NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

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Matt Cassel will start the Vikings' second preseason game Saturday.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Recapping NFL Preseason Week 1
By Teddy Covers
Sportsmemo.com

From 2008 through 2013, Overs ruled the roost when it came to betting preseason football, with more Overs than Unders cashing in every single season. The average points scored in August NFL games increased every year during that span, from 35.3 points per game in 2008 up to 41.2 points per game last year; a preseason that saw Overs cash at nearly a 60% clip.

An increase of six points per game over a five year span is absolutely going to attract some betting market attention. The quants who rule the markets aren’t going to let that type of information slip by without a significant reaction!

In particular, the lowest totals have been the best Over bets during this run of relatively high scoring affairs. Totals of 36.5 or less have been enormous profit makers for Over bettors. From 2009 through 2013, games totaled at 36.5 or less went Over at a 93-57 (62%) clip. Games totaled at 37 or higher were essentially split 50-50 between Over cashes and Under cashes – all the profits came from betting lower totals Over.

So what happened in Week 1 this year? A huge run of Unders! Including the Hall of Fame Game to open the preseason, Unders are 13-4 here in 2014, and that includes a half point win with the Bills – Panthers 20-18 final that was totaled at 37.5. The other three Overs weren’t close, with KC – Cinci combining for 80 points, Chicago – Philly combining for 62 and New Orleans – St Louis producing 50 points between them; all three flying Over the total by at least two scores.

How and why did this Week 1 run of Unders happen? It starts with the markets. Last year’s dramatic run of Overs did not go unnoticed by the linesmakers, and opening totals were a point or two higher across the board in Week 1 this year. And the longer term trend towards Overs did not go unnoticed by the bettors either – just about every total on the board was bet up at least another point or two, taking the high initial totals and betting them up even more.

Whatever ‘value’ Over bets in preseason had between 2008 and 2013 simply didn’t exist by the time kickoff rolled around here in 2014. Look no further than these three games for a clear example. The Giants and Steelers finished with a 20-16 final score, as did the Titans – Packers game. Denver – Seattle finished 21-16.

When the Giants and Steelers played in Week 1 of the preseason in 2013, the game was totaled at 35.5. We’re talking about the same two teams, the same week of the preseason, in very similar circumstances. But this year, the total bounced between 36.5 and 37, resulting in an Under that would have been an Over last year.

The Packers – Titans game was totaled at 37.5 in Week 1 of the 2014 preseason. In 2013 Green Bay’s opening preseason game vs. Arizona was totaled at 35, while Tennessee’s opener against Washington was totaled at 35.5. Again, had the markets not reacted to last year’s prevailing Over trend, the 36 points scored when Green Bay and Tennessee matched up on Saturday would have been enough to cash another Over ticket or, at worst, push. But with the totals inflated an extra point or two, the Under cashed instead.

The Broncos were totaled at 35.5 against San Francisco in their 2013 preseason opener, while the Seahawks were totaled at 36 in their preseason Week 1 affair against San Diego. This year, however, the Broncos – Seahawks game was totaled at 37.5. Again, that narrow differential between 2013 and 2014’s betting markets around a very key number for totals (37), made a huge difference, turning what would have been an Over or a push from last year into an Under cash this year.

If the markets hadn’t reacted to the prevailing trends, we likely would have seen a 9-7 week to the Under here in Week 1 of the 2014 preseason– nothing to get excited about, and certainly not a ‘prevailing trend’. Instead, we saw a 12-4 week to the Under and suddenly the emerging Under trend is a hot topic of discussion.

The betting markets are not static entities – they’re changing and shifting, year by year. Betting strategies that gain attention because they work become the status quo, and the bookmakers adjust appropriately.

Trends die primarily for one of two reasons. The first is that they didn’t pass the ‘does it make sense’ test. There’s plenty of static in results; just plain randomness. Trends that don’t make sense for any other reason other than the fact that they are cashing winning bets won’t cash winning bets forever. A trend that makes no sense cannot stand indefinitely.

The second reason that trends die is because the markets adjust. There’s a textbook example to use here – the Monday Night Football home underdog.

Nearly every football bettor has heard the axiom about how Monday Night Football home underdogs are good bets – in general. And they were, for decades. Pointspread numbers from the 70’s are iffy at best, but I’ve seen the following numbers quoted from several trustable sources. Home dogs on Monday Night Football went 38-16 for the decade, cashing at a 70.4% clip.

The following decade of the ‘80s was almost as good, posting a 37-16 record for 69.8% winners. It is easy to understand how the theory of the profitable Monday Night Football Home Underdog took root. In those first 20 years home underdogs were 75-32 for 70% winners; a long term track record of pointspread dominance.

The theory that Monday Night Football home underdogs were good bets made sense too. In an era without many nationally televised games, weaker teams took advantage of the extra excitement and energy playing in prime time on national TV; a legitimate motivator for downtrodden squads.

But by 1990, after an extended run of excellence, home dogs on Monday Night Football were no longer profitable to support. For the decade of the 90’s, home dogs on MNF finished 25-24 ATS. Blindly betting every home dog was no better than a coin flip, and at -110, blindly betting every home dog resulted in a negative return-on-investment. The markets had caught up with the reality.

Yet the long term betting trend still said that home dogs on Monday Night were great bets: 100-56 (64%) over a thirty year sample! But all the profits from that trend came back in the 70’s and 80’s in a VERY different era for the betting markets; a MUCH less sophisticated time.
With the long term betting trend still showing that MNF home dogs were great bets, and the internet exploding with information about this trend, the first decade of the 21st century was a disaster for MNF home dog bettors. Following a 3-0 mark for home dogs in 2000, the rest of the decade resulted in an 18-30 (37.5%) record for home teams catching points on Monday Night Football.

Decade – Monday Night Home Underdog ATS Results
1970-1979 – 38-16 – 70.4%
1980-1989 – 37-16 – 69.8%
1990-1999 – 25-24 – 51.0%
2000-2009 – 21-30 – 41.1%

Bettors who followed the longer term trend got crushed. Bettors who recognized that the market conditions when the trend was established didn’t exist anymore cashed in, again and again. That’s a lesson to be aware of here in 2014 when considering the totals market for Week 2 of the preseason and beyond.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

NFL Preseason Betting Recap: Week One
Atssportsline.com

The first week of the NFL preseason is in the books and we're now headed towards the second week, where the starters should see more time. From a betting perspective, Week One is a difficult week before the starters receiver very little action. We'll review the opening week below.

Here is a look at the first week of preseason games.

Thursday, August 7

New York Jets (-3/3.5/37) over Indianapolis, 13-10

This game was a snoozer as the New Yorkk Jets had 19 first down to 13 and controlled possession for 32:40 to 27:20. They had no turnovers but decided to use Matt Simms for most of the game and he went 13 of 18 for 96 yards. Michael Vick was the backup and completed 3 of 6 for 17 yards and ran three times for 19 yards. The best player for the Colts was backup quarterback Matt Hassebleck, who threw for 114 yards and one TD. The Colts had three fumbles and lost one as their running game continued to struggle (26 for 59 yards).

Washington (-2.5/38.5) over New England, 23-6

The Patriots st out Tom Brady and most of the starters. Washington took advantage by dominating New England's backups. Robert Griffin III played just one series and threw for nine yards. Alfred Morris ran for 27 yards in an 11-play drive that ended with a 39-yard field goal. Backup Kirk Cousins threw completed 9 for 13 for 103 yards, while third-string QB Colt McCoy was 8 for 9 for 102 yards. New England started Ryan Mallet at quarterback and he completed just 5 of 12 passes for 55 yards. Second-round pick Jimmy Garoppolo played the second half, going 8 of 12 for 141 yards including a 26-yard TD pass to Brian Tims. Washington controlled the ball for 39:12.

Baltimore (-2.5/37) over San Francisco, 23-3.

So much for revenge for the 2013 Super Bowl. Baltimore scored a touchdown on their opening drive (80 yards) and produced 386 yards of total offense, including 237 rushing yards. Joe Flacco played just one series, while backup Tyrod Taylor went 13 of 21 for 116 yards with one TD and one pick. Colin Kaepernick also played just one series, leading his team down the field for 66 yards and a field goal. Blaine Gabbert struggled as the Niners' new backup quarterback, going 3 for 11 for 20 yards and an interception. Baltimore had the ball for 39:37.

Cincinnati (+2.5/37) over Kansas City, 39-41.

This was the wildest game of the weekend as Sean Smith and Malcolm Bronson returned interceptions for scores and rookie De'Anthony Thomas brought back a punt 80 yards for a touchdown to lead the Chiefs to the win. The Chiefs also had three turnovers that led to 21 points including an interception from Dre Kirkpatrick. Andy Dalton played well for Cincinnati, but Jason Campbell was 6 for 15 for 72 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs. Alex Smith was 3 for 5 for 19 yards for the Chiefs, while Chase Daniel went 8 of 19 for 126 yards. He found tight end Travis Kelse at the end of the first half for a 69-yard TD pass. Cincinnati scored a late touchdown including a two-point conversion with 51 seconds left for the cover.

Denver (-1/37.5) over Seattle, 21-16

Denver got a bit of revenge for losing the Super Bowl by 35 points. This was a sloppy game that included 25 penalties. Peyton Manning looked sharp early on, completing 9 of 11 passes for 63 yards on the opening drive. Russll Wilson went 4 for 6 for 37 yards and was sacked twice. Tarvaris Jackson went 5 of 7 for 47 yards in his battle against Terrelle Pryor (9-for-16, 137 yards, INT). Brock Osweiler completed 6 of 12 for 85 yards with one TD and one pick, backing up Manning. Seattle had 31:19 time of possession compered to 28:41 for Denver.

San Diego (-3.5/37) over San Diego, 27-7

Dallas played without Tony Romo, while San Diego's Phillip Rivers played the opening series and completed all four passes for 61 yards. His opening drive ended when running back Ryan Mathews fumbled the ball trying to go over the pile and into the end zone. Brandon Weeden started for Romo and did well, completing 13 of 17 for 107 yards with one TD and no INTs. Kellen Clemens came in for Rivers and completed all five of his passes for 134 yards including a 70-yard touchdown pass to Dontrelle Inman. The Chargers had the ball for 31:10 compared to 28:50 for Dallas.

Friday, August 8

Atlanta (-3/37) over Miami, 16-10

Miami got a strong effort from Ryan Tannehill, who went 6 for 6 for 62 yards including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Gibson. But Atlanta dominated the game the rest of the way as they had 21 first downs to 12 and had 372 total yards to 229. Matt Ryan completed each of his seven attempts for 50 yards on the opening drive. Jacquizz Rogers had a 2-yard TD run and started for the injured Steven Jackson. T.J. Yates completed just 7 of 16 for 127 yards in his attempt to win the backup job to Ryan. Seth Lobato, an undrafted rookie from Northern Colorado, completed 14 of 28 for 124 yards for Miami as Matt Moore (shoulder) and Pad Devlin (hamstring) were held out.

Buffalo (-1/38) over Carolina, 20-18

Buffalo won their first preseason game after losing to the New York Giants in the opener. They took on a Carolina team that was playing without starting quarterback Cam Newton. E.J. Manuel played better than he did in the opener for Buffalo, completing 9 of 13 for 96 yards and rookie WR Sammy Watkins hauled three receptions for 21 yards. Rookie Kelvin Benjamin had a big moment for Carolina with a spectacular 32-yard touchdown catch from Derek Anderson, who was 5 of 7 for 65 yards. Joe Webb came in relief in the second half and went 16 of 28 for 180 yard with one TD and one INT. The Panthers did have more possession time with 32:06 to 27:54. They also had three turnovers to one.

Jacksonville (-2.5/35.5) over Tampa Bay, 16-10

This was another ugly game that featured rookie Blake Bortles playing well, tossing for 117 yards in his opening game. He hit Mike Brown with a 31-yarder down the middle of the field to set up a 26-yard field goal to give the Jaguars a 10-3 lead late in the third quarter. The Buccaneers didn't help themselves with 11 penalties for 103 yards. Josh McCown struggled in his first start for Tampa Bay, completing 2 of 4 for20 yards and one pick that went 68 yards for a touchdown from Winston Guy. Mike Glennon produced Tampa Bay's only touchdown, which was a 6-yard pass to Tommy Streeter in the third quarter. Jacksonville won it on a 23-yard run from Deron Robinson late in the fourth quarter.

Chicago (-1/41.5) over Philadelphia, 34-28

Both teams just continued where they left off last season as they produced 51 first downs and 850 yards. Nick Foles struggled early for the Eagles, throwing two picks. Jay Cutler threw for 85 yards for the Bears, who got great production from their backup quarterbacks. Jordan Palmer went 8 for 11 for 104 yards, while Jimmy Clausen threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Foles wound up with just 44 yards on 6-of-9 passing before being replaced by Mark Sanchez, who was 7 for 10 for 79 yards. Chicago led in time of possession with 36:54, while they had three turnovers and 14 penalties for 103 yards. Philadelphia committed four turnovers and nine penalties for 89 yards.

New Orleans (+2/37.5) over St. Louis, 26-24.

The Saints found a running game as Mark Ingram rushed for 83 yards on eight carries including a 22-yard touchdown in the first half. Luke McCown was 7 for 10 for 49 yards with one interception by defensive end Chris Long. Third-stringer Ryan Griffin played well, tossing for 179 yards with one TD, including a 25-yard pass to rookie Brandin Crooks in third quarter. St. Louis was without starting quarterback Sam Bradford, who was kept on the bench due to precautionary reasons. Shaun Hill got the start and threw two touchdown passes in the first half.

Minnesota (-3/38) over Oakland, 10-6.

The Vikings have a quarterback problem and they are hoping to solve it in the preseason. Veteran Matt Cassel went 5 for 6 for 62 yards, but the story was Teddy Bridgewater. The rookie had a mixed debut, completing 6 for 13 for 49 yards, two sacks and one fumble that wasn't lost. Matt Schaub finished 3 of 7 for 21 yards for the Raiders in his debut. Rookie Derek Carr had some moments as he threw for 74 yards (10 of 16), but also had an interception. As usual, Oakland hurt themselves with penalties (13 for 94). Minnesota had the ball for 34:06 compared to 25:54 for Oakland.

Saturday, August 9

Detroit (-1/40) over Cleveland, 13-12

All eyes were on quarterback Johnny Manziel, who didn't play until the second quarter. He completed 7 of 11 for 63 yards and ran for 27 yards to lead the team. But the Browns settled for four field goals as their lack of a playmaker at wide receiver and tight end with Jordan Cameron out, was a problem. Starter Brian Hoyer completed 6 of 14 for 92 yards and might come off the bench in the next game. Matthew Stafford played just one drive and didn't have his favorite target in Calvin "Megatron" Johnson, who sat out. Cleveland had 11 penalties for 60 yards, while Detroit had just five for 32.

New York Giants (-2.5/36.5) over Pittsburgh, 20-16

The Giants played in their second preseason game and were sloppy, as the committed 10 penalties for 109 yards and turned the ball over twice. However, they won the game as Ryan Nassib completed 12 for 21 for 81 yards, while Curtis Painter was 7 for 7 for 68 yards and one touchdown. Eli Manning played four series and we 0 for 2 for the Giants. The Giants did rush for 85 yards to lead the team, who amassed 171 yards. Pittsburgh was led by rookie Dri Archer, who caught a 46 yarder from Ben Roethlisberger. Bruce Gradkowski threw for 66 yards in a backup role, while Landry Jones added 74 yards (11 of 21). The Giants had 30:36 of possession, while the Steelers owned the ball for 29:24.

Tennessee (-3/37.5) over Green Bay, 20-16.

The Packers scratched Aaron Rodgers and running back Eddie Lacy right before kickoff. They still nearly beat the Titans in the rain as the forced two turnovers by rookie Zach Mettenberger in the fourth quarter. Mettenberger did come back to complete 4 of 7 for 87 yards. Jackie Battle scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 5:02 left. The Packers got a decent performance from Matt Flynn, who threw for 49 yards (5 of 10) and Scott Tolzien (8 of 12 for 124 yards). Titans' starter Jake Locker played sparingly and completed just 1 of 2 for 5 yards. Charlie Whitehurst took over and was 10 of 15 for 94 yards.

Arizona (+1/37.5) over Houston, 32-0

This was the most dominant performance of Week 1 as Arizona owned the ball for 42:07 compared to just 17:53 for the Texans. Houston quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick struggled with two interceptions. Arizona rookie quarterback Logan Thomas looked impressive with 113 yards on 11 of 12 passes. Houston also had 13 penalties for 126 yards along with two turnovers. They were playing without wide receiver Andre Johnson, running back Arian Foster and cornerback Johnathan Joseph, who were nursing minor injuries.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Coach Mike Pettine said Johnny Manziel and Brian Hoyer will both work with the starters in the second preseason game agains the Redskins.
Manziel will get the start after Hoyer started the first preseason game. Pettine wants to "balance the reps" out between the two.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Preseason Notes - NFC
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com

Week 1 of the NFL preseason is in the books and if you rode the home teams last weekend, then you fared well at the betting counter as the hosts posted a 14-2 record.

Against the number, bettors watched the favorites go 12-4 straight up and 10-3-1 against the spread while the ‘under’ produced a 12-4 mark.

Looking ahead to the season week of the preseason, oddsmakers have listed the home team as favorites in all 16 games. Despite a flurry of ‘under’ winners last week, most totals are hovering above 40 points and the Eagles-Patriots matchup on Friday has a number hovering around 47.

Including the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 3 that saw the Giants defeat the Bills 17-13 from Canton, the NFC owns a slight 7-6 advantage over the AFC in this year’s preseason.

In case you missed any of this year’s preseason, here are my notes for all 16 teams in the NFC.

Dallas: Despite a goal line stand when they forced a fumble from Ryan Mathews, the Cowboys defense looked horrendous. The Chargers moved the ball seemingly at will and beat Dallas on short runs, deep balls and everything in between, taking full advantage of a painfully obvious lack of depth. While Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray and Jason Witten seeing their first action against Baltimore will get the headlines, Dallas' defensive improvement is what matters most for a unit that has already struggled with attrition. With Morris Claiborne nursing a sore knee, the team got bad news on Monday night when Jerry Jones revealed CB Orlando Skandrick will miss the regular season's first four games due to a substance abuse violation.

N.Y. Giants: Installing a new offense has been made tougher by David Wilson's retirement and Peyton Hillis' absence, though rookie Andre Williams has taken to an increased role extremely well. The reigning Doak Walker Award winner is averaging six rushing yards per carry, but still needs to prove he can help protect Eli Manning and Curtis Painter, elevated to a primary backup role ahead of Ryan Nassib. Look for him to get extensive action with the ones and twos against Indianapolis in what is likely to be an extensive test to see whether he can truly handle an extensive load.

Philadelphia: Nick Foles was pressured heavily by Chicago's front seven and didn't handle it well, throwing a pair of ugly interceptions. He had his timing thrown off in a timing-based offense, which combined with new backup Mark Sanchez's strong debut, has everyone but Eagles coaches overreacting. Chip Kelly will stick with him and seems to have no fear of a third-year decline, but that doesn't mean panic won't become the overwhelming narrative if he plays poorly at New England. Joint practices with the Patriots may mean more than the actual game, especially with Darrelle Revis on a quest for redemption, but Foles should do himself a favor and avoid turnovers to keep the Philly press from overreacting.

Washington: Since Robert Griffin III looks like he's moving around like old times, interest in Kirk Cousins is sure to ramp up again. That makes his next game against Cleveland a huge audition, taking place in a Monday nighter everyone will be watching because of Johnny Manziel. Given all the quarterbacks involved, it sure would open eyes if he can be the most productive on the field. Look for Jay Gruden to be aggressive, especially with DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon suiting up for the first time.

Atlanta: Julio Jones wasn't even in uniform against Miami, and while his workload will increase, it's highly doubtful that he'll play Friday night in Houston. That means the team can take a longer look at roster hopefuls beyond locks Roddy White and Harry Douglas. Rookies Geraldo Boldewijn, Bernard Reedy and Freddie Martino will all get their shot, but have to get more accurate QB play from backups T.J. Yates and Sean Renfrew, who were a combined 13-for-31 against the Dolphins.

Carolina: With Cam Newton, D'Angelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart scheduled to debut on Sunday night against the Chiefs, the Panthers will look to see how some of their pieces fit. Remember, they had a pair of key offensive linemen retire and saw top receivers Steve Smith and Ted Ginn depart, so the opening game was really one you can discard outside of first-round pick Kelvin Benjamin's only reception going for 29 yards and six points. They managed 75 first-half yards. It will be interesting to see how long they participate, but the first meaningful action of the season is set to come after Carrie Underwood's theme song plays on NBC.

New Orleans: Drew Brees says he might have the fastest weapons around him that he's ever worked with, surprising because jitterbug Darren Sproles is now playing for the Eagles. Rookie Brandin Cooks' first-round selection raised some eyebrows given the team's other needs, but suddenly looks like an absolute steal since the Rams had no prayer of staying in front of him. He'll debut in front of the home crowd at the Superdome against Tennessee on Saturday and should expect to be on the Titans radar. He managed to remain an NFL secret for about two minutes.

Tampa Bay: Vincent Jackson only got one grab in the 16-10 loss in Jacksonville, so it's not a huge deal that No. 7 pick Mike Evans goes into the preseason home opener against Miami without a reception. He was targeted only twice, so expect to see a concerted effort to get him on the same page with QBs Josh McCown and Mike Glennon, even if it requires force-feeding him. The Buccaneers did see a productive debut from rookie Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, a tight end taken in the second round who could make the offense dynamic alongside new acquisition Brandon Myers. Expect new offensive coordinator Jeff Telford to seek out bigger plays in his second test drive with this bunch.

Chicago: The Bears should've had a far easier time with Philadelphia, but left points on the board after turnovers and were really sloppy on special teams. Josh Huff took a kickoff 102 yards inside of the first half's two- minute warning, a horrid look for long-time special teams coordinator Joe DeCamilis. His unit muffed a punt and had a field goal blocked, so you can probably count on a cleaner effort in Thursday's nationally televised home game against the Jaguars. Head coach Marc Trestman has already stated plans to move people around, which means there will be an increased sense of urgency and attention to detail from guys looking to impress in an area that often plays tiebreaker when deciding who makes the team.

Detroit: Rookie tight end Eric Ebron went from being unlikely to play to being extremely active in his first stint of action against Cleveland. The Lions declined to disclose the nature of the injury, but felt comfortable enough with his mobility to target him four times, getting him a reception in a game situation as they look to feed his confidence following a drop-filled start to training camp. The 10th pick in this past NFL Draft figures to feature heavily in the next few exhibitions, and between center Travis Swanson, the second-string offense will have two potential game-changing rookies in the mix at Oakland, which bodes well for them against an opponent that was held scoreless for more than three quarters in Minnesota. Swanson will have to clean up his snap game, however, since he had a key turnover against the Browns that nearly sealed a loss before Kellen Moore rescued the result with some clutch late throws.

Green Bay: Defensive coordinator Dom Capers was instructed by head coach Mike McCarthy to keep coverages simple and not give anything away since the Packers will visit Seattle on the opening Thursday night. Still, they left the first team defense on the field following a turnover in Tennessee to see whether they would hold up. A second straight road date against the Rams should call for another vanilla approach, especially on turf, but it's worth pointing out that Green Day's only preseason win in 2013 was a 19-7 result in St. Louis in Week 2.

Minnesota: The Vikings sound ready to really test expected starter Matt Cassel, who only got 10 snaps in the opener, looking sharp in completing 5-of-6. The Cardinals defense is down a few men, but should offer a great look with their ability to generate pressure. Rookie second-rounder Teddy Bridgewater will see the bulk of time after Cassel, leaving mop-up duty for Cristian Ponder. That could create a potentially beneficial situation to have a former starter against third-string defense that gave up the only points against the Raiders, especially if raw project Logan Thomas sees late action for Arizona and the game is close. The Vikings drew over 50,000 for the preseason opener.

Arizona: The Cardinals aren't hiding their excitement over third-rounder John Brown, a Pittsburg State product from South Florida viewed as an immediate difference-maker. He caught five passes for 87 yards in a 32-0 rout of Houston, working well with backup Drew Stanton after catching a 25-yard strike from Carson Palmer in his only series co-exist in with the starting QB and top receiver Larry Fitzgerald. He's a potential x-factor worth monitoring closely as he takes the field at Minnesota, and the fact his alma mater's teams are nicknamed the Gorillas makes it al, the easier to root for him.

San Francisco: Although rookie Carlos Hyde looked like the load he was expected to be running the football, the rest of the 49ers offensive reserves left much to be desired in the 23-3 loss in Baltimore. The 49ers are hoping to get a boost from ex-Bills star Stevie Johnson, but he didn't get much help from Colin Kaepernick backups Blaine Gabbert, Josh Johnson and McLeod Bethel-Thompson, who went a combined 12-for-26 for 109 yards and two interceptions. Kaepernick should throw more than a single pass in Saturdays afternoon home date with Denver, but the lack of production beyond him is alarming and could put them at a disadvantage against the Brock Osweiler-led Broncos second-string that got so many quality reps in turning away the Seahawks last week.

Seattle: The Seahawks saw their nine-game preseason win streak snapped when Terrelle Pryor was intercepted at the goal line, but he did a real nice job marching down the field, showing off better accuracy in addition to his usual speed and elusiveness. It wouldn't be surprising to see Pryor push Tarvaris Jackson for the top backup spot behind Russell Wilson, and he should have plenty of reps since Pete Carroll isn't likely to expose Wilson much due to the multiple absences along the offensive line. Starters Russell Okung, Max Unger and James Carpenter all missed the Denver game, but are back at practice, slowly working their way back from nagging injuries. San Diego could take advantage, but the Seahawks have lost only one home game -- preseason, regular season or playoffs -- in their last 22 outings, a string that began Aug. 11, 2012.

St. Louis: Rookie running back Tre Mason showed terrific burst and drew praise from Rams legend Marshall Faulk on the St. Louis broadcast. The Hall of Famer believes Mason is a grinder who can be a 25-30 carry guy in spite of his small stature. Even though though Zac Stacy looks like the starter and Mason opened with the fourth-string, he ended up with 51 yards on 15 carries despite seeing a few big runs called back against New Orleans. If he continues to excel, he'll be a weapon throughout the preseason in winnable games against Green Bay, Cleveland and Miami.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Home Teams Go 14-2…
By Ross Benjamin
Playbook.com

The first full week of the NFL preseason has concluded, and it didn't pass without some interesting betting results that can be discussed. Although these are otherwise meaningless games, as long as they provide a point-spread and total, there's potential money to be made.

Hall of Fame Game Participants Continue to be Money Makers

The NFL preseason annually begins with the Hall of Fame Game which is the lone scheduled contest of the week. Entering the 2014 NFL preseason any team that played in the Hall of Fame Game in their previous contest, versus an opponent playing their first preseason game of the year, has gone 54-27-5 ATS (66.7%), and 56-30 straight up (65.1%) since 1983. This year's participants in Canton, Ohio were the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants. Buffalo closed as a 1.0-point underdog at Carolina on Friday night, and came away with an outright 20-18 win. The New York Giants were a 3.0 point favorite at home versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they proceeded to win in addition to covering in a 20-16 win. Hence, that NFL preseason betting system now stands at 56-27-5 ATS (67.5%) since 1983, and by the way, I cashed my only two NFL preseason wagers of the week.

Low Scoring Week 1

The first full week of the preseason saw 12 of the 16-games go under the total. If you throw in the Hall of Fame Game result, then we saw 13 of the first 17 contests play on the low side of the number. Those first 17-contests averaged 35.6 points per game. An interesting side note was that the Eagles went over the total of 41.5 easily in a 34-28 loss at Chicago. Philadelphia has now gone over the total in 4 of 5 preseason games with Chip Kelly as their head coach. Then there was the high scoring affair in which Kansas City was a 41-39 winner over Cincinnati. I would be remiss not to note that the Chiefs scored 2-touchdowns via interception returns, and another on a punt return. The Bengals also accounted for one of their touchdowns on an interception return.

Home Teams Prevail

The home teams went an incredible 14-2 straight up in the opening week, and were an equally impressive 13-2-1 ATS. The only home losers were Carolina at the hands of Buffalo, and St. Louis who dropped a 26-24 decision to New Orleans. As a matter of fact, home favorites of 2.0 or more went 9-1-1 ATS, and were a perfect 11-0 straight up while winning by an average of 8.6 points per game.

Interesting Team Preseason Streaks

The Seattle Seahawks entered the 2014 preseason having gone an incredible 9-0 SU&ATS in their last 9-games. All of those games came under the guidance of current head coach Pete Carroll. Well all good things must come to an end. Seattle lost at Denver 21-16, and also failed to cover as a 1.0 point underdog. However, Seattle has gone a terrific 22-5 ATS over their last 27 preseason contests, and has won 20 of those 27 outright.

The New Orleans Saints continued their money making ways during the preseason slate. They opened the 2014 campaign with a 26-24 wins as a 1.5 point underdog at St. Louis. New Orleans has now covered in 7 consecutive preseason games.

The Kansas City Chiefs 41-39 win over Cincinnati marked their 3rd straight preseason win. Prior to that 3-game win streak, the Chiefs were the poster team for preseason futility going 6-30 straight up, and 5-29-2 ATS in their previous 36-games.

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Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Jaguars vs. Bears Betting Preview and Pick
By: Craig Williams
Sportingnews.com

The Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars kick off the second full week of NFL preseason action Thursday night at Soldier Field (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Line: Bears -4; Total: 42

Chad Henne (4-for-7, 30 yards) started in Jacksonville's first preseason game, but it was rookie quarterback Blake Bortles who made headlines in his pro debut. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft -- and the first quarterback off the board -- finished 7-for-11 for 117 yards and a 99.4 QB rating in the Jags' 16-10 win vs. Tampa Bay.

Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley remains adamant that Henne will be his starter in 2014 while Bortles soaks the game up from the sidelines in his first year. But he's also confirmed that Bortles will receive first-team reps at some point this summer.

Also worth noting is the potential Jacksonville debut of free agent running back Toby Gerhart, who has been out of action with a hip flexor injury. The ailment wasn't considered serious, but it still held him out for two weeks. He's returned to practice and could get on the field against Chicago.

The Bears were clicking -- offensively at least -- in their first taste of live football this season, outscoring the Eagles 34-28 in a preseason shootout. Big things are expected from Jay Cutler, who finished 9-for-13 for 85 yards and a touchdown, in his second year running Marc Trestman's offense. Backup Jimmy Clausen (7-for-13, 150 yards, 2 TDs) was impressive in relief last week.

Preseason records and trends: The strongest identifiable preseason trend related to this game is the Bears' 4-1 record to the OVER in Trestman's two seasons at the helm. The Jags were 3-1 O/U last preseason, Gus Bradley's first with the team, but last week's game with the Bucs stayed well UNDER the total. Jacksonville dropped its first three exhibition games last season, both SU and ATS, while the Bears are now 2-2-1 ATS in the preseason under Trestman.

The Linemakers' lean: If this were a Week 1 regular-season matchup, the Bears would be favored in the 12.5-13 range, and while the preseason is a different beast, the spread here still feels light to us. Sure, we noticed Bortles' performance last week, but Chicago's QB rotation is still superior. In terms of the total, despite the aforementioned trends to the OVER, we're not ready to trust the Jags' offense, so we'll stick to a play in the side. Chicago -4 is the play.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

NFL Football Trends


NFL Preseason Betting Trends for Thursday, 8/14/14


Jacksonville at Chicago, 8:00 ET
Jacksonville: 16-6 ATS on the road off a home game
Chicago: 12-2 UNDER at home off a home game




NFL Preseason Betting Trends for Friday, 8/15/14


Philadelphia at New England, 7:30 ET
Philadelphia: 15-30 ATS in games where the line is +3 to -3
New England: 5-1 OVER after playing a non-conference game


Tennessee at New Orleans, 8:00 ET
Tennessee: 23-10 OVER in road games
New Orleans: 9-1 ATS in all games


Detroit at Oakland, 10:00 ET
Detroit: 6-3 ATS in all games
Oakland: 3-6 ATS in all games


San Diego at Seattle, 10:00 ET
San Diego: 20-7 OVER after allowing 14 points or less last game
Seattle: 7-0 ATS as a favorite




NFL Preseason Betting Trends for Saturday, 8/16/14


Green Bay at St Louis, 4:00 ET
Green Bay: 5-1 UNDER as an underdog
St Louis: 1-3 ATS as a home favorite


NY Giants at Indianapolis, 7:00 ET
NY Giants: 4-0 UNDER off an ATS Win
Indianapolis: 3-0 ATS as a home favorite of 3 points or less


Baltimore at Dallas, 7:00 ET
Baltimore: 28-14 UNDER in games where the line is +3 to -3
Dallas: 21-42 ATS after playing a non-conference game


NY Jets at Cincinnati, 7:00 ET
NY Jets: 8-1 ATS after a win by 3 or less points
Cincinnati: 2-5 ATS off an extremely close road loss by 3 points or less


Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 7:30 ET
Buffalo: 14-4 UNDER after a win by 6 or less points
Pittsburgh: 1-7 ATS in all games


Miami at Tampa Bay, 7:30 ET
Miami: 0-8 ATS in non-conference games
Tampa Bay: 14-3 ATS off a road loss


Atlanta at Houston, 8:00 ET
Atlanta: 19-6 OVER after allowing 14 points or less last game
Houston: 3-11 ATS after going under the total


Arizona at Minnesota, 8:30 ET
Arizona: n/a
Minnesota: n/a




NFL Preseason Betting Trends for Sunday, 8/17/14


Denver at San Francisco, 4:00 ET
Denver: 7-2 O/U WK-2
San Fran: 6-1 ATS home WK-2


Kansas City at Carolina, 8:00 ET
Kansas City: 1-3 ATS following WK-1 win
Carolina: 5-1 O/U home favorite




NFL Preseason Betting Trends for Monday, 8/18/14


Cleveland at Washington, 8:00 ET
Cleveland: 6-3-1 Under after scoring 14 or less points
Washington: 8-2 ATS home favorite

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Philadelphia Hype
By Bruce Marshall
VegasInsider.com

Every year, there seems to be a team du jour that catches the fancy of the fans and media and is subject to intense overhype. Meet this year's candidate, the Philadelphia Eagles (2013: 10-7 SU, 8-8 ATS, 9-8 O/U). Among other projections, none other than NBC's Cris "Aw Shucks" Collinsworth has suggested that Birds fans ought to be readying to welcome the Lombardi Trophy next February.

Collinsworth, however, is only one of many media voices who have been touting the Eagles since the end of last season. All of which not lost on the many listeners of venerable 610 WIP and 97.5 FM The Fanatic in Philadelphia, where Birds talk began to dominate the airwaves even before the Phillies would fall out of the NL East race.

Andy Reid? Who's he? Callers to WIP and The Fanatic would rarely mention the former coach after talking about nothing else for the preceding 13 years.

For us, however, we suggest that Eagles backers pump the brakes a little bit. We're not yet convinced that Philly is a Super Bowl contender. Call it our lengthy exposure to various false alarms over the decades. While we do believe the Eagles are definitely on their way up for 2nd-year HC Chip Kelly, we're simply suggesting some caution.

That's partially because there's a bit suspicion on our part about some of the Eagles' accomplishments last season, when they unexpectedly rallied down the stretch to win the NFC East. Which looked unlikely at midseason when Philly was sitting at a ho-hum 3-5. In retrospect, however, the Birds were helped by a variety of factors, among them collapses from division enemies Washington and the Giants.

Philly also caught unexpected breaks in a handful of games last season when facing backup QBs, as was the case in road tests against Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay and Tony Romo-less Dallas in the finale that decided the NFC East. The Birds were also getting whipped by the Lions when a blizzard hit the Linc last December and the Motown bunch suddenly forgot how to generate traction in the inclement conditions. Philly also beat Tampa Bay when the Bucs were still winless in the first half of the season, caught the Raiders when they were in the midst of collapse, and ran into Minnesota long after the season had slipped away from the Vikings. They were also fortunate to beat the Cardinals 24-21 in a late-season game at the Linc. Those sorts of schedule breaks are not likely to recur again this season.

Then, given the opportunity to host a playoff game, the Birds lost at home in the final seconds to the Saints. No shame in that effort, but an indicator that Philly still has some ground to make up if it wants to climb into the elite class in the NFC.

Of course, Kelly's progressive offense generated lots of headlines a year ago, and QB Nick Foles deservedly won accolades with his shock performance that included 27 TD passes and only 2 picks despite starting only 10 games. The Birds also led the NFL in rushing. But the defense was hardly championship caliber, ranking 29th overall, which could potentially undermine any fireworks provided by the Kelly offense this fall. The stop unit was also one of many in the league to get torched by the Broncos, who scored a franchise-record 52 points in a Denver blowout early last season.

The pass rush remains a question mark after managing just 37 sacks last season, and Bill Davis' stop unit could sorely use a dominant interior run-stuffer. The front three of Fletcher Cox,, Cedric Thornton, and Bennie Logan made progress last season, and Vinny Curry is in the process of emerging as a valued pass-rush specialist, but improvements must continue. Though Kelly and GM Howie Roseman believe the "D" has upgraded through free agency with the addition of ex-Saints FS Malcolm Jenkins, who could give the Birds their first lockdown safety since Brian Dawkins departed after the 2009 campaign. The Birds went defense with their first pick in the draft, tabbing Louisville OLB Marcus Smith, who could also provide pass-rush help. But this platoon still has a long way to go before it resembles a Super Bowl-caliber stop unit.

Perhaps the Birds can simply outscore everybody while the defense matures. The Kelly offense would figure to have a chance to do so with one of the best lines in the league and now adding ex-Saints RB Darren Sproles to spell LeSean McCoy, who gained 1607 YR last season. For those who believe the Kelly offense is simply pass-oriented, note those league-leading rush stats and the fact Philly ran the ball on more than 47% of its plays, the sixth-highest percentage in the league.

It's Foles, however, who needs to take the next step, which might seem a bit snarky on our part after the ex-Arizona Wildcat posted such gaudy numbers last season. Foles, however, was a bit too glad to take sacks, suffering 28 while throwing only 317 passes. The strategy of not forcing the ball worked out pretty well in 2013, as Foles finished with the third lowest interception percentage in league history. Offseason and summer camp work, however, has stressed a quicker release and getting the ball out of his hand earlier, avoiding so many sacks. "This year, I really want to not take as many sacks, get rid of the ball faster, dump it down to the back earlier," Foles recently said. "That's something I'll continue to work on the next few weeks (of training camp and the preseason)."

With Michael Vick finally out of the picture, Kelly and Roseman have brought in ex-Jet Mark Sanchez to battle another former USC Trojan, Matt Barkley, for backup duties. Safe to say that keeping Foles healthy will be crucial if the Birds want to get back to the playoffs this fall.

Roseman and Kelly also raised a few eyebrows when they decided to show WR DeSean Jackson the door in the offseason, and we applaud the braintrust for apparently responding to Jackson's alleged ties to gangs back in his native L.A. area. It was a bold move, because Jackson led the team with 82 receptions last season and was their main deep threat. Jackson's release is a calculated risk, because Kelly believes Jeremy Maclin, who missed last season with a torn ACL, can fill Jackson's downfield role. Rookie WRs Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt) and Josh Huff (Oregon) were the second and third-round draft picks, respectively, and will be expected to make immediate contributions.

The offense could also use PK Alex Henery converting with a bit more consistency from long distance; while near automatic inside of 40 yards, Henery was only 5 for 11 from 45 yards or beyond last season.

The Eagles should be good and are are a good bet to get back to the playoffs. But we are much more skeptical of all of the Super Bowl talk that remains nonstop in the Delaware Valley, or at least as far as the WIP and 97.5 FM signals can travel.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Friday's Preseason Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Preseason Recap: The home teams have won 15 of the first 17 preseason contests, including Chicago's comeback victory over Jacksonville on Thursday. Home clubs own a 12-4-1 ATS record, as the Bears failed to cover against the Jaguars last night, while the only road teams to win outright have been the Saints (at Rams) and Bills (at Panthers). The 'under' has cashed in 14 of 18 exhibition games (including the Hall of Fame game), including each of the last five contests since last Saturday.

Eagles at Patriots (-2½, 47)

2014 Preseason Records: NE (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS), PHI (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Previous Preseason Meeting: Patriots (+3½) beat Eagles, 24-6 in 2013

Week 1 Review: New England was dominated by Washington, 23-6 as Tom Brady rested in the preseason opener for the Pats. The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for New England in exhibition openers. The Eagles fell to the Bears as one-point road favorites, 34-28, as Chicago scored the final 17 points of the contest.

Expert Handicapper Analysis: Joe Nelson - Chip Kelly is now 2-3 S/U and ATS in the preseason and this will be a second straight road game which could take a toll at this stage in the season. New England is 6-3 S/U in the last nine home games in the preseason, averaging 27 points per game. Given Belichick’s respect for Kelly this is a game his team will take seriously and the Patriots should have opportunities early and late in this matchup.

Titans at Saints (-3, 43)

2014 Preseason Records: TEN (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), NO (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Previous Preseason Meeting: Titans (+4½) beat Saints, 10-6 in 2012

Week 1 Review: The Saints outlasted the Rams as short road underdogs, 26-24, as New Orleans was just one of two teams (Buffalo) to win on the highway last week. The Titans held off the Packers in a driving rainstorm in Nashville, 20-16 as -2½-point favorites.

Expert Handicapper Analysis: Doc's Sports - Never like to lay this many points in the exhibition season, but New Orleans played to win in game 1 and I see that trend continuing in Week 2. Hard to take away much from the Tennessee–Green Bay game since weather played a role, but playing in the Superdome is always a factor that greatly favors the home team. Drew Brees did not play in Week 1 and the Saints still managed to complete 27 of their 40 passes. New Orleans wins this game by double digits.

Lions at Raiders (-2½, 39)

2014 Preseason Records: DET (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), OAK (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Previous Preseason Meeting: Raiders (+3) beat Lions, 31-20 in 2012

Week 1 Review: The Raiders fell to the Vikings as three-point underdogs, 10-6, as Oakland scored a late touchdown and failed on a two-point conversion in the final minutes. The Lions rallied past the Browns, 13-12 to cash as 1½-point home underdogs, as the lone touchdown came in the contest came by Detroit with 1:05 remaining.

Expert Handicapper Analysis: The Gold Sheet - The Oakland coaching staff is fighting for its job this season and was very upset with the team's poor performance last week at Minnesota, as evidenced by the team's several fights this week while scrimmaging with Dallas. Detroit is not very deep on defense, especially in the secondary, which should yield opportunities to new Oakland No. 1 QB Matt Schaub, impressive rookie Derek Carr, and young veteran Matt McGloiin. New Detroit coach Jim Caldwell is from the Tony Dungy "low key" school of thought in preseason, with Caldwell going only 4-8 vs. the spread while head coach at Indianapolis and only 1-5 vs. the spread as a visitor.

Chargers at Seahawks (-6, 38½)

2014 Preseason Records: SD (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), SEA (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Previous Preseason Meeting: Seahawks (-3) beat Chargers, 31-10 in 2013

Week 1 Review: Seattle's eight-game preseason winning streak came to an end in a Super Bowl rematch with Denver, as the Seahawks lost 21-16 as one-point road favorites. The Chargers cruised past the beat-up Cowboys, 27-7 as 3½-point home favorites, snapping a two-game home losing streak in the preseason.

Expert Handicapper Analysis: James Manos - It's obvious that Seahawks HC Pete Carroll takes the preseason seriously as he's gone 21-13 SU and 24-10 ATS in his NFL preseason coaching appearances, including going 8-0 SU combined in 2012 and 2013. The Seahawks did lose their preseason opener this season at Denver, but that was a huge revenge setup for the Broncos, and anyone who really watched the game could see that both coaches were making an effort to WIN. This will be Seattle's first home game since winning the Super Bowl and they should be welcomed by the loud and racous crowd that give the Seahawks the best homefield advantage in the NFL. The Chargers enter off demolishing Dallas and San Diego accomplished all it's goals in that game.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Friday’s NFL Week 2 Preseason Betting Primer
Covers.com

The first game of the second week of NFL preseason is in the books, but there’s plenty of action remaining as the league reaches the halfway point of its exhibition schedule. Here’s a look at betting notes for Friday’s preseason action:

Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots (-3, 46.5)

With Riley Cooper (foot) and Jeremy Maclin (hamsttring) both expected to be out Friday night, expect to see a cast of unknowns line up for the Eagles at wide receiver – a group that includes Josh Huff, Arrelious Benn and Jordan Matthews. Quarterback Nick Foles will be hoping for a better performance from his offensive line, which struggled in the opener against Chicago.

Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo sat out his third consecutive practice Thursday and is expected to miss Friday’s game as he continues his recovery from a season-ending pectoral muscle tear. Veteran quarterback Tom Brady will make his preseason debut against Philadelphia after sitting out the exhibition opener, though it isn’t immediately clear how long the 37-year-old will play.

Tennessee Titans at New Orleans Saints (-3, 43)

The Titans want to see a lot more of starting quarterback Jake Locker, who has looked good in practice but was on the field for just 12 plays in the opener and wound up attempting only two passes. With three of Tennessee’s five wide receiver spots (Kendall Wright, Nate Washington, Justin Hunter) spoken for, Friday will see Derek Hagan, Marc Mariani, Michael Preston and Brian Robiskie battle for the final slots.

The Saints will be without franchise quarterback Drew Brees, who continues to nurse an oblique injury and is aiming to return in time for New Orleans’ third preseason game. Brees isn’t the only key starter expected to be on the sidelines Friday night; he’ll be joined by cornerback Champ Bailey, receiver Kenny Stills and linebackers David Hawthorne and Victor Butler.

San Diego Chargers at Seattle Seahawks (-6, 38.5)

The Chargers are expected to roll with rookie offensive lineman Chris Watt on Friday against a defensively elite Seahawks team playing in front of a raucous home crowd. Fellow first-year player Jason Verrett, still recovering from surgery in March to repair a posterior labral tear, will not be in the lineup but the first-round defensive back is expected to see action before the regular-season opener.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is expected to give both candidates for the backup quarterback job – Tavaris Jackson and Terrelle Pryor – an equal number of snaps against the Chargers. Seattle came into its preseason opener having outscored opponents 125-37 in the second half of its last eight exhibition games, but was outscored 14-6 in the second half against Denver last week.

Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders (-2.5, 39.5)

Don’t expect to see wide receiver Calvin Johnson much, if at all; head coach Jim Caldwell hasn’t said whether Megatron will suit up Friday, but he’s still recovering from off-season knee and finger surgeries and may want one more week to recover. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley has fallen down the depth chart due to uninspired play and poor work habits, and will give way to new starter C.J. Mosley this week.

Lost in an endless flurry of scuffles and squabbles during its joint practice with the Dallas Cowboys was the fact that the Oakland offense looked good in the days leading up to Friday’s encounter with Detroit. Former practice squad tight end Brian Leonhardt has been taking first-team reps with Mychal Rivera, and may be pressed into significant duty Friday due to a spate of injuries at the position

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Saturday's Tip Sheet
VegasInsider.com

This year’s preseason has been all about the home team and that trend continued on Friday. Prior to yesterday’s action, home teams were 15-2 straight up and that number improved to 19-2 after all four home squads captured victories last night.

Bettors also saw a bunch of low-scoring games in Week 1 but it appears that trend could be balanced out by next weekend. After watching the ‘under’ go 14-4 in the first 18 games of the preseason, the scoreboard was finally lit up on Friday as the ‘over’ went 4-0.

Seven of the eight teams in action scored 24-plus points and half of them busted 30 or more points. With starters getting more minutes and the new emphasis of penalties being called that favor the offense, bettors shouldn’t be surprised to see more points going forward.

We have eight more preseason games on Saturday and with the help of our expert handicappers, we’ll focus on four primetime matchups for you to follow.

Be sure to check out all the openers and lines moves, plus follow us on Twitter for daily NFL updates.

N.Y. Jets at Cincinnati

2014 Preseason Records: NYJ (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS), CIN (0-1 SU, 0-0-1 ATS)

Week 1 Review: New York held off Indianapolis 13-10 but failed to cover as a 3 ½-point home favorite. The combined 23 points never threatened the closing total of 39. Cincinnati found itself on the short end of a wild shootout loss to Kansas City, 41-39. The Bengals earned a push (+2) with a late touchdown and two-point conversion while the ‘over’ cashed in the second quarter.

Preseason H2H: These teams didn’t meet last summer. In 2011, the Jets captured a 27-7 win at home while the Bengals returned the favor in 2012 with a 17-6 from Cincinnati.

Expert Handicapper Notes: Tony Stoffo - New York Jets at Cincinnati

We have a strong multi-year preseason trend going here - as the Bengals under head coach Marvin Lewis and the Bengals sure like to bring a big effort in their first home preseason game - as the Bengals are a perfect 4-0 both straight up and against the spread the last 4 years. The Jets may be the perfect opponent to extend this streak for the Bengals as the Jets in the first road preseason game over the past 3 years are a money making 0-3.

N.Y. Giants at Indianapolis

2014 Preseason Records: NYG (2-0 SU, 2-0 ATS), Indianapolis (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)

Week 1 Review: This will be the third preseason game for the Giants, who defeated the Bills 17-13 in the Hall of Fame Game and the Steelers 20-16 last Saturday. The ‘under’ connected in both games, barely. The Colts lost a 13-10 decision to the Jets while covering as 3 ½-point road ‘dogs.

Preseason H2H: In last year’s preseason, the Colts defeated the Giants 20-12 as two-point road underdogs while the combined 32 points fell ‘under’ the closing total of 41 ½.

Expert Handicapper Notes: Mike Rose - New York’s season was over in October a year ago as the Giants started 0-6 before finishing the season 7-9. The Giants have a pair of preseason wins thanks to playing in the Hall of Fame game and their running game has shown significant improvement with the addition of RBs Rashard Jennings and rookie Andre Williams, who should be in the spotlight even more this week with backup RB Peyton Hillis out for a bit with an ankle injury suffered last week. The offensive line is clearly stronger and going to offer better protection for Eli Manning and the Giants QBs. Veteran backup Curtis Painter is 10/10 for 94 yards in the preseason and promising rookie Ryan Nassib has played well in two games going 19/33 for 220 yards. Manning may play more to get sharper in the new West Coast offense installed this year. The Giants had a top-10 defense last year while the Colts won 11 games with a defense that ranked #20 and was below average against the run and pass despite playing in a very weak division with poor QB play.

Buffalo at Pittsburgh

2014 Preseason Records: BUF (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS), PIT (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Week 1 Review: Similar to the Giants, this will be the third preseason game for the Bills. Buffalo bounced back from the HOF Game loss to New York with a 20-18 road win over Carolina last Friday. The Bills led from start to finish and avoided overtime by stopping the Panthers from converting a late two-point conversion. Pittsburgh fell to the aforementioned Giants 20-16 in Week 1. The Steelers offense produced nine points on three field goals while the defense helped the cause with a fumble recovery touchdown.

Preseason H2H: The pair met in 2012 and the Steelers ripped the Bills 38-7 as 2 ½-point road underdogs. The ‘over’ (39.5) cashed.

Expert Handicapper Notes: ASA – The Steelers' Mike Tomlin has been very successful in the preseason and goes out to win games. He had a 19-10 record in the preseason entering this season and they lost their opener in Week 1. After a rare “off” season last year where the Steelers finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs we expect them to emphasize winning this game in front of their home fans. Buffalo isn’t in a great spot here in our opinion. They are playing their 3rd straight week away from home after losing to the Giants in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, OH and then beating Carolina on the road last week 20-18. They squeaked by the Panthers despite the fact Carolina start QB Cam Newton didn’t even play in the game. The yardage was fairly close in that contest but the Panthers turned the ball over three times to just one for Buffalo which was the difference in the game.

Miami at Tampa Bay

2014 Preseason Records: MIA (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS), TB (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Week 1 Review: The Dolphins and Buccaneers both suffered 16-10 losses in Week 1 of the preseason on the road to the Falcons and Jaguars respectively. Each team also saw the ‘under’ connect as well.

Preseason H2H: These teams square off every preseason. The Buccaneers have won and covered the last three meetings, but two of the margins were decided by four points or less. Total bettors should note that the ‘under’ is 16-3 in the last 19 preseason encounters, which includes a current run of six straight.

Expert Handicapper Notes: Pat Hawkins – The Buccaneers looked very weak in their preseason opener last week against Jacksonville, losing 16-10 on the road. I expect head coach Lovie Smith and Tampa Bay to have their offense performing at a higher level than it did in the first week of the preseason. Prior to last week’s loss, Smith was 6-2 in his last eight exhibition games, which tells you that he takes these games to heart. Look for the Bucs to put a much better performance out on the field as Lovie makes his home debut against intrastate rival Miami.

[Tomkelly95]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

John Harbaugh is 16-9 in preseason games.
John Harbaugh is 4-2 in Preseason Week 2 games.
Jason Garrett is 7-7 in preseason games.
Jason Garrett is 0-3 in Preseason Week 2 games.

[Tomkelly95]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Jets BengalsRex Ryan is 10-11 in preseason games.
Rex Ryan is 3-2 in Preseason Week 2 games.
Marvin Lewis in 23-23 preseason games.
Marvin Lewis is 8-3 in Preseason Week 2 games.
Bucs Dolphins
Joe Philbin is 2-8 in preseason games.
Joe Philbin is 0-2 in Preseason Week 2 games.
Lovie Smith is 21-20 in preseason games.
Lovie Smith is 6-3 in Preseason Week 2 games.

[TheGame]

Re: NFL Preseason Week 2. Betting Info

Sunday's Preseason Tips
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

Week 2 Recap: The home teams put up a 5-0 straight-up and 3-2 against the spread record on Thursday and Friday. The road clubs bounced back nicely on Saturday night by compiling a 5-3 SU and 6-2 ATS record, as the Vikings and Steelers each won by a combined five points at home with late scores. The ‘over’ went 4-4 last night after the ‘over’ finished a perfect 4-0 on Friday night.

Broncos at 49ers (-4½, 41½)

2014 Preseason Records: DEN (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS), SF (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Previous preseason meeting: Broncos beat 49ers, 10-6 as three-point road underdogs in 2013.

Preseason review: Denver picked up a tiny bit of revenge from this past February’s Super Bowl beatdown by Seattle, as the Broncos rallied past the Seahawks, 21-16 as one-point home ‘dogs. The 49ers traveled east and didn’t put up much of a fight in a 23-3 defeat to the Ravens. San Francisco was outgained by nearly 200 yards, while Baltimore held the ball for almost 40 minutes.

Expert Analysis: Doc’s Sports - Denver has been getting blown out in Week 2 of the exhibition season and we fully expect that trend to continue on Sunday. The Broncos lost last year by 30 points and by 20 points in 2012 (both losses to Seattle). San Francisco is opening up a new stadium and that will give them the little extra effort needed to win this game by 7 to 10 points. This will be another regular season rematch and thus I do not expect the Broncos to move it up-tempo and John Fox is just 4-8 in Week 2 in the preseason.

Chiefs at Panthers (-3½, 40)

2014 Preseason Records: KC (1-0 SU, 0-0-1 ATS), CAR (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

Previous preseason meeting: Chiefs beat Panthers, 30-10 as 3 ½-point home favorites in 1997.

Preseason review: Kansas City outlasted Cincinnati, 41-39, but pushed as two-point favorites. The Chiefs benefited from a pair of interception returns for touchdowns to win their third straight exhibition contest dating back to last August. Cam Newton sat out Carolina’s preseason opening loss to Buffalo, 20-18 as short home underdogs. The Panthers scored on a pair of long touchdown passes, but a late two-point conversion failed to tie the game.

Expert Analysis: Tony Stoffo - With Newton nursing offseason ankle surgery and an unsettled offensive line, the Panthers could only manage six points and 70+ yards in the first half against the Bills in Week 1. While even though the Chiefs put up 41 points on the Bengals in the first half, they could only manage three offensive field goal drives as the rest of their points were on 80-yard punt return and a 36-yard Sean Smith pick-six for a score. So I feel we have a ton of value in this total as the public and the odds makers have over-reacted to what the Chiefs did and posted an extremely high total here.