The betting world rejoices as the NFL regular season is ready to open. After a week of only having NCAA football betting available, NFL fans are ready to start with the NFL betting immediately.

The preseason was interesting, and we got a chance to see what the top teams in the NFC have to offer. Considering the season they had last year, the Minnesota Vikings do not appear to be impressing anyone that makes the NFL football betting lines. There is a big reason why the New Orleans Saints are four and a half point favorites in this game. Just like Brett Favre, the Minnesota Vikings are not what they used to be.

The Vikings only have one functioning starting wide receiver in Bernard Berrian. Receivers Percy Harvin and Sidney Rice are both sidelined with health issues. Harvin announced that he no longer gets the migraine headaches that kept him out of the preseason, but he missed the preseason conditioning and timing drills. Quarterback Brett Favre is still complaining about his ankle and the distractions being caused by Favre’s apparent lack of respect for his head coach are becoming evident.

The Saints, on the other hand, are pretty much the same team that won the Super Bowl last season. They still possess the single most potent offense in the NFL, and when their defense is healthy they can stand toe-to-toe with any NFL team. A hobbled Brett Favre will make a tempting target for Saints pass rushers like Will Smith and Jimmy Wilkerson. If the Saints can get into the Minnesota backfield on a consistent basis then this will be a short game for the Vikings.

Running back Adrian Peterson had an uneventful preseason, but as long as Favre is limping around and the receivers are out, Peterson is the Minnesota offense. The problem is that head coach Brad Childress has almost no say in the offense when Favre is on the field, and Favre is not a fan of a prominent running game.

Saints running back Reggie Bush started to show some unexpected power in the preseason, and that adds yet another angle to the Saints offense that defensive coordinators will have to watch for. If the Vikings have any weakness on defense it is up the middle at linebacker. That is probably where the Saints running game will go.

The Saints have been working on refining all aspects of their game this preseason and that includes special teams. Kicker Garrett Hartley won the job in camp and, after not playing much in 2009 it looks like he will be the only kicker on the Saints roster this season. Anyone that watched Super Bowl XLIV knows how much special teams means to the Saints. It won them the Super Bowl.

After all the drama created by Brett Favre and the Vikings this summer the simple fact is that the Vikings offense is a shell of what it was last year. Favre has worked with less and won, but that was many years ago when he was younger and healthier.

Pick: New Orleans Saints 27-20

We are only days away and the Super Bowl odds are up and we’re down to our last week of NFL picks. In this year’s contest the New Orleans Saints, led by quarterback Drew Brees, will vie for the Vince Lombardi trophy against MVP Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Super Bowl XLIV: New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts

Sunday, February 7^th 2010

Spread: Colts -4.5

Total: 56.5

Money Line: Colts -200, Saints +170

Key Storylines

Injury to Dwight Freeney

If anyone has been watching the line this week they know that it has fallen a point or a point and a half in some cases. The main reason for this is the injury to Colts DE Dwight Freeney (ankle). Freeney suffered a third degree sprain (which includes a torn ligament) in his ankle with two minutes left in the AFC Championship game. The Colts star DE will be a game-time decision but his effectiveness will surely be in question with a bad wheel.

The loss of Freeney could be a major factor in this game as the Saints will be able to have another receiving option available on pass plays if a running back or tight end isn’t needed to double or chip on the All-Pro. Giving Drew Brees more options is usually not a good recipe for success.

Colts Rookie CB Jerraud Powers

Powers has been a great surprise for a Colts secondary that has suffered through injuries to key players this season. Powers has excelled in his first year out of Auburn but was a scratch for the AFC Championship game with a bad foot. Powers has claimed that he is okay and will play, but it remains to be seen if he can cover the athleticism and speed of the Saints receiving core in his condition.

Saints TE Jeremy Shockey

Shockey still has a bitter taste in his mouth from having to watch his old team gel in his absence and go on a Super Bowl run. Shockey demanded a trade from the Giants following their Super Bowl victory and has been a man on a mission this season. Shockey is one of the best all around tight ends in the game with both solid blocking and receiving skills. Shockey is a mismatch for most teams and the Colts will have to game-plan for his unique abilities. That is of course if Shockey’s health holds up. Shockey has been having trouble for most of the postseason with various injuries and has been pretty banged up. Expect this warrior to keep on battling, but his ability to get open may be limited by injuries.

Peyton Manning vs. Gregg Williams’ Defense

This looks lopsided just writing it, like a mid-80’s Tyson boxing match. Gregg Williams is considered to be a very good defensive coordinator. Well Peyton Manning just chewed up and spit out the Jets number one ranked defense last week and they threw the kitchen sink at Manning. The Saints run a 4-3 base with tons of blitz schemes and try to hit the quarterback early and often. Peyton Manning has a +100 QB rating against the blitz this year and eats 4-3 defenses for breakfast. If Gregg Williams thinks he can hit Peyton, he would be the first one this year to accomplish this feat. Manning has impeccable timing with releasing the ball and always seems to know when to get rid of it and hasn’t made a big mistake in what seems like an eternity.

The Saints were lucky that the Vikings coughed the ball up against the Saints more than the Colts will for sure.

Peyton Manning is the only four-time MVP in NFL history. It won’t be his last, expect him to add a second Super Bowl MVP trophy to his collection, as Drew Brees just falls short on a historic performance by Peyton Manning.

Colts 38 – Saints 30

Super Bowl 44 odds have been out for over a week now, but the first significant move has happened with Indianapolis’ advantage decreasing a little bit. However, an injury shouldn’t hurt the Colts’ chances against New Orleans too much.

Saints Colts betting – Sunday, February 7, 6:20 PM ET

The Saints come into this game healthy, and that’s a good thing because they’ll need all the help they can get. However, there are some questions that have been raised about New Orleans on both sides of the ball. They gave up a ton of yards against Minnesota, and only five turnovers from the Vikings got the Saints to this point. During the second half of that game, the Saints had problems moving the ball against the Vikings, who took Reggie Bush out of the game.

The Colts have a big injury worry as defensive end Dwight Freeney has torn ligaments in his ankle. Freeney, who has an outstanding motor and speed coming off the edge, would be a huge boost to the Colts’ defense, who have to deal with one of the fastest offenses in the league. But as long they have Peyton Manning on the other side of the ball, the Colts feel like they could be in a super casino and come out rich. Manning won his fourth MVP award this year, beating Brees by a wide margin, and he’s taken his game to another level in the playoffs, particularly against the New York Jets. The Colts have also won seven games this year in the fourth quarter, and if you give Manning late chances, he’ll burn you.

The Colts have dropped a half-point to 5-point favorites according to betting services, and the absence of Freeney up front shouldn’t hurt the Colts too much. Indy has a lot of experience, and whenever someone gets hurt, or is ineffective, they have players who can step up. They have enough team speed on defense to handle the Saints, and they have another good end on the other side in Robert Mathis. Offensively, the Colts won’t make the same mistakes that the Vikings did, especially with Manning under center.

NFL picks: Colts -5

Those playing Superbowl odds should be in for a show when the NFC championship game hits New Orleans, as the Saints will host Minnesota in a meeting of two extremely explosive teams. If the Saints are going to pull it out, they’ll need another big game from Reggie Bush.

Vikings vs Saints betting – Sunday, January 24, 6:40 PM ET

The Vikings stomped Dallas 34-3 at home, and the battle was won up front where Minnesota dominated the Cowboys on both sides of the ball. Brett Favre had ample time to pick apart the Cowboys, going 15-of-24 for 234 yards and four touchdowns with no picks, while Sidney Rice was on the receiving end of three of those scores, posting 141 yards on six catches. The Vikings also sacked Tony Romo six times and forced three turnovers.

Drew Brees had a solid game for the Saints in their 45-14 mauling of Arizona, going 23-of-32 for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense also did their part against Kurt Warner and the high-flying Cardinals offense. However, Rush was the star of the show with 217 all-purpose yards, including a 46-yard touchdown run and an 83-yard punt return for a score to put a stamp on the game. Bush was also running with force and anger, and he may be finally up to performing the way the Saints thought he would when they drafted him second a few years ago. Bush has had knee problems, which hampered his explosive ability. Bush is a massive factor in New Orleans’ NFL betting odds.

The Saints are listed as 4-point home favorites according to bookmaker odds (bookmaker reviews), even though they’ve lost eight of their last 10 against the Vikings, their performance in the Superdome in front of their crazy fans and the emergence of Bush gives them a big edge. The Vikings also have a versatile threat in Offensive Rookie of the Year Percy Harvin, but he’s still a rookie, while Bush has some experience, and he’s running with a purpose. Everyone thought Bush was done, and some were even calling him a bust, which angered the former USC star. He needs to be more consistent, but he was a big-game player in college, and he’ll have to rise to the occasion this week, because no one on the Vikings can cover him.

Super Bowl betting pick: Saints -4

The Sportsbetting.com sportsbook  has the New York Jets as the biggest underdog of the week among the eight NFL playoff teams this weekend.

The Jets topped the Cincinnati Bengals two weeks in a row to get to this point but beating the Chargers will be a completely different story. The Chargers have won 11 straight games and have established themselves as one of the premier Super Bowl contenders in the NFL.

Playing on the road for a second week in a row, the Jets might be in tough – especially on the West Coast. With a rookie quarterback at the helm, the Jets will need a performance above and beyond the call of duty to get this win.

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers

Jets Chargers Betting Odds: Chargers -7.5

If there is one thing that the Jets have to accomplish this weekend, it’s to run the ball. They have the top-ranked running attack in the NFL and unless it is performing at its peak this weekend, they are not going to win.

Starting a rookie quarterback in the playoffs is usually a hindrance, which is why the Jets will really have to support Mark Sanchez.

NFL betting fans know that the Jets have the best defense and the best running attack – statistically – but those numbers could be a little misguided. The Jets have done a good job of running all over and stuffing feeble opponents, such as the Carolina Panthers, the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but have struggled against some of the more elite teams.

The Chargers are exactly that.

Sure, the Jets have a good cover corner in Darrelle Revis but they don’t have a whole lot else. The Chargers have several weapons including Vincent Jackson, Darren Sproles and Antonio Gates. On top of that, they are at home and rested while the Jets have been exerting themselves in a big way these last few weeks.

Home field advantage is a big key in the playoffs, especially the further they progress and this will be evident in this game. The Jets are an East Coast team that plays in cold weather and they will be out on the West Coast playing in warm weather.

Unless the Jets have a huge game from Sanchez, they’ll be going home after this contest.

NFL Picks: Chargers -7.5

AFC Wild Card Playoffs

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Colts -6.5

NFL Betting Total: 44

People examining the Super Bowl odds will be taking a good look at what they see from the Indianapolis Colts this weekend.

The Colts started the season with 14 straight wins but ended the year with two straight losses. The conversation has been non-stop about head coach Jim Caldwell’s decision to bench his starters instead of pushing for a perfect regular season. Now we’ll see if he truly made the right decision.

The Colts haven’t played in a serious game for about four weeks now and although you might be worried about rust with most teams, the Colts have been in this position many times. With Manning running the show, they are a perennial 10-win team and they are usually resting players down the stretch of the season. You can expect them to be able to crank it up a notch this week in practice and this Saturday at game time.

The Ravens would have loved to have the week off – especially given how many nagging injuries they have. Safety Ed Reed is nicked up, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata is banged up and even quarterback Joe Flacco is nagged by a couple of injuries.

Flacco has hip and leg issues, which may be a real concern for this week. Last week, the Ravens were handed a win and Flacco didn’t have to do much. In that game, he was just four-of-10 for 34 yards an interception. Clearly, not his best day. But this week, the Colts are going to zone in on the Ravens running game and force them to throw the ball – if Flacco isn’t healthy, they aren’t going to win.

The Colts shutdown the Ravens running game in the first meeting as they held them to just 98 rushing yards. The Ravens will need more than that to get the job done on the road.

For the Colts offense, they have some great advantages at wide receiver as the Ravens have put two cornerbacks on injured reserve this year. The Colts have plenty of depth at the position and will exploit that matchup once again.

It’s too much to ask of the Ravens to go on the road two straight weeks and knock off the New England Patriots, then the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts will win comfortably this week.

NFL Betting Picks: Colts -6.5

The Cincinnati Bengals are back in the playoffs and the good news for them is they don’t have to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. The last time they were in the postseason, a lost against the Steelers proved costly as it cost the team their franchise quarterback along with a couple of losing seasons.

While they are back on track, they’ll once again have to face a tough 3-4 defense with blitzing linebackers and an offense that has a young quarterback with a quality running game. Internet gambling cappers know there are a lot of similarities between the Bengals last playoff opponent and this one.

Nonetheless, the Bengals are back at home and after essentially taking a bye week, they should be ready for this contest.

New York Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals

Bookmaker Odds (Bookmaker Reviews): Bengals -2.5

Last Week

The Jets and Bengals squared off in Week 17 and the result was ugly. The Bengals were crushed 37-0 but keep in mind that the game wasn’t as important to both teams.

For the Jets, they needed a win to make the playoffs whereas the Bengals had already punched their ticket and decided not to exert too much of an effort.

The other notable difference was that the contest took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, whereas this game will take place in Cincinnati.

This Week

We’ll get to see a good matchup of offense versus defense this week as the Jets top-ranked running attack will go up against the Bengals No. 7 rush defense. It should be an interesting clash and the Jets will need to win the battle if they want to win the war.

The Jets still have the short end of the stick when it comes to quarterbacking as their starting will be making his first ever postseason appearance. On the flip side, the Bengals Carson Palmer has been there before and he’s far more experienced as an NFL quarterback.

Sports handicapping experts have to like the Bengals chance in this game. Last week, they were blown out so revenge will be on their minds. Secondly, they’ll be at home for this game, which should make a significant difference.

They are up against a tough defense but they have won five straight games at home and the home fans should fire them up enough to get this win.

NFL Picks: Bengals -2.5

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

5Dimes Odds (5Dimes Reviews): Bears -3

The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions won’t be playing for postseason spot this weekend. As a matter of fact, they’ll be jockeying for a different type of position: slotting themselves for the 2010 NFL Draft.

The Bears were expected to be Super Bowl contenders after acquiring Jay Cutler this offseason but the reality was far from it this year. The Bears were brutal and it turned out that their only real offensive weapon was Cutler.

Their offensive line crumbled, running back Matt Forte suffered from the sophomore slump, the wide receiving corps was pitiful and the defense was sluggish.

While all of those things went wrong for Chicago, none of those things were any better for the Lions.

Detroit has been brutal for many years and they’ll get another high draft pick this year. They have been putting forth quite an effort for head coach Jim Schwartz but they really don’t have the parts to compete.

The Lions should be able to win this game, though, as the Bears played in their makeshift Super Bowl last week. The Bears won an emotional game against the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football and might not care about this game as much.

The Lions will be up for this game and it could be a close one if the Bears are sloppy.

NFL Picks: Lions +3

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

Expert Sports Handicapping Odds: Cardinals -3.5

The Arizona Cardinals might get a gift this week. If the Philadelphia Eagles lose to the Dallas Cowboys – as the sportsbook odds makers are expecting them to do so – and the Minnesota Vikings lose once again, which they’ve done three times in the last four weeks, the Cardinals would earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC with a win over the Green Bay Packers.

But the Cardinals have to be wary though. There is a very good chance that the Vikings will win and the Cardinals will hold their spot. That means that the Cardinals and Packers could also meet in the first round of the playoffs.

The Packers don’t really have a whole lot to play for but the question is will the Cardinals be interested in this game?

They should be – they have more to play for.

NFL Predictions: Cardinals -3.5

New England Patriots @ Buffalo Bills

Sports Betting Odds: Patriots -7

The New England Patriots have been under a storm of criticism this week with most of it being directed at star wide receiver Randy Moss. Moss had a bad game against the Carolina Panthers last week and there has been no shortage of pundits, fans and players ready to pile on.

Last week, members of the Panthers defense took shots. This week, former receivers Cris Carter and Jerry Rice took their turn. The truth of the matter is that Moss might actually be hurt right now, which would explain some of the lazy play.

Nonetheless, Moss’ play probably won’t come in question this week as the Patriots face the Buffalo Bills. The Bills lead the NFL with 25 interceptions but they have the league’s worst run defense, so it’s very likely that the Patriots plan their attack via the ground game initially.

The Bills offense has been better with Ryan Fitzpatrick running the show but realistically, this is not one of the better units in the NFL. Fitzpatrick has just 186 total passing yards in his last two games combined. If the Patriots are at all on their game, they’ll win this contest fairly easily.

Bet Jamaica Review Pick: Patriots -7

Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos

NFL Betting Line: Broncos -14

The Oakland Raiders will be without starting quarterback Bruce Gradkowski this week and they’ve opted for No. 3 quarterback, Charlie Frye instead of JaMarcus Russell as their starter.

Russell came into the game last week and played just over a two quarters worth of action and still found enough time to throw an interception, fumble and get sacked six times. While Frye may not be much of a better option than Russell, he also can’t be much worse.

The Broncos are the biggest favorite on the board this week and considering they are playing the Raiders, it’s easy to see why. The Raiders only path to victory is to have a really good effort on the ground from their stable of running backs but the Broncos defense won’t allow it – especially at home.

Look for Kyle Orton and company to play smart football and let the Raiders make mistakes. The Broncos will move the ball down the field, take the easy points and play defense.

NFL Prediction: Broncos -14

Expect many a sportsbook to work overtime this weekend. We have the NBA, NHL, UFC 107, Army Navy picks and, of course the NFL on the schedule. Here are some picks to consider for Week 14.

Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts (-7)

Sunday, December 13, 1:00 p.m. ET

Every week we ask ourselves, “Is this the Colts’ biggest challenge yet?” It’s hard to say where Denver ranks among Indy’s opponents this season but we do know that the Broncos have the highest-ranked pass defense – No. 2 in the league – of any team Peyton Manning has battled this year. That said, the Colts are at home and do a fantastic job protecting Manning. He’s been sacked just 10 times in 12 games. Denver will make him work but Manning shows every week that no defense or front seven scares him.

Also, the Colts “D” isn’t perfect but it forces turnovers, especially at home. The Colts have the sixth-most interceptions in the league and are master ball-strippers. That doesn’t bode well for a mistake-prone quarterback like Kyle Orton, who lost two fumbles last week against Kansas City.

Sports betting pick: Colts -7

Arizona Cardinals (-3.5) @ San Francisco 49ers

Monday, December 14, 8:35 p.m. ET

Don’t be surprised if this is the most exciting game of the week. Perhaps pushing to get his team back to Super Bowl betting, Kurt Warner is on fire, with 12 touchdown passes and no interceptions over his last four games. Since the Cards don’t run the ball well and since San Francisco ranks 27^th against the pass, Warner should air it out to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald all night along.

However, Arizona’s pass defense is even worse, ranking 30^th. Alex Smith and the 49ers have found themselves offensively in recent weeks via the shotgun offense; they should move the ball well too. We’ll see a shootout but the Cardinals are the better scorers and they really showed something with their tackling against a potent Vikings offense last week. Go with the Cardinals to cover. After all, they’re 5-1 on the road this season.

Sports betting pick: Cardinals