While some fans focus on Tour de France betting and other summer sports, the rough and tumble sports fans are already thinking about the upcoming NFL season. Let’s break down each division, starting with what may be football’s best: the NFC East. NEW YORK GIANTS (+180 to win)
BOOM: The defending division champs are among the deepest teams in the NFL. The Giants led the NFL in rushing last year and, while they lost Derrick Ward to the Bucs, Ahmad Bradshaw still forms a lethal thunder/lightning tandem with Brandon Jacobs. Eli Manning showed he could excel without Plaxico Burress last season, throwing more than twice as many touchdowns as picks.
The defense is deep and strong everywhere and we can expect the pass rush to improve assuming Osi Umenyiora stays healthy all year.
BUST: New York doesn’t have any true weakness but teams will throw plenty of eight-man fronts at Jacobs and Bradshaw if Eli can’t find a reliable target downfield.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (+190 to win)
BOOM: Few offenses excite NFL betting fans like Philly’s. Andy Reid loves to throw and he has Donovan McNabb doing it all day long. What the Eagles lack in size, they make up in speed, as Brian Westbrook, DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis can fly once the ball touches their hands.
Defensively, the Eagles were quietly among the very best in the NFL against the run and pass last season. The D-line, led by Trent Cole, racks up sacks, while Asante Samuel and the secondary rack up interceptions.
BUST: The key playmakers on Philly’s offense are seriously brittle and don’t have reliable replacements. Also, the defense lost Brian Dawkins, who may have been the glue holding everything together.
DALLAS COWBOYS (+200 to win)
BOOM: Off-field issues or not, there’s no shortage of talent on this team. Tony Romo, Jason Witten and Marion Barber are cornerstones of an offense that can still put serious points on the board when it wants to. DaMarcus Ware made a major run at the sack record last season and leads a defense that is beatable but still strong and good at pressuring the quarterback.
BUST: Can Roy Williams fill Terrell Owens’ shoes? He seemed on the verge of stardom for a year or two in Detroit but can’t seem to find a groove now. Romo needs a go-to deep man to flourish. Also, the secondary has holes with the loss of the other Roy Williams and Adam “Pacman” Jones.
WASHINGTON REDSKINS (+570 to win)
BOOM: The Redskins have a chance to be the NFL’s top defense this season. They already ranked fourth overall in that regard last season; now they’ve added all-world defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to the mix and locked up DeAngelo Hall long-term. Offensively, say what you want about Clinton Portis, but he gets it done, churning out one 1,200-yard, 300-carry season after another.
BUST: The passing attack continues to be an Achilles heel and never meets sports betting software projections. Jason Campbell is an adequate passer but he’s not a true gunslinger and lacks a big red zone target outside Chris Cooley. Most of the Washington’s problems stem from not scoring enough.
OUTLOOK
The Redskins are tempting as NFL picks since they offer good value but the Giants are just a bit too deep to be dethroned. Bet on the Giants to ride their dominant running game to another NFC East title.
