Kickoff is Coming – Have the Best Bash EVER
It’s countdown time now…the NFL season is just around the corner. It’s time to get started now planning your NFL Kickoff Party! With only a few months to go, let’s all put down the rosters and stop calculating…planning a successful party is half the battle. Here’s what you need to do now to get it going.
Get Your TV Set Up: If you’ve been thinking of buying a plasma, now’s the time. Go ahead and order Direct or a payperview package to make sure you’ve got all the best games when kickoff comes.
Plan the Menu: Think farther than cocktail franks and pizza…how about some barbeque ribs or a fruit plate? Even your manliest friends will appreciate if you put a little extra effort into planning some delicious eats, just make sure it’s all finger-friendly and won’t stain your carpets.
Set a Date: Though it’s tough, decide now on which game will be the backbone of your official kickoff party. About a month before the game, send out email invitations so everyone’s got it down – you surely won’t be the only football party in town that Sunday!
Defense Decoded: How Each Position Is Played
An NFL defense is one of the most complicated schemes to figure out in all of sports. Every position plays a vital role and can perform many different functions to confuse an offense.
Let’s start with the defensive ends and defensive linemen. The defensive ends are primarily focused with rushing the quarterback. By putting pressure on the quarterback, the defense is ensuring that the quarterback is rushed when trying to find receivers to throw to. The linemen can also help in Read the rest of this entry »
A Look At The Best Offensive Players
There are many talented offensive players in the NFL. This article will look at some of them. The most talented players are Michael Vick, Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald, and Adrian Peterson.
Michael Vick is one of the most exciting players to watch in all of sports. His athletic style of football can lead to some of the most acrobatic plays anywhere. He has amazing arm strength and can get the ball to receivers anywhere on the field with a sling of his left arm.
Tom Brady is more mechanical than Vick but no less feared. With precision accuracy, Brady can Read the rest of this entry »
And Then There Was Two: The Big Game
The Superbowl is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, sporting event in the United States today. Bringining in fans from everywhere in the country, whether or not their team has made it to the big game, it has become a tradition, and is an experience which every sports lover and fan, should try to make it to at least once in their lifetime. The game is packed with the most extravagant atmosphere, and fans will typically take an entire week off from work, in order to be able to enjoy the Read the rest of this entry »
Super Picks
As post-season play marks the wintery end of the NFL season, there’s only one pick that really matters to NFL fans, regardless of betting lines. Who will walk away as Super Bowl XLVI Champions?The Bet Here is: Atlanta FalconsFlying under the radar while still amassing 13 wins during the regular season. The Falcons are reminiscent of the 2009 New Orleans Saints in that balls just seem to bounce there way, boasting a host of uncanny wins in close games. Like last year’s Saints, the Falcons are attempting to bring the city of Atlanta its first Lombardi Trophy (or first championship of any variety for that matter, since the 1995 Braves World Series Title). With the aptly named Matty Ice now with 3 years under his belt, still steady as ever with the score tight, the Falcons make a habit of mistake free football, which helps their “bend don’t break” defense stay effective, even if not statistically among the league’s stronger units. Between Michael Turner’s almost fumble free workhorse load and Ryan’s limited interceptions, it’s tough to derail the Falcons’ well-calculated offense. Though methodical stroll is more apt to describe the offensive tempo, receiver Roddy White, who leads the league in receptions, offers playmaking ability, alongside the pass-catching consistency of Tony Gonzalez, to add another dimension to this balanced offense.The Falcons’ superb home mark, 20-2 in Matt Ryan’s career, combined with home field advantage up until the main event, should ensure an inside track to at least make the second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history (first since 1998).Who will they meet: New England Patriots Read the rest of this entry »
Week 11 Picks
Predicted Winner w/Points Underlined
| Game time | Favorite | Spread | Underdog |
| 11/18 8:20 ET | At Miami | -1.5 | Chicago |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | At Pittsburgh | -7.5 | Oakland |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | At NY Jets | -6.5 | Houston |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | Baltimore | -10 | At Carolina |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | At Tennessee | -7 | Washington |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | At Dallas | -6.5 | Detroit (Upset Special) |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | Green Bay | -3 | At Minnesota (Toss Up) |
| 11/21 1:00 ET | At Cincinnati | -5.5 | Buffalo Read the rest of this entry » |
The Rest of Week 1
9/9 New Orleans (-6.5) MinnesotaExpect a similarly close content to last year’s overtime NFC Championship game, even without Sidney Rice out, as perhaps the New Orleans defense was a little lucky last year.
- The Pick: Saints to win, but Vikings beat the spread.
9/12 NY Giants (-7.5) CarolinaThe Giants suddenly potent passing attack, with the emergence of Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham should force the Panthers to pass just to keep up and limit their dangerous ground game. With Matt Moore entering his first year as the ordained starter and the original Steve Smith missing the entire preseason, that’s not a good thing.
- The Pick: Giants to win and cover.
9/12 Atlanta (-2.5) PittsburghAtlanta fans know as good anyone what it’s like to pin your hopes on Byron Leftwich to lead a team. Hopefully, for Steeler Nation’s sake, Big Ben is back sooner than later.
- The Pick: Falcons to win and cover.
9/12 New England (-5.5) CincinnatiThe Bengals could struggle to find their identity in the first few weeks. A successful rushing team a year ago, it’s highly doubtful the T. Ocho Show sees it that way. Look for the always prepared and ever-dangerous Patriots to take advantage at home.
- The Pick: Patriots to win and cover.
9/12 Tampa Bay (-2.5) ClevelandRule of thumb: Always pick against Jake Delhomme to carry a team, especially on the road. Now with Jerome Harrison instead of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart in his backfield, it could be a matter of quarters, not games before Delhomme gets the hook.
- The Pick: Bucs to win and cover.
9/12 Jacksonville (-2.5) DenverWith Brandon Marshall gone, Demaryius Thomas hurt and Knowshon Moreno not yet at full strength, it’s anyone’s guess how the Broncos expect to score. Look for MJD and the Jags to run over Denver at home.
- The Pick: Jaguars to win and cover.
9/12 Indianapolis (-3.5) HoustonLast year the Colts edged out the Jags by 2 in week 1. Two years ago, they took the loss at the hand of the Bears. Not to say the Colts are slow starters, but a dangerous Houston team at home will keep it close.
- The Pick: Colts to win in a nail-biter, Texans to beat the spread. Read the rest of this entry »
Valiant Effort Oakland Raiders Tennessee Titans (9/12)
Line: Tennessee (-6.5) OaklandPick with Points: OaklandPick Straight-up: TennesseeTennessee stands to pull out the Week 1 victory; however, this game will be much closer than most odds-makers think. Favored by a full touchdown, at least Vegas is fairly confident Oakland will find themselves outmatched when they hit the road to take on the Titans. While recent Raider tradition would hold this hypothesis true, the Men in (silver &) Black should take a giant leap forward this year and at least remain competitive in their opener. Finally free from the glorified sack of potatoes that’s been lining up under center since the Raiders selected QB JaMarcus Russell with the 1 pick in the 2007, suddenly it appears as if Oakland has some nice pieces in place on offense. Incoming quarterback Jason Campbell may not remind the Raiders faithful of the Rich Gannon glory days, but entering his 6th season of NFL service he has already proven himself as a competent NFL signal caller, more than one could say about Russell. Second year WR Louis Murphy looks to be a steal out of Florida, showing flashes of greatness his rookie year amid rocky QB play, and who knows, with Russell gone maybe fellow second year WR Darrius Heyward-Bey won’t be a bust after all. QB-friendly TE Zach Miller will give Campbell a security blanket in case it takes him time to get clicking with his new receivers. In the backfield, Darren McFadden has the higher profile and elite pedigree, though Michael Bush may emerge as the more consistent runner. Either way, the Raiders can be confident in their production from the RB position. Read the rest of this entry »
Toss-Up New York Jets Baltimore Ravens (9/13)
Line: New York (-3.5) BaltimorePick with Points: BaltimorePick Straight-up: BaltimoreThough not quite against the grain enough to warrant an Upset Special, the Ravens will take the field at the New Meadowlands Stadium as slight underdogs when they square off against Rex Ryan’s Ravens, and this year’s darlings of HBO’s off-season show Hard Knocks. The head coach of Gang Green maintains the vaunted Jets D from a season ago will be just as fearsome with CB Darrelle Revis on the sideline, but excuse us if we aren’t quite so sold. With “Revis Island” suddenly open of air travel, look for Baltimore’s much improved passing attack to take advantage of both sides of the field. While the Jets contracted (emphasis on the ‘contract’) their defensive backfield, the Ravens spent the summer adding weapons. With WR Anquan Boldin moving from the desert to Charm City, Derrick Mason can finally play a more age-appropriate second fiddle in the receiving corps. The Ravens also brought in speedy wide-out Donte Stallworth; however, he will miss the early season with a fractured foot. QB Joe Flacco avoided a sophomore slump, actually improving on an already impressive rookie campaign in 2009 and should be positioned for a breakout year his junior year in the NFL. His numbers were no doubt aided by the dangerous RB Ray Rice coming out of the backfield, catching more passes than any other RB in the league, while providing a home run threat in the running game as well. Read the rest of this entry »
Upset Special Detroit Lions Chicago Bears (9/12)
Line: Chicago (-6.5) DetroitPick with Points: DetroitPick Straight-up: DetroitThe Lions look to come back from just 2 combined wins over the past 2 seasons by matching their average seasonal win total in Week 1. Now a full year removed from Matt Millen’s mismanagement, look for a more results on the field as the Lions’ quickly make believers out of people who aren’t so obligated by blood-relation. Call us crazy, but not only do we think the Lions will beat the spread, Detroit will win this game on the road. With a fully healthy Calvin Johnson, not to mention Matt Stafford entering the year with a season’s worth of seasoning, the duo should look downfield with more regularity and success. Don’t fault the Bears for not being able to cover Megatron, as simply no cornerback in the league creates a satisfactory match up when he’s at full speed. The additions of WR Nate Burleson, pass catching TE Tony Scheffler and home run RB Jahvid Best will help to keep defenses honest and provide some protection for Johnson against the constant double team. Read the rest of this entry »