Oh no, Facebook is down? Fantasy football week 1 advice nearly took a hit with the Tom Brady car accident, but now we turn to Bodog for their look at the Thursday night card.
Things don’t get much easier for the Marshall Thundering Herd this week, as after losing at second-ranked Ohio State last week the Herd have to deal with No. 23 West Virginia on Friday night. The Mountaineers are 12.5-point favorites on Bodog’s NCAA Football Odds and the game will have live betting available (it’s on ESPN).
WVU opened with an easy 31-0 win over Coastal Carolina. New starting QB Geno Smith threw for 216 yards with two touchdowns, while potential Heisman candidate Noel Devine rushed for 111 yards and a TD on 23 carries. It was WVU’s first shutout since 2005 and it limited Coastal Carolina to 186 yards.
Marshall was overwhelmed by the Buckeyes in a 45-7 loss. The Thundering Herd fumbled the opening kickoff and were down 14-0 before running their first play in Ohio State territory. Marshall managed just 199 total yards and got their only score on special teams. It has lost nine games in a row to ranked opponents. Marshall is now coached by Doc Holliday, who is formerly the director of recruiting at WVU.
West Virginia starting senior linebacker Pat Lazear, still recovering from a leg injury during camp, has been ruled out of Friday’s game and starting junior tight end Tyler Urban (knee) is doubtful.
WVU is 4-0 against Marshall since they resumed playing in 2005 and 9-0 all time. The Mountaineers won 24-7 last year, and Smith came in for an injured Jarrett Brown and completed 15 of 21 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown in his first significant collegiate action. Devine ran for 103 yards in that one.
Top expert pick on this game: Matt Rivers is the top SEC expert as far as betting is concerned. Tim Lincecum was easy money on Tuesday and Brett Myers was even easier last night. Now it’s back to the pigskin and I am feeling tremendous with a pair of winners. 400,000* Auburn-Mississippi State along with a 200,000* in the NFL between Minnesota and New Orleans. I’m rolling today, are you? Get Matt Rivers picks
Now Bodog takes a look at pro bets for the Vikings vs. Saints. Football betting is back! Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings visit Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints in what will be an epic rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game.
NFL Odds have listed the Saints as -6 favorites, not surprising considering the Saints are at home and Favre is just a couple of weeks removed from his John Deere.
There’s plenty more to bet on than just the spread for this matchup however. The Bodog Sportsbook has unleashed a bevy of NFL Team Props and NFL Player Props that make an already interesting game even better.
Total Brett Favre Passing Yards: O/U 250.5
Considering what we’ve seen from No. 4 this offseason it’s tough to take the OVER on this one. However, if the Saints can stop Adrian Peterson, the old gunslinger in Favre should come out.
Total Brett Favre Interceptions: O/U 0.5
The Saints hit Favre until the rattled vet was throwing darts right to them, they’ll be trying to do the same on Thursday night. However, bettors could see a more rusty, conservative Favre in Week 1.
Total Reggie Bush Rushing/Receiving Yards: O/U 55.5
It’s always a mystery as to whether we’ll see superstar Bush, or bust Bush on the field from week to week. That said, he has had a promising preseason and could explode under the opening-night lights.
Drew Brees Passing Yards: O/U 285.5
Brees is a guarantee for 4,000-plus passing yards every season, therefore it’s easy to believe that the 2009 Super Bowl MVP will easily go OVER 285.5 yards. However, keep in mind in the 2009 NFC Championship Brees only had 197 passing yards in the Saints’ 31-28 win over Minnesota.
Now to the actual game itself: At long last the NFL season is back and with quite a bang Thursday night as New Orleans hosts Minnesota in a rematch of a thrilling NFC Championship Game from last season, with the Saints as 6-point favorites this time on Bodog’s NFL odds. With the game being nationally televised on NBC, there will be live betting available.
In the last meeting, New Orleans won its first conference title (on the way to its first Super Bowl championship) by beating Minnesota 31-28 on a 40-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley 4:45 into overtime. The game only reached overtime because the Saints picked off Brett Favre as he appeared to be leading Minnesota to a game-winning drive in the final minutes. In reality, Minnesota outplayed the Saints that day, including racking up 475 yards of offense and holding the ball for nine more minutes. But the Vikings had five turnovers.
Favre was 28-for-46 for 310 yards with one TD and two picks. But he was beaten up big-time by the Saints, with some Vikings this week accusing New Orleans of cheap shots. Although he wasn’t sacked, Favre was hit 16 times. Favre won’t have his top receiver tonight or for at least the first half of the season as Sidney Rice is sidelined following hip surgery. Rice had four catches for 43 yards and a TD against New Orleans last year.
The Saints open the season without their defensive MVP from last season, safety Darren Sharper, who starts 2010 on the PUP list. He had nine picks last season and was a big factor against the Vikings with 11 tackles. Malcolm Jenkins will make his first start in Sharper’s place and no doubt will be targeted by Favre. New Orleans’ defense finished 21st in the NFL last season against the run, giving up an average of 122.2 yards per game. And the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson had 122 and three TDs in the NFC title game. The Vikes will try to control the ball again to keep the New Orleans offense of the field. Saints QB Drew Brees, the Super Bowl MVP, is back to anchor the Saints’ top-ranked offense, which led the league in total yards and touchdowns in 2009 and nearly every member of that offense is back.
Top expert pick on this game: It’s from the best handicapper ever, Grandmaster Sports Handicapper Joe Duffy, CEO of OffshoreInsiders.com, the top sports betting site in the world.
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