The Giants are your returning Superbowl Champions. It still astonishes my mind to write that sentence. This division, as always, is the most difficult to predict for sports betting enthusiasts wagering on the NFL. Most NFL gambling experts, myself included, predicted that the Giants would struggle to make the playoffs, let alone win the Superbowl. The Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins will all be looking to knock the champs off the top of the mountain. If anything’s for certain in the NFC East, it’s that the race is wide open.
THE FAVORITE – Dallas Cowboys (-110 to win division)
America’s Team is back with a vengeance. After letting the Giants slip past them in the post season, Jerry Jones and the Boys are back to shoot ‘em all and let Roger Godell sort ‘em out. They’re young, motivated and extremely confident. Does that mean the oddsmakers will draw the hard line with them? Probably.
Terry Glenn is officially gone, leaving the receiving duties in hand for Patrick Crayton Sam “Have You” Hurd and Terrell Owens. While Tony Romo proved to be a miracle man on occasion, his lackadaisical attitude last season cost the Cowboys in the playoffs. That won’t happen again if Romo is as competitive as we all believe.
The addition of Felix Jones will make the rushing game lethal, while Pacman Jones has the turned the Cowboys in to the best secondary on paper. I love the Cowboys value at +900 to win the Lombardi in Tampa this season.
THE PRESSURE PLAYER – Philadelphia Eagles (+325 to win division)
My readers know how much I despise the Eagles. They know I have zero faith in Donavan McNabb. I even gave away his Syracuse jersey that I bought several years ago (it was due to him throwing teammates under the bus, never taking responsibility for the Superbowl, as well as being a part of that horrific Chunky Soup campaign with a fake mother). Can I argue against the fact that they’re likely the second best team in this division?
Not really. They now have Asante Samuel, which will toughen up the Eagle’s defense and make them insanely difficult to score on. They lost four games last season by less than 3-points. McNabb may be washed up to many people, but he still has Brian Westbrook and a host of up and coming receivers who are ready for the big time. Superbowl? Likely not. Playoffs? That’s why it’s called the WILDcard.
THE DARK HORSE – New York Giants (+275 to win division)
Superbowl Champs to chumps? You better believe it. From the mounting pressure on Eli Manning, the contract dispute involving Plaxico Burress and the loss of Michael Strahan, there are simply too many reasons to stay away from the G-Men. From a betting standpoint last season, they profited nearly the entire betting community in the Superbowl as steep underdogs.
However, they’re officially on the radar of every team this season and have a rough schedule. Though they finished 10-6 ATS last season, which was second-best in the NFC, their chances of repeating that are slim. However, if anyone can get them over the hump, it’s Tom Coughlin who loves being doubted.
DON’T BOTHER – Washington Redskins (+600)
They may have Jason Taylor, and Jason Campbell, but this team is going nowhere fast. Todd Collins was the definitive feature of their playoff run last year, not J-Cam from Auburn. For a team that gets such consistent makeovers, you simply can’t trust them. Their 7-7-2 ATS record is the pudding.
The Redskins are like my third-year “girlfriend” from university. I like them, but I don’t love them. You get my drift.