week. Baltimore was supposed to play in Houston in what had the makings to be an unwatchable game, but Reliant Stadium was damaged by the storm, so the game has been postponed. In recent years we have seen games moved a couple of days because of weather, fires or other calamities, and in 2001 we had an entire week rescheduled because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but it isn't very often you see a game rescheduled as we have this year.
Read more about Texans Postponement.
NFL Betting: Carolina Surprising at 2-0
by Robert Ferringo - 09/15/2008
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if two months ago someone had told you that a critical NFL Week 2 game in the NFC would take place between Carolina and Chicago, both vying for a 2-0 start and a piece of first place in their divisions, your would have thought it was only slightly more likely than the Republicans nominating some hillbilly chick from the Alaskan backwoods as John McCain's running mate.
Read more about Carolina Panthers.
Team Leading at Halftime Usually Covers
by Trevor Whenham - 09/11/2008
Think that it's important for a football team to have the lead at halftime? Consider this - the teams that had the lead going in to the break in Week 1 of the NFL were 13-2 ATS. The only two exceptions were Tampa Bay - they led by three at the half but lost by four, a swing of a touchdown - and New England - they were leading at the half and the end, but their huge spread was rendered essentially meaningless as soon as Tom Brady left the game.
Read more about Halftime Leaders.
Sharp Bettors Take Advantage Of Weak Early Lines
by Trevor Whenham - 09/10/2008
Most casual football bettors don't look at the lines for the coming weekend's games until the middle of the week. They may not even know ow soon they are available. Hardcore bettors know, though, that the lines for the coming weekend are available before the current weekend is even over. As soon as they come out they are usually bet heavily by sharp bettors, and as a result the first lines that casual bettors see often bear little resemblance to those first lines. Most bettors don't have the desire, patience, time or inclination to be looking at lines a week in advance. If you are serious about winning, though, then looking at early lines, and occasionally betting them is a very good idea.
Read more about Early NFL Lines.
Titans Better Off With Collins
by Matt Severance - 09/10/2008
The Tennessee Titans will be without (projected) franchise quarterback Vince Young for at least the next two weeks after the No. 3 overall pick in the 2006 draft suffered an MCL sprain in Sunday's win against Jacksonville.
Read more about Vince Young.
Yards Per Attempt - Leaders Having Huge ATS Success
by Trevor Whenham - 09/10/2008
If I had to pick one favorite stat when it comes to assessing the effectiveness of a football offense it would be easy - yards per passing attempt. Passing is obviously just one component of an offense, and not a particularly key one at that for many teams. Still, no single stat does a better job in my mind of assessing the quality of an offense. To have a solid yards-per-attempt number, a team has to not only be good at passing, but it also has to have a good offensive line to protect the passer, good receivers to catch the passes, ad at least a decent running game to provide the space for the passing game to operate. It also needs a decent quarterback capable of making solid decisions. All of those things are reflected in the single, readily available number. There is simply no better shortcut to assess an offense or to compare two.
Read more about Yards Per Attempt.
Handicapping Quarterback Injuries
by Trevor Whenham - 09/10/2008
The first week of the 2008 NFL season was absolutely brutal on quarterbacks. The big story was the loss of Tom Brady for the season with a knee injury. He didn't even make it out of the first quarter. Kansas City's Brodie Croyle was hurt in the same game, and will miss time. Vince Young will miss 2-4 games with a sprained knee (and maybe more because he appears to have lost his mind, but that's another story). Tampa's Jeff Garcia is questionable for his next game with a sprained ankle. The weekend was carnage. At that pace every team in the league would suffer two injuries to starters through the season.
Read more about Handicapping Quarterback Injuries.
NFL: Extra Rest Doesn't Always Pay Off
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 09/10/2008
After traditionally playing Thursday games only on Thanksgiving, the NFL began to expand its Thursday night schedule to include opening season games on Thursday night. From there they added a third game on Thanksgiving night to make it a tripleheader after the Lions and Cowboys play their annual games. Now the NFL has more of a presence on a night that once was solely set aside for college football. In college football a team would generally get the previous week off when playing a Thursday game. That is not possible in the NFL where teams only get one bye week per season.
Read more about Thursday Games.
Patriots Enter Bull Market
by Robert Ferringo - 09/09/2008
The New England Patriots have done everything they could in the last decade to spit in the face of Fair Play and Common Decency. Alas, football is a sport of brutality. So we can overlook some minor acts born of the Survival Instinct. However, the Patriots have forced the football and gambling communities into the darkest regions of our sporting souls. For good or ill, they have won, and they have beaten spreads in the process. But now the pendulum is swinging back toward the center and the Patriots have become a Karmic Calamity.
Read more about Patriots Enter Bull Market.
AFC Suddenly Looks Wide Open
by Matt Severance - 09/08/2008
When the NFL season kicked off in full on Sunday afternoon, it was widely assumed that there were four powerhouses in the AFC. New England was the favorite to repeat as conference champ, but Jacksonville, San Diego and Indianapolis all were given solid odds to dethrone the Pats.
Read more about AFC Wide Open.
Chiefs Could Contend in AFC West
by Robert Ferringo - 09/08/2008
I broke down the tape of the Chiefs-Pats game and here are my game notes. I focus a more on the Chiefs because, well, we all know the Patriots. We know who they are, what they're about, and how they go about their business. Even after they lost Brady, Sunday was a clinic on why the Patriots are the model team in the NFL. They made key plays, they dictated tempo, they got contributions from just about everyone on offense, defense and special teams, and they stood tall in the clutch in the final minute. They won, but did not cover (get used to hearing that), and they stayed 'under'' the total (that too). But I was more intrigued by K.C. because they are allegedly in a rebuilding year.
Read more about Chiefs-Patriots Game Notes.
Monday Night NFL Doubleheader
by Matt Severance - 09/08/2008
For the only time this year there are two NFL games scheduled on Monday night, so bettors have twice the chance to add to or recoup some of their Sunday NFL wagering dollars.
Read more about Monday Night Doubleheader.
Merriman Has Right To Make His Own Decisions
by Trevor Whenham - 09/06/2008
It seems like the biggest story in sports this week is about a joint. Thankfully, though, it's not one that a player got caught smoking. It's one that is in bad shape. San Diego Chargers' linebacker Shawne Merriman has damaged two ligaments in his knee. Four different doctors have advised him to have surgery to repair the knee, yet Merriman has chosen to ignore that advice and going ahead and play. It seems like he could be risking serious, and potentially career ending, injury, yet Merriman downplays that, and is adamant that he just wants to play. The debate has raged throughout the media all week. As I see it, there are really only three issues involved:
Read more about Shawne Merriman.
NFL Coaches on the Hot Seat
by Trevor Whenham - 09/04/2008
If you are an NFL bettor and you can't find a bet you like then you aren't looking hard enough. There is a ridiculous number of prop bets available on the league, and they come in all shapes and sizes - short term, long term, low risk or high. A lot of the props don't necessarily make a lot of sense as a bet, but that doesn't mean that they aren't interesting to consider, and maybe to throw a few bucks at. One of my favorites at this time of year are the props offering odds on whether current coaches will still have a job with their current team next year. Bodog has several available. Here's a look:
Read more about NFL Coaches.
NFL Betting Traps to Avoid
by Trevor Whenham - 09/04/2008
When it comes to making money betting on football, those who have been successful know that the key isn't making the good plays; it's avoiding the bad mistakes. There are big traps everywhere just waiting for the unsuspecting public to fall into, and to bring their money with them. I'm talking about bad bets that people shouldn't be making. That doesn't mean that they might not pay off. It just means that the risk associated with them isn't nearly covered by the potential reward. Here are four traps that I'll certainly be avoiding:
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NFL Betting Storylines For Week 1
by Trevor Whenham - 09/03/2008
Well, it is finally here. After months of waiting and anticipating, the NFL season begins on Thursday. The next 17 weeks are pretty much heaven for sports bettors, with so many ways to try to make money. As we get ready for the season it's always entertaining to look at the most intriguing betting storylines the week has to offer. Pretty much every game this first week should be fun to watch and handicap for different reasons, but here are five games that offer the most for bettors to chew on from my perspective:
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Four Potential NFL Disappointments
by Trevor Whenham - 09/03/2008
At this point in the NFL season when the first games are literally just around the corner experience has taught me to do two things. I like to think long and hard about what my expectations are for each team, and then I like to brace myself for inevitable disappointment when teams don't live up to those expectations. As is the case every year at this time there are teams that the public and the media have fallen in love with. In some cases that love will be justified, but in others it really, really won't. Here's a look at four teams that there are reasons to like, but which I expect may ultimately be disappointing:
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Parlays Should Mostly Be Avoided
by Trevor Whenham - 08/28/2008
Football season is here, and that means that many of you will be tempted to bet parlays. The schedules and nature of the sport make parlays very attractive to many football bettors. Most seasoned and successful bettors, though, generally avoid parlays because they don't provide the best means of making money over the long term. You need to decide for yourself if parlays are the right things for you or not. The advantages they present for you may very well outweigh the well-documented setbacks. The important thing isn't to use or avoid parlay bets at all costs.
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Record Keeping Important Factor In Handicapping
by Trevor Whenham - 08/28/2008
If you want to do just one thing this season to make yourself a significantly more successful bettor with minimal effort, what would you do? Learning to handicap better would be one thing, but that's much easier said than done. Developing better money management skills is never a bad idea. The single biggest, and easiest, impact you can make, though, is by improving your record keeping.
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Setting Goals For Football Season
by Trevor Whenham - 08/28/2008
The football season is about to start. If you aren't ready for it you can burn through your bankroll before Donovan McNabb has his inevitable season ending injury (I put the over/under at Week 6, by the way). Before the insanity of the season arrives, it's a very good idea to take some time and set some goals for what you want to accomplish as a bettor during the season. This is a great way to get focused for the long, tough season, and it gives you a better chance of staying on track and avoiding costly errors.
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Finding the Right Football Contest
by Josh Nagel - 08/27/2008
It's that time of the year when every football fan, no matter how passionate, is looking to book some action for the upcoming season. Some play free fantasy football for the pure entertainment value, or throw down a few bucks at the weekly NFL office pool.
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Ryan Will Take Rookie Bumps in Atlanta
by Trevor Whenham - 08/27/2008
You didn't have to have a PhD in football to figure out that Matt Ryan was going to be the starting quarterback sooner rather than later in Atlanta. After all, with all due respect to Chris Redman and Joey Harrington, the Falcons don't have a lot of other options. They've paid a fortune to Ryan, they've based their marketing around him, and he is obviously the future of a team that desperately needs to forget about the recent past. What has been a bit of a surprise, though, is how quickly and seemingly effortlessly Ryan has adapted to the NFL.
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Handicapping the Manning and Brady Injuries
by Trevor Whenham - 08/26/2008
In a strange parallel, neither of the two best quarterbacks in the NFL have taken a snap in a preseason game. Peyton Manning is trying to recover from a knee surgery, while Tom Brady has been hobbled by a foot problem. Both players are expected back for the start of the regular season, but they both could be rusty. Determining how to deal with the two of them could be a major challenge for NFL handicappers.
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2008 Minnesota Vikings Predictions
by Indian Cowboy - 08/24/2008
Given that I still don't believe in this team's quarterback situation, I have this team at 9-7, similar to the Bucs in the NFC South. In fact, I expect this division to be very similar to the NFC South in many ways. After all, I believe there will be three teams up top around the .500 mark as this should be a tight division all the way through with one straggler, although the Bears are about 2-3 games better than the Falcons this year in my opinion. Ironically, that might be enough to win the division as I feel the Packers are in for a very underperforming year. As for the Vikings, this team was 8-8 last year, the question is have they gotten better?
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2008 Green Bay Packers Predictions
by Indian Cowboy - 08/24/2008
This team was a dominant 13-3 last year and was rolling to their own undefeated season until they met the Cowboys in Week 8. Nevertheless, this team rolls into this season with high hopes. However, they are missing one key ingredient, the man that made it happen for them. Keep in mind that Favre was not everything on this team.
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2008 Detroit Lions Predictions
by Indian Cowboy - 08/24/2008
The only good thing that the Lions have going for them this year is that they still might be better than the Bears. This team did much better last year considering they won seven ballgames. Heck, they finished better than the Bears in the division and finished the same as the Saints, the team they beat the previous year to get to the Super Bowl. However, when the Lions get beat, they get pummeled.
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2008 Chicago Bears Predictions
by Indian Cowboy - 08/24/2008
Do I really think the Bears are going to do this bad again this year? Yes. This team still has no quarterback and last year simply proves that the Rex Grossman year that took this team to the Super Bowl was indeed a fluke. No more Griese to look over Grossman's shoulders but, at the end of the day, this defense has gotten a bit older and slower and the results are showing.
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NFL Top Salary - Highest Paid NFL Player
by Trevor Whenham - 08/23/2008
You don't really need to feel too sorry for any NFL player on payday. Even the most lowly of rookies is guaranteed to make $285,000 so they aren't poor by any means. Some players, though, make more money than many small countries.
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NFL Salary Cap Rules
by Trevor Whenham - 08/23/2008
The NFL salary cap is one of the most confusing things in all of sports. The actual NFL salary cap rules aren't that complicated, or at least they don't seem to be, but the application and discussion of them as they are applied by teams is enough to put anyone to sleep. In this age when everyone is so concerned about the economics of sports, the salary cap is discussed at least as much as statistics or the play on the field. There's not much we can do about that, but at least if we understand the basic NFL salary cap rules we can understand a bit of what people are talking about.
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Super Bowl Hangover
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 08/22/2008
The effect of playing in the Super Bowl the previous year has an undeniable effect on teams, both winning and losing, into the next season. Whether it affects the actual teams, the oddsmaker's original line, or the public perception that eventually moves the line is debatable. However, one thing that is not is that the trend is there.
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Handicapping NFL Strength of Schedule
by Matt Foust - 08/21/2008
Many pro football handicappers use the NFL strength of schedule rankings to help them prepare for the football season. It's easy to calculate and it can be a nice tool to use for research purposes. However, it is not the absolute difference maker between a winning and a losing season, both for the bettor and for the team. It can, with a little digging, yield some valuable clues, though.
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NFL Facts
by Trevor Whenham - 08/21/2008
NFL fans love NFL facts. At least some do. If you are one of them then this article is for you. Here is a collection some useful NFL facts, and others that you probably don't need to know. Just because you don't need to, though, doesn't mean you don't want to. Without further ado, onto the NFL facts:
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NFL Schedule Formula
by Trevor Whenham - 08/21/2008
Most football fans don't put too much thought into where the schedule for their favorite teams come from or how it is determined. They just look at it when it comes out, celebrate the easy games, moan about the tough ones, and get ready for the season. The NFL schedule formula used to determine which teams play when, though, is a surprisingly complicated formula. It doesn't really matter to sports fans or bettors in the grand scheme of things, but it's still good to know how these things work. Here, then, is the NFL schedule formula. It is obviously subject to change, though the current formula will be used at least through the end of the 2009 season.
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NFL Player Salaries for 2008
by Nicholas Tolomeo - 08/18/2008
Having a legitimate salary cap in the NFL makes competency, not money, the most important asset a GM can have. The average salary of the eight Pro Bowl quarterbacks last year was $6.6 million. The Chicago Bears dished out over $8 million for the revolving quarterback circus of Brain Griese, Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton-that's not exactly getting your moneys worth.
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NFL Preseason Football Schedule
Doc's has you covered this NFL season with the complete preseason seasonal schedule for all NFL teams on a weekly basis. Each year we will be updating the preseason football schedule with the current information, so be sure to come back annually. Our left and right navigation bar is loaded with information including updated scores, game matchups reports and live lines and odds. If you are looking for winning picks visit each of the handicapper pages on the left side bar in the "advisory board" section where they all post free predictions daily.
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Preseason NFL Power Rankings
by Robert Ferringo - 08/11/2008
See, it's the power that determines the ranking in the ol' NFL. And how can people possibly measure a team's power without first watching them hit, and be it? So I had to wait until after the opening weekend of NFL Exhibition action before I could, in good conscience, unleash my opening version of Doc's Sports Power Rankings for the 2008 NFL season. I had to see these untamed beasts in action, mauling and maiming one another in front of a live studio audience. And even though we didn't see the Money Men play more than a dozen or so plays, I witnessed enough of The Fury to help establish a baseline of performance for the upcoming season.
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NFL Hall of Fame Game Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 08/02/2008
Tired of baseball? Tired of betting on illegal dog fighting? Tired of staring out your window with a pellet gun aiming at the neighbors loud, obnoxious children? Sick of spending time with your wife and kids?
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Brett Favre For President!
by Trevor Whenham - 07/31/2008
I'm going to make a bold assumption that you are at least a little bit aware that there is a bit of a soap opera underway with Brett Favre as the star. If you're not, well, it's just not possible that you aren't since it seems to be the only topic that the world, or at least the sports world, has the ability to talk about.
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2008 San Diego Chargers Predictions
by Josh Nagel - 07/29/2008
The Chargers made the AFC championship game last season - and were within a couple of blown opportunities from upsetting the Patriots - and remain the class of this division despite what could be characterized as two major mistakes by the team's management.
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2008 Denver Broncos Predictions
by Josh Nagel - 07/29/2008
Give credit to the Broncos ownership for loyalty. His two Super Bowl rings of yesteryear have earned coach Mike Shanahan a lot - make that A LOT - of slack over the past few years, with some decision-making and results that long ago would have earned other coaches their pink slips. Losing at home to the 49ers in the last game of the season with their playoff lives on the line would have been enough to get a majority of coaches their ticket to the unemployment line. However, Shanahan will be the helm once again when the Broncos kick off their season.
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2008 Oakland Raiders Predictions
by Josh Nagel - 07/29/2008
To use one word, bleak … that is the outlook this season as it has been it Oakland ever since the Jon Gruden-Rich Gannon era left town and the forgettable Bill Callahan era, followed by other disasters, ensued. Give owner Al Davis credit for not going to the well of Art Shell types one more time, but his timing likely was off with the hiring of Lane Kiffin. Even though the young coach showed some signs of coaching aptitude, he came along in the wrong situation.
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2008 Kansas City Chiefs Predictions
by Josh Nagel - 07/29/2008
The good news for the Raiders is that they might not be the worst team in this division ... although it could be a close battle given Oakland's recent history. But the early favorite for that dubious distinction goes to the Kansas City Chiefs.
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2008 Pittsburgh Steelers Predictions
by Matt Foust - 07/28/2008
Last season Mike Tomlin had the difficult job of following an iconic head coach. He succeeded in his efforts largely because he did not mess with the solid blueprint that Bill Cowher employed for years - run the ball well and play a stifling brand of defense. Give Tomlin his due for being savvy enough and selfless enough not to tinker with the goods too much.
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2008 Cleveland Browns Predictions
by Matt Foust - 07/28/2008
Browns Head Coach Romeo Crennel probably saved his job last season. Ironically for the former Patriots defensive coordinator, it was his offense that bailed him out. There was a certain amount of optimism in Cleveland after last year's draft, when the team picked up Wisconsin Tackle Joe Thomas and Notre Dame Quarterback Brady Quinn.
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2008 Cincinnati Bengals Predictions
by Matt Foust - 07/28/2008
The Bengals were probably torn between the rewind and fast forward buttons at the end of last season. Part of the organization's psyche probably wanted a second chance at a dismal season and another part probably wanted to get away from it as fast as possible. Marvin Lewis and company are about to get another go, but it remains to be seen if this season will be absent of the issues that plagued the team in 2007. This offseason has certainly been wrought with tension as star receiver Chad Johnson has continued to publicly bicker with management.
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2008 Baltimore Ravens Predictions
by Matt Foust - 07/28/2008
Last season the Baltimore Ravens were one of the most disappointing teams in professional football. They were so disappointing, in fact, that the Ravens brass sent long time head coach Brian Billick to the unemployment line. This season will definitely produce some changes for the team, but they are still likely to have their fortunes rest on the play of their defense, at least in the near future. It would seem that the offense, while having some pieces in place, is probably a year or two off from being a consistent threat.
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Handicapping Coaches Key for NFL Preseason
by Robert Ferringo - 07/24/2008
Last year I wrote an article that laid out some basic tips for NFL preseason betting and I feel that the ideas and suggestions that I laid out there still resonate this year. I would give it a read before you consider dipping your toe in the wild waters of NFL preseason wagering.
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Shockey Has New Home, New Props From Bodog
by Matt Severance - 07/22/2008
Jeremy Shockey's pending trade from the New York Giants to the New Orleans Saints has spurred Bodog Sportsbook to put out a few interesting prop bets for the outspoken tight end for the upcoming season.
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2008 NFL Division Winners Futures Betting
by Trevor Whenham - 07/19/2008
With NFL training camps just around the corner now is the time we should be getting our head around how we think things are going to turn out by the time the playoffs roll around. That's easier said than done. A good place to start, though, and to get back into the swing of thinking about football again, is to look at the odds for each team to win their division. That way, you only have to look at four teams at a time - certainly manageable. Here's a first look at some of the potential opportunities for NFL division winners futures betting that jump out (all odds are from Sportsbook.com):
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2008 NFL Predictions
by Robert Ferringo - 07/18/2008
The best part about making NFL Predictions is that 99 percent of the general public forgets them before they are even done reading the article. If you don't believe me, then how do you explain the fact that Mel Kiper Jr., Sean Salisbury, Stink Schlereth and Joe Theismann still collect paychecks?
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NFL Playoff Tree
by Doc's Sports
If you have found this page you are most likely looking for an NFL playoff tree. Doc's Sports NFL playoffs tree will be updated after every round of the NFL playoffs. Doc's has been a sports information leader since the early 1970s and our winning NFL football picks have made us a household name. Check out our Insider's Page for more information on picks packages.
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An Expert Handicapper's Guide to NFL Training Camps
by Trevor Whenham - 07/09/2008
As hard as it may be to believe, NFL training camps are just around the corner. Soon, multi-millionaire players for teams that still respect tradition will be living in dorm rooms in some sleepy college town, practicing once or twice a day, and getting ready for another year. It's a great time of year. As media scrutiny of the NFL has intensified, though, coverage of training camps have become more and more intense. That's mostly a good thing, but it can also be proof that there is such a thing as too much information. There are some things we hear out of training camps that are important aids to our handicapping process, and others that are absolutely meaningless and misleading.
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NFL Handicapping - NFL Handicappers
by Doc's Sports
Doc's Sports has been one of the most trusted and well-respected sports information companies in the world and a big reason for that is because we provide some of the best NFL handicapping in the industry for our faithful clients. Our NFL handicappers don't just study during the pro football season - this is a year-around job and we track all the offseason moves and track all the teams in the NFL in order to provide the best and most informed NFL handicapping picks to our clients across the globe.
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Getting Ready for the NFL
by Trevor Whenham - 07/03/2008
Now that everything but baseball is out of the way - the playoffs, the drafts, the races, and the tournaments - the biggest task that faces most sports bettors is to get ready for the NFL season. The NFL is the undisputed king of sports, and it's the only one that most sports bettors care about. Even if you are just a casual NFL bettor there is a lot you can do now that will make you more prepared, and more likely to win, when the season finally gets here. Here are five ideas to get you started:
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NFL Office Pool Picks
by Doc's Sports
If you have reached this page you are most likely looking for NFL office pool picks. NFL office pools are extremely popular during the pro football season - who doesn't like to have a rooting interest in the weekend's games - and everyone likes to make a little extra money. Here at Doc's Sports we are all about helping you put a little extra cash in your wallet. We understand not everyone follows the NFL seven days a week during the regular season but that is our job, and with almost three decades experience at picking NFL games, we are one of the best in the business.
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Predictions on Bodog NFL Top Passer Props
by Jason Shimberg - 06/26/2008
This prop bet at Bodog lists 23 active quarterbacks, and the field. In 1984, Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins passed for the most yards in a single season; 5,084 yds. This is an average of 317.75 yds per game. That may not be duplicated or surpassed for many years to come, but here are the most likely to lead for this season. Quarterback Tom Brady of the 16-0 New England Patriots had the most passing yards (4,806) in 2007. It is hard to bet against him repeating.
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Initial Super Bowl Gut Feeling - Dallas Vs. Jacksonville
by Trevor Whenham - 06/25/2008
The calendar only says June, and NFL training camps don't even get away for another month, but I'm starting to get a serious itch to see some football. Heck, I've had that since about Feb. 10. The concept of trying to figure out who is going to make the Super Bowl now is truly ridiculous, and by doing so I am almost certainly setting myself up for a dramatic and painful failure, I have nothing better to do so I'll do it anyway. If I want to justify this exercise I could say that by doing it now I am exploring my gut feelings before they have been colored by extensive coverage and piles of contradictory and confusing research. That's silly, of course, but it'll do.
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NFL Teams With Questions at QB
by Trevor Whenham - 06/24/2008
The typical NFL bettor probably pays more attention to quarterbacks then they deserve, but there is no denying that it is much easier for a team to find success when they have a good pivot than it is when they can never be sure if the QB will throw a completion or an interception. A quick perusal of the list of starting quarterbacks in the league shows us that there are a fair number of teams that probably wish that they were in better quarterback shape heading into the season. There are five teams, though, that really stand out to me as having more questions than answers behind center.
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Reasons to Bet NFL Now
by Trevor Whenham - 06/11/2008
Football is always in the news, and the NFL is the unquestionable king of sports, but June isn't always when you think about betting on the gridiron. After all, there is still NBA action, the Triple Crown just ended, baseball is getting into swing, the French Open just wrapped up, and the U.S. Open tees off on Thursday. Who needs football? That's probably okay, but there are a few good reasons why you should at least take a look at what is available on the board for the NFL. Most books have a wide range of futures available - division winners, team total wins, and Super Bowl champs.
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NFL Rookie of the Year Props
by Tony Corleone - 05/28/2008
Dating back to 1976 the Associated Press has given out two annual Rookie of the Year Awards to NFL players. One is for best offensive player and the other for best defensive player. These awards are viewed very highly and are excellent pieces of hardware to add to a player's resume. Many of the atheletes that have won either of these awards have gone on to have great success in the NFL.
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Potential NFL Draft Busts
by Trevor Whenham - 04/16/2008
With the NFL Draft just around the corner we are again faced with one of the unquestionable truths of the thing - every player with first round potential sounds like a can't miss star, but many of them are going to miss, and some are going to miss badly. It's not always easy to pick out the flops - as hard as it is to believe, people thought that Ryan Leaf was a future hall of famer. Reggie Bush isn't a flop yet, but he sure isn't the game changer we all knew he would be. You can't always spot the duds, but a few of the players that are likely to go in the first round strike me as having real potential to be disappointing. Here are four guys that wouldn't make me happy if my team were to call their name on Saturday.
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Can't Miss Early Games from NFL Schedule
by Trevor Whenham - 04/15/2008
Have you noticed how the NFL manages to find a way to stay in the news the whole year? The latest way to grab the headlines was the release of the full 2008 NFL schedule this afternoon. Most of the schedule is pretty predictable and standard, yet for some reason this is a day I look forward to every year. Maybe it is a reminder that football season isn't too far away. Whatever the reason, it's great fun to look over the schedule and circle the games that could be great viewing or betting opportunities. Here are 10 that jumped out at first glance from the first few weeks of the season:
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2009 Super Bowl Futures Odds
by Robert Ferringo - 02/06/2008
Super Bowl 43 will be held on Feb. 1, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. While I'm certain the G-Men will only be there as spectators there are still 31 other organizations that are aching to throw a booze-infused ticker-tape parade down Main Street next year. Below is a full list of 2009 Super Bowl futures odds and NFL odds for the 2008-09 season along with my thoughts on who has the inside track for taking a ride on a float:
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AFC Championship Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/17/2008
Stay classy, San Diego. That is my advice to the San Diego Chargers this weekend as they matchup with the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game at 3 p.m. on Sunday in Foxboro, Mass. And I think that the most important intangible that any gambler should consider in this matchup is which team is most likely to pop off come game time and will these teams respond to the extracurricular activities that come with a playing in such a Big Game.
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Seattle-Green Bay Divisional Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/10/2008
There is something so familiar about this weekend's NFL Divisional Round matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers.
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Jacksonville-New England Divisional Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/10/2008
The New England Patriots are not the Greatest Team of All Time. They aren't as they sit today, and they won't be if they run the table and win the Super Bowl this season. And to me it's not even an issue.
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San Diego-Indianapolis Divisional Betting Preview
by Robert Ferringo - 01/10/2008
Do you trust Norv Turner? Would you trust him with your dog? How about your child? How about this: if you gave him a $20 bill and sent him to the store for a 12-pack would you trust him not to bring you back a pack of wine coolers and pocket your change?
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Basics of Betting on Football
by T.O Whenham - 01/09/2008
When it comes to betting on sports in North America, nothing is nearly as popular, or as entertaining, as football. Many prefer the NFL while others like the college game more, but there are few sports bettors out there who don't play one or the other. If you're one of those few who doesn't yet bet on football, or you are struggling a bit and need to tighten your game up, here are the basics of betting on football to get you going.
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Breaking Down BetUS Super Bowl Matchup Props
by Josh Nagel - 01/04/2008
The bummer for NFL fans is that the peak of couch potato fever is over, now that the regular season has concluded and it's no longer possible to stay glued to the TV from about 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays watching the games. More bad news is that there are fewer games on which to wager.
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NFL Playoff Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 01/04/2008
The NFL playoffs are finally just around the corner. That means just one thing - it's time for NFL playoff predictions. As an obsessed sports bettor I'll be worrying about spreads and lines and all those things soon enough, but before I do that I like to take a look at how things set up straight-up. Once I have a sense of the way I see things working out I stand a better chance of finding value in the betting lines. Besides that, making straight-up NFL playoff predictions is just good, clean fun.
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