NFL 2008
Let The Games Begin!
Big Al McMordie
Al McMordie is the most honored technical handicapper in the country. By: Big Al McMordie Date: Aug 3, 2008
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Football is king and August kicks off the 2008 football season. Yes, exhibition football is largely meaningless for the players and coaches, with starters sitting more than playing. Yet, there are plenty of wagering angles and insights available to help identify soft betting numbers.
Teams have made offseason changes, bringing in new personnel on the field and on the sidelines. The Ravens, for instance, have a new coach in John Harbaugh. Former coach Brian Billick had a reputation for taking it easy on his players in August, yet the new coach has a very different approach. Baltimore players are calling it "Camp Hardball," and several of the players are hurting, frustrated and tired.
Harbaugh has the players practicing in old game jerseys, instilling the philosophy that you should play like you practice. "We're going to be ready for anything," center Jason Brown said. Harbaugh's practices are pad-thumping and helmet-cracking, clearly designed to add some discipline and toughness to what was a soft, underachieving Ravens team in 2008. That's something to keep in mind in the preseason: Are the Ravens taking the exhibition games seriously and hitting hard for their new coach?
The opposite approach is being taken in Minnesota. Coach Brad Childress has dramatically altered his approach from the previous two years. Rather than overwork his players, Childress has allowed his team to practice in shorts and shoulder pads early in camp. We will see if the milder approach has any preseason effect.
Herm Edwards has a decent preseason record at 16-12 SU, 15-13 ATS. He has revamped the KC defense for this season, getting younger all around. However, the centerpiece of their rebuilding effort, top pick rookie defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, injured his left knee in practice Saturday. Edwards described the injury as a sprain. "He's probably going to be week-to-week," Edwards said. Keep close tabs on Dorsey, as rookies often see more action in August than veterans.Tank Tyler, a third-round draft pick last year, will replace Dorsey in the starting lineup, perhaps slowing Edwards’ rebuilding plan.
One betting angle to remember is that the defending champs have been awful (or overvalued) in preseason, at 2-10 SU/ATS the last three years. Part of it is that there’s only one defending champ each year and opposing teams are more likely to want to stick it to the champs, especially at home. Any type of extra motivation, no matter how seemingly insignificant, is essential when examining August exhibition lines. That label falls on the NY Giants this August. It's interesting that after veteran Eli Manning, the Giants have new QBs in David Carr, Anthony Wright, and rookie Andre Woodson.
One team that is in bounce-back mode for 2008 is the New Orleans Saints. After reaching the NFC Championship game two years ago, the Saints were a flop in 2008, starting 0-4 SU/ATS and failing to reach the playoffs. They've added TE Jeremy Shockey, and also hope to have a healthy RB Deuce McAllister back. Additionally, speedy WR Robert Meachem is playing after being inactive for all 16 games last season. He was a first round pick in 2007.
The defense also added talent, with free-agent defensive end Bobby McCray and 7th-round draft pick defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis coming on board. They also added cornerback Randall Gay via free agency.
Since QB play is so important in preseason, notice the Saints have veterans Drew Brees and Mark Brunell, plus Tyler Palko. All three are mobile.
For those of you who put a lot of emphasis on backup quarterbacks in preseason, take note of the San Francisco 49ers situation. J.T. O'Sullivan is listed as the No. 3 QB behind Alex Smith and Shaun Hill, but he's having a great camp because of a head start. Mike Martz is the new offensive coordinator in San Francisco, and O'Sullivan played with Martz last season in Detroit. Martz has a complicated playbook, but O'Sullivan has looked the most game-ready thus far, perhaps giving a small edge to the 49ers in the second half of the first few preseason games. After all, small edges can mean significant paydays at the betting window! Good luck, as always...Al McMordie.
posted by phantom
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NFL Facts
by T.O. Whenham - 08/21/2008
NFL fans love NFL facts. At least some do. If you are one of them then this article is for you. Here is a collection some useful NFL facts, and others that you probably don't need to know. Just because you don't need to, though, doesn't mean you don't want to. Without further ado, onto the NFL facts:
--Up until 1912, a touchdown was only worth five points
--The American Professional Football Association became the NFL on June 24, 1922. The Chicago Staleys became the Chicago Bears that year, and are the only team not to change name or city.
--The first night game was played in 1929 in Providence against the Chicago Cardinals.
--The first Pro Bowl was played Jan. 15, 1939 at Wrigley Field. The New York Giants beat the Pro All-Stars, 13-10.
--The AFL was started in 1940.
--CBS was the first network to broadcast games, in 1956. By 1965 they were paying $18.8 million per year for the rights.
--The Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi trophy in 1970, the year Lombardi died.
--When Art Shell became the coach of the Raiders in 1989 he was the first African-American coach since Fritz Pollard in 1921 in Akron.
--College juniors became eligible for the NFL Draft in 1990 as long as they renounced their college eligibility before the draft.
--In 1990 every team had won at least one game in the first four weeks of the season. That hadn't happened since 1957.
--The 10,000th regular season game was played Oct. 5, 1997. The Seahawks beat the Tennessee Oilers, 16-13, in Seattle.
--In 2001 George Bush became the first President to do a regular season coin toss. Via satellite from the White House he tossed the coin for 10 games that started at once on Sept. 9. Needless to say, there were no games the next week.
--The Houston Texans became the 32nd and, to date, final expansion team in 2002. Tony Boselli was the first pick in the expansion draft. Injuries made him a bust.
--Within less than a month in 2002, running back Walter Payton lost two significant records. On Sept. 29 Jerry Rice passed him for most all-purpose yards. On Oct. 27, Emmitt Smith passed him to become the career rushing leader.
Here are some frequently asked questions for current and past NFL seasons:
When does the NFL season start? - The season starts Thursday, Sept. 4, when Washington visits the Giants. The rest of the games are Sunday except for two Monday night games.
How is the NFL Schedule determined? - See this article on the NFL Schedule Formula
Who was the first black NFL quarterback? - There are a few answers. On Oct. 18, 1953, Willie Thrower of the Bears was the first African-American to take a snap in a pro game. It wasn't until 1968, though, that Marlin Briscoe, a rookie with Denver, became the first African-American starter. Doug Williams was the first to win a Super Bowl, and Warren Moon was the first African-American QB in the NFL Hall of Fame.
Who is the shortest player in the NFL? - J.J. Moses and Darren Sproles are both 5'6"
What is the average NFL salary? - Given the salary cap in 2008, the average salary will be approximately $2.27 million
What is the starting salary in the NFL? - The minimum NFL player salary for rookies is $285,000
What is the perimeter of an NFL football field? - The field is 300 feet or 100 yards long, and 160 feet or 53 1/3 yards wide, so the perimeter is 920 feet or 306 2/3 yards.
Who is the fastest man in the NFL? - Cornerback Justin Miller of the Jets won the NFL's Fastest Man competition in 2007, though many would argue that Devin Hester is faster.
How long was the longest NFL punt? - On Sept. 21, 1969, Steve O'Neal of the Jets punted 98 yards against the Broncos.
What are the highest NFL salaries? - As of 2007: Dwight Freeney, Colts, $30.75 million; Marc Bulger, Rams, $17.5 million; Leonard Davis, Cowboys, $17 million; Gaines Adams, Buccaneers, $15.4 million; Robert Geathers, Bengals, $14 million
Who is the highest paid player in the NFL? - Dwight Freeney
How many NFL football teams are there? - 32
Who is the oldest franchise in the NFL? - The Arizona Cardinals can trace their history back to 1890 in Chicago.
Who threw the most interceptions in the NFL (all-time)? - Brett Favre with 288 as of 2007. (He also has the most touchdowns)
What was the first NFL team? - The Arizona Cardinals (then the Chicago Cardinals)
What NFL team has the best record (all-time)? - The Bears have the most wins, and the Cowboys have the best winning percentage
posted by phantom
Sept. 1 2008 2:48am