NFL Football Betting Odds - Weekend 3 Preview
Thursday, September 23, 2010
by BetUS.com
In most sports, the first few games of the season don’t hold too much weight, as there is plenty of time for the standings to sort out.
But in the NFL, with only 16 regular season games, every game matters.
The first three games of the season often separate the playoff teams from the also-rans down the stretch.
Here’s a look at two important matchups this Sunday in NFL betting.
[Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 60% bonus on your first deposit here at BetUS Sportsbook? Find out more exciting details HERE.]
- Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints
The Atlanta Falcons head to New Orleans to face the New Orleans Saints this week in a showdown between two of the NFC’s top teams. The Saints have dominated this NFC South rivalry over the last few seasons, a trend the Falcons will try to break.
Atlanta bounced back nicely from an opening-week loss to Pittsburgh with a dominating effort over the Arizona Cardinals. Matt Ryan had a great day passing, going 21-of-32 for 225 yards and three touchdowns, while back-up running back Jason Snelling showed he was more than capable of filling in for the injured Michael Turner, racking up 186 total yards and three touchdowns.
With the 41-7 win, Atlanta easily covered the 7-point spread, which improved their ATS record to 1-1 on the young season. The Falcons also went over the posted total of 43. Since 2006, Atlanta is just 1-7 SU against New Orleans. While they usually play them tough even in losing efforts (4-4 ATS), the Falcons need a win to avoid falling to 1-2 on the season.
New Orleans followed up a close win over Minnesota with another close win Monday night, this time on the road against San Francisco. While the Saints fell to 0-2 ATS on the season in failing to cover the five-point spread, Garrett Hartley’s field goal in the closing seconds of the game did help New Orleans improve to 2-0 SU.
Drew Brees had a good day (28-of-38, 254 yards, two touchdowns), leading the team to three field goal drives in the fourth quarter.
Dating back to last season, the Saints are now 0-7 ATS in their last seven regular season games. The 25-22 win last week went over the posted total of 44. Atlanta figures to be the Saints’ main competitor for the NFC South title, making this game even more important for both teams.
- New York Jets at Miami Dolphins
Sunday Night Football’s matchup features two hated rivals in the AFC East, the high-profile New York Jets and the underrated Miami Dolphins. This will be the first game for the Dolphins at home this season, while the Jets are hitting the road for the first time as well.
It has been a tale of two seasons in just two games for Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets.
In their first game against Baltimore, the Jets had an abysmal offensive performance, with Shonn Greene benched for fumbling multiple times and Mark Sanchez throwing for only 74 yards and no touchdowns on 10-of-21 passing.
Against New England, Sanchez threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns, outscoring New England 18-0 in the second half and winning the game 28-14 (as an underdog, bringing their ATS record to 1-1).
Which Jets team will show up this Sunday in Miami? After taking five straight games (4-0-1 ATS) against Miami from 2006-2008, New York is 0-3 both SU and ATS in their last three meetings with the Dolphins. New York actually played better on the road than they did at home in 2009, going 5-3 both SU and ATS away from the Meadowlands.
Miami’s win on the road against Buffalo didn’t turn many heads, but their road win against the hungry Minnesota Vikings certainly did. The Dolphins got the job done with a stingy defense, forcing four turnovers and making a goal-line stand against Adrian Peterson late in the game. The straight-up win as a 6-point dog brought Miami to 2-0 SU and ATS this season, and the UNDER to 2-0 as well.
If the Dolphins (especially on defense) can continue to play at this high a level, the AFC East may not be the two-horse race between New England and New York that many thought it would be. After sweeping the season series against New York in 2009, the Dolphins should be confident heading into this important divisional matchup.
Check out the latest football game lines in the BetUS Sportsbook, click here.
Related Articles
- Football Picks: The Falcons Gets Visit From Inconsistent NO Saints
- 2012 Super Bowl Betting Odds: Early Favorites Leave Pack Behind
- NFL Football Prediction: Atlanta Falcons Visit Surging NY Giants
- NFL Picks: Miserable Season Ends For Tampa Bay Buccaneers In Atlanta
- Battle For Position Between Atlanta Falcons And New Orleans Saints
Category
Tags
adrian peterson - atlanta falcons - drew brees - garrett hartley - jason snelling - mark sanchez - matt ryan - miami dolphins - michael turner - new orleans saints
Proud member of the