Of all of the games on the NFL TV schedule in Wild Card weekend, the one between the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons might be the toughest to handicap. We present our New York vs. Atlanta keys to the game so you can make your NFL picks for the first game on Sunday’s NFL schedule.

NFL Playoffs Matchup: Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants
Falcons vs. Giants Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ
Falcons vs. Giants Date/Time: Sunday, January 8th, 1:00 p.m.
Falcons vs. Giants Television Coverage: FOX

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Key #1: The Falcons have to hit the deep ball
Way back in the Spring when the Falcons traded just a slew of draft picks for the ability to draft WR Julio Jones early in the first round, many thought that they were crazy. Atlanta thought that it was just one piece to the puzzle away from winning the Super Bowl. We don’t really think that it has the ability to do that with a defense that is suspect this year, but it does clearly make a big difference. Jones has had at least one catch of at least 40 yards in six of his last eight games, and many of those catches went the distance for a touchdown. Jones has six TDs in his last four games, and many of those were of the very long variety. New York has a secondary that is still suspect and has been all season long, and it has been prone to the deep ball. For Atlanta to win this game, it is going to have to stretch the field with Jones to open up the rest of the offense for RB Michael Turner, TE Tony Gonzalez, and WR Roddy White.

Falcons @ Giants Odds at Wager Web Sportsbook
Atlanta Falcons +3
New York Giants -3
Over/Under 47.5
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Key #2: The Giants absolutely have to find a ground game
Why? Because we know that RB Michael Turner is going to get his yards. He touched the ball over 300 times this season, and he had 1,500 yards of total offense, so we know that Turner will do his damage. There is a real question as to whether RBs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are going to be able to get the job done or not. These two used to be a part of a tremendous backfield, and both have the capability to be 1,000 yard rushers. Neither had a great year, and it almost seems as though age parlayed with the weird offseason may have cost them both in conditioning. Neither averaged even four yards per carry this year, and the end result saw New York ranked dead last in rushing the football. The pressure on the shoulders of QB Eli Manning is already immense as it is, but to have to win this game all by himself might be too tall of a task to ask for. But then again…

Key #3: One of these quarterbacks has to be a star
This type of game is pretty easy to see develop. One of these teams is going to have the ball at the end of this game, and one of the quarterbacks is going to have to get the job done. With apologies to QB Matt Ryan, he just might not be ready for this quite yet. He doesn’t have the background to be a “game winning drive” type of quarterback at this point in his career, and he is 0-2 in his two postseason appearances. Eli has won a Super Bowl, and won it with dramatics. He was the one that threw the ball that magically came down in WR Shane Tyree’s hands, and he was the one that threw the TD pass to WR Plaxico Burress that won the Super Bowl against the previously perfect New England Patriots in ’07. Even this year, Manning, for all of the grief that he has been given, led his team on a game winning drive at the Dallas Cowboys, a game tying drive against the Green Bay Packers, a game winning drive against the New England Patriots, a game winning field goal drive against the Buffalo Bills, and a two TD comeback against the Arizona Cardinals, all of which came in the last two minutes of a game. Eli can do it, and we know it, but the question might be asked of either he or Matty Ice once again to see whether they can put the team on their back and win a game.

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Our NFL prop picks continue with our Monday Night Football picks and our Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints prop picks. Be sure to check out our NFL prop picks for the big duel on Monday, courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook.

Michael Turner, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Jason Snelling Over/Under 128.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards
Playing ‘unders’ in NFL props like this one can be dangerous, as we have a slew of players that are involved, which really removes the potential easy out of an early injury. The first time that these two teams met, Turner and Rodgers alone had 126 yards on the ground and another 43 as receivers, and that really doesn’t bode well for the ‘under’ in this one. However, we have to look at the great job that New Orleans has really done this year against backfield groupings like this one. The team is averaging allowing just 109.9 rushing yards per game, and that is in a division in which th e Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers run the snot out of the football. Sure, dump off passes might be the death of us in this one, but we are definitely going to take our chances that the power of the New Orleans defense is going to be enough to get the job done in this very crucial game. Michael Turner, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Jason Snelling Under 128.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-115 at BetOnline Sportsbook)

Darren Sproles Over/Under 83.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards
Sproles really is a one of a kind back in this league, as he does just about everything. Sure, he is only run between the tackles a handful of times per game, but he is capable of being a 100+ yard receiver as well in any game, and any time he touches the football, it could go a long, long way. Sproles has 496 yards on the ground and 659 more as a receiver, both of which are career highs with two games to play. In the first meeting, he was really kept under wraps, as he rushed for just one yard and had four catches for two yards. However, that isn’t going to stop him by any means, as he is surely going to have a heck of a lot better day than that. He will probably get at least seven or eight targets as a receiver, and if he can catch just four or five of them, it could result in a slew of yards. We just don’t like the Atlanta defense and its capability of slowing down Sproles yet again in this game. When push comes to shove, at home, Sproles is a different back, and he is going to show it on Monday. Darren Sproles Over 83.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards (-115 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

Drew Brees Over/Under 2.5 TD Passes
Asking a quarterback to throw for three TDs in a game is always a tall task, but we think that this is going to be one of these days in which Brees puts his name back in the hat for the MVP award once and for all. Sure, he isn’t going to catch QB Aaron Rodgers for the most passing touchdowns in the league at 45 since he “only” has 37 scores, but he is going to become the first quarterback of the season to throw for at least 5,000 yards, and he is probably going to break QB Dan Marino’s record for most passing yards in a season on this night. Brees is 220 yards shy of becoming the first man to ever throw for 5,000 yards in a season twice in his career, and he needs another 83 yards to break Marino’s record. We think that he will do it, and do it with flying colors, and if he needs to play in Week 17, we think that he could even come up near the 5,500 yard mark to totally smash the record to bits and pieces as well. With 16 TDs and no picks over the course of his last five games, Brees is just rolling right now, and we don’t see how he isn’t going to throw for at least three TDs at least half the time in this situation. Remember that he already has three or more scores in seven of his 14 games this year, including in five of his six played here at the Louisiana Superdome. Drew Brees Over 2.5 TD Passes (+105 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

Our NFL prop picks continue with our Thursday Night Football picks and our Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Atlanta Falcons prop picks. Be sure to check out our NFL prop picks for the big duel on Thursday, courtesy of BetOnline Sportsbook.

Blaine Gabbert Over/Under 17.5 Completions
Simply put, we just really don’t trust Gabbert all that much. In a game in which the Jags forced seven turnovers and had the ball for seemingly the entire game, the former Missouri Tiger only completed 19-of-33 passing. That Falcons aren’t going to hand the ball over nearly that much, and they promise to have a better pass rush and more heart than the Bucs did. Considering the fact that this game will have so many fewer opportunities for the Jaguars than last week’s win did, we have no choice but to go with Blaine Gabbert Under 17.5 Pass Completions (-110 at BetOnline Sportsbook)

Total Punts Over/Under 10.5
Jacksonville punted the ball away seven times last week in a game that it dominated. The team has already punted the ball 81 times this year, including a number of which have come via the three and out. If the Jaguars punt the ball another seven times in this game it’s going to be hard to see the punt total get to anything less than 11. The Falcons take a ton of chances and chuck the ball deep all the time, and Head Coach Mike Smith often puts the ball in the hands of his punter, who is averaging almost five punts per game. It seems like a winner to us, especially with both of these teams playing on short notice and Jacksonville playing its third game under its new coach in 11 days. Over 10.5 Punts (-115 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

Matt Ryan -50.5 Passing Yards vs. Blaine Gabbert
We have already spoken just a tad about Gabbert and how we really don’t trust the fact that he is going to complete even 15 passes in this game. That being said, we take a look at the numbers that Matty Ice has put up of late and make the assumption that he is going to get to at least 260 yards through the air. He has reached that mark in six straight games, and he is starting to take some more shots down the field. He has a full set of receivers with WR Roddy White and a now-healthy WR Julio Jones, and this offense is a heck of a lot more efficient with both healthy and in the lineup. Ryan already has 3,474 passing yards this year, and we think that he is going to fly past the 4,000 mark before season’s end, especially at the rate of which he is going right now. If Ryan gets to 272, that would mean that Gabbert would have to have a career high in passing yards in order to beat us. We just don’t see any way that that could happen. Barring an injury, this should be a slam dunk. Matt Ryan -50.5 Passing Yards vs. Blaine Gabbert (-115 at BetOnline Sportsbook).

Last season, the NFC South was one of those rare divisions that had three teams finish with at least 10 wins. Will things be as competitive this year? Check out the odds to win the NFC South in 2011!

The defending champs of the division are the Atlanta Falcons (Current NFC South Odds: 1.25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). Head Coach Mike Smith really had his team playing well last season, particularly at the Georgia Dome. It’s going to be hard to top this team once again this year, especially with this offense having yet another year to gel together. QB Matt Ryan, WR Roddy White, RB Michael Turner, and TE Tony Gonzalez were already strong as it is, but now, adding WR Julio Jones to the mix is almost not even fair. The questions that come up about this team are regarding its toughness. We saw a very weak team against the Saints and the Green Bay Packers at the end of last season, and if that doesn’t improve, this is going to be a tough division to try to win.

Instead, the team that might have the upper hand is the New Orleans Saints (NFC South Lines: 1.30 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook). The Super Bowl champs from two years ago snuck up on no one last season, though it did still have a rock solid year. Many were shocked to see QB Drew Brees and company bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the pitiful NFC West champs, the Seattle Seahawks. RB Reggie Bush is on the short list of players that have departed this team, but now, RB Mark Ingram should be able to carry the load as a rookie along with a hopefully healthy RB Pierre Thomas. Brees just refuses to lose on a regular basis, and we know that the Saints will be marching on the playoffs once again this year in some capacity.

Last season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Odds to Win the NFC South: 3.50 to 1 at JustBet Sportsbook) put on a grand show and should have made the playoffs with 10 wins. It wasn’t quite enough down the stretch, but it was still a fantastic season for a team that had incredibly low expectations. QB Josh Freeman had a great season last year in his first full year running the team, and Head Coach Raheem Morris and company have a lot of good pieces to build around. We’re just puzzled why the Bucs didn’t try to make some free agent signings with their oodles of salary cap space this year, and we are afraid that they are going to take a step backwards and not be a postseason factor.

Historically in the NFC South, you have teams go from worst to first all the time. This year though, won’t be a year in which that happens. The Carolina Panthers (2011 NFC South Odds: 25 to 1 at 5Dimes Sportsbook) do have a bit of a future to look forward to with QB Cam Newton running the show, but this isn’t the year that the team is going to be out of the gutter in this division. There’s no way that Carolina is going to be the worst team in the league this season, as the talent of Newton and RBs Jonathan Stewart and DeAngelo Williams should be good enough for a few wins, but four or five victories won’t win this division by a longshot.

2011 NFL Odds @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC South
Atlanta Falcons 1.25 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.25 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4.50 to 1

Odds To Win Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons 16 to 1
Carolina Panthers 125 to 1
New Orleans Saints 16 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 45 to 1

NFC South Super Bowl Odds @ JustBet Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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Odds To Win NFC South Division
Atlanta Falcons 1.10 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1 to 1.10
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5 to 1

Super Bowl 46 Odds
Atlanta Falcons 14 to 1
Carolina Panthers 150 to 1
New Orleans Saints 10 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1

NFC South Odds @ Oddsmaker Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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2011 NFC South Odds
Atlanta Falcons 1.20 to 1
Carolina Panthers 25 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.30 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4 to 1

NFC South Team Odds To Win the Super Bowl
Atlanta Falcons 14 to 1
Carolina Panthers 150 to 1
New Orleans Saints 15 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1

NFL Betting Odds @ BoDog Sportsbook (as of 8/10/11):
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NFC South Odds
Atlanta Falcons 1.20 to 1
Carolina Panthers 20 to 1
New Orleans Saints 1.30 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4.50 to 1

Super Bowl Odds
Atlanta Falcons 15 to 1
Carolina Panthers 125 to 1
New Orleans Saints 16 to 1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30 to 1

The NFL makes its first appearance on Thursday Night Football on the NFL Network this weekend, and there is a doozy of a game that we have to look forward to. The Baltimore Ravens and Atlanta Falcons both are tied atop their respective conferences and have the best records in the NFL at 6-2 apiece. Both teams know that the winner will be by itself in first place in its division, while the loser is slipping back either into a tie out of first place. Check out some of the Thursday Night Football props for one of the biggest nationally televised NFL betting affairs of the season!

Joe Flacco Over/Under 255.5 Passing Yards
This Atlanta secondary is clearly the Achilles heel of the squad this year, as it ranks just No. 26 in the league and is allowing well over 250 yards per game. Flacco is on pace to throw for over 4,000 yards this year, and we all know that he has a dangerous crop of receivers that is only getting healthier with WR Donte Stallworth eligible to come back to the fray this week. HC Jon Harbaugh certainly isn’t an idiot. He knows what he has to do to get the job done against this black and red defense, and if that means putting the ball in the air 35-40 times, then so be it. We have no reservations that Flacco is going Over 255.5 Passing Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook) on Thursday Night Football.

Will Ed Reed Intercept a Pass?
This isn’t a prop that requires much in the way of explanation. The bottom line here is that there is no way that Reed is really intercepting a pass in more than one out of three games that he plays in for the life of his career. Sure, we know that he has three picks in his first two games back in the lineup after recovering from his offseason surgery, but those came against a man that started the year as a backup quarterback (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and one that has now been demoted to a backup quarterback (Chad Henne). Needless to say, QB Matt Ryan is going to do a better job of protecting the pigskin than these two more often than not. If Reed beats us, he beats us. However, we’ll certainly take our chances that he does Not Intercept a Pass (-200 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Matt Ryan Over/Under 1.5 Touchdown Passes
In order for you to throw for two TDs in a game, your team has to score two TDs, right? Sure, Matty Ice and the gang have a high flying offense, and yes, with 13 TD passes in just eight games, we feel like we’re playing with a little bit of fire here with Ryan. However, the Baltimore defense is coming off of a superlative effort against the Miami Dolphins in which it allowed just ten points, and more importantly, just one touchdown. Just like Reed, if Ryan beats us, more power to him. However, we’ll take our chances that more often than not, he’ll end up throwing for Under 1.5 Touchdown Passes (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

Michael Jenkins Over/Under 45.5 Receiving Yards
This is the one man that we really like offensively against the Ravens stout ‘D’, and the reason for that is that we aren’t so sure that Baltimore is going to pay all that much attention to where he is on a regular basis. The former Ohio State Buckeye has only been back in the fold three weeks, and he has watched, as 21 balls have traveled his way over those three games. Jenkins is clearly a man that can break some big gainers, and with him getting his feet back underneath him, we have no reason to believe that Flacco won’t force some balls in there to him, and the former Delaware Blue Hen might look for him on some deep routes against the aggressive defense on the other side of the ball as well. Go with Jenkins Over 42.5 Receiving Yards (-115 at Hollywood Sportsbook).

**Click Here for the Curent 2011 Superbowl Odds**

The 2010 NFL betting campaign is just around the corner! In order to keep you up on all the action, Bankroll Sports has listed the Top 10 ATS teams from 2009, their 2010 Super Bowl odds, and our NFL predictions for them for this season!

**Click Here for the Best Sports Betting System in the World**

#1 Green Bay Packers (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Pack posted the best marks in the league last year for NFL betting fans, going 11-4-1 ATS. They are going to be back with a fantastic offense loaded with talent. QB Aaron Rodgers is likely to reach the 4,000 yard barrier for the third straight season to start his career, which is a feat that even some of the greatest in NFL history never even remotely came close to. If DC Dom Capers’ defense can keep its head on straight and post some of the best numbers in the league once again, there’s no reason to think that the Green Bay won’t once again be on top of the NFL ATS power ratings.

#2 Atlanta Falcons (+2500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): It’s impressive to think that the Falcons followed up a playoff campaign in 2008 with a non-playoff one in 2009 but still went a lofty 11-5 ATS. Could that bode even better for this year? HC Mike Smith thinks he has a winning formula, so he brought back the majority of players from last year’s 9-7 team. The only real key additions were LB Sean Weatherspoon, acquiring in the first round of the NFL Draft, and DB Dunta Robinson, who was picked up via free agency from the Houston Texans. Picking up Robinson was key, as it was the pass defense that really hurt this team late in games last season. Asking for 11 covers again this season might be a bit much, but Atlanta should post another great record this year.

#3 Indianapolis Colts (+600 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): As long as #18 is roaming the sidelines for the Colts, they are going to be a difficult team to bet against. One would figure that the oddsmakers would be incredibly tough on them week in and week out, but in spite of the fact that their numbers are almost always at least a tad inflated, they went a rock solid 10-5-1 ATS in 2009. This could be the year that Indy snaps back to earth if the NFL spreads keep as high as they have been in recent seasons. It has a brutal schedule, and QB Peyton Manning is going to have to contend with a new offensive coordinator, as Tom Moore has retired.

#4 San Francisco 49ers (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is probably a make-or-break season in the coaching career of Mike Singletary. No man asks for more from his team, nor will anyone get more from his players than does Singletary. Still, in spite of the fact that he went an awesome 9-4-3 ATS in last year’s regular season, Singletary has still yet to take this team to the playoffs. With a quarterback rotation set in stone and one of the most talented offensive lines in the game, the 49ers have no excuses this year. As long as the oddsmakers don’t start putting up unrealistically high numbers on it, San Francisco is going to be a great bet, particularly as underdogs this season.

#5 Cleveland Browns (+10000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Browns closed out last season by winning four straight games both SU and ATS to finish the year at 10-6 ATS. The turnaround was sparked by the addition of GM Mike Holmgren to the staff. Holmgren decided to retain HC Eric Mangini, but he dumped both of his quarterbacks. If QB Jake Delhomme can reinvent himself and the Browns play as hard as they did down the stretch last season, they could challenge for a playoff spot in the AFC. The Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens need to be very careful when this team turns up on the schedule. The end result should be covers galore!

#6 Minnesota Vikings (+1000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): This is a team that is probably damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t. If QB Brett Favre does come back to Minnesota, it will likely be overinflated in most every game it plays due to the fact that Favre had an epic season last year. If he doesn’t come back, the oddsmakers are still probably going to overrate this team due to the fact that Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels flat out stink. Duplicating last year’s 9-6-1 ATS mark is going to be virtually impossible unless someone comes up with a truly Herculean effort.

#7 Philadelphia Eagles (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Fly Eagles, fly! Philly could be an interesting team to back this year if QB Kevin Kolb can step right into the role that QB Donovan McNabb vacated when he was traded to the Washington Redskins in the offseason. The Eagles could have a porous defense which holds them back this year though, which could make that 9-7 ATS mark from 2009 difficult to repeat. Still, a lot of NFL lines are going to be tight when this team takes on its competitors, so if you think Philadelphia can win nine games, you probably think it can cover nine spreads as well.

#8 New York Jets (+1200 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Last season, the Jets fooled a lot of teams, and the end result was a stellar 9-7 ATS mark. They marched all the way to the AFC Championship Game on the back of a strong defense and a rushing attack that ranked first in the NFL. Conventional wisdom suggests that the additions of DB Antonio Cromartie and DB Kyle Wilson could make this defense even more frightening, especially now that DT Kris Jenkins is healthy. Still, it’s going to take QB Mark Sanchez improving his game for New York to put up these types of results again.

#9 Denver Broncos (+6500 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Though many are down on the Broncos this year, we have to remember that most of the pieces to this puzzle are once again back in place. The big losses are WR Brandon Marshall, TE Tony Scheffler, and LB Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, who led the team with 17 sacks last year, might be able to play at the end of this season after tearing a pectoral muscle in the preseason. However, the oddsmakers are seemingly making huge adjustments to this team. Yes, the Broncos collapsed down the stretch last year, but losses don’t mean failed covers. If the numbers get too large, improving on a 9-7 ATS record from ’09 is doable.

#10 Carolina Panthers (+5000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The same could be said about the Panthers and their 9-7 ATS record from last year. Losing QB Jake Delhomme might be addition by subtraction, as both Matt Moore and rookie Jimmy Clausen can’t do much worse than the former Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajun did last year. This season will once again revolve around the defense and running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers might be able to surprise, as several are down on their chances of making the postseason in what could be the final year for HC John Fox.

In light of the on-going Michael Crabtree holdout, the NFL is in a situation that could blemish their image for some time to come. There was always the constant thought in the back of the fans’ mind that some of the players in the NFL were only in it for the money and in all rights, is a fair statement for some. However, there is an ever growing trend of holdouts and contract ultimatums that are sweeping through the NFL every year. Players are demanding more money at the first on-site of success and it seems like nobody is ever happy with their contracts. These increasing trends have fueled sour emotions from NFL enthusiasts. With the recent talk of removing the salary cap in the NFL, it does not seem like the money issues will be going away anytime in the near future. College players are often proposed huge amounts of money before they ever step on the field.  These players often want more money before they prove themselves at the next level. Then you have players who have breakout seasons and what’s the first thing they do they do? They cash in on the statistics, demanding for raises and contract re-negotiations. We take a look at 5 of the greediest players in the NFL over the past few seasons and give you some insight in to how foolish some of these contract debacles play out.

#5. WR Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) – Roddy White became a force for the Atlanta Falcons in his 3rd season, catching 83 receptions for 1,202 yards and 6 scores. A year later in the 2008 season those numbers improved with help from one of the best rookie quarterbacks that ever stepped on the field. White ended 2008 with 88 catches and ranked 4th in the NFL with 1,382 yards. However, following the breakout season that resulted in White’s first trip to a Pro Bowl things took an ugly turn. Entering the 2009 off-season, White was to begin the 5th year of a 5 year contract worth 2.28 million for the season. However, that was not nearly good enough for Roddy, when he announced he would not return to the team until he got the type of money he deserves for being an elite NFL target. It just happened to workout for White. After days of negotiation, White was offered a contract for 6 years worth 50 million dollars, becoming the 2nd highest paid receiver in the NFL. The proposal was good enough to get White back on the practice fields immediately and satisfied for at least a few more years. However, the deal has not appeared to be beneficial to the Falcons considering White has caught just 15 passes for 119 yards through his first 3 games in 2009.  At this rate, he will be worth around $13,000 for every yard he produces for the Falcons organization.

#4. CB Dunta Robinson (Houston Texans) – Dunta Robinson was a first round pick for the Texans back in 2004.  He jumped out to an impressive start in his rookie season picking off 6 passes. The early success brought some big bucks to the Texans star cornerback.  However, Robinson has failed to repeat the success he has had in his rookie season. Robinson has had a season high, 2 interceptions since the 2004 season, and when his contract expired at the end of last season things got interesting. Robinson wanted money that a top 5 corner in the NFL would receive (around 23 million). However, Houston administration offered him just 18 million and evidently that was an insult to the young defensive back. While 5 million is a lot of money, it’s definitely not a soft proposal due to Robinson’s production in the NFL. However, Robinson held out from signing a long term contract and settled for 1 year deal making fewer than 10 million for the 2009 season. Robinson made even more headlines this season when his cleats were inscribed with the words “Pay me Rick” on the hill of the shoe. A statement aimed at Texans general manager Rick Smith. The move by Robinson to withhold from long term contract, reportedly cost the Texans cornerback 23 million in guaranteed funds.

#3. Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills) – Owens’ contract propaganda, like his career, may be coming to an end. But, that does not take away from the multiple contract tirades that were given over the course of his career. Owens burst on the scene 1996 with the San Francisco 49ers and did not really breakout until the 2001 season. After a few pay increases and stable years, Owens became unhappy during the 2003 season and wanted to “explore his options.” The move was to land a bigger contract and that he did in 2004, when the Philadelphia Eagles gave him a 7 year deal worth 48 million dollars. Evidently the contract was not good enough. A year later after making 7.5 million the season prior, Owens openly stated that he needed a new contract “to feed his family.” After tons of controversy during his tenure with the Eagles, Owens was given a 2nd chance by the Dallas Cowboys, when they gave him a 3 year deal worth 25 million. Owens became an effective force in Dallas in lure of an elite passing offense destined for success. After posting a 1,355 yard season in 2007, Owens received another contract renewal for 4 years equaling 34 millions and more importantly, a 12 million signing bonus. While the deal was never made a public affair, it was reported the Owens requested a salary increase following the big year for the Cowboys. However, that would be the last of the salary saga for the controversial wide receiver. Owens was cut from Dallas following 2008 after internal conflict and picked up by the Buffalo Bills, where he has yet to produce this season catching just 8 passes for 158 yards (as of week 4)

#2. QB JaMarcus Russell (Oakland Raiders) – JaMarcus Russell was selected as the number 1 overall pick in the 2007 draft, but when the contract negotiations did not add up.  Russell’s career went from the highest of high to the lowest of lows. In retrospect, the holdout was simply ridiculous. Russell was offered a 6 year deal for 60 million dollar contract with a guaranteed amount of 26.5 million. However, that was not good enough for the rookie who had never stepped on the field. The lucrative part of the story was not that Russell was unsatisfied with the yearly figures, but was looking for 30 million in guaranteed money. It almost seemed like he had 28 million in credit card debt that had to be taken care of right away. The holdout lasted several weeks which was enough time for the Raiders future quarterback to miss both training camps and all of the preseason. As a result, Russell was so far behind that he played catch up for the remainder of the 2007 season, starting just 4 games. To make matters worse, Russell has yet to have any success in the NFL after demanding all the money before ever proving his worthiness. Russell currently sits ranked dead last out of all starters for 2009 with a quarterback rating of 42.4 which has included just 1 touchdown pass all year with 4 other interceptions.  In 2009, Al Davis is currently paying JaMarcus around 1.6 million dollars per touchdown pass.

#1. WR Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) – Whatever happened to proving your worth in your profession? Up until week 5, where negotiations were opened up again, the Michael Crabtree holdout was beginning to look like it could have ended up being the most ridiculous and foolish holdout in NFL history. After months of non-negotiations and each passing week of regular season action, it appeared that Crabtree was not going to play at all in his rookie season. The 49ers’ tenth overall pick in the 2009 draft was expected to be the first receiver selected in the NFL draft, but went 2nd behind Maryland’s Darius Heyward-Bey. Heyward-Bey and the Raiders reached a 5 year deal worth 38 millions, with 23.5 million guaranteed. However, Crabtree assumed that because of his name, he was worth more then what Heyward-Bey was paid by the Raiders.  He demanded that he get more than the 23.5 million guaranteed that Heyward-Bey received.  Evidently the 49ers have no interest in paying him that kind of money and doing so would give future rookies the impression that they can re-write the “slotting system” rules of rookie contract negotiations. So, “Crabs” and the 49ers organization haven’t reached any type of agreement after four weeks of NFL action. At this point, he has missed so much time of development and may no longer be worth the 20 million (plus incentives) that the 49ers originally offered him. Crabtree now has put himself into a foolish situation where he could miss the entire 2009 season. The question a lot of people are asking is what other team would want negotiate a deal with him for 2010 after missing an entire year of football? Even if a team were to negotiate with him, it would be unwise to offer him the type of money initially offered by the 49ers. However, the saga continues to put a bad taste on the perception of greed in the NFL. Crabtree’s public perception is also being ruined by this holdout, and if he doesn’t change his ways, so could his career in the NFL.

List of Michael Vick Prop Odds Can Be Found Below The Picks At Bottom of Post

One of the major headlines that has overshadowed much of the NFL preseason activity is the recent reinstatement of Michael Vick. The former Atlanta Falcons quarterback gained popularity among fans for his extreme athleticism and undeniable quickness with his feet after bursting into the NFL in 2001. Vick, unlike most quarterbacks, could beat you with his legs just as well as his arm, making him one of the most explosive and dangerous players in the league. In 2006, Vick was able to throw for 2,474 yards and rack up 1,039 additional yards on the ground. However, as we all know, Vick succumb to felony offenses following the 2006 season in regards to leading a dog fighting ring. Vick was sentenced to 23 months in prison and most people assumed he would never play in the NFL again. The sporting world’s most controversial figure not only served his prison sentence, but recently was conditionally reinstated and signed a two year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The recent commotion has drawn outspoken criticism to the Eagles and Michael Vick personally. It seems the majority of fans still hold strong criticism against Vick for his actions and needless to say are not giving him any best wishes. The even more interesting topic is if Vick will be able to make any type of difference with the Eagles. After all, he has been away from football for two straight years. Also, he will be playing behind one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL in Donovan McNabb. Will he get in quality playing time of will the Eagles use him at different positions? Surely, Eagles Coach Andy Reid would have never taken a chance with Vick if they did not feel it would be beneficial to the team. However, how much success can we expect from the notorious football player? Major sports books have opened all types of betting lines concerning Michael Vick due to all the attention that has been centered around this story. Whether you love or hate him, Vick is a very gifted athlete. Nevertheless, what can you really expect from Vick in 2009? We take a look at some interesting prop bets and give our insight on a few Michael Vick betting opportunities to consider for the 2009 NFL Football Season.

Prop Bet #1 – Will Michael Vick remain on the Eagles roster by week #17?

Yes – -1000
No – +500

The biggest question most have surrounding Michael Vick is if he will get to play? Rest assured Vick will step onto the field this year whether it will be when the game is out of reach or other types of scenarios. However, how he will play should be the main concern. If he does not perform or seems like he can not return to his explosive playmaking ability as before, the Eagles can cut or trade him without losing any considerable amounts of money. The most likely scenario is that Vick will step onto the grid iron for the first time later in the season as opposed to early in the year. There are plenty of reasons why Vick will still be on the Eagles roster at the end of the year. Philadelphia would have never invested in Vick if they were not going to give him time to get his edge back. Understandably, Vick will not come out as sharp as before after being away for two years. The Eagles staff understands this and they will definitely give Vick plenty of time to work his way back to the top. However even if the latter where to happen and Vick did not perform up to par, then a trade is very unlikely. There were not any teams that were stepping forward to sign Vick recently before knowing his capability. If he does not show any type of progress, surely no team will want him considering the circumstances. However, as mentioned earlier the Eagles will be patient with Vick and there is absolutely no reason to believe he will not still be with the team by seasons end. The odds are not extremely profitable, but this is a sure bet.

Free Pick – Yes -1000

Prop Bet #2 – Total rushing yards on Vick’s first attempt in 2009?

Over 5 Yards -130
Under 5 Yards -110

Glancing at this bet and your first instinct was likely to jump on the over here. After all, the most memorable aspect of Vick’s game is his elusive legs and tremendous speed that were able to rack up big chunks of yards on any given down. However before his departure from the NFL, Vick was focusing on passing first and use his running ability as a last result despite gaining over 1,000 yards in 2006 on the ground. If Vick is at the quarterback position in his first snaps on the field, then the chance he tucks the first ball away and takes off down field is highly unlikely. The most probably scenario is some quick out routes to get things started off smoothly. The running will not become a focus until Vick is totally comfortable behind center. Even more reason to believe his first run will not be successful is because there is already talk of Vick getting action in the backfield. While this seems a bit of a stretch, that would reduce the chance of the big gain on the first rushing attempt. Another likely scenario, Vick could be used in a type of “wildcat” formation and take direct snap up the middle. Rest assured when Vick steps on field defenses will be fully aware as he will draw tons of attention again reducing the possibility of a big gain. Normally it takes players some time to get back in rhythm after taking so much time off and that will be the likely scenario when Vick steps on the field. Go against the popular perception here, and choose the most realistic outcome.

Free Pick – Under 5 Yards -110

Prop Bet #3 – Vick’s first pass attempt will be a complete or incomplete?

Complete -155
Incomplete or INT +125

Our final prop bet action is actually an interesting pick. There are legitimate arguments for either selection here that are valid. One possible outcome is that Vick’s first passing attempt could show the rust that has built up over the last two years leading to an incompletion. On the other hand going back to what we said earlier, Vick will likely take baby steps with his first few plays. There is no reason to expect him to take any chances deep down the field on his first attempt of the season. Deep passes will be where his arm really shows the effects of being outside the game for such a lengthy period. However, Vicks first pass will likely be something very simple increasing the odds the pass will be complete. Expect something like a quick hitch route, or 5-10 yard out route that will be delivered quickly and hard to defend. Again, defenses will be really concerned with his legs and likely be daring Vick to throw the football. Expect Vick to complete the first pass of the season with some type of simple throw as he gains his rhythm back.

Free Pick – Completion -155 

Current Michael Vick Prop & Future odds From BetUS:
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Current Michael Vick Prop & Future odds From Sportsbook.com:
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