The Playoff Sprint
By SPORTSBETTING.COM
Some teams are in?some teams are out, but there?s a group of clubs that are right in the middle of the NFL playoff race. With only a few weeks left on the schedule, it really is do or die every time these teams take the field.
Playoff spots are up for grabs, so it?s time for the real contenders to man up.
As it stands only the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys have clinched playoff berths leaving five spots a piece for the AFC and NFC. However, the Colts and Steelers are going to see post-season action in the AFC, as well as the Packers in the NFC, but after that there are a number of teams that need to roll up their sleeves and bust their respective humps if they hope to land a playoff date.
The fact that the Detroit Lions are at the .500 mark (6-6) is a miracle unto itself as the team has doubled their win total from a year previous. Considered one of the league?s perennial losers, the Lions finished a miserable 3-13 last season and while the ?Fire Matt Millen? club has quieted down for now, they could be further silenced with a playoff game. It isn?t going to be easy though as the Lions will host the NFC best Dallas Cowboys this week.
SPORTSBETTING.COM has the Lions listed as a 10?-point underdog (+425 on the money line) and it looks as if the betting public thinks the Motor City?s pro football team is headed on a downward spiral as Dallas is getting 90% of the betting action.
It could have something to do with the fact QB Jon Kitna has already thrown 12 picks; the offense has fumbled the ball 32 times and the defense has not looked good as of late. The road to the playoffs appears a little too steep for this Detroit club to climb.
- Not far behind the Lions on the futility ladder are the Cleveland Browns. Ever since being resurrected back in 1999, the current Browns have only had one winning season and one playoff appearance - in 2002.
2007 could be the second time they make the playoffs as this edition of the Browns have put together a decent season thus far, currently sitting at 7-5. They can take a step closer to the post season and up their record to a respectable 8-5 if they can beat the hapless New York Jets this weekend.
The early action is coming in on Cleveland, as a 3?-point favorite at a 70% clip.
- The Minnesota Vikings are seemingly setting themselves up for a big push to the playoffs. Last week the Vikes not only saw the return of NFL leading rusher Adrian Peterson to the lineup but they covered the 5?-point spread about seven times over in a 42-10 win over the aforementioned Detroit Lions.
Anything can happen on any given Sunday, but Minnesota faces a 3-9 San Francisco 49ers team that also sports a 3-9 ATS mark, giving the Vikings another opponent they should beat straight up, but they are laying big points out on the West Coast.
The Vikes, favored by 8?-points, are receiving close to 90% of the betting public?s support in this tilt.
- A Sunday match that could have huge implications in the playoff race will see the San Diego Chargers traveling to Tennessee to face the Titans. Chargers? GM A.J. Smith won the battle against former head coach Marty Schottenheimer?where Schottenheimer was fired?but Smith probably subconsciously wishes San Diego still played Marty Ball.
At 7-5, the team will fall well short of last year?s league best record of 14-2 but the Chargers can still earn a playoff spot.
With an identical 7-5 record the Tennessee Titans are also in the hunt for a playoff spot too and if they are to hit the post season QB Vince Young will play a big part.
Young is showing a lot of promise while still learning the QB position, but you have to like an NFL sophomore QB who has led his team to 7+ wins his first two seasons in the NFL (Young led the Titans to an 8-8 record last year).
SPORTSBETTING.COM lists this one as a PICK?EM and the Chargers are seeing 85% of the wagers.
- The Seattle Seahawks are seemingly in a cushy position sitting at 8-4 in the NFC West, while the Arizona Cardinals seem to be struggling sitting behind the Seahawks at 6-6.
But if the Cards manage to pull out a victory against the Seahawks this Sunday in Seattle, they?ll only be one game behind the division leaders and that would make both the race for the playoffs and NFC West very interesting.
Both teams have managed to be ATS winners to this point in the season, as the Seahawks are at 7-5 ATS and the Cards at 8-4. In this one the Seahawks are favored by a TD and the betting public is lining up on the home side, backing Seattle at an 85% clip.
Enjoy all the playoff race drama this week.
Be sure to stop by SPORTSBETTING.COM to check out the FREE $50,000 Football Mania Bowl Contest?all you need to do is pick winners this bowl season and you could win great prizes and maybe pocket $50,000.
By SPORTSBETTING.COM
Some teams are in?some teams are out, but there?s a group of clubs that are right in the middle of the NFL playoff race. With only a few weeks left on the schedule, it really is do or die every time these teams take the field.
Playoff spots are up for grabs, so it?s time for the real contenders to man up.
As it stands only the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys have clinched playoff berths leaving five spots a piece for the AFC and NFC. However, the Colts and Steelers are going to see post-season action in the AFC, as well as the Packers in the NFC, but after that there are a number of teams that need to roll up their sleeves and bust their respective humps if they hope to land a playoff date.
The fact that the Detroit Lions are at the .500 mark (6-6) is a miracle unto itself as the team has doubled their win total from a year previous. Considered one of the league?s perennial losers, the Lions finished a miserable 3-13 last season and while the ?Fire Matt Millen? club has quieted down for now, they could be further silenced with a playoff game. It isn?t going to be easy though as the Lions will host the NFC best Dallas Cowboys this week.
SPORTSBETTING.COM has the Lions listed as a 10?-point underdog (+425 on the money line) and it looks as if the betting public thinks the Motor City?s pro football team is headed on a downward spiral as Dallas is getting 90% of the betting action.
It could have something to do with the fact QB Jon Kitna has already thrown 12 picks; the offense has fumbled the ball 32 times and the defense has not looked good as of late. The road to the playoffs appears a little too steep for this Detroit club to climb.
- Not far behind the Lions on the futility ladder are the Cleveland Browns. Ever since being resurrected back in 1999, the current Browns have only had one winning season and one playoff appearance - in 2002.
2007 could be the second time they make the playoffs as this edition of the Browns have put together a decent season thus far, currently sitting at 7-5. They can take a step closer to the post season and up their record to a respectable 8-5 if they can beat the hapless New York Jets this weekend.
The early action is coming in on Cleveland, as a 3?-point favorite at a 70% clip.
- The Minnesota Vikings are seemingly setting themselves up for a big push to the playoffs. Last week the Vikes not only saw the return of NFL leading rusher Adrian Peterson to the lineup but they covered the 5?-point spread about seven times over in a 42-10 win over the aforementioned Detroit Lions.
Anything can happen on any given Sunday, but Minnesota faces a 3-9 San Francisco 49ers team that also sports a 3-9 ATS mark, giving the Vikings another opponent they should beat straight up, but they are laying big points out on the West Coast.
The Vikes, favored by 8?-points, are receiving close to 90% of the betting public?s support in this tilt.
- A Sunday match that could have huge implications in the playoff race will see the San Diego Chargers traveling to Tennessee to face the Titans. Chargers? GM A.J. Smith won the battle against former head coach Marty Schottenheimer?where Schottenheimer was fired?but Smith probably subconsciously wishes San Diego still played Marty Ball.
At 7-5, the team will fall well short of last year?s league best record of 14-2 but the Chargers can still earn a playoff spot.
With an identical 7-5 record the Tennessee Titans are also in the hunt for a playoff spot too and if they are to hit the post season QB Vince Young will play a big part.
Young is showing a lot of promise while still learning the QB position, but you have to like an NFL sophomore QB who has led his team to 7+ wins his first two seasons in the NFL (Young led the Titans to an 8-8 record last year).
SPORTSBETTING.COM lists this one as a PICK?EM and the Chargers are seeing 85% of the wagers.
- The Seattle Seahawks are seemingly in a cushy position sitting at 8-4 in the NFC West, while the Arizona Cardinals seem to be struggling sitting behind the Seahawks at 6-6.
But if the Cards manage to pull out a victory against the Seahawks this Sunday in Seattle, they?ll only be one game behind the division leaders and that would make both the race for the playoffs and NFC West very interesting.
Both teams have managed to be ATS winners to this point in the season, as the Seahawks are at 7-5 ATS and the Cards at 8-4. In this one the Seahawks are favored by a TD and the betting public is lining up on the home side, backing Seattle at an 85% clip.
Enjoy all the playoff race drama this week.
Be sure to stop by SPORTSBETTING.COM to check out the FREE $50,000 Football Mania Bowl Contest?all you need to do is pick winners this bowl season and you could win great prizes and maybe pocket $50,000.
