AFC News, Notes and Betting Angles
The AFC offseason has been dominated by Tom Brady’s recovery from his Week 1 knee injury and the subsequent surgeries. The two-time Super Bowl MVP appears to be his old self again, but football bettors and oddsmakers will be holding their breath until the season starts.
Besides Brady, there are plenty of other offseason stories buzzing about that could impact the way bettors wager on the NFL this season…
Is San Diego still in charge?
There’s no doubt the San Diego Chargers should win the weak AFC West. But the big question is if San Diego is still among the elite teams in the AFC, and can they contend for a Super Bowl?
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The answer to those questions lie in running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The face of the franchise needs to prove he can still carry the team to a championship. San Diego has one of the best quarterbacks in Philip Rivers and gets Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman (another question) back after missing last year. Now, all eyes are on L.T.
Tomlinson hasn’t played in a game that mattered in two seasons. Due to injury, he’s sat out the last two playoff games in which the Chargers were eliminated from the postseason. The former MVP still rushed for over 1,000 yards for the sixth straight season, but wore down at the end of the year as season-long injuries began to pile up. At 30 years old, Tomlinson is walking a very thin line and could be heading down the same steep slope as another former MVP, Shaun Alexander.
Dolphins a flash in the pan?
After winning just one game in 2007, the Miami Dolphins rocked the football world by not only winning the AFC East but reinventing the way the pro-style offense is played. Taking a page from college football, the Dolphins caught opponents off guard with their single-winged Wildcat formation and new head coach Tony Sparano was tagged as a genius.
After winning 11 games (8-8 ATS), what can Miami do for an encore? The spotlight is on the Dolphins heading into this season, and their backfield trickery won’t be fooling defenses like it did in 2008. The biggest strike against another solid season is the team’s schedule.
Besides a tough conference grind, Miami has games at Atlanta, San Diego, Carolina, Jacksonville, and Tennessee. The Dolphins also host Indianapolis, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Houston, and the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
Bettors shouldn’t fall in love with the Dolphins this season. They hold great play-against value early in the schedule while the success of last year is still fresh in people’s minds.
Houston ready to break out
Ever since joining the NFL in 2002, the Houston Texans have been the whipping boy of the AFC South. But due to smart management and a lot of patience, the Texans could be on the verge of the breakout season.
Last year, Houston finished 8-8 (8-8 ATS) which marked the second straight year the franchise finished .500 after five losing seasons. The Texans boasted one of the league’s best offenses and averaged almost 23 points per game.
Things can only get better for Houston.
On offense, the Texans have arguably the finest receiver in the game in Andre Johnson. The lanky wideout had more than 1,500 receiving yards in 2008. On the ground, stocky runner Steve Slaton was a mid-season surprise. He finished the year with almost 1,300 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.
The team’s defense has been its constant weakness. However, with the growth of defensive beast Mario Williams, and the hope of keeping their linebackers healthy, Texas is set to finally finish above .500 and perhaps make a run at the postseason.
One reply on “NFL Handicapping News: AFC Teams”
I think San Diego finally puts it all together and seriously contends for the AFC title with New England. If they can get the home field advantage, they should reach the Super Bowl