The free pick and articles section has part 1 of the Bodog NFL tip sheet and newsletter. Let’s get to part 2.
The big storyline heading into Sunday’s matchup between 0-1 NFC South teams Tampa Bay and Carolina is the status of Panthers QB Matt Moore.
Moore was knocked out of Sunday’s 31-18 loss to the New York Giants after taking two hits late in the fourth quarter with what was called a concussion. But he passed the NFL-mandated tests and practiced late this week. He is expected to start Sunday against the Bucs. However, Moore was fairly awful while in there against New York, going 14-for-33 for 182 yards with one touchdown and three picks. All three interceptions came in the end zone and he also lost a fumble. Rookie Jimmy Clausen would start if there’s some late setback for Moore. The Panthers are 3.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NFL Odds.
The Bucs, who won just three games a year ago, opened with a 17-14 win over the Cleveland Browns despite being down 14-3 at one point. QB Josh Freeman completed 17 of 28 passes for 182 yards with two touchdowns and was intercepted once after missing the final two weeks of the preseason after breaking a bone in the tip of his right thumb.
The ground game should be the difference on Sunday. The Bucs were last against the run in the NFL last year and allowed 104 yards to Cleveland last week. In last year’s first meeting between these two, the Panthers had 267 rushing yards – the second-most in franchise history at the time – in a 28-21 victory. In the second meeting, a Carolina 16-6 win, Freeman passed for a career-high 321 yards, but was intercepted five times – the most picks by a Bucs QB since 1990.
Carolina has won 11 of the past 14 meetings in this series.
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The Baltimore Ravens have made a habit of spoiling home openers. AFC North rival Cincinnati could be next.
The Bengals are desperate for a win after being embarrassed by the New England Patriots on the road, failing to cover as +5 underdogs. NFL Odds have them listed as +3 underdogs at home.
This matchup could fall on the shoulders of Bengals QB Carson Palmer. Considering Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense are notorious for blowing up running backs, Bengals RB Cedric Benson may not have many lanes to run through.
That leaves Palmer and his superstar targets, Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, to pick up the slack. In their last two meetings the Bengals came out on top. However, both games went under the 40-plus Total, putting the Over in this game in doubt.
For the Bengals defense they’ll have to do better than their ugly performance at New England. The Ravens a more balanced offensive attack than the Patriots with Ray Rice at running back, Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason, and T.J. Houshmanzadeh at wide receiver and Joe Flacco at QB. They’ll be able to hurt the Bengals on the ground and through the air if Cincinnati decides to wait a half before making some stops.
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Usually when you hold a team without a touchdown in regulation you are going to win the game, and while the Atlanta Falcons did that last week in Pittsburgh, the Falcon offense was fairly inept and that led to a 15-9 overtime loss. Now Atlanta faces a near must-win in its home opener as Arizona comes to town and the Falcons are 7-point favorites on Bodog’s NFL Odds.
Matt Ryan was 27-for-44 for 252 yards with no touchdowns and a pick last week, but the real problem was Atlanta’s running game. Michael Turner managed just 42 yards on 19 carries and the Falcons finished with just 58 yards rushing on 25 carries (2.3 ypc). Aside from Roddy White, who caught 13 passes for 111 yards, the Falcons really had no offensive bright spots. The reason this game is so important for the Falcons is they could be staring at 0-3 if they lose here because they have to go to New Orleans next week. Atlanta is 13-3 at home the past two seasons in the regular season. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux returns for Falcons after one-game suspension for arrest on marijuana charges
The Cardinals weren’t great in their opener, either, but they had the benefit of playing at St. Louis. Larry Fitzgerald, who still isn’t 100 percent from a knee injury suffered in the preseason, caught the go-ahead 21-yard touchdown catch with 6:13 to play. QB Derek Anderson was sharp in his first start, completing 22-for-41 for 297 yards with that TD and no picks. But the Cards had 10 penalties and four turnovers.
Arizona lost No. 3 WR Early Doucet in that victory; he could miss 3-6 weeks with what is being called a possible sports hernia. With Doucet out, Stephen Williams will move up to the No. 3 role behind Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston. Arizona is also hoping for the return of co-No. 1 running back Beanie Wells, who missed the opener with a bruised knee. Tim Hightower rushed for 54 yards against St. Louis but lost two fumbles. Safety Adrian Wilson had two interceptions, one sack and blocked field goal against the Rams and was named the NFC’s defensive player of the week. Wilson was the first NFL player to have all three in a game (pick, sack, blocked kick) since 2004.
These two teams haven’t met since the Cardinals defeated the Falcons 30-24 in the wild-card round of the playoffs after the 2008 season.
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