Posts filed under 'NFL Football'
NFL Betting – Cardinals Experience Will Factor Again
Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints
NFC Divisonal Playoffs
Bookmaker Line : Saints -7
NFL Betting Total : 56.5
The Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints are expected to be in quite the shootout this week. As you can tell, the sports betting odds makers have set the odds for the over/under at 56.5, which gives you an idea of what type of style they believe this game will be.
The Cardinals and their first-round opponent, the Green Bay Packers, combined for 96 points in the Wild Card weekend, and the Saints are quite the high-scoring outfit themselves, so there is little reason to believe that this game won’t be as high-scoring.
From the Cardinals perspective, they better hope their defense finds some answers in the week between games. They allowed 500+ yards to the Packers and gave up 45 points at home, which isn’t even the biggest concern. The Cardinals had a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter, then also led 31-10 in the third quarter and led 38-24 entering the fourth quarter.
Even with such huge leads, the Cardinals still couldn’t hold on and allowed the Packers all the way back.
The Cards have had some trouble with big leads a few times down the stretch of the season. They allowed the Detroit Lions to come up off the mat after a 17-0 lead and then allowed the St. Louis Rams to hang around the following week as well.
Considering they are going up against Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey this week, they better figure out their deficiencies really quickly.
If the Packers exposed one thing last week it’s that the Cardinals simply don’t have much depth in the secondary. They are good in run defense but against teams who line up with multiple receiving weapons, they are going to have problems.
Inconveniently, the Saints have that many weapons.
The experience edge will definitely be on the Cardinals side as their team went to the Super Bowl last year but don’t forget that this Saints team has also been to the NFC Championship a few years back. Drew Brees and Sean Payton were on that team, so they’ll be familiar with the playoff atmosphere.
This game will be close but a bye week should be the difference. The Saints will be just a bit crisper in this game.
NFL Betting Pick : Saints -7
January 14th, 2010
The NFL betting line has the Green Bay Packers as a road favorite on the road in Arizona this weekend, which may come as a surprise to the naked eye. After all, it was the Cardinals that won the NFC last year and returned stronger this year. And after all, they have the experienced Kurt Warner running the show versus Aaron Rodgers, who will be starting his first NFL playoff game.
But the Cardinals are banged up and the Packers simply might be too good for them. Home field advantage will have to be the key if that’s not the case.
Why The Packers Can Win
The Packers have a prolific offense, they come into the game winning seven of their last eight contests, their defense is ranked third in the NFL and they led the league in turnover ratio. Is that enough for you?
What’s even scarier to expert sports handicapping sharps is the fact that the Packers were much better down the stretch of the season. Early on, they struggled to run the ball and protect Rodgers but those leaks were plugged up. The offensive line is playing much better and this team will be tough to beat.
Why The Cardinals Can Win
Because they are still playing at home. Sure, they don’t have the better defense and health is not on their side, but they face similar disparities in the postseason last year and they still managed to come out on top in the NFC.
Kurt Warner has far more playoff experience than Aaron Rodgers and if Warner plays his game and Rodgers is slightly off, that may be all the difference that is needed. Warner to Larry Fitzgerald was a lethal combo in the postseason last year and there is a good chance it will be again.
What Will Happen?
The Cardinals are at home but that won’t be enough. They’ll come out hot after a disheartening effort last week but the Packers have too many advantages in this game to blow it. Experience will be a factor for the first half but talent will be the difference in the end.
The Packers have the better offense since Anquan Boldin is going to be limited, they clearly have the better defense and they are sounder fundamentally. That’s enough to get a big road win in the playoffs.
NFL Pick : Packers -1
January 9th, 2010
The National Football League (NFL) recently announced that it would allow advertising for Las Vegas casinos during the postseason playoff games, including the Super Bowl.
This is a significant change in attitude for an organization that has, in the past, come out harshly against gambling in all forms.
The NFL is one of the main supporters of the UIGEA (the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, the hotly debated law that seeks to outlaw Internet poker and online casinos in the U.S.). In addition, the NFL is among the organizations that lobby most to ensure online gambling remains prohibited.
This is, of course, after ensuring that there are specific carveouts and exclusions for “fantasy football betting pools” which proliferate online and generate significant prize-money. The NFL promotes online gambling whenever IT gets a slice of the profits!
So perhaps the NFL is noticing the downturn in advertising revenue this season? Perhaps the NFL wants to cash in on the SuperBowl, the biggest advertising event in the United States?
For whatever reason the Associated Press (AP) are reporting that “Under the modified policy, tourist destinations that allow gambling, such as Las Vegas, Reno or Lake Tahoe in Nevada, will now be permitted to advertise during NFL games from Jan. 4, 2010, to Feb. 28, 2010”.
Is this a sign that the NFL is perhaps slowly leveraging itself to reap the profits in the event that online gambling becomes legal in the United States ?
Or is it perhaps just an other act of hypocrisy from one of the United States’ most powerful sporting bodies?
IF you’d like to explore online betting at a top quality bookmaker or offshore sportsbook then check out our Bookmaker and Sportsbook review directory.
January 6th, 2010
NFC Wild Card Playoffs
Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys
NFL Betting Line : Cowboys -4
NFL Betting Total: 45.5
The Philadelphia Eagles will take on the Dallas Cowboys for a third time this season as the two teams get set for their first-round playoff matchup this Saturday.
The Eagles are 0-for-2 so far after losing 20-16 at home in Week 9 and lost on the road in Dallas 24-0 in Week 17.
The latter loss was a big one for the Eagles and they know it. The Eagles came into the week holding the No. 2 seed in the NFC after the Minnesota Vikings lost three of their previous four games. With a win, Philadelphia could have secured the No. 2 seed, home-field advantage in the playoffs against any opponent save for New Orleans, and a week off in the first round of the playoffs.
Instead, the Eagles lost to the Cowboys and not only lost their cushy spot in the NFC, they also lost their division title, which dropped them all the way to No. 6. Now the Eagles won’t play at home at all in the playoffs and will not have any time off.
The Eagles also have to go back on the road to Dallas for a second straight week to face a team that has pushed them around twice this year.
Philadelphia’s offensive line has been a mess all season long and the Cowboys have taken advantage. The latest loss for the Eagles was center Jamaal Jackson, who is out for the year, and that’s a problem. The Cowboys defensive line has stuffed the Eagles running game and generated eight sacks in two games. That’s not likely to change this weekend.
The Eagles have lived off the big-plays all year long as they lead the NFL in passing plays of 40 yards or longer, but the Cowboys have even found a way to snuff those out. In two games, sports handicapping experts haven’t seen DeSean Jackson make a noticeable impact.
The Eagles don’t really have any answers right now because the Cowboys are just a bad matchup for them. Unless Tony Romo, who has had a quarterback rating of 100 or better in five of his last six games, comes out and starts coughing up the football, the Cowboys are going to win for a third straight time over the Eagles.
NFL Pick : Cowboys -4
January 6th, 2010
Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sportsbook Lines : Falcons -1
There will be no playoff implications on the line when the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but there will be plenty of pride.
Both teams are focusing on 2010 and a win could end their seasons on a high note.
The Atlanta Falcons franchise has never had back-to-back winning seasons but a win on Sunday would finish them at 9-7. For the Bucs, it has been a trying year but they have won two straight and could end the year on a high note with a three-game winning streak.
The Falcons are clearly the better team in this matchup. When healthy, they are a playoff contender and clearly without a healthy Matt Ryan or Michael Turner, they have slid down the ranks.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has been decent in the last couple of weeks but the difference has mostly been in taking advantage of other team’s mistakes. They have run the ball well and played mistake-free, for the most part, and simply taken advantage of teams that lost interest.
Atlanta is still playing hard for head coach Mike Smith and they will be up for this game. They are on the road but they have the better quarterback and the better offense. That should be enough to secure themselves a winning season.
NFL Bet Pick : Falcons -1
December 29th, 2009
Atlanta Falcons @ New York Jets
Betting Line : Jets -3.5
The Atlanta Falcons have been in a nose dive for weeks and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better this week. One week after a valiant effort nearly helped them knock off the top team in the NFC, the Falcons head on the road to East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The Falcons are an indoor team heading outdoors and they will likely be without their starting quarterback, Matt Ryan, and starting running back, Michael Turner.
Meanwhile, the Jets are expecting their starting quarterback, Mark Sanchez, to be back in the lineup.
The Falcons were 4-1 at one point this season but have lost six of their last eight games.
Part of the reason they have fallen flat on their face is the fact that their defense is one of the worst in the NFL.This week, the Jets should be able to wear the Falcons down, who will be playing with backups.
The Falcons were competitive over the last three weeks with backups, but those games were at home.
It will be different on the road.
Sports Betting Pick : Take the Jets -3.5 to win and cover
December 19th, 2009
Miami Dolphins @ Tennessee Titans
Sportsbook Lines : Titans -3
The Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans are both battling for their playoff lives, although the Dolphins have a much better chance to make the playoffs.
As it stands now, the Jacksonville Jaguars did the Dolphins and Titans a big favor on Thursday night. They lost at home to the Indianapolis Colts, which dropped them from the No. 6 seed in the AFC to the No. 9 seed.
The Titans are currently all the way down at No. 11, but they are just one win away from the Baltimore Ravens, who are 7-6 in the No. 6 spot.
The Dolphins won on the road in Jacksonville last week and will definitely have a tough task winning two straight on the road.
For the Titans, they’ll get Vince Young back into the lineup, which obviously makes a big difference. He was forced out of last week’s contest with a hamstring injury and Kerry Collins finished the game.
Overall, these are two fairly equal teams with similar styles. Both teams have young quarterbacks that are getting better, both teams rely on the running game and both teams play defense.
With all things equal, home field advantage should be the difference as the Titans find a way to win.
NFL Betting Picks : Take the TENNESSEE Titans -3 to cover
December 19th, 2009
New York Giants @ Washington Redskins
Sportsbook Odds: Giants -3
The New York Giants are playing for a playoff berth while the Washington Redskins are playing out their string of games. Even so, the Giants are merely a three-point favorite on the road in Washington – that shows you how much division rivalries really mean.
The Giants continue to make mistakes as turnovers cost them a very important game last week against Philadelphia.
To the surprise of many, the Redskins have been playing very well over the last month or so, even though the record doesn’t indicate it.
The Redskins won in Oakland last week and in the three weeks prior against the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints, the Redskins lost those three contests by a total of seven points.
The Giants need this game but the Redskins are more than capable of playing spoiler. Look for Jason Campbell to have another good game against a weak Giants defense and for the Redskins to pull the upset.
NFL Betting Pick : Redskins +3
December 17th, 2009
San Francisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles
NFL Betting Lines : Eagles -8.5
The San Francisco 49ers topped the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football to keep their hopes alive in the NFC West. They’ll need an equal effort if they are to keep their think playoff chances going.
On the strength of six Cardinals turnovers, the 49ers took out their division rivals and kept them from clinching the division.
The 49ers will have a much tougher task as they head out on the road to Philadelphia. The 49ers are a warm-weather West Coast team that now has to go outdoors into the frigid temperatures on the East Coast in Philadelphia.
The Eagles offense is playing at a very high level right now and if the 49ers have one weakness, it is their pass defense. They held up well against the Cardinals at home but the Cardinals shot themselves in the foot. They turned it over six times and still had chances to be in the game.
Look for Donovan McNabb to have a big game this week as the 49ers will struggle on the road. They are just 1-5 away from home while the Eagles are 4-2. The Eagles will definitely key in on Frank Gore and force the 49ers to be a pass-first team, which will be enough for the Eagles to get the win rather easily.
NFL Pick : Eagles -8.5
December 17th, 2009
On a busy sports betting weekend that includes everything from Army/Navy to a UFC title fight, it’s tough to figure out what to watch – and wager on. One event I’ll watch closely is the Chargers/Cowboys game this Sunday afternoon, as it features two potent offenses and darkhorse Super Bowl contenders. Let’s break down the matchup.
San Diego Chargers @ Dallas Cowboys
Sunday, December 13, 4:15 p.m. ET
Sportsbook favorite: Cowboys -3
It’s interesting to see the Cowboys favored in this game because, if you talk to your betting buddies, most are backing the Chargers. That’s because San Diego has won 15 straight December games, not to mention seven straight overall this season.
There’s plenty to like about the Chargers in this matchup. Their potent passing attack has been the main source of their surge up the standings; Phil Rivers, one of the league’s most underrated passers, makes few mistakes. He’s also really clicking with Antonio Gates, who is on pace to break Kellen Winslow Sr.’s NFL single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end (1,290).
NFL betting sharps are also scared off by the Cowboys because of Tony Romo’s horrific track record in December. However, looking at all the information differently may change your mind about this game. First off, there’s Romo. While December is his worst statistical month, he showed signs of reversing the trend last week. On the road versus the Giants, Romo threw for a career-best 392 yards and three touchdowns.
There’s also mounting evidence that the Chargers are pretenders. Of their nine victories this season, two came against Oakland, two came against Kansas City and one came against Cleveland. Those teams’ passing offenses rank 31st, 28th and 30th in the league, respectively. Suddenly, San Diego’s No. 8 pass defense rank looks pretty inflated, doesn’t it? Also consider that the anemic Brady Quinn threw for 271 yards and three scores against San Diego in Week 13; that’s the same Brady Quinn who completed 31.6 per cent of his passes for 90 yards on Thursday versus Pittsburgh.
We also shouldn’t underestimate the power of Cowboys’ stadium, where Dallas is 5-1 this year. The Cowboys are the more battle-tested team and I think they’ll expose the Chargers this Sunday. Pick the Cowboys to end San Diego’s December run.
NFL pick: Take the DALLAS Cowboys -3
December 11th, 2009
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