Will the Buffalo Bills meet the spread against the Miami Dolphins in week 11
Published November 14, 2012 | 
Can Buffalo Bills meet the spread against the Miami Dolphins in week 11?
This week Miami Dolphins meet the Buffalo Bills. The sportsbooks are picking the Bills to win by a point. This is not much of a spread and when the books pick a game this close you can be sure they think it will be a close game for their bettors to pick too.
Originally when I first looked at this game to decide whether I thought the Bills could make the spread I realized that I was leaning toward the Dolphins not only stopping them but also winning the game.
Sometimes I question why I pick some teams other than gut feelings, but let me see if I can justify my pick to you. Plus if you consider how important this game is to them, they really need a win on Thursday, they have the extra incentive to try and play with fewer mistakes than the early part of their season.
Yes it’s true that the Dolphin offense isn’t exactly rated real high, but the defense of the Bills isn’t exactly rated real high either, in fact it is near the bottom of the league. This does not mean that anyone can take the night off either.
Reggie Bush one of the Dolphins’ top running backs will need to have a decent game, and protect the ball well. In addition, Daniel Thomas and Lamar Miller will likely see a fair amount of play. Even though they do not have a huge passing game, quarterback Ryan Tannehill has enough receivers to go to in the backfield that they would be able to fall back to the air game a bit to keep the Bill defense wondering.
I think the biggest threats to the game for the Dolphins will be containing running backs
CJ Spiller and Tashard Choice. In addition to the yards they can get on the ground, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has has been known to hustle and get a first down, but I think that Miami will be able to control that.
Even though they will have a bit of a battle on the ground I do think that the defense will be able to win that battle. So instead of the Bills making the spread I am picking the Dolphins to beat the Bills by 2.
Whether you agree with my pick or not, I encourage you to check out the odds on this game or any other with the odds tool in the left navigation of the site here at Football Betting World. If you are ready to place a bet try the sportsbook at BetOnline or Sportsbetting. All new players are offered a bonus with their first deposit.
Will Steelers beat the spread against Chiefs week 10
Published November 12, 2012 | Can Pittsburgh Steelers meet the spread against the Kansas City Chiefs in week 10?
As of Monday afternoon on Veterans Day a few hours before the game starts in Pittsburgh, the Steelers are picked as favorites to win over the Kansas City Chiefs and the point spread is 12.5 points. A few of our visitors have asked us our thoughts on whether we thought that they would win and if so if they could make the spread.
Well we have seen a number of times the last few weeks in addition to earlier in the season when an underdog or favorite at the sportsbooks failed to win let alone make the points. But let’s take a brief look at tonight’s game and give our thoughts.
Looking at the win-loss record alone one would think there is no way that Kansas City could possibly beat the Steelers, but a word of caution to remind you to always look past the record alone when placing bets on a football game. Even the undefeated Atlanta Falcons were defeated in yesterday’s game with the New Orleans Saints.
To be honest though I will state early in this article that I do think the Steelers will win tonight’s game, but we should take a closer look at their chances of meeting the spread.
First let’s look at the threat that KC poses. They are currently rated at 3rd in the league in rushing stats and this mostly due to the talent from runningbacks Jamaal Charles and Shaun Draughn. Combined they have over 800 yards and Charles is averaging almost 5 yards per carry and Draughn is at nearly 4, and these two are not the only threats on the ground, but the two that are most likely to make an explosive play.
And just because the Chiefs have been concentrating a lot on their running game does not mean they are no threat in passing plays since they have very capable receivers such as Dwayne Bowe and Dexter McCluster as well as others that quarterback Matt Cassel can look for in the secondary.
Although I do fee that throughout the game though Pittsburgh has their work cut out for them, I do feel that their defense will be up to the challenge. They have the number 1 rated defense in the league this year and tonight’s football game will be their opportunity to showcase that talent.
Besides the defensive line such as Steve McLendon, Al Woods, Cameron Heyward and Brett Keisel you have the corners Ike Taylor and Keenan Lewis, most of which have been there to make the stop as well as being around to assist on the sack. And don’t forget about guys like Larry Foote, Ryan Clark, Lawrence Timmons and so many more that have been real world threats to offenses all season.
Every single one of these guys will be ready to take on just about any play that the Chiefs are willing to throw at them.
And on the side of the offense for Pittsburgh you have a veteran quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in his 9th year. He has a great arm with capable receievers and has the experience not to panic under pressure.
Even though they have a bit of a running game, with running backs Rashard Mendenhall doubtful for tonight’s game and Chris Rainey and Jonathan Dwyer coming off injuries I don’t think they will go to the run often but Issac Redman and Baron Batch certainly could touch the ball throughout the game.
Defensively I don’t think that Kansas City has what it will take to shake up Roethlisberger a lot. Sure they will get in for a blitz here and there and they might even make an occasional play in the backfield that the line didn’t see coming, but I just don’t see them be a real threat in the end.
Well if you’ve gotten this far you are probably asking, “Will Pittsburgh make the spread?” Like I said earlier it currently stands at 12.5 points. And based upon what I have seen in the games I have managed to see and the research I have been able to put together, Yes, I do think that the Steelers will make the points, but I am cautiously optimistic.
The Steelers need to get their running backs healthy again so I look for them to go to the run game some but feel that their defense will do a good job of helping keep their offense handling the ball and for the Steelers’ receivers to see a fair amount of work tonight.
Once again, yes I think the Pittsburgh Steelers are a good bet for tonight’s football game. If you are looking for a sportsbook to take your wagers, I suggest checking out BetOnline or Sportsbetting as good solid books. The each offer a fairly attractive welcome bonus for new bettors.
Can the Cowboys meet the spread against the Eagles week 10
Published November 11, 2012 | What is the point spread in the footbal gamme with Dallas Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles?
Another close game as picked by most sportsbooks today is the Dallas Cowboys against the Philadelphia Eagles. The sportsbooks as well as the fans are calling this week’s NFC East showdown game as a squeaker. The books has Dallas winning by 1 point.
Going into this game both teams are at 3 wins and 5 losses. If you look at the conference standings though it isn’t as close. Philadelphia is 1 and 4 in the NFC but Dallas is 3 and 4. This puts both teams in a must win situation. Talk about incentive for the players to be fired up and this sure is it.
Both teams have decent quarterbacks with the potential to win games, but when you look at the defenses those offenses will be up against is where things change.
Sure Michael Vick, quarterback for the Eagles has had controversy surrounding him off the field, but today we want to talk football. Besides the occasional mistake that any quarterback can make while making a throw, they need an offensive line that protects them.
This is one of the things that makes Vick’s job so difficult and today will be no different. I look for the Cowboy defense to go after Vick from the beginning of the game and not letting up on him in all 4 quarters.
Outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer will be all over Vick and have him on the move the whole game. Sean Lee and Bruce Carter (ILB) will be there to assist as well as helping keep an eye on the inside.
The toughest job the Cowboys defense will have to containg LeSean McCoy runningback on the outside and also keeping an eye out for Vick to pick a hole and running it himself.
On the offense we Tony Romo as quarterback with over 2000 yards and hitting his receivers over 66% of the time. The Eagles will try to keep him on the move and force mistakes but I really think that the Cowboys offensive line will not allow the penetration and give Romo enough time in the pocket to do his job.
Overall even though the books have the Cowboys as single point winners, I personally think they should have no problem meeting the spread. In fact I will pick the Cowboys to beat the Eagles by 3.
Will Chicago Bears conquer the Houston Texans in week 10
Published November 8, 2012 | Will Chicago Bears prove Sportsbooks right and win over Houston Texans?
As we enter week 10 we are starting to get a glimpse of the possible scenarios in the playoffs, and both the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears have shown themselves to be teams that will have to be dealt one way or another within their conference.
The Texans have a 7 and 1 record, and they are 7-0 in their conference. But the Bears are also 7-1. They are 4-1 in their conference but they have also had a bit tougher schedule so far this year.
Defensively I believe the Bears will keep just enough pressure on the Texans quarterback Matt Schaub that they will stick with their running game which they mostly do anyway. Shaub will have his hands full dealing with defensive ends Corey Wootton, Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije.
We just may see another big game played by cornerback Charles Tillman. Last week against the Titans he had 4 forced fumbles. Whether he is able to force a fumble or not, he will be there to make the tackles.
The Bears like to play really physical get in your face kind of football. From the very beginning of the game and all night Schaub and the Houston running backs will know that for them to get down field, they will have to go through them, and they are going to make that job as difficult for them as they can.
Running plays on the ground likely to dominate the football game
Both teams like to run the ball so I think we will see that the running game dominates most of the football game and they both have really strong defensive lines. However I honestly believe that the Texans may be in for a surprise from the running game of the Bears too.
They may find it difficult to stop running backs Matt Forte or Armando Allen, and don’t forget about big play maker Michael Bush as well. Any one of them could easily break a tackle or find a hole to get that first down or make the big play with a huge gain.
Are we in for a really good, physical game on Sunday night? Yes. Are the Bears going to come away with another win this week against the Texans? Yes again.
Wednesday night the lines on this game had Chicago as 1 point favorites. I think that might be a little conservative, but I am certainly picking the Bears as my favorite in the late game on Sunday.
Be sure to read this week’s Offside article over at OddsOnBetting here.
To see the odds on this or any other game just take a look at the odds tool in the left navigation, or visit one of our recommended sportsbooks like BetOnline or William Hill.
Point Spread Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars week 10
Published November 6, 2012 | What is the point spread in the Indianapolis Colts football game with the Jacksonville Jaguars?
On Thursday Novenber 8th 2012 the Jacksonville Jaguars will face the Indianapolis Colts in Jacksonville.
The Jaguars record is currently at 1 win and 7 losses and the Colts are at 5 and 3. The Colts are 1-2 on the Road but they are 3-2 in the conference. The Jag’s are 1-3 in the conference but 0-4 at home.
Just the standings alone will give you a fairly good indication of who the favorites are. But I do caution you to not always just go by the numbers alone since we have seen quite a few upsets in recent weeks as well as throughout the season so far. A number of favorites have lost to supposed underdogs this year.
Another thing to consider is that this is the second game these two have played this season. They met in week 3 in Indianapolis and it is the only win that Jacksonville has had this year.
I read a report the other day that the Jaguars would win because the Colts quarterback did not have the experience to beat Jacksonville. Keep in mind that although the Colts quarterback is a rookie, he is having one heck of a year. In fact he has been setting records as a rookie so do not discount that.
What we we personally think will happen and what is the point spread? Well I think that Jacksonville will come in to the game with the confidence they can win, and they will play strong, maybe even better then they have so far this year.
However, quarterback Andrew Luck is coming off a great game from last week so he has a bit of momentum also. They beat the Texans last week at home.
I look for Jacksonville to try and shut down Luck early and they will attempt to cover wide receivers Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton, but this will be difficult, and they also have Donnie Avery as well as tight end Dwayne Allen and a few others that Luck can throw to. Over the last few weeks Luck, has shown that he can make the completions.
With the game only 2 days away the line on this game at both Bet Online and William Hill has the Colts as a 3 point favorite. I agree that the Colts can win this and feel the 3 points is a pretty fair assessment and think that they should be able to make the spread.
No matter what the outcome of the football game is on Thursday, it is shaping up to be a good one. It may not be the highest scoring of games for the week, but it may well have some surprises on both sides of the ball.
To see what the line is on this or any other game, just check the odds and matchup tool provided in the main navigation on the left.
Will NY Giants Make Spread over the Pittsburgh Steelers
Published November 4, 2012 | Will the Favorite New York Giants make the point spread against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
As of today the Giants are 3 point favorites over the Steelers at Bet Online Sportsbook. William Hill has them at 3.5 points.
The Steelers defense will be going after Eli Manning, quarterback for the Giants, from the very beginning of the game and will keep up this pressure throughout the game as much as possible.
Will they get a sack? Maybe, but keep in mind that he is the least sacked quarterback in the League so far this year.
On the offensive side Pittsburgh will be looking to strike with their passing game early. This is very important to them since their running game really needs improvement. And besides the rushing yards that Roethlisberger will get I do not think that they will be able to get much of a running game going on and will have to rely on their passing game.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has a good arm and in fact both he and Eli Manning were drafted the same day a few rounds apart so this game is a bit of a personal rivalry between the two. I think though that the Giants defense will do a good job in the secondary and will limit the choices Roethlisberger has in open receivers.
The Giants have a bit of momentum heading in to this game as they have won the last 4 games where as Pittsburgh has won 3 of their last 4.
I think the toughest part of the gfame that will be the deciding factors in today’s game will be how well the Steelers can defend the secondary. They will have to work to keep Manning receievers busy but may have an uphill battle since they do not play much man-to-man coverage and play more zone coverage which gives the receivers more opportunity to get free of defenders. It did work well for them against the Redskins last week but I don’t see it happening today.
To answer the question at the top, yes I think they will beat the spread actually. In fact I will extend that spread a bit and pick the Giants by 5.
You can see the latest odds on the matchup tool located on the left navigation or visit one of our recommended sportsbooks such as Bet Online or William Hill (non US players).
Why the Seahawks will beat the spread over the Vikings
Published October 31, 2012 | Will the Seattle Seahawks suprise the sportsbooks and meet the spread over the favored Minnesota Vikings?
Let’s take a closer look at the teams in the upcoming game in this week’s Offsides Challenge.
First let’s will look at the standings. The Vikings are at 5 wins and 3 losses and the Seattle Seahawks are at 4 and 4.
If we look at the stats in the air, the quarterbacks of both teams are hitting in the mid 60 percent range although the passing game is not the most popular choice of either team.
The Viking defense will be wanting to shut down Russell Wilson, but he has shown many times in games this year that he is no stranger to scrambling, not always getting the big yards and although not perfect, he does hold his own in avoiding getting sacked. And his offensive line has been improving on protecting him also.
Even though Seattle’s strongest points are not their passing game, they do have a number of receivers to turn to that are not strangers in the end zone. In fact both Sidney Rice and Golden Tate each have 3 touchdowns this year.
The Vikings defense may try to wrap up Tate and Rice in coverage but they are not the only weapons they have and they can always go to very capable tight ends such as Zach Miller or Anthony McCoy. Again, not the only tools in the arsenal, but the kinds of players that have shown time and again they are ready and able to be there when needed.
The Seahawks have often been moving the ball well on the ground and turning to the run at times when they need a high percentage play and they will likely be going to the run quite a bit. In fact I think we may see a big game from running back Marshawn Lynch and I would not be surprised if he gets at least one touchdown.
And Lynch is not the only tool they have in their running game. We could also see a fair amount of action from Robert Turbin and Leon Washington.
The Seattle offense is very capable of getting points on the board but in order to help make that happen we will need to see a strong defense as well. The Viking offense has improved their running game the last few weeks.
I think they will have their hands full, but I also think they are up to the job. They will have to keep a close eye on Adrian Peterson, running back for the Vikings who is having a decent year, but I think they will be able to keep him from making the big play that many might be expecting.
I think that they will be effective enough against the run that Minnesota may feel they have no choice but to try and go to their passing game and if they do end up doing that I think that we will see the Seattle defense make the big plays and force turnovers.
As of today the sportsbook Bet Online has the Seahawks as a 5 point favorite and William Hill also had the same line Wednesday evening.
I think a lot of the game will be on the ground and I think the Seahawks will make the spread but it may well be a tight game. If you want to see what the latest odds are for this game or any other game this week, just check the football betting matchup tool located on the left navigation or visit one of our recommended sportsbooks such as William Hill (non US players) or Bet Online.
Also, don’t forget to take a look at the other side of the coin and check out this week’s “Offsides” article by Frank Benjamin here.
Our Picks in Minnesota Vikings vs Tampa Bay Buccaneeers week 8
Published October 25, 2012 | Why the Minnesota Vikings will win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneeers
A friend of mine over at The Pogg asked me to give my thought’s on the Tampa Bay game with the Minnesota Vikings tonight, Thursday October 25, 2012.
And he provided a link to his article Aramon’s pick here if you want to see what he had to say. Well I thank him for nudging me to sit down and take a closer look a few hours before the football game started.
You know since I actually live in Florida one might think that I would side with Tampa bay, but upon closer inspection I just can’t.
I think The Pogg’s article is correct in one aspect and that it will be a game that it played heavily on the ground. However, that is about where I will draw the line in the sand.
I really feel that Minnesota has a superior defense and I think they will be quite effective to stop Tampa’s run game and I also think they will do a pretty good job of throughout a good bit of the game.
Will they be able to stop it completely, probably not, but I think they will do a good job of controlling Tampa’s running backs Doug Martin and LeGarrette Blount.
Now Tampa has a decent record on the road and they have done well against the Vikings the last few years but I think tonight that record will change.
They are going to have to be a little careful that Tampa may try and fool them a bit and run some passing plays when they aren’t expecting it, but I think they will have that covered pretty well too.
Since I was once again put on the spot I made my picks and will stand by it. I am picking Minnesota Vikings over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 4. At 7 pm I took a look at they had the Vikings as a 5 1/2 point favorite at Bet Online. If you want to see what the line is now you can take a look at our matchup tool in the left navigation or visit Bet Online here.
Why Denver Broncos are favorites over New Orleans Saints
Published October 23, 2012 | Denver Broncos are Favorite Picks to win the New Orleans Saints Football Game
The football game we chose for this week’s Offsides challenge is the New Orleans Saints and the Denver Broncos on Sunday October 28th, 2012. This is the game that kicks off at 8:20 pm.
I think we are in for a really great game actually. I think we will see a lot of passing on both sides and I wonder if we won’t see more yards passing in this game then we saw in the game on the 21st when there were over 700 yards in the air between the Saints and the Buccaneers.
I make no secret of the fact that I really enjoy watching a good quarterback work. And with the Denver Broncos we have a great quarterback. Peyton Manning is easily rated among the list of the best quarterbacks in the league. He works very well under pressure and doesn’t panic if he has to throw on the move.
He reads defenses very well and his offensive line has been doing a great job of protecting him and has been slowing down the blitz when their opponents have been trying.
I think Manning will have another really good game and if you look at the last few games has been hitting his receivers and I think he will be less hurried in Sunday’s game then he has so far this year.
And when Manning has wide receivers like Eric Decker, Demaryius Thomas or Brandon Stokley you know the big plays in the air can be made at any time.
Denver defense will make this game interesting
I think where we will see the game get very interesting is when the New England defense is on the field. New England has a number of potential big play makers such as the likes of outside linebacker Von Miller and the defensive ends Elvis Dumervil and Derek Wolfe.
I think they and the rest of their teammates on the defense will apply a lot of pressure to Drew Brees the Saints quarterback. They will have their work cut out for them since Brees is a veteran back in his 12th year and he has been averaging over 7 yards per completed pass.
If you look at some of the Saints past games you will see that if the defense was able to penetrate the line and keep Brees on the move, as well as tight coverage on their receivers they managed to hold them to shorter yards when needed and stop more of their 3rd down conversions. And I think the defense of the Broncos are more than capable and will do just that.
I think the Broncos defense will hit the Saints hard and fast from the beginning of the game and could easily completely take away any early game momentum that Brees will want to try to capitalize on.
Even if they get an early edge on Brees, they can’t let up since he is a veteran with an excellent reputation for not giving up easily. They will have to keep up that pressure at all times and try to keep him guessing and on the run.
And to be honest even if the books weren’t picking the Broncos as a favorite, I would probably be picking them this week anyway.
And don’t forget to read Frank Benjamin’s article over at OddsOnBetting Why the New Orleans Saints Will Cover the Spread as Underdogs (we apologize the NewsBetting site is no longer active)
And if you want to see the latest odds or are ready to place a bet on football be sure to check the lines over at Bet Online. They have the latest lines and allow in game betting and all new players get a welcome bonus. As of Monday night they had the Broncos as a 6 point favorite, but you can check what it is now at the sportsbook or you can use the matchup tool we have in the left navigation.
Offsides Week 7 Baltimore Ravens vs Houston Texans
Published October 20, 2012 | Don’t count the Ravens out just yet, they Can win against the Texans
What is all this “Are the Ravens done with the loss of Ray Lewis?” or “Is the season over for Baltimore?” Hell NO!
Many Ravens fans and certainly their organization are not happy that he was injured and tore his right triceps in the game against Dallas last Sunday. I read that they had scheduled him for surgery and had actually changed his status to injured reserve so he could actually be back before the end of the season and no matter the outcome of this game, we wish him a speedy recovery.
And yes, the game may be a bit more difficult for them without having Lewis there on the field leading the defense, but do not discount this defense so easily. Don’t forget about Bernard Pollard at strong safety and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe.
And since we mentioned linebackers, Terrell Suggs is suiting up and may see some limited play after being out with an ankle injury. Ramon Harewood is also expected back at tackle.
And if you check out what Frank said at OddsOnBetting, he claims that defense is a very important part of this game and on that I will agree, but what I don’t agree with is his choice of who has the superior defense. I think that the Texans will be unpleasantly surprised by the defense that the Ravens will throw at them Sunday afternoon.
I think we will see from nearly the beginning of the game the pressure they will apply on Houston’s quarterback Matt Schaub will be enough for make him work more on the move, and he really throws better when the pocket does not collapse and has made many more mistakes on the move.
It’s the offense that scores the points in a football game
And when you talk offense, by the numbers, Baltimore’s offense is rated at 7th to the 14th ranked offense of Houston.
Yes they have not yet faced the Texans defense yet this year, but they haven’t exactly been playing flag football so far this year either.
I think the quarterback Joe Flacco has improved his numbers on the move, and I think we will see Ray Rice have one of his best games this season so far against the Texans.
As of tonight while writing this article I see that many of the sportsbooks have the Texans as 6 to 7 point favorites, but I will disagree with that. I honestly think that like a number of other upsets we have seen the past few weeks, I believe that the Texans are about to get upset by the Ravens.
I just checked and one of our recommended sportsbooks, Bet Online has the Texans as a 7 point favorite. You can take them for that if you want, but I still think Baltimore will win this one.
I also encourage you to see the article by Frank Benjamin at OddsOnBetting Why Houston Will Cover the Spread Against the Baltimore Ravens.
