Bengals-Packers Odds, Preview, and Prediction

NFL Week 2 odds will feature a pair of teams that were involved in a couple of thrilling matchups during the first weekend of the season, and there should be a wild affair when Cincinnati heads to Lambeau Field to take on Green Bay.

Cincinnati Bengals (0-1) at Green Bay Packers (1-0)

Bengals vs Packers odds - Packers -9.5

• Bengals-Packers Date: Sunday, September 20
• Bengals-Packers Time: 1:00
• Bengals-Packers TV Network: CBS
• Bengals-Packers Announcers: Ian Eagle and Rich Gannon
• Bengals-Packers Over-Under: 42
• StubHub: Bengals-Packers tickets as low as $80!

The Bengals were stunned 12-7 by Denver when the Broncos’ Brandon Stokley took a tipped pass and ran 87 yards for a touchdown with 11 seconds left on the clock. Carson Palmer, who hasn’t played in a regular-season game since Week 6 of last year, went 21-of-33 for 247 yards, but he was picked off twice by the Broncos. The defense played very well in shutting down the Broncos, but cornerback Leon Hall will see that tipped pass for the rest of the season.

The Packers picked off Chicago’s Jay Cutler four times in his Bears’ debut to pull out a 21-15 win on Sunday night. This was a typically hard-hitting NFC North affair, and the Packers’ offense struggled to get it going against the Bears, although Aaron Rodgers was 17-of-28 for 184 yards and a touchdown to Greg Jennings, who caught six balls for 106 yards. However, the defense proved that they would be the key to Green Bay’s Super Bowl odds, and they look like they’ve been playing their new 3-4 scheme for years under coordinator Dom Capers.

The Packers are a whopping 9-point favorite at Lambeau Field, where the Bengals haven’t played since 1995. However, they’re only 1-3 in four trips to Green Bay, and last year they were an atrocious 1-7 away from home. The Bengals will have to put aside the disappointment of last week’s gut punch from the Broncos, but heading into Green Bay isn’t the best place to get away from your troubles. The Packers’ defense is swarming and opportunistic, while it looks like Palmer needs a little more time to get back into NFL regular-season shape. Rodgers will play much better than he did in the Chicago game, and this offense could possibly hang a lot of points on a disheartened Cincinnati defense. Go with the Packers in your NFL picks.

Chargers-Raiders MNF Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

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• Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Brisket Nachos

And now, on with the preview of this week’s Chargers-Raiders matchup on Monday Night Football. Follow the link to also view MSF’s Patriots-Bills MNF preview and prediction.

Monday Night Football Week 1 Preview

San Diego Chargers (0-0) at Oakland Raiders (0-0)

Let’s take a quick look at all of the particulars for the second game in tomorrow night’s annual Week 1 MNF double-dip:

• Chargers-Raiders Date: Monday, September 14th
• Chargers-Raiders TV & Kickoff Time: 10:15 ET on ESPN
• Chargers-Raiders Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland
• Chargers-Raiders Announcers: Mike Greenberg, Mike Golic, and Steve Young
• Chargers-Raiders Point Spread: SD -9
• Chargers-Raiders Over-Under: 43
• StubHub: Chargers-Raiders MNF tickets as low as $47!
• StubHub: all 2009 Oakland Raiders tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 San Diego Chargers tickets
• StubHub: all 2009 NFL tickets

Chargers-Raiders Analysis

Like many of the past seasons, the Raiders don’t look like much to write home about.

In fact, since their Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay following the 2002 season, they’ve won just 24 games the past six campaigns. (By comparison, the Indianapolis Colts have won 25 games the past two seasons; the Patriots have won 27 in that span.)

Their defense is, as it has been the past few seasons, very reputable. The offense, also like recent years, is rather putrid. This could cause the defense to look worse than it actually is, especially against a good team like San Diego, which is pretty stacked on the offensive side of the ball. Few deny that preseason is mostly meaningless, but many noticed how awful the Raiders looked against the Saints.

While Ladainian Tomlinson may never be as good as he traditionally was in his heyday a few years ago, he should be a lot better than he was in 2008 when he struggled mightily by his own high standards. In another weak season for the AFC West, he’ll surely be good enough to get the Chargers into the playoffs.

For now, scandal-ridden Shawne Merriman is again the key to a defense that is good versus the run, which happens to be the Raiders’ strength. Darren Sproles, who broke my Indianapolis Colts’ hearts last season, should be used in conjunction with Tomlinson (see Leon Washington), not just to “give LT a breather” as Norv Turner has unwisely done in the past, but as a more integrated part of the offense.

The Raiders are relatively weak versus the run, so the aforementioned two runners should see plenty of action.

Chargers-Raiders Prediction

Three years ago, same game, same night, same network, San Diego smacked Oakland 27-0 en route to a stellar season.

Again like that, you ask?

Not necessarily, but the Chargers certainly are not going to get tripped up in Oakland. With Philip Rivers‘ pin-point passing, they should cover, winning by two touchdowns.

After all, the Chargers put 62 points on the board in their two meetings with Oakland in 2008, both wins.

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* – Al Davis photo credit: Water Cooler HOF

NFL Locks: Spread Picks for Jets-Texas, Redskins-Giants, Bucs-Cowboys, Patriots-Bills

Results so far for the year: College – 2 wins and 3 losses

NFL LOCKS OF THE WEEK

Jets vs. Texans -3.5

This game will be an absolute blow out. Houston has way to much fire power for the Jets to handle. This game is going to be played in Houston and it is going to be brutally hot and Humid, weather.com has it at 86 degrees and the Jets will not be use to this weather, it has been an unusually cool summer in New York so expect Jet players to be sucking wind early and often. I know Mark Sanchez has looked good in the preseason, but it is the preseason. He is a rookie and will make mistakes. Expect Matt Schaub to have a monster day through the air to Andre Johnson, Andre Davis and Kevin Walters. The Jets get beat by the heat and the Texans.

Redskins +6.5 vs. Giants

I think the Redskins are going to surprise a lot of people this year. Jason Campbell will finally be playing in the same offensive system for consecutive years since high school, so expect a better year from him. For the Giants I’m not convinced they have answered the question at wide receiver, and without that top level wide receiver the Giants offense last year struggled. The Giants will need to run the ball to win but the Skins defense against the run is sick especially with the addition of Albert Haynesworth. I think Washington may win the game outright, but having the 6.5 always helps.

Buccaneers vs. Dallas -5.5

When you go into the season firing your offensive coordinator a few weeks before the season starts that is a warning sign that your offense is going to be putrid. Tampa doesn’t have the playmakers on offense to keep pace with the Cowboys. This game could get ugly and ugly quick. Dish out the 5.5 as Dallas roles.

Bills vs. Patriots -11

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Patriots score in the forty point range this week against Buffalo. Tom Brady is out to prove a point that he will not be stopped and continue off of his monster season two years ago. The addition of Joey Galloway may prove to be one of this off seasons biggest moves. He still runs like a gazelle and when both Galloway and Moss run fly patterns who will the safety cover? Even if they cover both it opens the underneath with Welker. The Bills also fired their offensive coordinator a few weeks before the season starts, but unlike the Bucs they have playmakers, just not enough to be close in this game. Take the Pats, and count your cash.

Betting Lock for Week 2: Ohio State (+7) v USC

Last week picks: 2-2

Only one game this week for college and it’s the big one about to start.

Ohio State (+7) vs. USC

Pete Carroll hands down is the best coach in the NCAA and we will see this again Saturday night when USC travels to Ohio State. He recruit’s the best players, his team is always prepared, and always wins the big games. Yes every year USC does get picked off by some underdog in the PAC 10, but I can only think of one game were USC has lost a big game(national championship vs. Texas 2005) And trust me when I say USC views this as a big game.

The Trojans who have a plethora of stud running backs will run the ball to open up the passing game, which will put freshman quarterback Matt Barkely at ease for his first big test on the road. More importantly the horses of Joe McKnight, C.J Gable, and Stafon Johnson will wear down this defense of Ohio State. If Ohio State had issues with Navy last week, what’s going to happen when the speed and athletes of USC come to town?

For Ohio State to have a chance in this game they will need Terrelle Pryor to play out of this world. I see a lot of similarities between Pryor and quarterback Vince Young(who also gave USC troubles back in 2005), but Pryor just does not have the accuracy, and at times makes poor decisions in big spots. Jim Tressel and his conservative play calling will keep Ohio State close for a majority of the game, but USC will pull away late in the forth quarter.

Take Ohio State and give the points.

Ohio State-USC Preview, Analysis, and Prediction

If the current USC – Ohio State odds for Saturday night are any indication, the latest installment of this burgeoning rivalry will be one to forget…at least for Ohio State. The Buckeyes are listed as seven-point underdogs at home to the Trojans.

How the mighty have fallen.

Let’s break down why Ohio State seems primed for a disappointment at home. But first, the particulars for this weekend’s game, via the MSF college football TV schedule for Saturday, September 12th:

 (4) USC Trojans vs (6) Ohio State Buckeyes

• USC-Ohio State Date and Time: Saturday, September 12th at 8:00 ET
• USC-Ohio State Kickoff Time: 8:00 ET
• USC-Ohio State Location: The Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio
• USC-Ohio State TV: ESPN
• USC-Ohio State Point Spread: USC -7
• StubHub: Ohio State-USC tickets
• StubHub: all Ohio State football tickets
• StubHub: all USC football tickets
• StubHub: all college football tickets

Ohio State-USC Preview

To understand why Ohio State will fail this week, let’s examine what went wrong last week. Sure, Ohio State “beat” Navy, but a four-point home victory over Navy hardly qualifies as a success.

Terrelle Pryor made plays with his feet, as usual, but matched his lone touchdown pass of the day with an interception late in the game. The Buckeyes didn’t run the ball with much authority either.

Perhaps most concerning was Ohio State’s defense, which shocked college football betting fans by allowing 342 yards of offense, punctuated by two passing touchdowns from Navy’s Ricky Dobbs.

If Navy could pick apart Ohio State, it’s scary to imagine what USC might do on Saturday.

Matt Barkley, the first true freshman to start under center in USC history, passed his first test last week against San Jose State, going 15/19 for 233 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He played the caretaker role, letting dynamic tailback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Joe McKnight do the heavy lifting. McKnight rushed 14 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yard scamper.

A good sports betting system for football is to watch for patterns of how a team wins and how a team loses.

Last week, USC showed an efficient passing game, able to inflict damage when it needed to, and handed off the rock the rest of the time, chewing up clock and tiring out the opposing defense. Ohio State scraped by Navy last week but struggled against the run and even allowed some scores through the air. If that’s not a recipe for a USC win, nothing is.

Since USC’s defense is strong and should fluster Pryor, the seven-point spread for USC on the road is totally justifiable. Pick the Trojans with confidence; the 2009 Buckeyes aren’t in their league.

Ohio State-USC Prediction

Betting services recommend: USC -7

What do you think?

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* – Ohio State-USC logos credit: The Scores Report

* – Jim Tressel photo credit: Thunder Treats

Titans-Steelers Betting Preview: Odds and Prediction

NFL betting players have been awaiting the return of the regular season since an exciting end to the 2008 season, when Pittsburgh edged Arizona in the Super Bowl. The Steelers begin the defense of their title with a home game against Tennessee, one of the biggest surprises of the season, and it should be a hard-hitting game on both sides of the ball.

Titans vs Steelers odds – Thursday, September 10, 8:30 PM ET

The Titans are rolling into the regular season with Kerry Collins at quarterback, but don’t be surprised to see Vince Young at some point this season as he had a very good camp and looks to be past the issues that plagued him in 2008. They still have one of the best running-back duos in the league in Chris Johnson and LenDale White, but the Titans need receivers Nate Washington, a former Steeler, and Kenny Britt to be productive and open up the offense. However, Washington may miss his reunion with his former team with a hamstring injury. Defensively, the Titans lost Albert Haynesworth to Washington, which will hurt their interior defense as well as their online betting chances.

The Steelers have 19 of their 22 starters back from last year, which makes them one of the favorites, especially with the fourth-easiest schedule in the league. Ben Roethlisberger leads an attack that is bolstered by a healthy Rashard Mendenhall, who will look to push Willie Parker in the backfield. Limas Sweed should be able to slot into the No.3 receiving spot held by Washington last year. The defense is just as it was last year, minus corner Bryant McFadden to Arizona, and it’s led by the best group of linebackers in the league. Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison is a menace, and safety Troy Polamalu may be getting better after six seasons in the league.

Betting services have the Steelers as a 6-point favorite in this contest, and they’ve won two of their last three games at Heinz Field against the Titans, including a 34-7 rout in 2005. The key to this will be Tennessee’s run defense, and whether or not the loss of Haynesworth will hurt them. We’re figuring that the Steelers, who are deep at running back, will test this theory, and if they can get a lead, that forces Collins to try and make plays, which suits Pittsburgh just fine. Go with the Steelers in your NFL picks on Thursday.

NFL Preseason – Friday, September 3rd Betting Picks: Point Spreads and Predictions

NFL betting is finally back! We have one more week of preseason games on the schedule and thus one more opportunity to work our NFL prognosticating muscles back into shape. Let’s have a look at Friday’s games and make a few picks, shall we?

Houston Texans at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Friday, September 4, 7:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Buccaneers -3

A good question to ask in preseason football is “What do these guys have to play for?” In Houston’s case, the answer is “not much.” All their offensive skill players are locked into their starting roles with little to no competition and the Texans will almost certainly sit their top guys to keep them fresh for NFL week 1 betting.

The Bucs, however, have a bit of motivation. After Byron Leftwich “won” the starting quarterback job, both Luke McCown and Josh Freeman will want to show that they’re the better choice to start at pivot. Running back Cadillac Williams is third on Tampa’s depth chart but there’s been talk of a committee and he could use Friday’s game to audition for a role in it. Pick the hungrier Bucs.

Betting services recommend: Buccaneers

Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings

Friday, September 4, 8:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Vikings -3

The Cowboys’ situation is similar to Houston’s. Do you really think anyone will unseat Tony Romo, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and DeMarcus Ware at their positions? Of course not. The star players have no threats to their jobs and won’t play, so the Cowboys will field a team of subs with little motivation to win. In addition to home field, the Vikings have a least a couple players with extra motivation. Sage Rosenfels wouldn’t mind lighting up the Cowboys to show up Brett Favre, the man who stole his job. Meanwhile, super backup running back Chester Taylor could earn himself a bigger role in the offense if he impresses. Bet on Minnesota.

Betting services recommend: Vikings

San Francisco 49ers @ San Diego Chargers (-3.5)

Friday, September 4, 10:00 p.m. ET

Forget drinkin’ the Kool-Aid; everyone’s drinkin’ the coffee – Glen Coffee – this preseason. The explosive back leads the NFL in rushing over the first three weeks and should see extensive time Friday filling in for starter Frank Gore. The Chargers have little to prove and their second-string skill players are nothing special, so the 49ers could surprise and outscore the home team. Take a flier on San Fran in your NFL picks.

Betting services recommend: 49ers

Deutsche Bank Championship Preview: TV Schedule, Odds, and Prediction

NCAA football betting is back this week, yes, but we have all of fall to get excited about that. For any golf fans out there, we only have a few meaningful tournaments left, so let’s savor them.

This week’s FedEx Cup “playoff” stop is the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Here is all of the need-to-know information:

• Deutsche Bank Championship Dates: Friday, September 4th through Monday, September 7
• Deutsche Bank Championship Location: Norton, Massachusetts
• Deutsche Bank Championship Course: TPC Boston
• Deutsche Bank Championship Pursue: $7 million (Winning share: $1.26 M)
• Deutsche Bank Championship Length: 7,207 Yards
• Deutsche Bank Championship Friday / Saturday TV Schedule: Golf Channel 3pm – 6pm ET
• Deutsche Bank Championship Sunday TV Schedule: CBS 3pm – 6pm
• Deutsche Bank Championship Monday Labor Day TV Schedule: CBS 2pm – 6pm
• StubHub: Deutsche Bank Championship tickets
• StubHub: All PGA Tour tickets

So who are the top picks to win?

Tiger Woods (+150 odds to win)

BOOM: I’m sorry, but he’s not “slumping” as so many pundits claim. The guy has back to back second-place finishes and five wins in 2009. Let’s get serious.

BUST: As much as he isn’t slumping, the heebie-jeebies with his usually money-in-the-bank putts inside 10 feet are worth monitoring. Since Tiger rewards you so little for your investment, I always say you should only pick him when he’s a sure thing. This week doesn’t qualify.

Padraig Harrington (+1600 odds to win)

BOOM: Paddy’s finally showing signs that his nightmarish funk is over, having cracked the top 10 in three straight events. His scrambling and putting will keep his game consistent throughout the Deutsche Bank.

BUST: As much as he’s “back,” he melted down in two of his three “good” performances over the last few weeks. If he gets a lead on Sunday, there’s no guarantee that he won’t collapse again.

Steve Stricker (+2000 odds to win)

BOOM: After Tiger, no golfer has been better in 2009. Stricker has two wins and four more top-four finishes this season and his scoring average ranks second on Tour, reflecting how consistent he’s been week to week.

BUST: Stricker only seems to win the little tournaments where he’s the big fish in a small pond. He often wilts under pressure in the high-profile events, as he did last Sunday on the 18^th hole at the Barclays when he plugged his tee shot in the bunker.

Vijay Singh (+3300 odds to win)

BOOM: No golfer has a better history at this tournament. Vijay won it in 2004 and 2008 and owns both the single-round course record and the aggregate score record.

BUST: Few golfers are struggling as badly as Vijay this season. He looks like a shadow of his former self. If you like his Deutsche Bank Championship odds because he’s the defending champ, flash back to last week; he was the defending champ at the Barclays and missed the cut.

Heath Slocum (+10000 odds to win)

BOOM: He’s swinging a mean stick right now, ranking seventh on Tour in proximity to hole and 12^th in ball striking. He also won the Barclays last week, so he has momentum. More importantly, he offers insane value compare to other sports picks at +10000 – a number almost unheard of for a guy coming off a win.

BUST: Last week’s win was his first in almost four years, so he’s still a long shot to do it again against such a rich field.

Best betting management pick: Padraig Harrington. He seems to have fixed his swing and he deserves a pass for his recent mistakes since he’s won big tournaments before.

NFL Preseason Betting: Patriots-Redskins, Packers-Cardinals Odds and Predictions

Whether you’re an NFL odds aficionado or just a die-hard football fan, you’ve probably heard the old saying that the preseason “means nothing” or that you “shouldn’t bet on preseason NFL football because it’s so unpredictable.”  The truth, however, is that you can properly forecast preseason games if you know what to watch for. Let’s put this theory into effect and make picks for Friday night’s NFL games.

New England Patriots @ Washington Redskins

Friday, August 28, 8:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Patriots -3

One of the tricks to betting on preseason football is asking yourself: “What, if anything, do these teams have to play for?” The Patriots are solidly established already this preseason. Tom Brady looks healthy, having posted big yardage in his first preseason game and having shrugged off some big hits last week. Now that the Pats know Brady is ready to go, they have nothing more to learn or prove. They know they’ll have a running-back-by-committee approach and that Randy Moss and Wes Welker will be the focal points of the passing game.

The Redskins haven’t played as well as the Pats in the preseason but I like them to pull off the upset this week, because they’ll have more motivation to win. Quarterback Jason Campbell is struggling, perhaps distracted by trade rumors surrounding him over the summer; he was just 1/7 against Pittsburgh last week. His No. 2 receiver still isn’t determined, as Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly are reportedly neck-and-neck for the job. Don’t you think, then, that the Redskins’ passing offense will (a) play a few more series than Brady’s unit and (b) work extra hard? Toss in a stingy defense and Washington looks good Friday night.

NFL pick: Redskins +3

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Friday, August 28, 10:00 p.m. ET

Favorite: Cardinals -3.5

Here’s a game that would’ve been tough to predict a couple of weeks ago but now gives us plenty of hints based on the first two preseason games. The Packers look razor-sharp on both sides of the ball. Aaron Rodgers is firing lasers, Ryan Grant is running with purpose and the new 3-4 defensive scheme may be ahead of schedule, as it showed when the Pack shut out Cleveland in their opener and were ball hawks in their win over the Bills, sacking them four times and picking them off twice.

The normally potent Cardinals offense seems out of whack. Whether it’s because they can’t establish a running game with Chris Wells on the mend or because Kurt Warner is battling hip pain, they’re not themselves. It’s smarter betting management to go with another upset here and pick the Pack.

NFL pick: Packers +3.5

BetUs Apparently Has Its Horse in the Browns’ Anderson-Quinn Quarterback Derby

BetUs.com is one of the leading online sportsbooks out there. If you’re into that sort of thing (I am not personally) they seem like a pretty good place to go for odds, lines, etc., on pretty much every sporting event imaginable.

But who knew that through their front page layout designs they also send subliminal messages about NFL quarterback competitions?

Earlier today, I was trying to find the point spread for the Bears-Broncos preseason game to add to Tyler’s post. My first stop when needing such information is typically BetUs (unless I want to see an amalgamation of spreads from a variety of sources, then I go to DocSports). When I traveled over to BetUs earlier today, I was surprised by what I saw on their home page. 

Here is a screenshot:

Seems pretty normal right? It’s almost NFL season, so they are promoting their NFL sportsbook, and there is what appears to be just a generic football player used as window dressing. Generic, gray colors with no logos to associate the player with a particular team. Pretty standard stuff for what you see on sportsbook websites.

Follow the links to StubHub for great deals on Cleveland Browns Tickets and all 2009 NFL season tickets.

But then I did a double take.  And I thought to myself, no, that couldn’t be…could it? So I looked a little closer:

Wait a minute…that’s not just some generic football player. It’s Derek Anderson! Quarterback of my beloved Browns! He of the surprising 2007 Pro Bowl season, and the man currently entrenched in a preseason battle for the starting QB gig in Cleveland with the pretty boy golden domer.

I wanted to be sure though. The generic colors had me slightly unsure of myself, and I figured a quick Google image search might do the trick. And, lo and behold, there on the first page of the search was this picture:

This particular image (by Julie Jacobson of the AP) was found at OregonLive.com and confirmed my suspicions that, yes indeed, BetUs had chosen Derek Anderson to be the icon for their football sportsbook.

This immediately galvanized two pressing questions in my head:

1: Does BetUs know something that the rest of us Browns fans do not?

As has been well documented, Eric Mangini has said repeatedly that neither Anderson nor Brady Quinn has seized the upper hand in their battle for the starting gig. Quinn played well in the first preseason game, Anderson played well in the second one, and both will see time in the third game against Tennessee, ostensibly to decide this thing once and for all.

But BetUs’s business is making predictions. Why would they put a guy in their front page banner that was going to lose? (Unless, of course, they think Anderson will cover the spread…) Could it be that the BetUs folks have done what no else has been able to do: get a straight answer from Eric Mangini on the most important question of first Browns training camp?

Umm…probably not. Still, on a website in which pretty much every sentence is making some sort of prediction, it’s hard not to infer the subliminal message being sent here.

2: Is Derek Anderson, perhaps the most unpredictable quarterback in the NFL, really a good icon for a site like BetUs?

Obviously my insinuations in Question #1 are somewhat nonsensical. This question, however, is quite valid.

The goal of people laying their hard earned cash down on NFL games is to reduce risk and volatility in an effort to give themselves the best possible shot of winning more bets than they lose so that they can ultimately turn a profit. Bettors are always striving to find the “sure thing” wherever it may be.

Ask any Browns fan if Derek Anderson’s play even remotely resembles a “sure thing” and you will no doubt be met with cackles and guffaws as said Brown backer recounts in his or her head the unexpected rise of Anderson in 2007, his failure down the stretch when a playoff berth hung in the balance, and then his struggles last year when many people were drafting him as a #1 fantasy QB.

Sure thing? I don’t think so.

Derek Anderson is capable of flashes of greatness, and on the other hand just as capable of flashes of complete ineptitude. The problem, for his coaches, teammates, and fans, is that no one ever really knows which flash will occur when. (Or whether Braylon Edwards will actually hang onto D.A.’s perfectly thrown of flashes of greatness when they occur…)

If I were a bettor (and as I said, I am not) I would think an image of Peyton Manning or Tom Brady might be a little more comforting than Derek Anderson. 

But then again…might the people at BetUs, trained in predicting the future and dependent on that ability for revenue, be offering up a subliminal message about the 2009 season? In a league in which the Dolphins can go from 1-15 to 11-5 and in which Derek Anderson has already made a Pro Bowl, is it that unreasonable that the Cleveland Browns, under a new regime, could be the surprise of the NFL and that Anderson could once again be a top-3 QB in the AFC?

Stranger things have happened, and now BetUs will have the ability to say “see, we told you so” if it does.

Or maybe it’s just a slow Thursday and I’m procrastinating at work and none of this means anything. Perhaps my yearning to cheer for a winner this season has led me to seek out signs of impending success where none actually exist.

Either way, Derek Anderson should be excited about the fact that he’s a cover boy. With D.A.’s starting job in question, and the other QB on the Browns likely to have more fitness magazine covers than Pro Bowl appearances in his career, such honors may be few and far between.

Now we’ll just have to wait and see if BetUs’ subliminal prediction comes true. Regardless of who Eric Mangini picks though — Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn — that player will have to play much better in ‘09 than he did in ‘08. Otherwise, there will be at least one sure thing in the NFL again this year: betting against the Browns.

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[Full disclosure: BetUs does sponsor an ad on this site, but this was not a sponsored post.]

PGA Tour: The Barclays Preview – Betting Odds, Prediction, TV Schedule

Before we jump into our preview of the betting odds for this weekend’s PGA Tour event, The Barclays at Liberty National, here is all the relevant information that you need to know:

• The Barclays Dates: Thursday, August 27 through Sunday, August 30
• The Barclays Course: Liberty National
• The Barclays Location: Jersey City, NJ
• The Barclays Purse: $7.5 million ($1.35 million to winner)
• The Barclays Total Course Yardage: 7,400
• The Barclays Thursday-Friday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on The Golf Channel
• The Barclays Saturday TV Schedule: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
• The Barclays Sunday TV Schedule: 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm CBS
• StubHub: Great deals on tickets to The Barclays
• StubHub: Great deals on all PGA Tour tickets

Note: The Barclays can be viewed online at PGA.com

The Barclays Preview: Betting Odds and Prediction

As we’re seeing with NFL odds in the preseason, this week’s PGA Tour stop, the Barclays, carries lots of question marks with it. Can Tiger Woods bounce back from the first true collapse of his career? Can Phil Mickelson finally win another tournament? Does anyone care about the FedEx Cup “playoffs”? Let’s review a few possible picks to win this week.

Tiger Woods (+185 to win)

BOOM: Well, he’s Tiger Woods. He’s the best in the world, so much so that his current five-win season is labeled an “off” year. The Barclays lost course, Liberty National, is reasonably long, so Tiger could take advantage.

BUST: After choking against Y.E. Yang in the PGA Championship, Tiger is in uncharted territory. How can we know for sure that he’s handling the loss well and will bounce back strong? Considering that you get a small return on your investment with him compared to other sports picks, it’s worth waiting a week to see how he plays.

Phil Mickelson (+1850 to win)

BOOM: He’s long enough off the tee to score well at Liberty National and his birdie conversion percentage is the fourth-best on Tour. He’s also a member at Liberty National, giving him intimate knowledge of the course. That’s gold for an aggressive player like Phil, as he’ll know when he can afford to try a hero shot.

BUST: He still hasn’t really found his rhythm after his hiatus, so we can’t assume he’ll magically snap out of his funk this week.

Hunter Mahan (+2250 to win)

BOOM: He’s the definition of rock-solid this season. Always in the hunt, he has four top-10s in his last six starts. He also ranks highly in scoring average and greens in regulation, so his Barclays odds are good.

BUST: As well as he’s played, he hasn’t broken through for a win this season; what if he can’t handle the pressure with a lead on Sunday against a field of superstars? Also, his driving accuracy leaves a lot to be desired, ranking 85^th.

Jim Furyk (+5250)

BOOM: Here’s a guy with a similar skill set and 2009 performance to Mahan’s, yet who offers more than double his value. Furyk could be the best sleeper according to stats from betting services; he has seven top-10s this season and cracks the top 10 in scrambling, putting average and proximity to hole.

BUST: While he’s not senior Tour material just yet, he may be past his prime at age 39, not having won a tournament since 2007. What if he simply doesn’t have that extra gear that propels him to victory anymore?

THE PICK

Go with Phil Mickelson at +1850. He’s long overdue, he knows the course better than anyone else in the field, and the course should suit his game.

UFC 102 Preview: Odds and Predictions for Couture-Nogueira and Silva-Jardine

The UFC 102 fight card that will take place next weekend is being touted by some MMA betting fans as being a much better card than UFC 100 or 101, and the main bouts are being headlined by the fighters who are 205 pounds and over.

UFC 102 Odds – Saturday, August 29, 10:00 PM ET

Randy Couture (16-9) vs Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1-1)

This heavyweight bout features two of the legendary fighters in MMA history, and both are coming off losses. Couture is a -180 favorite despite losing his belt to Brock Lesnar at UFC 91, but that was a bad fight for him as Lesnar was too big for the “Natural” to control with his wrestling skill. Nogueira was beaten by Frank Mir at UFC 91 for the interim heavyweight title, but it was revealed that “Minotauro” had a staph infection which hospitalized him in the run-in to the fight. That, combined with being a +150 underdog, should be more than enough motivation for Nogueira to prove that he’s still a draw in the UFC. If you’re a betting management player, take Nogueira in the upset pick.

Thiago Silva (13-1) vs Keith Jardine (14-5-1)

Silva is coming off a loss to Lyoto Machida in a match for Machida’s light-heavyweight belt, as he was knocked out just before the end of the first round. Jardine, as known as the “Dean of Mean”, has lost three of his last five fights, but he can’t be counted out. Jardine has racked up wins over guys like Chuck Liddell, Brandon Vera and Forrest Griffin, which is the only reason I can come with for him being a -160 favorite against Silva, who will be hungry to make his way back up the 205-pound ladder after losing to Machida. He has devastating power, as 10 of his 13 wins have come by knockout, and he’s well versed in the ways of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. Jardine is in an unfamiliar spot as a favorite, and that could stand to hurt him in the long run. Go with Thiago Silva as a +130 underdog in your UFC sports picks next weekend.

Wyndham Championship Preview and Odds: Why Tim Clark Will Finally Get His First PGA Win

North Carolina State’s college football odds aren’t as good as the odds for a PGA win by their alumni, Tim Clark, are for a victory this week in the Wyndham Championship. Clark has never won on the PGA Tour since turning pro in 1998, but that streak should come to an end at a golf course that suits his eye.

Here are the particulars for this weekend’s Wyndham Championship:

 

• Wyndham Championship Dates: Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23
• Wyndham Championship Location: Greensboro, NC
• Wyndham Championship Course: Sedgefield Country Club
• Wyndham Championship Thursday-Friday TV Schedule: The Golf Channel
• Wyndham Championship Saturday-Sunday Weekend TV Schedule: CBS

 

Wyndham Championship Odds and Prediction 

Tim Clark is a co-favorite with US Open champion Lucas Glover at +1600, and he’s finished T-6 at Sedgefield Country Club in two of the last three years. Clark’s consistency is what makes him one of the more attractive sports picks of the weekend: he’s made the cut in 15 of his 17 starts in 2009, he’s seventh in driving accuracy, and 34^th in putting. You also need to shoot a low score to win this event, as six of the last seven winners have posed a score of -18 or better. Clark is fourth on the PGA Tour in scoring average.

Glover should push Clark for a Sunday duel, and the US Open champion is coming off an impressive top-five at the PGA Championship at Hazeltine. Glover is having a brilliant season, leading the Tour in total driving, he’s fifth in driving, 15^th in sand saves and 23^rd in putting. He finished a respectable T-20 in last year’s Wyndham Championship, and a win would give him some momentum heading into the FedEx Cup playoffs.

A good longshot bet for your gambling software is John Senden, who comes in at +3300, and he would be a much smarter wager than Sergio Garcia at +1800. Senden hasn’t shot over par in eight straight rounds at this event, and even though he’s missed the cut in three of his last four starts, his irons will give him a chance this week as he leads the Tour in greens-in-regulation.

However, Clark is the pick when doing your online betting this weekend. He’s been called the best player on the Tour who has never won, which tells you about the level of competition in the PGA. With a weak field, there’s no better place for him to break his duck. Go with Tim Clark when making your sports bet online. 

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* – Tim Clark photo credit: The Sybil Speaks

2009 Hall of Fame Game Tickets and Preview: Bills-Titans TV, Odds, and Prediction

NFL Hall of Fame Game Preview

• Hall of Fame Game Matchup: Buffalo Bills v Tennessee Titans
• Hall of Fame Game Date: Sunday, August 9th, 2009
• Hall of Fame Game TV: NBC
• Hall of Fame Game Time: 8:00 PM ET
• Hall of Fame Game Odds: Tennessee Titans -3
• Hall of Fame Game Over/Under: 31.5
• TickCo: Bills-Titants Hall of Fame Game Tickets
• RazorGator: Bills-Titans Hall of Fame Game Tickets
• StubHub: 

NFL Hall of Fame Game odds are posted and the field in Canton is ready for Sunday. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait. It’s only the preseason, yes, but it signals the NFL’s return. I can’t help but want to break down the Bills/Titans game like it’s the Super Bowl, so I’m gonna do it for you.

The most important thing to remember when betting on preseason NFL games is that you have to throw traditional analysis out the window. You can’t look at the Titans’ running game and think it will stomp the Bills because, odds are, the Titans’ top runners will barely play. Let’s break down the game from a unique preseason perspective.

First off, don’t be surprised if this game goes under the 31.5-point projected total. The preseason isn’t about scoring touchdowns; it’s about trying out the playbook and getting looks at everyone on your team, so the points may be few and far in between. Secondly, don’t be surprised if the Bills, listed as three-point underdogs, pull off the upset. Here’s why.

THE BILLS’ FIRST-TEAM PASSING OFFENSE SHOULD PLAY MORE THAN TENNESSEE’S. The theme of the year in Buffalo is the T.O. show, and I’m betting management and Owens alike want to make a statement on a national stage Sunday night. Owens needs to establish a rapport with Trent Edwards soon, so the Bills’ starters may play a few extra series and Owens could find the end zone.

VINCE YOUNG SIGHTING! While Kerry Collins isn’t exactly a valuable commodity, the Titans will try to preserve him for the starting caretaker, er, quarterback role in the regular season. That means Vince Young should see plenty of action in the Hall of Fame Game. While some faithful Texas fans may think their former NCAA football betting standout could make some noise on Sunday, I think he’ll be rustier than the Tin Man at the beginning of The Wizard of Oz.

TENNESSE’S THIRD –STRING DEFENSE, I’D LIKE YOU TO MEET FORMER NFL STARTER DOMINIC RHODES. What the Bills lack in talent they make up in depth. Dominic Rhodes has performed decently in starting duty but is likely the third-string running back behind Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson. He should get lion’s share of the carries on Sunday and he’ll do so primarily against backups.

CHRIS JOHNSON AND LENDALE WHITE WILL BE AWESOME…IN THE REGULAR SEASON. There’s just no way Jeff Fisher overuses his powerhouse running back tandem. Quinton Ganther will get the rock for Tennessee and he’s unproven.

Hall of Fame Game NFL Prediction: Bills. They have more to prove in the preseason and their backups are more experienced.

MLB Betting – AL Weekend Rundown

MLB betting: Jays Try To Keep Up With Streaking Yankees

The Toronto Blue Jays will make the trip to New York this weekend for a four-game set. The Jays started off the season guns a blazing but have cooled off since. They find themselves in fourth place in the division with a minimal chance of winning it, and we just hit July.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have been the exact opposite. They are as strong as they’ve been in the win column this year and they’ll look to keep on building on it.

They’ll have a couple of hurdles this weekend as both Roy Halladay and Ricky Romero will pitch for the Jays.

MLB betting: Tigers, Twins Square Off Square Off At Metrodome

The Detroit Tigers hold a three-game lead in the American League Central but that lead could shrink to nothing by the end of the weekend.

The Tigers have slowed a little bit as the calendar has flipped to July. While Magglio Ordonez is trying to regain his power (went 150 at-bats in between home runs), the lineup seems to be in flux as manager Jim Leyland is moving batters up and down.

The Twins entire starting rotation is on fire right now from Kevin Slowey, to Nick Blackburn, to Scott Baker, which is more bad news for the Tigers bats. Look for the Twins to take advantage and gain some ground on the weekend. The sportsbook odds makers should have them favored throughout the weekend.

MLB Betting: Last-Place A’s Meet Last-Place Indians

A few years ago, sports picks on this series would handicapping a matchup of two playoff contenders. Not nowadays as both teams are a combined 64-93.

The A’s are usually a scrappy bunch but injuries have taken a big bite out of their production. They have put 12 players on the disabled list already this season and they simply don’t have the depth to compete when it gets that’s bad.

The season hasn’t been much brighter for the Indians who have lost five straight and are just 2-8 in their last 10 games. The Indians are having problems scoring runs, especially with Travis Hafner’s pop disappearing over the last two seasons.

The Indians are off a sweep at the hands of the White Sox and have been outscored 38-13 in their last five games. I’m betting management wasn’t expecting that with a lineup consisting of Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez and the aforementioned Hafner.