Posted on
9/7/2007 9:31:10 PM
NFL Betting – 2007 NFC West Preview
By Tim Furious
Arizona Cardinals
What to love: The NFC West is shaping up to be one of the younger, more productive quarterback divisions in the league and Matt Leinart is leading the charge. Pretty Boy has been excellent unleashing bombs to Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Wisenhunt has refocused the running game and will cut Edge’s workload, and Marcel Shipp will bash in the goal-line carries (hopefully). Offensively, there is a lot to be excited about.
Adrian Wilson is going to become a household name soon. He is one of the best safeties in the game, with unreal athletic ability. And he’ll be a busy Red Bird because…
What to hate: …the defense is bad. How bad? They were the fourth worst overall defense in the preseason. New head coach Ken Wisenhunt is an offensive specialist, but defense still brings home the gold in the NFL. The Cardinals are becoming a perennial tease to break the big one every year, but the only thing your betting dollars will be flirting with is disaster.
San Francisco 49ers
What to love: Quarterback Alex Smith looks as sharp as a number two pencil at an SAT exam. He’s been aggressive, smart and consistent and that will open up running lanes for Frank Gore and give Darrell Jackson and Vernon Davis (who is due for a monstrous season).
They are still a great underdog to bet on in our NFL Futures. At +200, they are in a tight race with the rest of the division, and at +1500, they are long shots to win the Superbowl. But if you love them as much as everyone else does heading in to the season, take a long shot in our sportsbook!
What to hate: Inexperience and a lack of chemistry. Defensively the team brought in a ton of new personnel and they still have to gel in to a cohesive unit before the Niners are lifting a divisional champ banner for 2007.
Seattle Seahawks
What to love: Shaun Alexander looks ready to go and Marcus Pollard is the tight-end weapon that Matt Hasslebeck and Mike Holmgren have been waiting for. Pollard is not the athlete that Jeramy Stevens is, but he is mature and has great hands to go with disciplined route running. They are still the favorites for a reason.
What to hate: I know it was one game, but when Green Bay hung 48 points on them in week two, everyone had to start to get worried. All AFC West teams have questionable defenses, but Seattle’s will be worse than people expect. This team will be on the bubble, but their run at the top of this once weak division is over. Now they have to prove they deserve it, and they don’t have enough moxy to do so.
St. Louis Rams
What to love: Marc Bulger gave St. Louis the fifth best passing offense in the NFL preseason, and combined with Steven Jackson to give the Rams the ninth strongest total offense in the league. Bulger is maturing into an elite passer while Jackson is the new fantasy heart-throb, and for good reason.
The secondary looks decent, giving the Rams the fourth ranked passing defense in preseason. The Rams are essentially designed to protect big leads. Teams will have trouble throwing on them, and they can control the clock with Steven Jackson and Brian Leonard, who looks much better than expected. Did you see that hurdle over an Oakland defender?
What to hate: The defense is a lopsided. Against the throw, they are strong, but the front four can’t stop a damn thing. Rookie defensive end Adam Carriker is shoring up a weak line, but they were the fourth worst rushing defense in the league in the preseason. Teams are going to barrel through them.
The 2007 NFL betting season is here in full force! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting. The BetUS sportsbook has NFL odds up on a ton of futures, and you will also find NFL lines up for early games as well. Join BetUS today and we'll help guide you right through to Super Bowl XLII and beyond!