NFL Handicapping Articles

Indianapolis Colts Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/17/2014

I don't think anyone would argue that the three best teams in the NFL during the 2013 regular season were Seattle, San Francisco and Denver in whichever order you would like to list them. One team beat all those clubs: Andrew Luck's Indianapolis Colts. Luck led the Colts to a second straight 11-5 record and the AFC South title.

New Orleans Saints Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/17/2014

I honestly the believe the Saints would have multiple Super Bowl titles, instead of just the one after the 2009 season, if they could play every game indoors like an NBA team. That's basically what the Saints of Coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees are: a track meet NBA team, at least offensively. No team is better suited for its home field in the NFL. There's a reason the Saints never lose in the Superdome.

NFL Handicapping: Ranking the Divisions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/17/2014

When evaluating the prospects of NFL teams in the futures market, there are few factors more important than the division they play in. Because every team plays every other team in their division twice, divisional strength can have a massive impact on how a season turns out. A weak division can lift a mediocre team to double-digit wins thanks to hollow victories. A very tough division, on the other hand, can hide a strong team behind an average record.

2014 Odds to Win NFC South with Picks and NFL Predictions
by Dave Schwab - 7/16/2014

The smell of football is in the air as all 32 NFL teams are set to open training camp over the next week or so to start preparations for the 2014 regular season. Over the past few weeks I have been taking a closer look at BetOnline’s NFL futures odds to win each of the eight divisions. This time around I will dig deeper into the betting odds to win the NFC South to come up with my picks and predictions for one of the most competitive divisions in the NFL.

NFL Betting Props Odds: Top Wide Receiver Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/16/2014

The seemingly endless offseason in the NFL is a good time to evaluate prop bets for value. As we get closer to the regular season there is other, more pressing handicapping to do, so this is just effective time management. And it’s fun, too. This time around let’s look at the most receiving yards prop on offer at Sportsbook.ag. The one thing we can be sure of is that we are going to have a new leader this year — Josh Gordon was tops last year, but his self-destructive tendencies have ruled out a repeat. So, who will it be? Here’s a look at the most likely suspects:

Chicago Bears Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/15/2014

When the Chicago Bears dumped successful Coach Lovie Smith after the 2012 season despite a 10-6 record, some around the NFL were a bit puzzled that GM Phil Emery replaced Smith with Montreal Alouettes head coach Marc Trestman. He had been a successful coordinator in the NFL previously, but it seemed like his chance to become a head coach in the league had passed. Plus, it was just very un-Bear like as it's one of the most conservative franchises in the league. It generally hires defensive-minded head coaches and tries to win on that side of the ball. The whole Monsters of the Midway thing.

Philadelphia Eagles Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/14/2014

Remember that first half of the Philadelphia Eagles' Monday night season opener in Washington last season? The Eagles scored 26 points, put up tons of yards and there were gaping holes everywhere in the Redskins' defense thanks to first-year Coach Chip Kelly's unique up-tempo system. It was a sight to behold, and it looked like the NFL was going to have to adjust or be run over. Well, the Eagles weren't quite the same offense in the second half of the game or the rest of the year for the most part. While Kelly's group did play pretty fast all season, it wasn't quite revolutionary.

Pittsburgh Steelers Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/11/2014

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't had a losing record since 2003, which shows how well-run this franchise is. However, the Steelers finished 8-8 last year for the second straight season, and missing the playoffs in back-to-back campaigns just isn't acceptable in the Steel City.

Cincinnati Bengals Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/11/2014

The Cincinnati Bengals should be celebrating probably the greatest three-year regular-season stretch in franchise history. The keywords there are: "regular-season stretch." Cincinnati has gone from nine wins in 2011 to 10 the next year and 11 in 2013, when the team won the AFC North for the first time since 2009. It was the first time in team history it reached three straight postseasons. One could argue the Bengals were the most dominant home team in the NFL last season, blowing out the final five opponents at Paul Brown Stadium to finish 8-0 there, covering the spread in all of them.

NFL Super Bowl Matchup Props Odds with Betting Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/11/2014

As a big horse racing fan I love the prop bet in which you try to pick the two teams that will play in the Super Bowl. It’s basically an exacta — or a combination of that and the daily double. It’s a different way of thinking about football than normal, and that’s a good thing. You have to figure out the two best teams, and you have to get them both right or you don’t get paid. It’s a good challenge -and potentially a lucrative one. Here are six of the most interesting potential pairings from Sportsbook.ag:

Odds for Every NFL Team to Make the Playoffs
by Trevor Whenham - 7/10/2014

The long, long NFL offseason is made more bearable by the collection of prop bets that can be pondered. Among the most interesting this year is at Bovada — they have set odds for each of the 32 teams to make the playoffs. As is always the case in situations like this, there are some that are more interesting than others. Here are six that stand out from the crowd and odds for every NFL team to make the playoffs are listed at the bottom:

NFL Passing Yard Props Odds and Picks for League’s Most Prolific Quarterback
by Trevor Whenham - 7/10/2014

As we look longingly into the horizon at the start of the NFL season, it is a good time to look for some value in places like NFL passing yard props. Here are some of my picks and predictions for the most interesting prices for the most prolific quarterbacks in the league in terms of yardage (odds are from Sportsbook.ag):

2014 Odds to Win NFC West with Picks and NFL Predictions
by Dave Schwab - 7/9/2014

BetOnline has you covered for the start of a new season in the NFL with a complete list of futures odds as well as team and player props. As part of ongoing series covering the betting odds to win each of the NFL’s eight division titles, I have made my way over to the National Football Conference starting with a look at the highly-competitive NFC West.

NFL Rushing Leader Odds, Picks and Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 7/9/2014

One good way to make the endless NFL offseason seem bearable is to look ahead to the next season. A great way to do that is to look at player props — rushing props in this case (odds are from Sportsbook.ag). Here are some picks and predictions for betting on the top rusher this upcoming season.

Baltimore Ravens Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/8/2014

I thought the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl win two seasons ago was a bit of a fluke because Joe Flacco played out of his mind for four games. I had no expectations of them repeating as champions last year, but I certainly was surprised this was just a .500 team. Of course, Flacco got his monster extension before last season and that cost the Ravens a handful of players. The losses of future Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed also hurt, perhaps more from a leadership standpoint than their actual production on the field at this point in their careers.

NFL Futures Odds: Best Bets for the AFC
by CarbonSports - 7/8/2014

The AFC isn't as top-heavy as the NFC is, and the AFC Futures odds reflect that. Based on these odds it looks like one of last year's AFC Championship game participants (New England/Denver) will be in the Super Bowl this year. However, with some very good teams in a wide-open field behind these two squads, I'm not so sure we will see Manning or Brady back in the big game.

NFL Futures Betting: Top Odds from the NFC
by CarbonSports - 7/8/2014

With the calendar hitting July, it's time to start turning our attention to the upcoming NFL season as the Seattle Seahawks aim to defend their crown. Seattle will have to go through a deep NFC conference once again, but they enter this season as the favorites to do so.

Detroit Lions Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/7/2014

The Detroit Lions have had some awesome offensive talent over the past two decades. Barry Sanders, Herman Moore, Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to name four. But something seems to always go wrong to keep this franchise as a perennial underachiever. There have been questionable coaching hires for sure. True, the quarterbacks haven't been great before Stafford. The defense has often not been up to par to the offense.

Carolina Panthers Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/4/2014

When the Carolina Panthers were blown out in Week 5 at Arizona last season, following the Panthers' bye week, to fall to 1-3, I thought there was zero chance that embattled Coach Ron Rivera would last the season. I believe he topped those "first coach to be fired" props released around then by Bovada.

New York Giants Odds to Win the Super Bowl and Betting Futures
by Alan Matthews - 7/3/2014

The New York Giants appear likely to lose the battle for the back page of those New York tabloids this season as this looks like a rather bland, mediocre group. At least the Jets made some big offensive splashes in free agency this offseason, and of course Rex Ryan is a little more fun than Tom Coughlin.