Handicappers Picks

Football betting game odds are already up and posted at BetUS Sportsbook for Thursday night’s clash in the Lone Star State between the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys.
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Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Dallas, TX
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Football Odds: Miami Dolphins (-1.5) -110 vs. Dallas Cowboys (+1.5) -110: Over/Under 37

It is fairly clear that Tony Sparano isn’t a very happy man right now. After last week’s 16-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at home in which the team failed to reach the end zone, Sparano announced that he will indeed use his starters against the Cowboys in the preseason finale.

This immediately jolted the football game odds down to make Miami a short favorite instead of a three point underdog at the opening of lines.

How long the Miami starters will play is still anyone’s guess. We know that Chad Henne is probably going to need to do a better job of hooking up with his receivers that are going to be in the rotation starting next weekend. Brandon Marshall and Anthony Fasano, the team’s best receiver and tight end respectively, only have a combined 11 catches in three games.

Wade Phillips was fairly irate after Dallas was dumped by the Houston Texans 23-7 at Reliant Stadium last week. He promptly came out the next day in the media and said that he would be utilizing his starters as well in spite of the fact that this is the fifth preseason game for the Cowboys.

On Wednesday though, he changed his mind. Stephen McGee will get the starting nod in what will be the most important game of his career.

McGee is still trying to prove that he is worthy of a spot in the NFL, and this preseason has been a mixed bag that hasn’t helped that cause any. The former Texas A&M Aggie has gone 26-of-45 for 220 yards and he has yet to either throw a touchdown pass or a pick.

The worse news for McGee is that he probably won’t get much help from his ground game. The Cowboys rank dead last in the league in rushing and have yet to score a rushing TD in the preseason.

NFL Insider Tip: Neither one of these teams has been particularly proficient on offense in the preseason, and the end result has been a combined six ‘unders’ against just one ‘over’ contest.

How could we not play the ‘under’ once again? This would be a bunch of points for the Dolphins and Cowboys to reach if this were a regular season game, let alone one in the preseason. This should once again be a relatively sloppy contest, and the end result should be an easy win for players of the ‘under’ on the football game odds.

My NFL Predictions: Miami Dolphins/Dallas Cowboys Under 37

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Thursday night will be the final chance to sink your teeth into football game lines for the NFL preseason! The duel in the desert will be a very interesting one to watch, as plenty of quarterbacks will be fighting for jobs in the clash between the Washington Redskins and the Arizona Cardinals.
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Washington Redskins vs. Arizona Cardinals
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 10:00 ET
Game Location: University of Phoenix Stadium, Phoenix, AZ
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, NFL Network, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Washington Redskins (+5.5) -110 vs. Arizona Cardinals (-5.5) -110: Over/Under 37

Thanks to injuries to both Donovan McNabb and Rex Grossman, the only two quarterbacks that are probably going to suit it up for the Redskins on Thursday night are John Beck and Richard Bartel.

Let’s remember that Beck was competing to be the starting QB for the Miami Dolphins as recently as two years ago, so he clearly has some skills. Beck is only completing 50.0 percent of his passes for 103 yards in the preseason.

Bartel came on last week and threw for 44 yards and a TD in his debut in ’09 for the Redskins.

Washington has made it to 2-1 on the preseason thanks to the fact that its defense has been fantastic at times. Allowing a total of just 51 points in three games ranks Washington Redskins at 12th in the league in scoring.

On the other side of the field, the Cardinals are clearly in some disarray. Though it is unknown whether either Derek Anderson or Matt Leinart is going to play in this game, it is clear that Anderson is playing in Week 1, while Leinart, barring injury, will not. Ken Whisenhunt announced on Wednesday that the former Cleveland Browns starter is his man for the beginning of the season, which has really thrown the entire team for a whirl. Leinart, once upon a time considered the future of the franchise, is reportedly on the trade block.

Beck’s successor at BYU, Max Hall should be used quite a bit for the Cards on Thursday night. Both he and fellow rookie John Skelton have looked good in the preseason, and both are going to be fighting for what could be just one roster spot should Leinart not get moved by the start of the year.

NFL Insider Tip : The Redskins are unbeaten in their L/5 road games dating back to last season, going 4-0-1 against the football game lines.

Are Beck and Bartel the second coming of Joe Theismann and Mark Rypien? Of course not. However, they are both probably going to find a way to play inspired football once again. There is a lot of controversy right now in Arizona Cardinals, and we don’t love the idea of laying six points in the preseason with a team that doesn’t have a fantastic direction of where it is going.

The ‘Skins should top the Cards on the football game lines on Thursday.

My NFL Predictions: Washington Redskins (+5.5) -110

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BetUS Sportsbook is back with another fantastic NFL line analysis in the Week 4 NFL preseason duel between the Denver Broncos and the Minnesota Vikings from Minneapolis.
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Denver Broncos vs. Minnesota Vikings
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Mall of America Field, Minneapolis, MN
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Football Odds: Denver Broncos (+4.5) -110 vs. Minnesota Vikings (-4.5) -110: Over/Under 35

The key to figuring out the winner of the football game line in this one is going to be quarterback play.

Quite simply, for the visiting Broncos, their QBs just aren’t quite there yet. Neither Brady Quinn nor Tim Tebow is completing more than 57 percent of their passes, and neither has even reached 200 passing yards yet in the preseason. The two have also combined to throw just one touchdown against two INTs.

Denver is clearly also not being helped by its defense, which is allowing 385.3 yards per game, the second worst total in the NFL. Will the ‘D’ that picked off three passes and made life a living hell for the quarterbacks of the Pittsburgh Steelers show up? Or will the one that seemingly tanked its first two games of the year rear its ugly head?

If it is the latter, the backup QBs for the Vikings are going to make Denver pay. The Vikes, without a doubt, have the strong trio of quarterbacks right now in the league, and even if Brett Favre doesn’t play (or doesn’t play much), there is no reason not to believe in the combination of Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels.

Look for Rosenfels to get the majority of the reps once again for the men in purple and gold, as this will probably be the last time that he ever steps foot on the turf for his current team. Rosenfels has looked sharp all preseason long, completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 392 yards with four scores and no picks.

Even the fourth man on the depth chart, rookie Joe Webb has looked great, throwing for 91 yards and two TDs and rushing for another 78 yards and a score.

NFL Insider Tip: These two teams are clearly in different mindsets right now in terms of recent form. Denver is just 2-5 ATS and 1-6 SU in its L/7 games overall, while Minnesota has beaten the football game line in five of its L/6.

That being said, we tend to believe that the backups for the Vikings are just all around better than they are for the Broncos. Yes, we understand that Tebow generally refuses to lose as a starter, but this is a game that isn’t exactly for keeps. Go with Minnesota, and you’ll be a winner against the football game line on Thursday night.

My NFL Predictions: Minnesota Vikings -4.5

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Thursday night will be the final chance to sink your teeth into football game lines for the NFL preseason! The duel in Steeltown will be a very interesting one to watch, as plenty of quarterbacks will be fighting for jobs in the clash between the Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Carolina Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Carolina Panthers (+6) -110 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) -110: Over/Under 37

The Panthers have been an absolute train wreck so far in the preseason. They have yet to score an offensive touchdown and have only found pay dirt a grand total of one time; on a kickoff return.

None of their quarterbacks have played well either, as Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen, Hunter Cantwell, and Tony Pike have all completed 50 percent or fewer of their passes. Simply put, that isn’t going to cut it in the NFL at any level, even in the preseason.

The far more interesting story here is the play of the Steelers. Mike Tomlin still doesn’t know whether he is going with Byron Leftwich or Dennis Dixon to start the regular season under center. We don’t expect to see all that much from the soon to be suspended Ben Roethlisberger because of this, as these two prospective starters for the first month of the season are still locked in a crucial duel.

Dixon has looked the better of the two QBs so far in the summer, as he has completed 70.9 percent of his passes for 304 yards with a score and two picks, while Leftwich is only completing 45.0 percent of his passes for 138 yards and a TD. Dixon also has a ton of mobility and can get himself out of trouble if need be, while Leftwich looks like a statue in the pocket.

The problem that the former Oregon Duck has is that he looked terrible at times last week while playing against the Denver Broncos first team defense. He won’t see Carolina’s best effort this week, which might not give Tomlin the best gauge for which man he should use some next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.

NFL Insider Tip: For whatever reason, whether in the preseason or in the regular season, the Steelers have dominated this series. They hold a 5-1 ATS and 4-2 SU advantage over Carolina since 2005.

Let’s not mistake the fact that this is an incredibly hefty set of football lines in this game. Asking anyone to cover six-points in the preseason is a tall task. We saw that last week when the St. Louis Rams upset the New England Patriots as 7.5-point pups.

Still, Pittsburgh has too much to play for against a team that has looked this bad to not win by at least a touchdown – Expect a double digit victory!

My NFL Predictions: Pittsburgh Steelers (-6) -110

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

BetUS Sportsbook is back with another fantastic football betting line analysis in the Week 4 NFL preseason duel between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants from New Meadowlands Stadium.
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New England Patriots vs. New York Giants
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 7:00 ET
Game Location: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Football Odds: New England Patriots (+3) -105 vs. New York Giants (+3) -115: Over/Under 37.5

Even though the Patriots have scored the third most points in the NFL this preseason, don’t expect them to be going all out to improve upon those numbers this weekend. Tom Brady played into the fourth quarter of last week’s mildly surprising 36-35 loss to the St. Louis Rams, and Bill Belichick has to be thrilled about the fact that his offense is operating so well.

That being said, expect to see some more out of backup Brian Hoyer. Hoyer has only completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 205 yards in the preseason, but he has thrown two TD passes without chucking a pick.

He would be helped out dramatically by his defense if the unit could hold the Giants to less than its averages so far in the summer. New England is allowing 344.3 yards and 23.3 points per game thus far through three bouts against the football game line.

No team has done a worse job defensively this preseason though, than the Giants. New York is allowing a whopping 387.3 yards per game, a league worst 281 of which have come through the air. This is terrible news for both the front four, which is getting minimal pressure on opposing QBs, and the secondary, which is clearly just getting abused.

The offense might see Eli Manning for a bit more than the average starting quarterback in the fourth game of the preseason, as he has only thrown 26 passes thus far, completing just 13 of them. It will be interesting to see whether Victor Cruz gets more reps after his stellar exhibition campaign in which he has accounted for a dozen catches, 251 yards, and all four of the team’s receiving touchdowns.

The Giants have only forced three turnovers in as many games in the preseason, which is why their defensive stats look so dismal.

NFL Insider Tip: Dating back to last year, the G-Men are only 3-6 SU and ATS in their L/9 games overall.

New York is probably just a wee too inconsistent to back in this game. Grabbing points in the preseason is always a good idea, especially when you really don’t have much of a clue about what either head coach is thinking in terms of quarterback rotation.

Odds have it, New England is going to lead you to victory on the football game line.

My NFL Predictions: New England Patriots (+3) -105

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Teasing preseason games in the NFL is always a great way to get an edge on the oddsmakers if a line is tight. They don’t get any tighter than in the preseason, so we are set to take advantage. Check out our super NFL teaser of the week for the fourth and final week of the preseason.
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Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Irving, TX
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Miami Dolphins (+3) -110 vs. Dallas Cowboys (-3) -110: Over/Under 37

The Cowboys are going to throw their first team offense on the field on Thursday night for at least a few drives against Miami, and that could really make all the difference in a game that is more important than most in Big D probably perceive it to be. Dallas is going to want to get some mojo going for the start of the regular season, and though the team has a 2-2 record both SU and ATS, it really has yet to play a fantastic game. This is a solid spot for your NFL teasers.

Chicago Bears vs. Cleveland Browns
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Chicago Bears (-3) +100 vs. Cleveland Browns (+3) -120: Over/Under 36.5

The Bears have struggled offensively all preseason long, and we don’t see how that is going to change in this game. Seeing them put 20 on the board would be a heck of an accomplishment even if the first team does end up playing longer than expected. The Browns have really played poor defense, but they have run up against some relatively strong offenses and have been put in bad situations. This is going to be a great chance for this unit to shine. Though teasing either team probably wouldn’t be a bad call, we just don’t see a way that this game gets to 47 points, so back the ‘under’.

Carolina Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Game Date/Time: Thursday, September 2nd, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Carolina Panthers (+5.5) -110 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (-6.5) -110: Over/Under 37

The number 27 is a key one in NFL preseason games, as a vast majority of games actually reach that figure in spite of the fact that it sometimes doesn’t feel that way. The offenses for both of these teams need to get in gear, and we expect both to find the end zone at least twice. The Steelers are still trying to figure out which quarterback is going to start the season, while John Fox simply won’t let his team go the whole preseason without finding the end zone offensively. The ‘over’ is the right way to go.

My NFL Preseason Predictions: 10-point Super Teaser – Dallas Cowboys (+7) / Chicago-Cleveland Under 46.5 / Carolina-Pittsburgh Over 27

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

The third week of football preseason betting action continues with BetUS Sportsbook on Saturday night in a Lone Star State shootout, as the Houston Texans play host to the Dallas Cowboys.
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Dallas Cowboys vs. Houston Texans
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 28th, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, LA
TV/Radio Broadcast: CBS, Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Dallas Cowboys (+3) +100 vs. Houston Texans (-3) -120: Over/Under: 40.5

The Cowboys continue to have a major problem this year offensively. They have yet to score more than 16 points in a game, and they only have two offensive touchdowns to show for three games worth of work. Simply put, that isn’t going to cut it, especially for a club that expects to boast one of the top offenses in the league this year.

However, for as poorly as Dallas’ ‘O’ has played in football preseason betting action, its defense has been incredibly solid. This unit has only allowed a total of 38 points in three games and looks to be an incredibly dangerous unit.

Tony Romo has the worst numbers on the team amongst quarterbacks, as he has only completed 46.4 percent of his passes for 141 yards with a TD and a pick. That must improve on Saturday for the Cowboys to triumph in this football preseason betting duel.

The Texans are 0-2 this year in football exhibition betting battles, but that doesn’t mean they’re ripe for the picking once again. This is their first 2010 game at Reliant Stadium after a pair of road defeats.

One could argue that the recipe was just wrong for Houston last week at the Superdome, as it was the first time that the Saints had played in their building since winning the Super Bowl. This week though, the exact same sort of mojo could be playing in the Texans’ favor, as they are full of expectations this year and the hometown crowd is dying to see the team live.

The offense has looked sharp as a tack when Matt Schaub has been on the field. Schaub has thrown for 195 yards on 81.3 percent completions with a TD, and he has successfully directed the starting offense on at least two scoring drives in both of Houston’s football preseason wagering games.

NFL Insider Tip: The home team has won all seven affairs between these two teams. Houston is just 2-3 SU, but 3-2 ATS in five football preseason betting clashes.

Head coach Gary Kubiak is badly going to want to get his team off to a good start in this spot.

Taking a game against its instate rivals is going to be great for Houston, even if this is only just a preseason match-up. For a team that historically does very well in their exhibitions, the Texans are the obvious football preseason betting choice on Saturday night!

My NFL Preseason Predictions: Houston Texans (-3) -120

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The preseason of pro football betting usually provides some real surprising results that just aren’t common due to the uncertainty of the game. Today at BetUS, we look at our “Rabid Dawgs Parlay” for Week 3 of pro football betting in the preseason.
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Washington Redskins vs. New York Jets
Game Date/Time: Friday, August 27th, 7:00 ET
Game Location: New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Washington Redskins (+4.5) -110 vs. New York Jets (-4.5) -110: Over/Under 34.5

Even though Donovan McNabb isn’t likely to play in this one, we still believe that the Redskins have a significantly better chance to win this game than the +180 moneyline suggests. Backup Rex Grossman has proven to be significantly more than competent in the preseason, completing 64.1 percent of his passes for 335 yards with two TDs and a pick. That’s two more yards, one more TD pass, and two fewer INTs than all of the New York quarterbacks combined.

Rex Ryan has called two very vanilla game plans so far in this preseason, and we tend to believe that that could reasonably come back to bite him in this one in spite of the fact that his team is the sizeable choice to pick up a victory.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Game Date/Time: Friday, August 27th, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Philadelphia Eagles (+1) -110 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (-1) -110: Over/Under 37

Haven’t the Chiefs already shown that they have no ability to win in the preseason? They were awful offensively in games both against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons, and now they are going to play host to one of the deepest offensive teams in the NFL in the Eagles. Kansas City’s quarterbacking rotation just doesn’t add anywhere up to near what the Eagles can offer, as Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick, and Mike Kafka might all be better than anything that Todd Haley is going to be able to trot out there.

Kolb has proven that he can be explosive, and we look for him to exploit the KC defense for at least two scores before he calls it a day around halftime or so. KC should have no answers in this one, and the end result should be a mild upset perfect for our Rabid Dawg selection for Week 3.

Though the Eagles aren’t a huge underdog, when parlayed with the Redskins on Friday night, they make for a fantastic price. This is still the preseason. Upsets like this happen all the time. Don’t be afraid to throw down on both of these NFC East teams this weekend, as they should combined to be worth somewhere in the neck of the woods of about 6.25-1 in your pro football betting card.

Rabid Dawg Parlay: (Washington Redskins/Philadelphia Eagles)

Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Teasing preseason games in the NFL is always a great way to get an edge on the oddsmakers if a line is tight. They don’t get any tighter than in the preseason, so we are set to take advantage. Check out our super NFL teaser of the week for the third week of the preseason.
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St. Louis Rams vs. New England Patriots
Game Date/Time: Thursday, August 26th, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: St. Louis Rams (+7.5) -110 vs. New England Patriots (-7.5) -110: Over/Under 37.5

Simply put, catching 17.5 points in the preseason is nuts. Are the Rams going to be able to compete with the Patriots in the first two quarters of this NFL betting battle on Thursday night? Probably not. However, if they can stick within a TD, they are almost certainly going to be golden going into the second half. This is a huge game for Sam Bradford, as he looks to build some confidence against the best in the NFL. The Pats have played well in the preseason thus far, but we tend to believe that getting this many points is too good an opportunity to overlook.

Indianapolis Colts vs. Green Bay Packers
Game Date/Time: Thursday, August 26th, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
TV/Radio Broadcast: ESPN, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Indianapolis Colts (+3.5) -110 vs. Green Bay Packers (-3.5) -110: Over/Under 44.5

What a lofty ‘total’ this is! One must remember that this is still the preseason and that the starters are still only going to play a half of football at best. Indianapolis is still a team that really could care less whether it wins or loses its exhibitions, and quite often, it plays an awfully vanilla game just to survive without any injuries. Green Bay’s defense should be up to the challenge of facing Peyton Manning and one of the highest flying offenses in the league. There’s no way the ‘total’ should be this high, and taking it up ten more points almost isn’t fair

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 28th, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Jacksonville Jaguars (-2.5) -110 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+2.5) -110: Over/Under 36.5

If the Jags don’t find a way to win at least the first half of this game on Saturday night, they have a lot of problems. Tampa Bay is going to be without Josh Freeman, meaning it’ll be up to Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter to carry the load for the Bucs’ offense. David Garrard and Luke McCown both have something to prove, as both have the ability to lead this team to a number of scores. Jacksonville gave up last week and conceded a one point loss instead of trying to tie the game, which blew any chances of the cover. We’ll have plenty of leeway this week catching over a touchdown.

My NFL Preseason Predictions: 10-point super teaser – St. Louis Rams (+17.5) / Indianapolis-Green Bay Under 54.5 / Jacksonville Jaguars (+7.5)
Source: BetUS Locker Room Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

Off back-to-back in-game teaser wins the first two weeks of the preseason, we look to move to a perfect 3-0 ATS with this specific bet heading into Week 3 NFL betting action.
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The game that stands out quite a bit for me will take place at Ford Field late Saturday afternoon when the Detroit Lions host the Cleveland Browns in a game that sets up perfectly for an in-game teaser.

Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 28th, 5:00 ET
Game Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
TV/Radio Broadcast: NFL Network, Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Cleveland Browns (+2) -110 vs. Detroit Lions (-2) -110: Over/Under: 38

The first question that needs to be answered is why on earth the NFL Network is broadcasting this game between two of the worst teams in the NFL. Wait… Are they really two of the worst teams in the NFL?
Let’s address both of these offenses first.

Jake Delhomme has done a decent job in the preseason of directing the Browns down the field for scores. Yes, his backups have all struggled mightily, but we must remember that the first team offense is going to be on the field for the mass majority of the first half and potentially even into the second half.

That means more of Matt Stafford and the Detroit offense as well. The Lions are going to look to show off some of their first round draft choices to the home crowd, as Stafford, Jahvid Best, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Pettigrew should see plenty of reps.

Unlike the Browns though, Detroit has had a solid quarterbacking trio all preseason long. Drew Stanton is completing 60.0 percent of his passes, while Shaun Hill, a starter last year in San Francisco, has completed 70.8 percent of his; neither has thrown an INT as of yet.

Now let’s take a look at the two defenses. We already know that both of these teams are going to struggle on this side of the ball this year, and so far in the preseason, that hasn’t been an exception.
Cleveland has allowed 19 points to the Rams and 24 to the Packers so for in its exhibitions.

Detroit has allowed 20 and 23 to Denver and Pittsburgh respectively. The ‘over’ seems like a solid investment to put into this teaser.

The question is whether to go with the Browns or the Lions. Detroit got into the win column last week against the Broncos, but this is going to be the first game played at Ford Field this year. Don’t discount the importance of that, especially with the first teamers on the field.

The Lions probably have a much better than average chance to win this game outright, so teasing them to +4 is the right move and is significantly better than taking Cleveland to +8.

Go with the Lions and the ‘over’ for Week 3’s NFL betting preseason in-game teaser!

My NFL Preseason Predictions: 6-point teaser: Detroit Lions (+4) / Over 32

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Hopeful eyes will be honed in on the Minnesota sideline when it takes on San Francisco in NBC’s Sunday night telecast waiting to see if good ‘ol #4 will lace ‘em up and take a few reps against the 49ers first team defense. If so, I’m betting his efforts won’t be enough to allow the Vikings to cash tickets on the football money line as underdogs in this contest.
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Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers
Game Date/Time: Sunday, August 22nd, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Monster Park, San Francisco, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: NBC, Sirius

NFL Odds: Minnesota Vikings (+3) -110 vs. San Francisco 49ers (-3) -110: Over/Under: 35

Though the Vikings pasted the Rams in their first exhibition game of the preseason, all the news is currently centered around Brett Favre and how he finally decided to make one last go of it to capture the Vikings franchise first ever Super Bowl victory.

Regardless of whether he’ll get any game action in this spot, the Vikings will very much want to build off of their solid football money line victory against St. Louis. They went off the board as 2.5-point underdogs, but made the oddsmakers look foolish after they trounced the Rams 28-7 to easily cash NFL bettor’s money line tickets.

While Tarvaris Jackson did nothing to impress, the same can’t be said of Sage Rosenfels who lit the Rams defense up to the tune of 310 yards passing and three TDs. Defensively, the Vikings looked to be in mid season form as well giving up 150 combined yards and allowing St. Louis to convert just 3-of-14 third down tries.

When taking a gander at the box score from last week’s game at Indianapolis, the 37-17 final would lead you to believe that Head Coach Mike Singletary’s squad dominated from the onset.

That was far from the case however, as it wasn’t until Peyton Manning and the rest of the first teamers departed with a 10-0 lead that San Francisco caught fire. That will not have sat well with the firey Singletary who will most definitely expect more from his team in this spot.

Since taking over the Niners reins, the former Chicago Bears linebacker has won four of the five games he’s coached in the preseason against the football betting line. Though his club failed to cover the spread, San Fran is a perfect 2-0 SU in both home games during that stretch.

NFL Insider Tip: Now that the Vikings have their lynchpin back in place, I don’t foresee them doing much of anything to compete throughout the remainder of the exhibition season – And why would they? They were an overtime loss away from going to the Super Bowl a year ago, and a bulk of the pieces from that squad are still in place.

There really just isn’t much to be decided right now. Favre has let it be known that this will be his swan song of a season, so why would Head Coach Brad Childress want to put any of his major contributors in harms way when the games simply don’t count.

On the flipside, the Niners are expected to walk away with the NFC West Title for the first time in years. Singletary is a coach that above all wants to win, and I firmly believe he’ll have his men ready to trounce these guys this evening. It also doesn’t hurt that it would maybe take some of the sting of that brutal Week 3 loss they suffered in the Dome last season. Not much, but maybe a little…

Look for the Niners to at the very least cover the football money line in this contest!

My NFL Preseason Predictions: San Francisco 49ers -165

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Of all the games on the Week 2 slate in the NFL preseason, one game stands out quite a bit as one that you can cash in on in a big way. The San Diego Chargers will take on the Dallas Cowboys in a game that sets up perfectly for an in-game teaser in NFL betting action.
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Dallas Cowboys vs. San Diego Chargers
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 21st, 9:00 ET
Game Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Dallas Cowboys (+3) -120 vs. San Diego Chargers (-3) +100: Over/Under: 37

We have already gotten two looks at the Cowboys this season, and we aren’t overly impressed with either showing. The offense is finding a way to get near the red zone or in the red zone, but it just isn’t capitalizing.

Three field goals last week was all the team mustered in a 17-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders, while three field goals and a TD was all that was put forth in the ‘Boys Hall of Fame Game victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

What’s really happening to Dallas is that the offense is turning for the worse once Tony Romo and the starters leave the game. This is a very, very bad sign for the future of this team if things don’t improve, though there doesn’t seem to be any sort of urgency to change things.

If Matt Nichols and Stephen McGee end up playing substantial time again, it doesn’t seem as though the Cowboys really have much of a chance at winning.

The real key might be the play of rookie Ryan Mathews, though. The Chargers have to love what they’re seeing so far from their first round NFL Draft selection. He ran hard through the Chicago defense last week, taking the Bears for 50 yards on nine carries.

Mathews will probably get some extended work, particularly against the first team defense for Dallas, which is historically one of the better rush defenses in the NFL.

The Bolts also picked up six sacks last week, showing that they aren’t afraid to come after opposing quarterbacks.

Those sacks, a relatively consistent offense, and a blocked punt for a safety led to the team’s 25-10 win over the Bears.

We are still at a bit of a loss as to why the over/under in this game is so high. Teasing 6.5 points will require 44 points on the board to beat us. The only way we see that happening is if San Diego reaches the 30-point plateau, which looks to be quite the lofty goal for an exhibition.

The Chargers are the natural selection in this game as well. Because it is still the preseason, you’d like any points you can get on your side, and going past the crucial ’3′ could ultimately make a world of difference.

My NFL Preseason Predictions: 6.5-point teaser: San Diego (+3.5) / Under 43.5

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A rivalry has grown between the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints simply because the 2010 preseason marks the third year in a row the franchises practiced and played against one another in the exhibition season. Head Coaches Kubiak’s and Payton’s men have been knocking heads over the course of the last week, and now it’s time for the NFL point spread odds players to see how these squads stack up against one another.
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Houston Texans vs. New Orleans Saints
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 21st, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Superdome, New Orleans, LA
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Sirius

NFL Odds: Houston Texans (+1) -110 vs. New Orleans Saints (-1) -110: Over/Under 41

The Texans looked well on their way to the first win of their 2010-11 NFL betting campaign winning 16-0 with just 8:30 remaining, but the Arizona Cardinals shocked football bettors by rattling off 19 unanswered points to score the exhilarating 19-16 come-from-behind outright victory.

Losing the game in that fashion was the last thing troubling Texans Coach Jim Kubiak, as the teams 2nd round draft choice, running back Ben Tate, went down with what turned out to be a season ending ankle injury. The Auburn product was drafted to aid in turning the Texans 30th ranked rushing attack around.

That leaves Steve Slaton, Arian Foster, and Jeremiah Johnson in the mix for the top slot; the three combined to rush for 86 yards on 19 carries last week. Luckily, Houston sports one of the most prolific passing attacks in the league spearheaded by quarterback Matt Schaub. He and his favorite target, Andre Johnson, hooked up for a 44-yard TD pass and catch last week.

The defending Super Bowl Champion Saints fell by a field goal in last week’s battle at New England, but the final margin of defeat and NFL point spread odds loss will most certainly be the last thing keeping the Saints coaching staff up this week.

Yes, they did churn out 300+ yards of total offense, but the defense was far from stellar. It allowed the Patriots to rack up 329 combined yards, convert 6-of-13 third down attempts, and forced no turnovers. That certainly wasn’t the recipe to the franchise’s success from a year ago.

Don’t tell undrafted linebacker Jonathan Casillas that this is the preseason, as the former Wisconsin Badger led the team in tackles with 10. If the rest of the team plays with the high motor he exhibited, it should improve upon last week’s stats vs. the Texans.

NFL Insider Tip: Though they were only scrimmages, Houston seemed to really take it to New Orleans throughout the week from the press clippings I read. The franchise has some lofty expectations for this upcoming season, with the main goal of finally qualifying for the playoffs. Head Coach Kubiak would love nothing more than to instill even more confidence into his team by stamping a victory over the defending champs on their 2010-11 resume.

Though this will be the first time they play in front of their home crowd since winning Super Bowl XLIV, I don’t foresee New Orleans being able to just feed off its crowd’s energy and pull out the victory.

On top of that, the Saints are a bankroll burning 4-16 their L/20 preseason home games against the NFL point spread odds, and they blew the doors off the Texans at Reliant Stadium last season. Houston’s in payback mode and the road team has won each of the L/3 meetings in this series. Grab the point with Schaub and company!

My NFL Preseason Predictions: Houston Texans (+1) -110

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The preseason of pro football betting usually provides some real surprising results that just aren’t common due to the uncertainty of the game. Today at BetUS, we look at our “Rabid Dawgs Parlay” for Week 2 of pro football betting in the preseason.
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Philadelphia Eagles vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Game Date/Time: Friday, August 20th, 8:00 ET
Game Location: Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH
TV/Radio Broadcast: Fox, Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Philadelphia Eagles (+3) -120 vs. Cincinnati Bengals (-3) +100: Over/Under 36

If the Eagles are going to put forth a stellar effort like they did last week, they are going to be a fantastic choice for our Rabid Dawg Parlay. Racking up 496 yards of offense was no mistake against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The mistake was the fact that Philly ended up kicking five field goals from inside the red zone.

From the standpoint of the Bengals, this is the third preseason game, not the second. There is a real question about how Marvin Lewis is going to react. Odds have it, with one good game and one bad one under Cincy’s belt, Lewis probably won’t be so inclined to have his starters playing a ton in this game even though it is at home.

Watch out as the Eagles become a very, very rabid dawg in this pro football betting duel at Paul Brown Stadium on Friday night.

Miami Dolphins vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Game Date/Time: Saturday, August 21st, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
TV/Radio Broadcast: Local TV, Westwood One, Sirius

NFL Odds: Miami Dolphins (+2) -110 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (-2) -110: Over/Under 36

If both of these teams play the same sort of defense they played in Week 1 of the pro football betting preseason, the Dolphins are going to be in great shape. If they both play offense the same way, the Jags are the choice.

However, we aren’t so convinced that Luke McCown is going to be throwing for 244 yards and three TDs once again for Jacksonville. We tend to believe that we are going to see more from Trevor Harris, the team’s third string QB. Even though Harris completed six of his nine passes for 30 yards in the opening preseason duel, that more than likely won’t help him against a Miami defense which forced seven fumbles against the Bucs last week.

We tend to believe that Miami is in for a better game out of starting quarterback Chad Henne. Going 5-for-11 for 19 yards is inexcusable, particularly against a porous Tampa Bay defense. However, we know that the depth at quarterback could be a key to winning this game.

Between the offensive depth of the Eagles and the defensive prowess of the Dolphins, this makes for the perfect Rabid Dawg Parlay, which should pay off somewhere in the neck of the woods of 5.5-1 on the pro football betting lines.

Rabid Dawg Parlay: Philadelphia Eagles w/ Miami Dolphins

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Both the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills will look to rebound from miserable Week 1 preseason performances when they lock horns north of the border at the Rogers Centre on Thursday night. To bet on this football contest, simply login to your BetUS Sportsbook account and get in on all the action.
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Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills
Game Date/Time: Thursday, August 19th, 7:30 ET
Game Location: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
TV/Radio Broadcast: WTTV, WKBW, Sirius

NFL Odds: Indianapolis Colts (+3.5) -110 vs. Buffalo Bills (-3.5) -110: Over/Under: 33

The Colts took the field in fine fashion against the San Francisco 49ers getting out to a 10-0 lead in the 1st quarter of last week’s home battle. Quarterback Peyton Manning was simply superb completing 8-of-10 passes overall for 91 yards. Though he failed to throw a TD pass, the Tennessee product simply carved San Francisco’s first team defense up picking right back up where he left off last season.

Unfortunately when he departed, the momentum of the game turned for the worst as the 49ers rattled off 34 unanswered points en route to securing the comfortable 37-17 road win and bet on football cover as 3.5-point favorites.

Curtis Painter certainly left an impression for the coaching staff, but it was by no means one that will see him stick around if he continues to play as poorly as he did last week. The former Boilermaker completed just nine of his 19 overall passes for 64 yards, but even worse, he threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball deep in Colts territory allowing the Niners to tack on another cheap score.

As bad as the Colts reserves were last week, the Bills were terrible from the top down en route to getting blown out by Washington in new Head Coach Mike Shanahan’s debut with the Redskins.

If the 42-17 defeat wasn’t enough to make Bills Head coach Chan Gailey sick to his stomach, the fact that his two running back’s, Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch, went down with hand and ankle injures respectively will certainly seal the deal.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick stood out the most of the Bills three field generals throwing for 61 yards and a score to help make the final tally a little bit more respectable in the later stages of the game. Still, the QB1 slot is wide open in Buffalo, but the NFL journeyman certainly has a leg up on the competition heading into tonight’s bet on football match-up with the Colts.

NFL Insider Tip: Though the Colts are 11-24 SU their L/35 overall preseason betting games, I just can’t confidently lay the points with Buffalo in this spot. The Bills hardly measure up on either side of the ball, and they’re very much lacking at the quarterback position.

Maybe running back C.J. Spiller will make an impact unlike he did last week, but either way, I look for a determined Manning and company to score at will in this one and give the defense a big enough lead that will allow the Colts defense to force the Bills to play catch-up the entire time.

If you must bet on this football exhibition, take the 3+ points with the Colts!

My NFL Preseason Predictions: Indianapolis Colts (+3.5) -110

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