BODOG NFL BETTING PREVIEW:
NFL Forecast: Play the Cards
A look at three
teams that have been given long odds to win Super
Bowl XL, and three contenders undeserving of their
favorite status.
The Arizona Cardinals
are making the playoffs. They may even come away
with the NFC West title and if they do that, then
why not the conference championship? And currently
at 35/1 to win it all, go ahead and complete the
thought:
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There
are worse ways to invest a couple of bucks
than plunking down on the longtime Duds
of the Desert to shock the world. Dennis
Green and the Cardinals are poised to be
this year's surprise contender. A team that
has had one winning season during its 17
years in Phoenix does not easily earn such
an optimistic forecast.
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A team that has had one
winning season during its 17 years in Phoenix
does not easily earn such an optimistic forecast.
The Cardinals have worked for respect in the offseason.
Dennis Green's team added 11 free agents and rookie
cornerback Antrel Rolle - the eighth overall pick
in the entry draft - to a defense that ranked
12th in the league. On offense, Green shored up
the line and added a veteran signalcaller to fine
tune his three young, dynamic receivers who could
evoke comparisons to the Colts' Harrison-Wayne-Stokley
combination.
Without a doubt, Kurt Warner has
seen his best performances. But the two-time MVP
quarterback has pinpoint accuracy and will break
from the huddle with weapons similar to the arsenal
he was blessed with during his prime in St. Louis.
In fact, the Cardinals' lethal trio of Larry Fitzgerald,
Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson may provide a
stronger receiving corps than Torry Holt, Isaac
Bruce and Az-Zahir Hakim. When looking at futures
and seeking a plausible prediction worth the investment,
remember history and watch for it to repeat. In
the Cardinals' preseason-opener - a 13-11 win
over Dallas - Warner was 14-for-19 for 151 yards
and threw a touchdown to Fitzgerald. The performance
went further toward affirming that Warner is in
a situation similar to where he was when he began
his historic ascent with the Rams.
There is one significant exception:
The Cardinals have no running back with near the
skill level of Marshall Faulk. Arizona will rely
on rookie speedster J.J. Arrington to carry the
running load - and to pick up the blocking schemes
fast. More seasoned pros Marcel Shipp and Troy
Hambrick will provide a change of pace. If Arrington
can deliver a 1,000-yard season, the Cardinals'
turnaround from perennial failures to contenders
will be complete.
Bet
on The Cardinals with Bodog NFL Betting Future
Lines
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T.J.
Houshmandzadeh and the
Cincinnati Bengals have an offense
loaded with talent. Cincinnati Bengals
Carson Palmer's time is now. The 2002 Heisman
Trophy winner and former first-overall pick
has had one season of playing experience
in his two years of NFL life. |
He's got an array of talented
receivers, a dependable running back and a strong
offensive line. His coach, Marvin Lewis, has put
him in a position to succeed. For Palmer and the
Bengals, success should translate into more than
making the playoffs. This team has been edged
out of the AFC wild-card race in each of the past
two seasons and that experience can lead to one
of two attitudes. The Bengals could be aiming
just to get into the postseason, or they could
focus on propeling themselves beyond one obstacle,
and charge toward the ultimate crown. Lewis is
the type of motivator who doesn't settle and Palmer
has the type of talent that's limitless. In July,
the Bengals were 40/1 to win Super Bowl XL. That
number has dropped to 33/1, still a good price.
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on The BENGALs with Bodog NFL Betting Future Lines
Dallas Cowboys
The Bill Parcells' era in Dallas enters its third
season with new looks on offense and defense.
Drew Bledsoe reunites with Parcells, the coach
who drafted him first overall in 1993, but unlike
his early days in New England, the veteran quarterback
will not be asked to save a franchise - or even
to throw the ball that much. With Julius Jones,
the Cowboys will be a run-oriented team hoping
to limit turnovers and close games out with defensive
stops. Parcells has implemented a 3-4 that utilizes
the speed of his linebackers and allows him to
throw more looks at opposing quarterbacks. The
Cowboys' are 30/1 to take the Lombardi trophy
back to Big D for a sixth time. In a league that
gains more parity with each successive year, one
could do worse than betting on the Tuna and a
stingy defense.
Bet on The Cowboys with Bodog NFL Betting Future Lines
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Philadelphia Eagles
You only get so many chances to close the deal.
Just ask the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings
and Cleveland Browns. The Eagles are poised for
a collapse. They've been in the playoffs for six
straight years, taking baby steps toward the top
with each appearance. The Little Engine That Could
routine works fine in fairytales; in the NFL it's
a darker story. Lack of success means lack of
championship form - or, in the case of Donovan
McNabb in last year's Super Bowl, lack of championship
fitness. The AFC may not witness much upheaval,
but the NFC looks like it's primed for new leadership.
These Eagles may be 6/1 co-favorites to win it
all, but send those odds home with Terrell Owens
and put money on the under for Philadelphia's
regular-season win total.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks, the favorite for the NFC West crown,
may not finish in the top three in their own division.
Last year, Seattle opened 3-0, beating up on New
Orleans, Tampa Bay and San Francisco, fell to
3-3 when the tougher opponents arrived on the
schedule then had to scramble to edge the Rams
for the division. September won't be easy this
time. The 'Hawks open with Jacksonville, Atlanta
and Arizona. Their non-division opponents include
Dallas and Indianapolis. And, if they need a win
at the end of the year to get into the playoffs,
they'll have to pick it up at Lambeau Field against
the Packers on New Year's Day. Seattle's 6/5 to
win the division and 28/1 to take the Super Bowl,
and those are not long enough odds. Go under the
total of 8.5 wins.
Baltimore Ravens
Remember how great the Bears defense was in 1985?
No one had seen a unit play with such ferocity
and a high level of execution as Richard Dent
and the Super Bowl Shufflers from the Windy City.
Those Bears never won again. As time advances,
it's likely we'll say the same about the Baltimore
Ravens, who put it all together in 2000 and won
despite an anemic offense that has improved only
marginally over the first half of the new century.
Kyle Boller is not the answer. Jamal Lewis is
a sub-par human being but a fantastic running
back. No back, however, can flourish for long
with a putrid passing attack. Lewis will be overworked
and could be out of the league prematurely if
he's injured again. These birds won't crack the
10-win plateau.
The Cardinals, a Super Bowl contender!
Are we mad? Or are we ahead of the curve? E-mail
us and share your prognostications.
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