NFL Handicapping Articles

2010 San Francisco 49ers Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/27/2010

In their first full season with Mike Singletary as coach, the San Francisco 49ers definitely showed signs that they might be a team to be reckoned with this season with some stellar pieces in place. For example, the Niners swept the NFC West champion Arizona Cardinals last season on their way to finishing 8-8.

2010 Denver Broncos Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by T.O. Whenham - 7/26/2010

Thanks in large part to a fluke last-minute play in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Denver Broncos got off to a surprising 6-0 start under rookie coach Josh McDaniels in 2009 and people were calling McDaniels a mini-Bill Belichick. But then Kyle Orton remembered he was Kyle Orton and the Broncos started playing more to the level of their overall talent, winning just two more games the rest of the year to finish 8-8 and out of the playoffs yet again.

2010 Houston Texans Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/26/2010

The Houston Texans had the best season in franchise history in 2009, finishing with their first winning record at 9-7 after back-to-back seasons at 8-8. Still, most around the team would still call it a disappointment because the playoffs were expected – Houston did have a chance to get in on the final Sunday of the 2009 season with a little help but it didn’t happen.

NFL Betting: Possible Results of Two Big WR Aquisitions
by T.O. Whenham - 7/26/2010

We’re used to seeing wide receivers move around every NFL offseason. It’s not often, though, that we see two of the caliber that we have seen in this offseason find new homes. Anquan Boldin and Brandon Marshall are both difference makers - elite pass catchers in rare company. They both have some real attitude issues as well, but what receiver doesn’t these days?

2010 Baltimore Ravens Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/24/2010

The Baltimore Ravens went into the regular-season finale in 2008 needing a win to reach the playoffs and last season was no different as an 8-7 Ravens team went to Oakland knowing a loss would keep them at home. But being as it was the Raiders, Baltimore had little trouble in a 21-13 victory that got it a Wild-Card round matchup with New England.

NFL Betting: Running Game and ATS Success
by T.O. Whenham - 7/24/2010

Big time running backs have always been major stars in the NFL, and with guys like Chris Johnson and Adrian Peterson around there certainly isn’t a shortage of ridiculous talent in the league right now. As fun as it is to watch a running back have a huge game, though, if you’re a sports bettor you unquestionably have to be more concerned about how a good running game translates to betting success for teams. Here’s a look back at how top running teams last year performed against the spread:

2010 Green Bay Packers Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/21/2010

The 2009 season has to be considered pretty successful for the Green Bay Packers, as they won five more games than in 2008 – Aaron Rodgers’ first year as the starting QB – and earned a playoff spot before their defense was gutted by Kurt Warner in the Wild-Card round against the Arizona Cardinals.

2010 Atlanta Falcons Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/21/2010

The Atlanta Falcons were one of the surprise teams in the NFL in 2008 as Matt Ryan had one of the best rookie seasons ever for a quarterback and Michael Turner lit up the league in his first season in Atlanta, and out of LaDainian Tomlinson’s shadow in San Diego.

2010 San Diego Chargers Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/21/2010

The San Diego Chargers’ regular season was a huge success last year as the Bolts ended it on an 11-game winning streak to match the best single-season streak in franchise history. San Diego’s 13 wins were the second-most in franchise history. But once again the playoffs were a disappointment, as the Bolts – the AFC’s No. 2 seed -- were upset at home by the New York Jets.

2010 Philadelphia Eagles Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/21/2010

A new era is definitely under way in Philly as the Eagles will be without long-time stars Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook when they open the 2010 season. McNabb helped lead the Eagles to a 11-5 regular-season record last season, but back-to-back poor performance by the quarterback in the season finale and Wild-Card playoff game against Dallas led to his shocking trade to the Washington Redskins.

2010 Arizona Cardinals Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/16/2010

The Arizona Cardinals, and in particular Kurt Warner, have been a nice story the past two seasons. Of course, in 2008 Warner led the Cards to their first Super Bowl and just one Santonio Holmes catch from one of the great Super Bowl upsets.

2010 Cincinnati Bengals Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/16/2010

The Cincinnati Bengals were one of the surprises of the NFL last year as they won the AFC North at 10-6 and swept the other three division opponents. It was the first season the Bengals reached double-digit wins since 2005. In my opinion, it was all a mirage.

Rankings and Predictions for NFL Divisions
by T.O. Whenham - 7/16/2010

I don’t know about you, but the endless wait for the start of football season is killing me. The offseason for both college football and the NFL is just too long to handle. The season is getting close, and training camps will soon open, but there is still a whole lot of time to kill. To help pass that time I like to find every way I can to think about football and get ready for the upcoming seasons.

NFL Handicapping: Key Players Returning From Injury
by Robert Ferringo - 7/15/2010

Bad calls by officials, crippling and unsightly turnovers, and devastating injuries are all part of what makes football betting the masochistic masterpiece that it is. All three are at the whim of Gravity and the Gambling Gods, and that unholy trinity is at the core of luck, losses, and/or liquor-induced comas each and every season.

2010 Minnesota Vikings Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/9/2010

In a perfect world, I wouldn’t write an analysis of the 2010 Minnesota Vikings schedule until late August, which is probably when Brett Favre makes his return “official” – with LeBron James finally deciding his NBA future, now it’s Favre’s “will he or won’t he” that probably dominates the sports headlines for a while. But we all know he’s playing this year because he already has had ankle surgery that he wouldn’t have needed if he wasn’t going to play football. And he’s also out throwing to high schoolers in Mississippi.

Is 18-Game NFL Season Good or Bad for Bettors?
by T.O. Whenham - 7/7/2010

Without looking at a calendar you can tell every year when the endless NFL national obsession is short of real news, because some sort of debate always breaks out. Right now the NFL Draft is in the rear view mirror, most of the free agents have found new homes, coaching changes have been made, and training camps are still a ways off. There’s just not a lot going on.

2010 Dallas Cowboys Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 7/6/2010

You think Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is, well, “jonesing” to see his club play in this winter’s Super Bowl on the Cowboys’ home field? Jones would like nothing more than to turn those two weeks before the big game into all things Dallas. No team in NFL history has hosted a Super Bowl it played in.

The Brett Favre Circus Starts Again
by T.O. Whenham - 7/2/2010

Brett Favre just couldn’t handle being out of the news. Maybe it was all the attention everyone is paying to where LeBron James will play next year. Or maybe he was jealous because Phil Jackson, the second most diva-ish retirement fiend behind Favre, has been gaining headlines surrounding his indecision (although he re-signed with the Lakers yesterday). Or perhaps Favre is just sick of hearing about the World Cup.

2010 Indianapolis Colts Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/29/2010

Our second team-by-team NFL schedule breakdown focuses on the second-place team from last season, the Indianapolis Colts. And other than death and taxes there seems to be one sure thing in life: Indianapolis winning at least 12 regular-season games, as it has done for a record seven seasons in a row.

2010 New Orleans Saints Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Predictions
by Alan Matthews - 6/29/2010

We of course have to start at the top here at Doc’s with our 2010 team-by-team NFL schedule analysis, so today we give you the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints. Oddsmakers at BetUS have listed the Saints as +900 to win Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington next February; just the Colts at +800 have shorter NFL futures odds.