Online Betting Overview

The Philadelphia Eagles have already been called the NFL “Dream Team” and are expected to be the team to beat in the NFC this season. But a lot of the problems that plagued the Eagles last year could come into play this year. Quarterback Michael Vick is still running for his life behind a mediocre offensive line and forced to run the ball more than he wants to. The other question is how much the Eagles really upgraded their secondary. Yes, Philadelphia has picked up prized free agent cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and another good free agent cornerback in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to add to Asante Samuel. But the Eagles did not make any changes to the safeties that allowed a series of long plays last season. The NFL betting lines are right to expect big things from Philadelphia based on the talent on the roster. But a closer look begs the question of how much better Philadelphia really is this year compared to last year.

The St. Louis Rams are a young and talented team that is still developing. It is a lot for St. Louis football fans to expect second-year quarterback Sam Bradford to be ready to dominate the NFL this year. But, the Rams should be the best team in a weak NFC West division. Granted, the NFC West is not as weak as it was last season and it is doubtful that 7-9 will win the division again this year. But the Rams’ defense still needs a little tweaking before it can be ready for prime time. NFL fans in St. Louis would like to see a move to bring in more of a pass rush for the St. Louis defense, and the secondary could benefit from some more speed. But this is still a very good St. Louis team and it should make the playoffs this year.

Philadelphia Eagles

Breaking down the Eagles’ offense we see strength at every position except for the offensive line. The offensive tackles are solid with Jason Peters and Todd Herremans. But the guard position will be under the microscope this year as the Eagles named rookie right guard Danny Watkins the starter. Left guard Evan Mathis has not been a consistent starter throughout his career and could also be a problem spot. The marquee players on offense can only be as effective as the offensive line. If Michael Vick cannot get time to throw the ball or an avenue to escape a collapsing pocket, then the “Dream Team” could turn into a nightmare.

St. Louis Rams

Quarterback Sam Bradford is proving to be one of the better NFL picks in recent years by the St. Louis franchise. He has complete control over his offense and now just needs a defense that can keep the opposition at bay. The Rams are getting there with the defense, but they are not quite there yet.

The Bottom Line

Whether it is a dream or not, the Eagles have more than enough ability to beat the St. Louis Rams. But the Rams will make a fight of this bass fishing contest and make this one tough to bet with the points. This one could come down to a last minute field goal for the win.

Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

Online Betting Overview

It is déjà vu all over again for the Houston Texans as many football experts are picking this to be the year that the Texans replace the Indianapolis Colts as the top team in the AFC South. Many of the same experts said the same thing last year and the Texans did not make the playoffs. The Colts are an easy target right now. They just lost pro bowl cornerback Bob Sanders to the Chargers and starting quarterback Peyton Manning may not be able to play in the first week or two of the regular season. But the Texans have a lot of areas to address before it can sit atop the AFC South and call itself a division champion. There are reasons why Houston missed the playoffs last year. Some of those reasons are being addressed in this preseason, but others are being glossed over.

The Minnesota Vikings are probably Donovan McNabb’s last chance at being a starting quarterback in the NFL. His reputation took a beating in Washington when head coach Mike Shanahan continually questioned McNabb’s abilities. If McNabb wants to affect NFL betting lines again, he will need to step up his play. It looks like McNabb will be the starter when the Vikings open the season. But rookie quarterback Christian Ponder is making good on his statement that he wants to challenge for the starting job. Ponder is the future of the Vikings while Donovan McNabb fights to be the present.

Houston Texans

The biggest concern for NFL fans in Houston is the offensive line of the Houston Texans. The running game is overflowing with talented running backs and Andre Johnson will once again elevate the Houston passing game to new heights. But if the running backs do not have any holes to run through and quarterback Matt Schaub does not have time to throw, then the offense will still struggle. The Texans made some bold moves on defense that included moving defensive line Mario Williams to linebacker which should help improve the defense. The defense was a major issue last season, but if the Texans do not find a way to solidify the offensive line, then the major changes on defense may not lead to a playoff spot.

Minnesota Vikings

One of the more interesting NFL picks in the 2011 draft was quarterback Christian Ponder by the Minnesota Vikings. At the time of the pick, the NFL lockout prevented the Vikings from trading for veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb. Some fans started to assume that Ponder would be the starter. When McNabb entered the picture, Ponder went on the offensive saying that he would compete for the starting job. Ponder has been impressive, but after Donovan McNabb’s performance in preseason week three against the Dallas Cowboys, it became obvious that the veteran would at least start the season as the number one. Running back Adrian Peterson also looks ready for the regular season but may not play a lot in this final preseason game.

The Bottom Line

Houston has some great bass fishing and some high expectations for its football team. This last game of the preseason will feature mostly depth players for both teams, but Texans’ fans will want to keep an eye on how all of the offensive line players perform to see if Houston can fill in that last piece to become a playoff team.

Pick: Houston Texans

Online Betting Overview

When the New York Giants play the New York Jets it is always a home game for both teams. The Jets look like they are destined to have the same problems this season that they had last year. The second and third-string players for the Jets look awful and quarterback Mark Sanchez looks like he has not come along any further in his development. The first-string Jets look like they will be challenging the New England Patriots for the AFC East title. But if anyone on the first-string gets hurt, the New York Jets are in a lot of trouble. The Jets have been trying for years to find sufficient depth to win a Super Bowl title. To this point, that depth has completely eluded them.

The list of starting New York Giants that are lost for the season to injury keeps growing. Cornerback Terrell Thomas, second round draft pick defensive tackle Marvin Austin and cornerback Brian Witherspoon are all gone for the season. Star defensive lineman Osi Umenyiora is recovering from an injury and publicly upset about his contract. Umenyiora says he wants a new deal or a trade. The NFL betting lines with the Giants are all over the map because no one is sure exactly what the Giants defense will look like when the season opens. Quarterback Eli Manning has had flashes of brilliance in this preseason, but he is also showing signs that he may have consistency issues when the season starts. Things are not all rosy with Big Blue in this preseason.

New York Jets

Considering the problems the Giants are having on defense, the first-string Jets offense should be able to hang a lot of points on the Giants in the first half of this game. The Jets’ offensive line and running game has been almost unstoppable in this preseason. Without Umenyiora on the defensive line, the Giants will have problems containing the run. Quarterback Mark Sanchez will get a chance to face a weak Giants’ secondary and start to build some confidence as he heads into the regular season. The second half of this game will feature a rapid replacement of Jets players. Head coach Rex Ryan has a short leash on his second and third-string. Players either need to perform or they will be pulled.

New York Giants

The Giants will be looking at their first-string running game a lot in the first half of this game. NFL fans are familiar with running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw. But in the preseason week two win over the Bears, the Giants unveiled rookie running back Da’Rel Scott who ran for 93 yards against a good Chicago defense. The best part about Scott’s performance was that he only carried the ball once, it went for 97 yards and he scored a touchdown. That is the kind of good news the Giants could use right about now.

The Bottom Line

The NFL picks in preseason week three are usually based on each team’s starting players. With the injuries on defense, the Giants may not be able to put up much of a fight against the Jets offense. The Jets defense should be able to dominate the Giants offense and make this a long night for Giants head coach Tom Coughlin.

Pick: New York Jets

As August nears an end, the sports landscape gears up for a big month of Sports betting online. The summer is the season of baseball, with daily MLB baseball betting. Meanwhile, in other sports and entertainment, Monday nights mean wrestling and plenty of exciting WWE Smackdown action. Still, for football fans, there is action throughout the summer in Europe and in the United States with Soccer betting.

Soccer changes shapes this month, with European leagues starting to resume along with the Champions League in the Americas and around Europe. Meanwhile Major League Soccer is nearing a final stretch run, with teams scrambling for points.

Two teams with high hopes for the playoffs do battles this weekend in a potential preview of post season action. The expansion Sporting Kansas City continue on their epic home stand as they host FC Dallas in an inter-conference match.

Kansas City has surged up the eastern conference table into second place, thanks in part to an extended home stand that was instilled in the schedule to balance out a lengthy road trip to start the season. They have 36 points through 25 games, four points behind first place Columbus Crew. Still, they are just one ahead of Houston, two points ahead of Philadelphia, four ahead of New York, and five in front of DC United. All of that is to say that Kansas City can’t rest on their recent success if they want to go far into the postseason.

With six games in the books in their nine game home stand, Kansas City have won four, drawn one, and lost one. Most recently they beat DC United 1-0, a match that followed a 3-1 victory over Portland.

To extend their winning streak to three they will have to take down FC Dallas, a club in third place in the competitive western conference with 43 points. They are two back of second place Seattle, but two points ahead of the Colorado Rapids.

Dallas was played for second place in their most recent match when they hosted Seattle, but the Sounders bested them 1-0 and took three valuable points. Dallas in fact has not won in three games, losing to Los Angeles and drawing Philadelphia.

The two clubs met in mid June at Dallas, where Kansas City showed up and scored four goals to trounce FC Dallas 4-1. Dallas has only lost four games on the road, but only won four as well. Kansas City meanwhile has only lost once at home this season: it was a recent match against Seattle in which Sporting lost focus in the last minute and conceded two quick goals. Since that dismal play, they have not lost.

Betting lines: These two teams are evenly matched, but with Kansas City at home where they have gotten very comfortable, they are favoured. With a recent convincing victory over Dallas, Kansas City will lack no confidence playing the tough western conference team again, and they should be able to rack up three more points to move up the table.

Online Betting Overview

The Kansas City Chiefs are an impressive mix of effective veteran players and youngsters that are ready to take over the NFL. The whole thing is anchored by warrior Matt Cassel who made it clear that he sees the potential that this team can have when he played in the playoffs with an injury last year. But the Chiefs were extremely one-dimensional in 2010, and that could hurt them in 2011. While Kansas City did manage to pick up some good wide receivers in the 2011 draft, the Chiefs still lack that deep threat that will take some pressure off of the running game. Last year, the running game did not need any pressure taken off of it. This year, it could be a different story if the Chiefs do not start spreading the ball around.

The NFL betting lines for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are proving to be very positive. This is a very young team that is growing up together and developing as a unit. Quarterback Josh Freeman turned out to be a surprise to everyone except Tampa head coach Raheem Morris. Morris was proclaiming his team to be the best in the NFC by mid-season last year. The Buccaneers are an extremely impressive football team. Last year they were running on enthusiasm and they made a lot of mistakes because of it. This year it is all business, and that will help push the Bucs possibly into a playoff spot.

Kansas City Chiefs

Wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin will be on display for a good portion of this game in the offense and on special teams. The Chiefs have nine draft picks to look at in this game, which means that there will not be a lot of time for the starters. Most of the draft picks were on defense, so look for the Chiefs to be substituting in and out on defense for the entire game. Most eyes will be on third-round pick linebacker Justin Houston to see if he can make an impact on the Chiefs’ lineup. The Chiefs could use more speed at linebacker to help contain opposing quarterbacks, which is something they were not proficient in last year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

At this point, it is a safe price per head bet that Josh Freeman and the young Tampa first team offense want to play every offensive snap in the preseason. After the limited success the Buccaneers had last year, they come into this season ready to show what they can do. But the Buccaneers added some depth in the off-season that they will want to take a long look at in this game. Rookie defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn will be on center stage along with rookie defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Bowers was taken by the Bucs despite fears that his leg injury may hamper his performance throughout his career. Bowers has a lot to prove, and it starts in this game.

The Bottom Line

This will be a fun preseason game to watch. The second and third strings on both of these teams know that they have a betonline chance at making the roster if they just perform well. The Chiefs and Bucs are both looking for depth, and both teams have a lot to choose from in this preseason.

Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

At the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the Sharks traded winger Devin Setoguchi to Minnesota along with top prospect Charlie Coyle and a first-round pick in order to secure a top-four defenseman in Brent Burns. The move was made in an effort to get bigger in its own end, something that has really cost San Jose in the past. A month later, the Sharks made an even bigger splash when they traded winger Danny Heatley to the Wild in exchange for Martin Havlat, a move that on paper looks like a loss but in the bigger scheme of things should be a definite win. Despite the gaudy statistics that Heatley has managed to put up during the regular season alongside Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau over the years, he had consistently failed to not only raise his level of play, but also to match his regular season production. San Jose obviously felt as though Havlat could provide an upgrade on the wing when it mattered the most with his drive and determination, something only betonline time will tell. The Sharks expecting an even bigger impact on defense from Burns, whose stature and play in his own end will provide the spark that the team has lacked against elite NHL forwards over the past couple of seasons. While the latest move between the two clubs won’t have an immediate impact on either club, the fact that San Jose acquired another big center in James Sheppard shows that they are determined to add size and determination to their lineup in the long run.

The online casino odds for 2012 list the Sharks as 12-1 favorites to win it all, which puts them in the same boat as the Chicago Blackhawks, with the second-best odds behind the defending Western conference champion Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks will return almost the same lineup that went to game seven of the finals a year ago, while the Blackhawks are just two years removed from a Stanley Cup. San Jose has been the most consistent team in the west not to get in, but with the additions of some size and grit to the lineup, perhaps this is the year that the Sharks go all the way in the NHL Western conference.

It is difficult to tell who will be the NFL MVP from season to season, but sports betting fans love to speculate on who will be the most valuable player in all of football when preseason is getting ready to begin. The most common candidate for NFL MVP is a star quarterback, but there are a few other players that could break through as the MVP and surprise a lot of people in 2011. Let’s take a look at some of the potential candidates for NFL MVP in 2011.

Peyton Manning – QB – Indianapolis Colts

If the Indianapolis Colts could have finished stronger in 2010, then Peyton Manning would have been a lock for the 2010 MVP. But the unanimous vote went to Tom Brady. Peyton Manning worked with very little in Indianapolis and still put his team into the playoffs. But there was a stretch where Manning was the main contributor to the Colts losing games. If he can be more efficient in 2011, he will be a candidate for MVP.

Tom Brady – QB – New England Patriots

It was almost impossible to deny Tom Brady the MVP in 2010. He took what should have been an average offense at best, and turned it into a 14-2 juggernaut. With the addition of wide receiver Chad Ochocinco, the NFL betting lines have Brady as a favorite to be the MVP yet again. Tom Brady is definitely one of the best players in the NFL, and he has a very realistic chance at being named MVP for a second year in a row.

Aaron Rodgers – QB – Green Bay Packers

It is surprising that Aaron Rodgers was not given more consideration for the 2010 NFL MVP award. The cool and calm quarterback of the defending NFL champion Green Bay Packers proved his worth when he played injured for a game and a half in 2010, and then watched as his team floundered without him. The playoffs are not supposed to affect MVP betting. But the fact that Rodgers calmly led his team to a Super Bowl title will carry a lot of weight in 2011.

Andre Johnson – WR – Houston Texans

Many Houston Texans fans feel that star wide receiver Andre Johnson still has another level he can elevate his game to. Johnson is a big and strong receiver that accounts for a good portion of the Texans’ offense. But the emergence of running back Arian Foster has put a pinch on Johnson’s numbers. Johnson still has the ability to prove that he can carry his team into the playoffs and perform at a high level.

Adrian Peterson – RB – Minnesota Vikings

The betonline football fans in Minnesota know how good Adrian Peterson is. In 2011, the rest of the league may get a look at an Adrian Peterson that they have never seen before. With Sidney Rice gone and Donovan McNabb stepping into a new offensive system, the Vikings will call on Peterson frequently in the beginning of the season. Peterson definitely has the skills to maintain a torrid pace through the season, and he may have to if the Vikings want to make it back to the playoffs in 2011.

Sports betting fans love to pay homage to the past greats of any sport. On August 6, 2011, the NFL will induct seven new names into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH. Some of the inductees this year are players and some are people that have contributed to the game in other ways. The NFL shows its ultimate appreciation to anyone who has advanced the game in football in some way by putting that person in the Hall of Fame. Let’s put the NFL betting lines aside for a day and take a look at the seven people that the NFL considers to be worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders was an incredibly gifted athlete that was one of the first “two sport” people in pro sports history. Sanders played pro baseball as well as pro football, but his real talents were on display on the football field. In a 14-year career that spanned five teams, Sanders finished with 53 interceptions and nine defensive touchdowns. When “Prime Time” was on the field, the opposing offense never threw to his side. He is considered one of the better shut-down corners in NFL history, and now he is in the Hall of Fame.

Marshall Faulk

Few running backs had an impact on the outcome of NFL games like Marshall Faulk. In his career, Faulk rushed for 12,279 and had 6,875 yards receiving. He was a threat coming out of the backfield and he could also line up like a wide receiver. He was a major contributor to the St. Louis Rams’ “Greatest Show on Turf” that won him a Super Bowl ring.

Shannon Sharpe

Shannon Sharpe was a Super Bowl champion and one of the most prolific tight ends in NFL history. His 10,060 yards receiving and 62 touchdowns stand as milestones for any future NFL tight end. He even has one single rush to his credit that went for a first down. Now the outspoken tight end is a member of the NFL Hall of Fame.

Richard Dent

Richard Dent was a cornerstone of that dominating Bears’ defense of the mid-1980’s. In his career, he had 137.5 sacks and eight interceptions. This defensive end was one of the most dominating forces in the NFL from 1983 to 1988.

Ed Sabol

If you have ever seen an NFL highlight on television, or a cute little NFL follies film, then you are watching the work of Ed Sabol. Ed Sabol is the originator of NFL films, and his work got great betonline reviews right from the start. He preserved the history of the NFL in a way that few other sports have ever done, and is considered a media pioneer.

Les Richter

In the formidable years of the NFL in the 1950’s, linebacker Les Richter was a terror for any team that played the Los Angeles Rams. In his eight year career, Richter never missed a game. He even played punter and place kicker in the first three years of his career.

Chris Hanburger

Chris Hanburger was a dominating and long-standing fixture on the Washington Redskins defense from 1965 to 1978. This linebacker pulled down 19 interceptions in his career and returned two for touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl nine times and was a first-team All-Pro four times.

The sports betting bonus for Colts fans is that Manning does expect to be able to play when the regular season starts. But it is doubtful that Manning will see much pre-season action. The other important betonline issue that the Colts are dealing with is Peyton Manning’s contract. The franchise tag that the Colts put on Manning prior to the lockout will guarantee the quarterback a one-year deal at a reported $23 million. But Manning is looking for a long-term deal, and the lockout may force negotiations to happen when the season has already started.

Lockout Could be Ending this Week

The NFLPA is not making any promises, but it is definitely making all of the necessary moves to end the lockout this week. The retired NFL players representatives have decided to join the negotiations in Washington, DC, and that is a very strong positive sign for the success of the process.

There are two things holding up the signing of the agreement. The NFLPA has said that it will review the owners’ proposal as quickly as possible, but it will take its time to make sure that the wording is correct and the deal is sound. Reading legal documents can take days, but the NFLPA lawyers helped to draft the agreement, so it is only a matter of explaining the terms to the players.

The other stumbling blocks are San Diego Chargers’ wide receiver Vincent Jackson and New England Patriots’ offensive lineman Logan Mankins. Both players either want to be given unrestricted free agency status, or $10 million in compensation. Mankins has said that he is not going to hold up the new CBA for his portion of the lawsuit. Vincent Jackson, on the other hand, has made no comment and is expected to demand that his conditions be met before he will dismiss his portion of the legal proceedings.

Cromartie May No Longer Be a Jet

The New York Jets are still trying to decide whether they will sign wide receiver Santonio Holmes or wide receiver Braylon Edwards. Now it has come out that cornerback Antonio Cromartie intends to play hardball with the Jets in contract negotiations as well. Cromartie played the other side of the field to superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis, but reviews on Cromartie’s performance were mixed. It is possible that this strong-arm tactic by Cromartie may force the Jets to decide that Cromartie’s services are no longer required and allow him to test the open market.

With summer underway, the sports landscape has changed considerably, but while some leagues end and others begin, there is always plenty of Sports betting online to take advantage of. The summer is the season of baseball, with daily MLB baseball betting. Meanwhile, in other sports and entertainment, Monday nights mean wrestling and plenty of exciting WWE Smackdown action. Still, for football fans, there is action throughout the summer in Europe and in the United States with Soccer betting.

Meanwhile, there is plenty of soccer action taking place throughout the summer. The Women’s World Cup just finished a great tournament with a dramatic conclusion, and there is plenty of action in the Copa America as well. Major League Soccer is in fine mid season form with games every week, and this Wednesday features a slate of key matches.

Toronto FC hosts FC Dallas in a mid-week inter-conference match-up with both teams looking to gain ground in the table. TFC will hope that their raucous fans and gome field will give them an edge against a traveling club, as they can use every advantage they can get.

They have but three wins on the season, only 18 points, and are second to last in the league, with New England behind them with 16 points, but two games in hand. Following their first win in weeks, a 1-0 home victory against expansion Vancouver, TFC have dropped their next two matches, both on the road. The Red Bulls of New York destroyed TFC 5-0, and that was followed by a 2-0 loss to Houston.

FC Dallas, meanwhile is in a much different situation. They have 10 wins on the year, good for 35 points, and third place in the west. They are putting pressure on Seattle who is ahead by three points but with two more games in the books. Los Angeles continues to lead the conference with 39 points in 21 games.

Like Toronto, however, Dallas has failed to score in their last two games, earning a scoreless at home to DC United, a match that followed a 2-0 road loss to Salt Lake City. Still, Dallas has scored 26 goals on the season, wheras TFC have only snetted 17. Conversely, Dallas has conceded only 19, while TFC have given up a league-worst 36.

Betting lines: Dallas is the big favourite, even on the road, and there is no better team to play against when you are looking to cure your offensive ailments. Whereas once Toronto enjoyed a strong home-field advantage, the team is simply lacking in talent this year. They may keep with Dallas in the first half, but they won’t for the entire game. FC Dallas wins, but Toronto scores, as the game ends 3-1.