NFL Handicapping Articles

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 8 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 10/26/2018

Can the NFL bring back replacement refs, please? After watching last night's debacle in Houston, I actually started to miss the replacement refs we were stuck with back in 2013 for three weeks. I mean, come on. The NFL made history by firing a ref mid-season for the first time in the Super Bowl era. That back judge missed a blatant false start and was made an example of.

Scott Spreitzer Week 7 NFL Handicapping Notes
by Scott Spreitzer - 10/23/2018

This is an informal look into my weekly NFL notes as I take them from highlight shows, internet recaps, and my own eyes while watching games. Please excuse the crudeness...consider a weekly rough draft. This will be posted every week on Tuesdays and this helps me immensely with my weekly NFL handicapping and preparation.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 7 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 10/19/2018

Has anyone ever had a stretch of back-to-back games like New Orleans Saints quarterback and lock first-ballot Hall of Famer Drew Brees might come Sunday in Baltimore? On Monday night in Week 5 in a home blowout of the Washington Redskins (Saints were off Week 6), Brees passed Peyton Manning for the most passing yards in league history - and Brees is going to put that record completely out of reach if he plays a few more years.

Scott Spreitzer Week 6 NFL Handicapping Notes
by Scott Spreitzer - 10/15/2018

SEAHAWKS 27-3 OAKLAND: Raiders 0 points 1st 7 possessions. Derek Carr 0 TDs and 2 Fumbles lost...his 4th game this season with at least 2 turnovers. OLT can't block...sacked 6 times. Allowing 29.3 ppg this season. Sea 3 straight games rushing for 150 yards or more.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 6 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 10/12/2018

The Dallas Cowboys opened as 1-point home underdogs Sunday vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars and are up to as high as 3.5 points at a few Doc's-affiliated books. I'll be taking the 3.5, and as long as the Cowboys cover that number I could give a hoot who wins the game.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 6 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 10/11/2018

At what point in the season is it okay to start believing in the Kansas City Chiefs as legitimate Super Bowl contenders? Given Andy Reid's track record of starting fast and fizzling out late in the season, I understand the hesitancy. However, it must be stated that Alex Smith is no longer the quarterback, and some guy by the name of Patrick Mahomes is handling quarterbacking duties. Not sure if you've heard of him, but he has been playing some pretty great football over the course of his first five meaningful games in the NFL.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 5 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 10/5/2018

Some of the most dominant defenses in NFL history had great nicknames. Purple People Eaters. Steel Curtain. Monsters of the Midway. And Legion of Boom belongs in that conversation. Alas, the Legion is no more - and really, the Seattle Seahawks' identity is gone.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 5 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 10/5/2018

Through Week 4 of the NFL season, teams have combined to score the most points in NFL history (3,030), breaking the mark set in 2012 of 2,986. There have also been 344 touchdowns throughout the first four weeks, breaking the old NFL mark of 315 set in 2015. And lastly, teams have thrown a combined 228 passing touchdowns, which is 23 more than the previous mark of 205, set back in 2013.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 4 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 9/28/2018

Roger Goodell is clearly a very smart man who worked his way up to run the most powerful professional sports league in the world. He has done many good, innovative things in his tenure. But, man, sometimes he just can't get out of his own way and it blows up in his face.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 4 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 9/27/2018

Can anyone tell me what Minnesota was thinking last week? It's like they thought they were on a bye week and didn't even show up for work. The Bills dominated them in every facet of the game, and that Vikings loss essentially ended every NFL Survivor Pool known to man. It was a weird game, but it just goes to show you that "on any given Sunday…" you know the rest of that quote.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 3 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 9/21/2018

Unless there's some huge story that develops between Monday night and Thursday afternoon in the NFL, I'll generally in this space try and address some interesting Bovada weekly specials - no site does that better, and I'm not just saying that because I used to help create them.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 3 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 9/21/2018

Another NFL week, another NFL controversy. We'll get to that in a minute, but what's going on with all the ties lately? I'm on the fence on how I feel about NFL games ending in a tie. Part of me thinks it's hilarious and don't mind them (if I'm on the underdog), but the other part of me thinks they are ridiculous and should be banned from happening. I'm not sure whether making teams play a full 15-minute quarter instead of 10 would make a difference or if they should revert to college OT rules, or if teams should start investing in developing kickers that can actually kick.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 2 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 9/14/2018

We undoubtedly will talk about how rare it is for 0-2 teams to make the playoffs next week, but how about those who lose their season openers? I almost said that obviously 16 of the league's 32 teams opened 0-1 … but the Steelers and Browns tied. Anyways. Since the league went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, but not including the strike-shortened 1982 season, 306 of 587 teams to win their season opener made the playoffs. A total of 185 of those won division titles. That includes last year's Patriots and Saints.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 2 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 9/14/2018

Week 2 of the National Football League is upon us, and I like to refer to it as "overreaction week". This is a week where everyone and their mother has an opinion, whether it's extremely negative like "the Bills and Lions are going 0-16" (possible) or extremely positive like "Patrick Mahomes is the second coming up Christ" (calm down). No team is as bad (the Saints) as they looked in Week 1 and no team is as good (the Bucs, Chiefs, Ravens, Jets) as they looked.

Marcus Mariota Injury Update & Status: Week 2 vs Houston Texans
by Trevor Whenham - 9/11/2018

We have spent a lot of time over the course of the last few months talking about Marcus Mariota, and not in nearly the positive ways that it seemed like we would be when he was drafted or after a promising rookie year. He had a very strong sophomore year and seemed poised for big things. But he took giant steps back last year, and now it is tough to know if the Titans have their QB of the future or just a placeholder.

NFL Betting Odds: Week 1 Line Movements & Last-Minute News
by Alan Matthews - 9/7/2018

Normally, I'll address any big line moves in this weekly story, but that's not really an option this week because NFL lines have been up for months. For example, way back when the Ravens were 3.5-point favorites over the visiting Bills. However, now that we've seen Buffalo's sorry quarterback situation, Baltimore has risen to -7.5. New Orleans opened at -6.5 months ago vs. Tampa Bay but is now -9.5 in the wake of Jameis Winston's suspension. I could go on and on.

Basic Strategy Teasers: Best Week 1 NFL Betting Options
by Chris Vasile - 9/7/2018

With one game of the NFL schedule already complete, its time for bettors to hunker down and get to work in order to maximize their profits this season. The opening game between Atlanta and Philadelphia was a dud of sorts, coming to life finally in the final quarter. And while the standard point-spread was teetering back and forth, the teaser option never wavered.

Best Fantasy Football Picks: Robert Ferringo to Offer Top Fantasy Picks Weekly
by Robert Ferringo - 9/3/2018

I used to say that fantasy football was for wussies that didn't have the stones to bet on sports. But now, as daily fantasy sites like Draft Kings and Fan Duel have become more mainstream, fantasy football is the only way some people will consider betting on sports.

Best-Case Scenario Each NFL Team in 2018
by Trevor Whenham - 8/31/2018

The NFL Preseason is, mercifully, over. We have to be a little patient, but soon enough the regular season will be here and football will finally matter again. To kill the time until then, the best thing we can do is speculate wildly. Or at least that is the most fun thing to do. Here is a look at the best-case scenario for all 32 teams heading into the season. Needless to say, it's easier to be optimistic about some teams than others.

NFL Preseason Betting Advice: Wagering Tips for Third Exhibition Game
by Trevor Whenham - 8/24/2018

The NFL Preseason is irredeemably stupid. Pointless. Teams don't need to play four games, and they know it. But owners love game revenue. So, they play games with silly rosters that prove nothing, and they are mostly a waste of time for both fans and, of more interest here, bettors.