New York Giants host Haynesworth, Redskins
On the heels of Pittsburgh's 13-10 escape vs. Tennessee to kick off the NFL season on Thursday, a full slate of Sunday action promises to have just as much excitement for fans and bettors alike. One of the key contests finds the Giants at home in the Meadowlands against their NFC rivals from Washington with the key matchup in this one being New York RB Brandon Jacobs facing Washington DT Albert Haynesworth.
If the regular season is anything like the gong show that went down in the offseason, bettors are in for one hell of ride this weekend – and for the rest of the campaign.
What started with the Jay Cutler saga, was lowlighted by Michael Vick’s return to gainful employment, and was dragged on by Brett Favre’s annual retirement and comeback tour, ended with the Steelers’ 13-10 overtime win over the Titans on Thursday night. Pittsburgh couldn’t cover as 6.5-point home favorites in a game they shouldn’t have won, losing Troy Polamalu for 3-6 weeks with an MCL sprain.
Minnesota at Cleveland (+4, 40)
Sunday, Sep 13, 1:00 p.m. (ET) FOX
The Favre era begins on Sunday afternoon at the Dog Pound, when the Vikings kick off defense of their NFC North crown against the Browns.
Minnesota is getting tons of love from public bettors, with close to 80% of wagers on the spread having come in on the Vikes through Friday. Some of that is due to Favre, but most of it is because of oddsmakers’ initial assessment of the game. Most books opened Minnesota as 3-point chalk, but the Vikings are now on the board between -3.5 and -4.5 points. With the aforementioned consensus numbers staring oddsmakers in the face, expect Minny to be giving even more points to Cleveland by kickoff.
Favre is an upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, but bettors should remember this is a Vikings squad built on the running game and stopping the run. If Adrian Peterson sticks to left tackle Steve Hutchinson and Favre doesn’t try to play hero, Minnesota should have no trouble covering the points.
If you’re of the opinion Peterson is going to have a good day, then the under is the sensible choice on the 40-point total. A low scoring game means the Vikes are pounding the ball on the ground and eating up the clock, and keeping the Browns’ offense in check. It’s in the Browns’ favor for the game to be high scoring, because they’d rather take their chances with Favre than with Peterson. That’s especially the case with top target Bernard Berrian (hamstring) questionable for Minnesota.
Washington at NY Giants (-7, 37.5)
Sunday, Sep 13, 4:15 p.m. (ET) FOX
The Giants have a ton of questions to answer in their opener against the Redskins, who are banking on defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth making a difference in the middle on Sunday.
New York started last season 11-1 (11-1 ATS), but went 1-5 (1-4-1 ATS) to end the year after wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh. Burress is in jail, but the reality is he was by far the Giants’ biggest offensive weapon. The proof is in the pudding: Eli Manning simply couldn’t make big plays without him, and New York bettors paid dearly.
The one team the Giants did defeat without Burress was the Redskins, in their first game without the lanky wideout. New York (-3.5) stifled Washington 23-7 last December in the nation’s capital for their second payday of the season over the ‘Skins. The Giants also prevailed 16-7 as 4.5-point chalk when the teams met in New York last year.
The New York defense did a number on Jason Campbell and the Washington offense last season – holding it to a touchdown per game – but so did everyone else. The Redskins scored only 16.6 points per game in 2008, good for 28th in the league. It won’t get any easier on Sunday with Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard now on the Giants’ defensive line and linebacker Osi Umenyiora back after missing all of 2008 with a knee injury.
Enter Haynesworth, who is widely regarded as the best run stopper in the NFL. Haynesworth can’t help Campbell move the ball, but he’s certainly going to make it very difficult for Manning to do the same. With Dominik Hixon and Steve Smith starting at receiver for New York, it needs Brandon Jacobs to go off for the offense to be successful. It'll be tough against a Washington defense that ranked fourth in the league last season (288.8 yards against per game) – and that was before Haynesworth showed up.
Bettors could be looking at a knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out type of game, one ripe for the under on the 37.5-point total. The Redskins were kind to under bettors last year, going 1-10-1 O/U over their last 12 games to end the season.
On the heels of Pittsburgh's 13-10 escape vs. Tennessee to kick off the NFL season on Thursday, a full slate of Sunday action promises to have just as much excitement for fans and bettors alike. One of the key contests finds the Giants at home in the Meadowlands against their NFC rivals from Washington with the key matchup in this one being New York RB Brandon Jacobs facing Washington DT Albert Haynesworth.
If the regular season is anything like the gong show that went down in the offseason, bettors are in for one hell of ride this weekend – and for the rest of the campaign.
What started with the Jay Cutler saga, was lowlighted by Michael Vick’s return to gainful employment, and was dragged on by Brett Favre’s annual retirement and comeback tour, ended with the Steelers’ 13-10 overtime win over the Titans on Thursday night. Pittsburgh couldn’t cover as 6.5-point home favorites in a game they shouldn’t have won, losing Troy Polamalu for 3-6 weeks with an MCL sprain.
Minnesota at Cleveland (+4, 40)
Sunday, Sep 13, 1:00 p.m. (ET) FOX
The Favre era begins on Sunday afternoon at the Dog Pound, when the Vikings kick off defense of their NFC North crown against the Browns.
Minnesota is getting tons of love from public bettors, with close to 80% of wagers on the spread having come in on the Vikes through Friday. Some of that is due to Favre, but most of it is because of oddsmakers’ initial assessment of the game. Most books opened Minnesota as 3-point chalk, but the Vikings are now on the board between -3.5 and -4.5 points. With the aforementioned consensus numbers staring oddsmakers in the face, expect Minny to be giving even more points to Cleveland by kickoff.
Favre is an upgrade over Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, but bettors should remember this is a Vikings squad built on the running game and stopping the run. If Adrian Peterson sticks to left tackle Steve Hutchinson and Favre doesn’t try to play hero, Minnesota should have no trouble covering the points.
If you’re of the opinion Peterson is going to have a good day, then the under is the sensible choice on the 40-point total. A low scoring game means the Vikes are pounding the ball on the ground and eating up the clock, and keeping the Browns’ offense in check. It’s in the Browns’ favor for the game to be high scoring, because they’d rather take their chances with Favre than with Peterson. That’s especially the case with top target Bernard Berrian (hamstring) questionable for Minnesota.
Washington at NY Giants (-7, 37.5)
Sunday, Sep 13, 4:15 p.m. (ET) FOX
The Giants have a ton of questions to answer in their opener against the Redskins, who are banking on defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth making a difference in the middle on Sunday.
New York started last season 11-1 (11-1 ATS), but went 1-5 (1-4-1 ATS) to end the year after wide receiver Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh. Burress is in jail, but the reality is he was by far the Giants’ biggest offensive weapon. The proof is in the pudding: Eli Manning simply couldn’t make big plays without him, and New York bettors paid dearly.
The one team the Giants did defeat without Burress was the Redskins, in their first game without the lanky wideout. New York (-3.5) stifled Washington 23-7 last December in the nation’s capital for their second payday of the season over the ‘Skins. The Giants also prevailed 16-7 as 4.5-point chalk when the teams met in New York last year.
The New York defense did a number on Jason Campbell and the Washington offense last season – holding it to a touchdown per game – but so did everyone else. The Redskins scored only 16.6 points per game in 2008, good for 28th in the league. It won’t get any easier on Sunday with Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard now on the Giants’ defensive line and linebacker Osi Umenyiora back after missing all of 2008 with a knee injury.
Enter Haynesworth, who is widely regarded as the best run stopper in the NFL. Haynesworth can’t help Campbell move the ball, but he’s certainly going to make it very difficult for Manning to do the same. With Dominik Hixon and Steve Smith starting at receiver for New York, it needs Brandon Jacobs to go off for the offense to be successful. It'll be tough against a Washington defense that ranked fourth in the league last season (288.8 yards against per game) – and that was before Haynesworth showed up.
Bettors could be looking at a knock ‘em down, drag ‘em out type of game, one ripe for the under on the 37.5-point total. The Redskins were kind to under bettors last year, going 1-10-1 O/U over their last 12 games to end the season.