NFL Betting: 2009 NFC East Preview
If not a consensus statement, it is at least highly debatable...The NFC East is the best division in football. And when it comes to NFL betting, Philadelphia, Dallas, and New York are all considered among the best teams in the conference and each pretty much tied as favorites to win the NFC East division.
So who takes the top spot in 2009? You'll get a different answer depending upon who you ask. Read on for one more opinion on that question as we preview the NFC East, offering in-depth information on each of the four clubs. Use this material to capitalize on the many prop wagering options and other NFL betting odds being offered at Sportsbook.com.
2009 PREDICTED FINISH
1) Philadelphia
2) N.Y. Giants
3) Dallas
4) Washington
2008 Record: 11-7-1 SU (0 ML Units), 12-7 ATS
2008 Totals (Over-Under): 8-10
Odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: +1200, NFC Title: +500
Sportsbook Regular Season Wins Prop: Over 9.5 (-180) / Under 9.5 (+140)
StatFox Steve's Take: Philadelphia lost a lot of well-known veteran talent in the offseason, but this is an organization that has shown a penchant for being able to keep the cupboard stocked. In fact, this may be one of the more talented Eagles' teams of recent memory overall. Slight lean OVER.
TOP STATFOX HANDICAPPING ANGLES
PHILADELPHIA is 24-15 SU & 26-11 ATS in its L39 games against the NFC West
PHILADELPHIA is 4-2 SU & 6-0 ATS as a road underdog over the L2 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 20-18 SU & 28-10 ATS on the road in its L38 games revenging a loss vs opponent
PHILADELPHIA is on a 17-3 SU & 15-5 ATS run when playing with 2 weeks+ rest
2009 OUTLOOK
If Donovan McNabb played in the NBA, he'd already be grouped with the likes of Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley as superstars who could never get over the championship hunt. Though his path to the promised land was blocked by a dynasty earlier this decade--the Patriots--like the aforementioned threesome, he doesn't exactly have a sparkling record when it comes to giving his team an opportunity. In five NFC Championship games McNabb is just 1-4. Make no mistake, the Eagles are going to make another run at the NFC Championship. What they lack in individual star power, they more than make up for with a potent blend of interchangeable pieces. Battle-tested, yet still relatively young, Philadelphia's offseason upgrades will prove to be worth every penny.
2008 Record: 12-5 SU (3.5 ML Units), 12-5 ATS
2008 Totals (Over-Under): 9-8
Odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: +1000, NFC Title: +400
Sportsbook Regular Season Wins Prop: Over 10 (+125) / Under 10 (-155)
StatFox Steve's Take: The only thing standing in the way of another 10+ win season in New York is the fact that the Giants play in the NFC East Division. Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington are all bound to get their share of wins in head-to-head play. I like New York to finish within one game either way of 10 wins.
TOP STATFOX HANDICAPPING ANGLES
NY GIANTS are 17-4 SU & 18-3 ATS on the road against conference opponents over the L3 seasons
NY GIANTS are 12-20 SU & 9-21 ATS at home in its L32 November games
NY GIANTS are 7-1 SU & 8-0 ATS on the road vs. good offenses (>=24 PPG) over the L3 seasons
<NY GIANTS are 7-2 SU & 8-1 ATS vs. good passing QB (>7 PYA) over the L2 seasons
2009 OUTLOOK
Defense helped the New York Giants capture Super Bowl XLII over the New England Patriots, but it's hard to forget the superhuman play of quarterback Eli Manning in that postseason. Fast forward to the 2009 playoffs, and coming off the best season of his career, Manning turned in a complete clunker, as the Giants lost in the Divisional Round of the NFC Playoffs to their most-hated rivals, Philadelphia. So what's the moral of the story? Defense alone can't and doesn't, win championships. Failing to replace wide receivers Plaxico Burress and even Amani Toomer with some type of proven pass catchers may come back to bite the Giants. But playoff football is about running the ball and defense, two areas where the Giants are loaded. Their sights are set beyond the NFC East, and rightly so.
2008 Record: 9-7 SU (-7.05 ML Units), 7-9 ATS
2008 Totals (Over-Under): 9-7
Odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: +1200, NFC Title: +500
Sportsbook Regular Season Wins Prop: Over 9 (-155) / Under 9 (+125)
StatFox Steve's Take: I really don't know what to make of Dallas' chances in 2009. On one hand, they are rid of the apparent drain on the organization, T.O. On the other hand, is the talent in the organization simply overrated. The Cowboys haven't won a playoff game since Troy Aikman was in town. I'll say 10 wins, but not enthusiastically.
TOP STATFOX HANDICAPPING ANGLES
DALLAS is 9-33 SU & 13-29 ATS on the road in its L42 games as a underdog of 3.5 to 10 pts.
DALLAS is 13-22 SU & 11-24 ATS on the road in its L35 games in the last 4 weeks of the season
DALLAS is on a 23-1 SU & 18-6 ATS run at home vs. poor offenses (<=4.75 YPP)
DALLAS is on a 8-0 SU & ATS run when the line is +3 to -3
2009 OUTLOOK
Few teams can pack as much drama in a 16-game season the way Dallas did over the last two seasons. Funny thing is, now that the Cowboys are moving into a state-of-the-art new stadium, complete with the biggest high-definition jumbo screen in the world, the centerpiece of the soap opera, wide receiver Terrell Owens (Bills), is no longer on the roster. Now that Owens is gone, it's put-up or shut-up time for quarterback Tony Romo, entering his third year as a starter with a woeful record of 5-10 in the months of December and January. His passing stats often look pretty, as he threw for 3,448 yards and 26 scores despite missing three games, but the end results come crunch time leave much to be desired. The loss of Owens may be considered addition by subtraction off the field, but a straight-up negative on it. Head coach Wade Phillips survived a lost 2008, but the way the stars are aligning, in Dallas and the NFC East, the Cowboys face an uphill battle against the Giants and Eagles.
2008 Record: 8-8 SU (-2.75 ML Units), 6-8 ATS
2008 Totals (Over-Under): 3-12
Odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: +4000, NFC Title: +1800
Sportsbook Regular Season Wins Prop: Over 8 (-115) / Under 8 (-115)
StatFox Steve's Take: There are several inexperienced head coaches that I don't trust in the NFL. The one with a year under his belt that I have in that group is Jim Zorn. I truly believe he was outcoached down the stretch last season and it cost his team a playoff berth. Well, the division didn't get any easier in the offseason, and I don't think the Redskins got any better either, despite overpaying for DT Albert Haynesworth. Under 8.
TOP STATFOX HANDICAPPING ANGLES
Over the L2 seasons, WASHINGTON is just 3-4 SU & 0-6 ATS in non-conference games
WASHINGTON is 31-13 SU & 32-10 ATS in its L44 games vs. bad rushing teams (<90 RY)
WASHINGTON is just 6-14 SU but 15-5 ATS on the road in its L20 games vs. good rushing D (<90 RY)
Over the L3 seasons, WASHINGTON is on a slide of 5-10 SU & 2-11 ATS vs. losing teams
2009 OUTLOOK
Few players have seen their stock rise and fall as much as Washington quarterback Jason Campbell over the last year. A fast start in first-year head coach Jim Zorn's West Coast Offense had the Redskins thinking playoffs, especially as Campbell completed his first 249 passes without an interception and the team opened up 6-2. Campbell didn't throw his first interception until Week 9 against the Steelers, and that's where the sky started to fall. After Washington limped down the stretch to a 2-6 record, Campbell's job security was called into question. Owner Daniel Snyder reached into his pockets to pluck the biggest free agent on the market, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (Titans) and also drafted high-energy defensive end Brian Orakpo (Texas). Both moves helped quell the talk surrounding Campbell and provide upgrades to a defense that was fourth in the NFL in total yards (288.8 per game) and sixth in scoring (18.5 points per game). Haynesworth and Orakpo improve the defense, but the offense is where the problems lie. It's going to take plenty of points to compete with Dallas, New York and Philadelphia in the NFC East. It could be bottom's up for the Redskins.
