The expected heavy influx of nonseniors applying for this year's NFL draft did not happen despite looming labour unrest in the league.
Although a record-tying 53 players declared for early entry, that number released yesterday by the NFL was short of projections. "I think that the colleges have really done a good job of telling these young men how it is to their advantage to stay in school," said NFL draft consultant Gil Brandt. With a potential rookie wage scale in the next collective bargaining agreement, more juniors were expected to declare.
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Six All-Americans did apply: defensive backs Eric Berry of Tennessee and Joe Haden of Florida; defensive end Derrick Morgan of Georgia Tech; tight end Aaron Hernandez of Florida; linebacker Rolando McClain of Alabama; and wide receiver Golden Tate of Notre Dame. Mississippi QB Jevan Snead, Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen, Southern California running back Joe McKnight and Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman also declared early for April's draft.
The 53 players match the previous high in 2008; last year, 46 declared. Brandt said: "If you are good enough, you will get it (the money) anyway. This way, you get to enjoy your senior year and get that diploma."
Read More!
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Football. Show all posts
Parity worked in the NFL...now, let's see if the NFL likes it
Let's face it: The NFL playoffs this year haven't exactly been as exciting as, say, eating a rice cake or painting the bathroom.
There have been eight games played so far, and a grand total of two of them have been competitive.
Take away the Cardinals-Packers game in the wild-card round and the Jets-Chargers game in the Divisional round on Sunday, and the other six games were decided by an average of a shade more than 21 points per game. That's three touchdowns and three point after tries (assuming Nate Kaeding isn't kicking them).
Take away the Jets' two upsets, and the favorites have won five of six.
The Patriots are gone. The Cowboys are gone. The Eagles are gone. The Packers are gone. And tradition is gone, too. What we're left with are four teams who, combined, have won one Super Bowl in the last 39 years.
The entire West Divisions in both leagues are gone, which leaves CBS and FOX with no media markets west of Minneapolis with a dog in the fight the rest of the way.
But, of course, this is what the NFL wanted.
This is parity.
Now, none of this is to say that there aren't some pretty good football teams moving on to the conference championship games Sunday. There are. There's probably no argument that the Saints and Vikings were the two most consistent, most polished teams in the NFC from September until now. And the Colts had a great chance to be unbeaten right now had they not taken their foot off the proverbial gas pedal after week 15. So, you can argue that the three best teams the NFL had to offer this season are still playing, along with the Jets, who run the ball and play defense better than any of them.
So this isn't a column about how the best teams aren't going to be competing for a spot in Super Bowl XLIV.
They're just, well, different teams.
Read More!
There have been eight games played so far, and a grand total of two of them have been competitive.
Take away the Cardinals-Packers game in the wild-card round and the Jets-Chargers game in the Divisional round on Sunday, and the other six games were decided by an average of a shade more than 21 points per game. That's three touchdowns and three point after tries (assuming Nate Kaeding isn't kicking them).
Take away the Jets' two upsets, and the favorites have won five of six.
The Patriots are gone. The Cowboys are gone. The Eagles are gone. The Packers are gone. And tradition is gone, too. What we're left with are four teams who, combined, have won one Super Bowl in the last 39 years.
The entire West Divisions in both leagues are gone, which leaves CBS and FOX with no media markets west of Minneapolis with a dog in the fight the rest of the way.
But, of course, this is what the NFL wanted.
This is parity.
Now, none of this is to say that there aren't some pretty good football teams moving on to the conference championship games Sunday. There are. There's probably no argument that the Saints and Vikings were the two most consistent, most polished teams in the NFC from September until now. And the Colts had a great chance to be unbeaten right now had they not taken their foot off the proverbial gas pedal after week 15. So, you can argue that the three best teams the NFL had to offer this season are still playing, along with the Jets, who run the ball and play defense better than any of them.
So this isn't a column about how the best teams aren't going to be competing for a spot in Super Bowl XLIV.
They're just, well, different teams.
Read More!
Main Favre gets better with age
I did not believe Favre would be the final piece in the Minnesota Vikings' jigsaw. I had no doubt the future Hall of Famer could still throw a pretty pass and lead a team with some devastating strikes downfield. I just could not see a 40-year-old quarterback - who had admitted he got tired throwing to college kids over the summer - being in peak physical condition at the business end of the season.
I did not particularly like the way the former Green Bay star engineered his release from the New York Jets before conveniently signing with the Vikings once most of the preseason training was out of the way, but that was not my primary concern. I just felt a guy who had physically broken down at the back end of the previous season was not going to be in the right kind of form to lead a Super Bowl run in January.
To say I was a little bit off the mark would be an understatement. Read More!
I did not particularly like the way the former Green Bay star engineered his release from the New York Jets before conveniently signing with the Vikings once most of the preseason training was out of the way, but that was not my primary concern. I just felt a guy who had physically broken down at the back end of the previous season was not going to be in the right kind of form to lead a Super Bowl run in January.
To say I was a little bit off the mark would be an understatement. Read More!
2010 NFL Playoff Live NFL Betting
After watching the wild card games over the weekend I noticed something you need to keep in mind when you do some NFL football Betting this up coming weekend. Every single team that actually advanced to the next round had one thing in common, they were able to run the ball effectively, but I wouldn’t expect it to be a major factor in the rest of the playoffs.
All the winning teams this weekend were able to run the ball and outgained their rivals in that department, something that at first looked overrated, especially if you consider that this has become a passing league. NFL Live Odds on NFL 2010 Playoffs at Sportsbetting.com
For example, in the first game of the weekend both teams ran a total of 171 yards, the Jets beat the Bengals because they were able to establish the run first and then got some room for Mark Sanchez to make some key plays. As you can see, the main factor was the run.
The same thing happened in the Dallas - Philly game, the Cowboys outgained the Eagles 198-56 in rushing yards, they ran the ball and tired out the opponents defense using good ole’ old school football.
The New England – Baltimore match was a perfect example on how a playoff game was played back in the day and how you should face an opponent in cold weather. The Ravens crushed the Patriots in the running department, 234 rushing yards against 64; they were able to bag an easy win. Check out NFL Live Odds on NFL 2010 Playoffs at Sportsbetting.com
John Harbaugh knew that in this weather throwing the ball was going to be a bit hard so they decided to go through the ground, and with two really good backs like Rice and McGahee it was a safe bet. Read More!
All the winning teams this weekend were able to run the ball and outgained their rivals in that department, something that at first looked overrated, especially if you consider that this has become a passing league. NFL Live Odds on NFL 2010 Playoffs at Sportsbetting.com
For example, in the first game of the weekend both teams ran a total of 171 yards, the Jets beat the Bengals because they were able to establish the run first and then got some room for Mark Sanchez to make some key plays. As you can see, the main factor was the run.
The same thing happened in the Dallas - Philly game, the Cowboys outgained the Eagles 198-56 in rushing yards, they ran the ball and tired out the opponents defense using good ole’ old school football.
The New England – Baltimore match was a perfect example on how a playoff game was played back in the day and how you should face an opponent in cold weather. The Ravens crushed the Patriots in the running department, 234 rushing yards against 64; they were able to bag an easy win. Check out NFL Live Odds on NFL 2010 Playoffs at Sportsbetting.com
John Harbaugh knew that in this weather throwing the ball was going to be a bit hard so they decided to go through the ground, and with two really good backs like Rice and McGahee it was a safe bet. Read More!
Cards’ Fitzgerald Uncertain For Sunday
After suffering injuries on MNF, Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald might not play in the team’s game against Detroit this Sunday.
According to The Arizona Republic, Fitzgerald had an MRI which revealed “a bone bruise and a sprained right knee,” although there is said to be no structural damage.
The team will make a decision on his status this week and Arizona is a big 12-point road faves for the Detroit Lions game.
The Cardinals are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 overall games against the Lions and have taken the Over eight times in those 10 games.
The WR suffered the injuries in a 24-9 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night — the Cards failed to cover at -3. Read More!
According to The Arizona Republic, Fitzgerald had an MRI which revealed “a bone bruise and a sprained right knee,” although there is said to be no structural damage.
The team will make a decision on his status this week and Arizona is a big 12-point road faves for the Detroit Lions game.
The Cardinals are 7-3 SU and ATS in their last 10 overall games against the Lions and have taken the Over eight times in those 10 games.
The WR suffered the injuries in a 24-9 road loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night — the Cards failed to cover at -3. Read More!
Thursday Night Football : New York Giants Vs Denver Broncos Live Odds NFL Week 12
NEW YORK GIANTS AT DENVER
Line: Giants -6.5
Over/Under: 42
NFL Betting : Giants
- The Giants are 0-5 ATS in their past five games overall.
- New York is 13-3 ATS in its past 16 road games vs. teams with a winning record at home.
- The Giants are 4-1 ATS on the road when laying between -3.5 and -10 points.
- New York Giants are 8-2 ATS as a road favorite of any number.
- After giving up 30-plus points the Giants have a record of 7-2 ATS.
- New York has a record of 12 overs, 3 unders and 1 push in their last 16 games after giving up 30-plus points.
- The Giants have a record of 1 over, 3 unders and 1 push as a favorite between -3.5 points and -10 points.
- New York Giants last eight games as a road fav of any number have produced 5 overs, 2 unders and 1 push.
NFL Betting : Broncos
- Denver is 8-3-1 ATS when getting points at home.
- Denver is 0-5 ATS in the past five games that followed a straight-up loss.
- Denver has played no overs, 4 unders and 1 push the past five times they have been a home dog.
- The last 11 games at Denver have produced 0 overs, 10 unders and 1 push overall.
- Denver has played 2 overs and 6 unders the last eight times after losing by 14-plus points.
Read More!
Line: Giants -6.5
Over/Under: 42
NFL Betting : Giants
- The Giants are 0-5 ATS in their past five games overall.
- New York is 13-3 ATS in its past 16 road games vs. teams with a winning record at home.
- The Giants are 4-1 ATS on the road when laying between -3.5 and -10 points.
- New York Giants are 8-2 ATS as a road favorite of any number.
- After giving up 30-plus points the Giants have a record of 7-2 ATS.
- New York has a record of 12 overs, 3 unders and 1 push in their last 16 games after giving up 30-plus points.
- The Giants have a record of 1 over, 3 unders and 1 push as a favorite between -3.5 points and -10 points.
- New York Giants last eight games as a road fav of any number have produced 5 overs, 2 unders and 1 push.
NFL Betting : Broncos
- Denver is 8-3-1 ATS when getting points at home.
- Denver is 0-5 ATS in the past five games that followed a straight-up loss.
- Denver has played no overs, 4 unders and 1 push the past five times they have been a home dog.
- The last 11 games at Denver have produced 0 overs, 10 unders and 1 push overall.
- Denver has played 2 overs and 6 unders the last eight times after losing by 14-plus points.
Read More!
Dallas Cowboys Vs Oakland Raiders Live Streaming Week 12 Thursday Night NFL
NFL Betting Picks Week 12
OAKLAND AT DALLAS
Line: Cowboys -13.5
Over/Under: 40
NFL Betting : Oakland
- Oakland is 5-12 ATS following its past 17 ATS covers and just 1-4 ATS after winning a game straight-up.
- Oakland is 0-5 ATS in their last five games on fieldturf.
- Oakland has 3 overs and 6 unders in the team’s past nine games overall.
- The Raiders have stayed under the total 4-of-5 times on fieldturf.
- Oakland has produced 6 overs and 2 unders following its past eight straight-up wins.
- Oakland has a record of 2 overs, 5 unders and 1 push in its past eight games away from home.
- The Raiders have recorded 3 overs, 7 unders and 1 push when listed as a double-digit road dog.
NFL Betting : Dallas
- Dallas is 7-3 ATS in its past 10 home games overall.
- The Cowboys have a perfect 4-0 ATS in the team’s most recent games on Thursday.
- Dallas is 18-6-2 ATS at home when facing a team with a losing road record.
- Dallas is 1-5 ATS the past six times when being asked to lay double-digits.
- The Cowboys are 1-7 ATS in the games that followed a contest where Dallas held its opponent to 14 points or less.
- After holding a team to 14 points or less the Cowboys have a record of 13 overs, 6 unders and 3 pushes the past 22 times.
Trend Advantage: Cowboys
Check out more latest NFL Betting Picks Read More!
OAKLAND AT DALLAS
Line: Cowboys -13.5
Over/Under: 40
NFL Betting : Oakland
- Oakland is 5-12 ATS following its past 17 ATS covers and just 1-4 ATS after winning a game straight-up.
- Oakland is 0-5 ATS in their last five games on fieldturf.
- Oakland has 3 overs and 6 unders in the team’s past nine games overall.
- The Raiders have stayed under the total 4-of-5 times on fieldturf.
- Oakland has produced 6 overs and 2 unders following its past eight straight-up wins.
- Oakland has a record of 2 overs, 5 unders and 1 push in its past eight games away from home.
- The Raiders have recorded 3 overs, 7 unders and 1 push when listed as a double-digit road dog.
NFL Betting : Dallas
- Dallas is 7-3 ATS in its past 10 home games overall.
- The Cowboys have a perfect 4-0 ATS in the team’s most recent games on Thursday.
- Dallas is 18-6-2 ATS at home when facing a team with a losing road record.
- Dallas is 1-5 ATS the past six times when being asked to lay double-digits.
- The Cowboys are 1-7 ATS in the games that followed a contest where Dallas held its opponent to 14 points or less.
- After holding a team to 14 points or less the Cowboys have a record of 13 overs, 6 unders and 3 pushes the past 22 times.
Trend Advantage: Cowboys
Check out more latest NFL Betting Picks Read More!
Green Bay Packers AT Detroit Lions Live Odds Thursday Night Football Week 12
sets the table with trends for betting the sides and totals in all three NFL games this Thursday.
NFL Betting Week 12 :
GREEN BAY AT DETROIT
Line: Packers -10.5
Over/Under: 47.5
- Green Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games at Detroit.
- Green Bay is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games vs. Detroit, including a current run of five-consecutive wins straight-up.
- Green Bay has a 3-7 ATS mark in its past 10 games played on a Thursday.
- The Packers are 3-1 ATS the last four times they have traveled to face a division rival.
- Green Bay’s past 23 road games have produced 15 overs and 8 unders.
- The total has gone over in four of Green Bay's five most recent games vs. Detroit.
- Detroit has a 1-5 ATS record in its most recent Thursday games, all played at home, but note that the lone win was against these Green Bay Packers (2003).
- Detroit is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five games.
- Detroit is 2-23 SU in its last 25 games but note than both straight-up wins were in the past two months.
- Detroit is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 home games overall.
- The Lions last straight-up win against a division rival was Oct. 28, 2007 (0-13 SU).
- The Lions have played 2 overs and 5 unders in their last seven home games.
Trend Advantage: No Advantage
Check out latest NFL Betting Picks Read More!
NFL Betting Week 12 :
GREEN BAY AT DETROIT
Line: Packers -10.5
Over/Under: 47.5
- Green Bay is 4-1 ATS in its last five road games at Detroit.
- Green Bay is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games vs. Detroit, including a current run of five-consecutive wins straight-up.
- Green Bay has a 3-7 ATS mark in its past 10 games played on a Thursday.
- The Packers are 3-1 ATS the last four times they have traveled to face a division rival.
- Green Bay’s past 23 road games have produced 15 overs and 8 unders.
- The total has gone over in four of Green Bay's five most recent games vs. Detroit.
- Detroit has a 1-5 ATS record in its most recent Thursday games, all played at home, but note that the lone win was against these Green Bay Packers (2003).
- Detroit is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five games.
- Detroit is 2-23 SU in its last 25 games but note than both straight-up wins were in the past two months.
- Detroit is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 home games overall.
- The Lions last straight-up win against a division rival was Oct. 28, 2007 (0-13 SU).
- The Lions have played 2 overs and 5 unders in their last seven home games.
Trend Advantage: No Advantage
Check out latest NFL Betting Picks Read More!
NFL Sunday Night Football Betting - Indianapolis Colts Vs. Baltimore Ravens
NFL Sunday Night Football Betting - Indianapolis Colts Vs. Baltimore Ravens
In the NFL Football betting lines, Few bookies listed the Colts a one-point favorite, with a posted total of 44.5 points.
Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
* IND has won its last 18 regular season games SU
* IND has covered five of its last six road games
* IND has won eight of its last nine road games SU
* BALT has covered 17 of its last 23 games
* BALT has won 16 of its last 23 games SU
* BALT has lost four of its last six games SU
* BALT has played four of its last five games UNDER the total
* BALT has won and covered four of its last five home games
* BALT has played six of its last seven home games UNDER the total
Also...
* IND has won the last six meetings SU
* IND has covered the last five meetings
* Five of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total
* Five of the last seven meetings in Baltimore have gone OVER the total
Last year it got ugly for this Ravens team, when it visited Lucas Oil Stadium. Peyton Manning threw for 258 yards, Joe Flacco threw three interceptions, and the Ravens turned it over five times overall as they were smashed by a 31-3 count.
Certainly they are seeking revenge, and they have favorable scheduling conditions too. Indianapolis Colts is coming off that dramatic 35-34 victory over the Patriots, aided by the bonehead call by Bill Belichick to go for a first down on fourth-and-one from his own 28-yard line.
That was quite a draining game for Manning and the Colts, while on the other side, Baltimore Ravens may have had one eye on this one as it coasted to a 16-0 win over the hapless Browns.
The offense was choppy for the Ravens on Monday night, but it's been part of a pattern. They gained only 274 yards, which makes it three straight games that they have tallied less than 300 yards. That would seem to make it difficult to trade points with the Colts, although interestingly enough, in the yards-per-point category, Indianapolis is at 14.3, while Baltimore has shown itself to actually be more efficient overall, at 14.1.
There was no question that Tom Brady was able to exploit the holes in the Indianapolis secondary, which was missing three of its starters Sunday night due to injury. Brady threw for 375 yards and three scores. Matt Schaub had 311 yards the week before. Is Joe Flacco that capable, and does he have the set of receivers to make it happen? Flacco has thrown for over 300 yards three times this season, though of course, he hasn't done in any of the last three games. There wasn't a lot of sharpness out there against the Browns.
Indianapolis, a team that has pulled off big victories plenty of times in the recent past, and Manning, who is as cool a customer as exists, aren't as likely to suffer the "letdown" as most teams would, especially with an undefeated record and home field advantage in the playoffs well within their sights. Read More!
NFL Week 10 Power Rating Picks
It's time and here are NFL Power Rating Picks—Week 10 , each week when the engine that cranks the power rating machine turns out a play, the point-spread and home field advantage have both been accounted for.
Following are NFL Power Rating Picks for Week 10:
Side plays were a bust last week but our play on the Monday Night Football game to stay "Under" was a winner and the overall record for the season, including early week and late-plays moved to 24-19 (56 percent). This week we have six plays to consider, including four bets on the Over/Under.
1. Buffalo at Tennessee "Over" 41 : Titans started this season 0-6 SU, took a bye and then came back with a dominant home effort versus Jacksonville. A win at San Francisco has provided some momentum but with a defense ranked last in points allowed, expect both teams to put up some numbers before this game is final.
2. Philadelphia at San Diego "Over" 47 : Philly is 5-0 O/U as an underdog of plus two points or less since October 2003 and four of those overs were in road games. The two most-recent road games were both non-Conference (BAL, KC). RB Westbrook is expected to start. These teams fit into the same power rating profile as the Bills and Titans.
3. Dallas at Green Bay "Under" 48 : The Packers proved unpredictable when they fell to the Buccaneers in Week Nine, but this week, back at home, should get a better effort from the defense. The Cowboys have won three-straight ATS and with a divisional game on-deck (WSH), play-calling should be conservative—a la Wade Phillips.
4. New England, plus three : It’s not surprising that the ratings pointed towards a play on the Patriots considering how high they score on power ranking boards across the nation.Tom Brady getting points is never a bad option.
5. New England at Indianapolis "Over" 48 : Indy’s defense has allowed just one team to score more than 17 points this season (MIA, Wk Two). If there were ever a time for a second, it’s now.
This is the Colts’ third SNF game of the season and fourth prime-time game. Indianapolis is 3-0 SU/ATS through the first three night games and 1-2 O/U but the Colts offense has averaged just a hair less than 30 ppg. It’s the first of the four marquee game Indy gets to play at home.
6. Baltimore -10.5 : The Browns have ratcheted themselves down considerably this year and part of that lies in the hands of management. The rest is on the field and against a Ravens team under the gun to produce wins. It’s hard to see Cleveland keeping pace—no matter who starts at QB. Read More!
Following are NFL Power Rating Picks for Week 10:
Side plays were a bust last week but our play on the Monday Night Football game to stay "Under" was a winner and the overall record for the season, including early week and late-plays moved to 24-19 (56 percent). This week we have six plays to consider, including four bets on the Over/Under.
1. Buffalo at Tennessee "Over" 41 : Titans started this season 0-6 SU, took a bye and then came back with a dominant home effort versus Jacksonville. A win at San Francisco has provided some momentum but with a defense ranked last in points allowed, expect both teams to put up some numbers before this game is final.
2. Philadelphia at San Diego "Over" 47 : Philly is 5-0 O/U as an underdog of plus two points or less since October 2003 and four of those overs were in road games. The two most-recent road games were both non-Conference (BAL, KC). RB Westbrook is expected to start. These teams fit into the same power rating profile as the Bills and Titans.
3. Dallas at Green Bay "Under" 48 : The Packers proved unpredictable when they fell to the Buccaneers in Week Nine, but this week, back at home, should get a better effort from the defense. The Cowboys have won three-straight ATS and with a divisional game on-deck (WSH), play-calling should be conservative—a la Wade Phillips.
4. New England, plus three : It’s not surprising that the ratings pointed towards a play on the Patriots considering how high they score on power ranking boards across the nation.Tom Brady getting points is never a bad option.
5. New England at Indianapolis "Over" 48 : Indy’s defense has allowed just one team to score more than 17 points this season (MIA, Wk Two). If there were ever a time for a second, it’s now.
This is the Colts’ third SNF game of the season and fourth prime-time game. Indianapolis is 3-0 SU/ATS through the first three night games and 1-2 O/U but the Colts offense has averaged just a hair less than 30 ppg. It’s the first of the four marquee game Indy gets to play at home.
6. Baltimore -10.5 : The Browns have ratcheted themselves down considerably this year and part of that lies in the hands of management. The rest is on the field and against a Ravens team under the gun to produce wins. It’s hard to see Cleveland keeping pace—no matter who starts at QB. Read More!
New England Patriots in the NFL
The league has clearly been stratified this year—there are the top contenders, and then there's everyone else. We have a bevy of teams that are just plain horrible: the Titans, Browns, Bucs, Chiefs, Rams, Redskins, Raiders, and Lions are all haplessly running out the clock at this point.
Pundits everywhere are decrying the blowouts and questioning what can be done.
Why does this matter to the Patriots? Well, the team has been on the winning side of some awfully lopsided games. Since the team is part of the NFL's current ruling class, it behooves fans to know when guillotine sales go up.
Successful teams should listen very closely whenever there is talk of leveling the playing field.
What complicates matters is the current collective bargaining agreement talks between the NFL and the players' union. This means the league would be ideally positioned to launch a large, system-altering change like the salary cap and free agency.
I believe, though, that a substantial change to the way the league is set up is unlikely.
When you look at the league's changes over the years, they have always intended to right a tangible wrong: free agency took away a team's ability to control a player's career, and the salary cap prevented the sort of payroll disparity we currently see in baseball.
What, then, would be the tangible wrong in today's NFL?
The teams mentioned earlier aren't there because they lack the money to compete, or because players are unavailable. No, those teams are currently losing because they have been mismanaged over several years (with the exception of the Titans, whose downfall this year has been unexpected).
Their personnel staffs have evaluated players incorrectly. Their front offices have signed ill-advised, cap-killing deals. They've likely had a revolving door at the coaching positions, each new one seeking to implement his own system (and consequently resulting in a whole lot of mismatched pieces).
Teams like the Pats, Colts, and Steelers succeed because they evaluate talent well, properly manage their caps, and have stable coaching situations.
How, then, could the problem be fixed? The league doesn't (and shouldn't) have the power to completely reshape noncompeting teams.
The NFL has spent years protecting teams from those factors typically blamed for imbalance, but it has finally found one that cannot be solved easily: organizational incompetence.
Perhaps things are as they should be—well-run teams (like the Pats, Colts, and Steelers) are seeing their foresight rewarded. Poorly-run teams are performing miserably.
Perhaps imbalance is the natural state of things.
That won't stop people from bemoaning 59-0 games, though. Read More!
Pundits everywhere are decrying the blowouts and questioning what can be done.
Why does this matter to the Patriots? Well, the team has been on the winning side of some awfully lopsided games. Since the team is part of the NFL's current ruling class, it behooves fans to know when guillotine sales go up.
Successful teams should listen very closely whenever there is talk of leveling the playing field.
What complicates matters is the current collective bargaining agreement talks between the NFL and the players' union. This means the league would be ideally positioned to launch a large, system-altering change like the salary cap and free agency.
I believe, though, that a substantial change to the way the league is set up is unlikely.
When you look at the league's changes over the years, they have always intended to right a tangible wrong: free agency took away a team's ability to control a player's career, and the salary cap prevented the sort of payroll disparity we currently see in baseball.
What, then, would be the tangible wrong in today's NFL?
The teams mentioned earlier aren't there because they lack the money to compete, or because players are unavailable. No, those teams are currently losing because they have been mismanaged over several years (with the exception of the Titans, whose downfall this year has been unexpected).
Their personnel staffs have evaluated players incorrectly. Their front offices have signed ill-advised, cap-killing deals. They've likely had a revolving door at the coaching positions, each new one seeking to implement his own system (and consequently resulting in a whole lot of mismatched pieces).
Teams like the Pats, Colts, and Steelers succeed because they evaluate talent well, properly manage their caps, and have stable coaching situations.
How, then, could the problem be fixed? The league doesn't (and shouldn't) have the power to completely reshape noncompeting teams.
The NFL has spent years protecting teams from those factors typically blamed for imbalance, but it has finally found one that cannot be solved easily: organizational incompetence.
Perhaps things are as they should be—well-run teams (like the Pats, Colts, and Steelers) are seeing their foresight rewarded. Poorly-run teams are performing miserably.
Perhaps imbalance is the natural state of things.
That won't stop people from bemoaning 59-0 games, though. Read More!
NFL Beginners Guide
The Football Field -
• The playing field is 100 yards long.
• It has stripes running across the field at five-yard intervals.
• There are shorter lines, called hash marks, marking each one-yard interval. (not shown)
• On each end of the playing field is an end zone (red section with diagonal lines) which extends ten yards.
• The total field is 120 yards long and 160 feet wide.
• Located on the very back line of each end zone is a goal post.
• The spot where the end zone meets the playing field is called the goal line.
• The yardage from the goal line is marked at ten-yard intervals, up to the 50-yard line, which is in the center of the field. After reaching the 50-yard line, the yardage markers start to descend (40, 30, 20, 10) every ten yards until they reach the opposite goal line.
The Basics of a Football Team
• Each game features two teams playing against each other.
• Each team is allowed 11 men on the field at a time. Any more than 11 could result in a penalty.
• Unlimited substitution is permitted, but players may only enter the field when the ball is dead.
• Each team is comprised of an offense, defense, and special teams.
• If team A has possession of the ball, they use their offensive team to attempt to advance the ball toward the opponents endzone.
• If team B has the ball, team A will use their defensive team to attempt to stop team B from advancing the ball.
• If a kicking play is expected, both teams will use their special teams.
Understanding the Object of the Game of Football
• The object of the game is to outscore your opponent by advancing the football into their endzone for as many touchdowns as possible while holding them to as few as possible. There are other ways of scoring, but a touchdown is usually the prime objective.
The Basics of Beginning a Football Game
• Before each game, the captains from each team and the referee meet at the center of the field for the coin toss.
• The winner of the coin toss has the option of starting the game by kicking the ball to the other team or receiving the kickoff from the other team.
• The game begins when one of the teams kicks off to the other.
• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far back toward the kicking team as possible.
• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), or makes it all the way to the kicking team's endzone (touchdown).
• The spot where the kick returner was tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is a term for the place the ball is spotted before a play is run.
• Once this starting point is established, the offensive squad of the receiving team will come in and try to move the ball toward the opposition's end zone.
What is Down and Distance?
Understanding down and distance is probably the biggest key to understanding football, so make sure you really understand this part before moving on to the next section.
• Basically, a down is a play. From the time the ball is snapped (put into play), to the time the play is whistled over by the officials, is considered one down.
• A team's offense is given four downs (plays) to move ten yards toward the opponent's end zone.
• Distance is the number of yards a team needs to get a new set of four downs.
• If they make the ten yards needed within four downs, they are given a new set of downs. This is called getting a first down.
• If they don't make it the required ten yards, the other team's offense takes possession of the ball.
An Example
• The first play of a series is called first-and-ten because it is the first down and ten yards are needed to receive a new set of four downs.
• Suppose on the first play, the team on offense picks up three yards. The next play would then be second-and-seven, because it is the second play of the set and they still need seven yards to get a first down.
• If they were to pick up six yards on the second play it would leave them one yard shy of the first down marker, therefore setting up a third-and-one situation. Third-and-one because it would be the third play of the series and they would still need one yard to get a first down.
• If the team with the ball can pick up one yard or more on the third-down play, then they will be given a first down, which means they get to start all over with a new set of four downs.
• A team can continue moving the football down the field as long as they continue to pick up first downs.
Fourth-Down Strategies
If a team fails to gain the required yardage on third down, several things could happen on fourth down:
• A team can elect to "go for it" on fourth down and try to pick up the remaining yardage, but they run the risk of turning the ball over to the other team if they do not get Read More!
• The playing field is 100 yards long.
• It has stripes running across the field at five-yard intervals.
• There are shorter lines, called hash marks, marking each one-yard interval. (not shown)
• On each end of the playing field is an end zone (red section with diagonal lines) which extends ten yards.
• The total field is 120 yards long and 160 feet wide.
• Located on the very back line of each end zone is a goal post.
• The spot where the end zone meets the playing field is called the goal line.
• The yardage from the goal line is marked at ten-yard intervals, up to the 50-yard line, which is in the center of the field. After reaching the 50-yard line, the yardage markers start to descend (40, 30, 20, 10) every ten yards until they reach the opposite goal line.
The Basics of a Football Team
• Each game features two teams playing against each other.
• Each team is allowed 11 men on the field at a time. Any more than 11 could result in a penalty.
• Unlimited substitution is permitted, but players may only enter the field when the ball is dead.
• Each team is comprised of an offense, defense, and special teams.
• If team A has possession of the ball, they use their offensive team to attempt to advance the ball toward the opponents endzone.
• If team B has the ball, team A will use their defensive team to attempt to stop team B from advancing the ball.
• If a kicking play is expected, both teams will use their special teams.
Understanding the Object of the Game of Football
• The object of the game is to outscore your opponent by advancing the football into their endzone for as many touchdowns as possible while holding them to as few as possible. There are other ways of scoring, but a touchdown is usually the prime objective.
The Basics of Beginning a Football Game
• Before each game, the captains from each team and the referee meet at the center of the field for the coin toss.
• The winner of the coin toss has the option of starting the game by kicking the ball to the other team or receiving the kickoff from the other team.
• The game begins when one of the teams kicks off to the other.
• The receiving team must catch the ball and try to advance it as far back toward the kicking team as possible.
• The play ends when the player with the ball is knocked to the ground (tackled), or makes it all the way to the kicking team's endzone (touchdown).
• The spot where the kick returner was tackled becomes the line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage is a term for the place the ball is spotted before a play is run.
• Once this starting point is established, the offensive squad of the receiving team will come in and try to move the ball toward the opposition's end zone.
What is Down and Distance?
Understanding down and distance is probably the biggest key to understanding football, so make sure you really understand this part before moving on to the next section.
• Basically, a down is a play. From the time the ball is snapped (put into play), to the time the play is whistled over by the officials, is considered one down.
• A team's offense is given four downs (plays) to move ten yards toward the opponent's end zone.
• Distance is the number of yards a team needs to get a new set of four downs.
• If they make the ten yards needed within four downs, they are given a new set of downs. This is called getting a first down.
• If they don't make it the required ten yards, the other team's offense takes possession of the ball.
An Example
• The first play of a series is called first-and-ten because it is the first down and ten yards are needed to receive a new set of four downs.
• Suppose on the first play, the team on offense picks up three yards. The next play would then be second-and-seven, because it is the second play of the set and they still need seven yards to get a first down.
• If they were to pick up six yards on the second play it would leave them one yard shy of the first down marker, therefore setting up a third-and-one situation. Third-and-one because it would be the third play of the series and they would still need one yard to get a first down.
• If the team with the ball can pick up one yard or more on the third-down play, then they will be given a first down, which means they get to start all over with a new set of four downs.
• A team can continue moving the football down the field as long as they continue to pick up first downs.
Fourth-Down Strategies
If a team fails to gain the required yardage on third down, several things could happen on fourth down:
• A team can elect to "go for it" on fourth down and try to pick up the remaining yardage, but they run the risk of turning the ball over to the other team if they do not get Read More!
NFL Thursday Night Football: Chicago Bears Vs San Francisco 49ers
Starting this Thursday until the end of the NFL regular season, there will be an extra day of professional football. The first Thursday-nighter will see the Chicago Bears visiting the San Francisco 49ers with the Niners favored by a field goal.
Candlestick has not been kind to the Bears as they are 1-7 straight up and against the spread on the road against San Fran dating back to 1985.
Chicago is also 2-7 ATS in its last nine road games and in its last 10 games when underdogs of 4-points or less, is 3-7-1 ATS.
The Total is set at 43. Read More!
Week 10 NFL Power Rankings
All in all it was a 2-10 ATS Sunday betting favorites in the NFL and a day like that can create a lot of hesitation for bettors making picks in the week ahead.
If you had an off-week and were hurt by a bad beat or total that just missed, taking a few days to regroup could be a good strategy before charging into the Week 10 card.
Have a look at our Power Rankings to see how Week 9 changed the landscape Read More!
NFL Power Rakings Week 10
NFL Power Rankings Week 10
For Week 9 there three teams with all wins. but now Vikings has lost a match and Saints, Colts continued their winning performances in the 2009 NFL season. For NFL Power Rankings on Week 10. the two teams are at top of the chart . Where as Denver Broncos, Benglas, Steelers, Cardnilas, Patriots are the follwers in NFL Power Rankings Week 10.Vikings, Falcons, Eagles, Gaints are not at a good position, but still they are in my Week 10 Power Rankings. We will have our Complete Week 10 NFL Power Rankings by tomorrow. Read More!
New York Giants VS San Diego Chargers NFL Turn Up Match
San Diego Chargers vs New York Giants – NFL Week 9 Predictions: The fans at Giants Stadium will be treated to a game between the San Diego Chargers and the New York Giants when they take their seats on Sunday at 4:15 PM ET. Eli Manning and Philip Rivers will forever be linked by the draft-day trade in 2004 that brought Manning to the New York Giants and Rivers to the San Diego Chargers.
New York Giants VS San Diego Chargers Picks
This season, they may end up being linked for leading a pair of contenders that underachieved. The quarterbacks meet for the first time Sunday at Giants Stadium, with Manning looking to help New York avoid a fourth straight loss and Rivers trying to lead the Chargers to their first victory over a winning team. Norm is a loser so my NFL week 9 predictions say give the points and take the Giants at home.
The Chargers defeated Oakland 24-16 as a 16-point favorite in Week 8. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (41). LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 56 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18 carries for San Diego, while Philip Rivers passed for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego’s last 6 games on the road. Read More!
New York Giants VS San Diego Chargers Picks
This season, they may end up being linked for leading a pair of contenders that underachieved. The quarterbacks meet for the first time Sunday at Giants Stadium, with Manning looking to help New York avoid a fourth straight loss and Rivers trying to lead the Chargers to their first victory over a winning team. Norm is a loser so my NFL week 9 predictions say give the points and take the Giants at home.
The Chargers defeated Oakland 24-16 as a 16-point favorite in Week 8. The combined score fell UNDER the posted over/under total (41). LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 56 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 18 carries for San Diego, while Philip Rivers passed for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego’s last 6 games on the road. Read More!
Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles Picks Preview
Divisional bragging rights will be on the line on Sunday night at 8:20 PM ET when the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles meet at Lincoln Financial Field. This matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles isn’t nearly as big as the last one. Still, it always seems meaningful when these archrivals play, and the 100th meeting is certainly no different.
A few weeks after both teams seemed headed in the wrong direction, the Cowboys and Eagles have gotten back on track but only one will leave Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night alone atop the NFC East.
The Cowboys defeated Seattle 38-17 as a 10-point favorite in Week 8. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (46.5). Tony Romo passed for 256 yards with three touchdowns for Dallas and Miles Austin caught five passes for 61 yards with a touchdown in the win. The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia’s last 8 games when playing at home against Dallas. Read More!
A few weeks after both teams seemed headed in the wrong direction, the Cowboys and Eagles have gotten back on track but only one will leave Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday night alone atop the NFC East.
The Cowboys defeated Seattle 38-17 as a 10-point favorite in Week 8. The combined score went OVER the posted over/under total (46.5). Tony Romo passed for 256 yards with three touchdowns for Dallas and Miles Austin caught five passes for 61 yards with a touchdown in the win. The total has gone OVER in 7 of Philadelphia’s last 8 games when playing at home against Dallas. Read More!
Tennessee Titans Vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Match Odds Week 9
Almost 85 percent of the spread action was on San Francisco though around 90 percent of the money line action was flowing the Titans way.
Despite Frank Gore ripping off a 66-yard first-quarter score and the 49ers being ahead through most of three quarters, last week’s play calling was still extremely conservative. Coach Mike Singletary indicated he may open things up for QB Alex Smith this week and there is no better time to do so than against Tennessee’s league-worst pass defense.
While it wasn’t a spectacular performance, Vince Young was efficient and controlled in his first start last week. The Niners boast a better defense than the Jaguars, but Young’s mission remains the same: Avoid mistakes, make some timely throws and keep plays alive using his scrambling ability.
Some other important things to consider before betting on this game:
The Titans ran for 305 yards, with an average of 6.2 yards per carry, against Jacksonville in Week 8 but the 49ers are holding opponents to just 85 yards a game on the ground (second best in the league) and that does not bode well for Tennessee.
Read More!
Despite Frank Gore ripping off a 66-yard first-quarter score and the 49ers being ahead through most of three quarters, last week’s play calling was still extremely conservative. Coach Mike Singletary indicated he may open things up for QB Alex Smith this week and there is no better time to do so than against Tennessee’s league-worst pass defense.
While it wasn’t a spectacular performance, Vince Young was efficient and controlled in his first start last week. The Niners boast a better defense than the Jaguars, but Young’s mission remains the same: Avoid mistakes, make some timely throws and keep plays alive using his scrambling ability.
Some other important things to consider before betting on this game:
The Titans ran for 305 yards, with an average of 6.2 yards per carry, against Jacksonville in Week 8 but the 49ers are holding opponents to just 85 yards a game on the ground (second best in the league) and that does not bode well for Tennessee.
Read More!
Detroit Lions vs Seattle Seahawks NFL Match Predictions Week 9 NFL Match
The Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks will both be gunning for a victory on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET when they meet at Qwest Field. Lions LB Julian Peterson played with the Seahawks last year and joked that “at least (his current team) doesn’t have to worry about going 0-16 again.”
Both teams (3-10 combined) have talent but aren’t consistent right now. Our NFL week 9 predictions say take the points, both teams are marginal at best and the Lions are a more improved team with Stafford at quarterback.
For More NFL Week 9 Predictions Read More!
Both teams (3-10 combined) have talent but aren’t consistent right now. Our NFL week 9 predictions say take the points, both teams are marginal at best and the Lions are a more improved team with Stafford at quarterback.
For More NFL Week 9 Predictions Read More!
Houston Texans vs Indianapolis Colts Week 9 NFL Match Predictions
The Indianapolis Colts host the Houston Texans, Sunday Nov 8, as the Colts look for their tenth straight home win. Indianapolis has owned this series, having won 13 of the 14 all-time matchups. NFL Betting Experts have the Colts as -9 point home favs over the Texans with the over/under set at 48 points .
The Texans (5-3) won in Buffalo 31-10 in Week 8 and now sit second in the AFC South. QB Matt Schaub made 25 of 34 passes for 268 yards with two interceptions; overall he’s thrown for 2,342 yards with 16 TD passes and seven interceptions for a 100.5 passer rating.
RB Ryan Moats had 23 carries for 126 yards with three TD’s, while WR Andre Johnson made six catches for 63 yards. The Texans pulled down two interceptions and had two sacks on the day. By winning three in a row to improve to 5-3, Houston has already answered a lot of questions about its ability to find consistency and play well for more than a one or two week stretch. Read More!