NFL fantasy
football and sports betting news and notes for Sunday, September 16

Jets-Ravens

Jets quarterback Chad Pennington says he will prepare as
if he is starting Sunday. The Jets have
been tight lipped about his injured right ankle, not even confirming if he had
an MRI. If he does not play, second-year quarterback Kellen Clemens will get his first start. “Clemens is the
classic looks like a Hall of Famer in the preseason,
but many such quarterbacks have flopped when given a chance in the regular
season,” says Mike Godsey of GodsTips.com,
widely considered the top NFL handicapping expert on earth. Keep an eye on the
injury status of Baltimore quarterback Steve McNair. The team website is calling him a game time
decision. If he can’t go, disappointment
Kyle Boller would get the start. Baltimore
went 7-1 at home last year allowing just 12 points per game. Ravens left tackle
Jonathan Ogden is doubtful with a toe injury. Ravens middle linebacker Ray
Lewis is considered a game time decision with an arm injury that limited him
Monday night.

Chiefs-Bears

The Bears lost starting safety Mike Brown and starting
defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek for the year in their
14-3 loss to San Diego. Danieal Manning,
who started 14 games as a rookie, will replace Brown. Darwin Walker starts for Dvoracek. The two injured starters were key reasons why the
Bears stymied Charger running back LaDainian Tomlinson to 25 yards on 17
carries. Now they face Chiefs Pro-Bowler Larry Johnson. Johnson was rusty after
being a holdout most of the preseason.
He had just 43 yards rushing at Houston
last week. New quarterback Damon Huard struggled
more, passing for just 168 yards, throwing two interceptions.

Cowboys-Dolphins

Dallas lost
nose tackle Jason Ferguson with torn biceps. Cornerback starter Terence Newman
could be available, but has not practiced in three weeks previous, so we will
keep a close eye on his status. He did not practice Wednesday. Dallas
gave up 35 points in their opening win to the NY Giants. Pokes starting wide
receiver Terry Glenn is definitely out this week. Stevie Vincent, one of the OffshoreInsiders.com experts
believes Dallas will not be able to
sustain their offensive productivity without Glenn.

Seahawks-Cardinals

Stat of the week: Arizona
actually had a better divisional record than Seattle
last year. Zona
was 4-2 inside the division but 1-9 outside. The teams split the head-to-head
last year. Seattle will be without
starting wideout D.J.
Hackett.

Chargers-Patriots

For those who handicap “intangibles” this game has plenty of subplots. New England
will have the distraction (or rally cry) of the burgeoning spy scandal. Also
this is revenge for San Diego as New
England eliminated them from the postseason last year. Chargers
running back LaDainian Tomlinson accused New England of
showing up the Chargers in the post game celebration. Chargers all-universe
tight end Antonio Gates missed practice Wednesday and the Chargers are very mum
as to why. Reports say it was a sore back and he will return to practice
Thursday.

Bengals-Browns

Last week’s Browns starting quarterback Charlie Frye was
traded to Seattle. This elevates Derek Anderson to starter and
most agree he’s only keeping the seat warm for rookie Brady Quinn. Anderson
was 0-3 last year as a starter while filling in for an injured Frye. Bengals
starting wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh missed
practice Wednesday with a knee injury, but is expected to start. Cincinnati
expects their offensive line to be healthier than they were Monday night.

Saints-Buccaneers

We will keep a close eye on Tampa
running back Carnell Williams. He was
very limited in practice Wednesday with sore ribs. Backup Michael Pittman would go in his
absence.

Packers-Giants

Giants starting quarterback Eli Manning was originally
reported to be out for a month with a shoulder injury, now he is considered
“day to day”. Manning has started 42 straight games including the postseason.
If he is not able to start, the Pillsbury Throw Boy Jared Lorenzen
gets the start. Our sources say Lorenzen looks like
the likely starter as Manning did only some light throwing on Wednesday but did
not practice. Starting running back Brandon Jacobs is out with Derrick Ward
getting the start. Defensive end Osi
Umenyiora did not practice Wednesday but
worked out on a stationary bike. His
status for Sunday is uncertain.

Buffalo-Pittsburgh

The Bills are probably leading the league in key injuries.
Tight end Kevin Everett and safety Ko Simpson are out
for the year following injuries suffered in their last-second loss to Denver.
They join linebacker Keith Ellison, his replacement Coy Wire, and cornerback
Jason Webster as out. Also defensive end Anthony Hargrove will serve the second
game of a four-game suspension. Despite the low scoring game, Buffalo
gave up 470 yards last Sunday and faces a Pittsburgh
team that just scored 37 points. Cy McCormick of MasterLockLine.com
assures us that Pittsburgh’s
offensive explosion last week was no aberration. “They will be much more wide
open than in the Cowher era.”

49ers-Rams

St. Louis will
be without seven time Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Pace, who is out for the year
with a shoulder injury.

Texans-Panthers

Home field advantage? Carolina
has not won a home opener since 2003 and went only 4-4 overall straight up at
home last year.

Vikings-Lions

Lions starting running back Kevin Jones has been limited
with a foot injury. We expect capable
backup Tatum Bell to get the start as he did last week. Likewise Minnesota
running back Chester Taylor is questionable to doubtful. However Jeff Warnick of BettorsAdvice.com believes this could be a
blessing in disguise. “His backup Adrian Peterson is the NFL’s next star”. Histoy says don’t
get too excited about Detroit’s win as they’ve won their opener four of the
last five years, yet finished 3-13 last year for their sixth straight losing
season. Minnesota has won all
five of their games at Ford Field, where Detroit
was just 2-6 last year.

Raiders-Broncos

Raiders shaky starting
quarterback Josh McCown did not practice Wednesday
because of a broken finger. It isn’t likely to shake up the line much, but we
look for Dante Culpepper to get the nod.

Joe Duffy is CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com,
already the top source for premium handicapping information, now has
free sports betting databases, previews, computer trends and more.

We recommend www.newbodog.com
to bet these games.

Joe Duffy, CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com
takes a look at early week sports betting news and notes for this
week’s games.

Tennessee-Florida

Florida will
be without their most experienced playmaker as senior receiver Andre Caldwell
is out. Caldwell was a first-team
preseason All-SEC selection. Sophomore Riley Cooper gets the start.

Duke-Northwestern

The betting line will be affected based on the injury
updates on Northwestern star running back Tyrell Sutton. Sutton was icing his
ankle after injuring it Saturday against Nevada. He did return briefly after the injury, but
then sat out the remainder of the game.

Pittsburgh-Michigan State

Pittsburgh
lost starting defensive tackle Gus Mustakas to a torn
ACL. He joins the following players lost since the beginning of training camp:
All-Big East receiver Derek Kinder as well as tailback Kevin Collier, offensive
lineman Chris Jacobson, and quarterback Bill Stull.

A great run stopper, Mustakas
will be missed as MSU has 335 yards rushing to the
Panthers last season. Two redshirt sophomores Tommie Duhart
and Mick Williams will take his place.

Ohio-Virginia Tech

Not only did Tech look sluggish in a season opening win at
home to East Carolina, but they were humiliated Saturday on national television
losing to LSU 48-7.
Sources close to Mike Godsey, Senior Sports Handicapper of GodsTips, say
that Hokies quarterback Sean Glennon is completely
unnerved. The starter from last year who
led V Tech to 10 wins was pulled midway through the second quarter against LSU.

Head coach Frank Beamer has declined to name a quarterback
starter for Saturday. Freshman blue chipper Tyrod
Taylor started out slowly but played well against the vaunted Bayou Bengals
defense.

Notre Dame-Michigan

For sports gamblers who handicap “bulletin board
material”, note that Michigan
tailback Mike Hart guaranteed victory in this battle of 0-2 fallen giants.

Hart is playing through a thigh bruise and quarterback
Chad Henne is doubtful. Michigan is 0-4 straight up since legendary coach Bo Schembechler died last November.

Miami Florida-Florida International

With such a huge pointspread, Cy
McCormick of MasterLockLine.com reminds us last year’s infamous brawl may have
Miami bending over backwards to not
run up the score. UM coach Randy Shannon has not named
a starter behind center as each part of their two-headed quarterback rotation
of Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman is struggling.

Joe Duffy’s sports betting selections are at www.GodsTips.com He is former General Manager of the
Freescoreboard scorephone network and CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com,
the premier hub of world-class handicappers.

We’ve said before that online sports radio stations can
give good insight to the sports gambler.
Who are some of the best hosts and what are the top sports radio shows
from a sports betting standpoint?

Norm Hitzges of the Ticket in Dallas
is a true sports radio legend. He’s also
unapologetic about his love for the pointspread angle. Switch stations
afterwards as “Bad Radio” follows. Not
only does the show title fit, but it describes the rest of the broadcast day.

Philadelphia
is the sports gambling capital of the world, especially when it comes to
professional sports. The newer of the all-sports stations WPEN
Sportsradio 950 has one of the premier true sports
talk hosts in the land, Jody McDonald.
Like Hitzges, “Jody Mac” has no compunction
about talking pointspread.

His show is opposite sports radio veteran Howard Eskin, a pioneer in newspaper sports handicapping as he was
the original Vegas Vic in the Philadelphia Daily News. Eskin
is heard on WIP radio.

Unfortunately, 610 WIP is a
perfect illustration of the difference between true sports radio that the
sports bettors prefer and “guy radio” which appeals to the great unwashed who
fill out their Arbitron radio books.

On one hand, they have the stereotypical “you are an
idiot, you are a moron” comic book character host Steve Martorano
on five days a week, but hide one of their true sports experts, and admitted
sports handicapping junkie Paul Jolvitz, AKA “Jolly”
in the middle of weekend nights.

Unlike radio legend Pete Franklin, who mixed his shtick with
substance, Martorano uses his grade-school name
calling to waive the intellectual white flag. WIP
also has sundry Brandon Lang infomercials further debasing the product.

Former Philadelphian and former XTRA
Sports Radio personality Philly Billy Werndl moved to
San Diego XX Sports Radio, but unfortunately cannot be heard on Real Audio any
longer.

Though sources tell me he is an anti-gambling zealot, he
is one of the top NFL experts. Mitch Levy hosts a show on KJR
in Seattle. We’ve gotten decent Pac-10 tidbits from his
show that has benefited our sports handicapping.

WFAN radio in New
York is the first of all all-sports radio stations
and still the king. While “Mike and the
Mad Dog” combination of Mike Francesa and Chris Russo
are their best known hosts in the post Don Imus era,
it’s Joe Benigno who has the best insight.

WEEI in Boston
is solid too and it’s all Patriots all the time on NFL Sundays and Mondays.

Rick Ballou, formally of
Sporting News Radio, now at Jacksonville, Florida’s
1010XL is one of the top college football experts in the land, especially with
SEC and Florida based teams.

Ballou’s former employer has
opted to sell infomercial time to Mr. Duke Wins Larry Dukeheart
and Jonathan Stone. Ron Barr’s Sports Byline Radio Network features something
called Sports Memo Radio Show with Tim Trushel. Barr
also has Mark Lawrence of Preferred Picks and Vegas Experts on his show.

Joe Duffy’s sports betting selections are at www.GodsTips.com He is former General Manager of the
Freescoreboard scorephone network and CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com,
the premier hub of world-class handicappers.

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MasterLockLine.com gives you only the
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Here are some computer betting trends for the Monday Night
Football Games:

Ravens-Bengals

Baltimore is
5-2 according to the sportsbooks
their last seven MNF. They have also covered 5-of-7 as an underdog. Baltimore
is 10-4 versus the pointspread their last 14 overall as an underdog on the road
of three or less. However, overall they
are only 3-7 as a betting puppy of three or less and they’ve failed 4-of-5 in
opening week.

The Bengals are 6-0 against the spread in September and
4-1 their last five on grass. Cincinnati
is 7-16 to the Vegas line as home favorites and 4-11 their last 15 home games
to the NFL betting odds. The home team is
11-5 in the series. The top sports service plays for tonight’s NFL card and MLB
betting are at MasterLockLine.com

Baltimore has
gone under 8-1 in opening week and under 9-of-11 as road underdogs of three or
less. Inside the AFC, they have gone
under the sportsbooks total at a 16-6 rate.

Cincinnati has
gone under the sports betting odds six of their last seven overall.

Cardinals-49ers

Arizona has
covered their last four road games. They
are 5-0 to the NFC and 6-1 versus the sportsbooks
their last seven overall. Gamblers fade Arizona
if they see them in September as the Cards are 5-16 in said month.

The 49ers are 6-1 to the NFC West and a stunning 14-3
against the betting line on MNF.
However, those who bet on sports will want to also note that they are
3-7 as a favorite of three or less and 6-16 overall as a chalk according to the
Vegas bookmakers. Joe Duffy’s GodsTips has both NFL sides spread winners at OffshoreInsiders.com No handicapper dominates any sport the way Joe
Duffy’s GodsTips does the NFL.

Arizona has
gone over 8-0 as road underdogs of three or less and six straight overall. They’ve
gone over 28-9 overall on the road. San Francisco
has gone over 7-0 as a favorite. The series has exceeded the betting total in
6-of-7.

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have the biggest play of his life every day?
How about going to the top sports
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Two of the best sports services on earth have free picks
on tonight’s NFL betting and college football betting card. The free sports
service plays are on New Orleans
and Indianapolis as well as Oregon
State and Cincinnati.

First let us give word to the wise as far as betting on
sports and paying for sports handicapper selections. All professional
handicappers are proud to show off the amount of research that goes into a
pick. If a handicapper gives you no
rationale, rest assured you just paid for a coin flip.

Forensic
handicapping founder Stevie Vincent of BetOnSports360.com
says bet on the under in tonight’s New Orleans Saints versus Indianapolis
Colts. The Great One notes that New
Orleans has gone under the Vegas pointspread total 4-0
opening week. Against the betting line, they have also gone under 13-5 as an
underdog of 3.5-10 points. Indianapolis
Colts have gone under the total 7-3 opening week and under 11-5 on turf.

GodsTips.com is
going with Cincinnati getting four
points as they host Oregon State. Here is the analysis:

As we reported in our free
preview of this game, Oregon State will have their leading receiver Sammie Stroughter back for this game,
but the odds have gone way too high as a result.

The weather will benefit the Bearcats greatly and Oregon
State
must play a rare game in searing heat. Temperatures are going to be on the
mid-90s, something those Ducks don’t get much of. Plus they are adjusting their body clocks to
a new time zone.

The Bearcats have been practicing in this oppressive
weather. They come in with high hopes, off a blowout win and with a new
coaching staff.

Also the Beavers head to the road with big, big question
marks at the quarterback position. Neither Sean Canfield nor Lyle Moevao has looked impressive
either on the practice field or in their opening game to Utah. The left side of their offensive line has a
combined four starts.

This is a game if played later in the year, OSU would likely win by six or
so, but it’s too early in the year for a team as raw as Oregon State to be
heading to a new climate and time zone. The free football pick is Cincinnati
as an underdog.

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NC State-Boston College

Harrison Beck, a Nebraska
transfer, gets the nod at starting quarterback for NC State. He led a second
half rally against Central Florida last week completing
17-of-28 passes for 207 yards. Beck was neck-to-neck with Daniel Evans in
battling for the starting job, which Evans eventually won five days before the
season. This is devastating considering the Wolfpack just lost their star
running back Toney Baker for the season.

Nebraska-Wake Forest

Wake Forest
starting quarterback Riley Skinner, a key part of last year’s Cinderella season,
is doubtful with a separated shoulder. Skinner
was hurt against Boston College.
The new starter is Brett Hodges who played well in relief going 17-for-23 with
129 yards passing, though he did throw an interception.

TCU-Texas

Horned Frogs sensational defensive end Tommy Blake, a
two-time Mountain West pick, returned to practice Sunday night. He missed TCU’s
27-0 opening week shutout of Baylor. But TCU head
coach Gary Patterson says that Blake’s status is uncertain for the game against
the Longhorns. Blake led the MWC last year with 16.5
tackles for a loss.

Missouri-Mississippi

Missouri has
won three straight in the series. Missouri’s
highly touted offense must come out of the gate quicker than they did against Illinois,
who they beat in a thriller last week. Mizzou punted
on five of their first six possessions.

California-Colorado State

The Bears will have to avoid a letdown following their
humungous home win to Tennessee.

Indiana-Western Michigan

Sportsbooks
have this game around a pick ‘em game, so note that Indiana
has won 17 in a row straight up to the MAC Conference. But only three of those games were on the
road. Dating back to last year when Kellen Lewis took
over as Hoosier quarterback, Indiana has rushed for at least 100 yards in
7-of-9 games. New head coach Bill Lynch has emphasized the run.

Notre Dame-Penn State

The embattled fighting Irish take on a Nittany Lions team
looking for revenge. The Irish may be
vulnerable as evidenced by the 33-3 shellacking at the hands of Georgia Tech.

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East Carolina-Virginia Tech

The betting line has gone up at all sportsbooks as gamblers are betting on
the emotion of the Hokies. This will be the first game for Hokie
Nation after the horrific and senseless mass murder. There will be ceremonies to honor the
innocent victims.

The pointspread winner seems so insignificant, but as Mike
Godsey of GodsTips tells us, “So-called intangible players are betting on
Virginia Tech’s emotion to be worth six to eight points.”

Arkansas State-Texas

Young Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy will be without two
of his best receivers, Billy Pittman (injury/suspension) and Jordan Shipley,
though Shipley has a small chance of playing.

Virginia-Wyoming

Not only is Virginia
traveling quite a distance, but they will face the largest opening day crown in
Wyoming history. The game sold
out Friday night. According to our Wyoming
sources, it is considered the biggest game the Pokes have hosted “in years”.

Alabama Birmingham-Michigan State

The MasterLockLine.com
has bar none the biggest sports service play on this game from the Couch
Potato. Though each team has a new coach and new starters, UAB
lost 28 seniors from a team that went 3-9 straight up. The Spartans have 13 starters back including
special teams. The Blazers lost seven of their leading 10 tacklers. UAB will play both Sam Hunt and Joseph Webb at QB.

Washington State-Wisconsin

Wisconsin’s
offensive coordinator Paul Cryst is not afraid to
throw downfield and Washington State
is breaking in two new starters at linebacker and three in the secondary. With
the new rules, note Wisconsin’s
kickoff return team struggled. However
returning kicker Taylor Mehlhaff led the Big 10 in
touchbacks last season.

Connecticut-Duke

Just as if it were a basketball game between the two, sportsbooks have a high total of 52.
That’s in no small part due to the fact the Blue Devils have 11 starters back
on offense, but several players with new roles on defense. This is a realistic
chance for Duke to end their 20-game losing streak. They take on a UConn team that is off a 4-8 year. Duke is confident
having been very competitive in losses last year to Wake
Forest, Miami
and hated rival North Carolina.

Central Florida-NC State

For those who believes games are won at the point of
attack, note that the Golden Knight’s have starters with a combined 110 career
starts on the offensive line. Compare
that to the Wolfpack’s 38. Projected starting tackle Jeraill McCuller is suspended
indefinitely. Tight end Anthony Hill is out for the year. State’s top defensive
tackle DaMario Pressley has been upgraded to probable
with a sprained elbow.

Tennessee-California

If California
does not cover the spread, it will not be because of lack of motivation. All sharp sports gamblers know it’s a big
revenge game for Cal, but last night on Sporting News Radio, Bears broadcaster Roxy Bernstein said he thinks it’s possibly the biggest
home game in California history. Speaking of California,
congratulations go out to the California (PA) Vulcans
for their 1-0 start in Division II.

OffshoreInsiders.com
is your one-stop shop for college football. We have the latest live odds, plus CFB First Half Lines, CFB Halftime Lines, CFB Matchups
from SportsDataBases or as an alternative CFB Matchups
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Sports handicapping news and notes for college football
betting comes directly from the private clipboard of OffshoreInsiders.com

Georgia Tech-Notre Dame

Almost all reliable sources agree that Demetrius Jones
will start at QB for Notre Dame or at least be the main signal caller. The
Irish, of course, must replace Brady Quinn, now with the Cleveland Browns.

Missouri-Illinois

Cy McCormick of the MasterLockLine says that among sharp Las
Vegas sports bettors and online gamblers, the
consensus “surprise team” among BCS conferences is Illinois.
“There is a lot of pressure on Missouri
in this game. I see serious upset
potential here.”

Florida International-Penn State

Look for Penn State
coach Joe Paterno to use this game to experiment. Although he has 15 starters back, only one
offensive lineman returns at his original position.

Houston-Oregon

Houston must
replace one of their best quarterbacks ever Kevin Kolb. They face a high
powered Oregon team, trying to
match points with Blake Joseph and Case Keenum
battling for the No. 1 spot. They have
thrown eight passes between them at the college football level.

Houston has
been experimenting with a new 4-2-5
defense and will likely face some no-huddle against the Ducks as they break in
an unfamiliar alignment.

Baylor-TCU

Baylor wide receiver Thomas White admits his Bears are
feeling disrespected over being 21-point underdogs.
Last year, the Bears led TCU 7-0 at halftime. Baylor
coach Guy Morriss has said he watched the game films
from last year’s matchup “about 600 times”.
Mike Godsey of GodsTips.com,
generally considered the top football handicapper in the nation said, “That
sounds like a circled game to me” referring to term used by pointspread bettors
looking for a betting edge in which one team may be more motivated for a
blowout or to keep a game close.

Colorado-Colorado State

Which team gets the best sleep? The kickoff is at 10:00 a.m. local time. Colorado
will be without a lot of projected starters. Michael Sipili,
the probable starting middle linebacker, was suspended with two reserves for
offseason fighting incidents. Last year’s starting quarterback Bernard Jackson
is out with personal issues. He was
supposed to play more of a “slash” jack-of-all-trades position this year. True
freshman Josh Smith, another likely starter, is out with a bruised kidney.

For free sports betting picks, visit OffshoreInsiders.com

The Bears have a much more difficult schedule than a year
ago when they won 13 games but the NFC North is so weak that it will be
difficult for Chicago not to win 10 or 11 games and capture a third straight
division title. (2006 regular season records in parentheses):

CHICAGO BEARS (13-3 SU,
8-7-1 ATS): It was a memorable off-season for the Bears who
dispatched team offensive MVP Thomas Jones, took a hard line with disgruntled
LB Lance Briggs, and parted ways with troubled DT Tank Johnson. Chicago
was second in the NFL in points scored last year, although leading the league
in points off turnovers was the main reason for that success. Cedric Benson
takes over at RB for Jones with much maligned Rex
Grossman still behind center. The Bears will win with their solid defense but
the specter of just one Super Bowl loser even making the post-season in the
past six years, looms over their heads.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 68-76
ATS: 73-64-7
HF: 19-18-1
HD: 21-13
AF: 4-4-2
AD: 28-29-4
Sportsbook Buster:
The Bears are a combined 17-2-1
ATS versus AFC West teams (San Diego,
Denver, Kansas
City, Oakland), all of whom they
play this year.
NFL Betting Angle:
Chicago is just 1-6 as a favorite
after a bye week. This year, the Bears are at Oakland
(Nov. 11) after a week off.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-8
SU, 7-9 ATS): First year Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s West Style
offense helped the Packers win twice as many games as the previous season but
continued improvement could be difficult to attain this year. QB Brett Favre is
still the mainstay of an offense that will miss RB Ahman Green and doesn’t have a stud at wide receiver. The
line is a work in progress. On defense, the Packers improved dramatically once
DT Cullen Jenkins moved outside, finishing in the middle of the pack (so to
speak), statistically. This is not a very good team but this is not a tough
division, either.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 84-60
ATS: 68-72-4
HF: 29-3-1-1
HD: 4-6-1
AF: 14-17-2
AD: 21-18
Sportsbook Buster:
The Packers are 6-0 ATS versus the Redskins, who they play Oct. 14.
NFL Betting Angle:
Green Bay has failed to cover seven
straight games as a home underdog.

DETROIT LIONS (3-13 SU, 6-10 ATS):
Offensive coordinator Mike Martz’ system did not work well in Detroit
where a weak offensive line was responsible for the Lions finishing dead last
in the league in rushing. Head Coach Rod Marinelli
was equally disappointed by his freshly installed defensive scheme which
finished 30^th in the NFL in points allowed. Detroit
fans are hoping that a full year under the new systems will yield better
results this season and they may be right.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 46-98
ATS: 68-73-3
HF: 11-17-1
HD: 26-16-1
AF: 0-6
AD: 31-34-1
Sportsbook Buster:
The Lions have covered five straight games against the Buccaneers, who they
play at home, Oct. 21.
NFL Betting Angle:
Detroit has proven to be a solid
home underdog and terrible home favorite over the last nine years.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-10
SU, 7-9 ATS): Second year Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress,
the offensive architect in Philadelphia, hopes that the addition of draft
choices RB Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma) and WR Sidney Rice (South Carolina) will improve an attack that
ranked just 26^th in scoring last season. Having Tarvaris Jackson as
your starting QB could be a problem, though. The defense lead the NFL against
the run but was last against the pass last season. A better pass rush is needed
if Minnesota is to stay ahead of Detroit
in the fight to avoid the NFC North basement.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 2002-2006)
SU: 79-65
ATS: 67-74-3
HF: 30-28-1
HD: 8-5
AF: 12-19-2
AD: 17-22-1
Sportsbook Buster:
The Vikings are 5-0 ATS versus the Cowboys, who they play in Dallas,
Oct. 21.
NFL Betting Angle:
Minnesota is a bad road team ATS,
especially as an away favorite.

Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog

Article is courtesy of the Greek Sportsbook
one of the few sportsbooks good enough to get the highest endorsement from the
wagering experts at OffshoreInsiders.com

Granted, New Orleans
isn’t going to surprise anyone this year but with a solid cast, a new winning
attitude, and only Carolina as
serious division opposition, the Saints should march to another NFC South
title. The Panthers look good enough to battle for an NFC wild card. (2006
regular season records in parentheses):

NEW
ORLEANS SAINTS (10-6 SU, 10-6 ATS): Sean Payton
did the impossible in New Orleans
last season, turning a moribund 3-13 team into a Super Bowl contender. With the
return of QB Drew Brees, twin RB
threats Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush, and emerging WR
star Marques Colston, the offense is lethal. The
defense also showed improvement under first year coordinator Gary Gibbs but
lacked aggression, finishing 31^st in the NFL in takeaways in 2006.
The line, led by Charles Grant and Will Smith, is solid but the Saints need
more big-play potential at linebacker and in the secondary. Still, an offense
as potent as New Orleans’ will win
a lot of games.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 64-80
ATS: 69-72-3
HF: 14-24-1
HD: 10-16-2
AF: 9-6
AD: 32-25
Sportsbook Buster:
The Saints are 8-2 ATS their last 10 games versus the 49ers, who they play in San
Francisco, Oct. 28.
NFL Betting Angle:
New Orleans has been a miserable bet
at home, compiling just a 24-40-3 record ATS the last nine seasons.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-8
SU, 5-9-2 ATS): Injuries ravaged the Panthers and the team that
made it to the Super Bowl a year earlier couldn’t even make to a winning record
in 2006. The offense struggled last year with inconsistent play from QB Jake
Delhomme and a ground game that finished 24^th in the NFL, prompting
Head Coach John Fox to fire offensive coordinator Dan Henning and replace him
with Jeff Davidson. The Carolina
defense was as good as the offense was bad last year with DE Julius Peppers
leading the way. The Panthers also have a quality secondary and hope that No. 1
draft choice Jon Beason (Miami)
will be the playmaker they need at linebacker.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 64-80
ATS: 71-66-7
HF: 20-27-1
HD: 13-9-2
AF: 8-12-1
AD: 27-19-3
Sportsbook Buster:
The Panthers are 6-0 ATS versus the Saints, their last half-dozen meetings.
NFL Betting Angle:
Carolina is 3-12 ATS as a favorite
of between four and seven points.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
(4-12 SU, 6-9-1 ATS): While the Saints were going from worst to
first, the Buccaneers were heading in the opposite direction, from first to
worst last year. Head Coach Jon Gruden hopes that
savvy QB Jeff Garcia, who the Buccaneers acquired through free agency, will be
able to run his complex West Coast offense with more precision than Chris Simms
or Bruce Gradkowski did in 2006. Tampa Bay has gotten old on defense, falling
from the top 10 in the league for the first time in a decade last season while
ranking 31^st in sacks with just 25.
By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 1998-2006)
SU: 77-67
ATS: 69-69-6
HF: 30-26-2
HD: 9-2-1
AF: 15-18
AD: 15-21-2
Sportsbook Buster:
The Buccaneers are 5-1 ATS versus the Rams, who they play at home, Sept. 23.
NFL Betting Angle:
Tampa Bay
was 3-1 ATS last year and is 9-2-1
ATS the last nine seasons in the role of a home underdog.

ATLANTA FALCONS (7-9 SU, 8-8 ATS):
The Falcons didn’t figure to be a playoff contender with QB Mike Vick so their
fortunes are even dimmer now that Vick is likely to miss the season defending himself against a federal indictment for dog-fighting sand
gambling. New Head Coach Bobby Petrino will have to
overhaul an offense that has been dependent on Vick since his arrival in Atlanta
seven years ago. The defense, which played well last
year, gets a new coordinator in Mike Zimmer, from Dallas.

By the Numbers (Regular
Season, 2002-2006)
SU: 70-73-1
ATS: 68-70-6
HF: 22-21-2
HD: 10-17
AF: 9-6-1
AD: 27-26-3
Sportsbook Buster:
The Falcons are 4-0 ATS versus the Lions at home their last four meetings. The
teams meet in Tampa Bay,
Nov. 11.
NFL Betting Angle:
Atlanta is 9-2 as an underdog after
a bye week. This year, Atlanta
travels to Tampa Bay,
Nov. 4, after its open week.

Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog

Article is courtesy of the Greek Sportsbook
one of the few sportsbooks good enough to get the highest endorsement from the
wagering experts at OffshoreInsiders.com