NFL

Minnesota Vikings 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

You probably know what the focus of this article will be, right? If you guessed “Brett Favre” then congratulations to you, dear reader. You are correct. The Favre saga has dominated national newsprint and held NFL betting attention for months. And since signing with the Purple & Gold, the Favre headlines have only intensified. Now,...

NFL

Detroit Lions 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

The goal for the Detroit Lions in 2009 is simple – win a game. Last year, the Lions became the first team in NFL history to go 0-16; dating back to 2007, Detroit has not won a regular-season contest since a 25-20 Week 16 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The team became a regular...

NFL

Green Bay Packers 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Last year was the prototypical “you take the good with the bad” season for the Green Bay Packers. The bad? A disappointing 6-10 season that left them on the outside of the NFC playoff picture. The good? The emergence of QB Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers solidified himself as the heir apparent to Brett Favre in 2008...

NFL

Chicago Bears 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Will Furrer. Moses Moreno. Henry Burris. Know what those three have in common? They’re just a few of the 30 different quarterbacks the Chicago Bears have started since their 1985 Super Bowl win. Not exactly a stellar list of talented arms, that. A shining example of what’s held the franchise back for so long –...

NFL

Saint Louis Rams 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Okay, make it official – “The Greatest Show on Turf” is dead. Gone. Will never see it again. With the release of longtime WR Torry Holt and OL Orlando Pace, the Rams officially cut ties with the last cast members of their legendary show. The offense is now in the hands of RB Steven Jackson...

NFL

San Francisco 49ers 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

When Mike Singletary took over head coaching duties from Mike Nolan halfway through 2008, it was clear the San Francisco 49ers were going to be a different team. Singletary made headlines immediately following his debut, lashing out at underproductive TE Vernon Davis in an emotional and constantly-replayed postgame presser. From there, San Fran went a...

NFL

Arizona Cardinals 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

To say the Arizona Cardinals’ 2008 season was a storybook tale wouldn’t do it justice. The team won its first playoff game since 1998 and advanced to its first title game since 1947. All this, of course, came on the heels of a pedestrian 9-7 regular season. Because of that fairytale run to the Super...

NFL

Seattle Seahawks 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Last season was one to forget for the Seattle Seahawks. The team finished 4-12, the injury bug hit the receiving and quarterback positions extremely hard and longtime coach Mike Holmgren ended his Seahawk career on a major down note. As such, there’s a sense of determination in Seattle to exorcise the demons this year. New...

NFL

New York Jets 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

It’s been a weird last couple of years for the New York Jets. In 2007, a disastrous and injury-plagued campaign saw them finish 4-12. In 2008, there was a modicum of improvement and the team finished 9-7. The reward? Head coach Eric Mangini was fired, starting QB Brett Favre was released and longtime receiver Laveranues...

NFL

Miami Dolphins 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

The Dolphins were one of the National Football League’s most compelling stories a season ago – a sports gambling Cinderella, if you will. Rookie head coach Tony Sparano took over a 1-15 team and got them to 11-5, winning the AFC East divisional crown in the process. Miami also unleashed the Wildcat offense on the...

NFL

Buffalo Bills 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Not normally a team known for making brash moves in free agency, the Buffalo Bills took the National Football League by storm this summer with the boldest of acquisitions – Terrell Owens. How he’ll fit into the Bills locker room will be one of the most talked-about stories of the year given his previous implosions...

NFL

Baltimore Ravens 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

The Ravens took fans on a rollercoaster ride a season ago. A surprising 11-5 regular season record culminated with a loss to Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship. That impressive display has made Baltimore a sleeper pick in the world of NFL betting – currently, the Ravens are listed with 19/2 odds to win the 2009/10...

NFL

New England Patriots 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Last season was a series of ups and downs for the New England Patriots. The NFL betting world fell silent in Week 1 as Tom Brady was lost for the year, only to get loud when Matt Cassel stepped in and rallied the team to an 11-5 record. But things once again fell silent late...

NFL

Cincinnati Bengals 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

If you like to watch games while betting on NFL football, then the Cincinnati Bengals weren’t a great play last season. While the Bengals might’ve proven profitable under certain circumstances, they were extremely difficult to watch during a disastrous 4-11-1 campaign. Key Departures: OT Stacy Andrews, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, WR Glenn Holt, OT Levi Jones,...

NFL

Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

The defending Super Bowl champions adhered to a tried-and-true mantra this offseason: If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. As such, the 2009 Steelers will look a lot like the 2008 edition, albeit with a few minor changes. Key Departures: LB Larry Foote, CB Bryant McFadden, RB Gary Russell, S Anthony Smith, OT Marvel Smith,...

NFL

Cleveland Browns 2009 Season Outlook

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

It’s hard to believe that – just two years ago – the Browns were 10-6 and one of the most exciting young squads in football. Now, on the heels of a disastrous 4-12 campaign, they’re under a new regime (head coach Romeo Crennel is out; Eric Mangini is in) and new faces are everywhere. Key...

NFL

NFL’s Best Receiving Corps for 2009

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Over the last few seasons, the National Football League has taken on a decidedly passing approach. We all remember New England and Tom Brady throwing their way to a record-setting 2007 season; a year later, New Orleans’ Drew Brees became only the second QB ever to throw for over 5,000 yards. These numbers, of course,...

NFL

Old Running Backs, New Homes

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

This offseason was busy as several teams looked to rebuild or – in some cases – bolster their respective backfields. A few big names changed teams while a few unheralded ball-carriers made intriguing moves to new situations. Derrick Ward signs in Tampa Bay For the last few seasons, Ward made up one half of the...

NFL

NFL’s Top Impact Rookies

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

It’s been nearly four months since the 2009 National Football League draft – so which selections are primed to make the biggest impact for their respective teams this season? Here’s a quick breakdown of the most likely candidates: Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions When Detroit drafted Georgia signal caller Matthew Stafford with the first overall...

NFL

What Would Brett Favre Mean for the Minnesota Vikings?

• Charlie Boccanegra

• Last Updated: October 4, 2017

Over the last month, football fans have been inundated with the on-again, off-again Brett Favre saga. He retires, then he un-retires. His surgically repaired arm is sore, but he’s reportedly throwing pain-free. He’s not going to play football, but he’s constantly talking to Minnesota. What the heck is going on? Well, leave that side of...