NFL Week One Betting Recap: Injury Report

The first week of the 2009 NFL season is officially in the books, and it couldn’t have blown by quicker. The first game kicked off on Thursday night followed by a host of games on Sunday and a doubleheader on Monday night.

With some amazing finishes and spectacular plays already in the first week, this promises to be an unforgettable season. So what went down on the first weekend of NFL action?

Let’s take a look at the games.

 

Tennessee versus Pittsburgh

The first game of the week saw the Titans cover the spread by three-and-a-half points. The Steelers were favored by six-and-a-half points going into the season opener, and they only ended up winning by a field goal in overtime.

With a final score of 13-10, you know that this was a knockdown, drag-out game. It was sloppy the entire time with neither team establishing the run.

The Steelers nearly gave the game away with a Hines Ward fumble at the end of the game. However, in typical Steeler fashion, they got another chance to redeem themselves.

 

Miami versus Atlanta

The first game of the Tony Gonzalez era in the ATL was a success. He got involved early and often in the passing game as Matt Ryan found him for a touchdown.

The Falcons had no problem covering the spread in this one. A game that featured last season’s turnaround darlings saw that the Falcons are further along in the process.

 

Philadelphia versus Carolina

This was a really great game to be an Eagle fan. It saw the visiting Eagles come in and just destroy the supposedly strong Carolina Panthers.

The Eagles defense just embarrassed Jake Delhomme as he turned the ball over five times and got yanked out of the game.

While the Panthers lost a quarterback to bad play, the Eagles lost theirs to a broken rib. Donovan McNabb could be out for a few weeks now as a result.

Keep this in mind for your future bets.

 

Minnesota versus Cleveland

The first game of the Brett Favre experiment in Minny ended up as a smashing success. Favre did all right, but he was merely a spectator to the Adrian Peterson show most of the game.

If your fantasy team played against Peterson to open up the season, I’m sorry. He made the Cleveland defense look like a bunch of children trying to play flag football out there.

Minnesota covered the spread easily in this one.

 

Jacksonville versus Indianapolis

While Indianapolis won the game, the Jaguars pulled the upset according to the oddsmakers. They covered the spread by four-and-a-half points in a rough, low-scoring affair.

Peyton Manning hooked up with Reggie Wayne a few times, but they did lose No. 2 receiver Anthony Gonzalez for the next two to six weeks. Look out for this injury over the next month.

 

Dallas versus Tampa Bay

The post-T.O. era began in Dallas, and Tony Romo couldn’t have looked more comfortable. Maybe all of this “locker room cancer” thing has some merit.

The Boys were favored in this one, and they didn’t disappoint. They put up some monster yards and raised some questions about the Tampa Bay defense.

 

Washington versus New York

New York came out looking for a replacement for Plaxico Burress. They spread the ball around, played stellar defense, and ran the ball all game long.

They were favored by six and won by that margin for a push. The NFC East looks like it should be a strong division again this year.

 

Chicago versus Green Bay

Jay Cutler made his debut for the Bears, and the result couldn’t have been more terrible. He reminded Broncos fans how lucky they really were to get rid of him as he tossed four interceptions.

As a result of his ineptitude and the Green Bay defense, the Packers covered the spread.

 

Kansas City versus Baltimore

For a moment, this looked like it was going to be the biggest upset of the week. As 13-point underdogs, the Chiefs gave the Ravens all they could handle and almost pulled off the win.

They were tied with the Ravens at 24-24 with three minutes left in the game. Then the Ravens punched in two touchdowns to miraculously cover the spread.

Everyone who bet on the Ravens let out a collective sigh.

 

Denver versus Cincinnati

It took one of the flukiest, most miraculous plays in Broncos history to beat the hapless Cincinnati Bengals. Things are looking pretty grim in both Denver and Cincinnati.

The Kyle Orton-led Broncos had a lot of problems moving the ball against what should be a pretty bad defense.

However, they managed to pull off the upset thanks to that last second play.

 

New York Jets versus Houston

This was statistically the biggest upset of the week as the Texans were four-and-a-half point favorites and the Jets covered by 21-and-a-half points.

This was a shocker to a lot of people as many thought that the Texans would finally put it together this season.

Mark Sanchez started things off with a bang and a win in his first career game.

 

Detroit versus New Orleans

In a game that featured the worst defense in the league against the best offense, you got exactly what you expected. Drew Brees officially went off in this game to the tune of six touchdowns.

It didn’t appear that the Lions had grown very much in the offseason as they were up to their old tricks. Despite the 13-point spread, the Saints still covered it by four points.

 

San Francisco versus Arizona

The defending NFC Champs got thrown for a loop in their first game of the season. San Fran pulled off the upset in this one and covered the spread by nine points.

 

St. Louis versus Seattle

The Rams are still terrible and didn’t even manage to get on the scoreboard. The Seahawks covered easily.

 

The first week was full of surprises and some great games. For next week, be aware of the injuries to Donovan McNabb, Brian Urlacher, and Anthony Gonzalez. They are all impact players and should be considered before placing your bets.

The only thing we know for sure is that Week Two will be just as exciting as Week One.

 

Check out Vernon Croy’s Week Two NFL Picks as his run continues.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Week 1 NFL Betting Picks Preview

Week 1 of the NFL is finally here! You can start the grill, put down the tailgate, and prepare for the ultimate Sunday tradition again. Now that the games count again, what can you expect each team to do? You know at the very least that it will be nothing like last year.

Every year, the majority of the teams in the playoffs were not there the year before. This year should be no different. As easy as it would be to just look at the playoff teams from last year and pencil them in again, many of them will not be back. So what does Week One hold in store for the fans? Check out Week One NFL Football Picks by the World’s Top NFL Handicappers.

Kansas City vs. Baltimore (Baltimore -12 1/2). This game depends a lot on the injury situation with Matt Cassel. The Chiefs went out and spent $60 million on their franchise quarterback, and they will be a completely different team if he’s under center.

He’s been practicing all week, but is listed as questionable. The Ravens still boast one of the best defenses in the league. Expect a low scoring, slug-fest in Baltimore.

Philadelphia vs. Carolina (Philadelphia -2 1/2). Donovan McNabb gets to try out all of his new toys in the Philadelphia offense. He’s got a bolstered offensive line and a new receiver and running back to help carry the load.

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers still have a very solid team. They have a stellar running game and a tough defense. Will McNabb be able to toss the ball around or will the Panthers ground him before he gets started?

Denver vs. Cincinnati (Cincinnati -4). When you’re a four-point underdog to a team that won five games last year, it usually means you’ve had a pretty rough offseason.

In Denver, question marks abound. Will Brandon Marshall be ready to shut up and play ball? If so, the Denver offense might actually be decent with a pass-happy coach calling the shots.

On the other side, Carson Palmer appears ready to go after a season-ending injury last year. Will he return to form?

Minnesota vs. Cleveland (Minnesota -4). The Brett Favre era officially begins in Minnesota as they take the field against the Browns. Will he look like the Favre of old or the one that limped to the finish line last year?

If he looks good, Minnesota could be a team to be reckoned with. They also have a guy by the name of Adrian Peterson running the ball for them.

Cleveland’s defense will have a tough matchup against the running game of the Vikes.

New York Jets vs Houston (Houston – 4 1/2). The Texans will try to pick up where they left off last year with a top five offense. The question is, did they fix their defense yet?

The Jets have a new head coach in Rex Ryan, so they will have an emphasis on defense as well. Look for a good game in this one between two good teams.

Jacksonville vs Indianapolis (Indianapolis -7). No preseason surgery has kept Manning on the shelf this year. He has had a full offseason to practice with the team and should be ready to roll in Week One. Although they lost Marvin Harrison, they still have a slew of talent on offense.

Jacksonville has a lot of question marks that should be answered in Week One. How will Maurice Jones-Drew handle the spotlight?

Detroit vs New Orleans (New Orleans -13). Nothing like pairing the best offense in the league against the worst defense in the league from last season.

Detroit is hoping that things have changed in the offseason. New Orleans will still have a good offense with Drew Brees under center.

It will also be interesting to see the Matt Stafford era begin in the Motor City.

Dallas vs. Tampa Bay (Dallas -6). The T.O. show has officially left town in Big D, and they’re ready to put it behind them. Romo is healthy again and ready to throw the ball.

Tampa Bay basically threw everything out and started over after a 9-7 year last season. No one really knows what to expect from them.

San Francisco vs Arizona (Arizona -6). The defending NFC Champions look to kick off their defense in style against the Niners. If Kurt Warner can stay healthy again, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be a top offense again this year. They might even be better with new running back Beanie Wells in town.

The Niners are still waiting on Michael Crabtree to sign. Hopefully someone else can catch a ball in his absence.

Washington vs New York Giants (New York 6 1/2). The Giants will immediately try to create some chemistry in the passing game now that Burress is gone. They really don’t know who will step up, so expect a lot of running early in the game.

For Washington, we’ll get to see if the $100 million-man in Albert Haynesworth will make a difference.

St. Louis vs. Seattle (Seattle -8). Seattle has their quarterback healthy again as well as a shiny new receiver to throw to. They should have a pretty decent offense.

The Rams will be improved as well with a revamped offensive line and healthy quarterback. Expect a close game in this one.

Chicago vs. Green Bay (Green Bay -3 1/2). Green Bay is favored in this game, despite the Jay Cutler experiment in full bloom in Chicago. Will “Crybaby Jay” be able to lead the Bears to the upset?

Aaron Rodgers quietly had a solid season last year and looks to expand on that this year.

Buffalo vs. New England (New England -10 1/2). “The Golden Boy” returns to his throne in New England. Tom Brady will take the stage and look to bounce back from his season-ending injury last year. Will he immediately return to top form?

As if that wasn’t enough of a storyline, you’ve got T.O. taking the field for Buffalo. This should be a fun game to watch regardless of what happens.

San Diego vs. Oakland (San Diego -9). The Chargers are healthy and have all of their guns back for the opener.

On the other side of the ball, Jamarcus Russell will look to prove the doubters wrong. Will the Chargers roll or will the Raiders put everyone on notice?

Check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Football Picks for Week One.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

2009 Seattle Seahawks Predictions

The 2008 season was pretty much a disaster for the Seattle Seahawks. Coach Mike Holmgren was basically just fulfilling his contract in preparation for his retirement and every receiver worth anything was injured for most of the year.

Their quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, went down early with an injury and was out for the majority of the season as well.

When you combine no quarterback with no receivers, those things are going to make your running game suffer as well.

They stumbled through to a 4-12 season, which landed them a top-five draft pick. Did they do anything in the offseason to garner enough hope that they’ll make a run this year?

Expect a better team, but not good enough to unseat the Cardinals in the division.

 

The Good News

The Seahawks saw some good things happen this offseason. First of all, Matt Hasselbeck is healthy again and has looked very sharp in the preseason. Having him back for a full season will do wonders for the offense.

In addition to getting him back, they also added a new No. 1 wide receiver through free agency. T.J. Houshmandzadeh comes to Seattle from the Bengals and should immediately be their best pass-catching option.

They will also see their stable of receivers from last season, including Nate Burleson and Deion Branch, healthy again.

Since the running game was pretty anemic last year, they also went out and got Edgerrin James to play out of the backfield. He should be an instant upgrade and will bring experience to the team. While he had an up and down year last year with the Cardinals, his run in the playoffs proved that he still had something to give.

The Seattle defense should be improved from last year as well. In the draft, they picked up what some people thought was the top player in the draft when they landed linebacker Aaron Curry. He is unbelievably fast and talented and should immediately have an impact.

This allowed them to trade linebacker Julian Peterson to the Lions for defensive tackle Cory Redding. They also picked up cornerback Ken Lucas to add to the secondary.

 

The Bad News

Although they gained several players, they also lost a few solid ones as well. For starters, a very good Giants defense snatched up their defensive tackle Rocky Bernard. While they picked up a couple of defensive tackles to replace him, you never know how it will work out until the games are being played.

They also lost consistent possession receiver Bobby Engram to Kansas City. His ability to convert on third downs was uncanny. He just had a knack for where the defense was and just sat down in the open areas by the first down markers. His contribution will be hard to replace.

 

Outlook

If you’re looking for free NFL picks, I would say that the Seahawks will finish second in the division this year. I think they’ll miss the playoffs, but will be much improved compared to last year.

 

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Football Picks this season.

 

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Football Picks: 2009 Minnesota Vikings Predictions

The last year for the Vikings was a successful one in terms of making the playoffs and having a good record. They finished 10-6 and made the playoffs.

However, once they got there, it was apparent that they weren’t equipped to make a run, as they lost to the Eagles in the first round. Although they had a solid defense and a great rushing attack, their passing game left something to be desired.

Did they do enough in the offseason to get the job done this time around? As far as free football picks go, expect the Vikings to make a run this season deep into the playoffs.

The Good News:

The biggest news of the offseason was obviously Brett Favre. Right up until the last minute, no one was sure if he’d play for them or not.

As it turns out, he rode in on his white horse and was immediately handed the keys to the team. While it might seem irresponsible at a glance, it is really the only option for the Vikings.

Jackson has proven that he’s not going to be anything special, and Sage Rosenfels is basically a career backup. Favre is a surefire Hall-of-Famer, and he will instantly upgrade the passing attack in Minny.

In addition to Favre, they have what many people believe is the best player in the NFL in Adrian Peterson. Peterson led the league in rushing last year and his explosiveness makes him a threat to score at any point. Combined with Favre, they should have a pretty solid offense.

On the other side of the ball, the defense will dominate again. Last year, they were the No. 1 team against the run, and they had a fierce pass rush.

With Jared Allen and the Williams brothers on the defensive line, they should again be formidable. If I’m an offensive coordinator, I know the Vikings’ defense is going to present some headaches.

The Bad News:

This also falls in the good news column, but Brett Favre could be a big distraction for the Vikes. Last year, it was a media circus in New York and Favre failed to get them to the playoffs. Many Jets’ players have said that Favre was not a good teammate and even got dressed in a separate locker room.

This preseason, the media have already reported that there is a “schism” in the locker room surrounding Favre. Many people believe that Jackson should be the starting quarterback and don’t like the fact that Favre skipped all of camp. He then comes in late and just gets everything handed to him. This could present a problem at some point in the year.

Outlook:

If you’re looking for free NFL football picks, expect the Vikings to win their division this year. They should even be able to work their way through the playoffs and make a run at the Super Bowl if Favre can stay healthy. If he goes down, it might be another up and down year for the Vikings.

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy`s NFL Football Picks this season.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Expert NFL Football Picks: Green Bay Packers Predictions

The 2008 Green Bay Packers season started out pretty good. They jumped out to a 4-3 record early in the season.

From there they struggled mightily only winning two more games the rest of the year.

They had a very good offense, but the defense was downright bad. Aaron Rodgers filled in admirably for Packer legend Brett Favre. However, it didn’t translate into a successful season for the Pack.

Did the Packers do enough after the season to justify any hope of winning it all this year? If you’re looking at free football picks, you probably won’t put any money on them winning the Super Bowl this year.

 

The Good News

The best thing about this year for the Packers isn’t really about who they picked up, but who they still have.

For one, Aaron Rodgers has a full year under his belt as the starter. Since the Packers were bad last year, many people don’t realize that Rodgers quietly had one of the best seasons of any quarterback in the league.

If you play fantasy football, you might not know that Rodgers was actually the second best quarterback in fantasy last year. This means he was putting up some monster numbers.

In addition to Rodgers, Ryan Grant is back at full strength from the beginning of this year. Last year, he held out through training camp over a contract dispute. He didn’t get off to a good start and it took him half the season to get back to form.

Once he got going again, he was one of the best backs in the league again. This time around, he should be at full-steam from the beginning.

They also added some help on the defensive side of the ball with nose tackle B.J. Raji and linebacker Clay Matthews in the draft. These two players should go a long way towards shoring up the defense. If they can contribute right away, it might be enough to help the offense win some games.

 

The Bad News

For a 6-10 team, the Packers were awfully inactive during the offseason. Apparently they feel like they already have most of what they need in house and it just needs to develop. However, that’s a very risky approach to take.

When you lose 10 games and the only free agents you bring in are a safety and a center, you’re really not trying to do much.

Something else to be concerned about is quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Although he had a great individual season, he didn’t lead the team to victories.

The year before, with Favre, they were 12-4. All they did was change quarterbacks and went 6-10. While Rodgers is obviously talented, there are questions about whether he knows how to win in this league.

Outlook: If you’re looking for free NFL picks, expect the Packers to be middle of the road in the NFC North this year. The Bears and the Vikings will likely be ahead of them when it’s all said and done.

Check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Picks this season!

2009 Expert NFL Sports Picks: Chicago Bears

The last few years have been pretty much the same for the Chicago Bears. They were a pretty decent team with average to terrible quarterback play.

They’ve went with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton at the helm for the last few years. While they did win a few games over that time span, they never could get over the hump. Then as if that wasn’t a big enough problem, the vaunted defense, from previous years, wasn’t that great last year. They finished 16th overall for the year.

The big question is whether or not they can finally turn it around and be one of the elite teams once again. If your looking for Expert NFL Sports Picks then I would not pick the Chicago Bears to win their division this season.

 

The Good News

The biggest move of the offseason was definitely acquiring Pro-Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler.

Cutler has a gun, unlike the previous quarterbacks who held down this spot. They had a great rookie running back in Matt Forte last year. He was basically the entire offense last season even though defenses knew what was coming.

This year, they’re hoping with the threat of a passing game, Forte will be able to get off the line easier. They also brought in former Pro-Bowl left tackle Orlando Pace to protect Cutler.

 

The Bad News

The bad news strangely coincides with the good news. While Jay Cutler is talented, his attitude is one of the worst in the league.

While confidence is important, Cutler’s cockiness rubs a lot of people the wrong way, including teammates. He threw a temper tantrum in Denver, which is how he ended up in Chicago in the first place. Why would Chicago believe that he eventually won’t do the same thing to them? He was so mad with the Denver management because they offered him in a trade to get quarterback Matt Cassel, that he demanded to be traded. Just the thought that a coach would want any other quarterback besides him made him so upset that he couldn’t recover from it.

The Bears will also figure out quickly that Cutler does not know how to win.

Who do you think had a better win-loss record the last few years? Kyle Orton or Jay Cutler? If you said Cutler, you’d be mistaken. While he does have the big arm, his intangibles and leadership is terrible. He also throws a lot of interceptions and tries to fit the ball into bad places. On top of that, who is he going to throw the ball to? Is Devin Hester really the best receiver that the team has?

The Bears also lost a former Pro-Bowler and leader on defense in Mike Brown. A lack of leadership on the defense is not exactly what you need when you’re trying to turn the defense around again.

 

Outlook

While the big move was flashy, it’s questionable whether or not it’s going to pay off. Don’t look for them to win the division this year. They’ll probably win a few games, but they’re not about to beat out the Minnesota Vikings in the division.

As far as Expert NFL Sports Picks go, I would take the Chicago Bears to win at least nine games this season.

 

Make sure you Check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Football Picks this season.

2009 Expert NFL Sports Picks: Dallas Cowboys

The 2008 campaign for the Dallas Cowboys was one of the all-time greatest let downs in the NFL.

Before the season, pretty much every pundit and Cowboy fan had them penciled into at least the NFC Championship game, if not the Super Bowl. Then, they actually played the season.

Once the games played out, the Cowboys were on the outside of the playoffs looking in. The Super Bowl favorite couldn’t even win their own division. They even faced a one game playoff against the Eagles to make into the playoffs and got destroyed.

It was definitely a year to forget in “Big D”. Can the Cowboys turn it around in 2009? If you’re looking for free NFL sports picks, don’t bet on it.

 

The Good News

According to Dallas, the best news of the off-season wasn’t who they picked up but who they got rid of. Perennial locker room cancer Terrell Owens got shipped out as soon as the season was over.

Apparently his absence is supposed to rejuvenate everyone on the team because he was such a distraction.

In addition to losing T.O. they picked up Keith Brooking and Igor Olshansky to bolster the defense. They’ll also get a boost to their running game with a healthy Marion Barber and Felix Jones in the backfield.

 

The Bad News

While the good news is that they got rid of T.O., I’m not buying that this is really going to help the offense as a whole. While T.O. might have been a distraction, the guy could play wide receiver. Who are they going to throw to now that he’s gone? Underachieving Roy Williams or Patrick Crayton? Are they going to rely on tight end Jason Witten?

There are a lot of questions about the Cowboys offense that remain.

Besides the offense, the defense has questions of its own. They lost several players along the way that helped make that unit into a pretty good defense over the last few years.

Will they be able to plug in inexperienced players and just keep going? That remains to be seen. They’ve also still got one of the weakest head coaches in the league in Wade Phillips. His inability to gain control of the team got thrust onto T.O.’s shoulders last year.

Who will be the scapegoat this time around?

 

Outlook

If you think I’m totally against the Cowboys, I’m not. They’re going to be a pretty decent team this year.

They’ve still got “poster boy” Tony Romo at quarterback and they’ve still got several good players. They’ll be able to run the ball better this year, which will offset some of the passing game.

However, I just see too many holes all over the team to classify the Cowboys as an elite team just yet. They will probably be around .500 this year and miss the playoffs again.

As far as free football picks go, don’t even think about picking them to go to the Super Bowl this year.

 

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Sports Picks this season.

2009 Expert NFL Picks Preview: Atlanta Falcons

Last season marked one of the biggest turnarounds in franchise history for the “Dirty Birds.” They went from laughingstock after the Michael Vick era to the playoffs in one season.

This happened in no small part thanks to rookie quarterback Matt Ryan as well as free agent acquisition Michael Turner. The new GM in town had a fantastic first year out from under the Patriots shadow.

They had a magical run until they ran into Kurt Warner and the high-flying Cardinals in the playoffs.

Now the question is, can they take the next step? If you’re looking for free NFL betting picks, don’t expect to see them in the Super Bowl this season.

The Good News: The biggest and best news of the off-season was acquiring “All-World” tight end Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez basically carried the Chiefs offense on his back the last few years, which is saying a lot for a tight end.

When you add him to an already potent offense, that’s going to be one tough team to cover. He holds the all-time records for every major statistical category for tight ends and he seems to be getting better with age.

His experience and preparation will help the rest of his teammates.

Ryan will have another year under his belt. After a superb rookie season, he should have a better year this year. He’s also still got the running game behind him with Michael Turner.

They also added a couple of good defenders in the draft this year. Defensive tackle Peria Jerry and safety William Moore will go a long way towards bolstering the defense this year.

The Bad News: The best thing about last season for the Falcons was the cupcake schedule that they had. They played some pretty bad teams, including the Detroit Lions and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unfortunately for them, the league seems to want to showcase them against some of the better teams this year. As always, they’ll have to play the teams from the NFC South twice.

However, the non-division portion of their schedule will be a lot tougher.

Many quarterbacks seem to suffer from a sophomore slump. The Falcons will figure out real quick if Matt Ryan’s rookie season was a fluke or not.

Will the interception bug that plagued him at Boston College come back to bite him again?

Outlook: The Falcons will again have a good offense this year. Tony G. is going to get his, regardless of who he’s playing with. He put up monster numbers last year with four different quarterbacks throwing him the ball.

However, I think the tough schedule will be tough for them to overcome. They weren’t really one of the best teams last year, but merely a product of the system.

This was on full display as they got steamrolled by the Cardinals in the playoffs. As far as free football picks go, I wouldn’t put my money on “Matty Ice” to improve on last season’s record.

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Picks this season.

2009 Expert NFL Picks Preview: Carolina Panthers

The 2008 season was successful overall for the Carolina Panthers. They managed to get through the regular season with a 12-4 record and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

They combined one of the best ground games in the league with a stellar defense to bring a punishing brand of football.

However, ultimately they did not take home the prize that everyone wants. They lost their first game in the playoffs and got to enjoy their vacations a little earlier than expected.

Most of the 2009 NFL football picks that you see out there have the Panthers back in the playoffs again. Let’s look at what they have to look forward to this year.

 

The Good News

The good news is that they already had a pretty solid team last year. They really didn’t need to make a lot of changes. They had an awesome offensive line, two great running backs, a couple good wide receivers, a solid quarterback, and a stiff defense. They really were a good team last year.

Many people thought they could have went all the way in the NFC. However, they never saw what hit them against Arizona. They also added another good pass rusher in Everette Brown out of Florida State.

DeAngelo Williams emerged as one of the top running backs in the league last year with 18 touchdowns. If you had him on your fantasy team last year, let’s just say you were pleasantly surprised.

They also had a good 1-2 punch with rookie Jonathon Stewart. He put up 10 touchdowns himself as a first-year player.

The defense was again led by Julius Peppers, who had 14.5 sacks. Peppers, one of the most talented players in the league, has the ability to dominate the competition if he asserts himself. They’ll need every bit of that talent on display if they’re going to go all the way this year.

The Bad News

The bad news is basically the same as the good news. They didn’t really make any changes. While this should make for a good team again this year, it probably won’t be enough to make it all the way. If they couldn’t make it last year, why would they be any better this year?

Adding another year to Jake Delhomme isn’t about to help anything. His complete meltdown in the playoffs is a big part of what went wrong for the Panthers.

Without any upgrade at the quarterback position, they probably won’t go any farther than last year. Yes, they’ll probably win their division, but I don’t see them getting to the Super Bowl again.

 

Outlook

If you’re looking for 2009 NFL betting picks, don’t pick the Panthers in the Super Bowl. They’ll be solid on defense and with their rushing attack, but they won’t be that much better than last year, if any.

They’ll also have some tough competition in their division from the Falcons and Saints again. The Falcons will battle with them for the top spot in the division thanks to the arrival of Tony Gonzalez.

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Picks this season.

2009 Expert NFL Picks Preview: Carolina Panthers

The 2008 season was successful overall for the Carolina Panthers. They managed to get through the regular season with a 12-4 record and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

They combined one of the best ground games in the league with a stellar defense to bring a punishing brand of football.

However, ultimately they did not take home the prize that everyone wants. They lost their first game in the playoffs and got to enjoy their vacations a little earlier than expected.

Most of the 2009 NFL football picks that you see out there have the Panthers back in the playoffs again. Let’s look at what they have to look forward to this year.

 

The Good News

The good news is that they already had a pretty solid team last year. They really didn’t need to make a lot of changes. They had an awesome offensive line, two great running backs, a couple good wide receivers, a solid quarterback, and a stiff defense. They really were a good team last year.

Many people thought they could have went all the way in the NFC. However, they never saw what hit them against Arizona. They also added another good pass rusher in Everette Brown out of Florida State.

DeAngelo Williams emerged as one of the top running backs in the league last year with 18 touchdowns. If you had him on your fantasy team last year, let’s just say you were pleasantly surprised.

They also had a good 1-2 punch with rookie Jonathon Stewart. He put up 10 touchdowns himself as a first-year player.

The defense was again led by Julius Peppers, who had 14.5 sacks. Peppers, one of the most talented players in the league, has the ability to dominate the competition if he asserts himself. They’ll need every bit of that talent on display if they’re going to go all the way this year.

The Bad News

The bad news is basically the same as the good news. They didn’t really make any changes. While this should make for a good team again this year, it probably won’t be enough to make it all the way. If they couldn’t make it last year, why would they be any better this year?

Adding another year to Jake Delhomme isn’t about to help anything. His complete meltdown in the playoffs is a big part of what went wrong for the Panthers.

Without any upgrade at the quarterback position, they probably won’t go any farther than last year. Yes, they’ll probably win their division, but I don’t see them getting to the Super Bowl again.

 

Outlook

If you’re looking for 2009 NFL betting picks, don’t pick the Panthers in the Super Bowl. They’ll be solid on defense and with their rushing attack, but they won’t be that much better than last year, if any.

They’ll also have some tough competition in their division from the Falcons and Saints again. The Falcons will battle with them for the top spot in the division thanks to the arrival of Tony Gonzalez.

Make sure you check out Vernon Croy’s Expert NFL Picks this season.

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