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In less than two weeks, the unofficial BCS National Title Game will take place during the college football betting bowl game, the Fiesta Bowl. This season’s Fiesta Bowl features two of the strongest football programs in the nation, as the Stanford Cardinals take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Depending on whom you talk too, the 11 and one overall records shared by both Stanford and Oklahoma State, should have technically allowed both to battle for the price per head National Title. Here is a preview of the game.

The 2012 Fiesta Bowl takes place at the University of Phoenix in Glendale, Arizona on Monday January 2, 2012. Entering the game, the Oklahoma State Cowboys will be playing with a chip on their shoulder, as they look to show the NCAA, that they made a mistake, by over looking them for a rematch between SEC programs LSU and Alabama. Despite not even playing in their own Conference Title Game, the Alabama Crimson Tide was awarded a National Title berth. This bookie software anomaly has many people angry, as this year’s title match will not feature the two best programs.

For that, you have to go to the Fiesta Bowl, where the Big 12 Champion Oklahoma State Cowboys look to demolish the Pac 12 Stanford Cardinals. Looking further into the game, fans and media alike, will witness two NFL caliber stars lead their team’s offenses, as Brandon Weeden and Andrew Luck are the overall stars of the game. The latter of who is expected to be the first overall pick in the NFL draft later in 2012, even though he isn’t in the National Title game.

If you are unfamiliar with Andrew Luck and the Stanford Cardinals, we will bring you up to speed. Luck along with former Head Coach Jim Harbaugh were able to convert an abysmal football program at Stanford, into one of the best in the nation. The Cardinals have finished 11 and one in back to back years, and have proven they can play with anyone.  In each of the last two seasons, Luck has finished second in Heisman voting as the nation’s top player. This season, he was supposed to win the award, before Baylor’s Robert Griffin III came out of nowhere and seemingly won the award for having one more touchdown and a more diverse style then Luck.

On the other hand, Brandon Weeden wasn’t even apart of the Heisman nominations, but he should have been. The junior play caller at Oklahoma State led the Cowboys to their best season in school history. However, you could make the argument, they only got snubbed from a National Title bid, because their only loss of the season came against a bad Iowa State Cyclones team. While, Alabama’s only loss came to LSU. In a football league that takes its programs losses seriously, it doesn’t seem fair that the Oklahoma State Cowboys were unable to move towards the National Title even though they won the Big 12 Championship.

The online sports betting world is hoping that a new collective bargaining agreement will be in place between the NFL owners and the NFL Players’ Association in time to save the April draft. As people continue to bet on college basketball  and the 2011 NHL trade deadline approaches, the price per head experts are putting together their draft previews as though the draft were to go off as scheduled. Here is a look at the top five running backs that will be available in the 2011 NFL draft.

Mark Ingram – Alabama

Mark Ingram is the consensus top running back coming up in this year’s draft. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2009, and runs a 4.48 40-yard dash. He has been working hard with strength and conditioning coaches to improve his size. At 5’ 10” and 215 pounds, he possesses the strength to run up the middle, but his outside speed is not the best in the draft. He loves to block in the passing game and he is more than capable of taking on speedy and big NFL defenders. He is a good kid, but the legal problems of his father, and former New York Giants wide receiver Mark Ingram, cast a shadow on the younger Ingram’s character. He is a hard worker that is ranked as his as 16^th overall in the 2011 draft.

Ryan Williams – Virginia Tech

Ryan Williams runs a slightly faster 40-yard dash than Mark Ingram at 4.46. He is also essentially the same size as Ingram at 5’ 10” and 205 pounds. But he has that extra burst of outside speed that can make him a game changer. He was hampered by injuries last season that has caused his stock to drop from a guaranteed first rounder to a first rounder/possible second rounder. He still needs to work on his blocking, but he is an excellent receiver out of the backfield.

Mikel LeShoure – Illinois

Mikel LeShoure is all about power. He is 6’ tall and 230 pounds. He runs a 4.53 40-yard dash. He can run the ball up the middle with power, but he has issues getting a burst of speed around the corner. He can block with the best of them, He can make up for his lack of initial speed with some very fast feet that can deceive blockers. He has had discipline problems in the past that have included rumored fights with teammates. One such incident saw LeShoure breaking the jaw of a teammate with a punch. LeShoure has talent, but it will be his lack of maturity that will keep him low in the 2011 draft.

Jordan Todman – Connecticut

Jordan Todman had two good years with Connecticut before he was injured in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl. He was the leading rusher for Connecticut in 2009, but fell short of that mark in 2010. Todman is fast with a 4.43 40-yard time, but at 5’9” and 190 pounds he is small. His size, and inconsistent results in college, will keep him out of the first round of the 2011 NFL draft.

Taiwan Jones – Eastern Washington

Taiwan Jones may not go until the third or fourth round of the draft, but he has the potential to be one of those success stories you hear about each year in the NFL. At 6’ and 200 pounds, he has decent size. With a 4.53 40-yard time, he also has decent speed. He has had injury problems in the past, but when he is healthy he is one explosive running back. He can get to the hole faster than most backs in his division, and his outside speed makes him extremely difficult for defenders to catch him.

The best online sportsbook makers know that a good running game is one of the keys to winning the Super Bowl. During this round of Super Bowl 45 betting, the running backs are playing a pivotal role in the many NFL predictions that are coming out. Let’s take a look at the sportsbook promo coverage of the running backs that should play a big part in the outcome of this years NFL championship game.

James Starks – Green Bay Packers

As the Green Bay Packers prepared to play the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round of this year’s playoffs, rookie running back James Starks was not even part of the main game plan. Ryan Grant was supposed to be the feature back for the Packers this season, but he got hurt early in game one and was out for the season. Brandon Jackson was the workhorse for the season, but after 13 starts Jackson had amassed only 703 rushing yards. The running game looked to be non-existent for the Packers.

By the time the Eagles game was over, the Packers began to wonder how they ever lived without rookie running back James Starks. Against the Eagles, Starks ran for 123 yards, which was more than he had all season. He now has 263 rushing yards in the playoffs and a touchdown. His ability to spread out an offense will be critical in trying to contain the hard-hitting Steelers linebackers.

Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers try to use all three of their running backs in their offense, but when they really need to move the ball they give it to Mendenhall. Rashard Mendenhall ran for 1,273 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season. He is fast and powerful, and he has an ability to get to the hole quickly. The only knock against Mendenhall is that he lost two fumbles during the regular season and he has lost on so far in the playoffs. But the Steelers learn to forgive Mendenhall and they keep giving him the ball.

Because of his speed, Mendenhall is also a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield. Against the Jets, Mendenhall caught two passes for a total of 32 receiving yards. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger does not throw the ball to Mendenhall often, but when he does Mendenhall is usually good for 10 or more yards each time. That is why Mendenhall is such a valuable decoy out of the backfield on short passing plays, and that is just one more thing that makes Rashard Mendenhall an important part of the Steelers offense.

Mewelde Moore – Pittsburgh Steelers

It is so easy to forget that Mewelde Moore plays for the Steelers because he rarely gets the ball. Moore is brought in more as a blocker and pass receiver than anything else. He had 99 rushing yards in the 2010 regular season, but he also had 26 receptions for 205 yards as well. Moore gets critical first downs for the Steelers. He won’t get all of the glory that Mendenhall or running back Isaac Redman may get for rushing yards and touchdowns, but Moore keeps critical drives alive and that will be important in Super Bowl XLV.

The online sports betting community knows that offense sells tickets but defense wins championships. But if you are betting on NFL action this week, then you know that these two defenses in Super Bowl XLV look similar in many ways. Understanding the differences between each team can help your Super Bowl betting chances and bring you better luck with your betting services representatives.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Up front, the Pittsburgh defense is all about nose tackle Casey Hampton and defensive end Brett Keisel. Neither is known for their ability to sack the quarterback but, then again, that is not what they are there for. All three of the Steelers defensive linemen are adept at pushing the opponent’s offensive line backwards and creating pressure in the offensive backfield. Consider Keisel and Hampton to be the guys that open the door for the rest of the Steelers defense.

The reason that the Pittsburgh Steelers play a 3-4 defense is because it has four of the best linebackers in football. LaMarr Woodley, James Farrior, Lawrence Timmons and James Harrison do most of the tackling and quarterback sacking for the Steelers defense. They are all so fast that they can manage to get into the opposing backfield and stuff the run. This is an incredibly athletic group of linebackers that can give any offensive line problems. Not only are they fast, but they hit hard too. The intimidation factor for the Steelers linebackers is high, and that helps in shutting down the opposing running game.

Once you get beyond the linebackers you have safety Troy Polamalu. In the AFC Championship game the front seven for Pittsburgh was so effective that Polamalu was almost non-existent for that game. It wasn’t because Polamalu was playing poorly, it was just that the front seven had things under control. Against the Packers, the Steelers will need Polamalu to put that extra element of doubt into the head of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Green Bay Packers

The Packers also run a 3-4 defense, but their defensive line is pretty good. Second-year nose tackle B.J. Raji already has an interception this post-season, and has been instrumental in shutting down the opponent’s running game. Defensive ends Cullen Jenkins and Ryan Pickett combined for eight regular season sacks. This defensive line is very active for the Packers, and that will be a problem for a patchwork Steelers offensive line.

The linebacking corps for the Packers includes A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews. Hawk is an expert at covering the middle of the field and taking away the pass and the run. Matthews puts pressure on the quarterback and drops into coverage on opposing tight ends. The two compliment each other very well, and they make the Packers front seven a very dangerous bunch.

The secondary for the Packers includes playoff standouts Tramon Williams, Nick Collins and Charles Woodson. This is an all-pro secondary that can adapt very well to Steelers’ quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s ad-lib style of offense. There will be no surprises that this defense for the Packers cannot handle.

The sports betting world knows that the quarterback is an important part of any football team. But NFL football betting enthusiasts also know that a team can game plan to win despite the play of their quarterback. Trent Dilfer was never called on to win games for the Baltimore Ravens but he wound up being a Super Bowl champion. Last week, the Jets beat the Colts despite a poor game from quarterback Mark Sanchez.

But the play of the quarterback always figures into Super Bowl betting in some way. So before you call your betting services representative to place your bet, spend some time becoming familiar with the quarterbacks that will make a difference in this weekend’s divisional playoff games.

Tom Brady – New England Patriots

It could be said that Tom Brady could take a high school team to the Super Bowl, so long as Bill Belichick was his coach. Brady makes use of whatever weapons he is given, and he has an uncanny ability to sense when to call a running play and when to call a pass. Brady has some of the shortest receivers, and one of the smallest running backs, in the league but yet he can still get the ball downfield. His team has absolute confidence in Tom Terrific, and he will be one of the deciding factors in the Patriots playoff game against the Jets.

Mark Sanchez – New York Jets

The Patriots front seven on defense will take away the Jets running game. Running backs LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene will get yards, but they will not get the critical yards they got against the Colts. That leaves Mark Sanchez to win the game for the Jets. Sanchez is improving as a game manager, but his confidence as a passer is shot. He made several bad decisions in the game against the Colts and threw another interception in the endzone. The Patriots have a secondary that can be beaten, but that secondary is also improving. Mark Sanchez versus the Patriots young secondary will be an interesting battle. The Jets chances of winning will depend on how well Sanchez carries himself in this game.

Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons

Matty Ice rolls into the playoffs after having a great season. The loss in week 16 at home to the New Orleans Saints was a bad thing, but Ryan has the ability to put that in the past. He has several effective weapons to choose from, and running back Michael Turner takes some of the pressure off Ryan by stretching out the defense from time to time. Ryan’s cool demeanor will be essential as the Packers defense is flying around him at top speeds.

Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears

The New Orleans Saints took the Seattle Seahawks lightly at the beginning of their wild card game against Seattle last week. The Saints defense played terribly, and Drew Brees actually lost a shoot out to the Seahawks. But Jay Cutler takes everything lightly, and he is unlikely to change his ways for this game. Cutler seems very comfortable in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s scheme, and if Cutler can pull himself together then the Bears could blow out the Seahawks in this divisional playoff game.

Sports Betting Overview:

There are a few reasons why the  NFL betting online experts have the Packers as such a huge favorite in this game. One of  them is an advantage that no other team in the league has and that is Lambeau Field and the Green Bay fans. Football betting  experts know that the crowd makes a difference, especially a crowd as passionate and loud as the Green Bay fans.

The other main reason why the NFL predictions for this game so heavily favor the Packers is the way the Green Bay defense shut down the Giants passing game in week 16. The Bears have no running game beyond Matt Forte, so when the Packers take away the passing game they will have effectively shut down the Chicago offense. Another huge contributing factor to the spread in this game is momentum. The Packers are riding a huge wave of momentum that will carry them right to the playoffs.

Offense:

The Bears offense is starting to look like the old St. Louis Rams offense when Mike Martz was the head coach and Kurt Warner was the quarterback. The problem is that Jay Cutler is not Kurt Warner and Matt Forte is not Marshall Faulk. Cutler has a rifle for an arm, but his emotions sometimes get the best of him. One mistake by Cutler can lead to two and then three until the Bears find themselves in a huge hole. Matt Forte just does not have the offensive line he needs to make a difference in a game. Once Forte gets into the open field he is extremely dangerous. It is getting him there that is the problem.

Aaron Rodgers is on a roll, and he is complete command of the Packers’ offense. Even without tight end Jermichael Finley who is lost for the season, the Packers quarterback has effective outlets in wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings. The Packers have the same problem with their running game that the Bears have, but the big difference for the Packers is Rodgers.

Defense:

The Bears defense is one of the best defenses in the league at pressuring the quarterback and stuffing the run. Brian Urlacher, Julius Peppers and Tommie Harris create a wall that very few offensive lines can handle. Urlacher has been praising Peppers all season long, and Peppers has delivered in the clutch. The Bears secondary, however, still gives up big plays in the passing game. It does not happen often, but that is because of the pressure up front. But when the ball does get downfield, the Bears find it difficult to stop.

The Packers defense is just on a rampage that spilled all over the New York Giants. The Giants could not run or pass the ball, and the Packers defensive linemen were offering effective coverage of Giants receivers in the end zone on goal line stands. This is a diverse and athletic defense that will drive the Bears crazy all day long.

The Bottom Line:

If the Packers win this game then they are in the playoffs. When it is that cut and dry, it makes it easier on Aaron Rodgers, He knows what he has to do and he knows how to get the job done. If the Bears want to have a shot at the second seed in the NFC and the first round playoff bye then they need to win this game. But the Bears will have a lot of problems overcoming the momentum, and the crowd, that the Packers will bring to this game.

Pick: Green Bay Packers

Sports Betting Overview:

This is the perfect way for two wayward AFC West teams to end the season. The early NFL predictions had pointed to a battle between Denver and San Diego for the AFC West title. But both teams had problems right out of the gate, and now they are both out of the online football betting for the playoffs. The offshore NFL betting results got so bad in Denver that head coach Josh McDaniels was fired before the season was over. After the complete collapse of the San Diego Chargers in week 16 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Chargers head coach Norv Turner is expected to join McDaniels on the unemployment line any moment now.

But a San Diego versus Denver game is always a heated battle that seems to be oblivious to the standings or the failures of the season. San Diego won the first meeting between these two teams in San Diego in week 11. But there are changes brewing in Denver that could make this game extremely interesting.

Offense:

Rookie quarterback Tim Tebow has finally been given his chance to start, and he has offered a shot of energy that the Broncos needed. Starting quarterback Kyle Orton has had an excellent season throwing for 3,653 yards and 20 touchdowns. But compared to Tebow, Orton does not seem like much of an emotional leader for the Broncos. Since there is no other offensive player that can supply that spark, it was open for Tebow to deliver. Tebow not only brought the Broncos back to life, he also showed that he can throw and run the ball effectively. The decision to draft Tebow may have been the one thing that Josh McDaniels got right in his time with Denver.

As good as Tebow has looked this season, let us not forget that Philip Rivers is an emotional leader that has gained the respect of his team through his toughness and desire to win. Rivers fronts one of the best offenses in the NFL that continually shoots itself in the foot with turnovers and bad penalties. Rivers needs to bring the troops together for one game where they do not make any bad mistakes just to give the team hope for whenever the next season will be.

Defense:

The defense has let the Broncos down as much as anything else this season. More specifically, the defensive line has let the Denver team down. The Broncos are ranked 31st against the rush and have show no ability to maintain a pass rush at all. If it were not for the excellent secondary in Denver, the Broncos many be in worse shape than they are already in. The lack of a strong defensive line will be a big problem for the Broncos against the Chargers.

The Chargers have the best defense in the league. They have shut-down corners that prevent the long ball from beating them. They have a defensive line that gets pressure on the opposing quarterback and slows the run game down. The San Diego linebackers completely control the middle of the field and add to the pass rush as well. We will really get to see where the Tebow is at when this game is over.

The Bottom Line:

Tim Tebow may play well in this game, but the Chargers need to win this game to help gather themselves for the next season. The Broncos will be in a re-building stage for a while, but they seem to have many of the parts they need to be a good team.

Pick: San Diego Chargers

Betting Overview:

The preseason NFL predictions for the Houston Texans were all so positive. The NFL betting experts were expecting this to be the year that the Texans challenged for a playoff spot. When the season started, the NFL scores coming out seemed to indicate that Houston would be playoff bound this season. But after 14 weeks of play, the Texans are 5-8 and decidedly out of the playoff race.

The Titans had similar high expectations when the season started, but there was always that fear that Vince Young could melt down. Prior to the season starting, Young had a run-in in a Dallas strip club and the woes had begun. But Young faced up to the issue and handled it like a professional, and the issue went away. But three or four games into the season, Young was unstable again and by week 12 he was gone for the year. Now head coach Jeff Fisher may lose his job because Titans owner Bud Adams is insistent that Young be the quarterback and Fisher has, obviously, had enough.

Offense:

For the Houston Texans offense, the story is one of bad timing. Quarterback Matt Schaub has thrown for 3,482 passing yards and 20 touchdowns this season. But many of his 10 interceptions wound up being game-changing events. The cast around him is playing very well. Wide receiver Andre Johnson has 1,158 receiving yards and seven touchdowns while Arian Foster has 1,330 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. But the timing is off. Foster seemed to disappear in some of the bigger games earlier in the season, and Johnson losing his cool with Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan is an example of how Johnson can lose focus from time to time. The pieces are there for the Houston offense, they just need to come together as a unit a bit better.

The Titans are a mess on offense. To augment that mess, they brought in wide receiver, and locker room cancer, Randy Moss. To this point, Moss has actually been very cooperative and somewhat productive. But Fisher is using Moss mostly as a blocking receiver on running plays. Quarterback Kerry Collins has been injured off and on this season and we already covered the newest Vince Young drama. Running back Chris Johnson’s numbers are down when compared to last year, but 1,137 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns is still an excellent season.

Defense:

The Titans are struggling between the 20 yard lines, but they are doing a decent job at keeping teams out of the endzone. The Tennessee defense is ranked 24^th in the league giving up an average of 365 yards per game. But the defense is also only giving up an average of 20 points per game which ranks them 12^th in the league for that category. The defense is trying to hang in there for the Titans, but the other facets of the team keep giving the ball away.

The Texans cannot stop the pass. Against the pas the Houston defense is ranked 32^nd giving up an average of 280 passing yards per game. That means giving up big plays and that means giving up critical points. It is the Houston defense, much more than the offense, that has brought the Texans down this season.

The Bottom Line:

The Titans would be a threat in this game if they could get the ball downfield. It is unknown how healthy Kerry Collins really is, and the Texans will be able to stop Chris Johnson and the Tennessee running game. This could be a big day for Matt Schaub and the Texans offense.

Pick: Houston Texans

Betting Overview:

In this game, two top divisional teams from the NFC meet on the road to the playoffs. Bu the NFL betting experts are hardly giving both teams equal billing. The Seattle Seahawks were involved one of the more lopsided NFL scores of the week as they lost to the San Francisco 49ers 40-21. It was an important game for the Seahawks as it could have given them sole possession of first place in the NFC West at 7-6. Instead they are tied with the St. Louis Rams for the lead in the division at 6-7.

The preseason NFL predictions for the Atlanta Falcons were setting lofty goals, but the team has responded. The Falcons are the best team in the NFC with an 11-2 record. They play solid defense, and the offense responds to pressure situations with fourth quarter drives to win games. Quarterback Matt Ryan is gaining a well-deserved reputation as a player that responds well to pressure, and he has earned his nickname of “Matty Ice.”

Offense:

The Seattle Seahawks offense has ridden on the arm of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. The Seahawks have no running game to speak of, and the offensive line has shown an inability to be consistent. Even though Hasselbeck is the core of the offense, he only has 2,906 passing yards and 12 touchdowns this season. The Seahawks have been the beneficiaries of playing in an extremely weak division, and their offense is not up to the task of taking on a team like the Atlanta Falcons.

The Atlanta Falcons are rolling right towards the playoffs and home field advantage in the NFC. Quarterback Matt Ryan’s numbers are good but not overwhelming. He has 3,147 passing yards and 22 touchdowns on the season. What makes Ryan, and the Atlanta offense, so dangerous is their ability to score points in the fourth quarter to win games. The running game is lead by running back Michael Turner and his 1,174 rushing yards on the season. Turner and Ryan make an extremely effective combination on offense.

Defense:

The Falcons have compiled an 11-2 record despite having an inconsistent defense. The reason that Matt Ryan has to engineer so many fourth quarter comebacks is because the Atlanta defense cannot hold a league. The Falcons are ranked 17th overall on defense, but they are ranked 24th against the pass. None of that will cause problems for the Falcons in this game. But someone like quarterback Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints could exploit that weakness in the playoffs.

Seattle has one of the worst defensive units in the NFL. It is ranked 31st overall, giving up an average of 385 yards per game. The biggest weakness for the Seahawks is their front seven. They have problems getting pressure on the passer, and they cannot contain the run. That is not a good combination when playing the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bottom Line:

In the battle of the birds, the Falcons hold the upper feather. The Dirty Birds should be able to walk out of Seattle with a victory clenched safely in their talons.

Pick: Atlanta Falcons

Betting Overview:

Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts are trying to live up to the preseason NFL predictions that had them playing in Super Bowl XLV at the end of the season. The problem is that the NFL scores have not been cooperating, and neither has the injury bug. The Colts have several important players out injured, and the injury list is starting to take its toll on the Colts’ season. At 6-5, the Colts do not look like the powerhouse that had NFL betting enthusiasts excited before the season began.

The Dallas Cowboys are 2-1 since Jason Garrett took over as head coach. They are playing better offense and much better defense in the past three games than they have played all season long. There seems to be a cohesiveness developing on the Cowboys that was lacking with Wade Philips. Then again, guilt over getting your head coach fired will bring any team together. The Cowboys are still the most talented team in the league that cannot win games, but at least they are figuring things out now.

Offense:

The Cowboys will go another game without starting quarterback Tony Romo. That means a lot of play from running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, and a lot of underneath passes. The good thing about veteran back up quarterback Jon Kitna is that he has enough experience in the league to be able to throw the ball deep once in a while to spread out the opposing defense. But that Cowboys offensive line sometimes finds it difficult to give Kitna the time he needs to throw the ball.

The Colts offense is Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne. Wide receiver Pierre Garcon chips in once in a while, but Wayne is doing the bulk of the receiving work. Wide receiver Austin Collie is out, tight end Dallas Clark is out and running back Joseph Addai is out. Pretty much every weapon Peyton Manning would use to reduce the opposing defense to tears is out injured. Peyton Manning is a great quarterback, but he is only human. With no running game to speak of and only two decent receivers to throw to, Manning just cannot put up the fight he needs to win games.

Defense:

Safety Bob Sanders and defensive lineman Dwight Freeney are out. Freeney may play on Sunday, Sanders will not. The Colts defense has done an excellent job of keeping the team in games while the offense tries to get going, but even the defense has been kicked around by injuries. To help a depleted linebacking corps the Colts just signed Nate Triplett to the team. But with linebackers Cody Glenn and Gary Brackett out for this Sunday’s game, the Colts defense looks to be in trouble.

The Cowboys defense is much-improved since Wade Philips left. They are not making as many mistakes and they are taking less penalties. Dallas has a good defense, they were just playing bad football. Now that they have started to turn the corner on their play and reducing mistakes, that could spell bad things for the Colts.

The Bottom Line:

You never want to bet against Peyton Manning but, in all honesty, he has nothing left to work with for this game. A depleted Colts defense is coming up against a confident Dallas offense, and the Colts offense just does not have the weapons it needs to be effective.

Pick: Dallas Cowboys