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NFL

2015 NFL Strength of Schedule

Looking for NFL SOS?

With the 2015 NFL schedule announced we are now able to see exactly what the 2015 NFL Strength of Schedule will be. (From Wiki) – Strength of schedule (SOS) refers to the difficulty or ease of a team’s/person’s opponent as compared to other teams/persons.

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NFL

2010/11 NFL Strength of Schedule

NFL FOOTBALL – 2010 NFL Strength Of Schedule (SOS)

With the 2010 NFL schedule announced this week we are now able to see exactly what the 2010/11 NFL Strength of Schedule will be.

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Handicapping

Handicapping Week 3 NFL Preseason Games

NFLX WEEK 3 VS NFL WEEK 1 WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Mr East
Mr East

It is often called the most important game, and the only important game of the entire NFLX. Some coaches may agree, or disagree, but the NFLX week 3 is a dress rehersal for week 1, as the starters get a lot of minutes, and teams find out where they stand on both sides of the ball.

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NFL

Big NFL PreSeason Games

NFL Preseason Schedule: Highlights

The NFL preseason is treated one of two ways by football bettors. Some fans ignore these tuneup games and believe they hold nothing of value for wagering the regular season.

Others are hungry for NFL action after a long summer and analyze every preseason tilt looking for an edge.

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NFL

2009/10 NFL Strength of Schedule

NFL FOOTBALL – 2009 NFL Strength Of Schedule (SOS)

With the 2009 NFL schedule announced this week we are now able to see exactly what the 2009/10 NFL Strength of Schedule will be.

The 2009 NFL Preseason Schedule and the 2009 ESPN Monday Night Football Schedule have also been announced this week, check back on CappersPicks.com for all of this years 2009-2010 NFL Scheduling Information.

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Extra's

San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears Pre-Season Preview + Free Pick

San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears Pre-Season Preview + Free Pick

Two Teams with QB Issues Faceoff for NFL Preseason

The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

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Extra's

Washington Redskins vs. New York Jets NFLX Preview – Free Pick

Saturday Night NFL with the Redskins in Jet Country

Saturday, August 16

The New York Jets (4-12 SU, 6-9-1 ATS in 2007 regular season, 1-0 SU & ATS in pre-season) will be sporting a new look and a new quarterback when they take the field on Saturday night for their pre-season game against the visiting Washington Redskins (9-7 SU, 7-7-2 ATS in 2007 regular season, 1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS in pre-season). It’s the debut of Brett Favre, which adds an element of glamour to this contest that is scheduled to kick off at 7 PM ET at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

BetUS NFL betting odds: N.Y. JETS -3, Total 35.5
NOTABLE STAT: Jets were 29th in rushing defense (134.8 ypg)
KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: NY is 5-1 SU in its last six in pre-season

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Jets are listed as a three-point favorite, with the total posted at 35.5 points.

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Extra's

Titans Defeat Raiders 17-16

Vaughn’s last-second field goal lifts Titans over Raiders

John Vaughn kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Tennessee Titans a 17-16 victory over the Oakland Raiders in preseason action. JaMarcus Russell had a solid outing, throwing 10-for-17 for 75 yards, Vince Young struggled to get the Titans (2-0) down the field, completing only four of 13 passes for 37 yards. Two Elling field goals in the fourth — 27- and 45-yarders — put Oakland up 16-14. Bet on today’s NFL Preseason games at our top sportsbooks. OR Check out the Week 2 NFLX previews we’ve done for today’s full slate of pre-season nfl games.

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Extra's

Bears vs. Seahawks NFLX Preseason Pick

Bears vs. Seahawks Free Pick

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Pre-Season College Football Sportsbook.com Preview

Pre-Season NCAA Football Preview

The preseason college football magazines are a great way to identify underrated and overrated teams for the upcoming season.

That’s why the Sportsbook.com research team accumulated all the pre-season publications and compared it to the current odds for the six major conferences.

Here’s what we found out.

ACC – Atlantic

1) Clemson (8:5)
2) Wake Forest (8:1)
3) Florida State (4:1)
4) Boston College (25:1)
5) Maryland (30:1)
6) NC State (30:1)

ACC – Coastal

1) Virginia Tech (3:1)
2) North Carolina (8:1)
3) Miami-Fl (6:1)
4) Georgia Tech (30:1)
5) Virginia (50:1)
6) Duke (100:1)

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Best Week 2 NFL Preseason Matchups

Week 2 NFLX Pre-Season Matchup Betting Odds

TOP MATCHUPS
Aug 14, 7:30 PM PIT @ BUF 33
Aug 14, 8:00 PM CAR @ PHI -3½ 35½
Aug 15, 8:00 PM OAK @ TEN -5
Aug 16, 7:00 PM WAS @ NYJ -3
Aug 16, 7:30 PM IND @ ATL -3
More Matchups

While getting ready to bet on tonights games check out

NFL FOOTBALL PICKS

Arrow Cappers NFL Handicapping Index
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Arrow NFL Handicappers
Arrow NFL Handicapper Pick Stats ›
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Sportsbook NFL Pre-Season Preview Guide

NFL 2008 Pre-Season Betting Preview Guide

Football is back..but it never really goes away does it?
I know we say it every year but 2008 promises to be a fantastic season of NFL Football.
Get your bet on today at Betus Sportsbook. NFL Futures are already posted!

2008 NFL Team By Team Previews – ATS Records – Super Bowl Odds

2008 Arizona Cardinals NFL Betting Preview
2008 Atlanta Falcons NFL Betting Preview
2008 Baltimore Ravens NFL Betting Preview
2008 Buffalo Bills NFL Betting Preview
2008 Chicago Bears NFL Betting Preview
2008 Carolina Panthers NFL Betting Preview
2008 Cincinnati Bengals NFL Betting Preview
2008 Cleveland Browns NFL Betting Preview
2008 Dallas Cowboys NFL Betting Preview
2008 Denver Broncos NFL Betting Preview
2008 Detroit Lions NFL Betting Preview
2008 Green Bay Packers NFL Betting Preview
2008 Houston Texans NFL Betting Preview
2008 Indianapolis Colts NFL Betting Preview
2008 Jacksonville Jaguars NFL Betting Preview
2008 Kansas City Chiefs NFL Betting Preview
2008 Miami Dolphins NFL Betting Preview
2008 Minnesota Vikings NFL Betting Preview
2008 New England Patriots NFL Betting Preview
2008 New Orleans Saints NFL Betting Preview
2008 New York Giants NFL Betting Preview
2008 New York Jets NFL Betting Preview
2008 Oakland Raiders NFL Betting Preview
2008 Philadelphia Eagles NFL Betting Preview
2008 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL Betting Preview
2008 San Diego Chargers NFL Betting Preview
2008 San Francisco 49ers NFL Betting Preview
2008 Seattle Seahawks NFL Betting Preview

More Coming Soon – Bookmark this page for updates.

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Extra's

Week 2 NFL Preseason Matchups

Week 2 Matchups – Pre Season NFL Gambling

Don’t Miss Out! Get Free Sports Picks including, NFL picks preseason football picks from our Sports Handicappers. While your here Sign up for our newsletter and get free NFL predictions, college football predictions and MLB handicapping information from our group of expert handicappers.

TOP MATCHUPS
Aug 14, 7:30 PM PIT @ BUF -1½
Aug 14, 8:00 PM CAR @ PHI -3
Aug 15, 8:00 PM OAK @ TEN
Aug 16, 7:00 PM WAS @ NYJ
Aug 16, 7:30 PM IND @ ATL
More Matchups

Bet on Pre-Season NFL games at any of our top online NFL gambling websites. Or grab free picks and NFL handicapping picks from our experts at CappersPicks.com

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Pre Season NFL Power Rankings

2008/09 NFL Pre – Season Team By Team Betting Outlook

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The Patriots came within a whisker of making history with the first 19-0 season in NFL history last year. With an entire offseason to ruminate about how things soured in their final game. New England is the obvious choice to top our 2008 NFL Preason Power Rankings of all 32 NFL teams.

1. New England Patriots (16-0, 10-6 ATS)

Patriots backers won’t want to admit it, but New England’s shocking loss to New York in Super Bowl XLII was the best thing for them. The still-stacked Pats will see more value at the window early this season because of it.

2. San Diego Chargers (11-5, 11-5 ATS)

To the extent that a team like the Chargers can be a sleeper pick to win it all, flying under the radar they are. With the injuries to Rivers and LT a distant memory, San Diego will be one of the safest bests in the league this season.

3. Indianapolis Colts (13-3, 9-7 ATS)

The Colts should improve on last season’s mark against the number, because Marvin Harrison is healthy and because Joseph Addai is poised to become an elite running back.

4. New York Giants ( 10-6, 10-6 ATS)

The Giants will be overvalued because they’re a public team that just pulled off perhaps the biggest upset in Super Bowl history. It’ll be interesting to see if New York is just hitting its stride or if the big win was a one-hit wonder.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5, 11-5 ATS)

Could very well be the second-best team in the AFC, which is saying something considering the depth of the Conference. A repeat performance of last season’s strong campaign is in the cards.

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6. Dallas Cowboys (13-3, 9-7 ATS)

Jerry Jones’ boys are in dire need of a wide receiver to complement TO. Don’t be surprised to see Pacma Jones get a shot at the gig. If Patrick Crayton can’t get it going.

7. Cleveland Browns (10-6, 12-4 ATS)

The additions of Stallworth, Rogers, Williams make the Browns a better team, which in turn sucks the value out of Cleveland. Their tough schedule won’t help either.

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8. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6, 8-8 ATS)

The Steelers are probably a better all-around team now than when they cashed at SB XL. Problem is, so are New England, San Diego, and even Indianapolis.

9. Green Bay Packers (13-3, 12-3-1 ATS)

It might be wise to make a wait-and-see approach with last season’s best bet, because some guy named Favre isn’t around anymore. If the Pack are as talented as it seems, they could turn the trick again.

10. Seattle Seahawk (10-6, 9-7 ATS)

For a franchise at a crossroads, the Seahawks are still in pretty good shape. The recruitment of new offensive line coach Mike Solari will help improve a running game that now features Julius Jones, Maurice Morris, Leonard Weaver (FB) and TJ Duckett. (Reminds me of the Packers RB’s in their Super Bowl year under Holmgren)

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7, 9-7 ATS)

After a slow start in 2007, the Bucs went 8-4 ATS to end the season. Bolstered by the best pass defense in the NFL, Tampa Bay should be a solid play for bettors once again.

12. Tennessee Titans (10-6, 8-8 ATS)

Bettors have to pay too high a price for the Titans due to the public’s love affair with Vince Young. Maybe they should consider Young’s 69.0 passer rating next time they’re tempted to take Tennessee.

13. Minnesota Vikings (8-8, 7-7-2 ATS)

Tavaris Jackson has his hands on the starting job, but John David Booty is waiting in the wings. Not that it matters who hands the ball of to Adrian Peterson anyways.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8, 8-8 ATS)

Mediocre bordering on excellent, the Eagles are a profitable play when McNabb is in the lineup. Problem is, the QB seems to get hurt almost every season.

15. Carolina Panthers (7-9, 8-8 ATS)

A cupcake schedule and a healthy Jake Delhomme could see the Panthers climb up the NFL money list in a hurry, especially if you consider Carolina scored 25 points per game with Delhomme under center last season.

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, 9-7 ATS)

Depth on the defensive side of the football, and a pair of unfortunate losses to San Francisco cost the CArds a playoff berth last season. They have all the pieces to push Seattle for NFC West supremacy.

17. Washington Redskins (9-7, 7-7-2 ATS)

The Redskins could be the best be in the NFC, or a betting bust.That’s why they’re listed in the middle of the pack, although if Jason Campbell lives up to his potential, that will quickly change.

18. Detroit Lions (7-9, 6-9-1 ATS)

The Lions dropped 7 of their last 8 games last season – straight up and agaist the number. While Detroit won’t be much of a money pit in 2008, it won’t be the darling it was at the beginning of 07 either.

19. Buffalo Bills (7-9, 9-6-1 ATS)

Talk about a team that cahsed in for bettors against the odds. The Bills were 30th in offence & 31st in defense last season, but still managed to be a solid play in the competitive AFC.

20. New Orleans Saints (7-9, 6-10 ATS)

Sharp bettors are saying the Saints are poised to bounce back this season. What role Reggie Bush will play in the predited success remains to be seen.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9, 7-9 ATS)

Chad Johnson is holding out TJ Houshmandzadeh is talking trash, and Carson Palmer is frustrated with both of them. It’s pretty bad when the Bengals were more bankable with Chris Henry in the mix.

22. Chicago Bears (7-9, 7-9 ATS)

The Bears aren’t who we thought they were. It’s a miracle Chicago won 7 games last season, considering Grossman was at the helm. Guess who’s back calling plays in the Windy City?

23. Houston Texans (8-8, 8-8 ATS)

Matt Schaub and the Texans should be consistently average, which at the very least make Houston an easy team to handicap when September rolls around.

24. Denver Broncos (7-9, 5-11 ATS)

The Broncos have a ton of holes, but so do Kansas City and Oakland. They could get back in the playoffs but will do so without the unmotivated Travis Henry.

25. St. Louis Rams (3-13, 5-11 ATS)

If real football were like Madden ’08, the Rams would win in cover every time. Second overall pick Chris Long will help the defensive line immediately, although a brutal schedule in the early going won’t.

26. San Francisco 49ers (5-11, 5-11 ATS)

It’s the 4th season for Alex Smith, and his 4th offensive coordinator in passing guru Mike Martz. If that’s not enough of a challenge, Smith still has to win the starting job over Shaun Hill.

27. Baltimore Ravens (5-11, 3-13 ATS)

From Super Bowl contender to the leagues worst bet, there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered in Baltimore. Most noteably, who’s going to play QB?

28. Kansas City Chiefs (4-12, 7-8-1 ATS)

We all know that Herm Edwards’ Chiefs “play to win the game.” Too bad it doesn’t pay to play the Chiefs, who a rebuilding project away to getting back to respectability.

29. Okland Raiders (4-12, 6-10 ATS)

An unsure wager, the Raiders are loaded with talent in JaMarcus Russell, Darren McFadden, LaMont Jordan, Javon Walker, and DeAngelo Hall. That and a weak schedule could save Lane Kiffin from Al Davis’ rath.

30. New York Jets (4-12, 6-9-1 ATS)

Eric Mangini is an excellent head coach, but that alone doesn’t guarantee any paydays for bettors. That’s not to mention that it will be either Kellen Clemens or Chad Pennington at QB for New York.

31. Atlanta Falcons (4-12, 8-8 ATS)

Handicap the Falcons to be getting plenty of points from odds makers this season. Let’s hope for the rookies sake that Mike Smith bring Matt Ryan along slowly.

32. Miami Dolphins (1-15, 5-8-3 ATS)

As bad and unprofitable as the fish were in 07, they will head into the season without Jason Taylor, arguably the best defensive player in the league. Welcome to the side lines Tony Sparano.

******* CLICK HERE TO Check out our NFL pre-season predictions and team by team previews ******

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08/09 Pre Season NFL Schedule

2008-2009 NFL Preseason Schedule

Click Here To Lay A Bet On The NFL 2008 Regular Season Games At Betus.com Sportsbook – Grab 145% In Deposit Bonuses Today!

With the 2008 NFL schedule announced we are now able to see exactly what the 2008 NFL Preseason schedule looks like. We’ve added the full 2008 schedule, plus schedules for all of the 32 NFL teams – NFL Team By Team Schedule. Click here for the 2008 NFL bye weeks, and for the 2008 NFL Strength of Schedule.

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2008 NFL Pre-Season Schedules — Preseason Week: Hall Of Fame | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

2008 NFL Preseason schedule
Hall of Fame Game
Date Matchup TV / Time(all times EST)
Aug. 3 Indianapolis Colts vs. Washington Redskins, at Canton, Ohio NBC (8 p.m. ET)
Week 1
Date Matchup TV / Time(all times EST)
Aug. 7 New York Giants at Detroit Lions 7 p.m.
Aug. 7 New York Jets at Cleveland Browns 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 7 Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 7 Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears 8 p.m.
Aug. 7 New Orleans Saints at Arizona Cardinals ESPN / 8 p.m.
Aug. 8 Seattle Seahawks at Minnesota Vikings 7 p.m.
Aug. 8 Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 9 Dallas Cowboys at San Diego Chargers 7 p.m.
Aug. 9 Buffalo Bills at Washington Redskins 7 p.m.
Aug. 9 St. Louis Rams at Tennessee Titans 7 p.m.
Aug. 9 Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 9 Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 9 Denver Broncos at Houston Texans 8 p.m.
Aug. 11 Cincinnati Bengals at Green Bay Packers ESPN / 8 p.m.
TBD San Francisco 49ers at Oakland Raiders TBD
Week 2
Date Matchup TV / Time(all times EST)
Aug. 14 Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills, at Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 14 Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles FOX / 8 p.m.
Aug. 16 Washington Redskins at New York Jets 7 p.m.
Aug. 16 Indianapolis Colts at Atlanta Falcons 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 16 Miami Dolphins at Jacksonville Jaguars 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 16 Minnesota Vikings at Baltimore Ravens 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 16 Arizona Cardinals at Kansas City Chiefs 8 p.m.
Aug. 16 Houston Texans at New Orleans Saints 8 p.m.
Aug. 16 Oakland Raiders at Tennessee Titans FOX / 8 p.m.
Aug. 16 Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos 9 p.m.
Aug. 16 Chicago Bears at Seattle Seahawks TBD
Aug. 17 New England Patriots at Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Network / 8 p.m.
Aug. 17 Detroit Lions at Cincinnati Bengals 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 18 Cleveland Browns at New York Giants ESPN / 8 p.m.
Aug. 16 Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers 8 p.m.
TBD San Diego Chargers at St. Louis Rams TBD
Week 3
Date Matchup TV / Time(all times EST)
Aug. 21 San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears FOX / 9 p.m.
Aug. 22 Tennessee Titans at Atlanta Falcons 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 22 Philadelphia Eagles at New England Patriots 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 22 Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys CBS / 8 p.m.
Aug. 22 Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos 9 p.m.
Aug. 23 Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions 4 p.m.
Aug. 23 New York Giants at New York Jets 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers 7 p.m.
Aug. 23 Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 23 Jacksonville Jaguars at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 23 New Orleans Saints at Cincinnati Bengals 7:35 p.m.
Aug. 23 Baltimore Ravens at St. Louis Rams 8 p.m.
Aug. 23 Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings CBS / 8 p.m.
Aug. 23 Arizona Cardinals at Oakland Raiders TBD
Aug. 24 Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts NFL Network / 8 p.m.
Aug. 25 Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers ESPN / 8 p.m.
Week 4
Date Matchup TV / Time(all times EST)
Aug. 28 Detroit Lions at Buffalo Bills 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles 6:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 New England Patriots at New York Giants 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Redskins NBC / 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 Atlanta Falcons at Baltimore Ravens 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 Carolina Panthers at Pittsburgh Steelers 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 28 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans 8 p.m.
Aug. 28 Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints 8 p.m.
Aug. 28 St. Louis Rams at Kansas City Chiefs 8 p.m.
Aug. 29 San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers 7 p.m.
Aug. 29 Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals 9 p.m.
Aug. 29 Oakland Raiders at Seattle Seahawks 10 p.m.

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Broncos vs. Texans Preview | Free Pick

Preseason: Denver Broncos at Houston Texans

BetUS NFL Betting Odds: HOUSTON -3, Total 34.5
NOTABLE STAT: Denver was 29th in rushing defense in 2007 (142.1 ypg allowed)
KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: Denver has won nine of its last 12 in pre-season

The Houston Texans (8-8 SU & ATS in 2007) are trying to get themselves over the .500 mark and to the playoffs in this, the third season of Gary Kubiak’s tenure as head coach. On Saturday night they will get their pre-season started when they host the Denver Broncos (7-9 SU, 5-11 ATS in 2007) in an NFL exhibition game that is slated to begin at 8 PM ET at Reliant Stadium (natural turf) in Houston.

In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Texans are listed as a three-point home favorite, with a posted total of 34.5 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* DEN has lost nine of its last 14 games SU
* DEN has covered six of its last 24 games
* DEN has played 15 of its last 21 games OVER the total
* DEN has played five of its last seven road games OVER the total
* HOU has won five of its last eight games SU
* HOU has played four of its last five games OVER the total
* HOU has won five of its last six home games SU
* DEN has played four of its last six pre-season games UNDER the total
* DEN has won nine of its last 12 pre-season games SU
* DEN has covered eight of its last 12 pre-season games
* HOU has played seven of its last nine pre-season games OVER the total
* HOU is 5-2-1 ATS in its last eight pre-season games
* HOU has won four of its last five pre-season home games SU

Of course, the storyline here is easy – Gary Kubiak served as Denver’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for eleven years before taking the head coaching job with the Texans. And he has brought so much former Bronco personnel that his team has become known to some as “Denver South.” None of that has been an accident, as Kubak is trying to emulate the winning formula established by Denver coach Mike Shanahan. He has even gone so far as to hire Mike’s son, Kyle Shanahan as his offensive coordinator.

Kubiak has also hired Alex Gibbs, the former offensive line coach in Denver, as his assistant head coach, and they are going to set about trying to develop a running game that can carry this team. They could conceivably be better equipped, but there is no question that Gibbs’ presence will be felt with this team.

Andre Johnson is certainly the #1 receiver for Houston, but there is going to be some competition for who is inserted aside him and in the three and four-WR sets that Kubiak will use. Last season, when Johnson was down with injury, some of the wideouts stepped up and performed well, namely Andre Davis and Kevin Walter. The problem is that this team is thin at running back at the moment, so they’ll have to improvise.

With Sage Rosenfels getting plenty of snaps in this game, the Houston offense will be in decent shape, for a while anyway. Rosenfels tossed 15 touchdown passes last year, six more than starter Matt Schaub, despite starting only five games.

There is no secret as to one of the things Mike Shanahan wants to do in this pre-season. He needs to find an every-down running back and establish a pecking order with capable backups. Travis Henry, who was a load of trouble apparently, was let go a couple of months ago, and now Selvin Young has the lead, but he is going to be pushed by Michael Pittman and Andre Hall. The downer is that Ryan Torain, regarded as a possible “sleeper” by many, is having elbow surgery and is unavailable until at least the middle of the year.

There’s a distraction in Denver, surrounding starting wide receiver Brandon Marshall’s three-game suspension from the league for violating its code of conduct. But there may be some revenge in the air too, as Shanahan was blown away by his former pupil in a 31-13 Houston win last year. And since Shanahan doesn’t mind winning these pre-season tilts (capturing nine of their last 12), we’ll take the points with Denver, the three-point underdog in the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: DENVER (+3) * (Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

The 2008 NFL betting season is around the corner! If you like to bet on the NFL, you are in the best possible place for online betting.