NFL Betting – Seven Things To Watch in the NFL

NFL bettors often want to zero in on some things they are going to keep a special eye out for, and we’re no exception to that. What are some of the back-stories, or the stories that are front and center, if you will, that might affect how the games of Week 5 come down from an NFL betting standpoint? Well, we’ve got a few, and maybe you’ve got a few too. Let’s compare notes!

* What I’m looking for is whether in the coming weeks what we get is an amount of attention for Randy Moss in Minnesota that might rival that which Brett Favre has gotten, and whether that’s going to touch off an ego war between the two. No, I’m just half-kidding. I know that Moss is exciting about going back to the Metrodome, and I also know that Favre, who is looking for a deep threat, now has the ultimate deep threat in the fold. How will they work together? I’m not sure a definitive answer will come this Monday night as the Vikings play the Jets, but we’ll get some clues,. The Jets are a 3.5-point NFL betting favorite in that game.

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* In association with that story, I guess I’m also looking for something out of a team that is in its bye week. What will the New England Patriots do now that Moss is gone? I understand that Moss was probably getting to be too much of a problem with them, because he was unhappy about not getting a contract extension and unhappy as hell that he didn’t catch a pass on Monday night, but who is going to be the guy who can make some plays down the field? They’ll use Brandon Tate some, but he’s inexperienced. There was a report in a Boston paper that the Pats might be interested in Deion Branch, but that’s not an answer. Vincent Jackson has been discussed as a possibility, and that one I can believe. maybe they’ll just send Wes Welker up the field a little more. The Patriots are currently +125 to win the AFC East in the NFL betting odds.

* The Arizona Cardinals are taking a gamble; that is, if they still think they have a chance to win the NFC West. Coach Ken Whisenhunt, who didn’t bother to upgrade much at the quarterback position after Kurt Warner’s retirement, is paying the price for that now. Derek Anderson (52%, 5 INT’s) wasn’t panning out, so Max Hall will get his first NFL start against the Saints this Sunday. Hall was a star and even a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate at BYU, throwing for 11,365 yards, but he wasn’t drafted, and had all he could handle to beat out John Skelton for the backup quarterback job after Matt Leinart was released. It is rare that an undrafted rookie would become a starting QB so early in his first year, and I don’t know how many of those guys made a debut against the Super Bowl champs. So good luck to the Cards, who are seven-point home underdogs in NFL betting on Sunday.

* What will the Denver Broncos do to get a running game? Will they try at all? The Broncos used their running backs on 17 plays in last Sunday’s win over Tennessee, while Kyle Orton threw the ball 50 times. Lawrence Maroney and Correll Buckhalter combined to average a half a yard per carry. Knowshon Moreno is out again, so Orton is likely to fill the air with footballs again. Denver might be missing out on an opportunity, as Baltimore, historically able to shut opposing running games down, has allowed 4.3 yards per attempt this year. The Ravens are a seven-point home favorite in NFL betting odds for this game.

* While everyone is wondering how safe Jimmy Clausen is going to be in the Carolina backfield on Sunday as Julius Peppers, the former Panther now with the Chicago Bears, takes aim at him, I am watching to see whether Mike Martz, the Bears’ defensive coordinator, has been able to make the adjustments he needs to on his protection schemes after that awful performance on Sunday night, when the Giants put Jay Cutler down nine times and eventually out of the game, leading to him being out of this Sunday’s game as well. If there are still going to be seven-step drops, there needs to be a better offensive line for Todd Collins to operate behind. The Panthers are now a 1.5-point favorite in NFL betting for this game.

* The Kansas City Chiefs, who are the league’s only undefeated team, will find out quickly if they are for real against the Indianapolis Colts, for obvious reasons. While we think the Chiefs can move the ball on the ground, they are also going to have a couple of rookies in the secondary at any given time, and Peyton Manning has thrown for 1365 yards and eleven TD’s with just one interception. With the Colts coming off an upset defeat in Jacksonville, this one is going to have fireworks attached. Indianapolis is a a seven-point favorite in NFL betting. 

* Finally, to follow up on something we pointed out in last week’s "Things to Watch," can someone – anyone – stop Peyton Hillis, the new guy carrying the rock for the Cleveland Browns? Hillis had 102 more yards last week against Cincinnati to bring his season total to 322, and he’s in second position behind Darren McFadden (392) and ahead of Felix Jones (88) among members of that "dream backfield" at Arkansas. The Browns will line up at home this Sunday as three-point underdogs in NFL betting to the Atlanta Falcons, who have surrendered 4.6 yards per rushing attempt.

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