Handicapping Experts: Super Bowl 46 Predictions - NBA Basketball Picks

Super Bowl 46: New York Giants vs New England Patriots Picks, Predictions & Odds

Joe Gallo — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:29:13 +0000

On Sunday, February 5th, the New York Giants will meet the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. It’s a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, which everyone remembers as one of the best and most exciting Super Bowls ever. Last time, the Giants pulled out a massive upset and ended the Patriots dreams of a perfect season. This time, the teams are viewed as being closer, but the G-Men still have a chip on their shoulder with something to prove.

That’s because the Giants barely even made the postseason. It came down to the last weekend of the year for them, and they had to beat the Cowboys to win the NFC East and make the playoffs. They did just that – and also beat the Jets the game before in another do or die situation – and then beat the Falcons in the Wild Card round.

They were dominating in that game, and suddenly the team was looking like it was hot and streaking at the right time, and things started to look a lot like they did for the 2007 Giants. The Giants survived the NFC after defeating Green Bay in Lambeau Field, like they did the last time, and then winning the NFC Championship game in overtime after forcing a turnover, like they did the last time too.

The Patriots though certainly have a lot of motivation as well, a lot to prove, and a lot of their own momentum right now. They have won their last 10 games, dating back to when the Giants beat them in the regular season. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick will never be able to forget or move on from that loss in the Super Bowl, which not only prevented them from winning another championship, but prevented them from attaining that glimmering, perfect 19-0 record.

Both teams are different from they were then, but the core of the teams are intact on both sides. It’s Brady, Belichick, Wilfork, Welker and so forth against Manning, Coughlin, Tuck, Umenyiora and the rest. There are new guys too – Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez for New England, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks for the Giants, and many more. So will the outcome be the same, or will it come out in favor of New England this time?

The official odds and lines coming from Vegas have the Patriots are 3 point favorites in the Super Bowl. The over/under for the game has been set at 55, which doesn’t seem that high with these kinds of offenses. Still, judging from their previous meetings, take the under in a close game with plenty of defense. The straight bet money line is at -140 for New England, and +120 for the Giants.

This game will be decided by a few things. Which defense will make the most plays, and create turnovers? Which quarterback will pull out the 4th quarter magic to win a close battle? Which team will be most prepared to either repeat or undo history? Ultimately, the Giants are the more well rounded team, and Manning is playing at least as good as Brady, if not better. Take the Giants to win the game in a much smaller upset than it was the last time.

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Super Bowl XLVI Betting Props

Vernon Croy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:23:25 +0000

This year, for Super Bowl XLVI, you’re going to find all kinds of betting props. Depending on the website, platform or service you prefer, some places are offering more than 500 individual prop bets on the big game! That might be hard to fathom, but it’s also sure to be a ton of fun. You’ll be able to get in on that any way that you’d like, and there’s an endless array of possibilities. Here are a few things that you’ll want to consider.

One common prop bet for the Super Bowl is the likely MVP winner. Right now, as you might imagine, the leading candidates are Tom Brady and Eli Manning. Brady is going off as a 13/10 prohibitive favorite, with Manning behind him at 9/4. Then you can get action on guys like Rob Gronkowski at 15/2 and Victor Cruz at 12/1. The first defensive player is Jason Pierre-Paul, at 30/1. If you think the Giants will win, and you think the defensive line will be the difference, then taking some action with those odds is a great opportunity.

Betting on the MVP is a fairly obvious choice for a Super Bowl prop bet. But some of the most fun are also the most outlandish, and have nothing to do with the game at all. So, you can get action on how long it will take Kelly Clarkson to sing the National Anthem – over or under 1 minute and 34 seconds. You can bet on what kind of shirt or clothing she’s wearing, whether or not she’ll forget a word, and more. You can bet on the color of Madonna’s hair: blonde at -400 and any other color at +250, and can bet if she wears fishnet stockings, an NFL jersey and more.

Turning to television viewing, you can make some fun bets on how the broadcast is going to go. You can bet on how many times Colts owner Jim Irsay will be mentioned, and how many times Peyton Manning will be shown on TV. You can also bet on how many times they’ll show David Tyree’s catch from Super Bowl XLII, and how many times Brady’s wife Giselle Bundchen is shown on television.

Silly season continues with all other kinds of prop bets. You can bet on things like the color of the Gatorade or other liquid that’s dumped on the winning coach. You can bet on who President Obama will pick to win, and how many millions of viewers the game will have – over or under 117 million.

Back to the game itself, there are many specific game situations or stats you can bet on. You can bet for the yards rushing or receiving by the teams, and by individual players, or total completions, touchdowns or yards for the quarterbacks. Bet on the number of turnovers or penalties, or whether or not certain penalties will take place at all.

If you couldn’t tell by now, just about any Super Bowl prop bet that you could imagine is available. So pick out the ones you like the most and get in on the fun. Bet on the game, specific game outcomes, individual statistics, or the entire broad array of hundreds of bets that have absolutely nothing to do with the game itself!

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Super Bowl Picks, Predictions & Odds

Vernon Croy — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:53:40 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVI is right around the corner, and so it’s time to evaluate the game, the teams, and of course, the betting odds and lines which are available. If the game looks familiar to you, it’s because it’s a rematch of the Super Bowl from a few years back. So it’s take two of the New England Patriots vs. the New York Giants for the NFL championship.

The Giants come into this game riding a huge streak of momentum. They have won two straight road games, including going into Green Bay and getting a win in Lambeau against the Packers, and then going to San Francisco and surviving overtime to beat the 49ers. Before that, they easily dispatched of the Atlanta Falcons at home in the Wild Card round. Eli Manning now has the most road wins in the playoffs for a quarterback in history, and coach Tom Coughlin is tied for the most road wins by a coach.

So this team is used to being in hostile environments and beating teams who are supposed to be better than them. They did it four years ago on their way to winning the Super Bowl, and now they want to do it again. Of course, while many things appear the same from that Super Bowl, many things are different as well. Consider that this time, the Giants all have experience from the last time. Also consider, that this time, the Giants beat the Patriots in the regular season as opposed to the other way around.

The Patriots might not be undefeated like they were in 2008 for Super Bowl XLVI, but still, they’re riding a 10 game winning streak. They narrowly beat the Baltimore Ravens at home to gain entry to the big game, and before that, they crushed the Denver Broncos, and enjoyed their number 1 seed status for a bye week in the opening round.

This team is all about Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick, of course. Brady leads a high-powered attack, and uses a number of different weapons, including the always reliable Wes Welker, and the tight end tandem of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. They can beat you in a number of different ways.

The defense has been susceptible to the pass, and by yardage, rank amongst the all-time worst pass defenses in NFL history. But they are playing much better now, and they also create turnovers and then lock down on defense closer to the end zone, so don’t mistake the defense as being very weak.

Moving onto the official odds and lines for the game, the Patriots are 3 point favorites over the Giants. The over/under for the game is at 55 total points. For straight bets, you can get the Patriots at -140 and the Giants at +120. So who’s going to come out as the Super Bowl champion.

Eli Manning and the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl four years ago. They beat them in New England this season. They are riding a huge streak of momentum, and they know they can get the job done. The Patriots are out for revenge, but it’s not going to happen. Take the Giants in an upset to win Super Bowl 46 for the second time in five years.

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Super Bowl XLVI: New York vs New England Picks, Predictions & Odds

Vernon Croy — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:36:47 +0000

Super Bowl XLVI features a rematch from Super XLII, in case you somehow haven’t heard. For the second time in five seasons, the NFL season will wrap up with a match-up headlined by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Last time, the Giants won out and stopped the Patriots from an undefeated, perfect season. So who has the edge in the rematch, and which team will add another trophy to the mantle?

The game might be headlined by Tom Brady vs. Eli Manning, but of course, these two players don’t do anything against one another in the game. The quarterback that plays better, and leads his team better, will likely get a Super Bowl ring. But it’s not really Brady vs. Manning, even though that’s what all the hype, and all the talk about elite quarterbacks and so forth will lead you to believe.

The Super Bowl, of course, will not be decided by Brady vs. Manning, but instead, Brady vs. the Giants defense, and Manning vs. the Patriots defense. The Giants defensive line is their strength, as they can rush the passer from all angles and create lots of confusion and disruption. That’s how the Giants won the Super Bowl a few years ago against the Patriots, by staying in Brady’s face, hitting and sacking him, and so forth.

The line is just as dangerous now as it was then, so the Patriots will have their challenges. But Brady has a new look offense, featuring a tight end tandem the likes of which has never been seen before, with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, not to mention the seemingly ubiquitous Wes Welker. Brady will look to spread the ball and keep the Giants off balance, and get rid of the ball quickly, to prevent getting sacked.

On the other side of the ball, the Patriots defense will do its best to confuse and rattle Manning. Manning has been playing great in the postseason, and had an excellent season. But you know Belichick will have something in store for him in terms of confusing defensive alignments and fakes, unique blitzes and more. The Patriots will look to create some turnovers and then capitalize on them, and put up more points than the Giants can match.

The combined over/under for the game is at 55 points. Both teams have great offenses, but take the under, because defense clamps down on the biggest stage. The point spread has New England as a 3 point favorite, and the money line puts the Pats at -140 and the Giants at +120 for straight bets.

So, who’s going to emerge as the latest Super Bowl champion? Manning is 2-1 against Brady in his life, and 2-0 in his last two, including a Super Bowl, and a road game. Manning vs. Brady won’t decide the game, as mentioned, but the track record the Giants and Manning have will give them all confidence and added presence. Manning will keep his miscues limited, and rely on his defensive line for another super performance. Take the Giants to win the Super Bowl in a small upset, in very similar fashion to how they got the job done a few seasons back.

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NFL Playoffs: Baltimore vs New England Picks, Predictions & Odds

Vernon Croy — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:55:59 +0000

The AFC Championship game features the top two seeds from the conference, the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Of course, they two clubs have been mainstays in the postseason picture for the past decade. It’s no surprise to see the two of them here, as they were preseason favorites and appeared to be some of the strongest teams out there during the year. So who will emerge as the winner and end up Super Bowl bound when the final seconds tick off the clock?

The Baltimore Ravens just got a home win over the Houston Texans. The offense certainly didn’t look spectacular, and that has generated a great deal of talk from media members as well as from Ravens players. Quarterback Joe Flacco was criticized by safety Ed Reed, despite the fact that he played a statistically sound game and allowed the Ravens to get the win.

What’s lost in the debate is that the Texans had one of the best defenses in football, and that Flacco is undefeated with a stellar rating all season long when facing top opponents. Nevertheless, Flacco, and more importantly Ray Rice, will have to be able to produce some points and big plays in New England. The Patriots will be able to put points up, even against that Ravens defense, so Baltimore will have to be able to answer.

Meanwhile, New England looked absolutely sensational last weekend as they destroyed the Denver Broncos. Many people are chalking that up to the Broncos simply being overmatched and being lucky to be where they were. Tim Tebow had a terrible game, and New England just crushed them in every aspect. Tom Brady tied a record by throwing for six touchdown passes in the outing, and his tight end weapons, Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, were both unstoppable.

Luckily for New England, the worst part of their game is the part of the game that the Ravens also struggle with. New England’s pass defense has been atrocious all season long, but as mentioned, Flacco has been criticized at every turn. The game may hinge on who wins that battle, Flacco and his receivers or the New England cornerbacks.

Looking at the official odds for the game, the Patriots are favorites by 7 points. For many people, that’s a very wide spread considering the history between these clubs, and the pedigree of these two teams as well. Don’t forget, the last time they met in the playoffs, the Ravens traveled to New England, and they got the win, in dominant fashion too. So Baltimore has been there done that, and is confident they’ll be able to do it again.

Having Tom Brady can mask a lot of flaws on your football team, so while the Patriots look like a juggernaut, that isn’t really the case. Baltimore is actually the more complete team top to bottom, and that defense is hungry for a chance at another championship. With a 7 point spread, you have to like Baltimore to beat that figure, and taking Baltimore to get the win isn’t a bad bet either.

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NFL Conference Championship Picks, Predictions & Odds

Sean O'Connor — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 14:38:23 +0000

We’re down to the final four teams here, after a sensational weekend of NFL divisional playoffs. Now it’s time for the conference championships, and four great teams remain to compete for the Super Bowl and the championship. In the AFC, we have New England and Baltimore, and in the NFC, we have the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants. Here’s a quick look at both of those games, and the odds and predictions you’ll need to look ahead to the weekend.

At New England -7 Baltimore

In the AFC, the top two seeds of the postseason remain, each one of which had an opening round bye. The Patriots get to play host to the Ravens, and each team looks to be strong in some areas but potentially weak in others.

The Patriots looked great as they trounced the Denver Broncos last weekend, but you have to consider the competition. They had one of worst pass defenses in league history according to yardage, and that’s something that Baltimore will need to exploit. Meanwhile, that’s the Baltimore weakness, their passing game, and quarterback Joe Flacco has been under heavy criticism from media and even some teammates.

New England is a heavy favorite here thanks to Tom Brady and the high powered offensive attack. But remember, the last time these two teams met in the playoffs, the Ravens went into New England and they got an upset win. So they won’t be discouraged heading into Foxborough one bit.

In playoff football, the more physical team, and the team with the superior defense, often wins. Brady and company though might be able to stop that trend, but you should expect there to be a close game no matter what. That means you should take Baltimore against the spread, and if you’re adventurous, straight up to get the win.

At San Francisco -2.5 NY Giants

The New York Giants upset the defending Super Bowl champions, the 15-1 Green Bay Packers. Green Bay looked off all game long, and it took a few bad calls from the referees for the game to even be close. The Giants had a great pass rush, and Eli Manning put in another fantastic, clutch performance on the biggest stage.

Now the G-Men will go back to San Francisco for another rematch of a game they lost during the year. The 49ers outlasted the New Orleans Saints in a fantastic game which featured a ridiculous, seesaw ending. Alex Smith and Vernon Davis stepped up to the big stage too, and their defense and special teams created an astonishing five turnovers. If they can get that many turnovers again, of course you have to like them to win the game.

The Giants are an experienced team which has been in this situation before, as has their coach. That experience may prove to be the difference, as well as a more balanced offensive attack, and a defense which is peaking at just the right time. Take the Giants to pull off the small upset on the road over the 49ers.

Two great games and one great day of conference championship football in the NFL!

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NFL Playoff Picks, Predictions & Odds

Vernon Croy — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:45:51 +0000

The NFL playoffs continue this weekend with the two conference championships. The four teams remaining in the race are the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC, and the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants in the NFC. Each team has their own strengths, and each team has a legitimate chance to win the whole thing. Here’s a breakdown of the picks for the weekend, and the picks for the rest of the way in this year’s NFL playoffs.

Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots

The Patriots are 7 point favorites over the Ravens. The over/under for the game is at 50 points, which is very high, considering Baltimore’s defense. However, New England’s offense is so good that the line has been pushed up. If you prefer a straight bet, you can get the Patriots at -320, and the Ravens at +260.

Baltimore has gone into New England and beaten the Patriots before in the postseason, they did it just a few years ago. Now, with Ray Rice has one of the best running backs in the league, and Ray Lewis and Ed Reed sniffing a championship, they’ll be looking to do it again. Even if you like the Patriots, take the Ravens against the spread here, and in a straight bet with +260, it’s good to pass up on Baltimore.

New York Giants at San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are smaller favorites, by 2.5 points. You can pick them straight up at -135, or pick the Giants outright at +115. The over/under for the game is at 42 points, a nod to the strong defenses of both teams. Of course, it should be noted that when they played earlier in the season, the combined points was 47, and each team was involved in a high-scoring match last weekend, so take the over here.

Alex Smith is playing the best he has in his career, and he’s finally getting some big wins. Jim Harbaugh has had a magical first season as an NFL head coach, and the 49ers are strong top to bottom. But Eli Manning has emerged as a true elite quarterback, and so many of his teammates, and his head coach Tom Coughlin, have playoff and Super Bowl experience. They’ll bank on that to get the job done, so take the Giants in an upset win.

Looking ahead, you can bet right now on each of the four team’s winning the Super Bowl. Heading into the conference championships, the Patriots are the overall favorite, at +110. Next is the 49ers at +350, the Giants at +350, and finally the Ravens at +600. The overall early line for the Super Bowl has the AFC winner being favored over the NFC representative by 4 points.

There’s no need to stop there though, as you can also make picks for next season’s Super Bowl winner too. For 2013, the Patriots are going off at +800, the Giants at +1,500, the 49ers at +1,500 and the Ravens at +1,200.

So as far ahead as you’d like to look, you can get in on the fun with some NFL playoff picks and bets.

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NFL Playoffs: New York vs Green Bay Predictions, Picks & Odds

Vernon Croy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:10:17 +0000

The New York Giants head to Green Bay to play the Packers this weekend, and the game has been generating plenty of buzz and hype. That’s as much because of what these teams are capable of this year, as what has happened in the past between these two teams as well. So, do the Giants have another surprising run to the Super Bowl in them, or are the Packers simply too good to overcome?

The Giants looked great last weekend, dispatching of the Atlanta Falcons at home by a final score of 24-2. That means the defense put on a shutout, as the only points came via a safety. Atlanta looked overmatched, and the Giants pass rush was exceptional, as was their running game.

The performance immediately called to mind the Super Bowl champions from a few seasons past, and how they got the job done that year. They also squeaked into the playoffs and then got hot at the right time, and rode it all the way to a Super Bowl victory. During that run, they went on the road in the NFC Championship game to Green Bay, and were heavy underdogs. They beat the Packers though, and kept on going. So this is a rematch of that playoff game.

It’s also a rematch of their regular season match from a few weeks away. The Packers traveled to New York for that one and ended up winning via a last second field goal. It looked the Giants had pulled it out though, as Eli Manning led them to a touchdown drive and the lead, but the defense couldn’t hold off Aaron Rodgers and company. That game also brings back memories for Giants fans, as they barely lost to the New England Patriots in the regular season during their Super Bowl year, and the close loss gave them the confidence they needed to get to the rematch and then close out the win.

The Packers are favored in this game by 7.5 points. The over/under for the match is at 52.5 points, thanks to the strong offenses that both teams possess, and the suspect passing defenses that both teams have as well. It won’t be a surprise to see the score ending up well on the over side of the that line.

The talk has been about the Giants this week, and the Packers are probably basking in it. How can a 15-1 team, the defending Super Bowl champions, led by the likely league MVP in Rodgers, not be getting the attention? The Giants are looking more dangerous than ever right now, but Green Bay is too good and has too much at stake here after their great regular season. Green Bay will find a way to pull out this victory, but the Giants and Manning may have a bit of 4th quarter magic in them, so take them to beat the spread in the final divisional round match of the playoffs before next weekend’s conference championship games.

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NFL Divisional Playoffs: Houston vs Baltimore Picks, Predictions & Odds

Vernon Croy — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 14:58:31 +0000

The NFL divisional playoff game garnering the least attention this year is between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans will be visiting the Ravens in Baltimore, and they’ll be the underdogs to try to emerge with a victory. For Baltimore, it’s their first shot in a very long time to have a playoff game at home, so they’ll be cherishing that opportunity and looking to capitalize on their home field advantage.

The Ravens are used to being the road warriors in the postseason. Joe Flacco and coach John Harbaugh have not gotten to play at home in the playoffs yet, ever, before this game. They’ve had good success on the road too in past playoff appearances, but it’s simply much harder to get the job done. But they scratched and clawed all season long for the privilege, and beat the Steelers twice in order to lock up the AFC North division, as well as a first round bye.

So they’ll be at home in this game, and they were an excellent team at home all season long. Their work on the road was suspect, and they suffered several large letdown games as the road team this year. But at home, they were undefeated and went 8-0 during the regular season, something the Texans probably don’t want to be reminded about.

For guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, this season might be their best shot to win another Super Bowl. With Ray Rice being one of the most dynamic backs in the league, Terrell Suggs being a beast, and both of those guys still playing at a very high level, this is a Ravens team that is hard to match up with, and a dangerous team to face when they get things clicking.

The Texans meanwhile enjoyed their first playoff game ever, and of course their first postseason win in team history, last weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals. But beating the suspect Bengals at home is one thing, and heading into Baltimore with a third string quarterback is an entirely different thing.

The Ravens are 7.5 point favorites in the game, and the over/under has been set at an extremely low 35.5 points, thanks to the very strong defenses of both teams. So will Baltimore do as expected and take care of the Texans?

These two teams met in the regular season, in Baltimore, and the Ravens were able to win handily. That was when Houston had Matt Schaub in the lineup, and not number 3 QB TJ Yates. That doesn’t bode well for the Texans here. The Baltimore players, and the crowd, are going to be extremely fired up for this one and the rare home playoff game opportunity. They’ll come out firing on all cylinders, and they’ll lock up the win with strong play on both sides of the ball. Take Baltimore to win, although maybe Houston makes it interesting until the end and surprises a few folks by beating the spread.

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