NFL Handicapping Articles

NFL Home Underdogs: Valuable Betting Option?
by George Monroy - 12/13/2012

As sports bettors, we have all heard about the value of betting NFL home underdogs. The smart bettor is never afraid to take the points on a home underdog, which is usually the opposite of the general public, who love to bet the favorites as often as possible. And while it might seem like a logical thought process to take a NFL home team plus points, how much value do they really have?

This Week in NFL Betting by the Numbers
by Ricky Dimon - 12/13/2012

A whopping six battles will be waged this week between teams with winning records, a Week 15 record according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Get your popcorn ready for Giants-Falcons, Packers-Bears, Broncos-Ravens, Colts-Texans, Steelers-Cowboys, and 49ers-Patriots.

Week 15 NFL Teasers Advice: Best Three for Basic Strategy Teases
by George Monroy - 12/12/2012

Week 15 of the NFL season is here. And as we quickly make our way to the playoffs, now would be the time to truly appreciate how great the NFL season has really been. Not only have we had entertaining games, coupled with great and horrendously bad teams, but sports bettors have had a great season as well (unless, of course, you were on the other end of that Golden Tate touchdown or ridiculous Jim Harbaugh safety call).

Longshot Super Bowl Futures Odds: Which Teams Have the Best Value?
by George Monroy - 12/11/2012

The Super Bowl may be the most difficult championship to win in professional sports. The single-elimination format makes it extremely difficult for any football team to be a significant favorite. The constant threat of injuries, coupled with the grind of weekly games, make betting Super Bowl futures an excellent way to get huge value and return on a minimal investment.

Weekly Philadelphia Eagles Betting Picks: Week 15 vs. Bengals
by Dave Schwab - 12/10/2012

The Cincinnati Bengals will wrap up their season series against the NFC East with a Thursday night tilt against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The kickoff for this inter-conference clash is slated for 8:20 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL Network.

NFL Picks: Broncos at Raiders Odds and Betting Predictions
by Trevor Whenham - 12/6/2012

Writing about this game makes me a little sad. This was once a great rivalry. There is no reason it shouldn’t still be, and the Broncos have certainly done their part this year. The Raiders, though, are a total mess, and they have been for so long now that it’s getting depressing. I’d love nothing more than to close my eyes and pretend that we are back in the glory years of a grand rivalry, but that would require giving Oakland far too much credit — and making a bad decision as a result. Sadly, that means all we can do is deal with the bleak reality of what this game is instead of what it could be.

NFL Week 14 Player Props, Leaders Odds and Betting Picks
by Alan Matthews - 12/6/2012

The rookies getting all the publicity in the NFL this season are the Colts’ Andrew Luck and the Redskins’ Robert Griffin III, the top two picks in the 2012 draft. They certainly both deserve it as both are on record-setting rookie seasons and might get their teams to the playoffs (unbelievable in the Colts’ case). But a guy you don’t hear too much about is Seattle rookie QB Russell Wilson, a third-round pick out of Wisconsin via NC State. Perhaps it’s because Seattle is nestled way up in the Pacific Northwest, but Wilson is having a season that normally would be Rookie of the Year worthy – just not this year.

This Week in NFL Betting by the Numbers
by Ricky Dimon - 12/4/2012

While three teams (Atlanta, Denver, and New England) coasted to destinations that were inevitable many weeks ago, a number of NFL divisions just got a whole lot more interesting after Week 13 developments. Pittsburgh stayed alive in the AFC North, Green Bay finally pulled even with Chicago in the NFC North, and Seattle and Washington are suddenly in play in the NFC West and NFC East, respectively.

NFL Handicapping: the Kaepernick vs. Smith Niners Quarterback Controversy
by Trevor Wenham - 11/29/2012

One of the most surprising and intriguing storylines of the last few weeks of the NFL season has been the quarterback situation in San Francisco. The unspoken rule in the league is that a player isn’t supposed to lose his starting role because of injury. When Alex Smith suffered a mild concussion, though, Colin Kaepernick was so good in relief that he was named starter even once Alex Smith was declared healthy.

NFL Picks: Saints at Falcons Betting Predictions and Odds
by T.O. Whenham - 11/28/2012

There is a good chance that this will be the best Thursday night game we have seen all year — though that’s not saying much given the overwhelming slate of mid-week games we have been subjected to. The stakes are very high for both teams in this one.

NFL Handicapping: Teams that Could Finish Strong
by T.O. Whenham - 11/28/2012

At this point in the NFL season there are some teams that we know are going to finish strong. The Patriots, Texans and Ravens are very strong in the AFC, for example, and San Francisco is for real in the NFC. Those teams are less interesting to bettors, though, because the public is all over them. What is more interesting is finding teams that have a good potential to be more impressive than people think. Here are four squads that have the chance to reward the bettors who believe in them the rest of the way:

This Week in NFL Betting by the Numbers
by Ricky Dimon - 11/22/2012

It’s Thanksgiving week in the NFL, and football bettors and fans always have a lot for which to be thankful this time of year. The Lions and Cowboys have traditionally taken the field on Thanksgiving Day, and a recently-added night game continues to be part of the menu. What more could you ask for, in addition to a smorgasbord of food, then a smorgasbord of NFL action on national television?

NFL Picks: Texans at Lions Predictions and Betting Odds
by T.O. Whenham - 11/21/2012

There are three games on offer this Thanksgiving, and it’s the strongest group of games we have seen on Turkey Day in quite awhile. The Patriots and Jets will be good for some fireworks, and the RGIII show rarely disappoints, but in my eyes the first of the three games is by far the most interesting. Both of these teams have the potential to be very good, but both have shown — many times over in the case of the Lions — that they are vulnerable and imperfect as well.

Week 12 NFL Teasers Advice: Best Four for Basic Strategy Teases
by George J Monroy - 11/20/2012

Welcome back to another week of basic strategy teaser analysis here at Doc’s Sports. Its Thanksgiving week, so while you are running around preparing for food and football, remember that there will be many opportunities to bet on a fantastic line over the next few days. This weekend there are five basic strategy teaser games on the schedule, so if you are looking for a solid wager to bet on, these teasers are 47-7 on the season and bring in a little more than a 50 cent profit on every dollar bet. Here are the best four basic strategy teaser games to bet on this weekend.

NFL Totals Betting: Week 12 Over and Under Predictions
by Dave Schwab - 11/20/2012

The “under” play in Week 11 of the NFL regular season had a slight 8-6 advantage, but over the past five weeks the oddsmakers have been dead on with 34 games going “over,” 33 games staying under and two games ending in a “push”. I posted a 2-1 record for the week on my top three picks to improve to13-9-1 over the past eight weeks and to16-13-1 for the year. With all 32 teams back in action, I have been digging deep into this week’s matchups to try and unearth the value in the total line.

NFL Week 11 Bovada Backup QB Specials Props Odds and Wagering Picks
by Alan Matthews - 11/16/2012

There will be more than a few backup quarterbacks starting this week around the NFL, but probably the most intriguing one is with Philadelphia where Nick Foles, a third-round rookie out of Arizona, will be the guy under center at the Washington Redskins. Michael Vick suffered yet another injury in last week’s loss to Dallas, the Eagles’ fifth straight defeat. It was called a “significant” concussion that could keep Vick out multiple weeks.

NFL Teams that will be Looking for New Quarterback
by T.O. Whenham - 11/16/2012

We are in a strong era for quarterbacks in the NFL. More teams are reasonably well set at the position than in any period I can remember. Not just passable quarterbacks, either — there are a lot of very good pivots in the league right now. As proof of that reality, there are only three teams that are all but certain to be in the market for an upgrade at the position, and only a handful of others that could be in the market but have other needs to address that could be more pressing. Here’s a look at the six most likely potential QB openings at the end of the season:

This Week in NFL Betting by the Numbers
by Ricky Dimon - 11/15/2012

Twist. Pop. Guzzle. Guzzle, guzzle, guzzle. Those are the sights and sounds coming from Don Shula and friends, who no doubt enjoyed some Dom Perignon last Sunday after Atlanta was grounded in the Superdome. Another season will come and go with the 1972 Dolphins still the only team in NFL history to complete an entire campaign undefeated.

NFL Picks: Dolphins at Bills Predictions and Betting Odds
by T.O. Whenham - 11/14/2012

This is certainly not the matchup it could have been. The Dolphins got off to a surprising 4-3 start and were in the playoff picture — at least on the outskirts of it. They have lost two in a row, though, and have looked far from good doing it. Now they sit at 4-5 and two games behind the wild card spots. They aren’t doomed, but they sure can’t afford any more setbacks.

Week 11 NFL Teasers Advice: Best Four for Basic Strategy Teases
by George J Monroy - 11/14/2012

Another week has come and gone at Doc’s Sports, so before we get caught up in Week 11 of NFL football, let’s take the time and go over this week’s basic strategy teaser betting lines. Remember, we are specifically looking for lines that feature 7.5-point to 8.5-point favorites and 1.5-point to 2.5-point underdogs. If you need to brush up on your basic strategy teaser knowledge, check out the Doc’s Sports archives for more in-depth articles.