The wide receiver position in the NFL is one that has been growing quite a bit over the course of the last few years, as there are some legitimate stars that are really shining in this next generation. Here at Bankroll Sports, as a part of our countdown to the 2012 NFL season, we are taking a look at the Top 10 Wide Receivers in Football.

1: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions: Simply put, the Megatron is awesome. He led the league in receiving with 1,681 yards, and he found the end zone 16 times, tops amongst wide receivers. This is a talented specimen of a receiver that can burn you down the sidelines just as easily as he can go into traffic and catch a ball in a crowd or out-jump a DB in the end zone. Simply put Johnson is the best, and he is really the reason that Detroit has one of the most dynamic offenses in the league.

2: Andre Johnson, Houston Texans: The other Johnson really could stake a claim to being the best receiver in the league, but there definitely is a concern about injuries. AJ spent not just one, but two different stints out of the lineup last year with hamstring problems, and his groin has been acting up in the preseason. That being said, when Johnson is out there, there isn’t anything that he can’t do either. He put the nail in the coffin for the first playoff game in Texans history with his long touchdown catch against the Bengals in the playoffs, arguably the biggest play at this point in Houston’s brief history.

3: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals: A future Hall of Famer, Fitzgerald has had a great career with the Cardinals. Last year was just another ho hum year for the former Pitt Panther, as he had 80 receptions, 1,411 yards, and eight TDs on a team that had nothing in the way of quarterback play. Fitzgerald was able to make both QB Kevin Kolb and QB John Skelton look good, and that’s hard to do. Can you imagine what he would be able to do if his team actually had a quarterback to count on that could get the ball down the field?

4: AJ Green, Cincinnati Bengals: This is going to be probably the most controversial selection for our Top 10 wide receivers in the NFL this year. Green had a great rookie campaign, catching 65 passes for 1,057 yards with seven TDs, and we think that he is in for even more progress this year. This is a receiver that has huge hands, something that is tremendously important in a West Coast offense. Yards after the catch are something that Green prides himself on, and he is big enough and strong enough to get those yards. Don’t be shocked if he is in for a 1,400-yard season in 2012.

5: Wes Welker, New England Patriots: Welker just keeps on producing at the wide receiver position, and he is the most fearless receiver in the league. A slot man by nature, Welker does a lot of the dirty work for a New England offense that doesn’t run the ball all that much. Four and five yard passes to Welker are the equivalent of the running game for the Pats, and that has been the case for years. Now all of a sudden, Welker has 650 career receptions for 7,226 yards, and he might one day be considered for the Hall of Fame.

6: Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers: It looked like Smith’s career was basically over a couple of years ago when he and the Panthers were at odds over the fact that the team just didn’t have a quarterback. However, things are better now that QB Cam Newton is playing on Tobacco Road, and Smith is a happy camper again. He had 1,394 yards in what amounted to be one of the better years of his career, and the lifelong Panther is now in the elite 10,000-yard club after his last campaign.

7: Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons: Sure, there is a lot of clamoring for sure that Julio Jones is the best receiver on the Falcons, but we just don’t see it yet. Yes, Jones stretches the field a lot further than White does, but if you want a receiver to run the proper route for you and make the solid catch, White is your guy. The UAB product has put together five straight seasons with at least 1,100 yards and at least 80 receptions, and there are few in the league that can say that. He’ll be a force once again in the Atlanta offense, which is turning into quite the aerial assault as the years go on.

8: Marques Colston, New Orleans Saints: There aren’t many receivers that have made more out of less than Colston has in his career. The Hofstra product never figured to catch on as a receiver in this league, yet he has figured out how to become a stalwart with his play in the slot. Colston isn’t quite a Wes Welker type, knowing that he often does his work up the seam and not in the short passing plays, but he is the man that QB Drew Brees turns to first in one of the most talented offenses in the league. Colston is surely one of the best 10 receivers that the NFL has to offer.

9: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles: Jackson had an awful year in 2011, catching just 58 passes, but he also had 961 yards and four scores as well. D-Jax is one of the fastest receivers in the league, and he routinely figures out how to get behind defensive backs for huge plays. There will be plenty of games where Jackson has just a few looks at the football, but when QB Michael Vick uncorks one down the field, you can bet that more often than not, Jackson is going to catch up to it. If he ever figures out how to catch 100 passes in a season, he might be good for over 2,000 yards and 20 scores.

10: Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs: The yelling is going to come from Victor Cruz, Mike Wallace, Brandon Marshall, Hakeem Nicks, and perhaps Vincent Jackson that they should be on this list, but Bowe is the significantly better receiver in our eyes. This is a man that is a huge target by the end zone, and that is undeniable. The quarterbacks in Kansas City have been downright bad over the course of the last several years, but Bowe just keeps putting up his numbers and his scores. He’ll reach 5,000 yards in his career right off the bat in 2012, and that’s huge for a man that has only been in the league for five years.

Linebackers are always some of the most crucial players on the field, as they have to anchor their defenses, rush the passer, and figure out how to stop the run. No two linebackers are exactly the same, but here at Bankroll Sports, we are going to be making our complete list of the Top 10 linebackers in the NFL for the 2012 season.

1: DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys: You would figure that DC Rob Ryan would be able to take advantage of the fact that Ware is probably the best linebacker that the league has to offer. No one is able to get off of the line of scrimmage like Ware can, and he is just all over the place in this 3-4. Again, this is a very difficult linebacker from what we’re used to see, as Ware isn’t the best in coverage; nor is he a traditional run stopper. That being said, he had 19.5 sacks last year, and there is no denying just how special that really is.

2: Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers: Build a prototype linebacker on Madden 2012 and you have Patrick Willis.  Willis has amassed a whopping 692 tackles over the course of his career already, and he is just 27 years old.  Nobody has a nose for the football like Willis does and he is constantly all over the field with his sub 4.4 speed. The difference as of late, is that he has a heck of a lot of playmakers on the field with him and his group should continue giving running backs and offensive coordinators fits.  Regardless, the 49ers wouldn’t be the same without Willis, and many football fans think that he is the best linebacker in the game.

3: D’Qwell Jackson, Cleveland Browns: Normally speaking, the man that leads the league in tackles is on a bad team, and that’s no exception for Jackson. That being said, over the course of the last three years, Jackson has had at least 150 tackles twice, and he is one of the pieces to the puzzle that the Browns are building around for the future. He will once again be one of the rising stars at the linebacker position in this league this year.

4: Von Miller, Denver Broncos: Yes, we might be overrating the second-year Miller just a bit; as the 4th best linebacker in the league.  But, we really think that he is in for an even better season this year than he had in his rookie campaign; where he racked up 11.5 sacks and 64 tackles. Miller was truly the difference last year for this team (not QB Tim Tebow).  We expect to see that remain the case again this year now that QB Peyton Manning is in charge of the offense.

5: James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers: Perhaps we are being a bit hard on Harrison putting him down here on this list. However, we just aren’t so sure that he hasn’t lost a step, especially after dealing with a knee injury that nearly had him on the PUP list at the start of the campaign. When he comes back, he’ll likely be the high motor, physical beast that he has always been.  At the same time, he still has to prove to us that he is still one of the Top 5 linebackers in the game.

6: Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens: Ray Ray obviously isn’t the linebacker that he once was, but he is still the emotional leader for one of the best defenses in the league. But, he can still fly all over the field, and there still isn’t a running back that wants to see this man coming right at him when he has the football.  With the injury to Suggs, Lewis will have to step up one again to anchor this Raven defense.

7: Brian Cushing, Houston Texans: There was a time that DeMeco Ryans was the highlighted linebacker for the Texans, but after switching to the 3-4, Cushing really became the middle linebacker to watch. He led the team in tackles last year and he has made just a ton of tackles in the backfield. Houston’s growth on defense is the reason that this team was able to get into the playoffs last year, and no question, the highly animated Cushing was the star of the show.

8: Rolando McClain, Oakland Raiders: McClain is one of the most underrated linebackers in the league in our eyes. He was drafted to the Raiders to be the anchor of the middle of this defense.  He has done just that. Yes, it hasn’t always been the best for the Oakland defense, but McClain feels like he is in the heart of every single big play that the team makes. He had 99 tackles, five sacks, and a whopping 13 pass deflections last year.  Expect the Raiders to improve on defense with McClain leading the charge.

9: Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs: As one of the fastest linebackers in the league, Johnson has a major positive on his side. There just isn’t a back or a quarterback in the NFL that can outrun Johnson, and there’s a good reason that he’s routinely one of the league leaders in tackles, just as he was in 2011 when he had 104 solo tackles and a total of 131 stops.

10: Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers: This is yet another one of these second year linebackers that really made a huge difference in his rookie year. 49ers fans may prefer to see Navarro Bowman in this spot (as Patrick Willis’s sidekick), but the Niners wouldn’t have been in the NFC Championship game last year if not for Smith’s 14 sacks and 2 forced fumbles as a situational pass rusher.  He came right in and became one of the best pass rushers in the NFL.  The 49ers are very likely to use Smith as an every down player this year, which will likely inflate his numbers even more.

The Monday Night Football schedule graces us with a pair of great games this weekend. We are going to be taking a look at some of the NFL prop picks for the two clashes on the gridiron, so join us here at Bankroll Sports for our San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders predictions and our Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens picks.

Will Ray Rice Score a Touchdown?: Rice is a man on a mission right now, and this year, he doesn’t have RB Ricky Williams in his way to pillage touchdowns. Sure, rookie RB Bernard Pierce can take some carries, but we know that Rice can get the job done both as a rusher and as a receiver. If this hurry up offense really is going to be a crucial part of the system for the Ravens this year, Rice is probably going to see the ball a heck of a lot more and might be able to break some big time runs on some tired defenses. Rice is one of the best backs in the league, and the truth of the matter is that he is going to score in at least two out of three games over the course of this year. Ray Rice To Score a Touchdown (-160)

Will Joe Flacco Throw an Interception?: This is an NFL line that just doesn’t make all that much sense to us. Flacco would need to be picked off in 10 of his 16 games to make this NFL prop profitable to us, and we think that that will be the case. The Bengals do have a heck of a secondary, and they should be able to get some pressure into Flacco’s face. If this turns out to be the case, we should see at least one mistake made by the former member of the Delaware Blue Hens. Flacco To Throw an INT (-140)

Carson Palmer Longest Pass Completion Over 35.5 Yards: Palmer has to be ready to grip it and rip in on Sunday night, and he is going to be the man of the hour in this game against the Chargers. He’ll take his shots down the field to the likes of WR Denarius Moore, and we expect to see some big time plays out of this offense. The San Diego defense is consistently overrated, and it is likely to be prone to the big time play this year. We only need one, but we think that we’ll get a few bombs out of Palmer and the passing game in this one. Palmer Longest Completion Over 35.5 Yards (-115)

Total Punts Between Chargers and Raiders Over/Under 10.5: Over the course of the first week of the season, what we have seen is a heck of a lot of points and not a heck of a lot of punts. The Chargers and the Raiders both have offenses that can put some points on the board, just as we saw at the end of last year when these teams got into the 60s combined in Week 17. Oakland didn’t have RB Darren McFadden in that one either. The question is whether there will be more than 15 drives or so in this game, and we think that that is a viable question to ask as well. But asking these two teams to combine to punt the ball 11 times is just too much for what could be an offensive shootout of a game. Total Punts Under 10.5 (-130)

Defensive linemen in the trenches always have a tough job, as they know that they are going to get beat up play in and play out in the quest to take down the man with the football. Here’s our list of the Top 10 defensive linemen in the NFL in 2012 that can’t be missed here at Bankroll Sports.

1: Jared Allen, Minnesota Vikings: It almost seems like it was really quiet last year when Allen had 22 sacks. It goes without saying that he is one of the best pass rushers in the game, knowing that he can get off the edge with a fury. Knowing how little teams really had to pass against the Vikes last year seeing how bad they were, it is amazing that Allen was able to get this many sacks. He clearly isn’t a one-trick pony either, as he had 66 total tackles, many of which came in the running game.

2: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens: Being in the middle of a 3-4 is usually not a very sexy position, but Ngata plays it well and feels like he is always in the middle of the action. This is a huge monster of a man, and Ngata is a man that draws all sorts of attention from interior offensive linemen. Quite frequently, at least two of the three interior offensive linemen are thinking about Ngata, and that opens up the rest of the defenders in an aggressive defense to come in for pressure on the quarterback as well.

3: Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions: Suh might be overrated, but he is still a beast. He gets to the quarterback, and he has a massive mean streak about him. Sure, it gets him into trouble sometimes, but if he can ever just channel that rage on positives instead of all of the excess stuff, Suh will be the best in the game. He had just four sacks last year, but Suh is a game changer. And heck, he can even kick extra points for Detroit if needed, too!

4: Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants: Remember when George Selvie was considered one of the best pass rushers in the game, yet it was his teammate, Pierre-Paul that ended up being a first round pick in the NFL Draft? The Giants know that they got a steal with JPP, and he has really turned out to be a monster off the edge. Pierre-Paul has size and strength, and he is also a suitable run stopper along the defensive front as well.

5: Mario Williams, Buffalo Bills: For what the Bills are paying Williams, he had better turn out to be one of the best defensive linemen in the league this year. The former Houston Texan suffered a brutal injury after just five games last year and was never heard from again, but he is healthy now and should be as quick as ever off of the line of scrimmage. Williams is a terror in general, and he routinely was amongst the sack leaders in the league before getting hurt. There’s just no reason to think that that is changing any time in the near future.

6: Justin Smith, San Francisco 49ers: There are a heck of a lot of great defensive players on the 49ers, but this is one of the best of the bunch. Smith is a defensive tackle that can line up all across the 3-4 front and still be effective. He had 58 tackles last year and tied for the league lead for defensive tackles in sacks with 7.5. Smith is a veteran and knows what he is doing, and he was quietly one of the leaders for what turned out to be a remarkable defense in 2011.

7: Cliff Avril, Detroit Lions: Avril doesn’t get a lot of respect on this Detroit defensive line, but perhaps he should. He had 11 sacks last year, but more importantly, he forced six fumbles and had four pass deflections. Avril scored two touchdown as well, proving once again that he has a great nose for the football. Suh is the big name, but Avril gets the stats and is an incredibly talented lineman.

8: Jason Babin, Philadelphia Eagles: Here we do have a one-trick pony, as Babin really is totally useless against the run. However, he can get off the end in a hurry for the Eagles, and quite often, he is the fastest one into the backfield to get after opposing quarterbacks. Babin has been wildly inconsistent over the years, but he turned in a great campaign in 2011 with 18 sacks, and it is hard to leave him off of this list.

9: Elvis Dumervil, Denver Broncos: When we talk about linebackers, Von Miller’s name will come up for the Broncos, but here, we have a man in Dumervil that really has turned himself into a beast all over the defense. He can be a down linemen or an up man in a 3-4 outside rush and be just as effective either way. Denver knows that it has a real stud on its hands here with Dumervil, as he was the perfect man to start to build this defense around.

10: Chris Long, St. Louis Rams: Howie Long’s little boy had a lot of expectations in his career when he came out of the University of Virginia to the Rams four years ago. He only has 31 sacks for his career, but he had 13 of those last season and nine the year before. Long might finally be in a system in which he can succeed, and he has a nose for the football in general. He has a long way to go to really live up to that No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft that St. Louis spent on him, but Long is at least in the discussion as one of the Top 10 defensive linemen in football right now.

The tight end position has been one of the most talked about positions over the course of the last few years, especially in fantasy football. However, it takes a lot more than just pass catching abilities to be one of the best tight ends in football, and here at Bankroll Sports, we are taking a look at the Top 10 tight ends in the NFL for 2012.

1: Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots: There is simply no denying just how good Gronk is. He has huge hands, he is quick off the line of scrimmage, and he is impossible to jam. He’ll be out in the route in a hurry, and if QB Tom Brady gets the ball anywhere near him, Gronkowski is going to get it. It can’t be expected that Gronk is going to be the league leader in touchdown grabs every single year, but as long as the rapport between him and Brady remains strong, there’s no reason that he shouldn’t be one of the best tight ends in the league.

2: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints: Graham has already told the media that he is never going to be catching passes from a quarterback not named Drew Brees in his career. That’s a bold statement to make considering just how much younger Graham is than his quarterback, but it is also a testament to just how well these two work together. Graham was one of the least heralded tight ends out of Miami in the most recent wave of tight ends to come from “The U,” but he has already eclipsed what any of the others have been able to do. This is one of the best receivers in the whole league, and he is built like a linebacker, not a receiver.

3: Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: The big problem that Gates has in his career is that he just can’t stay healthy. However, he is a basketball player by trade, and he is still a true power forward when he is in the middle of the field. Gates has lined up on the outside as well at receiver, and he has the speed to be able to get the job done out there as well. With WR Vincent Jackson now gone, if Gates can stay on the field (and yes, we know that that is a big, big “if”), he could easily be a 1,200-yard receiver once again.

4: Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers: Finley is often overlooked as one of the best tight ends in football because of the offense that he plays in. Yes, Finley doesn’t get the looks of WR Jordy Nelson or WR Greg Jennings, but there are still plenty of passes that come his way. He had eight touchdowns and 767 receiving yards last year, but in terms of talent, the sky truly is the limit. There is no challenging what Finley can do for the Packers if QB Aaron Rodgers looks his way more.

5: Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers: When Davis was drafted by the Niners, he was brought into be a physical monster. There have been moments that he has done some things that just make you go, “Wow!” He has had some spats with his coaches though, most notably the one with Mike Singletary a few years ago. However, Davis had 792 yards and six scores for the 49ers last year, and he was the favorite target at times of QB Alex Smith. In a safe offense, you need a good safety valve, and it doesn’t get much better than what Davis brings to the table with his huge hands and ability to leap out of the building.

6: Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons: Gonzalez is the standard for what tight ends have to live up to in their career. He is a surefire first ballot Hall of Famer, and he is still producing, even at the age of 36. Gonzo has caught nearly 1,200 passes, and he’ll get to 14,000 receiving yards this year for his career in all likelihood, not to mention the 95 trips to the end zone. Even last year, Gonzalez had 80 catches, 875 yards, and seven scores, proving that he can still be a threat. His speed is down, and his leaping abilities aren’t what they once were, but Gonzalez is still an athletic freak of a tight end.

7: Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit Lions: Part of Pettigrew’s success has been because of the offense that he is in, and part of the reason that the Lions throw the ball so much is because he can’t block. But as a receiver, we just can’t deny how good Pettigrew really is. He is a red zone threat because he is 6’6″, but more importantly, he is used as a short option in the middle of the field or on the sidelines when WR Calvin Johnson isn’t available for QB Matt Stafford. Pettigrew knows his role, and he knows it well, and he’ll have another 700+ yards this year for sure.

8: Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots: Hernandez was picked in the same draft as Gronkowski was, and though he hasn’t quite paid the same type of dividends, he is a different type of player. Hernandez is a better blocker than Gronk is, and he is a better threat around the line of scrimmage. The former Florida Gator has no problems carrying the ball or being a lead blocker, and to top it all off, he has great hands and solid speed as well. Without Hernandez on his opposite side, Gronkowski wouldn’t be so open, because linebackers and safeties have to pay attention to Hernandez as well.

9: Owen Daniels, Houston Texans: Daniels fell off the face of the earth last year as a receiver in Houston, but what we have to remember is that QB Matt Schaub was out for quite some time, and TE Joel Dreessen and FB/TE James Casey stole a lot of his touches. Still, in Houston, they’ll tell you that this is a man that blocks like there is no tomorrow, and he has a tendency of just finding ways to get open for Schaub. There’s a certain knack to Daniels that we like, and he could be in for a great year in 2012.

10: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers: Apologies go out to Dustin Keller, Brent Celek, and Fred Davis, all of which were left off this list, but we still think that Miller is a tight end that is always overlooked. The former Virginia Cavalier set all sorts of records for receptions and receiving yards in college, and he came to the pros and became a vicious blocker as well. Miller can block in space, and on the line of scrimmage, and it isn’t his fault that he is utilized this way. Now that Todd Haley has taken over the offense though, we think that Miller could again become a big part of the passing game. Remember that this is a man that caught 76 passes just three years ago.

Whether it be the art of the interception, the thrill of the corner blitz, or the style involved with coming up to defend the run, defensive backs have to do just about everything in the NFL. Here’s our list of the Top 10 defensive backs in the NFL, including some of the best defensive players in the entire league.

1: Darrell Revis, New York Jets: Being on Revis Island definitely isn’t a place that you want to be. It happens to be that Revis’ numbers keep going down year after year, but that’s a testament to the fact that no one is throwing the ball his way. It is legitimately impossible for even the best quarterback to get the job done with his best receiver, and Revis really takes half of the field away. This is definitely one of the best corners in the league, and it is most certainly one of the most explosive defensive players in the NFL as well.

2: Nnamdi Asomugha, Philadelphia Eagles: Asomugha is another one of these players that just doesn’t get the stats that you would figure thanks to the fact that he just doesn’t get thrown at. It was a bit of a frustrating first season last year in the City of Brotherly Love for Asomugha, as he is under a lot more pressure now than he was when he was with Oakland. Still, this is a great corner that has massive shutdown skills, and he has a chance to become the best corner in the league with some more work.

3: Joe Haden, Cleveland Browns: There aren’t a lot of these draft picks that have worked out for the Browns over the course of the last few years, but Haden is most certainly one of them. The former Florida Gator is quietly becoming one of the best cover corners in the league, and he tends to have a nose for the football. We might be overrating Haden just a bit, but we think that he is one of the best kept secrets that the league has to offer.

4: Ed Reed, Baltimore Ravens: Reed is probably at the tail end of his career, but quarterbacks still think twice when they throw the ball in his direction. The former Miami Hurricane still has this uncanny ability to jump the snap count, and it feels like five or six times per year that he gets into the backfield before a quarterback is even able to take three steps. He’ll help in the run and the pass, and he has this swagger about him. Reed is still absolutely one of the best defensive backs in the NFL.

5: Johnathan Joseph, Houston Texans: For years and years, the Texans really struggled to get cornerbacks to be able to stick with some of the big receivers in the AFC South. Now, they finally have one. Joseph was a Pro Bowler last year, and he is already the best defensive back that Houston has ever had. Joseph had four interceptions last year, and though that wasn’t one of the best marks in the league, his corner skills are definitely out of this world at this point.

6: Kyle Arrington, New England Patriots: The New England secondary is a gambling unit, and it is a unit that has been taught to do whatever it can to get the ball back in QB Tom Brady’s hands. Not only did Arrington end up with 88 tackles last year, but he also tied for the league lead with seven picks to boot. In terms of sheer talent, Arrington might not quite bit there at this point. However, he is a gambler and really can change a game, and often times, he does just that.

7: Charles Woodson, Green Bay Packers: The Green Bay defense had a brutal year in 2011, and part of it might have been Woodson’s transition from corner to safety. Still, the Packers know that they are going to have to get the job done on this side of the ball at some point, and Woodson is likely the man that can turn the whole thing around. He is aging for sure, but his covering abilities are still outstanding, especially for a safety.

8: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers: The Pittsburgh defense isn’t quite as good as it has been over the course of the last few years, but Polamalu is still the MVP of this unit, which is still one of the nastiest in the league. Just like Reed, Polamalu is a future Hall of Famer, and he is really one of the emotional cogs of this unit. The argument could be made that Ryan Clark is the best DB of the bunch, but we still think that Polamalu is the most important player this year for the Steelers.

9: Carlos Rogers, San Francisco 49ers: The 49ers took a massive jump last year to be one of the best defenses in the league. Rogers has been around now for a few years, but it looks like he really has a home now in San Francisco. He never really found a home with the Redskins, but playing next to a ferocious front seven, the former Auburn Tiger really has had the ability to get the job done.

10: Drayton Florence, Detroit Lions: The Lions haven’t had a great corner over the course of the last several years, but bringing in Florence is the hope that this franchise has to get the job done. He had 17 picks over the course of the first seven years of his career, and Florence is still one of the best cover corners that the league has to offer. He’ll be a key cog for Detroit this year, and if he doesn’t end up getting the job done, this could be yet another year in which the Lions really have no choice but to outscore everyone in shootouts.

As always, the teams in the NFC East are going to have a lot of pressure on them this year to succeed. The Super Bowl champs are in this division, and there are three other teams that think that they can pull off the same task this year as well. The odds to win the NFC East are always tight, and that should lead to a great year of football once again in what is seemingly always one of the most competitive foursomes in the game.

Of course, it isn’t the defending Super Bowl champs, but the Philadelphia Eagles (NFC East Betting Odds: 1.40 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook) are the NFC East favorites this year. The so-called “Dream Team” was a bit of a nightmare last year, though hindsight being 20/20.  Losses to teams like the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers weren’t nearly as bad as they seemed to be at the time. The Eagles are still very talented and are extremely fast. The combo of QB Michael Vick, WR Jeremy Maclin, and WR DeSean Jackson is clearly the fastest in the league, and RB LeSean McCoy is most certainly not a slacker either. The defense seems to be more prepared now than it was at the outset of the year to dominate, and that could go a long way in helping out Vick as well. In the end though, it is going to be up to No. 7 to take care of the football. If he does that, the Eagles will win this division. If he doesn’t, it could be another year of missing the playoffs and the last year for Head Coach Andy Reid on the sidelines in the City of Brotherly Love.

Second in line is the team that won the Super Bowl last year, the New York Giants (NFC East Betting Lines: 2.05 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook). QB Eli Manning has definitely proven that he is an elite quarterback worthy of being called Peyton’s baby brother, though this year, he is going to be given a bit of a tougher task with WR Mario Manningham now in San Francisco. The ground game isn’t the greatest, but it is serviceable with RB Ahmad Bradshaw. It is the pass rush that really makes the team though, and Head Coach Tom Coughlin has been preaching that over the course of his entire tenure in the Big Apple. The question is whether there is a Super Bowl letdown coming for Big Blue, though. It happened a few years ago, and it could happen again in 2012.

As always, there is a heck of a lot of pressure on the Dallas Cowboys (2012 Odds To Win AFC East: 2.65 to 1 @ SportBet Sportsbook). QB Tony Romo is always under a microscope, and that isn’t going to be an exception this year. He puts up great numbers thanks to the fact that he has a remarkable set of receivers, but perhaps he deserves more credit. No one had ever heard of WR Miles Austin before Romo put him on the map, and when both he and WR Dez Bryant were hurt last year, it was WR Laurent Robinson that suddenly became a hero. On the ground, it was supposed to be RB Felix Jones that carried the load, but instead, RB DeMarco Murray came out of nowhere to be one of the most punishing backs in the league. Defensive Coordinator Rob Ryan was figured to be one of the hot head coaching candidates available in this past offseason, but after an atrocious year on the sidelines managing the Dallas defense, no one bit on Rex’s brother. It could be a make or break season both for Ryan and for Head Coach Jason Garrett, as more seasons of missing the playoffs won’t sit well with owner and GM Jerry Jones.

We give all the credit in the world to the Washington Redskins (NFL Betting Lines in the NFC East: 11.20 to 1 5Dimes Sportsbook). Last year, they weren’t a bad team, though they weren’t exactly a fantastic one either. Young defensive players like LB Ryan Kerrigan and LB Brian Orakpo stepped up in a big time way, and there was enough talent at the skill positions to put some points on the board. Keep a close eye on TE Fred Davis this year as a potential top tight end in the league. What was missing was a quarterback. Washington had a good draft slot at No. 4, and it knew that it had to put together a great package to move up to No. 2 to take QB Robert Griffin III. And that’s exactly what the Redskins did. They got the job done, and now, they have the man that they hope will right the ship. We saw some rookie quarterbacks play well last year and get their teams to show big time improvement like QB Cam Newton with the Carolina Panthers and QB Andy Dalton with the Cincinnati Bengals, and if Griffin can do that with the Redskins, this might suddenly become a fun team to keep track of on a weekly basis.

NFC East Gambling Lines @ 5Dimes Sportsbook (as of 7/3/12):
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Philadelphia Eagles Win NFC East +140
Field Wins NFC East -170

New York Giants Win NFC East +205
Field Wins NFC East -265

Dallas Cowboys Win NFC East +265
Field Wins NFC East -355

Washington Redskins Win NFC East +1120
Field Wins NFC East -1740