Week 1 is done and dusted and Week 2 of NFL action kicked off early with a contest between division rivals Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. It was a good week of football between the sides and certain teams put their hand up as contenders. Others though, were not as convincing and it appears as this season could be a struggle for them. Betting wise, there were a few surprises but things mainly went to plan for the favorites. It was great to see future Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning back in full flight and throwing his 400th career TD. There is no rest heading into this week though as teams will be hoping to continue their good performance or perhaps resurrect a bad one. So sit back and relax this week as the action doesn't slow down. Surprises are still bound to happen but lets see if we can jag a winner or two as the competition continues to take shape.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New York Giants
The Giants were the first Superbowl Champions to lose the opening game to the following season in some time. It was made worse by the fact that it was at the hands of division rivals the Dallas Cowboys in one of two meetings that they will have this season. They have had plenty of time to think about that performance heading into this game and will try to resurrect a very ugly performance. They face a Tampa side that started the season in winning form after a win over a Carolina Panthers side that had very high expectations mainly riding on the back of Cam Newton. They pressured the young QB by sacking him three times and picking him off twice, a good defensive effort for a team that leaked a lot of easy points last season. This could be a problem for the Giants who also had Eli Manning sacked three times by the Cowboys. Throw in the fact that Newton is far more mobile and perhaps there could be some pressure put on the offensive lineman for the Giants. But the Giants can produce when it matters most and having Manning will be a bonus at any stage of the game, regardless of how much pressure he is under. The Buccaneers have to be wary of the Giants defensive unit who will want to bring the heat onto unproven QB Josh Freeman who only has a career rating of 79.3 (52 TD & 46 INT). Expect the Giants to bounce back in this game and get their first win of the season.
TAB Sportsbet = Buccaneers $3.70 Giants $1.25
Centrebet = Buccaneers $3.60 Giants $1.30
Sportsbet = Buccaneers $3.85 Giants $1.28
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Baltimore Ravens @ Philadelphia Eagles
The Ravens are a team that has promised so much for so long now yet they are still without a Superbowl title in recent years to show for the talent on their roster. Things are starting to look up now though for the Ravens fans as QB Joe Flacco comes into his own. He has a very good offence functioning around him and it is making them more potent each game. Things are now starting to balance out within the side and their great defence is now being complemented and supported with points to defend. They will be ready to face an Eagles side that is also full of promise, except a lot of their hopes hinge on the performance on QB Michael Vick. The Eagles scraped home last week over the Panthers after they overcame the fact that Vick threw 4 interceptions. Despite this, the Eagles amounted more yards compared to the Ravens. They also allowed fewer yards than the Ravens (Eagles 210 - Ravens 322) in their game. But this is only after the first game of the year so expect things to change dramatically depending on their effort. The Eagles also have the home field advantage but I still like what the Ravens have to offer in this game. Get on the upset!
TAB Sportsbet = Ravens $2.10 Eagles $1.60
Centrebet = Ravens $2.15 Eagles $1.72
Sportsbet = Ravens $2.20 Eagles $1.70
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New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers
The Saints received a reality check last week as they were handed a loss by the Washington Redskins who were extremely happy with the debut of RG3. It was an 8 point loss but it came at their home ground and this week they must aim to get their first win on the road against the Panthers. Obviously they have had a lot of trouble occur during their off season which still appears to be effecting their performance. The Panthers were beaten in a close game by the Eagles and managed to pick Michael Vick off 4 times during the game. Brees looked hot against the Redskins throwing 3 TD's but peel back the layers of that game and he also had 2 INT's and only completed 24 out of 52. This completion rate of 46.2% is his worst since 2006. If the Saints are to win here, they must look to limit Newton and the spark he can deliver to his side. Tension will be high for the division rivals and the loser will be without a win and becoming desperate. The Saints should be able to rise above the troubles they have had to date.
TAB Sportsbet = Saints $1.65 Panthers $2.15
Centrebet = Saints $1.63 Panthers $2.35
Sportsbet = Saints $1.65 Panthers $2.30
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Washington Redskins @ St. Louis Rams
RG3 debuted for the Redskins and the what a debut it was! He threw for 320 yards, 2 TD's and completed 19/26 and better than all of this was the fact that he showed a very cool head. It was always going to be a tough game against the Saints in New Orleans but at the end of the day he was the star that drove the Redskins towards the win. The best thing was that the coach, Mike Shanahan, was quick to pour cold water on the situation by saying that they have a fair way to go before the franchise is turned around. The Rams are also a side that is aiming to turn around their franchise but they have a bit more work to do before the light grows stronger for them. They gave up the lead with 10 seconds remaining in the game but were gallant in defeat. Regardless of how gallant they were though, they are still winless. Being at home will be a big boost for them but they need to lockdown RG3. It is hard to go past the Redskins in this game as the Rams do not really posses a defence that is capable of holding him or their offence.
TAB Sportsbet = Redskins $1.50 Rams $2.50
Centrebet = Redskins $1.50 Rams $2.65
Sportsbet = Redskins $1.48 Rams $2.73
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Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers
Two undefeated sides meet here in what should be an interesting clash between two young sides that are trying to be a force to be reckoned with. Of course, the 49ers are there already and they only supported this theory by knocking the Packers off in Week 1. Detroit on the other hand were not as lucky as they battle hard to get a win over a weaker Rams side. This win also came with 10 seconds remaining in the game and it was Stafford's TD for the match. He threw for 355 yards but also produced 3 INT's. This will immediately light up the face of any 49er fan as the win over the Packers came on the back of a very good defensive effort. If they can pressure Stafford early they can get some turnovers on defence and subsequently, some ball in good field position. This is where QB Alex Smith can step in and return to the form he displayed late last season. The 49ers will also rely heavily on their running game to set up a good foundation for them. The 49ers are a genuine threat for the title and should get a solid win here.
TAB Sportsbet = Lions $3.50 49ers $1.28
Centrebet = Lions $3.65 49ers $1.30
Sportsbet = Lions $3.66 49ers $1.30
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Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
The Jaguars have all sorts of problems going on within their team at the moment and things are only going to get worse before they get better. They showed some promise in an OT loss to the Vikings but were out gunned by a stronger side and couldn't finish off when it mattered most. Some progress has been made from last season into this one but their is still plenty of work to be done. The Texans are also a side that has room to improve after looking impressive at times during their win over the Dolphins. Their offence does rely heavily on the running game but has Schaub their to throw the crucial pass. He was limited in his performance but can give plenty of hope to Texans fans. At the end of the day, they are playing one of their division rivals and should aim to extend their winning streak and go top of their division. I will be hoping that this comes true and backing them to perform in front of their home fans.
TAB Sportsbet = Jaguars $3.50 Texans $1.28
Centrebet = Jaguars $3.45 Texans $1.33
Sportsbet = Jaguars $3.70 Texans $1.30
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Good luck!
Scooby
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