WATCH: The Craziest NFL Records Ever
August 17, 2018 by
PODCAST: 2018 NFL W-L Totals Bets You Can Bank On
August 16, 2018 by
We agree: no way the 49ers win more than 8 games!FF-Winners.Com Reveals: Top Wagers for 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
August 15, 2018 by
A year after watching a cornerback win the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year award for the first time in nearly two decades, who are the favorites to win it this year?
Although the 2018 NFL Draft was heavy on big names on the offensive side of the football, there were a few standout prospects on defense who headlined this year’s class, and unsurprisingly, are among the favorites to win said hardware:
Tremaine Edmunds (+800) – After months of projecting him as a top-10 selection in the draft, it was something of a surprise to see Tremaine Edmunds fall to the 16th overall pick. The Buffalo Bills reportedly would’ve been content walking out of the draft with either one of quarterback Josh Allen or Edmunds with their top pick, so having the opportunity to walk out of the draft with both guys left them beyond thrilled. Head coach Sean McDermott made no reservations when discussing what Edmunds could do Buffalo’s defense; McDermott unquestionably sees Edmunds as being his version of Luke Kuechly, whom McDermott coached as the defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers. With the size of a (smaller) defensive end and the speed of a running back, Edmunds is a threat to literally rack up a myriad of stats, from sacks to tackles for losses to forced fumbles to passes broken up (if not interceptions). While he still has to further develop his football instincts, with the right coaching, he has the chance to be an absolute force in Buffalo very quickly.
Roquan Smith (+400) – Roquan Smith vs. Tremaine Edmunds was something of a “Miller Lite versus Bud Light” debate in this draft, with certain factions in the NFL favoring one over the other. But the Chicago Bears were absolutely thrilled to have landed Smith with the 8th overall pick, and to add him to a defense where they continue to add speed and athleticism. Under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, there are people who are immediately people who are comparing Smith to Patrick Willis, the former All-Pro linebacker whom Fangio coached while they were both with the San Francisco 49ers. As the textbook definition of “a football player,” comparing Smith to one of the best linebackers of the past decade isn’t that far-fetched. Nobody would be surprised to see him emerge as the best defensive player to come out of this draft.
Bradley Chubb (+140) – Bradley Chubb of the Denver Broncos is the favorite among the group, and for good reason. Even if he wasn’t the first defensive player taken in the 2018 NFL Draft, many people considered him to be the best defensive player among the class. Moreover, the simple fact is that big sack totals will very likely sway the votes of media members who cast their ballots for this award, and Chubb has the potential to approach – if not surpass – double-digit sacks. Most elite pass rushers taken high-up in the draft usually end up being the focus of the blocking schemes of opposing offenses, but anyone playing the Broncos has to deal with blocking Von Miller first and foremost. That’s going to present a lot of opportunities for Chubb to see one-on-one blocking situations, when he can leverage his size, strength, and relentless motor to attack helpless blockers.
FF-Winners.Com Reveals: Top Wagers for 2018 NFL MVP Award
August 15, 2018 by
Deshaun Watson (+1500) — In Jalen Ramsey “feather-ruffling” interview published in GQ Magazine, the Pro Bowl cornerback identified Deshaun Watson as someone who is “going to be an MVP in a couple of years.” But is it possible that Watson accelerates that timeline, and ends up becoming the league’s most valuable player this season? It’s a bit lofty to anoint someone who has a grand total of seven meaningful NFL games under his belt as such, but it’s not entirely far-fetched. After all, in those seven games last year, Watson averaged three touchdowns per game; at that rate, he would’ve finished with somewhere around 43 touchdown passes and another five rushing touchdowns. Obviously, such numbers aren’t sustainable over the course of an entire season, but Watson proved to be a one-man offensive dynamo last year, and if he leads the Houston Texans to an AFC South title, he could very well enter the conversation.
Carson Wentz (+700) – How quickly man of us forget that Carson Wentz was the runaway favorite to win the NFL’s MVP award last season, before sustaining the season-ending knee injury against the Los Angeles Rams last year. But even after missing three full games last year, Wentz still finished with 33 passing touchdowns (good for second in the NFL) and 101.9 passer rating (4th in the NFL). The beauty of Wentz’ situation is that his Philadelphia Eagles team is far from dependent on him to win them games; they can do so on the power of their stacked defense, if need be, or even run the football with the committee of running backs they have on their roster. In other words, there are too many things for opponents to worry about, for them to focus on trying to stop Wentz. With the early reports of him actually throwing with more velocity trickling out of Eagles camp, there’s plenty of reason to believe he could challenge for the award he should’ve won last year.
Aaron Rodgers (+550) — Or maybe we should ask if you remember him? Even with substantial questions along his offensive line, and without the services of his longtime favorite receiver, we simply cannot rule out the two-time MVP and maybe the most dangerous quarterback in the NFL. Before we began talking about guys like Carson Wentz, Russell Wilson, and Tom Brady in the MVP conversation last year, Rodgers looked like the early favorite, as he was eviscerating defenses over the first five games of last year. Between the first week of September and the first week of October, Rodgers threw for 13 touchdown passes, compared to only three interceptions. If you project out his stats over the course of the year, he would’ve had 41 touchdown passes and over 4,300 yards passing. With Davante Adams emerging as a top-15 receiver, Randall Cobb finally coming into the season healthy, and Jimmy Graham as a new red zone target, don’t overlook Rodgers’ chances becoming a three-time MVP.
The Statistical Power of Regression in Predicting Football
August 14, 2018 by
If you are interested in how data science may be applied to
predicting football outcomes, we recommend this new article
by Ed Feng:
WATCH: Every Josh Allen Run and Pass vs. Panthers
August 12, 2018 by
Check out every Josh Allen play from his NFL debut. The Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills during Week 1 of the 2018 NFL preseason. IMHO, Mr. Allen be the next Dan Marino.
CLICK HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GddAVnajf7E
WATCH: Every Baker Mayfield Run & Pass Versus Giants
August 11, 2018 by
Check out every Baker Mayfield play from his NFL debut. The Cleveland Browns take on the New York Giants during Week 1 of the 2018 NFL preseason. Personally, I am unsure: Slow to get the ball out, throws into double and triple coverage, itchy in the pocket… However, others are saying he is destined for the Hall of Fame…
Click Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqvQBsKYTP0
FILM STUDY: How the Screen Pass can Rip the Soul out of NFL Defenses
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WATCH: The Most Shocking Comeback in Monday Football History
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Watch Jon Gruden’s face through out this video! LOL!5 NFL Teams to Look Out For in 2018
August 7, 2018 by
As we get closer to the start of the 2018 NFL season, there is enough information floating around that even people that are not actively watching or listening should have a pretty good idea of which teams are expected to be at the top of the NFL this season. But let’s look a little deeper and consider their implied probability via the odds in betDSI.
The first team that we should keep our eye on is the Cleveland Browns. Got you! No, the Browns won’t be a contender … and despite the public thinking that they will win six games this season, I believe they’ll be lucky to get three.
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are once again the favorites to win it all. They have one of the easier schedules in the league this year, and of course, Tom Brady is Tom Brady. He is at the top of the list to throw for the most passing yards and the most touchdowns in 2018. But that said, there have been quite a few personnel changes, and there are some questions that remain to be fully answered on the offensive line.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are listed as the second most probable team to win the Super Bowl next winter. Their schedule strength is middling, and they have a unique situation where either of their top-two QBs can step in and win big games. They also have the fourth-best defense in the league, and with Michael Bennet and Haloti Ngata adding depth to the defensive line, the Eagles will be disruptive up front and tough to beat.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings picked up Sheldon Richardson for a one-year deal and added Mike Hughes at corner. To put it bluntly, the Vikings defense is going to be scary this season. The Purple People Eaters are back and opposing offenses are going to have a rough day each Sunday that they have to face Minnesota. Depending on where you look, you can find the Vikings at the same price to win the Super Bowl as the Eagles, but they opened as the 4th favorite at +1400. The NFC North is brutal, and the Vikings are tied for the 8th toughest schedule this year. But, you know what they say, defense wins championships, and they are No. 1.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers got a raw deal with the cheap-shot on Aaron Rodgers last year. So, you have to think that despite having the hardest schedule in the NFL, they are coming out with a chip on their shoulder. The Packers opened at +900 (9/1) to win the Super Bowl tied with the Eagles as the second most probable. I think their schedule is probably too difficult given the circumstances to make the Super Bowl. But if they can stay healthy, they’ll play spoiler to a lot of teams throughout the season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are the second only to the Pats in the AFC on the betting odds boards, and they are heavy favorites to win their division. Pittsburgh has a projected regular season wins total of 10.5 games, but even though they have cracked the lid on their season wins number year after year, they are underdogs to go past ten wins. The Steelers have one of the weaker schedules in 2018, and it should rank somewhere in the bottom two-thirds. Plus, they are only listed as underdogs against the spread on the early lines just once the entire season. And it’s only a 1-point spread that game comes against the Saints in NOLA. I see the Steelers pulling down 12 wins this year.
It’s the perfect storm for the Steelers in 2018. They have an easy schedule (if any schedule in the NFL could be considered ‘easy’) and this is most certainly Le’Veon Bell’s last season in Pittsburgh, so he has to keep his stock high. In addition to that, the entirety of the offensive line is returning, making it one of the most experienced and cohesive in the league. Big Ben should be well protected, and we could see a record year out of Bell. Pittsburg is also coming into the 2018 season with a top-5 defense. If anyone is going to unseat the Pats in the AFC, it’s Pitt.
