Preview: NFL Draft 2012
Receiver Johnny Knox continues to rehabilitate from a serious back injury suffered in December and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith said it is little early to cast predictions on his potential return. The receiver likely would start the 2012 season on the physically-unable-to-perform list, although it is the latest speculation from anonymous sources. Smith said that doctors’ advice of at least a six-month rehabilitation process for Knox was premature.
Sources close to the receiver agreed to the fact that six-month rehabilitation process is premature for sure, although they maintain Knox has not experienced any setbacks in his recovery. One source added that the receiver is prepping to play this season and it has potentially starting the season on the PUP list is "news to us".
During a 28-14 loss Dec. 18 to the Seattle Seahawks, Knox absorbed a devastating hit. This required him to undergo surgery to stabilize a vertebra in his back. A league source Wednesday said that the San Francisco 49ers agreed to a one-year contract with former New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs.
Following receiver Mario Manningham, who signed a two-year contract last week, Jacobs is the second former Giant to join the 49ers this offseason. In the NFC Championship Game last season, the Giants beat the 49ers. Jacobs will join a backfield led by starting running back Frank Gore in San Francisco. He could share the 49ers' backup role with Kendall Hunter.
Earlier this month, the Giants released Jacobs rather than pay him a $500,000 roster bonus to go along with the $4.4 million he was due this season. Jacobs rushed for 56 touchdowns in his seven seasons with the Giants, a fourth-round draft pick in 2005. His carries and yardage dipped the past two seasons, although, he had 1,000-yard seasons in 2007 and 2008. He had just 152 carries and a 3.8-yard average last season and he gained 823 yards in 2010.
Receiver Devin Aromashodu has re-signed a one-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings. On Wednesday, the team announced the deal, continuing an offseason filled with low-impact signings that are geared more toward adding depth than making headlines. Aromashodu caught 26 passes for 468 yards and three touchdowns in his first season with the Vikings last year. After three seasons in Chicago, he signed with the Vikings and he was one of the team's best blocking receivers.
Aaron Rodgers Takes the Long Route to Become NFL Superstar
Aaron Rodgers path to become the Super Bowl MVP in the 2011 Super Bowl was not an overnight success story. Rodgers spent what must have felt like an eternity behind Green Bay Packers icon Brett Favre before he finally got a chance to prove what he could do.
Sitting on the bench was never a thought that crossed Rodgers mind when he was leading Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, California. Rodgers still holds records for six touchdowns and 440 all-purpose yards.
Rodgers was ignored by most of the elite college football programs and most of the down trodden schools as well. Rodgers began his college career playing for Butte Community College, a small JC school just miles from his home in Chico.
While playing against inferior competition, Rodgers lit up defenses and garnered attention from Jeff Tedford of California. Tedford envisioned Rodgers in his explosive high-powered offense. His vision was 20/20 when it came to Rodgers and he found a diamond in the rough.
Rodgers was always an accurate passer in college but his average passing and touchdown numbers did not reveal his true value to an NFL team. When Rodgers entered the NFL draft a year early in 2005, many experts were split on his NFL abilities. Rodgers tumbled down the NFL Draft board to the Green Bay Packers with the 24th pick.
Rodgers then learned at the feet of Brett Favre for three years before finally getting his chance in 2008. Rodgers first season as a starter resulted in a 6-10 record but also an invaluable experience. Rodgers then picked it up a notch in 2009, making the NFL Playoffs but falling short once again.
The 2010 season was a tale of two seasons. The regular season for the Packers and Rodgers resulted in a lackluster entry in the NFL Playoffs and everyone expected an early exit for the Packers. Rodgers overcame concussions and the rough regular season to win his first Super Bowl and the MVP award to go along with it.
Can he repeat any of that in 2012? Check your favorite online sportsbook for his player proposition bets for the year.
Lions: Our Workouts are Best in the League
Players from teams around the league are making sure they are organized once the season is ready to commence, although the 2011 NFL Lockout is making progress even though it is still so very little at a time. With the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, and a host of other teams, organized player workouts are happening. In the NFL, one team though considers that their workouts are the finest.
The Detroit Lions have self-confidence in themselves, while gently and gradually rebuilding their franchise from the depths of the basement. Although it seems like too much confidence.
In a 75-minute session, thirty Lions and one former Lion, cornerback Dre' Bly took part that included position drills and a strength-and-conditioning circuit. To freshen up on signals and terminology, quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the offensive skill players even walked through a 2-minute drill, at the end of the workout and get guys thinking without being in the huddle, calling the play.
The Lions held their third of four large-scale spread out across the country and player-organized workouts Wednesday at Birmingham Detroit Country Day, as they were prohibited from team conveniences during the lockout. About 30 players, including nearly every offensive lineman took part.
No one knows when the league and the players will have an agreement to get out of the courts and on fields, as the lockout approaches its 10th week.
Vanden Bosch said that he believes when this is going to get resolved is completely not known to the lawyers on the both sides. He added that if they miss football games, it would be a mockery for everyone involved.
NFL Currently Sets No Deadline
The league’s executive vice president for business operations Eric Grubman has said that a time limit for when games would be canceled without a collective bargaining agreement has not been set.
Between the conference championships and Super Bowl, the 2011 schedule includes room to scheme with byes and the week. To potentially hold the Super Bowl a week later, the NFL also has a deal with host Indianapolis.
Earlier this week, the two sides took a break from conciliation and will not reconvene until May 16. Before then, to lift the lockout, U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson is expected to decide on the players' demand.
Grubman said that they would pull every lever that they can within their flexibility or can spot to make that happen. He added that their intensions are to play a full season.
On an appeal by the players for a preliminary injunction to halt the lockout, .S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson did not issue a ruling. That ruling could come Monday. At an April 6 hearing in St. Paul, Minn, Nelson had said that she anticipated to make the ruling in a couple of weeks.
A league spokesman said that from implementing its investigation into an unfair labor practice charge by the league against the dissolved players’ union, the NFL believes the National Labor Relations Board is a month to six weeks. To complete its investigation before ruling on the players’ injunction request, the NFL has urged Nelson to wait for the NLRB. Against the dissolved union based on the league’s charge, it is not clear if the NLRB will issue a complaint.
NFL – QB Search for 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh
New San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, after being there for 15 seasons with five teams, he knows very well what it takes to play NFL quarterback and its significance as well.
Harbaugh might have to find a new face for his team in the upcoming NFL draft, an heir to Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young and as a probable competition for Alex Smith.
Given the current lockout means, the draft will almost undoubtedly comes first free agency, Harbaugh is trying to find his QB in the draft and he is making the rounds at pro day workouts of college players.
The last four times the Huskies have taken on Harbaugh and Stanford, Jake Locker has been Washington's starting quarterback. In 2007, came his best outing when he showed the athletic skills Harbaugh values so highly. In a 27-9 Huskies triumph, he rushed 16 times for 97 yards and ran for two touchdowns.
Similar to last year, the scenario is quite pragmatic, when the Broncos grab Tim Tebow; although one could squabble, they pulled the trigger too early on Tebow.
The 49ers first need to pick a quarterback they require and then weigh his odds, when he still being on the board in the second round. Just to the top of the second round, there is a likelihood that trading up with the Patriots can be done and that would not cost as much as trading back into the first.
Draft weekend should be filled with dramatic moves and anything is possible as teams jostle to fill holes the only way they can at the moment.
Ahmad Bradshaw Had Surgery On His Left Ankle This Past Weekend
As many NFL betting fans may have noticed, last season the play of running back Ahmad Bradshaw affected the New York Giants performance.
The New York Giants confirmed on Monday that, Bradshaw should be improved next season, as the running back had surgery on his left ankle this past weekend.
To clean out Bradshaw's ankle, the operation was done and it appears to have gone well, the Giants said. "Everything went great thanks for the well wishes!" Bradshaw said, in a Tweet on Sunday.
Bradshaw told reporters in North Texas during Super Bowl week that he was scheduled to undergo surgery on Feb. 12, prior to Super Bowl XLV.
His left ankle bothered him during the season, he admitted. Last year, Bradshaw underwent the same surgery to his right ankle in addition to surgeries on both of his feet.
Bradshaw told reporters in Dallas during Super Bowl week of his left ankle, "It was something that bothered me. It wasn't a big factor unless someone really got a hold of it. It was really no problem because I could fight through it and I'd been fighting through it for years. I'm just ready to get it fixed."
Even though Brandon Jacobs rushed for 823 yards and nine touchdowns on fewer carries, Bradshaw finished with a decent 1,235 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season as the lead running back.
Plenty Of Prop Bets For Super Bowl XLV
This weekend in the Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The bets on the game sometimes attract just as much attention even as the game should be a good one. Even though there are also other Super Bowl Prop Bets that encourage betting about things that are more like side notes to the game, there are normal things to bet on. The Packers are early favorites in Super Bowl betting odds.
Last year one example of a funny prop wager occurred. Reggie Bush was dating Kim Kardashian as he was playing in the Super Bowl. Whether the total of Reggie Bush’s yards, or Kim Kardashian’s measurements of 36-24-39 would be greater, there was one bet in which you would choose. In spite of not being a part of the game, there was also another bet about how many times Kardashian would appear on TV during the game.
There will be bets about how long the National Anthem will be this year as well not all Super Bowl prop betting is so obscure. Even though you can make a few dollars if you’re able to guess whether it will be longer or shorter than usual generally the song takes around 2 minutes.
There are other bets that are completely up to chance even as these previous bets might be able to be predicted. Whether the coin toss will be “heads” or “tails is one popular thing to bet on. This is actually one of the most popular things to bet on at the Super Bowl even as this seems ridiculous.
This weekend, whether you know a lot about the Super Bowl, or if you know nothing about sports there will be a lot to bet on.
Sunday Clash Between Green Bay Packers And Chicago Bears
On Sunday at Soldier Field, the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers battle in a clash of longtime NFL rivals in the NFC Championship Game and FOX will broadcast this match at 3 pm ET.
In NFL Betting Odds the over/under total are 44 whereas the Packers are a 3-point favorite.
In the past 10 meetings, both teams are 5-5 straight up and against the spread, head-to-head. Out of 10 past meetings, eight have gone under the total.
This past season the teams split the season series. By covering as a 3-point home underdog, Chicago won the first meeting 20-17 on Sept. 27 and the score went under the total of 45.5. In the season finale on Jan. 3, Green Bay won the last meeting 10-3 as an 11.5-point home favorite, the Packers failed to cover.
On Saturday, in an NFC divisional playoff game, Green Bay beat the Atlanta Falcons 48-21. The score went over the total of 44 whereas the Packers covered the 1–point spread.
In the other NFC matchup the Bears were a 35-24 winner against the Seattle Seahawks. The score went over the total of 43.5 whereas they covered the 10.5–point spread.
Even as Chicago was 11-5 SU, 9-6-1 ATS, Green Bay was 10-6 SU and 9-7 ATS this season.
Overall the total has gone under in all five of the past five meetings as well as in five of the past six meetings in Chicago.
Chicago is 8-2 SU in its last 10 games whereas Green Bay is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games.
On the road, the total has gone under in 8 of Green Bay's last 10 games. In 6 of Chicago's last 7 games overall, the total has gone over.
New Orleans Saints NFL Playoff, Super Bowl history
The New Orleans Saints have returned to the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl. That Super Bowl was the first Super Bowl victory in the history of their franchise. In fact, the New Orleans Saints had never even played in a Super Bowl previous to that one.
The Saints play the Seattle Seahawks Saturday and are favorites in NFL super bowl betting Odds.
The key for the Saints last season was their dynamic offense. Their offense put points up on the board in bunches with a balanced running attack and stellar passing game. Their defense was also able to force turnovers when necessary to put their opponents out.
The Saints beat out the Vikings to advance to the Super Bowl last season. Their Super Bowl opponents would be the Indianapolis Colts. Their victory over the Colts shocked much of the world. The Saints showed that they have what it takes to beat any team in the playoffs as they beat two of the best quarterbacks of all time en route to their Super Bowl victory.
The playoff appearance this season is just the 8th playoff appearance in the history of the franchise. They waited 20 years for their first playoff appearance, but they now look like a team that should qualify for the playoffs on an annual basis.
The Saints will now have a chance to build a winning tradition in the playoffs. While they don’t have much working for them in terms of team tradition in their history, they do have the momentum of last year’s Super Bowl victory to build off of.
Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots meet in AFC East clash
The Miami Dolphins will head to New England to take on the Patriots. While the Dolphins are not in position to make the playoffs, this win would be big for their franchise. They would finish at 8-8 if they were able to take home a victory in this game.
The Patriots are currently 13-2 on the season.
The Patriots are 3-point favorites in NFL Lines. The total for the game is set at 43.
The Patriots are historically dominant at home when led by Tom Brady. It has been years since Brady lost a game that he started on his home field. Look for Brady to come out with a classic performance in this game.
The Dolphins will be on the road, but they have been much better on the road than at home this season. Six of the wins for the Dolphins this year have come on the road. It is unclear why the Dolphins play so much better on the road, but the statistics definitely support the fact that they are a much better team on the road than at home.
The Patriots will have a tough task ahead of them in beating the Dolphins’ defense. They have a great rush and pass defense. A few weeks ago the Dolphins were able to take it to New York and the Dolphins will likely come with a similar game plan against the Patriots. The Dolphins need to find a way to put Brady on the ground if they hope to come out with a victory in this game.