Can you smell that? No, it’s not that, it’s football, and it’s back. Well, sort of.
The NFL preseason kicks off this weekend at the Hall of Fame game from Canton, OH, as the Arizona Cardinals face off against the New Orleans Saints.
The NFL Odds favor the Saints by -3 in this one, and even though it’s a preseason game, it’s a sight for sore eyes for those of us who haven’t seen an NFL game since February.
In any case, NFL bettors are probably chomping at the bit trying to get some action on this game. On paper, it may look like the Saints will run away with this one. They might. However, the Cardinals have a lot more questions surrounding them this preseason, which means that they may play their starting unit a bit more then the Saints will, which could mean that they will win. For the first time since January, I’m here to give you my NFL Pick on the first somewhat real NFL game in the last six months.
Sean Payton is watching
The Saints have been the center of one of the most drama filled NFL off seasons in recent history. If you don’t count the lockout, which was both parties squabbling over money, the last time we had this much player drama was back when Michael Vick got busted for dog fighting.
The Saints are coming into this season with a chip on their shoulder. Everyone seems to be writing them off. This is still one of the best teams in the NFC, regardless of their situation. What better way to give Roger Goddell a big fat middle finger than to win the Super Bowl? I honestly would like to see it if it wasn’t for me being a Bears fan.
The Saints don’t have much to do during this game, and that is why I don’t think they will play their starters much more than a few series. However, they could just stick it to the man, and show everyone they are still to be feared.
QB battle, take one
The Cardinals are a weird team. Ever since the Kurt Warner days, they have still had a good team, they just under-perform. This season looks to be another dull and disappointing season, as they have a quarterback battle brewing between the highly paid Kevin Kolb, and the over-performing back up, John Skelton.
While I don’t think we will see a large amount of either in this game, I think most of the first half will be devoted to getting their first look at which one does well in facing a Saints team that blitzes a lot.
I’m not sure which one will get the job. I do think the Cardinals want Kevin Kolb to win it just because they paid him so much guaranteed money. However, as I’ve stated before about this QB battle, eventually, winning trumps money every time.
The Sharp Pick
We all know the preseason doesn’t mean anything, especially the first game. Most coaches put more of a premium on the second or third, but not the first and the last. In this game’s case, it looks like easy money to take the Saints and lay the points. They may have motivation on their side, but they know that Super Bowls are not won in the preseason.
The Cardinals on the other hand have to decide rather quickly what quarterback they want. With that being said, I think taking the points with Arizona in this situation brings about good value. They have more to uncover, which means their main players will play a little more.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий