The 2014 NFL football campaign is upon us, making it a great time to take a hard look at the fantasy nerd’s favorite award. Which player will make his presence known throughout the league this year while posting the most ridiculous numbers?

A complete list of the 2014 NFL MVP odds, (courtesy of 5Dimes Sportsbook), can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this post. We’ll offer some MVP picks for guys we think are being offered at a considerable bargain. We went through a few of the favorites, long shots, biggest NFL stars, and guys we think have value. There’s a few of the league’s big names being offered at a very competitive prices. We’ll also discuss which players we feel are over-priced.

Advanced Warning To NFL Fanboys – This is an article for bettors who are looking to make sharper value bets. NFL Fanboys should bear in mind that when we say your favorite player is over-priced, it doesn’t mean we are disrespecting him, nor does it mean we are saying that the player has no chance to win the MVP. We’re simply stating the chances are probably less (or similar) than the books offering. Any player on this list has a chance to win the MVP and is a top NFL player. So, there no need to go blasting the comments when reading our “value picks for NFL MVP”. If you have enlightened comments about the prices, we would love to hear them.

Here’s our take on some of the heavily bet, and not-so-heavily bet, players along with their current odds to win the MVP, heading into the 2014 NFL football campaign.

Player Price With Absolutely No Value (No Value At All):

Current Odds on Favorite: Peyton Manning (QB – Denver Broncos)
Peyton Manning’s 2014 Odds to win the NFL MVP: 3.6 to 1 (or +360)
It should come as no surprise that Manning is the favorite to win the 2014 NFL MVP this season due to his gaudy offensive numbers last year. Manning shattered the record books last year with 5477 yards and 55 touchdowns. Although, Peyton has the majority of his supporting cast back (in Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas, and Wes Welker), Eric Decker, who was 2nd in the team in receptions last year, is now a New York Jet. The Broncos are hoping that former Steeler, Emmanuel Sanders will fill the void, but it’s not really an upgrade. Obviously, Denver will once again be a contender to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, due to the inferior competition in the conference and their division. However, the AFC west D-coordinators have had their share of looks at Manning now and you better believe they had their notebooks out when they watched a rugged NFC West defense bottle him up in the Superbowl. These improving west coast squads may be better prepared to slow the Denver offense down a little bit. Throw in the fact that Manning is another year older and a bad start to the 2014 season may wear him down mentally and force him to consider retirement. Obviously, if healthy, he should put up solid numbers once again, but a 4 to 1 payout is not worth letting the books hold your money all year (while you hope Sir Peyton can light up the league again).

Player Available At Massive Price Reduction (Serious Value):

Tom Brady (QB – New England Patriots)
NFL MVP Odds For Tom Brady: 12 to 1 (or +1200)
Tommy had somewhat of a down year (statistically speaking) last season, but there were lots of reasons for it; not excuses….reasons (there’s a difference). An endless number of bad beats were taken by the New England Patriots, from the very start, right to the end of the 2013-14 season. Aaron Hernandez was unexpectedly removed from the offense and thrown in the clink before the season started, our favorite youtube club dancer, Rob Gronkowski, was injured for a better part of the season.  Brady also he had to mesh with 2 new wide receivers. Now that Gronkowski is healthy, Julian Edelman is back, and with their young receivers (Kenbrell Thompkins & Aaron Dobson) having a full year of the offense under their belt, the Patriots should be improved this season. Not only does Brady have a slew of weapons at his disposal, but the New England defense could feature one of the best secondaries in a long time, with the additions of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner.

Longshot (Give A Little, To Get A Lot) Player (Fair Value):

JJ Watt (DL – Houston Texans)
2014 MVP Odds For J.J. Watt: 150 to 1 (or +15000) 
In many eyes, JJ Watt is the league’s premier defensive player. There will likely be less double teams on Watt, now that the Texans added Jadaveon Clowney on the other side of the line. If Clowney can get healthy Watt will surely make his presence known once again this year. I can’t think of 15 defensive players more likely to win the MVP than Watt. The Texans, although they have concerns at the quarterback position, should be a team to be reckoned with this season with new coach Bill O’Brien at the helm. These factors, make Watt’s price a bargain and definitely worth a look. 150 to 1? Why not?

Two Teammates Being Sold At Tempting Prices:

LeSean McCoy (RB) & Nick Foles (QB) – (Philadelphia Eagles)
Latest 2014 NFL MVP Odds for LeSean McCoy +4000 & Nick Foles +5000
While both of these prices may look tempting, theres a lot to look at here. Philadelphia head coach Chip Kelly brought his dynamic style of offense to the NFL last season. Many thought it wouldn’t work, and early in the season Eagles fans we’re cringing at their slow start. However, it was a blessing disguised when starting quarterback & turnover machine, Michael Vick was ailed by an early season hamstring injury (just early enough). Even the wise Chip Kelly didn’t expect 2nd year backup Nick Foles to execute Kelly’s fast paced offense in a higher level than Vick. Even post-Vick, Foles himself was dealing with a nagging injury. Watching a third string rookie try to execute Kelly’s demanding playbook made things look bleak early in the year and those loveable Philadelphia fans were all the more friendly in September last year.

However, Nick showed some NFL quarterback level fortitude and got very comfortable as the season progressed. A down year in the NFC East and a poor finish in 2012 afforded the Eagles a weak strength of schedule. This provided Nick Foles with a timely & smooth transition to the starting job.  A gradually improving Philadelphia D combined with Kelly’s pedal-to-the-medal coaching style gave the efficient Foles the perfect opportunity get his feet wet in the NFL.

Kelly began building his offense around McCoy’s dynamic running attack, using some comfortable leads in games to give his young QB the freedom to grow.  A few tough wins later, Foles was filling up the stat sheet and downright feasting on some of the league’s weaker secondaries. To say he put up quality passing numbers would be an understatement. The sophomore QB was developing into a NFL-level passer and the Eagles won the NFC East.

The Eagles fell short in the playoffs to the New Orleans Saints in what was a very slow game offensively. Philadelphia fans are now encouraged and believe that a full offseason under Kelly will make them an improved team & an NFC contender. However, sharp bettors can’t help but take note of their 2014-15 division-winning schedule, where they will have to face defensive powerhouses like Carolina, Arizona, Seattle, & San Francisco. To the average fan, Foles looks like a great value at 50-1, as we all know passing is what you see on ESPN highlights. But, make no mistake about it.  LeSean McCoy is the one who took them to the playoffs last year and allowed them to battle. If the Eagles are going to survive this schedule and Nick Foles is going to continue to develop as passer while having to go through some of the league’s elite pass-rushing rosters, you better believe that it’s going to be their horse in LeSean McCoy that gets both the Eagles & young Nick Foles out the other side. At this price, McCoy is worth a look.

Player Who Just Might Surprise You (Value):

Jay Cutler (QB – Chicago Bears)
2014 NFL MVP Odds for Jay Cutler: 25 to 1 (or +2500)
For starters, there’s always the “Can Jay Cutler stay healthy?” question that is asked regularly. It seems to be the only thing that is keeping him from being a top-tier quarterback (that and his crappy attitude). Cutler probably has the most feared wide receiver tandem in Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery. In Marc Trestman’s second year, he has implemented a solid running game and more quick throws for Cutler, keeping him on his feet and taking a lot fewer hits.  The Bear’s have also made a number of key acquisitions to patch up a defense that underperformed last year.  The Bears might be in for a very surprising season, and clearly, their success and failure rests on Jay Cutler’s health. With Cutler & the Bears playing one of the weaker defensive conferences, he is worth a shot at these odds to win what is a largely stat based award.

Player With Something To Prove at an Opportune Time (Best Value):

Colin Kaepernick (QB – San Francisco 49ers)
Odds to win the MVP for Colin Kaepernick: 30 to 1 (or +3000)
The real reason nobody would have considered 2nd year starter Colin Kaepernick for NFL MVP last season was not because he didn’t win games or wasn’t effective. There was no lack of big plays from young Colin Kaepernick.  In fact, he won a lot of games against very good teams. The reason he wasn’t an MVP candidate was because he didn’t put up gaudy passing numbers.  After all, the regular-season MVP award, is about passing yards and touchdowns for quarterbacks (it’s a media-based award).

In 2013, the 49ers game plan was very ball-controlled, run-heavy due to their defensive dominance, lack of a deep receiving threat (due to Michael Crabtree’s 10-week injury), and a brutal division-winning schedule (in the NFC West). Colin Kaepernick would have quite a few games where he’d play well and do it with his legs & his arm.  In those games, he’d finish the game with passing yards total fewer than 200 yards.  This tends to get the public (even the east coast media who doesn’t see the game) into thinking Kaepernick isn’t effective as a passer; which couldn’t be further from the truth.

This year, the 49ers defense has already been hit with a few setbacks early in pre-season.  A healthy Michael Crabtree lined up along side Anquan Boldin & Vernon Davis, as well as new additions in Steve Johnson & Brandon Lloyd (fighting for the 3rd wide receiver spot) will provide Kaepernick with a lot more receiving options as well as strong running game and returning o-line to give him time to throw. There is also a some young talent like Quinton Patton and rookie speedster Bruce Ellington. With all these weapons at his disposal and a that needs some time to re-gel, a frustrated Jim Harbaugh may be inclined to open up the offense a lot this year and not take his foot off gas pedal.

Regular Season MVP Odds Courtesy of 5Dimes Sportsbook:
(Get a 50% Signup Bonus at 5 Dimes Sportsbook By Clicking Here)

Peyton Manning +360
Aaron Rodgers +600
Drew Brees +800
Tom Brady +1200
Jay Cutler +2500
Andrew Luck +2500
Calvin Johnson +2800
Colin Kaepernick +3000
Adrian Peterson +3000
Robert Griffin III +3500
Russell Wilson +3500
LeSean McCoy +4000
Matthew Stafford +4500
Nick Foles +5000
Matt Ryan +5000
Cam Newton +5000
Philip Rivers +6000
Jamaal Charles +6000
Tony Romo +6500
Eli Manning +7000
Dez Bryant +8000
Demaryius Thomas +8500
Matt Forte +8500
AJ Green +9500
Jimmy Graham +10000
Ben Roethlisberger +10000
Brandon Marshall +10000
Julio Jones +11000
Rob Gronkowski +12500
Alshon Jeffery +12500
Marshawn Lynch +12500
Joe Flacco +12500
Victor Cruz +12500
Percy Harvin +12500
Josh McCown +13500
Eddie Lacy +15000
Alfred Morris +15000
Jake Locker +15000
Reggie Bush +15000
Antonio Brown +15000
JJ Watt +15000
Luke Kuechly +17500
Arian Foster +17500
Greg Hardy +17500
Sam Bradford +17500
Larry Fitzgerald +17500
Alex Smith +17500
Andy Dalton +20000
Montee Ball +20000
CJ Spiller +20000
Giovani Bernard +20000
Zac Stacy +20000
Ryan Mathews +20000
Richard Sherman +20000
Robert Quinn +20000
Chris Johnson +20000
Carson Palmer +22500
Von Miller +22500
Matt Schaub +22500
Knowshon Moreno +25000
Frank Gore +25000
Darrelle Revis +25000
Patrick Peterson +25000
Chad Henne +25000
EJ Manuel +25000
Matt Cassel +25000
Michael Vick +25000
Ryan Tannehill +25000
Brian Hoyer +25000
Ryan Fitzpatrick +27500
Johnny Manziel +30000
DeMarco Murray +30000
Ray Rice +30000
Geno Smith +35000
Cecil Shorts III +50000

Here you will find the listing of all the NFL Divisional Playoff lines from 5 Dimes Sportsbook
These include spreads & totals for the NFL Playoffs Divisional round games at 5 Dimes Sportsbook
Three of these 2013-14 NFL Playoffs matchups are rematches of regular season games this year. 

2013 NFL Playoffs Lines For Saturday, January 11, 2014

Last Saturday, Drew Brees & the Saints were able to come away with their 1st ever road playoff win. Their reward? A trip to Seattle to face Russell Wilson & Seahawks at “The Clink”. Current Line: Seattle -7.5 (Over/Under 46.5)

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks
Game Time: 4:35pm (EST) ♦ TV Network: FOX
Divisional Playoff Line: Seahawks -8 ♦ Total: 46.5
The New Orleans Saints (12-5, SU, 9-8 ATS) will take on the Seattle Seahawks (13-3 SU, 11-5 ATS) for a chance to advance to the NFC championship. These two teams met back in week 13, in a dominant 34-7 victory by the Seahawks. Heading into the playoffs one would think that the Saints had absolutely no chance of winning in Seattle due to this past regular season matchup and the fact that most assumed that the Saints would not be able to win the type game where they were required to run the ball and play a physical grind-it-out game on the road and in cold weather. However, the Saints proved the critics wrong last Saturday by winning their first playoff road game 26-24 at Philadelphia. However, the Seahawks and their stingy defense are currently 7-1 at home this season, with their only loss coming to Arizona 17-10.  Their home field advantage may be the best in the NFL.  They seem to fluster teams early and throw a lot of early punches.  It will take an even more physical attack and lot of mental toughness to come away with this one.  Most think the Saints will not be able to handle what Seattle will dish out this Saturday.  Russell Wilson’s Seahawks are now listed as 8 point favorites from most books as of today.  However, this NFC divisional playoff line is down from an opening line of 8.5. The total may be the more interesting straight to watch here as 46.5 seems high for most Seattle games, but their last matchup finished with only 41 (league average 48).  The Saints are long shots according to the latest odds to win the Superbowl, with a 22 to 1 payout if they win it all this year.  Meanwhile Seattle is the current favorite at 3 to 1.

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots
Game Time: 8:15pm (EST) ♦ TV Network: CBS
Divisional Playoff Odds: Patriots -7 ♦ Over/Under: 51
The AFC South champion Indianapolis Colts (12-5 SU, 10-6-1 ATS) are coming off one of the most improbable comebacks in playoff history. The Colts rallied from a 28 point deficit to defeat Kansas City in the Wildcard round 45-44. Andrew Luck and his island of misfit toys will try to keep this momentum going as they head over to Foxboro, Massachusetts to take on Tom Brady and the playoff-experienced, New England Patriots (12–4 SU, 9-7 ATS). The last meeting between these two teams was in November of the 2012 season.  In last seasons week 11, fans watched an exciting offensive show which racked up almost 900 yards of total offense (over 400+ for both offenses). Brady just kept throwing punches and then rookie, Andrew Luck couldn’t keep up.  Luck had thrown 3 interceptions in the 59-24 New England victory; and the Patriots were able to levy the “Chuck Strong” wave that had taken the league by storm. But that was a Colts team with no experience in big matchups and was also a much stronger New England team in a lot of ways. As of today, the Colts have won four straight heading into this one and are feeling good about themselves after their epic comeback.  However, the Patriots were rolling themselves as they have won five of their last six.  Many would say that the Patriots (as the #2 seed) got the better draw in Indianapolis, while Denver drew a more formidable matchup in the Chargers.  However, Superbowl teams don’t complain about their draw in the divisional playoff round when getting a first round bye in the NFL playoffs.  Most consensus lines for this AFC divisional playoff game have the Patriots listed as 7 point favorites at home against Andrew Luck and the Colts.  The total for this game opened at 52.5 and is down to 51. Check out the Colts & the Patriots Superbowl Odds.

NFL Divisional Playoffs Odds For Sunday, January 12, 2013

Last week, Colin Kaepernick & the 49ers (-2.5) reminded everyone why they are the reigning NFC Champions. They head to Carolina as 1 pt. favorites to face Cam Newton & the Panthers

San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers
Game Time: 1:00pm (EST) ♦ TV Network: FOX
Divisional Playoff Line: 49ers -1 ♦ Over/Under: 42
In the Sunday NFC Divisional Playoff game, the San Francisco 48ers (13–4 SU, 10–5-2 ATS) will travel East for their second meeting this season with the Carolina Panthers (12-4 SU, 10-6 ATS). The 49ers (Divisional Round Odds to win the Superbowl: 6 to 1) defeated the Green Bay Packers 23-20 in the Wildcard round in sub-zero temperatures. In the first meeting this season, the 49ers lost to the Panthers 10-9 in one of the more physical games this season and perhaps Colin Kaepernick’s worst performance this season. The 49ers failed to score a point in the 2nd half while Carolina was able to get a go-ahead field goal in the 2nd half. While it wasn’t one of Cam Newton’s best performances either, the difference in this game was a 20 yard TD run by DeAngelo Williams.  San Francisco has won seven games in a row heading into this one, while the Panthers have won three games in a row with the week off.  Colin Kaepernick and the red hot 49ers, opened at 2.5 point favorites and are now down to -1.  The 49ers are the only road favorite of the four divisional playoff lines for this weekend.  This line has seen a lot of movement since the end of the Green Bay / San Francisco game.

San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos (-7, 46.5) 4:40 PM EST on CBS
Game Time: 4:40pm (EST) ♦ TV Network: CBS
Current Line: Broncos -9.5 ♦ Over/Under: 54.5
The San Diego Chargers (10-7 SU, 9-7-1 ATS) defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 last Sunday in the biggest upset thus far in the playoffs. They will take on their AFC West rival, in Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos (13–3 SU, 10–6 ATS) in what will be their third meeting this season (rubber match). Both matchups this season were fantastic games.  Manning and the Broncos won their first meeting 28-20 on the road in sunny San Diego.  Phillip Rivers and the Chargers came out victorious 27-20 on the road in Denver just a few weeks ago (in week 15). Many question whether Peyton Manning can win in the cold weather, making his Choice of Denver during his free agency period back in 2010-11 an interesting one. This is Mannings second go-around with the Broncos after losing a tough loss to the Ravens in last year’s Divisional playoff round.  While it won’t be freezing cold temperatures in Denver on Sunday, it won’t be warm either, with an expected gametime temperature around 38°.  The Chargers have been playing very sound football as of late.  And, prior to their first NFL Playoff win in a while win over the Bengals last week, they have stayed off most people’s radar while doing so.  San Diego has won their last four games.  But, the offensive powerhouse that is, Manning’s Bronco offense has won four out of their last five (with their sole loss being to the Chargers. The oddsmakers opened this AFC Divisional playoff line at Denver -9.5 and it has been bet up to 1 at some books.  The betting public loves to put their money in Peyton Manning’s hands, and that is why they are listed as the current favorite to win the AFC.  Their current odds to win the AFC Championship are listed at t

Bovada Sportsbook is always the home for some of the best NFL props out there, and today, we are going to analyze the Peyton Manning props that just hit the board now that he has signed with the Denver Broncos, along with the odds on where Tim Tebow will be playing next year.

Denver Broncos Regular Season Wins Over 10
Remember in the AFC West, there are six games that Denver really should take at least five of. There’s no reason to not win the mass majority of the games on this type of a slate. The Broncos still have the defense to get the job done, and they still just tend to find some ways to win games, and in the end, we would be a lot less surprised to see them win 11 games than to see them win just nine or fewer as long as Manning proves to be remotely healthy.

Peyton Manning Under 4,000 Total Passing Yards
We know that Manning has had very few bad seasons in his career. He has played in 13 seasons in the past, and of those, he never had fewer than 3,739 yards, and he exceeded 4,000 yards in 11 of the 13. However, Head Coach John Fox is a guy that wants to run the football, and it isn’t just because Tebow couldn’t really throw the football to save his life. Jake Delhomme never threw for 4,000 yards in a season with Fox calling the shots with the Carolina Panthers, and though we know that Delhomme is no Peyton Manning, it just doesn’t seem like it is in Fox’s nature to let Manning throw the ball the 525-550 times required for him to reach 4,000 yards. Remember that injuries could come into play as well, and if Manning isn’t good to go for the full year, he won’t be anywhere near this number in all likelihood.

Peyton Manning Total TD Passes in 2012 Season Over 28.5
Now, this is a different story. Manning has absolutely pristine precision in the end zone, and though his arm strength might not be what it once was, we have to reason to believe that he still won’t have the eye and the accuracy to be able to put the ball exactly where it needs to be. There are some big, tall receivers that are playing here in Denver, and once Manning builds that rapport with them, there are going to be a heck of a lot of opportunities to score. Remember that the AFC West had some miserable defenses last season, and they aren’t going to be getting any better. We have to think that Manning has 30 TD potential this year.

Peyton Manning Total INTs in 2012 Season Over 16.5
Yeah, sure. We hear you. Manning really was only this bad at the very beginning of his career, and he surely is going to be very careful with the football here in Denver. That being said, we think that the arm strength issue could be a concern. There are a lot of gambling corners out there that are going to love to get a piece of Manning, and he became a bit pick happy in his last two seasons, tossing 33 INTs in that stretch. Manning could be worth 20 INTs this year.

Will Peyton Manning Win 2012 NFL MVP? (+700)
Really, Bovada? Only 7 to 1 on this prop. No thanks. Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady are all going to be frontrunners for the MVP award at the start of the year, and we just don’t see that changing at any point in the near future. Manning won’t have the numbers this year to get the job done, and in all likelihood, he probably won’t even be considered when push comes to shove.

Will Peyton Manning Win Comeback Player of the Year? (+100)
Now, here’s a lot smarter prop. Manning doesn’t have to be a super stud to win this award, just knowing that there usually aren’t a ton of great candidates for this honor when push really comes to shove. The story in Denver is going to be great to follow this year, and the media is going to be all over Manning. As long as he stays on the horse, he should be the Comeback Player of the Year.

Where Will Tim Tebow Play Next Year?
Jacksonville +150
Denver +175
Miami +175
New England +700
Cleveland +1200

Oh, Denver, what are you going to do here? The most logical place for Tebow to land is in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars just signed Chad Henne and still have Blaine Gabbert, who was only just put into the fray last season as the team’s No. 1 draft pick. Dare the Jags give up on Gabbert and give Tebow a shot? He’ll sell uniforms, but he might not do much more. We just don’t see the Broncos hanging onto him, as we think that that situation will get toxic in a hurry with the media that will be in the Mile High City. The Browns do need a quarterback, but trading in Colt McCoy for Tebow just doesn’t seem to be that much of an upgrade. They’re both proven winners and both work incredibly hard, and Tebow just doesn’t strike us as a Cleveland type of guy. New England is a team to consider for sure.

The Pats have all sorts of love for Tebow, from the fact that Head Coach Bill Belichick loves drafting Gators to the fact that Josh McDaniels, the new OC for the team, is the man that traded up to draft Tebow in Denver. Still, if we had to guess, Tebow is going to be bringing his talents to South Beach. The Dolphins fans are starting to rise up against ownership, and the team needs to make a splash. Sure, it would have been a lot better to land Manning, and heck, it probably would have been better to end up with Matt Flynn, too. However, Tebow at least brings a name to the team, gives it a shot of having a starting quarterback at the NFL level that has won some games, and gives ownership the ability of adding another glitzy name, just like Serena Williams and all of the other big names that have small ownership of the team.

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One of the greatest things about the Super Bowl from a betting standpoint is the enormity of betting opportunities for sports bettors.  The Super Bowl has always been the single most popular game in the world when it comes to sports betting. Just to give you an idea of the money involved, Nevada is expecting nearly 100 million in wagering just within the state’s borders for this year’s Super Bowl. As a result, online bookmakers have taken advantage offering countless proposition and exotic betting lines for side action. For this year’s Super Bowl, bettors can literally wager on anything from the outcome of the coin flip to what color top Kim Kardashian will be wearing at the game.  In a previous post below, Rodney recently shared some tips for betting props along with some of the top prop odds and Super Bowl betting bonuses. With so many lines available, bettors can easily get caught up in all the excessive action in all the wrong ways. Since there are so many betting opportunities available, many bettors will wager money with a “careless” attitude and risk money on many chance bets. I spent some time breaking down some of these prop lines and to provide some predictions that will increase your chances of ending the season in the black.  Below are a few prop that I believe deserve some attention heading into the Super Bowl. All of the prop odds below can be found at Bodog Sportsbook (10% Bonus – Accepting Credit Card deposits for the Superbowl)

Prop Bet #1 – Will the Indianapolis Colts score every quarter?

Yes  +130
No  – 160

The Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints are two offensive powered teams that will collide with a lot of points expected. The Saints secondary has been questionable all season and that throws up red flags for many reasons against Peyton Manning’s offense. In fact, the Colts have scored in 3 of 4 quarters in both postseason match-ups. While history may tell us that a team scoring all 4 quarters is unlikely in a Super Bowl, the Colts have a great chance. The reason is they have to keep the pressure on the Saints and their offense will not let up with the lead. The Saints hung 45 on the Cardinals and 31 on the Vikings. Therefore, Manning should get plenty of opportunities with the football and it’s doubtful the Saints defense will have an answer for the fast pace Colts offense. With some profitable juice, this is a great risk to consider.

Pick – Yes

Prop Bet #2 – The first 1^st down will be either a passing or rushing play?

Passing -200
Rushing  +160

Unless there is a 1 yard conversion, a passing play should be the result of the first 1^st down in the game. Neither offense has much confidence in their running game. In fact, both teams use their running games to control the clock rather than looking for success on the ground. Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are two of the top quarterbacks in the league and it is no secret that both offenses heavily favor the pass. Both offenses will keep the ball in the hands of their star quarterbacks and hope they both get into a rhythm early. Unless there is a early short yardage situation, the passing game will be used nearly every down especially early in the game. Consider this a high percentage play that a passing play will result in opening first down of the game.

Pick – Passing

Prop Bet #3 – Total receiving yards – Robert Meachem

Over 45 ½  +105
Under 45 ½  -135

Robert Meachem has played a solid role in contributing to the Saints lethal passing attack this season. However, in recent weeks Meachem has been nearly ineffective. Over the last 3 games, Meachem has caught just 4 passes totaling 31 yards. The reason may be because the Saints have run the ball better and have gotten help from a ton of outside passing options. Whatever the case may be, Meachem has not even been targeted by Drew Brees but very rarely in the past few games. Running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas have been used more frequently catching balls out of the backfield taking some of those outside options away from Meachem. Wide outs Devery Henderson and Marques Colston will remain the primary targets in the passing game. If the Saints continue to use their backs in the passing game with effectiveness, Meachem may be left out of the picture once again.

Pick – Under 45 ½

Prop Bet #4 – Who will throw more interceptions?   

Drew Brees  -105
Peyton Manning -125

All eyes will be on both quarterbacks this Sunday and rightfully so. The Colts have Peyton Manning who before it is all said and done could go down as the greatest quarterback every. The Saints have Drew Brees who has absolutely mastered the New Orleans air attack. While most may agree that Manning is the better of the two, he is also the most vulnerable to giving up an interception. Manning threw 16 interceptions during the regular season while Brees threw just 11 total. In fact despite the Saints secondary that lacks respect against the pass, they actually picked off 26 interceptions during the regular season equaling the 3^rd most in the NFL. Safety Darren Sharper tied for the most picks in the NFL with 9 and the Saints defense will need those turnovers this weekend to pull off the victory. Even if the Colts prevail, Manning normally gives up at least one interception and that may be one more than Brees will throw this Sunday.

Pick – Manning

Prop Bet #5 – Team to receive the opening kickoff 

New Orleans Saints  -115
Indianapolis Colts  -115

This particular betting line is offered every year, but nearly always seem to go the opposite direction from what the betting public expects. However, we believe we got this year’s decision for both team’s figured out. The perceptions here is that both teams want to put their offenses on the field first which is why the line is considered a toss up. However, the Colts may elect the alternative if they do happen to win the toss. The Colts defense has played extremely well at times this year and their momentum tends to set the tone for the offense. I believe the Colts will put their defense on the field first to try and force a quick change of possession putting the advantage to their offense. On the other side of the coin, I just do not see how the Saints could put their defense on the field first allowing Peyton Manning the first opportunity to score. If the Saints win the toss, they will accept the ball and look to make an opening statement.

Pick – Saints