2010 Washington Redskins Odds & Predictions

Change is finally here for the Washington Redskins. After years of wandering around looking for a starting quarterback and a head coach, owner Daniel Snyder landed both in the same offseason, trading for QB Donovan McNabb and luring HC Mike Shanahan out of a potential retirement to coach his team. The biggest question is whether or not the Skins are going to be more competitive this year than last. Here are our five questions for Washington for its NFL game odds in ’10.
CLICK HERE FOR 2010 WASHINGTON REDSKINS ODDS

1: Is QB Donovan McNabb washed up? The Eagles must think so. Why else would they trade McNabb within the division to face him twice a year? Still, we must remember that the Syracuse product, though clearly at the tail end of his career, is still good for 3,000+ yards and probably at least 20 total TDs every single season. He has a degree of mobility under center that Washington hasn’t seen in years from the quarterback position and should still be a force; at least for the 2010 campaign.

2: What about HC Mike Shanahan? Even though the Broncos got tired of Shanahan and dismissed him two years ago, we know that the Skins are better off with the long time Denver man than they were with a man who was merely a glorified quarterbacks coach in Jim Zorn. If nothing else, Mike brought son, Kyle with him to direct the offense, and the Shanahan child has become a highly sought after commodity for a potential head coaching gig.

3: Are the Redskins capable of winning division games? The NFC East is clearly one of the toughest divisions in the game, and winning games against arch rivals is always difficult. Still, Washington went a winless 0-6 last season against its divisional foes, and that simply won’t cut it to get back to the playoffs. The tests start right away, as the Cowboys come to Landover Week 1 of the NFL betting season.

4: Will Washington be able to get consistent pressure off the end again this season? The Skins had better hope so. Their defense ranked No. 9 in the NFL last year, allowing just 207.2 passing yards per game. A lot of that was thanks to the combined efforts of LBs Andre Carter and Brian Orakpo, each of which had 11 sacks. Now in a 3-4 defense exclusively, both should be able to run free a lot more and cause a ton more havoc off both ends.

5: Bottom Line: How many games will the Washington Redskins win in 2010? The Skins should be an improved team this year, but 7.5 wins is a lot to ask them to exceed in the highly competitive NFC East? Yes, the lousy Lions, Bucs, and Rams are all on the schedule this year due to the fact that Washington had a nightmarish season a year ago, but playing the AFC South won’t be easy either. We tend to believe that 6-7 wins is a possibility, but asking Washington to go .500 is too tall a task for the first year of Shanahan calling the shots.

Source: BetUS Locker Room 2010 Washington Redskins Predictions Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com

2010 Philadelphia Eagles Odds & Predictions

Apparently, winning a number of NFC East titles and taking the team to one Super Bowl in his tenure wasn’t good enough for QB Donovan McNabb to keep his job. Now that the Philadelphia Eagles are clearly under the direction of QB Kevin Kolb, we have five questions related to football odds for the City of Brotherly Love.
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1: Is QB Kevin Kolb the real deal? The few looks that we have gotten at Kolb in his brief career have been solid. He threw for 741 yards and four scores essentially in just two starts with the Eagles last season, and that brief look was good enough for the franchise to trade McNabb to the Washington Redskins this past offseason. The Houston product clearly has a big arm and has the pedigree to be a great QB in this league, but until we see it, we don’t necessarily believe it.

2: Is this the final go around for HC Andy Reid? If it is, the Eagles could be in for a season’s worth of change. Reid, McNabb, and RB Brian Westbrook were the rocks of this franchise for years, and now, he is the only link left. There has been a ton of speculation that the Eagles and Reid have been ready to cut ties for years, and dealing McNabb might just be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

3: Can DE Brandon Graham give DE Trent Cole the pass rushing mate he’s desperately been seeking? Probably – The Michigan product was a fantastic steal for the Eagles at pick No. 13 overall in the NFL Draft, as he has a high motor off the end and can really cause a lot of problems; especially if the attention shifts to Cole on a regular basis. Cole had a team high 12.5 sacks last season and clearly will be a concern to offensive tackles across the entire league.

4: Is LeSean McCoy ready to be an every down back in the NFL? McCoy only started four games last season for Philadelphia, and he looked suitable in doing so. He’ll probably have to improve upon a 4.1 YPC average from ’09 to make it in this league, but he will also have to prove that he is able to carry the rock 225+ times as well. A 1,000+ yard season is expected from the back out of U-Pitt, and anything less will be a brutal disappointment.

5: Bottom Line: How many games will the Philadelphia Eagles win in 2010? An over/under of 8.5 wins is what the Eagles have to beat this season. We don’t think so. A second place schedule, the NFC East (most notably two games against McNabb and the Redskins), and the AFC South is just too much for a brand new quarterback to be able to overcome. The Eagles will inevitably be quite exciting this year once again, especially with WRs DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin catching passes and returning kicks and punts, but there isn’t enough firepower to make the playoffs or finish better than .500.

Source: BetUS Locker Room 2010 Philadelphia Eagles Predictions Featured on: Handicapperspicks.com