CFL Previews - July 29-31 - Week Five
Football Betting Lines
07/28/2010 -
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) -
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (3-1) AT MONTREAL ALOUETTES (3-1)
DATE & TIME: Thursday, July 29, 7:30 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: With their touchdown drought now a memory, the Montreal Alouettes
turn their attention to the Toronto Argonauts as the two clubs, tied for the
lead in the CFL's Eastern Division, tangle at McGill Stadium on Thursday
night.
Even though Montreal finally put the brakes on an unhealthy run of being held
out of the end zone, last week the team leaned heavily on the kicking game in
order to get them over the hump. Damon Duval tied a career-high with seven
field goals as he helped lead the Alouettes to a commanding 37-14 win over the
visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats last Thursday. Duval finished the night with 22
points as Montreal logged its third straight win after losing the season
opener to Saskatchewan in overtime, 54-51.
Quarterback Anthony Calvillo, who came up lame late in the first half but
returned to action, also had a strong outing as he converted 28-of-38 passes
for 309 yards and a pair of touchdowns, getting his team into the end zone for
the first time in six quarters when he struck in the fourth period.
As for the Argos, they tied their entire win total from a year ago (3-15) when
they slipped by British Columbia on Friday night, 24-20, at home at the Rogers
Centre. After starting slow and amassing just 10 points through the first
three quarters, Toronto got a late boost from quarterback Cleo Lemon and, more
importantly Byron Parker who returned an interception 41 yards for the go-
ahead score with under two-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation.
For Parker, the pick-six was the seventh of his career, leaving him one shy of
the all-time CFL record.
Lemon, who absorbed a nasty hit from Solomon Elimimian but still managed to
work his way back into the huddle, converted 19-of-28 passes for 222 yards and
a pair of touchdowns. He was however, picked off twice and sacked three times
in the victory. Running back Cory Boyd posted his third straight 100-yard
rushing effort as he gained a game-high 148 yards on 19 carries, his 41-yard
burst in the fourth quarter setting up a clutch TD pass from Lemon to Brandon
Rideau.
Toronto has played far too many tight games in the early going and, after four
weeks of action, are the only team in the league with a winning record that
has allowed more points (108) than it has scored (103), and that certainly has
to be a concern for the coaching staff as they prepare for a Montreal squad
that has finally found an offense after hitting a dry spell.
Boyd has found his way through defenses for the most part, save for the season
opener when he was held in check, but that was a game in which all of the
Toronto offense was handled by Calgary to begin with. Considering this was an
Argos unit that was expected to be the easiest target in the CFL this season,
anything positive that goes on from here out should be considered a huge step
in the right direction. Boyd currently leads the league in yards from
scrimmage with 455 and is first overall in rushing with 431 yards on 66
carries, but he has just a single touchdown to his credit and that's not
enough to keep the pressure off his quarterback.
Lemon is not going to be able to elude defenders much longer if his offensive
line doesn't work harder to keep him upright. Of the quarterbacks who have
started all four games thus far, Lemon is at the bottom of the list with his
59.1 percent accuracy and has one more interception (four) than touchdown
(three). As a team, the Argos have the weakest passing attack in the league,
while Calvillo and Co. again have the top efficiency rating at 101.7 at this
stage.
If Lemon isn't careful this week, he's going to be exposed to a heavy dose of
John Bowman who, after leading the team last season with 12 sacks, the most in
a decade for a single Montreal performer, already has five quarterback
takedowns so far this season. Thanks in part to Bowman, who was named the CFL
Defensive Player of the Week after posting four sacks and two forced fumbles
in the win over Hamilton, Montreal is easily at the top of the turnover list
with a plus 10. No other team in the league has more than a plus-one in
turnovers, with Toronto being one of those squads.
Obviously as he showed last week, Parker has the ability to change the
complexion of a game with one quick burst to the end zone, but the Argos
cannot be waiting on Parker to carry them into the win column yet again,
especially with Calvillo finally getting his confidence and beginning to hit
his marks as everyone expects of the reigning MVP.
In terms of the all-time series between these two clubs, taking into account
regular season matchups dating back to 1946, the Alouettes own a mark of
101-80-3 at this juncture. The teams met three times in 2009 and Montreal
claimed each and every meeting by double figures, the last of which was a
42-17 final on November 7 on the road. The Als have in fact won six straight
encounters, the last victory for the Argos coming by a 16-9 score on October
20, 2007, which also happens to be the last time Toronto enjoyed a win streak
of at least three games as well.
The teams are set to face each other three more times during 2010, with an
August 14 date in Toronto and an October 29 meeting at the Roger Centre as
well, not to mention a November 7 affair back in Montreal to close out the
regular season.
The Argos have been getting by with smoke and mirrors the last few weeks and
at some point an opponent is going to make them pay. Expect Montreal and
Calvillo to call in that debt and take advantage of a weak Toronto offense on
the way to taking the top spot in the division.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Montreal 38, Toronto 17
BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS (1-3) AT EDMONTON ESKIMOS (0-4)
DATE & TIME: Friday, July 30, 9:00 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: Off to their worst start in nearly half a century, the Edmonton
Eskimos again take aim at their first win of 2010 when they entertain the
British Columbia Lions on Friday night at Commonwealth Stadium in Alberta.
Edmonton, which hasn't won the Western Division title since putting together a
three-year run between 2001-2003, probably won't be raising another trophy
anytime soon since the club is off to an 0-4 start for the first time since
1965. Despite having the most overall victories (591) of any club in the CFL
since 1945, the Eskimos are currently suffering from a five-game slide dating
back to last year.
Rick Lelacheur, president and CEO of the Eskimos, has made it clear that
losing is no longer an option for this once proud team and that being
embarrassed as they have is simply not acceptable. It remains to be seen what
Lelacheur has in mind, but he has stated that the entire franchise is under
scrutiny and changes could extend throughout the organization if improvements
are not immediately made.
Last week the Eskimos were ripped apart by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers who not
only scored 21 points off Edmonton turnovers, but they came up with a 47
points overall in the 26-point victory, and all of that with a backup
quarterback manning the action for the home team.
Edmonton QB Ricky Ray had a mixed bag when it came to his results, converting
18-of-25 pass attempts for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he also
tossed two interceptions. Early in the fourth quarter the Eskimos pulled Ray
in favor of backup Jason Maas, but the move did little to change the lopsided
outcome as Maas converted only 1-of-9 passes for 29 yards.
Receiver Fred Stamps, who had a combined 332 yards receiving in the two games
leading up to the Winnipeg meeting, caught just two balls for 22 yards and
watched his per catch average take a dip down to 16.2 yards after the outing.
Finding a sustained offense has been a problem for the Lions so far this
season as well, the team now riding a three-game skid and sitting in third
place in the Western Division standings.
Ahead by a score of 20-10 in the fourth quarter, the Lions appeared to be on
their way to evening their record on the season, but instead both the offense
and defense cracked and allowed Toronto to fight back for the 24-20 decision
at the Rogers Centre last Friday.
Even though Casey Printers could have made the start for the Lions last week
against Toronto, BC opted to go with Travis Lulay and considering it was the
youngster's first-ever CFL start he did pretty well. Lulay hit 26-of-40 passes
for 330 yards, with 58 of those coming on a desperation heave at the gun, but
he was also tabbed for a pair of costly interceptions, one of which was
returned 41 yards for the game-winning score.
Jamal Robertson helped shoulder some of the load for the Lions as he gained 54
yards and scored two majors on 12 carries coming out of the backfield, but the
team as a whole was credited with a mere 76 yards rushing on 18 attempts, less
than half what the BC defense gave up (161 yards) to the Lions.
Oddly enough, even though BC has just one win in four tries this season and
allowed a victory to slip away last week, the program actually moved up two
spots in the latest power rankings to fourth, while Edmonton advanced to
seventh only after Hamilton suffered such an ugly loss to Montreal on the
road.
The Lions made a couple of moves off the field this week as they cut ties with
kick returner Robert Jordan, but added quarterback Mike Reilly to the practice
squad. Reilly was one of the most accomplished QBs in Division II history
while at Central Washington, but his addition to the club doesn't make clear
who it will be making the start for the Lions this week, whether it will again
be Lulay or if Printers is ready to return.
No matter who it is under center for the Lions, the fact remains that the
passing attack is not all that it could be, completing just 59.4 percent and
having accounted for three touchdowns, compared to four interceptions. Then
again, Edmonton is having similar issues with the same TD and INT numbers
through the air at this stage.
Edmonton has fared somewhat well against opposing quarterbacks, allowing for
the fewest passing first downs (40) in the league thus far, but if the run
defense doesn't put up a strong enough front the Lions might not have to put
the ball in the air as much anyway.
In terms of the all-time, regular-season series between these two teams,
dating back to 1949 the Eskimos maintain an advantage of 99-68-4. The Lions
won the first meeting of the season back on July 4 with a 25-10 decision,
avenging a lopsided 45-13 setback to Edmonton late in the 2009 campaign. The
clubs also have an October 16 date set for British Columbia.
The pressure coming down on the Eskimos is almost palpable, but just because
Lelacheur is going to be over everyone's shoulder doesn't mean Edmonton is
ready to make a drastic change. BC has already shown that it can defeat the
Eskimos, even if it was with Printers at the helm, but expect the outcome to
be much the same this week.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: British Columbia 31, Edmonton 20
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (1-3) AT SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS (3-1)
DATE & TIME: Saturday, July 31, 6:30 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: No longer the last undefeated team in the CFL this season, the
Saskatchewan Roughriders try to continue their recent dominance over the
Hamilton Tiger-Cats when the two squads clash at Mosaic Stadium in Regina on
Saturday.
The Roughriders, who erupted for 54 points during a season-opening, overtime
win over Montreal, were limited to a season-low 20 points last weekend in
their 20-point loss to Calgary on the road. For the first time this season,
Saskatchewan failed to score the first points of the game and the team's
defense completely broke down in the second half as it allowed 33 points.
Quarterback Darian Durant was held in check for much of the game, throwing his
lone touchdown of the event late in the fourth quarter, once the outcome had
already been decided. Durant finished the night 22-of-37 for 354 yards, but he
was picked off three times and sacked twice.
Weston Dressler accounted for nine receptions for 125 yards, both of which
were game highs. Running back Wes Cates added another 83 yards and a score on
16 rushing attempts.
As for the Tiger-Cats, they kept things close against Montreal in the first
half last Thursday, but then Hamilton allowed the Alouettes into the end zone
in the second half and that was too much to take in the 37-14 final at McGill
Stadium. Quarterback Kevin Glenn hit 16-of-32 passes for 201 yards, but late
in the meeting he was taken out in favor of Quinton Porter who converted 5-
of-7 passes for 70 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while suffering
a pair of sacks along the way.
The so-called rushing attack of the Ti-Cats was limited to only 49 yards on 14
attempts, with DeAndre Cobb gaining a team-best 25 yards on eight tries. Cobb
has had some serious trouble gaining his footing early in the season, amassing
a combined 137 yards on 39 attempts which means, of the league's top 30
runners after four games, Cobb has the worst average per carry (3.5 yards) by
far.
As a group, Hamilton is the weakest rushing team in the league with only 71.5
ypg, gaining a full yard less per attempt than any other team in the CFL at
the moment.
Needing Glenn to bounce back in order to give them a fighting chance this time
around, the Tiger-Cats understand that their best offensive threat stems from
Glenn in the pocket. The signal-caller has completed better than 65 percent of
his attempts for close to 1,100 yards and has five touchdowns and just a
single interception to his credit, the fewest miscues of any starter in the
league right now.
Even though he had a sub-par game judging by his own standards, Durant is
still the quarterback by which the rest of the league is measured through four
games, at least in terms of his overall yardage which stands at 1,325 yards.
Having completed close to 61 percent of his attempts thus far, Durant is tied
for second in the league with eight touchdown throws.
Now in his fifth CFL season, Cates is on pace to have his most successful
campaign now that he has 400 yards and three touchdowns through four games.
Perhaps most impressive is his average of seven yards per attempt, although
that's not an average that will stand up through all the bumps and bruises of
an entire regular season. Nevertheless, the Roughriders as a team have been
taking it to the rest of the league with their running game, averaging a CFL-
best 178 ypg and an explosive 8.1 yards per attempt. Again, those numbers will
not stand up over time, but at least for the moment opponents like Hamilton
will have to guard against them.
Saskatchewan has won 11 of the last 12 meetings with the Ti-Cats, although it
was Hamilton that posted a 24-6 triumph in the most recent encounter last
October 31 at home. As a result of that outcome, the all-time regular-season
series is knotted at 36-36-4 dating back to 1950.
The Roughriders have won both of their home dates thus far in 2010, while
Hamilton has come up empty in two road dates. The Tiger-Cats will serve as
hosts for the only other meeting this year between the two clubs, slated for
September 25.
Durant and Cates are as scary a one-two punch as there is in the league
entering the fifth week of the season and if Hamilton eases up on one, expect
the other to take advantage.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Saskatchewan 38, Hamilton 27
WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (2-2) AT CALGARY STAMPEDERS (3-1)
DATE & TIME: Saturday, July 31, 9:30 p.m. (et).
GAME NOTES: Having knocked off the last unbeaten club in the CFL during the
fourth week of the 2010 season, the Calgary Stampeders now try to better their
position atop the Western Division standings as they clash with the Winnipeg
Blue Bombers at McMahon Stadium on Saturday night.
For the Stamps, last week's meeting with Saskatchewan was tough through the
first 30 minutes, but once the second half began the entire complexion of the
game changed and Calgary ran away with an easy 40-20 victory. Henry Burris,
who was intercepted four times in the loss to Toronto a week earlier, came
alive this time around by throwing for 285 yards and four touchdowns, while
surviving a pair of interceptions.
Doing most of the damage down the field for Burris and the Stamps was Romby
Bryant who caught seven balls for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his
efforts earning him Offensive Player of the Week honors on Tuesday. Not to be
overlooked was running back Joffrey Reynolds who carried the ball 15 times for
a game-high 93 yards and a score. Reynolds, who is currently third in the
league in rushing with 351 yards on 56 attempts, has proven in recent years
that he can carry much of the rushing burden for a team, having scored a
combined 21 rushing TDs the last two seasons.
As for the Blue Bombers, they set up against a winless Edmonton team at home
last week and, even though the host team was operating without regular starter
Buck Pierce at quarterback, the odds were still heavily in favor of Winnipeg.
Stepping in for Pierce, who was sidelined with a knee injury, was Steven Jyles
who completed 14-of-22 passes for 267 yards and a touchdown. Granted, Jyles
was sacked twice and picked off two times, but he made up for that by filling
the running shoes left by Pierce, gaining 63 yards and scoring twice himself
on just eight attempts.
Running back Fred Reid accounted for another 69 yards and a score on 16
carries for the Bombers as they completely dominated a weak Eskimos team in a
47-21 final. Terence Jeffers-Harris, who caught the lone TD pass from Jyles,
finished with 97 yards on a mere three catches, his scoring play covering a
thrilling 46 yards in which Jyles was forced to scramble out of the pocket and
the receiver then ran the width of the field to make it into the corner of the
end zone.
Getting Winnipeg off on the right foot in the meeting last week was Moton
Hopkins who intercepted a Ricky Ray pass in the first quarter and returned it
36 yards to the end zone to put the Bombers ahead and give them the momentum
to carry them through the entire matchup.
Because of players like Hopkins, the pass defense for the Blue Bombers is at
the top of the charts in the league entering the fifth week, allowing just
238.5 ypg, although opponents have still found a way to complete 61.2 percent
of their attempts against the Bombers secondary. Winnipeg has been rather
strong against the run as well, permitting just 102 ypg to rank third in the
league at this stage. However, even though the stats seem to lean in favor of
Winnipeg in several areas, the fact remains that the team is giving up a hefty
28.5 ppg at the moment.
In contrast, Calgary's scoring defense is beyond reproach, allowing just 21.2
ppg to lead the CFL.
Throw out the one game in which Burris tossed those four interceptions, and
the numbers for the quarterback look a whole lot brighter. He currently leads
the league in TD passes with nine and has completed 62.2 percent of his
attempts. However, because of those league-high eight picks, Burris has an
efficiency rating of just 81.7.
With Bryant, who is tied for the league high with four TD catches, on his side
Burris is only going to get better as the year goes on. Making it even easier
for the signal-caller is Reynolds coming out of the backfield, averaging close
to six and a half yards per carry as he ranks third in the league with 351
yards overall.
Dating back to 1945 and only taking into account regular-season meetings,
Calgary owns a 94-89 edge in the series with the Blue Bombers. The most recent
regular-season meeting went to the Stamps in a 31-23 decision at home. As a
result, Calgary has taken two of the last three encounters with the Bombers.
These teams are set to finish off the 2010 regular season against each other
in Winnipeg, their only other scheduled meeting of this season.
After last week's game, Burris should have the sort of confidence he needs to
get him through a meeting such as this. The only question for the Stamps is
how well their run defense is going to perform against an aggressive Winnipeg
squad that seems to thrive on the ground.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Calgary 35, Winnipeg 22
Sportsbook Betting Lines Season Predictions: 10-6; Last Week: 3-1.
<< Stampeders play host to Blue Bombers
Calgary, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Having knocked off the last unbeaten club in
the CFL during the fourth week of the 2010 season, the Calgary Stampeders now
try to better their position atop the Western Division standings as they clash
with the Wi
<< Blue Jackets avoid arbitration with Stralman
Columbus, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed
defenseman Anton Stralman to a one-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but the agreement avoided a salary
arbitration hearing scheduled for
<< Ellis shuts down Panama in 9-2 win
Thunder Bay, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Ellis is like any other player on
Canada's junior national baseball team - following his passion by playing the
sport he loves.
What's different about him and the rest of Team Canada's 18-and-under
<< Injury-depleted Tigers continue set at the Trop
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Tigers are hurting, both on the field and in
the American League playoff race.
Faced with the prospect of their longest road losing streak in nearly five
years, the battered and badly-struggling Tigers continue
<< A-Rod takes another crack at 600th home run in Cleveland
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Alex Rodriguez was supposed to take center stage in the
New York Yankees' game with the Cleveland Indians last night, but an unknown
rookie on the opposing team wound up being the star of the show.
After coming up empty on
Yao can see the end of the line >>
Philadelphia, PA - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Your average human being doesn't stand
7-foot-6 and weigh 310 pounds.
In basketball, size among the skilled is the holy grail -- the only thing you
can't teach. But, like anything else, there are pros an
Cody passes Ravens' conditioning test >>
Westminster, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Baltimore Ravens rookie defensive tackle
Terrence Cody passed the team's conditioning test on Wednesday morning and
will be cleared to begin practicing.
Cody was unable to complete the team's runn
Dolphins extend K Carpenter >>
West Palm Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Miami Dolphins reportedly handed
kicker Dan Carpenter a three-year contract extension Wednesday.
The Palm Beach Post reports the pact runs through the 2013 season and is worth
$6.205 million. The
Line of Scrimmage: The T.O. Factor >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Given their recent history of off-the-field
problems, it's tempting to quip that the Cincinnati Bengals' signing of Terrell
Owens is an attempt to improve the team's character.
It's natural to laugh at an
Seahawks agree to terms with Tate >>
Renton, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Seattle Seahawks and second-round draft pick
Golden Tate have agreed to terms on a contract.
Tate confirmed the news via Twitter, posting: "Praise God!!! Terms and
conditions have been reached for th
NCAA Football Betting
Many fans thought it was the best side in the nation by the end of last season. This year, the polls have built on Georgia's momentum and granted it the No. 1 preseason ranking, followed by Ohio State and USC. (The Associated Press has the Buckeyes at No. 2; USA Today took the Trojans.)
"To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it's exciting for us," Bulldogs coach Mark Richt told the AP. "I don't think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we're pretty good."
Georgia Bulldogs - 9.5 wins
There's no question they're good, but the Bulldogs have one of the toughest 12-game schedules in the nation, mostly because they play in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Away games at No. 15 Arizona State, No. 7 LSU and No. 10 Auburn loom large, with contests between the hedges versus No. 24 Alabama and No. 18 Tennessee as well as the World's Largest Cocktail Party in Jacksonville versus No.5 Florida.
Ohio State Buckeyes - 10 wins
Like the Bulldogs, the Buckeyes also have a number of tough road contests in 2008. After two scrimmages dressed up as real games versus Youngstown State and Ohio, it's off to face USC. Other tough away games include No.13 Wisconsin in October and No. 20 Illinois in November. Granted, it should be pretty easy sledding at the Horseshoe. In fact, the only ranked team that travels to Columbus is No. 22 Penn State, in October.
USC Trojans - 10.5 wins
A similarly light schedule awaits the Trojans of Southern California, which is why the oddsmakers' total is one win more and the over is currently commanding -150 odds. Pete Carroll's troops only play three ranked teams in 2008, and all of those games are at home. After what should be an easy trip to Virginia to start things off on Aug. 30, the Trojans get two weeks to prepare for Ohio State in Los Angeles. Their two other ranked opponents, No. 21 Oregon and No. 15 Arizona State, visit in consecutive weeks to start the month of October. After that, the competition eases up. Of course, this is the same highly-touted school that lost to Stanford in 2007 and Oregon State in 2006. And don't discount the fact that USC plays its biggest rivals, Notre Dame and UCLA, back-to-back to close out the regular season. On paper, the Trojans are far superior, but motivation will be high for the Irish and Bruins, especially if their historic foes are in national-title contention.
Odds to Win the Heisman Trophy
Tim Tebow, Florida - 7/2
He won it last year, so it's no surprise he's the favorite to do it again, making him just the second player to go back-to-back. Ohio State's Archie Griffin turned the trick in 1974 and 1975, and Tebow's coach, Urban Meyer, is pretty sure his star quarterback can match the Buckeyes legend.
"There has never been anyone quite like him," Meyer told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I am very lucky to be his coach."
Chris Wells, Ohio State - 5/1
The man they call "Beanie" was a star recruit out of high school, so it's not like nobody knew who the star tailback was before he rushed for 576 yards as a freshman in 2006 and 1,609 as a sophomore. But perhaps his finest moment came last year versus Michigan when he rumbled for 222 yards and two touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 14-3 victory over the hated Wolverines.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - 8/1
If the Bulldogs are to live up to expectations, they'll need a huge effort from their sophomore running back. This might be the last year of college ball for Moreno, who rushed for 1,334 yards and for 14 touchdowns as a freshman, while adding 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions, so expect big things for the man from Belford, N.J.
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NFL Sports Betting
NFL betting action is back! At MySportsbook, all of the pro football odds are posted for the NFC North.
Check out how we see the four teams in this cloudy division stacking up this year in the chase for the playoffs! Green Bay Packers (+125) - With QB Aaron Rodgers leading the offense and DC Dom Capers working his magic on defense, the Packers are a real force to be reckoned with.
Virtually nothing changed on this offense for Green Bay from last year to this year, save for the addition of rookie OT Brian Bulaga to the bunch. Expect more huge numbers from the Pack, and a relatively favorable schedule should get them over the hump and into the playoffs once again this season. My NFL Betting Predictions: 11-5, 1st place in NFC North Minnesota Vikings (+130) - There are still too many unknowns about the Vikes this year. There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not.
There is a huge difference between QB Brett Favre and either Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels under center. Plus, is Favre comes back, is he really going to be able to keep his pick total under double digits again? Depth at running back looked like it might have been an issue with RB Chester Taylor fleeing in free agency, but drafting RB Toby Gerhart should pick up the difference. This defense is still suitable, but with a first place schedule, making the playoffs is going to be very tough regardless of whether #4 comes back or not. Play this weekly NFL Football Contestto see if you can win.
Chicago Bears (+350) - The Bears are probably a bit of an overhyped team once again this year.No, we don't think it is plausible for QB Jay Cutler to have as bad of a season as he did last year, and we do think the additions of RB Chester Taylor and DE Julius Peppers are going to help immensely, but there's still something in the water in the Windy City that we aren't so sure about. Maybe Chicago finds its way to .500... but then again, maybe it doesn't. If Favre comes back, Cutler might be the worst quarterback in this division this year.
Detroit Lions (+1500) - The Lions are probably once again going to be the whipping boys for the rest of the teams in the NFC North, but they aren't just going to roll over and die once again. There is some real talent amassing on this team offensively, as the combination of QB Matt Stafford, RB Jahvid Best, WR Calvin Johnson, and TE Brandon Pettigrew should put a bunch of points on the board if the offensive line can even remotely hold up. The questions really lie on defense, where it feels like DT Ndamukong Suh is going to be trying to stop opposing teams all by himself. This year should show some marked improvement in the Motor City.
The Patriots will make NFL betting fans a lot of money this season, get in early and enjoy the cash. NFL Betting
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