The hot seat. Every coach finds himself on it at some point in his career. Some persevere, while others fold under the pressure. This year in the NFL, there are a number of coaches that are facing potential do or die situations. Check out who those coaches are, why they’re in trouble, what we can expect of them this year, and their odds to win the Super Bowl.

Chan Gailey, Buffalo Bills (+10000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Bottom line: When you’re not a good coaching hire in the first place, you’re always on the hot seat. Gailey was an awful coach at virtually every stop along the way in his career, and this is probably going to be no exception. It looks like he has decided that QB Trent Edwards is the man to try to take his team from the ranks of the worst in the league to respectability. No chance. Edwards is, at best, the fifth best quarterback in this division, and he is clearly not the answer. Gailey will probably survive regardless, but this year has the potential to be a bloody one. We’ve seen coaches dismissed after one year before. Gailey might be the next in line.

Gary Kubiak, Houston Texans (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Playoffs or bust. That’s the ultimatum that has been handed down from owner Bob McNair to Kubiak this year for the Texans. This is the only franchise in the NFL that has never tasted the playoffs, and by now, the fourth year of his rule in Houston, the Texans should be making the playoffs, particularly with the type of talent that the team has. The only problem is that the schedule is an absolute nightmare this year. Houston has also already lost its second round draft pick and projected starting RB Ben Tate, which really only leaves RBs Arian Foster and Steve Slaton. This could be a bad situation if Foster doesn’t pan out. Still, the top rated passing attack in the NFL from last year is only getting better with every pass that QB Matt Schaub throws. Every year this team gets better and better. Last year was the squad’s first season above .500. This should be the year that the playoffs are reached.

Jack Del Rio, Jacksonville Jaguars (+10000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): Here’s a man that probably should have already been fired. Jacksonville has drafted poorly in recent years, and it is really catching up. The team simply isn’t that great. The decision to make QB David Garrard the starter a few years ago paid off in the short term but has crippled the franchise now that it really needs its boost, as the Jags are threatening to move to Los Angeles if ticket sales don’t pick up. Unless RB Maurice Jones-Drew intends on having a year like Chris Johnson did last season in Tennessee, don’t expect Del Rio to be heading anywhere but the unemployment line once the year is out.

Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles (+3000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): It’s hard to think that the Eagles would part ways with Reid after all of the playoff years that this franchise has had, but this is the same team that just dumped QB Donovan McNabb unceremoniously to a divisional rival in exchange for a bag of peanuts and a box of footballs. Reid needs to at least finish .500 this year with new QB Kevin Kolb, or he might be out the door. The Eagles are searching for a new direction, and the fact that Reid only brought the team to one Super Bowl and never won the big one could ultimately cost him. If the standard of his job is going to be measured on the playoffs, the City of Brotherly Love will be watching the last season of Reid on the sidelines in green.

Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears (+5000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Bears made the biggest splash of the offseason last year when they acquired QB Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos. Cutler failed miserably, and the team flat out stunk last season. Now, Chicago was back at it again this year, picking up DE Julius Peppers, the best free agent that the open market has seen in years in the NFL. An 0-3 start to the preseason with just 36 total points scored isn’t a good start if you’re looking to put good mojo into your team for your make or break season. Somehow, Smith, just like Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, finds a way to keep saving his job with one good year every so often. This could be that “every so often” year in the Windy City… but if it isn’t, it is high time that Smith goes.

John Fox, Carolina Panthers (+6000 to win Super Bowl XLV at JustBet Sportsbook): The Panthers know that this is probably going to be a down year, but Fox is just as much putting them on the hot seat as they are putting him there. The team did go out and dump QB Jake Delhomme after so many failed seasons, and they even brought in his eventual successor, QB Jimmy Clausen in the NFL Draft. However, Fox doesn’t want to wait for some rookie to groom. He wants to win and win now. The rushing attack is great with both RBs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart capable of rushing for 1,000+ yards. However, the defense lost the aforementioned Peppers and has a lot of work to do to return to respectability. The Panthers are clearly the third best team in this division, and the end result could be a long, long season in which Fox either gets fired before its conclusion, or tells the team that he is not renewing his contract at season’s end.

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Once again, in 2010, we are back with our complete list of free football contests on the internet. We are always happy to save our visitors the time and the hassle it takes to dig through the web and search for free nfl survivor contests and free nfl pick em contests. Just be sure to bookmark this page as we update it throughout the month of August and September prior to the start of the 2010 NCAA and NFL football seasons. If you are aware of of any FREE NFL or college football contests, please reply in the comments section below this post so that we can add the contests to our list. Thank you very much for visiting the Bankroll Sports blog. We wish you the best of luck with your football betting this season.

Latest Update: August 15, 2010 @ 6:00 a.m. (EST)

Free Football Contest Website: NFL.com
Number of Football Contests: Two

1. Football Contest Title/Link: NFL Playbook Challenge
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Number of Football Contests: Five

1. Football Contest Title/Link: Gridiron Challenge
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1. Football Contest Title/Link: Peter King Challenge
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1. Football Contest Title: NFL Power Points Contest
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Once Again, if you run any contests or know of any contests, we would appreciate you contacting us or commenting below about the free football contest. We fully intend to have a list of over 25 contests on this page by September 1st. And again, thank you for visiting Bankroll Sports Handicapping Blog.

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The first week of the 2010 NFL football regular season is nearly here! In order to get you prepped for all of the festivities, Bankroll Sports has our analysis along with quick rundown of all the week 1 NFL lines and everything else you need to know for the opening week of the year!

Where else could we start than with a rematch of the epic NFC Championship Game?!?! The New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings will get the season started with their opening game broadcasted on NBC. The Vikings may or may not be with QB Brett Favre for the first week of the regular season, which is going to be a huge difference on the NFL betting lines. The game is currently off the board at BetUS Sportsbook.

The biggest favorites of Week 1 at this point are the Chicago Bears against the Detroit Lions and the New York Giants against the Carolina Panthers, both of which are favored by a touchdown.

Brand new quarterbacks are going to be en vouge for various NFL teams in Week 1, the Panthers of which are one of them. In all likelihood, Matt Moore will be starting on Opening Day for Carolina, marking the first time that Jake Delhomme didn’t start under center for the team in a number of years. Speaking of Delhomme, he’ll most likely be the new man in charge for the Cleveland Browns, who are 2.5 point underdogs against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1.

The quarterback changes continue in Pittsburgh, where QB Ben Roethlisberger will be suspended for at least the first month of the season. There is still a question as to whether the Steelers will go with Dennis Dixon, Charlie Batch, or Byron Leftwich on Opening Day at home against the Atlanta Falcons. The hosts are rare underdogs at home, as they are two point pups.

The only rookie quarterback that might be starting in week 1 is Sam Bradford with the St. Louis Rams. Bradford, the team’s top pick in the NFL Draft will be dueling with AJ Feeley in the preseason for the right to become a starter for the first game of the season. St. Louis is hosting the Arizona Cardinals, where it is a four point home underdog.

Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins will be playing new QBs as well. The ‘Skins made arguably the move of the offseason by trading for long-time Eagles QB Donovan McNabb. McNabb’s Redskins are still 3.5 point pups to their rivals, the Dallas Cowboys at home in Week 1. For Philadelphia, QB Kevin Kolb is the man in charge of the team now that McNabb is gone. Kolb showed plenty of promise in his few appearances before McNabb departed, but the oddsmakers aren’t showing the Eagles any love. They are short one point road underdogs to the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.

New Meadowlands Stadium will be opening with both the New York Giants and New York Jets will be playing in Week 1. The Giants will kick off against Carolina, while the Jets are going to be playing on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. The home team is favored by three points in that NFL betting encounter.

2010 NFL Week 1 Spreads & Linds From BetUS Sportsbook (as of 8/14/10):
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101 – Minnesota Vikings OTB
102 – New Orleans Saints OTB
Over/Under OTB
105 – Carolina Panthers +7
106 – New York Giants -7
Over/Under 41
109 – Miami Dolphins -3
110 – Buffalo Bills +3
Over/Under 37.5
113 – Atlanta Falcons -2
114 – Pittsburgh Steelers +2
Over/Under 38
117 – Detroit Lions +7
118 – Chicago Bears -7
Over/Under 42.5
121 – Cincinnati Bengals +5.5
122 – New England Patriots -5.5
Over/Under 43
125 – Cleveland Browns +2.5
126 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers -2.5
Over/Under 36
129 – Denver Broncos +2.5
130 – Jacksonville Jaguars -2.5
Over/Under 40
133 – Indianapolis Colts -3
134 – Houston Texans +3
Over/Under 47
137 – Oakland Raiders +6.5
138 – Tennessee Titans -6.5
Over/Under 41
141 – Green Bay Packers -1
142 – Philadelphia Eagles +1
Over/Under 44
145 – San Francisco 49ers -2.5
146 – Seattle Seahawks +2.5
Over/Under 38
149 – Arizona Cardinals -4
150 – St. Louis Rams +4
Over/Under 40
153 – Dallas Cowboys -3.5
154 – Washington Redskins +3.5
Over/Under 41.5
157 – Baltimore Ravens +3
158 – New York Jets -3
Over/Under 36.5
161 – San Diego Chargers -5.5
162 – Kansas City Chiefs +5.5
Over/Under 44.5

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!

#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.

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NFL preseason betting action started last Sunday with the Hall of Fame Game, as the Dallas Cowboys knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals 16-7. The other 30 teams kick off their season this week, as NFL wagering warriors have a full slate of 16 games to sink their teeth into.

As always, the oddsmakers are having a tough time deciding which team to favor and by how many points in the first week of preseason action. Thirteen of the 16 home teams are favored this week, but none by more than 3.5 points. The only teams that are underdogs at home are the Indianapolis Colts and the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals are playing against the perennial preseason powers, the Houston Texans. The quarterback rotation for the Texans might not be superior to that of the Cardinals, but in the end, the depth that Houston has at its disposal is just better than Arizona’s, which is why the oddsmakers have installed them as slender one point choices.

As for the Colts, they are sluggish during every preseason, as QB Peyton Manning rarely plays and his reserves are basically commanded to try to make the game go by as quickly as possible. When you’re as good as Indy is, you don’t need four preseason games to figure out what your rotation is going to look like in the regular season. You know that #18 is going to be chucking the pigskin all over the field, and everything else will typically work itself out.

The most intriguing game on the slate this week comes between the Minnesota Vikings and St. Louis Rams. Both teams are going to have a fierce battle for the starting quarterback position. The Vikes, mired in the Brett Favre saga, are going to enter battle in the preseason with Tarvaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels, and Joe Webb battling to become the successor to the great #4 in purple. The city of St. Louis should enjoy the debut of QB Sam Bradford, the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft from this year. Along with Bradford though, HC Steve Spagnuolo is going to have AJ Feeley, Keith Null, and rookie Thaddeus Lewis to take a look at.

That Vikes/Rams duel on Saturday night has the lowest posted ‘total’ on the board at 31.5. The highest ‘total’ is only 35, with that coming on the first game of the first full week of play in the preseason between the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots.

2010 NFL Preseason Football Week 1 Lines & Odds @ BetUS Sportsbook (as of 8/10/10):
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251 – New Orleans Saints +1.5
252 – New England Patriots -1.5
Over/Under 35

253 – Carolina Panthers +3 (ev)
254 – Baltimore Ravens -3 (-120)
Over/Under 34

255 – Oakland Raiders +3 (-105)
256 – Dallas Cowboys -3 (-115)
Over/Under 34

257- Jacksonville Jaguars +3
258 – Philadelphia Eagles -3
Over/Under 33

259 – Buffalo Bills +3 (+105)
260 – Washington Redskins -3 (-125)
Over/Under 32

261 – Kansas City Chiefs +3 (ev)
262 – Atlanta Falcons -3 (-120)
Over/Under 34

263 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3 (ev)
264 – Miami Dolphins -3 (-120)
Over/Under 33.5

265 – Detroit Lions +2.5
266 – Pittsburgh Steelers -2.5
Over/Under 33.5

267 – Houston Texans -1
268 – Arizona Cardinals +1
Over/Under 33

269 – Minnesota Vikings pk
270 – St. Louis Rams pk
Over/Under 31.5

271 – Cleveland Browns +2.5
272 – Green Bay Packers -2.5
Over/Under 34

273 – Chicago Bears +3
274 – San Diego Chargers -3
Over/Under 33.5

275 – Tennessee Titans +3 (ev)
276 – Seattle Seahawks -3 (-120)
Over/Under 33.5

277 – San Francisco 49ers -3 (-120)
278 – Indianapolis Colts +3 (ev)
Over/Under 34

279 – Denver Broncos +3.5
280 – Cincinnati Bengals -3.5
Over/Under 32.5

281 – New York Giants +1.5
282 – New York Jets -1.5
Over/Under 33.5

The Monsters of the Midway just got a heck of a lot scarier.

Last season, the Chicago Bears opened up their wallets and made the trade that was supposed to put their franchise over the top. After years of watching Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, et al struggle to complete passes, they dealt Orton and a slew of draft picks to the Denver Broncos to acquire Jay Cutler.

After the oddsmakers jumped all over the place and named the Bears amongst the favorites to go the Super Bowl in the wide open NFC, all they managed to do was go 7-9 and suffer crushing defeat after crushing defeat.

Oh look, Cutler just threw another interception while I was writing that paragraph.

The fact that the Vanderbilt product, who made a cool $22M last season, threw 27 touchdown passes last season was completely irrelevant to Chicago fans. It was the 26 interceptions that really stood out.

Heck, Sexy Rexy could’ve done that.

In all seriousness though, Cutler’s turnover problems were just one of the many freakish things that happened to the Bears in 2009. LB Brian Urlacher suffered a season-ending injury in the first week of the season. RB Matt Forte had a miserable sophomore slump, rushing for just 929 yards and four scores. WR/DB/KR/PR/Popcorn Salesman Devin Hester didn’t score a single special teams touchdown.

If nothing else changed for Chicago from 2009, don’t you think that the 2010 edition of this team would be significantly better?
Last year, the Bears spent a shade over $120M in salaries, which was just $7M shy of the roughly $127M cap. The only significant number that is coming off of the cap from last year to this year was that of Orlando Pace, who made a shade over $5M in 2009.

But thanks to the fact that this will be an uncapped season, it was essentially open season for the Bears to become free agent head hunters.

That’s when the wallet was opened.

Today was the first day of the free agency period, and Chicago wasted no time spending a cool $84.5M in the blink of an eye.
The newest members of the team including former Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers and former Minnesota Vikings RB Chester Taylor. In an otherwise largely mediocre free agent class, these two signings were incredible.

In Peppers, the Bears are getting one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL. He racked up 81 sacks with the Panthers before not getting resigned in the offseason, and now he’ll get to team up with one of the best DTs in the league in Tommy Harris as well as one of the best linebacking corps that the league has to offer as well.

There’s a certain #4 right now sitting in on a farm somewhere in Mississippi that has to be looking at that and wondering if he really wants to face that front seven twice this year…

The signing of Taylor will go underappreciated, yet it is quite possibly the more relevant signing. Even though Chicago ranked 17th in total defense and 21st in points allowed in 2009, we knew that the Bears would already be a more dangerous team defensively in ’10 thanks to the return of Urlacher.

What we weren’t so sure of is how good this running game could be. Many think that Forte’s miserable rushing average (3.6 yards per carry) was a large reason for the downfall of Cutler last year.

Chicago knew that it didn’t need a home run hitter as a running back. It just needed someone to lighten the load off of Cutler’s shoulders just a bit.

Taylor’s numbers haven’t been all that impressive for the Vikings since Purple Jesus came to town, but he has still been the epitome of consistency. If Minnesota needed a guy to step in and start, Taylor was available. A good blocker? Check. A third down back? Does 42 catches last season suffice?

For a team that ranked 29th in the NFL in rushing (93.2 yards per game), Taylor should be a perfect fit from a divisional rival.
It’s pretty clear that losing is no longer any option for the Chicago Bears.

For the second straight season, they have gone out and made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason. For the second straight season, they’ll be a favorite in the NFC. For the second straight season, expectations will be incredibly high.

But if for the second straight season, the Bears don’t reach the playoffs and march towards the Super Bowl, HC Lovie Smith is going to have lots of explaining to do.

After all, at least right now, he’s got the best team that money can buy.

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One of the greatest things about the Super Bowl from a betting standpoint is the enormity of betting opportunities for sports bettors.  The Super Bowl has always been the single most popular game in the world when it comes to sports betting. Just to give you an idea of the money involved, Nevada is expecting nearly 100 million in wagering just within the state’s borders for this year’s Super Bowl. As a result, online bookmakers have taken advantage offering countless proposition and exotic betting lines for side action. For this year’s Super Bowl, bettors can literally wager on anything from the outcome of the coin flip to what color top Kim Kardashian will be wearing at the game.  In a previous post below, Rodney recently shared some tips for betting props along with some of the top prop odds and Super Bowl betting bonuses. With so many lines available, bettors can easily get caught up in all the excessive action in all the wrong ways. Since there are so many betting opportunities available, many bettors will wager money with a “careless” attitude and risk money on many chance bets. I spent some time breaking down some of these prop lines and to provide some predictions that will increase your chances of ending the season in the black.  Below are a few prop that I believe deserve some attention heading into the Super Bowl. All of the prop odds below can be found at Bodog Sportsbook (10% Bonus – Accepting Credit Card deposits for the Superbowl)

Prop Bet #1 – Will the Indianapolis Colts score every quarter?

Yes  +130
No  – 160

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are two offensive powered teams that will collide with a lot of points expected. The Saints secondary has been questionable all season and that throws up red flags for many reasons against Peyton Manning’s offense. In fact, the Colts have scored in 3 of 4 quarters in both postseason match-ups. While history may tell us that a team scoring all 4 quarters is unlikely in a Super Bowl, the Colts have a great chance. The reason is they have to keep the pressure on the Saints and their offense will not let up with the lead. The Saints hung 45 on the Cardinals and 31 on the Vikings. Therefore, Manning should get plenty of opportunities with the football and it’s doubtful the Saints defense will have an answer for the fast pace Colts offense. With some profitable juice, this is a great risk to consider.

Pick – Yes

Prop Bet #2 – The first 1^st down will be either a passing or rushing play?

Passing -200
Rushing  +160

Unless there is a 1 yard conversion, a passing play should be the result of the first 1^st down in the game. Neither offense has much confidence in their running game. In fact, both teams use their running games to control the clock rather than looking for success on the ground. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the top quarterbacks in the league and it is no secret that both offenses heavily favor the pass. Both offenses will keep the ball in the hands of their star quarterbacks and hope they both get into a rhythm early. Unless there is a early short yardage situation, the passing game will be used nearly every down especially early in the game. Consider this a high percentage play that a passing play will result in opening first down of the game.

Pick – Passing

Prop Bet #3 – Total receiving yards – Robert Meachem

Over 45 ½  +105
Under 45 ½  -135

Robert Meachem has played a solid role in contributing to the Saints lethal passing attack this season. However, in recent weeks Meachem has been nearly ineffective. Over the last 3 games, Meachem has caught just 4 passes totaling 31 yards. The reason may be because the Saints have run the ball better and have gotten help from a ton of outside passing options. Whatever the case may be, Meachem has not even been targeted by Drew Brees but very rarely in the past few games. Running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas have been used more frequently catching balls out of the backfield taking some of those outside options away from Meachem. Wide outs Devery Henderson and Marques Colston will remain the primary targets in the passing game. If the Saints continue to use their backs in the passing game with effectiveness, Meachem may be left out of the picture once again.

Pick – Under 45 ½

Prop Bet #4 – Who will throw more interceptions?   

Drew Brees  -105
Peyton Manning -125

All eyes will be on both quarterbacks this Sunday and rightfully so. The Colts have Peyton Manning who before it is all said and done could go down as the greatest quarterback every. The Saints have Drew Brees who has absolutely mastered the New Orleans air attack. While most may agree that Manning is the better of the two, he is also the most vulnerable to giving up an interception. Manning threw 16 interceptions during the regular season while Brees threw just 11 total. In fact despite the Saints secondary that lacks respect against the pass, they actually picked off 26 interceptions during the regular season equaling the 3^rd most in the NFL. Safety Darren Sharper tied for the most picks in the NFL with 9 and the Saints defense will need those turnovers this weekend to pull off the victory. Even if the Colts prevail, Manning normally gives up at least one interception and that may be one more than Brees will throw this Sunday.

Pick – Manning

Prop Bet #5 – Team to receive the opening kickoff 

New Orleans Saints  -115
Indianapolis Colts  -115

This particular betting line is offered every year, but nearly always seem to go the opposite direction from what the betting public expects. However, we believe we got this year’s decision for both team’s figured out. The perceptions here is that both teams want to put their offenses on the field first which is why the line is considered a toss up. However, the Colts may elect the alternative if they do happen to win the toss. The Colts defense has played extremely well at times this year and their momentum tends to set the tone for the offense. I believe the Colts will put their defense on the field first to try and force a quick change of possession putting the advantage to their offense. On the other side of the coin, I just do not see how the Saints could put their defense on the field first allowing Peyton Manning the first opportunity to score. If the Saints win the toss, they will accept the ball and look to make an opening statement.

Pick – Saints

Underdogs are typically the way to go… This bodes awfully well for New Orleans, particularly catching so many points. The only teams to cover a spread higher than four points in recent Super Bowls have been these Indianapolis Colts in 2007 (-7 vs. Chicago Bears) and the Denver Broncos in 1999 (-7.5 vs. Atlanta Falcons). Aside from that, dogs larger than four points have been golden, going 6-2 ATS dating back to 1996. The underdog has covered six of the L/8 Super Bowls overall as well.

Run, run, run, as much as you can… Once again, in all likelihood, this is a huge trend that will be solid for the Saints. In the previous 43 Super Bowls, the team running the ball more in the game went a stellar 37-4 SU. (In Super Bowl V, both the Cowboys and Colts ran the ball 31 times. The same happened when the Bills and Cowboys rushed the pigskin 29 times apiece in Super Bowl XXVII) The Colts pass the ball on almost 63% of their offensive downs. New Orleans is still a pass-happy squad, but it only puts the pill in the air 55% of the time. The Saints are averaging carrying the ball 6.3 times per game more than Indianapolis does. Don’t think that the Colts don’t know about this stat though. An aerial based team in 2007 itself, the Colts still ran the ball 40 times combined with RBs Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, and that’s why they captured Super Bowl XLI.

All Over the Under… Reaching 56.5 points in any NFL betting battle is difficult, but the truth of the matter is that it’s very possible, especially when you consider how good these two offenses are that will take the field on Sunday afternoon in Miami. However, keep in mind that only eight Super Bowls have exceeded 56 points in NFL history, and none have gotten there since 2004. It’s not like there has been a lack of offensive firepower in the big game either of late. Last season, the Cardinals had one of the highest-flying offenses in the league. The same could be said about the record-setting Pats of 2007-08 and the Colts from ’06-’07. Chew on this as well. Indianapolis only had three games this season, including the playoffs, get to that 57+ point mark. New Orleans has played both of its playoff games beyond that number and did play six games past that point in the regular season. However, only three of those occurred away from the Superdome.

Watch out for moneyline value… Normally speaking in the regular season, teams that are favored by 5.5-6 points are usually lined around -250 or so on the moneyline. But this is the Super Bowl, and the majority of money either comes in on the favorites to cover the football betting line, or the underdog to win outright on the moneyline. The end result? Deflated numbers for the favorites to win SU. Right now, at Diamond Sportsbook, you can find Indianapolis lined at -220, and if you shop, you may be able to find a -200 or so by game time.