2009 Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Season Preview

Jacksonville Jaguars Expert NFL Betting Picks Preview by Vernon Croy

2009 Jacksonville Jaguars Season Preview

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a bit of a rough year in 2008. Although many people believed they could be a Super Bowl contender before last season, they stumbled to a 5-11 record. You never really know what you're going to get with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Traditionally, they had a stout defense and an efficient offense with a great running game. Last year, they struggled in a lot of areas. David Garrard learned how to throw interceptions and consistently made mistakes. This really crippled the offense overall. If you're looking for free NFL preaseason picks, you probably won't see the Jaguars unseat the Colts or Titans in the division this season.

The Good News: The Jaguars brought in a few good players in the offseason. Probably the biggest name addition came in the form of wide receiver Torry Holt. Holt's talents helped make St. Louis "The Greatest Show on Turf" for several years and brought them two trips to the Super Bowl with one championship. Over the years he has been one of the top receivers in the game with speed, great hands, and good route-running. The Jaguars hope he still has something left in the tank.

They also upgraded the offensive line significantly along the way. They signed free agent Tra Thomas and drafted Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton. Monroe was picked high in the first round and Britton was thought to be a potential first rounder. That gives them three new talented offensive tackles to plug in and protect Garrard.

Maurice Jones-Drew will also be the featured back now, which many people believe to be good news. He has put up some great numbers splitting time with Fred Taylor the last few seasons. Now he's got all the carries to himself and he should be even that much better.

The Bad News: The worst thing about the off-season was that they lost a lot of good players and didn't do much to retool the defense. They lost defensive leader Mike Peterson in the linebacking corp. They also lost Paul Spicer and Tony McDaniel along the defensive line. They weren't very good on defense last season to begin with and they couldn't really afford to lose any of their good players. They're hoping that some young players can step up and make a difference. They really could have used a little bit more help on offense and defense. Jack Del Rio is on the hot seat now after a sub-par season last year. Another year like that and he'll be out the door.

Outlook: As far as free NFL betting picks go, I would expect the Jaguars to finish in last place in the division this year. The Colts and Titans were solid playoff teams last year and the Texans are improving drastically. Therefore, it doesn't leave a lot of room for the Jaguars at the top of the division. I don't think the changes they made in the off-season are enough to get the job done.

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2009 Indianapolis Colts NFL Season Preview

Indianapolis Colts Free NFL Picks Betting Preview by Vernon Croy

2009 Indianapolis Colts Season Preview

The Indianapolis Colts had another great year overall in 2008. They started off very slow with four losses in their first seven games. Then, as they always do, Peyton Manning and the Colts turned it on. They won out the rest of the schedule and made another run to the playoffs. Last year, Manning got off to a slow start because of missing training camp with a bursa sack injury in his knee. This year, he should be in practice for training camp and they hope to get off to a sharp start to the season. If you're looking for free NFL preseason football picks, you might as well go ahead and put the Colts in the playoffs and as a Super Bowl contender right off the bat. They always are and there's no reason to believe they won't be again this year.

The Good News: The good thing about the Colts is that they always seem to keep most of their core guys. When they lose someone, they always plug in another body that will inevitably be successful in their system. They even had a succession plan in place for when Tony Dungy stepped down from behind the wheel. They added some solid players in the draft to add more depth to an already deep team. Although they already had Joseph Addai in the fold, they went ahead and drafted running-back Donald Brown out of UConn for depth. They also picked up a good defensive tackle out of "pro-factory" USC in Fili Moala. They weren't very active in free agency and they only picked up defensive tackle Ed Johnson. They still have "All-World" quarterback Peyton Manning, who along with Tom Brady is still one of the best quarterbacks in the game. If you don't catch any Colts games where you live, you'll undoubtedly still get your share of Manning on TV pitching every product under the sun.

The Bad News: The biggest loss of the offseason is future Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison. Manning to Harrison is the most successful combination in NFL history and it will be a difficult one to replace. However, the last few years, Harrison has struggled to stay on the field with health issues. His numbers dropped and Reggie Wayne took over as the #1 option in the passing game. Therefore, his loss won't be as big as it once might have been. Because of their great drafting, they already have a #2 option on the team and ready to contribute in Anthony Gonzalez. Losing Coach Tony Dungy will not be an easy thing to get used to either.

Outlook: As far as free NFL betting picks go, you'll probably see a lot out there that think the Colts could win it all again. I have no reason to believe otherwise. While they might not be the Super Bowl favorite at this point, they are still contenders. Losing Dungy and Harrison will hurt, but I think the team can get past it with all of the people that they already have. Expect the Colts to win the division and make a nice run in the playoffs.

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2009 Houston Texans NFL Season Preview

Houston Texans Free NFL Picks Betting Preview by Vernon Croy

The 2008 Houston Texans had a roller coaster of a season. They started out slowly and then rebounded to have a decent year. They missed the playoffs, but they made the long climb to respectability. They had a great offense and the defense was a little questionable. The offseason was spent trying to shore up the defense and they believe that they've done enough to be contenders in the AFC South this year. If you're looking for NFL preseason football picks, expect the Texans to be one of the three best teams in the division this year.

The Good News: The best news is what the Texans bring back from last year. They already had a pretty strong nucleus last year, but injuries to Matt Schaub hurt the team early in the year. They have a solid, accurate quarterback in Schaub if they can keep him healthy. They also have one of the top 5 receivers in the league in Andre Johnson. Last year, he made fantasy football owners extremely happy with the stats that he put up. They also managed to find a great rookie running back last year in Steve Slaton. Slaton didn't start out as the "go-to-guy" but emerged as that later in the season. With a year under his belt, he should be even better this year. They also added some good defensive talent in Antonio Smith and Shaun Cody in free agency. They drafted a potential stud linebacker in Brian Cushing as well. They hope that these additions can help the defense catch up with the offense.

The Bad News: Other than "The Big 3", the Texans need someone else to step up on offense. They need some more help to keep their big guns from being double teamed all the time. Can Walters step up and make some catches to help out the offense? Will anyone be able to give Slaton a breather from time to time?

The defense is still a big question mark at this point. While they added some nice names in the off-season, no one knows exactly how it will work out until they play together in some games. They can look great in training camp, but until it happens for real, there's no reason to get excited. They do have Mario Williams at defensive end, but besides him, they need to generate a pass rush. They also need some consistency at linebacker if they're going to make the jump to a playoff team in 2009.

Outlook: As far as free NFL betting picks go, expect the Texans to be a winning team this season. They will probably battle for a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. They're not ready to unseat the Colts as the perennial division #1, but they will battle with the Titans to be the second team from the division into the playoffs. Again, the big questions are on defense. Can they find some defensive leaders to step up and make some plays? If so, they could be a force to be reckoned with this season.

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2009 Denver Broncos Season Preview

2009 Denver Broncos NFL Picks Preview by Vernon Croy

Where to begin with the Denver Broncos offseason this year? Does the word whirlwind mean anything to you? That's probably the best word to describe the Broncos offseason up to this point. If you're looking for NFL preseason football picks you might want to stay away from penciling the Broncos into the playoffs this year. Let's review what happened in the offseason.

First of all, they fire their successful coach that has been there forever in Mike Shannahan. Some people thought it was overdue, but this is nothing in comparison to what happens later. They then proceed to hire a first time head coach in Josh McDaniels, another assistant from the Patriots regime. Yes, the same regime that hasn't pumped out a lot of successful coaches outside of New England, i.e. Charlie Weiss, Romeo Crennel, Eric Mangini, etc. McDaniels then proceeds to trade off his mid twenty-something Pro Bowl quarterback (Jay Cutler) to get Matt Cassell who he was familiar with from the Patriots. This proceeds to anger Cutler to no end and he demands a trade. Amazingly they go ahead and give in to his demands in order to get two first rounders and Kyle Orton. Yes, that Kyle Orton.

The Good News: The good news is...well it's really hard to pinpoint the exact good news here. I guess starting with a clean slate is fun sometimes. At least the Broncos didn't relocate to another city! They were the most active team in free agency although they didn't exactly bring in any great players.

The Bad News: In that free agency crop they managed to sign like 10 running backs and then drafted one with their first round pick. Are they really going to have that many running backs on the roster? Of course not! However, that doesn't stop them from getting running backs on the team for McDaniel's "pass-happy" offense. They even traded one of those first round picks that they got next year for a second round pick this year. Has anyone ever done that before? Then on top of all the other drama that they've had, their star wide receiver Brandon Marshall demands a trade. For some reason, they have declined to trade him as of yet. Why would you trade away a franchise quarterback and keep a disgruntled, law-breaking wide receiver that doesn't want to be there? This offseason has defied logic and any convention.

Outlook: If you haven't picked it up by now, I'm not big on the Broncos chances this season. In fact, if you're looking for free NFL picks, you should know that the Broncos will battle it out with the Raiders for last place in the AFC West this year. They might even take it away from the Raiders early on in the season. How can you replace a successful head coach with an unproven rookie, a Pro Bowl quarterback with Kyle Orton and expect to be successful right off the bat. Yes, it might work in the long term, but I don't see it happening this season.

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2009 Cleveland Browns Free NFL Picks Preview

2009 Cleveland Browns Free NFL Picks Preview by Vernon Croy

As far as NFL football betting is concerned, the Cleveland Browns lost people a lot of money last year. Following up on the heels of their surprising 2007 campaign, they were expected to come out on all cylinders in 2008. Many people believed they could win the division and challenge in the playoffs. However, they immediately came out and started losing. Their surprising star in Derek Anderson had a terrible year and their incumbent in Brady Quinn didn't do much either. Can the Browns rebound in 09?

The Good News: There really wasn't a whole lot of good news in the off-season for the Browns. I guess, if you consider bringing the coach who failed to take a talented Jets team to the playoffs last year good news, then the Browns are doing great. Maybe the change of scenery will help Mangini get his genius status back. He brought with him a bunch of Jet castoffs to rebuild the defense. However, if it didn't work in New York, what makes anyone think it's going to work in Cleveland?

The Bad News: The bad news is a lot more lengthy than the good news in 09 for the Browns. To begin with, their top-3 pick from a few years ago Braylon Edwards was at the top of the league leaders in dropped passes. The supposedly "can't miss" wide receiver prospect has been doing a lot more missing than expected. He'll have to step it up if he wants to regain the promise that he showed in previous seasons. Their emerging tight end in Kellen Winslow got shipped off in a trade which made absolutely no sense. In addition to that, their other big acquisition in Donte Stallworth might not even play this season after killing a man in a car accident. The aerial attack is a huge question mark going into the season. They don't know if they have a legitimate quarterback, wide receiver or tight end on the roster. They also reached in the second round on wide receiver Brian Robiskie who many considered to be a third or fourth round pick because of their troubles at receiver. The running game is nothing to write home about either with Jamal Lewis on the tail end of his career. The defense has a lot of young playmakers already in the fold. Kamerion Wimbley, Eric Wright, and Brodney Poole have showed flashes of brilliance in their young careers. However, the trick is whether or not they can all come together as a unit.

Outlook: As far as free NFL picks go, the forecast doesn't call for sunny skies in Cleveland this year. Expect the Browns to battle it out with Cincy, for last place in the division while the Ravens and Steelers fight it out for the top spot. Mangini has shown nothing that should make anyone believe he can right the ship in Cleveland and the additions they made are marginal improvement at best. Maybe they'll benefit from addition by subtraction without a distraction like Winslow in the locker room. Just don't expect much in the win department this year.

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2009 Baltimore Ravens NFL Season Preview by Vernon Croy

2009 Baltimore Ravens NFL Season Preview by Vernon Croy

The Baltimore Ravens have a lot to be excited about in 2009. If you have been browsing around the internet at NFL betting picks, you will see the Ravens are found among the contenders in the league. Most people believe that they are a playoff team and some consider them Super Bowl contenders. Is there anything to all of the hype? Let's look at what the off-season brought the Baltimore Ravens.

The Good News: The good news is that they were a good team last year with a rookie quarterback. They didn't lose too much in the off-season and the rookie quarterback isn't a rookie quarterback anymore. Joe Flacco has a season of starts under his belt including a couple of playoff games. Last year he went through training camp not knowing whether he would be the starter. He was in a battle with Troy Smith and Kyle Boller. Now he knows he’s the man and everyone believes in him. Last year, he was more of a caretaker on a good team. He had the great defense to bail him out if he needed help. This year, they will open up the playbook a little more and let him show off his gun. They also added a Pro Bowl caliber center in Matt Birk to upgrade their protection for him. It's all about the "Joe Flacco Show" in Baltimore.

The Bad News: The bad news is the loss of a few key ingredients to last years team. One of the leaders on the defense, Bart Scott, bolted to the Jets in the opening minutes of free agency. While the Ravens still have plenty of playmakers on defense, Scott was an important piece of the machine. In addition to Scott, the defense lost its coordinator in Rex Ryan. Ryan was the brains behind the defensive juggernaut in Baltimore and he will be sorely missed. Another question mark hangs over the situation with Derrick Mason. The leading receiver for the Ravens the last few years has said he is retiring. Many believe it’s simply a power play in his negotiation for a new contract. However, the possibility remains that he will not be a Raven this year. Another concern for many is that Joe Flacco was a little underwhelming at times last season. He managed to win most of his games, but most teams didn't really fear the aerial game as much with him behind the wheel. They tended to grind it out on the ground most of the time with a few passes here and there. This isn't what a lot of people expect out of a first round pick at quarterback.

Outlook: The Ravens have a lot of great players and a good young coach to keep the ship heading in the right direction again this season. They have question marks on both sides of the ball, but then again, who doesn't? They could use an upgrade on the offensive side of the ball, but overall, they're solid. If you're looking for free NFL picks, I would put my money on the Ravens to make the playoffs again. They probably won't win the Super Bowl, but they'll be in the hunt.

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2009 Free NFL Football Betting Picks Previews - Buffalo Bills

2009 Buffalo Bills NFL Season Preview by Vernon Croy

The 2009 NFL Season is quickly approaching and fans for every team are chomping at the bit for some NFL betting action. Nothing beats the thrill of betting on live games and the upcoming NFL season should be no different. Fans of the Buffalo Bills are cautiously optimistic this year (almost like every year) that they'll be a playoff contender again. However, if you're checking out the free NFL football picks around the internet, you probably won't find Buffalo penciled into the Super Bowl just yet. Many questions remain as the 2009 campaign kicks off. Let's look at what to expect.

The Good News: The biggest news in Buffalo Bill Land is the addition of Terrell Owens. That's right...T.O. is in town. He brings with him a lot of experience and game-breaking ability. When he is motivated, his talent level is as good as any receiver in the league right now. Although he might be a step slower than he used to be, he's still got some game. This signing not only brings with it some ability to help the team on the field, it energizes the fan-base as well. The Bills finally got a big-name player to come to their team. This means a re-energized set of fans should be lining up to watch the team in Week 1. The Bills also picked up a good spot running back in Dominic Rhodes. He probably won't come in and unseat Marshawn Lynch anytime soon, but he'll be there to run the ball if Lynch can't stay healthy. They also picked up a good defensive end out of Penn State in Aaron Maybin. They got a good football player with their first rounder that can team up with fellow Penn State alum Paul Posluszny and anchor the defense.

The Bad News: Although T.O. obviously brings with him a lot of talent and flair, he obviously has some baggage as well. Buffalo fans better hope that Trent Edwards can block out the constant abuse that he's bound to attract from T.O. on the sidelines. T.O. has the well-known reputation as a locker room cancer, so why would it be any different here? The one advantage to this situation is that Owens knows he has to be on his best behavior. There weren't exactly a lot of teams beating down his door after Jerry Jones gave him the ax last year. In addition to the T.O. saga, the Bills also lost two good offensive linemen in Jason Peters and Derrick Dockery. Peters was a Pro Bowl left tackle which isn't exactly easy to find. Although many would argue he is overrated, considering he gave up more sacks than any other LT last year, he still has some game left. Can the offensive line gel together without two cornerstones from previous years? That remains to be seen.

Outlook: Although the Bills have some talent, don't look for them to win the division this year. They still play in the same division as the Patriots and a certain Pro Bowl quarterback is healthy again. Look for them to battle with the Jets for third place in the division this year. If you're looking for free NFL betting picks, I wouldn't put my money on the Bills to win their division just yet.

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