NFL Betting: Chargers Will Return To The Top Of AFC West In 2011-12

For years the San Diego Chargers got by on mediocrity, taking advantage of a relatively easy path through the AFC West to consistently reach the postseason. That all changed a year ago, as the Oakland Raiders returned to respectability and the Kansas City Chiefs broke out under head coach Todd Haley to capture the division title. The Chargers will need to raise their game this season to avoid another letdown, and with the Denver Broncos rebuilding once again, San Diego has all of the sports betting tools to run away with what has become a three-team division.

The Chargers’ strength is their offense, which is led by one of the top quarterbacks in the game in Phillip Rivers. Rivers has grown in the offense to the sports betting bonus point where he is on the verge of being classified as elite, and if he can reignite that chemistry between himself and wide receiver Vincent Jackson, this offense will be among the most dangerous in the league once again. Running back Ryan Matthews should be more comfortable in his second year in the league, and big things are expected of the player that San Diego drafted to be their workhorse back. The Chargers’ defense actually exceeded expectations a year ago by allowing the fewest total yards, but that wasn’t really that big of a surprise with the Broncos, Chiefs, and Raiders owning some of the worst offenses in the league. The focus in San Diego will once again be on stopping the run, and the additions of first round pick Cory Liuget and linebacker Takeo Spikes are crucial.

Most of the talk this preseason has been about the Chiefs’ ability to repeat as division champions and the Raiders’ chances of taking another step forward and clinching an AFC West title, but there are reasons to bet against both. In Kansas City, the offense won’t surprise anyone this season and a much tougher schedule will make things harder for a team that capitalized on a weak path to the postseason a year ago. In Oakland, a new head coach following the lockout year will mean a more difficult transition period, and the losses of both Nnamdi Asomugha and Robert Gallery have not been accounted for. The Raiders will also have a tougher schedule this NFL betting lines season, so it is difficult to think that they will continue to progress.

The Broncos meanwhile will continue to rebuild with a potential public relations disaster brewing in the quarterback battle between Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton. Orton has put up the better numbers and has more betonline experience, but Tebow is the future and a fan favorite that could make supporters relentless if the team starts losing. Ultimately, Denver is rebuilding and both the Chiefs and Raiders will face tough tasks elevating their level of play with a tougher schedule. That leaves the Chargers to become the class of the division, as they return to the top of the AFC West.

NFL Betting: NFC East Belongs To Eagles; Cowboys, Giants For Wild Card

For the better part of the past decade, the NFC East has been recognized as the deepest division in pro football, with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Redskins all making postseason appearances. The Giants and Eagles each made an appearance in the Super Bowl with New York winning it all in Super Bowl XLII, and after loading up again in the offseason there is a good chance that one of those NFL teams can make an appearance in the big game again in 2012.

The Eagles made the biggest additions to their team, including inking the biggest name on the free agent market in cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. With Asante Samuel already in the mix and the addition of Domenique Rodgers-Cromartie from the Arizona Cardinals in a trade for Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia has three starting corners and a ton of options defensively. The Eagles also added defensive end Cullen Jenkins from the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, and with Michael Vick now in his first full sports betting season coming into camp as the starter, there is no limit on what Philadelphia can achieve.

There will still be a spotlight on New York with both the Jets and Giants, and while the latter took a backseat in the headlines this offseason they could be the team that surprises this year. New York will return one of the most promising young receiving cores with Eli Manning under center, and defensively this sports betting bonus team has a ton of weapons along the line. Catching Philadelphia might be a stretch this year, but a Wild Card spot isn’t out of the question.

After a disastrous season in which many projected that the Cowboys would compete for a Super Bowl with the big game set in their hometown, Dallas will look to regroup and redeem itself after falling apart last year. Quarterback Tony Romo is back healthy and has his former offensive coordinator Jason Garrett as his head coach, while the defense should make strides under new coordinator Rob Ryan.

The odd team out at this point is the Redskins, which have a ton of question marks on both sides of the ball. Washington was able to move Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots to ensure there will not be another media circus that takes centerstage in the nation’s capital, but with no proven starting quarterback, no superstars, and a ton of holes it will be at least a year before head coach Mike Shanahan has his team in contention.

There is no NFL betting lines doubt that the Eagles are the favorite to emerge from the division listed at 6-to-1 odds to win the Super Bowl this year, second only to the Patriots. The Cowboys and Giants should both be improved enough to challenge for a Wild Card spot, while the Redskins show signs but take it slow in year two under Shanahan. Philadelphia will clinch the NFC East title this season, but it is what they can do beyond that, that will define this team.