The pros at FiveStarPick.com are beyond excited about this year’s NFL season.  For Thursday Night Football in the NFL we will be giving our members the against the spread winner of the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers.  Las Vegas sportsbooks list the Steelers as 6.5-point home favorites with a total of 35.

When we last watched the Steelers, they were coming from behind to beat Arizona at Super Bowl XLIII thanks to a last-minute touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes.   The pass should have been picked off, but luckily for Big Ben, it turned into his second Super Bowl ring in four seasons. As he enters his sixth season, Roethlisberger is healthy and looks to get number 3.

Pittsburgh (15-4 straight up, 11-8 against the spread) returns all of its starters with the exception of two guys on defense, linebacker Larry Foote and cornerback Bryant McFadden.  William Gay, a three-year veteran, will replace McFadden opposite Ike Taylor.   Lawrence Timmons, former FSU stand-out, is poised to take over the spot vacated by Foote.  Timmons, a No. 1 pick in 2007, was outstanding as the team’s nickel linebacker in ’08 with 65 tackles, five sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.  He missed Tuesday’s practice and is listed as “questionable” with an ankle injury.

Roethlisberger was outstanding in the playoffs, but not-so-impressive in the regular season with a 17/15 touchdown-interception ratio.  In addition, the Steeler  power running game was 23rd in the NFL in rushing offense. Willie Parker was often banged up and Rashard Mendenhall went on IR early in the season after Ray Lewis broke his collarbone on a crushing hit. 

Tennessee (13-4 SU, 12-5 ATS) went 13-3 in the 2008 regular season to garner homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. However, the Titans went “one and done” in the postseason, losing to Baltimore 13-10 when veteran tightend Alge Crumpler coughed up a fumble deep in the red zone late in the fourth quarter.

Jeff Fisher’s team won its first 10 games last year and the Titans went an incredible 9-1 against the spread during that span.  Kerry Collins took over at quarterback for Vince Young and rookie running back Chris Johnson rocked it with a huge break-out season.  Johnson rushed for 1,128 yards and nine touchdowns, while LenDale White’s hit it hard between the tackles. White rushed for 15 touchdowns in ’08 and hopes to be more productive this year after trimming down during the offseason.

The Titans lost WR Brandon Jones to free agency after he led the wideouts with 41 catches, but the WR corps still has Justin Gage, who played better down the stretch after shaking off early-season injuries. Tennessee added former Steeler Nate Washington and also drafted Kenny Britt from Rutgers in the first round. 

Tennessee’s defense will again be stout, but we can’t ignore the fact that Pro-Bowl DT Albert Haynesworth left for the Redskins during the offseason for the most lucrative D-line contract in NFL history.  Nevertheless, the defensive unit still has Pro-Bowlers like LB Keith Bulluck, CB Cortland Finnegan and safety Michael Griffin.

When these clubs met last year in Music City, the Titans captured a 31-14 victory as three-point home underdogs.

So who covers the spread tonight?  It’s very easy to find out.  Try FiveStarPick.com for a month ($99.99) and see if our talent for picking college and pro football winners exceeds your expectations.  We are the only sports handicapping service in the business who documents wins and losses and displays them on our homepage for all to witness.  It’s because we have nothing to hide…we just win games against the spread.  Join our family today and start your winning streak tonight.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

It’s that time again…the NFL Football betting season officially begins Thursday, September 10th with the Steelers and Titans; The sportsbooks should start getting nervous.  The Thursday night matchup will be an exciting start to the 2009 NFL season.  Can the Steelers repeat as Super Bowl champs?  Will they cover the spread against Tennessee?  FiveStarPick.com has the answer.

With many teams acquiring new players, Week 1 will be exciting for NFL fans.  Atlanta will welcome Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez as a new weapon for Rookie of the Year QB Matt Ryan.  Will Gonzalez elevate the Falcons offense to one of the NFL’s elite?  FiveStarPick.com will show you.  Jacksonville fans hope that WR Torry Holt will give their offense a spark after a very disappointing 2008 season. The post T.O. era begins in Dallas and it will be interesting to see how WR Roy Williams performs as the No. 1 wide out. The Bears fans are excited to see how newly acquired QB Jake Cutler will look when they open Week 1 of the NFL season at Green Bay.

Read below to see a few tidbits on Week 1 in the NFL.

Thursday September 10, 8:30 pm – Tennessee Titans @ Pittsburgh Steelers – The Titans and Steelers finished the 2008 season with the two best records in the AFC. Both teams get an early chance at victory in the first game of the season. The Titans and the Steelers finished top ten in all defensive categories, so look for this game to have a low score.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons – The Dolphins and the Falcons were both surprise breakout teams last year, the Dolphins finished 11-5 and won the AFC East division. The Falcons finished 11-5 and won an NFC wild card, however both teams lost in the first round of the playoffs as well. Look for both teams to pull every trick out of the hat to get the week one victory.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Denver Broncos @ Cincinnati Bengals – The Broncos and Bengals both had sub par years in 2008, and both are trying to turn things around against each other in week one. The Broncos fans hope new head coach Josh McDaniels can take the team back to the playoffs. Bengals fans hope the return of starting quarterback Carson Palmer can lead the Bengals back into the playoff hunt. Look for the Bengals to pull off a week one home victory.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Minnesota Vikings @ Cleveland Browns – The Vikings made it to the playoffs in 2008, mainly due to the spectacular play of star running back Adrian Peterson. The Vikings got huge production from Peterson last year averaging 4.8 yards a carry and totaling 1760 yards on the season. The Browns defense allowed 151.9 yards on the ground last season, the 4th worst in the NFL. Look for Adrian Peterson to get an early start in 2009 against the Cleveland Browns defense.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts – The Jaguars fell off the map last year posting a record of 5-11, their worst record in the last 5 years. The Colts made it to the playoffs with a wild card selection, coming up one game short of the Titans with a record of 12-4. The Colts want that top spot in the division back in 2009. Look for the Colts to take out last years frustration on the struggling Jaguars in week one of the 2009 NFL season.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints – The Lions lost all 16 games last year, and it looks like 17 in a row against the Saints in week one. The Saints finished last year out of the playoffs, but still earned one of the leagues top scoring offenses. This game should be a shoot out as neither can play any defense. Look for the Saints to keep on firing when the Lions run out of ammo in the second half.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Dallas Cowboys @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Both the Buccaneers and the Cowboys finished the 2008 season with a record of 9-7. However the Buccaneers hired a new head coach in Raheem Morris, and the Cowboys decided to keep their head coach Wade Phillips for another year. The Cowboys decision pays off early in week one. Watch out for Tony Romo to move the ball over the Tampa Bay Defense for an early NFC victory.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Philadelphia Eagles @ Carolina Panthers – Both the Eagles and the Panthers hosted high octane offenses last year and, the trend will likely continue at the start of the 2009 season. The Panthers have become a run first offense with big play ability out of their backfield. The Eagles have always relied on the pass, passing the ball for over 50 times in some games. This looks to be another NFC high scoring affair. Look for the Eagles to come in to Carolina with their minds set on an early upset for the Panthers.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens – Todd Haley will have a chance to show case his new offense in week one of the 2009 season. As both he and new quarterback Matt Cassel will have to bring their A game against the Ravens defense. The Ravens defense has been a staple example of what hard nose football is all about in the NFL. Look for a Kansas city Chiefs team to pull off an upset against an over confident Ravens team.

Sunday September 13, 1:00 pm – New York Jets @ Houston Texans – The Texans were another break out team in 2008 posting a record of 8-8 in one of the toughest divisions in all of football. The Jets took home an average record of 9-7 home at the end of the 2008 season, but look for that number to go down this year. The Jets have decided to start rookie first round draft pick Mark Sanchez and with rookie quarterbacks comes rookie mistakes. The Texans cruise by with a week one win.

Sunday September 13, 4:00 pm – New York Giants @ Washington Redskins – The New York Giants won the NFC East division again last year. The Redskins won the 13 overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft and, selected Brian Orakpo. Orakpo along with new free agent acquisition Albert Haynesworth on the defensive line should cause problems for the rest of the NFC East. Look for the Redskins to win this first game at home with their defense.

Sunday September 13, 4:00 pm – San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals – The 49ers believe they can win the division this year, the only thing standing in their way are the NFC Conference champions of a year ago, the Arizona Cardinals. In week one the 49ers get their chance to prove they can win the division once again. The 49ers look hungry but, not hungry enough to stop the high powered offense of the Arizona Cardinals.

Sunday September 13, 4:00 pm – St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Sea Hawks – The Rams added a new head coach to the team but that might not be enough for success in the 2009 season. The Sea Hawks added pro bowl wide out T.J. Houshmandzadeh to the roster and he just might be that on especial piece to the puzzle the Sea Hawks needed to get back to the playoffs. This Seattle team should break out in 2009 as one of the better teams in the NFC.

Sunday September 13, 8:20 pm – Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers Preview – The Bears just might have pulled off the biggest trade in team history, if quarterback Jay Cutler can perform up to his capabilities. Both the Packers and the Bears come in to the 2009 season just a little bit better than last year. This game could be decided by an overtime coin flip that’s how evenly matched these two teams are this year.

Monday September 14, 7:00 pm – Buffalo Bills @ New England Patriots – This game has been marked on the calender for weeks by both Bills and Patriots fans alike. Patriot fans are waiting for Tom Brady to surface again as the leagues best quarterback. While Bills fans are waiting to see Terrell Owens catch his first touchdown pass in a Buffalo jersey. All evidence indicates that this game should be the best game of the entire week one schedule. look for both teams to put up over 40 points each.

Monday September 14, 10:15 pm – San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders – The Chargers get a shot at taking an early division lead in week one but, the Raiders have other ideas in mind. The Raiders hope last years first round pick Darren McFadden can come in and add run support to a team that lacked all offensive big play ability. The Chargers want L.T. to come back to his old form, scoring touchdowns on a regular bases. The Chargers pull off a late fourth quarter victory.

The preview above represents a small look into the analysis we put into a game prior to providing our members with our picks to cover the spread in the NFL.  So who covers the spread in NFL Week 1?  Step up your game, become a member of our family and find out.  With over 3000 active members, you owe it to yourself to find out why FiveStarPick.com is the most accurate sports handicapping service on the net.  Join today and finally start collecting from your sportsbook.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

As the NFL football season nears its close for the 2008-2009 season, the pros at FiveStarPick.com feel certain that Super Bowl XLIII will be more exciting than the sports writers, pundits and commentators would lead you to believe.  Las Vegas sportsbooks are holding the line for Pittsburgh at -7 with the total fluctuating between 46.5 and 47.  The world is talking about the usual suspects like Fitzgerald, Boldin, Warner, Rothlisberger, Parker and Ward, but sometimes it’s the lesser know factors that can make a difference in determining the “against the spread” winner in a Superbowl.

Quarterbacks…

Over the last 42 years of the Super Bowl, only 15 quarterbacks had passer ratings better than 100 during the regular season and into the playoffs.  Most recently, Ben Roethlisberger in 2005 (101.6) and Kurt Warner in 1999 (100.0) both surpassed this stat.  This season, Roethlisberger had a passer rating of 90.5 while Warner had a passer rating of 111.9.  If you are only looking at the skill position of the Quarterback and the ability to make throws under pressure, you have to give the edge to the Arizona Cardinals.

Pass Rush…

The question we need answered here is which team will be able to apply the most pressure to the opposing quarterback.  When you start thinking about who will have the most sacks, you automatically think the Steelers, right?  The media has been sucking on the left teet of the Steeler defense for so long, that you would never know that the Cardinals are +3 in net sacks this season while the Steelers are +2.  Not a huge difference, but Pittsburgh and its defense have forever been portrayed as the best team in the league at rushing the passer.  Cardinals left tackle Mike Gandy has started 35 straight games since joining the Cardinals in 2007 and this year gave up only 6.5 sacks.  In the last 13 Super Bowls, the sack leader won 12 of those games and went 8-3-2 ATS.  After studying the sack stats, these two teams appear to be evenly matched.

Does Defense Win Championships…

In the last 4 Super Bowls this statement has rung true as all four Super Bowl winners have allowed an average of only 15.5 ppg.  In the last eight Super Bowls,  winners have allowed an average of only 17 ppg.  And if you look back at all the Super Bowls, the losing team has scored 20 points or fewer 33 out of 42 times.

Now, when we talk about offense, the winning team has scored 30 points or more 21 times.  Having said that, the last Super Bowl Champion to score 30 points or more in this game was in Super Bowl XXVIII when the Dallas Cowboys beat the Buffalo Bills, 30-14.  If you look to history, defenses are in fact what has won the majority of Super Bowls. We give the defensive edge to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Who Is Better In The Red Zone…

Many bettors fail to study REDZONE performance when handicapping the Super Bowl.  They look at yardage and points, but fail to see where these numbers come from.  Red zone scoring is where games are won and lost and Arizona is only 9th in the league in red zone touchdown percentage at a 58.5 percent per trip. The Steelers aren’t much better at 15th in the league with a 55.1 scoring percentage.  Where the difference lies in these stats is that the Cardinals have scored 72 more red zone points that the Steelers while having 16 more possessions inside the 20-yard line.

Defensively, the Steelers were #1 in the NFL allowing red zone touchdowns only 33.3 percent of the time.  Arizona allowed touchdowns 63.6 percent of the time which was 27th in the NFL.  Arizona allowed 124 more points in the red zone than their Super Bowl opponent.  We give the red zone advantage to Pittsburgh.

Does Field Position Matter… 

Field position is one of those stats that is pretty easy to figure out.  A shorter field makes it easier on the offense to score points and harder on the defense to defend against points being scored.  For this reason, special teams always play an important role in a Super Bowl.  These are two of the worst punting teams in the NFL as Arizona finished 31st out of 32 in net punting and Pittsburgh finished 29th.  The Cardinals however have the edge in punt returning, gaining 7.2 yards per return while the Steelers gain an average of 6.0 yards per return, 31st in the NFL.  We believe the Cardinals will have the edge in field position with JJ Arrington returning kicks on Sunday. 

The factors mentioned above represent a small look into the analysis we put into a game prior to providing our members with our picks to win the Super Bowl.  So who covers the spread in Superbowl XLIII?  Step up your game, become a member of our family and get the answer.  With over 2300 active members, you owe it to yourself to find out why FiveStarPick.com is the most accurate sports handicapping service on the net.  Our dime bettors won nearly $100K in 2008 and are poised for another record year.  Join today and start winning tonight!

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

FiveStarPick.com is working round the clock to gather information on Super Bowl XLIII.  We are analyzing stats, trends, player matchups and injury reports to give our members the best chance to cover against the spread.  Las Vegas sportsbooks currently have the Steelers as 7-point favorites with the total at 46.5.  Today we will be providing you with an interesting article from the Dallas Star that might give you insight to the irony of this Super Bowl Matchup.  The pros at FiveStarPick.com will be previewing this matchup for you later in the week.  Here is what the article said…

“When Bill Cowher walked away from the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2006 season, there was a scramble among his assistants to replace him.

The Steelers interviewed offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm for the vacancy. The Steelers wound up offering the position to Grimm, then retracted it and, in the span of 24 hours, named an outsider, Mike Tomlin, as their head coach.

Having been passed over by the Steelers, Whisenhunt and Grimm knew they couldn’t – and wouldn’t – stay in Pittsburgh. Whisenhunt became the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals that off-season and took Grimm with him.

Imagine the culture shock: Whisenhunt and Grimm were leaving a franchise that annually played in January for a franchise that was annually out of contention by Thanksgiving.

The Steelers share the NFL record with five Lombardi Trophies. The Cardinals are at the other end of the spectrum with a 61-year championship drought, the longest in the league.

But in two years, Whisenhunt has done what few thought possible, capturing an NFC championship with the Cardinals. Standing in the way of Arizona’s first NFL championship since 1947 – his former team, the Steelers.

The Cardinals toppled the Philadelphia Eagles, 32-25, in the NFC title game Sunday, and the Steelers upended the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14, in the AFC title game.

Even before the AFC game began Sunday, Whisenhunt expressed a desire to play the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

“The reason I’m here is because of my time with Pittsburgh,” Whisenhunt said. “I’m very grateful for that.”

The Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s to capture team of the decade acclaim, then played in a Super Bowl in the 1990s and another this decade. They lost to the Cowboys in 1996 and beat the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. Whisenhunt and Grimm both have rings in their safe-deposit boxes commemorating that championship season.

Arizona, on the other hand, has won more playoff games this month (three) than in it had in the franchise’s first 87 years (two). The Cardinals are the most unlikely Super Bowl team since the 1979 Los Angeles Rams, who were the last nine-win team to advance to the NFL title game.

Like the Cardinals, the 1979 Rams won the NFC West with a 9-7 record. Like the Cardinals, the Rams rode a string of upsets to the Super Bowl, winning on the road at Dallas and Tampa Bay.

The Cardinals were underdogs in playoff victories this month over Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia. And like those Rams, the Cardinals will face the Steelers in the Super Bowl.

Since moving to Arizona from St. Louis in 1988, the Cardinals have managed two winning seasons, finishing 9-7 in 1998 and 2008. The Cardinals have nine last-place finishes in Arizona.

“I just want to say the words ‘Arizona Cardinals’ and ‘Super Bowl’ in the same sentence,” said Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner after his four-touchdown pass performance against the Eagles. “I like the way that sounds.”

During that 21-year stretch, the Steelers have won nine division titles and qualified for the playoffs 11 times. Now these two teams square off for NFL supremacy. The Cardinals will attempt to become the first nine-victory team to capture a Super Bowl since the 1967 Green Bay Packers (9-4-1).

The two conference champions bring contrasting styles to the Super Bowl.

The Cardinals finished fourth in the NFL in offense and second in passing. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald all were selected to start in the Pro Bowl.

The Steelers led the NFL in defense for the third time in five seasons. Pittsburgh allowed the fewest yards and points this season and also led the NFL in pass defense. James Harrison was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and he’ll join fellow linebacker James Farrior and safety Troy Polamalu at the Pro Bowl.

But keep an eye on the sidelines in the Super Bowl. Whisenhunt and Grimm have something to prove to their former employer.”

So who covers the spread in Super Bowl XLIII?  Step up your game, become a member of our family and get the answer.  Why not try our service out for 2-days and see if our talent for picking winners exceeds your expectations?  With over 2300 active members, you owe it to yourself to find out why FiveStarPick.com is the most accurate sports handicapping service on the net.  Our dime bettors won nearly $100K in 2008.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com

Now this is going to be a good game…FiveStarPick.com can’t wait for the AFC Championship game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Pittsburgh is listed as 6-point favorites with the total set at 33.5.  CBS Sports will provide coverage of the AFC Championship Game from Heinz Field at 6:30 p.m. ET. Sunday’s forecast for Pittsburgh calls for snow showers, with a high of 27 degrees and a low of 19.

Baltimore (13-5 straight up, 14-4 against the spread) enters this matchup on a 4-game SU and ATS winning streak.  Last week they upset top-ranked Tennessee as a 3-point road dog, 13-10 and cashed the under again…improving the under to 5-1 the past six games.

Pittsburgh (13-4 SU, 10-7 ATS) crushed AFC West Champion San Diego last weekend as a 6-point home favorites, 35-24. The Steelers are now 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS their last eight outings and the combined 59 points went over the 37.5-point closing total.

The Ravens are 6-2 ATS the last eight meetings in this series and Baltimore has a stout 6-2 ATS record as a road underdog.  The birds are 7-1 ATS away from home on grass surfaces and Pittsburgh is a modest 5-4 ATS when listed as a home favorite.

So who covers the spread in the AFC Championship Game?  It’s time to step up your game, become a member of our family and find out.  Why not try our service out for 2-days and see if our talent for picking winners exceeds your expectations?  With over 2300 active members, you owe it to yourself to find out why FiveStarPick.com is the most accurate sports handicapping service on the net.  Our dime bettors won nearly $100K in 2008.

Jimmy the Geek – FiveStarPick.com