NFL Handicapping Articles

2013 Dallas Cowboys Predictions and NFL Futures Odds
by Alan Matthews - 8/16/2013

I have to admit first off that I was sucked into the whole Dallas Cowboys thing when I was young. They were the coolest team in the NFL, with the stars on their helmets and the fact that they were not only America's Team but also apparently God's, too. That's why there was an opening in the stadium, so God could watch.

How to Bet a Teaser on an NFL Football Game
by George Monroy - 8/16/2013

There are a variety of bets that gamblers can wager on during the NFL football season—spreads, moneylines, parlays, totals, and individual prop bets, among others. And it’s every sports gambler’s job to diversify his skill set and be able to understand and wager on any bet on the board.

Handicapping the New NFL Coaches
by Trevor Whenham - 8/15/2013

There are eight new head coaches in the NFL this year — fully a quarter of the league. Bettors face a tough challenge with new coaches. Sometimes they can make the changes needed to significantly improve the team out of the gate. Other times they have to make bigger changes before finding success, or they are never destined to find it at all.

NFL Handicapping: Worst Starting Quarterbacks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/14/2013

What comes to mind when I mention the names Michael Vick, Carson Palmer, and Mark Sanchez? Is it their numerous Pro Bowl appearances? The hype and untold millions they have been showered with throughout their careers? Maybe it is the conference championship appearances and playoff games they have accounted for in their careers.

2013 Washington Redskins Predictions and NFL Futures Odds
by Alan Matthews - 8/14/2013

Do you think the St. Louis Rams would like a do-over on the 2012 NFL Draft? Yes, they got a great haul from the Washington Redskins for Washington to move up to No. 2 overall, but wouldn't the Rams have been better off trading former No. 1 overall pick Sam Bradford -- and they got a few good offers -- and taking Robert Griffin III themselves?

2013 New York Giants Predictions and NFL Futures Odds
by Alan Matthews - 8/13/2013

There are only two coaches in the NFL currently who have been with their franchises for at least 10 years: New England's Bill Belichick and Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis. The New York Giants' Tom Coughlin will join that group in Week 1, but I wonder if his time might be coming to an end. Outside of the Giants' surprising Super Bowl run in the 2011 season, the team has missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

2013 Detroit Lions Predictions and NFL Futures Odds
by Alan Matthews - 8/13/2013

It’s very fitting that the the New York Jets and Detroit Lions opened their preseason against one another on Friday night, as I believe the two hottest coaching seats in the NFL belong to the Jets' Rex Ryan and Lions' Jim Schwartz. Ryan certainly will get all the publicity simply because he's in New York and isn't exactly bashful. But I think Ryan is set up to fail -- just look at the Jets' talent level on offense, for example.

Top Props of the Week: 2013 NFL Futures Odds to make Playoffs
by Dave Schwab - 8/13/2013

To get you ready for the 2013 NFL season, Bovada has recently released its prop bet odds for a number of different categories. This time around, Top Props is going to take a closer look at the current odds for a few team’s chances to make it into the playoffs this season.

Money Management No. 1 Key To Successful NFL Betting
by Sports Betting Professor - 8/13/2013

As we near the kickoff of another exciting NFL season, I wanted to talk about one concept that I feel is important to master if you want to have successful betting campaign. It has to do with your mental approach to the whole idea of betting on football.

NFL Handicapping: Does a Sophomore Slump Await Second-Year Quarterbacks?
by Ricky Dimon - 8/12/2013

For receivers, the trend is to make their breakouts in year three of their careers. Running backs are generally expected to excel right away before wearing down sooner rather than later, depending on their workloads. For quarterbacks…who the heck knows?

NFL Betting Success: How to Win in Preseason
by Jason Sharpe - 8/9/2013

Most folks betting NFL Preseason football use the same type of approach. They will tell you to find out what the quarterback rotations are for each team, which star players are going to play, who is going to sit out, what the coaches ATS records are, etc…. Though those are good strategies to use, the problem with doing things this way is that you are doing the exact same thing that the other bettors are doing, and doing things the same as others won’t give you an edge over the linesmakers in the long run.

2013 Minnesota Vikings Predictions and NFL Futures Odds
by Alan Matthews - 8/9/2013

I was about to write that no team overachieved more last season than the Minnesota Vikings, but I guess that title has to go to Andrew Luck's Indianapolis Colts. So let's say the Vikings were the biggest overachievers in the NFC by finishing 10-6 -- a year after a 3-13 mark - and reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Ranking the NFL Divisions
by Robert Ferringo - 8/7/2013

I am a firm believer in the concept of relative divisional strength. The idea is that when trying to break down a matchup between two seemingly equal teams you should give greater weight to the club from the better division. And that considering a team’s division – and also their conference – can create a framework from which a bettor can gauge line value.

NFC South Predictions and Futures Odds with Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/5/2013

The NFC South may be the most competitive division in football this year. Besides the NFC North, the South is the only group in the NFL where I wouldn’t be surprised if any of the four participants rose up and won the division.

AFC South Predictions and Futures Odds with Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/2/2013

The first thing you do when handicapping a team is look at the coach and the quarterback. That gives you a baseline of the franchise and is a determinant as to how good that team should be. With that in mind, let’s do a quick rundown on what the AFC South is packing.

NFC North Predictions and Futures Odds with Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/2/2013

The NFC North was the best division in football in 2012. Teams in the North combined to go 23-17 against the rest of the league last year. Those 23 wins were tied with the NFC West for the most in the NFL, but the North was the only division to produce three teams with 10 or more wins.

AFC West Predictions and Futures Odds with Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/1/2013

I don’t know what it is about the West Coast, but football doesn’t exactly flourish there. The NFC West had been the worst division in football over the past decade. They are attempting a revival. But in the meantime the AFC West has taken up a post as the league’s outhouse.

AFC North Predictions and Futures Odds with Betting Picks
by Robert Ferringo - 8/1/2013

Three of the four divisions in the AFC are all but decided before a single game has been played. Miami might threaten embattled New England. But no one seriously thinks they will overtake them. The same can be said for Indianapolis in the South; they could put up a good fight, but it would be a massive upset if Houston didn’t win a third straight division title.

NFL Handicapping: Key Free Agent Signings
by Trevor Whenham - 8/1/2013

There are few things in sports that are more overhyped and overanalyzed than free agency in the NFL is. For every player that has a huge impact, there are five that just don’t amount to much — and wind up getting cut before the contract ends. While some contracts don’t make much sense from the outset, there are some that have the potential to be very impactful for their teams, and, more significantly, can be important for bettors.

Tips for Betting Preseason NFL Games
by Trevor Whenham - 7/31/2013

I have a clear and firm rule when it comes to how to bet on the NFL preseason — I just don’t do it. There are exceptions, though — and some people just don’t want to miss out on betting on any kind of football after the endless offseason. If a bettor is analytical and patient then there is indeed value to be found in the four games before the regular season starts.