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.

Oddsmaker is offering a 100% Signup Bonus For Bankroll Sports Visitors; Click Here!

New Oddsmaker Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports & Use This Link!

(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $1000 Max. – 20% Bonus For All Future Redeposits)

Click Here For A Full List of 2010 Superbowl Odds & Other Football Futures From Bodog

The 2009 NFL Football Season is in some cases upside down from the way the league looked in 2008. The Tennessee Titans who started their 2008 season a perfect 10-0 remain winless at 0-3. The same can be said for the Carolina Panthers who were tied with the Giants for best regular season record in the NFC just one year ago. At least the Panthers are just 2-0, but are pretty sizeable underdogs entering tomorrow night’s battle with Dallas. Still, if you look at some of the teams in the league who would have thought the Jets at this time appear to be the best team in the AFC East over the Patriots and San Francisco sits a top the NFC West at a perfect 3-0.

It just goes to show that no matter how much preseason predictions and reviews that nothing truly matters until teams actually step onto the gridiron. While the season is definitely going to have its twist and turns throughout the remaining 13 weeks of the regular season, we are going to break down some of the teams that may have a shot at the 2010 Super Bowl based what we have seen thus far in the year. Keep in mind that you will have teams that get cold and hot, and things will definitely change. However, it’s hard to pass up the chance to catch the Super Bowl odds while they are at their most profitable. Take a second to look at a few teams who are considered to be 2010 Super Bowl Champion contenders.

#5. New Orleans Saints – 9 to 1 (@ BetUS)

The New Orleans Saints quick 3-0 start may be a surprise to some, but if you paid attention to our preseason predictions we had the Saints to win the NFC South due to their potent offense. Well the season has a long way to go, but so far Drew Brees is proving us right. The Saints are 3-0 including an impressive win over Philadelphia in that stretch. Brees already has 9 touchdowns in just 3 games and is completing 70% of his passes while owning the highest quarterback rating in the league at 118.1. The Saints offense which is averaging 40 points per game remains one of the most prolific passing attacks in the NFL. Last season the Saints were extremely good on offense, but the defense was just as horrible giving up 25 points per game. The Saints defense definitely will not be the strong point of the team. However if they can have more similar performances like they did last Sunday holding Buffalo to 7 points and 243 total yards, then they are going to be extremely difficult to beat.

#4. Minnesota Vikings – 12 to 1 (@ BetUS)

Lets just first start off by saying “wow” to another Brett Farve classic last week. If you missed it, Farve threw a 50 yard laser from the 40 yard line to the back of the end zone finding WR Greg Lewis with 2 seconds to go lifting the Vikings over the 49ers in what has to be the play of the year by season’s end. Farve is the reason the Vikings could contend by the end of the season if he can stay healthy. The reason is not that he is the most important player on the field because that role goes to Adrian Peterson, but because he can make the plays when needed with his arm. The Vikings have struggled to find a quarterback that could move the ball without giving up 17 interceptions as they did in 2008. Farve has thrown just 1 pick this year even though he has thrown more than any other quarterback in his career. However, do not expect to see a lot of picks thrown by the 40 year old this year. The Vikings will keep the work load on running back Adrian Peterson who is undoubtedly the best rusher in the NFL fresh off a 1,760 yard season in 2008. The Vikings won the NFC North with all the troubles in the passing game last year. Imagine if they get consistency in the passing game and the defense continues to improve.

#3. New England Patriots – 8 to 1 (@ Oddsmaker)

First off let’s go ahead and state that the Patriots have looked absolutely nothing like a Super Bowl caliber team thus far this season. However, it’s hard to think a team this talented will not explode back to the dominating team that has ruled the NFL over the last decade. Tom Brady got off to a rusty start and perhaps has not looked as sharp as normal, but that can be expected following a knee injury. However, the offense has too many weapons to be contained. Sure, the New York Jets are playing well but the Patriots remain favorites to win the Super Bowl. New England bounced back last week beating up on the Atlanta Falcons 26-10 which should indicate even when they are not playing their best they are still among the best in the league. Brady has not been on target when the deep throws and the offense has yet to get the production needed from Wes Welker. However once those few misfires start sparking again, the Patriots are going to be tough to beat in the latter part of the season.

#2. Baltimore Ravens – 9 to 1 (@ BetUS)

It may be difficult to judge just how good the Ravens are considering they have yet to play any team with a winning record from 2008. However, we still have some high praises for this team. It all starts with the defense which is again among tops in the league. The Ravens defense ranked 2nd overall just a season ago and they could be well on their way to another strong year. We predicted the Ravens to pull of the upset over Pittsburgh in the preseason and they are going to have every opportunity. The reason the Ravens may be destined for more success in 2009 is due to the offense that has matured into a productive unit. QB Joe Flacco threw for a career high 342 yards in last week’s blowout over Cleveland 34-3. Flacco has looked sharp in just his 2nd year in the league and as a result 4 different wide receivers are already over 100 yards receiving. Add to the fact, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee are coming along nicely in the backfield and this team is going to be as dangerous as any in the AFC. The Ravens offense has slowly but consistently improved and they are going to be solid this season. As long as the defense does not fade, the Ravens could easily make a run at the AFC Championship.

#1. Indianapolis Colts – 12 to 1 (@ BetUS)

These odds are very inviting with the Colts sitting as +1200 to win the Super Bowl. Manning has been red hot in the opening games throwing over 300 yards in each contest. The Colts blew out the defending NFC Champions last week in Arizona 31-10. The Colts defense is playing extremely well holding opponents to just 15 points per game thus far in the season. The Colts defense will play a huge factor in the Colts success, but as of now everything seems to be on track. If Manning stays on fire, the Colts return to glory may be inevitable. Still, they are going to need Joseph Addai or rookie Donald Brown to get the running game going. The Colts are going to face some situations where they need their running backs to pick up first downs so it is imperative the rushing game come out of extinction. If that happens, there is not any other team in the league playing better right now.

Honorable Mention –

I’m sure some may wonder why the New York Giants are not on the list even though they may be Super Bowl contenders. The Giants are receiving 7 to 1 odds to win the Super Bowl and off to a solid 3-0 start. However, the Giants still are a concern because they way they fall apart last year. The Giants barely escaped a Washington team that was beaten by Detroit last week and hit a game winning field goal in their win over Dallas who many would consider as a bit over rated. QB Eli Manning has played well but that is nothing new for the Giants early in the year. Their biggest challenge is a lot like their biggest foes the Dallas Cowboys. The question is how will the team hold up later in the year? The big play threat at the receiver position is still in question. Steve Smith has played well and so has the emergence of Mario Manningham. However, it will be interesting to see how those young guys hold up. If they get better and do not fade, the Giants will be right in the mix. If not then it will be another disappointing story like the 2008 season.

Current odds to win the Super Bowl From BetUS (as of 9/29/09)
(Click Here & Mention BankrollSports.com for a 100% Bonus @ BetUS)

Huge Exclusive 100% Signup Bonus @ BetUS Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

Note: The week four NFL lines (sides and totals) from BetUS Sportsbook (100% signup bonus when you click here) are listed at the bottom of this page if you wish to bypass our week four lines breakdown.

Quick breakdown and early looks at the week 4 NFL lines (which are listed below); Last week was a sportsbook’s nightmare and the chalk-eating public’s dream week. The chalk eaters cashed in big (which would mean that the public bettors also cashed), as the favorites were 11-5 over the underdogs this weekend. Home dogs were also a horrible 2-5 against the spread on Sunday. Don’t expect this to happen again as the oddsmakers are sure to make adjustments to avoid too many covers by the favorites. As expected, there are a lot of very large spreads in the week 4 NFL lines. Out of the 12 NFL games that have opening spreads on Tuesday, eight of these games have spreads of 6 points or more and five of them have spreads of at least 9 points. Week four is definitely not the board you want to look at if you like betting on the favorites. However, it’s also not your board if you like betting on home underdogs, as there are only four home dogs out of the 12 NFL games with opening numbers. In week three, road teams and home teams were an even 8-8 against the spread. Oddsmakers have also been on the ball for the most part with over/unders this year, with an 8-8 split in the first two weeks and 9-7 (in favor of overs) last week. The bye weeks will begin in week 4 with Atlanta, Philadelphia, Carolina, and Arizona having the week off. In the only week four NFL matchup between two 3-0 teams, the New Orleans Saints are big 6.5 point favorites at home vs. the red hot New York Jets. Every other division leader, with the exception of San Francisco, currently holds a 3-0 record and is also favored to win in week 4. All of the 0-3 teams, with the exception of Miami and Tennessee, are big underdogs of 6 points or more. Tennessee is actually giving 3 points on the road vs. Jacksonville and Miami is getting 3 points at home vs. the Buffalo Bills. The Monday Night Football matchup for week 4 features the (3-0) Minnesota Vikings as 3½ point favorites at home vs. the (2-1) Green Bay Packers in what should prove to be an outstanding NFC North showdown. Expect a lot more home dogs and underdogs as a whole to cash in week four as favorite/underdog ATS records tend to even out from week to week in the NFL. Take a look at the 2009 week four spreads and schedule from top sponsor, BetUS Sportsbook below.

**Click Here For The World’s Greatest Sports Betting System**

Is your 2009 NFL and college football betting season not going as well as expected?  If you need some affordable assistance with your week 4 NFL picks or week 5 NCAA football picks, then consider purchasing premium football picks from a service that works day-in and day-out and cares for their clients.  The Bankroll Sports Handicapping team is currently 6-2 with their top 10* NFL releases this year and an overall 56-34 (62%) all (college and NFL) football releases this season. Let our handicappers guide you to a winning weekend by purchasing premium picks from the Bankroll Sports handicappers.

2009 NFL Football Week Four Lines From BetUS (as of 9/29 @ 12:30 pm ET):
(Get a 100% Signup Bonus When You Use This Link & Mention Bankroll Sports at Signup)

Huge Exclusive 100% Signup Bonus @ BetUS Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

Note: The week three lines (sides and totals) from BetUS Sportsbook (100% signup bonus when you click here) are listed at the bottom of this page if you wish to bypass our week three lines breakdown.

Underdogs and favorites were a 8-8 split last week based on the closing numbers at BetUS. If you enjoy betting on home teams, this has probably not been a very good start to the 2009 NFL betting season for you. A whopping ten (of 16) road teams covered the spread in week 1 and another ten (of 16) in week 2. This does not bode well for the betting public. However, the Bankroll Sports experts spotted the home team favoritism in the lines as our handicappers are a perfect 5-0 in NFL 10* releases this year and also went 7-1 in week 2. If you think the oddsmakers are unaware all the road teams covering the spread, think again. Based on the opening numbers for the week 3 lines, five of the twelve games that are on the board for next Sunday are road favorites of 4 points or more. The oddsmakers have been on top of the NFL totals in the first two weeks as over/unders are currently 15-16 thus far in 2009.

Looking at the week three NFL lines for the final Sunday in September, injuries are starting to play a role, with five games either “circled” or “off the board” on Tuesday morning after week 2. The biggest favorite on the week schedule is in the (2-0) Baltimore Ravens at home vs. the (0-2) Cleveland Browns. The highest total for week three is in the Saints @ Bills matchup, which is appropriately set at 52½. This 52½ total doesn’t seem like such a big number after looking at these two teams’ point totals in weeks one and two. The Saints scored a combined 93 points in the first two weeks and the Bills offense is starting to really come together, scoring a combined 57 points. Based on these averages, the oddsmakers could have unrealistically set this total at 75 points. As for some of the other hot (2-0) teams in the league, the New York Jets open as 2½ point favorites at home vs. the (0-2) Titans; the New York Giants open as a touchdown favorite on the road vs. the struggling (0-2) Buccaneers; the Green Bay Packers are listed as 6½ point road favorites at the (0-2) Rams. In a matchup of two teams that are 2-0, the San Francisco 49ers are set as seven point road dogs against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. (1-1) New England, who has looked like a different team then the Patriots of old have another tough task when Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons come to Foxburo as 4 point dogs. For the week 3 Monday Night Football line, we have the Carolina Panthers coming to “Jerry World” as 9 point underdogs which was expected to be a much better matchup when scheduled at the beginning of the season. Yes football bettors, the 2009 NFL Football betting season is officially in full swing as handicappers and animalists start to get quality looks at these NFL teams for 2009.

Off to a bad start? Consider purchasing premium picks this weekend from a service that works day-in and day-out for their clients. Consider getting on board with the Bankroll Sports Handicapping experts who are currently 5-0 with their top 10* NFL releases and an overall 51-26 (66%) all (college and NFL) football releases this season. Let our handicappers guide you to a winning weekend by purchasing premium picks from the Bankroll Sports handicappers. 

2009 NFL Football Week Three Lines From BetUS (as of 9/12 @ 8:00 am ET):
(Get a 100% Signup Bonus When You Use This Link & Mention Bankroll Sports at Signup)

Huge Exclusive 100% Signup Bonus @ BetUS Courtesy of Bankroll Sports!
New BetUS Players Only: Must Mention Bankroll Sports at BetUS & Use This Link!
(Must Use Above Links – $100 Min. / $500 Max. – 50% Additional Bonus For Deposits Over $500)

At the bottom of this page, you will find the complete listing of week two lines for all the NFL games from BetUS Sportsbook (100% football signup bonus at BetUS when you click here). There were a few small surprises in week one, such as the New York Jets who handled the Huston Texans on the road, the San Francisco 49ers who upset the defending NFC Champion, Cardinals in Arizona, and the Denver Broncos took care of Cincinnati in a tight, and very ugly game. The Niners are 1.5 point favorites at home vs. the Seattle Seahawks (1-0) and the Denver Broncos are 3 point favorites at home vs. the Cleveland Browns (0-1). The oddsmakers have the New York Jets listed as 5 point home underdogs vs. the New England Patriots.  The Pats squeaked by the Buffalo Bills at home on Monday Night Football in week 1. There is not a single winless team that is favored in week two of the 2009 NFL season, including the Chicago Bears who lost star linebacker Brian Urlacher for the season on Monday Night. The Bears opened as 1 point underdogs at home vs. the defending Super Bowl Champion, Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettors quickly jumped on that line as the Steelers jumped to -3 in just a few short hours after the week two line opened for this game. Perhaps this was due to Jay Cutler’s pitiful performance on Sunday night where he threw 5 interceptions. The biggest line on the board is the Washington Redskins (1-0); listed as 10 favorite over St. Louis.  The Rams (0-1) may have looked like the worst team in football in week one. 2008’s worst team, the Detroit Lions (0-1) are listed as 9.5 home dogs vs. the Minnesota Vikings (1-0), who looked very impressive in their week one win at Cleveland where star running back Adrian Peterson ran wild. The Bears, Lions and Jets are three of the only four home underdogs listed on the week two schedule. The other is the Philadelphia Eagles (1-0), who may be without star Quarterback, Donovan McNabb. The ‘Iigles are listed as 1 point home dogs vs. the New Orleans Saints (1-0), who spanked the lowly Lions on Sunday. As for the Monday Night Football matchup, we have another home underdog in the Miami Dolphins (0-1). The Fins are listed as 3 point dogs at home vs. the 1-0 Indianapolis Colts (1-0).  Full list of week 2 spreads are listed below.  We will update these lines throughout the week as they are updated at Bet US. 

2009 NFL Football Week Two Lines & Odds From BetUS (as of 9/15 @ 11am ET):
(Get a 100% Signup Bonus When You Use This Link & Mention Bankroll Sports at Signup)

* Denotes Line Is From Sportsbook.com / Currently Off The Board At BetUS
Will Be Updated Once The In-Week Line is Posted At BetUS Sportsbook

Exclusive Football Betting Sportsbook Bonus Offer Available From Bankroll Sports Only
Click Here For An Exclusive 100% Bonus (Credit Cards Accepted) @ JustBet!

NFL Football Week 1 News & Headlines Cycle:

• ESPN; Richard Seymour Expected To Arrive in Oakland on Saturday
• ESPN; Browns’ James Davis Now Questionable
• ESPN; Appeals Court Rules Vikings Can’t Suspend Two Players
• Twin Cities; Tarvaris Jackson to Backup Favre This Season
• NBC Sports; Arron Ross Out For Giants This Week
• NFL Spin Zone; Jon Runyan To Join a Team on Monday
• Baltimore Sun; Ravens’ L.J. Smith Will be a “Gameday” Decision
• Seattle New Tribune; Deion Branch May Miss Opener With Injury
• Fox Sports; Tamoa Bay Buccaneers Have 30 Million in Cap Space

Blogisphere & NFL Football Week 1 Opinion/Entertainment Cycle:

• Sharapova’s Thigh; The Fastest Freaking NFL Preview Ever
• Cheddar’s Sports Blog; Week 1 NFL Preview – Lots of Questions
• Bleeding Green Nation; Holmes Wears Vick Jersey at Press Conference
• Biz of Football; NBC Has Highest Rated Kickoff Game in Seven Years
• Randall Simon’s Sausages; NFL Week 1 Hot Off The Grill
• The Ebony Bird; Joe Flacco Highlight Reel (video)
• Midway Illustrated; Bears Match-up Well With Packers Receivers
• The Viking Age; Sean Salisbury Fired For ‘Sexting’

2009 Week 1 NFL Fantasy Football Cycle:

• Midwest Sports Fans; Week 1 NFL Fantasy Start ‘Em / Sit ‘Em
• Top Fantasy Football; Week 1 Last Minute Updates
• Rotoworld; Week 1 Waiver Wire Pick-Up Recommendations
• Favre Dollar Footlongs; Fantasy Football is a Game of Poker
• CBS Sports; Week 1 Fantasy Football Matchups
• Pro Football Weekly; Ten Most Intriguing Players For Week 1
• Gang Green Nation; Week 1 NFL Football Fantasy Focus
• Rumors & Rants; Who Will Sink or Swim in Week 1
• Club Seat; Week 1 In The Club / Out The Club

About Our Football Links Cycle Posts:
Interested in adding your stories to our Football Links Cycle lists? We are always looking for more quality football related stories and blog posts. Our staff reads through thousands of sports stories every day. We post the stories we find the most relevant or the blog posts we think our readers will find the most entertaining. Do you have a quality sports/football related web site or blog? Do you offer football stories and opinion at your site? If yes, then please contact us and let us know about your site so that we can add it to our list of online publications. We can’t add your stories if we haven’t seen your blog.

Who else wants to make $100,000 per year – working from home ?

Football enthusiast have gotten their taste of action with the college ranks kick starting the new season this past week. Now, we look forward to the opening week in professional football that will start this Thursday Night when Tennessee travels to Pittsburgh. If the college excitement over the past 7 days indicates what may be in store for the NFL’s opening weekend, there is sure to be a lot of excitement and surprises. We have already broken down conference previews, Super Bowl odds, and other types of betting strategies to take with you throughout the season. Currently, we will turn our focus to the opening week action as there are many Week 1 specials by all major bookmakers like Betus.com and more. Take a look at some of these interesting props to aid in cashing in big this weekend. Also, be sure to check here at bankrollsports.com where you can get the experts picks for Week 1 of the NFL.

**Click Here for the World’s Greatest Baseball Betting System**

Free NFL Prop Bet #1 – Will the Detroit Lions win a game before their bye week?

Yes: +120
No: -160

Detroit Lions winless season last year has drawn attention from nearly every bookmaker with odds on their first victory. The Lions bye week on Week 7 after they have played: the Saints, Vikings, Redskins, Bears, Steelers, and Packers. Those first 6 games are not exactly the type of opponent to end a winless streak against. However, the odds are inviting to take a chance the Lions will score a victory in that time period. Matthew Stafford has been named the starting quarterback so the Lions will put the overall number 1 pick to the test right away. Excluding Matt Ryan from this conversation, normally it takes young quarterbacks time to develop or at least later in the year. Not only is this Jim Schwartz first year at head coach, but this is a whole different team than in 2008. Sure, they are still under talented but the effort level will change rest assured. Still, the first few games look very difficult with only Washington as maybe being the only vulnerable target. The Lions youngsters they have brought in to change the culture will need a few weeks to get the ball rolling and we expect that to happen after the break. After all, coming back from the bye week the Lions will take on Seattle, St. Louis, Cleveland, and Cincinnati over the next 6 games. We expect the Lions to get off to a slow start which should be expected, but the schedule towards the end of the year could really rack up some wins and surprise teams if they start playing well.

Free Football Pick – No -160

Free NFL Prop Bet #2 – Super Bowl XLIV Early Line

AFC: -3 points (-115)
NFC: +3 points (-115)

Sure we may not now what the future holds since nearly every football season has its ups and downs along with surprises. However, we can forecast some of the likely scenarios that could take place in 2009. Judging by all the team’s talent levels and in-depth reviews, the AFC will be one wild animal to bring down this season. In the AFC we have: the return of Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, the defending Super Bowl Champions, and possibly even more contenders in Baltimore and Indianapolis. Add to the fact that the NFC could likely see a down year in talent (Giants, Cowboys, Cardinals, Panthers) and the odds are very achievable for the AFC to conquer their 6th Lombardi Trophy in the past 7 years. The Steelers will return the best defense in the NFL and New England appears to be again the most dangerous offense in the league. Not to mention the Colts won 9 straight games to end the regular season, and also the Ravens could surprise and there are too many weapons on the AFC to pass up this betting opportunity.

Free Football Pick – AFC – 3points
– NFL Specials

Free NFL Prop Bet #3

Steelers, Falcons, Eagles, and Vikings all win: +425
Steelers, Dolphins, Jets, and Colts all win: +1200
Steelers/Colts both win 1st half, and Broncos win: +300

If you like parlay type betting action this may be prop bet of your preference. All of these bets are seemingly long shots, but make up for it with their profitable odds. After taking some time to review these options, only one seems to have a legitimate chance to actually hit. Notice you see the Steelers in all these bets. Do not let that alarm you because they should not have much trouble with the Titans considering Tennessee should not be near as good as they were last year. However, we really like the first bet with the Falcons, Eagles, and Vikings all winning. Minnesota will play the helpless Cleveland Browns in what has to be near a guarantee. If the Vikings can beat the Browns, how do they expect to challenge in the NFC North? On the other hand, the Vikings could actually be one of the better teams in the NFC now that they will have some consistency with Farve behind center and the team will ride on the legs of Adrian Peterson. Expect the Vikings to roll. The Falcons get Miami at home in the Georgia Dome and enter year 2 of the Matt Ryan era. Atlanta will be 4 point favorites against the Dolphins led by QB Chad Pennington. If Matt Ryan can just continue to accomplish what he did in year 1 the Falcons should be fine and we could only imagine what is in store for Atlanta if he improves. This should be a good game, but Atlanta may have the edge. In the final match-up in this bet, Philadelphia travels to Carolina. The Panthers were among the best in the NFC at 12-4 last year, but with QB Jake Delhomme collapse in the playoffs thrown up red flags. The Panthers must have Delhomme play well to contend. However, they will likely get the best defense in the NFC and an offense that is getting more dangerous by the day. Ever since McNabb was benched last season, the offense has been impressive. Add Michael Vick to the venue and it seems like there may be too many weapons for the Panthers defense who already took a step back last year.

Free Football Pick – Steelers, Falcons, Eagles, and Vikings all win +425