Vernon Croy’s Week 1 NFL Betting Recap
The first week of the 2009 NFL season is officially in the books and it couldn’t have blown by quicker. The first game kicked off on Thursday night followed by a host of games on Sunday and a doubleheader on Monday night. With some amazing finishes and spectacular plays already in the first week, this promises to be an unforgettable season. So what went down on the first weekend of NFL action? Let’s take a look at the games.
Tennessee vs. Pittsburgh– The first game of the week saw the Titans cover the spread by 3.5 points. The Steelers were favored by 6.5 points going into the season opener and they only ended up winning by a field goal in overtime. With a final score of 13-10, you know that this was a knock-down drag-out of a game. It was sloppy the entire time with neither team establishing the run. The Steelers nearly gave the game away with a Hines Ward fumble at the end of the game. However, in typical Steeler fashion, they got another chance to redeem themselves.
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Miami vs. Atlanta– The first game of the Tony Gonzalez era in the ATL was a success. He got involved early and often in the passing game as Matt Ryan found him for a touchdown. The Falcons had no problem covering the spread in this one. A game that featured last season’s turn around darlings, saw that the Falcons are farther along in the process.
Philadelphia vs. Carolina– This was a really great game to be an Eagle fan. It saw the visiting Eagles come in and just destroy the supposedly strong Carolina Panthers. The Eagle defense just embarrassed Jake Delhomme as he turned the ball over five times and got yanked out of the game. While the Panthers lost a quarterback to bad play, the Eagles lost theirs to a broken rib. Donovan McNabb could be out for a few weeks now as a result. Keep this in mind for your future bets.
Minnesota vs. Cleveland- The first game of the Brett Favre experiment in Minny ended up as a smashing success. While Favre did alright, he was merely a spectator to the Adrian Peterson show most of the game. If your fantasy team played against Adrian Peterson to open up the season, I’m sorry. He made the Cleveland defense look like a bunch of children trying to play flag football out there. Minnesota covered the spread easily in this one.
Jacksonville vs. Indianapolis- While Indianapolis won the game, the Jaguars pulled the upset according to the oddsmakers. They covered the spread by 4.5 points in a rough, low-scoring affair. Peyton Manning hooked up with Reggie Wayne a few times, but they did lose #2 receiver Anthony Gonzalez for the next 2-6 weeks. Look out for this injury over the next month.
Dallas vs. Tampa Bay– The post-T.O. era began in Dallas and Tony Romo couldn’t have looked more comfortable. Maybe all of this “locker room cancer” thing has some merit. The Boys were favored in this one and they didn’t disappoint. They put up some monster yards and raised some questions about the Tampa Bay defense.
Washington vs. New York– New York came out looking for a replacement for Plaxico Burress. They spread the ball around, played stellar defense, and ran the ball all game long. They were favored by 6 and won by that margin for a push. The NFC East looks like it should be a strong division again this year.
Chicago vs. Green Bay– Jay Cutler made his debut for the Bears and the result couldn’t have been more terrible. He reminded Broncos fans how lucky they really were to get rid of him as he tossed four interceptions. As a result of his ineptitude and the Green Bay defense, the Packers covered the spread.
Kansas City vs. Baltimore- For a moment, this looked like it was going to be the biggest upset of the week. 13 point underdogs, the Chiefs gave the Ravens all they could handle and almost pulled off the win. They were tied with the Ravens at 24-24 with three minutes left in the game. Then the Ravens punched in two touchdowns to miraculously cover the spread. Everyone who bet on the Ravens let out a collective sigh.
Denver vs. Cincinnati- It took one of the flukiest, most miraculous plays in the Broncos history to beat the hapless Cincinnati Bengals. Things are looking pretty grim in both Denver and Cincinnati. The Kyle Orton-led Broncos had a lot of problems moving the ball against what should be a pretty bad defense. However, they managed to pull off the upset thanks to that last second play.
New York Jets vs. Houston– This was statistically the biggest upset of the week as the Texans were 4.5 point favorites and the Jets covered by 21.5 points. This was a shocker to a lot of people as many thought that the Texans would finally put it together this season. Mark Sanchez started things off with a bang and a win in his first career game.
Detroit vs. New Orleans– In a game that featured the worst defense in the league against the best offense, you got exactly what you expected. Drew Brees officially went off in this game to the tune of six touchdowns. It didn ‘ t appear that the Lions had grown very much in the offseason as they were up to their old tricks. Despite the 13 point spread, the Saints still covered it by 4 points.
San Francisco vs. Arizona– The defending NFC Champs got thrown for a loop in their first game of the season. San Fran pulled off the upset in this one and covered the spread by 9 points.
St. Louis vs. Seattle– The Rams are still terrible and didn’t even manage to get on the scoreboard. The Seahawks covered easily.
The first week was full of surprises and some great games. For next week, be aware of the injuries to Donovan McNabb, Brian Urlacher, and Anthony Gonzalez. They are all impact players and should be considered before placing your bets. The only thing we know for sure is that Week 2 will be just as exciting as Week 1.
Make sure you check out Vernon Croy ‘ s Week 2 NFL Picks!
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Author: Vernon Croy has won numerous handicapping awards and has been ranked as one of the top 10 handicappers in the world 100% documented by the Professional Handicappers League. His Picks can be found here at CappersPicks.com.
