The 2009 Detroit Lions have nowhere to go but up after becoming the first team in NFL betting history to go 0-16. The Lions made a number of changes in the off-season and they will win some games in 2009.
Detroit has a new head coach in Jim Schwartz who seems to have what it takes. He worked under Bill Belichick and spent the last eight years as Tennessee’s defensive coordinator under Jeff Fisher. The Lions have a new defensive coordinator in Gunther Cunningham and he loves pressuring opposing offenses. The offensive coordinator is now Scott Linehan who bombed as a head coach but was very good as an offensive coordinator with Minnesota.
The Lions drafted Matthew Stafford #1 overall and he will be competing with Daunte Culpepper for the starting job this season. The Lions would be better off not rushing Stafford so it is up to Culpepper to be ready. The Lions have Kevin Smith at running back and they signed Maurice Morris away from Seattle. The Lions have a great offensive weapon in wide receiver Calvin Johnson. He can instantly impact the NFL odds with his ability. The Lions signed free agent Bryant Johnson to be their #2 receiver and they added Dennis Northcutt and Ronald Curry. The Lions also stole Brandon Pettigrew with the 20th overall pick in the draft. He could make a huge impact in his rookie season.
The problems for the Lions are upfront. They have a weak offensive line and the defensive line isn’t much better. The Lions are hoping that Grady Jackson still has something left. The linebackers should be improved this season with the addition of Larry Foote and Julian Peterson. The secondary last year was simply a disaster. The Lions have started over and added three cornerbacks to go along with Keith Smith. They signed free agents Phillip Buchanon and Eric King and got Anthony Henry in a trade. They also got Louis Delmas in the draft. The kicking game for Detroit is solid with Jason Hanson and punter Nick Harris.
The Lions are the longest shot on the board to win the Super Bowl in NFL odds and for good reason but there is hope for Detroit. They made a lot of great off-season moves starting with getting rid of Matt Millen. The coaching staff has been seriously upgraded and Detroit finally made a lot of wise choices in the off-season. The Lions could be a lot better in 2009 than people think although a winning record might be a stretch.
If you are looking for a team in NFL odds to make a serious improvement from last year you need look no further than the Green Bay Packers. Last year the Packers slipped to 6-10 just a year after going 13-3. The 2009 Packers should be a lot more like the 2007 team than last year’s flop.
Last year the Green Bay Packers had to deal with the Brett Favre saga and it seemed to carry over into the regular season. Aaron Rodgers had an excellent year but many other players did not. The big problem for Green Bay last season was a defense that was 22nd in the league in points allowed. The Packers look to be much improved this season with new defensive coordinator Dom Capers. He will bring in his 3-4 defense and get the Packers to play with intensity. “I just didn’t feel we were headed in the right direction on the defensive side of the ball,” McCarthy says. “It was really an evaluation of our last three years.”
The offense for Green Bay looks really good. Rodgers threw for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns last season with a passer rating of 93.8. Those were far better numbers than Favre put up in New York. The problem for Green Bay is that they had games in which they could have won but didn’t. Seven times the Packers had the ball in the last five minutes with a chance to win and they went 0-7. The Packers did not get a good season out of Ryan Grant in 2008 and they need more out of him this year. The receivers in Green Bay are very talented led by Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. James Jones and Jordy Nelson fill the other two spots. The offensive line is good but the team did draft a couple of players they hope can help in Eastern Michigan’s T.J. Lang (fourth round) and South Carolina’s Jamon Meredith (fifth round).
The Packers drafted Boston College nose tackle B.J. Raji with the No. 9 overall pick in the draft. He will be a big part of Green Bay’s defense this season. The linebackers look great with A.J. Hawk, Nick Barnett and Aaron Kampman who is moving from defensive end to outside linebacker. The team also got Clay Matthews at No. 26 overall in the draft and he may start right away. The secondary is deep and experienced with cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Al Harris plus they have safety Nick Collins who made the Pro Bowl. Kicker Mason Crosby led the league in scoring but the team does need a new punter.
The Packers will be improved in 2009 and should be a team that makes the NFL playoffs.
America’s team faces what can only be considered a must-win 2009 season. Head coach Wade Phillips and quarterback Tony Romo have the pressure to not only win in the regular season in 2009, but also in the playoffs. NFL odds makers believe the Cowboys will do just that though as they are listed at 12-1 to win Super Bowl XLIV.
The Cowboys made a lot of off-season news by getting rid of wide receiver Terrell Owens so the pressure will be on Romo and Roy Williams to make everyone forget about T.O. Last year Williams did nothing and it could be that Dallas made a very poor trade getting him from Detroit last season. If Williams is a bust then Dallas is going to struggle because they have no other downfield threat. Jason Witten is still one of the best tight ends in football and Marion Barber is a great running back but without a deep threat, opposing defenses will stack the line. The pressure is truly on Tony Romo this season to produce a big year. The offensive line is solid with Andre Gurode at center and Leonard Davis at right guard but Flozell Adams has seen better days. Dallas should be able to run the ball effectively with Barber and Felix Jones.
The defense lost Tank Johnson and Roy Williams in the off-season so it will be interesting to see who steps up to replace them. Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick look solid in support of Terrance Newman at cornerback and they could be needed since Newman always seems to get hurt. Ken Hamlin is a solid strong safety but overall the secondary looks thin. The good news for Dallas is that the defensive line and linebackers are solid so the secondary shouldn’t be exposed too much. DeMarcus Ware is an excellent linebacker while Greg Ellis and James Brady are solid. The team added Keith Brooking but how much he has left is in question. Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky are expected to lead the defensive line. The kicking game is very good with Nick Folk.
The Cowboys have enough talent to win in 2009 versus the NFL odds but they are very thin. Any key injuries could send Dallas to another 9-7 or 8-8 season. It also doesn’t help that the Cowboys play in the NFC East which just might be the toughest division in the NFL.
The Chicago Bears made one of the biggest splashes in the off-season as they traded for Denver quarterback Jay Cutler. With the addition of Cutler, the Bears are now a serious Super Bowl Odds contender in the NFC.
The Bears have traditionally been known as a team that runs the ball and plays defense. That may now change with the addition of Cutler. An addition that might go under the radar but could prove almost as important was the Bears signing of left tackle Orlando Pace. He will be protecting Cutler and keeping heat off the Bears franchise quarterback. Whether or not Cutler has anyone to catch the ball is a huge question mark for the Bears in 2009. Devin Hester is considered the #1 receiver but he has yet to prove he can do anything other than return kicks. The Bears are hoping that Juaquin Iglesias who they took out of Oklahoma in the NFL Draft can make a big impact as a rookie. At least Chicago has solid tight ends in Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark. The other positive for the Bears is that Matt Forte is back running the ball. He was responsible for a third of the Bears offense last year and led all running backs in the league in catches.
Chicago made some important changes in the coaching ranks although head coach Lovie Smith remains. The Bears hired Rod Marinelli to coach the defensive line and serve as Smith’s assistant. Most people around the NFL Betting feel Marinelli did all he could with the Lions last year even though they went winless. He will definitely help Chicago’s defense this season. Jon Hokes is the new defensive backs coach.
The Bears have been known for defense in the past but last year they really weren’t very good. They were 20th in total yards allowed and 16th in points allowed. The secondary is weak with only Charles Tillman standing out. Upfront it looks better with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs leading the linebackers while Tommie Harris should be back after an injury plagued 2008 season and defensive end Alex Brown should benefit from Marinelli’s coaching. The kicking game is great with Robbie Gould and Brad Maynard.
Chicago may be the most improved team in the NFC North and could win the division. The Vikings will get all of the attention if they sign Brett Favre but the Bears and Packers are the two teams to watch in 2009 in the NFC North.
The Cleveland Browns will look to rebound from what can only be considered a very disappointing 2008 season. Much was expected out of Cleveland last year and they were a major bust. The lack of success cost head coach Romeo Crennel his job so it will be up to Eric Mangini to turn things around. It may not be easy for Mangini considering the Browns don’t have a proven NFL quarterback and a number of other question marks heading into the 2009 season. Cleveland is one of the true longshots in Super Bowl odds at 50-1.
The Browns made a couple of nice picks in the NFL Betting draft getting center Alex Mack and wide receiver Brian Robiskie. Both could provide immediate help this season. Losing tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. hurts but he was oftentimes more trouble than he was worth for the Browns.
The Browns offense will be led by either Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn. Neither inspires a lot of confidence. Anderson has been inconsistent in his career which should not be too surprising considering he was the same way in college. Quinn could be better but he doesn’t have the physical tools that Anderson has. The Browns have Braylon Edwards at wide receiver but he rarely plays up to his talent level. He led the league in drops and continually frustrates the coaching staff. The one thing going for Cleveland this year is that Edwards is in a contract year which means he will actually try this season. Robiskie will probably step right in and take the #2 wide receiver slot. There really isn’t anyone else since Donte’ Stallworth was suspended.
The running game is also weak for the Browns. They are counting on Jamal Lewis to carry the ball again. Lewis has seen his best days and simply doesn’t have what it takes to consistently scare defenses in the NFL Betting. He did not have even a single 100 yard rushing game in 2008. Perhaps rookie James Davis will get some playing time in 2009. One positive on offense is the offensive line which has left tackle Joe Thomas and left guard Eric Steinbach. Getting Alex Mack in the draft was a steal as he is considered a future All-Pro. The right side of the line is not as strong though.
The Cleveland defense was just as bad as the offense last year, ranking 26th in yards allowed. The team didn’t address any of their needs so it seems unlikely they will be any better in 2009. D’Qwell Jackson and Eric Wright are two of the better players on a bad defense.
The Browns play in a very tough division and considering the Bengals are improved it is very likely Cleveland will finish last this season in the AFC North yet again.
Since winning the AFC North in 2005 the Cincinnati Bengals have been a bust going 8-8, 7-9 and 4-11-1. Head coach Marvin Lewis is starting to feel the heat in Cincinnati and a winning record is a must for the Bengals in 2009. Having won only four games in 2008 it would seem a longshot that the Bengals would rebound with a winning season but there are some positive signs.
Cincinnati is going to rise or fall in 2009 on the arm of quarterback Carson Palmer. He has not been healthy in recent seasons but goes into 2009 at full strength. Keeping Palmer healthy will be up to an offensive line that has four new starters including first round pick Andre Smith out of Alabama. The young and inexperienced offensive line is going to be a key to the Bengals season.
Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski wants to have a balanced attack in 2009 and that may be possible with Cedric Benson. He rushed for 747 yards last season and was one of the few bright spots for Cincinnati. The rushing game is needed to take the pressure off of Palmer and the passing game. Palmer still has Chad Ochocinco and Ochocinco has promised a big season in 2009. The Bengals lost T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the off-season but they did sign Laveranues Coles so the drop off should not be too bad. Chris Henry is back and he has a ton of talent. Overall, the Bengals have the ability to put a lot of points on the board in 2009.
The defense has to improve if the Bengals are to make the playoffs in 2009. Robert Geathers and Antwan Odom need to start living up to their big contracts and put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The linebackers are led by veteran Dhani Jones and he could get some help in the middle by Rey Maualuga who the Bengals took in the draft. The secondary could be very good with former first-round cornerbacks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph.
Third-year strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe has also looked good. The special teams are solid with kicker Shayne Graham leading the way and the punting job was given to fifth-round rookie Kevin Huber.
The bottom line for the Bengals in 2009 is having Carson Palmer return to form. If he can regain his NFL Betting Pro-Bowl form then the Bengals can be an exciting team to watch in 2009 and challenge for a playoff spot.
The Carolina Panthers had an excellent 2008 regular season, tying the New York Giants for the best record in the NFC at 12-4. Unfortunately for the Panthers that regular season success didn’t carry over to the playoffs as they were humiliated by the Arizona Cardinals. In the off-season the Panthers gave quarterback Jake Delhomme a new contract and they put the franchise tag on defensive end Julius Peppers. Carolina is really not given a great deal of respect in Super Bowl odds as they are 20-1 heading into the 2009 season.
Carolina did a lot of things right last year, especially on offense with running backs DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. The Panthers were third in the NFL in rushing yards thanks to that tandem. That took the pressure off of Delhomme and when he didn’t make mistakes, the Panthers won. In the playoffs he made a ton of mistakes and they lost. Is Delhomme a quarterback you can win with? The Panthers better hope so because they didn’t do anything in the off-season except sign him to an extension. Delhomme still has one of the best receivers in the NFL to throw to in Steve Smith. And the Panthers have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Panthers have very little depth as there is nothing behind Delhomme or Smith so if either of them get injured the Panthers are in trouble. If Delhomme can avoid making mistakes and stay healthy, then the Panthers could have another very successful season in 2009.
Carolina’s defense slipped somewhat in 2008. They were not a top 10 defense and there are concerns again heading into 2009. The defensive line is good though led by Peppers. They also made a nice draft pick getting Everette Brown. The linebackers are solid but the secondary is suspect. There just are not a lot of big names back there. The starters at cornerback look to be Chris Gamble and Richard Marshall since the team let Ken Lucas go in the off-season, while C.J. Wilson will play in the nickel. The safeties are decent with Chris Harris and Charles Godfrey but they are not superstars.
The kicking game is in good shape with veteran John Kasay.
The Panthers made very few off-season moves from a team that finished 12-4 last season. Carolina could have a difficult time matching that record since they have the second toughest schedule in the NFL Betting in 2009. The Panthers have very little depth and Delhomme has not proven he can win consistently. The NFC South is a very tough division and the Panthers could fall to a .500 record if things don’t go well this season.
There is really no where to go but up for the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs. They are coming off a miserable 2-14 season in which they were not very competitive even in the weak AFC West. The good news for the Chiefs is that extreme improvement is possible in 2009, especially now that they have Matt Cassel at quarterback. The Chiefs are considered a real longshot in Super Bowl odds at 55-1.
The Chiefs made a lot of off-season moves including in the front office where general manager Carl Peterson and head coach Herm Edwards are gone. Kansas City also gave away tight end Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta but that was one of their only bad moves in the off-season. Scott Pioli takes over as the main man in Kansas City and he has already put his stamp on this team. He got Cassel from New England and also brought in Mike Vrabel as well. He hired Todd Haley as the head coach and added veterans like Zach Thomas and Bobby Engram.
Kansas City’s offense is going to be better with Cassel running the show. He had a great 2008 season and was one of the biggest surprises in the NFL Betting. The Chiefs have an excellent wide receiver in Dwayne Bowe but then it gets a little iffy. Losing Gonzalez hurts but the Chiefs weren’t winning with him anyway and his value was overrated. Kansas City still has Larry Johnson to run the ball and he could be primed for a bounce back season in 2009.
Kansas City had a young secondary last year that should be better this year with another year of experience. Brandon Flowers, Brandon Carr and Maurice Leggett are joined by Donald Washington who the Chiefs took in the Draft. Kansas City also got defensive lineman Tyson Jackson with the third overall pick so the pass rush should be improved as Jackson teams up with former teammate Glenn Dorsey.
Kansas City is definitely the most improved team in the AFC West this season. Whether they are improved enough to make the playoffs is the question but they can definitely hold their own against Denver and Oakland. Going toe to toe with San Diego might be difficult. Keep in mind that San Diego won this division with an 8-8 record last year and the Chiefs could be capable of playing .500 ball in 2009.
Last year the Baltimore Ravens were a huge surprise, making it all the way to the AFC Championship game before losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many people believe that the Ravens will be a serious contender in Super Bowl odds in 2009 as Baltimore is 20-1 but there are some concerns for the Ravens heading into the new season.
The Ravens are always tough defensively but they suffered a huge loss in the off-season as coordinator Rex Ryan went to the Jets. New coordinator Greg Mattison has the job now and he does have a lot of returning talent including Pro Bowlers Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs but all is not rosy as Ryan took linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard with him to New York. The Ravens are getting older and the losses of Scott and Leonhard are huge. Not having Ryan’s schemes is definitely going to hurt Baltimore this season.
The offense is led by second year quarterback Joe Flacco who was excellent last year as a rookie. Now Flacco gets a six-time Pro Bowl center to work with as the Ravens signed Matt Birk from Minnesota. The Ravens drafted right tackle Michael Oher and he should be a starter immediately. The receiving corps is led by Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap but the Ravens are still missing a deep threat though and that is an issue. The running game has three solid returnees in Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and Le’Ron McClain. One off-season loss that may go under the radar is the loss of fullback Lorenzo Neal. All he did was open holes for the trio of runners and help protect Flacco. Baltimore was very efficient last season on offense but that may not be enough this season if the defense slips as expected.
NFL Betting at SBG Global.
Normally a team is not defined by a kicker but Baltimore has relied on Matt Stover for years and he was not re-signed. Unless the Ravens bring in someone new they are looking at rookie Graham Gotto and Steve Hauschka battling for the kicking job.
One thing that should help Baltimore is the NFL’s fifth easiest schedule in 2009. Repeating last season’s 11-5 record may not be as easy as some people believe though, but the Ravens should still be in contention for the playoffs in 2009.
The Arizona Cardinals nearly capped off an amazing season with a Super Bowl victory in 2008 but fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cardinals head into 2009 looking just as strong as they did last year, perhaps even better, but they must overcome a lot of negative history that is against them. Arizona is a 25-1 longshot NFL odds to win Super Bowl XLIV.
The Cardinals may look the same as they did last year but there were a lot of changes in the off-season. The two biggest changes you may not immediately notice are that offensive coordinator Todd Haley and defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast are gone.
Kurt Warner was re-signed in the off-season and that was huge for Arizona. He is a Pro-Bowl quarterback who knows how to win. Arizona will need to continue to protect him though as 38-year old quarterbacks don’t move around very well. Arizona has perhaps the best wide receiver in the game in Larry Fitzgerald and if Anquan Boldin comes back they will be as dangerous as ever with Steve Breaston continuing to improve. The Cardinals picked Chris Wells out of Ohio State in the draft and he could immediately take the starting running back job and greatly improve an area of weakness.
The Arizona defense during the regular season wasn’t very good but somehow in the postseason they turned things around. Which defense will we see in 2009? One of the players that performed well in the playoffs, Antonio Smith is done. They will need rookie Cody Brown to immediately make an impact or they could struggle rushing the passer. The good news for Arizona is that their linebackers, led by Karlos Dansby are solid and the secondary is very good led by Adrian Wilson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. Bryant McFadden was signed away from Pittsburgh and he should help.
The biggest problem that Arizona may face in 2009 is the Super Bowl runner-up letdown. It happens almost every year that the runner-up in the Super Bowl flops the next season. It may not happen to Arizona since they have a lot of talent but history is not on the side of the Cardinals. This decade only one team even made the playoffs after losing the NFL betting Super Bowl the previous year. The only reason the Cardinals might break the Super Bowl runner-up jinx is because they play in the NFC West which means they get San Francisco, St. Louis and Seattle. The Seahawks should be vastly improved but Arizona also gets to play the Lions this season.
Arizona may struggled to reach last season’s 9-7 record and make the playoffs if history is any indication.
