For the past two decades, the safest bet in sports was for the to win their division. Not anymore. The Patriots have owned the AFC East. Since the turn of the century, New England has won 17 AFC East titles. But with Tom Brady in Tampa, this division is as open as it has ever been. The Bills are coming off a playoff appearance, the Dolphins are building a talented young team, the Jets are looking to prove they are better than last year’s record, and the Pats replaced their Super Bowl-winning QB with a former league MVP. Because of course they did. The conference is not as top-heavy as it used to be. And there is a case to be made for every team but Miami to win the division this year. New England PatriotsBill Belichick credits: Getty Covid Response: No team has had more players opt out of the season than the Patriots. Stars like Dont’a Hightower, Patrick Chung, Marcus Cannon, and Marqise Lee are among the eight players choosing to stay home this year. Outside The Lines: The Patriots drafted kicker Justin Rohrwasser in the fifth round of this year’s draft. After the draft, Rohrwasser was discovered to have a tattoo of a far-right group known as the “Three Percenters” on his arm. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the Three Percenters are an “anti-government extremist group” that has grown in numbers since 2008. They are a militia who believe that their right to bear arms is under attack. Soon after folks discovered the logo on Rohrwasser’s arm, he removed the tattoo. On Saturday, Rohrwasser was cut by the Patriots at the end of training camp, but on Sunday he was added to the 16-player practice squad. Oh, he’s here now?: The Patriots have a new QB1, and his name is Cam Newton. Cam was recently named starter and captain of this new-look team. So, without Brady, can you jump on the Pats bandwagon now? Absolutely not, says my colleague and Pats superfan Carron Phillips: “Hate us like you always have.” Yeah, well that shouldn’t be too hard. Where’d he go?: The face of the franchise left Foxborough this summer, you may have heard of him. After 20 years in New England, Tom Brady will follow the lead of millions of Americans by retiring to Florida. Brady will team up with former teammate Rob Gronkowski in Tampa Bay this season. Pats All-Pro kicker Stephen Gostkowski and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy both left New England too. Fans in the stands: Per the Massachusetts Reopening Advisory Board, New England will not be able to host fans until October, at the earliest. If Gillette Stadium is able to host fans for the remainder of the season, the Patriots expect around 20 percent capacity. What to expect: The Patriots have won every AFC East division title since 2009, a streak that could end this year. This will be a different New England team than the one you are used to seeing, mostly because of one guy. No team can upgrade from quarterback after losing Brady, but Cam is not a bad attempt at it. Something about the combination of Newton and Bill Belichick makes me think this team can stay atop the division, much to the chagrin of all Pats haters. But with a number of starters opting out and a weak receiving corps, I don’t see Belichick coaching his way to another division title. New York JetsFrank Gore (l.) and Le’Veon Bell credits: Getty Covid Response: C.J. Mosley, the Jets’ best linebacker and the team’s highest-paid player, has opted out of the 2020 season. He was scheduled to make $16 million this year. He already received $10 million in March by signing a roster bonus. But he will forgo the remaining $6 million in salary. Outside The Lines: Last month, the New York Post was granted access to emails between a Jets employee and pro-cop group Blue Lives Matter for a proposed partnership. According to the emails, Blue Lives Matter turned the Jets down. As usual, the best move for the Jets is to have someone else tell them, “hey, that’s a really bad idea.” Oh, he’s here now?: Not like Jets fans want him, but QB Joe Flacco will back up Sam Darnold this year. The Mayo Clinic says most people who get mononucleosis will only have it once. So unless Darnold gets physically injured, Flacco will get comfortable on that bench. Where’d he go?: The top defensive players on the Jets are gone. As mentioned above, C.J. Mosley has opted out of the season and All-Pro strong safety Jamal Adams has been traded to Seattle. Fans in the stands: Not yet. Like the Giants, the Jets will not play in front of a home crowd for the foreseeable future. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order over the summer that limits outdoor gatherings for the time being. Both teams will play in an empty MetLife Stadium until further notice, making the most bland venue in the NFL even more vanilla. What to expect: The Jets went 7-9 last year but, by the end they looked better than their record. After losing their first four games and Darnold to mono, Gang Green won six of their last eight games. With Tom Brady out of the division, the Jets are in a better position than they’ve been in a decade to take control of the AFC East. But with a depleted defense and a young QB who still has a lot to prove, New York can’t be the favorites to win this year’s division crown. That has to go to the next team on our list. Buffalo BillsStefon Diggs credits: AP Covid Response: Bills defensive tackle Star Lotulelei has opted out of the 2020 season. He was on a Bills D-line looking to improve its run-stopping ability. Outside The Lines: Over the summer, a private text conversation showed Bills rookie QB Jake Fromm making racist statements about white gun ownership. In the viral exchange, Fromm said guns should become more expensive so “only elite white people can get them.” Oh, he’s here now?: Stefon Diggs was traded to Buffalo via Minnesota in March for draft picks. Diggs will round out a strong starting receiving corps including Josh Brown and Cole Beasley. Where’d he go?: Frank Gore, yes, that Frank Gore, has signed a one-year deal with the Jets after spending a year in Buffalo. The 37-year-old running back is entering his 16th season in the league and will back up Le’Veon Bell in New York. Want to feel old? Gore’s son, Frank Gore Jr., recently made his college football debut. Fans in the stands: New York has allowed professional sports to resume but the state has not determined when, or if, fans should be allowed back into the stadiums. The Bills released a statement at the end of last month saying that the first two home games in September will be played without fans — meaning no Bills Mafia in the parking lot, either. Moving forward, the only true New York team will work with the state and league to “hopefully permit fans later this season.” What to expect: The Bills haven’t won the AFC East title since 1995. They can break that streak this year. Buffalo’s defense is projected to be one of the best in the league, plus the addition of Diggs can give Josh Allen another weapon downfield. This team went 10-6 last year and lost a playoff game in overtime. Without Tom Brady and the Pats as we know them, can any other team stop the Bills? Miami DolphinsTua Tagovailoa (l.) credits: Getty Covid Response: Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Dolphins, was converted into a massive drive-thru testing site when Florida became the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. In two weeks, the stadium will host 13,000 fans, roughly 20 percent of its total capacity. Outside The Lines: Hard Rock Stadium was also used as a socially distant mediation space between the police and young black Floridians. In June, both parties took a knee on the field as names of Black victims of police violence were read aloud. Oh, he’s here now?: The Dolphins drafted Tua Tagovailoa with the fifth pick in this year’s NFL draft. The highly touted QB will start the season as a backup under Ryan Fitzpatrick. In addition to having a great draft, Miami picked up Byron Jones, Kyle Van Noy and Shaq Lawson, who will immediately contribute to an improving Dolphin defense. Where’d he go?: Josh Rosen, who was selected higher than , was recently cut by the Dolphins. He will reportedly sign with the Buccaneers as a member of their practice squad. Fans in the stands: This is a state that reopened gyms in May before a wave of cases rocked the state. Of course Miami will have fans in the stands, as mentioned above. What to expect: Of course, the Fins have no shot at the division or playoffs this year. But this is an exciting team with a ton of young talent. I like to think of them as the Atlanta Hawks of the NFL — don’t expect them to win, but expect to be entertained. This is a rebuilding year for Miami, and it could set them up for a division championship in a year or two. Elsewhere Check out the rest of our NFL previews for this strangest of seasons: Relatedfootball propsbest online nfl betting sitesbetting on college football onlinebest nba sportsbooktop online mlb betting sitesall nhl betting sitesbest ufc sportsbooklegit soccer betting sitessafe copa america betting sites
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The touchdown market has become one of the most popular and potentially profitable props in the NFL betting world. Each week, we’re going to throw down three to five units as we try to uncover some of the best weekly NFL TD props and dig into the matchups that surround them.
Week 11 has us looking at two possible running backs with expanding roles and a double-dip on the New Orleans tight end depth chart.
Without further ado:
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A Monday so nice, they’re doing it twice with the Minnesota Vikings visiting the Philadelphia Eagles in the second of two Monday Night Football matchups in Week 2. I’m here to break down the point spread and total and give my best NFL betting picks and predictions for Vikings at Eagles on September 19.
These teams were offseason darlings among sharp NFL bettors, drawing money and forcing notable adjustments on their NFL futures odds. Minny and Philly made good on those projections in Week 1, both starting the season with victories.
Philadelphia hung on for an uncomfortable win at Detroit, giving up 21 points in the second half, while Minnesota staked its claim in the NFC North with an impressive win over Green Bay. That has kept this spread tig…
Two teams that appear to have rock-solid defenses will face off in Denver with the Commanders in town to take on the Broncos on Sunday afternoon. Despite losing as a home favorite vs. the Raiders in Week 1, Denver comes in as a 3.5-point favorite, while the game has the lowest total of the week in the NFL odds at 38.5 points.
Each offense is expected to take a step forward this season with Sean Payton in to fix Russell Wilson, while Washington’s Eric Bieniemy is out to prove he’s more than just Andy Reid’s right-hand man. Each failed to get off to a strong start in Week 1, with the teams combining for just 36 points despite facing poorly-regarded defenses.
Let’s see how the teams match up for their Week 2 faceoff. Here are my free…
The Baltimore Ravens had a long break for Thanksgiving after last playing on November 16. Now they get a prime-time matchup on Sunday Night Football in Inglewood, CA against the struggling Los Angeles Chargers.
The Ravens are slight favorites in Week 12 odds and will be looking to move to 9-3 on the season before their bye week behind the play of Lamar Jackson.
I’ve taken a closer look at the Lamar Jackson odds to give my free NFL picks for the Ravens vs. Chargers on November 26.
Be sure to keep up to date on the SNF odds and check out our Ravens vs. Chargers predictions, along with our SNF prop picks.
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UPDATE: The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 58 in Overtime on Sunday and soaked Andy Reid in Purple Gatorade during a commercial break! Purple was the Oddsmakers’ favorite and was used for the second year in a row by the Chiefs.
Winning the Super Bowl is the goal of every NFL coach, and entrance into this elite club of champions is celebrated with the Gatorade bath – a surprise baptism of icy, colored sports drink. Not only has this tradition become a staple of Super Bowl Sunday, but betting on the Gatorade bath color is one of the most popular props available.
As the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their Super Bowl rematch, the odds have hit the board.
Odds for the color of the Gatorade bath at the S…
Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals offense put up a blazing 38 points last week, but it wasn’t good enough to get the win, and they now find themselves at 1-4. They will travel to take on Brian DaBoll and the sneakily stout New York Giants defense, which has held opponents to 21 or fewer points in four straight games.
Who will Joe Burrow lean on to keep the Bengals’ postseason hopes alive?
I dive into the Joe Burrow odds and deliver my NFL picks for Sunday Night Football on October 13.
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It s nearly four years since Didier Deschamps became only the third man to win the World Cup as a player and coach, as he guided France to their second success on football s grandest stage.
The target now for Les Bleus is to become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to retain their crown, and that journey begins on Friday with the draw for the group stage of Qatar 2022.
Four years is a long time to wait for anything, but the draw for the World Cup is always a milestone event that sees the anticipation taken up a notch.
The eyes of the football world will be on the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center, where the eight groups will be drawn and potential routes to December s finale can start being plotted.
But there is a little more to the draw than that…
Christine Sinclair, the all-time record goalscorer in international football, will retire at the end of the National Women’s Soccer League in November.
Sinclair, 41, has 190 goals in 331 appearances for Canada, making her the top scorer across both men s and women s football.
She has played for the NWSL s Portland Thorns since 2013, helping them to win the inaugural title that year. She added further league crowns to her collection in 2017 and 2022.
The Canadian great has had similar success with her national team, winning a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is also one of three players to score at five World Cups, alongside Brazil s Marta and Portugal s Cristiano Ronaldo.
An icon of the game. A leader on and off the pitch. has announced she w…
Benjamin Sesko has signed for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, although he will not officially become their player until July 2023.
Sesko has been highly sought-after following the 2021-22 season, in which he scored 11 goals in all competitions – including one in a Champions League qualifier – for Austrian side Salzburg.
He previously spent time on loan at second-tier Liefering, scoring 21 goals in 29 league games, while he netted Salzburg s winner in a pre-season friendly against Liverpool in July.
Seen as the next potential star off the Austrian club s production line after Erling Haaland and Karim Adeyemi, Sesko had reportedly been drawing interest from Premier League clubs including Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United.
Yet the 19-year-old S…
Luka Modric says he is not thinking about any international retirement call ahead of Croatia s Nations League clash with Denmark.
The Real Madrid veteran is looking to skipper his country through to next year s finals in their last major pre-Qatar 2022 World Cup run-out.
Four years on from reaching the final at Russia 2018, Modric is among the elder statesman of the world game on the pitch, at 37, with many wondering if this year s tournament will be his international swansong.
But speaking ahead of their Group A1 encounter at Stadion Maksimir, the playmaker has poured cold water over any imminent exit talk and suggested whatever decision he makes will likely wait for the new year.
I m not thinking about that, Modric stated. I haven t made any decisions.…