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NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Broncos Taking Late Action

Published: November 9, 2009

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Tonight’s pivotal matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers (-3) and Denver Broncos is just the second Monday Night Football game of the 2009 season between non-divisional opponents.

In the first such contest, the home team Dallas Cowboys had little trouble disposing of the winless Carolina Panthers, 27-7 in Week Three.

Aside from tonight’s game being between two non-divisional Conference foes, there are very few similarities to compare with that Panthers-Cowboys matchup, including the popular vote amongst bettors.

Late money seems to be moving the betting line at online sportsbooks away from the Super Bowl champs and onto the home town Broncos. Searching across the Web for line tracking services that post betting odds reveals that taking Denver plus the points comes with a price. And some of the more exotic sportsbooks are even posting lines of Pittsburgh -2.5!

A pitiful 2-10 ATS mark for favorites on NFL Sunday betting is likely the biggest reason for the sudden change of heart with bettors. Capped by Philadelphia’s awful clock management, poor use of timeouts and pitiful play-calling in general, which led to a home upset loss against Dallas, betting favorites on Sunday led many to the poorhouse.

Normally when favorite bettors get beaten badly on Sunday, though, the course of action includes reloading the online betting account, putting an absurd amount of money down on the Monday Night favorite and watching history repeat itself. Pittsburgh has won four in a row, haven’t they?

Denver (6-1 SU) is coming off its worst performance of the season but it does set this game up for a system play that has paid bettors at an amazing 91-percent rate since 1970. It was provided Monday by Greg Dempson on BRTV.

Play ON a Monday night home team off a non shutout road loss last week when they allowed 30 or more points and lost straight-up by 21 or more points. (No bye in-between)

Record since 1970: 20-2 ATS (91-percent)

As a home dog against the likes of Dallas or New England, Denver received very little attention. Two upset wins and a perfect 3-0 SU/ATS home record later, they are a very likable home pup. Overall the Broncos have a 4-1 ATS record in five games as an underdog this season against teams with a combined 26-13 SU record.

When online sportsbooks posted the line seven days ago, bettors were still digesting the first blemish on Denver’s record. Line movement was insignificant through the first six days of betting but anyone making picks on the Broncos in the final countdown to kickoff is now paying a price of inflated juice on the line.

Perhaps Denver’s perfect 3-0 ATS all-time mark as a Monday Night Football home underdog has something to do with it. Or could it be that NFL bettors are just starting to believe?

Read more Denver Broncos news on BleacherReport.com

NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

Published: November 9, 2009

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NFL Power Rankings for each week will be posted between Sunday night and Monday morning.

They are are subject to change pending the results of Monday night’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Denver Broncos game.

10. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

The Arizona Cardinals jump into the top 10 with a 41-21 win over the Chicago Bears.

There seems to be three groups of teams in the first half of the 2009 season: the elite eight, the mediocre sixteen, and eight teams that look.

The Arizona Cardinals fall into the mediocre sixteen, as they just can’t seem to maintain a winning streak.

The Cardinals need some help defensively and could use a spark in their running game.

9. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

The Falcons reenter the top ten as Michael Turner continues to silence doubters after his early season struggles.

Michael Turner rushed for 166 yards against a Redskins team that, despite years of big spending from Daniel Snyder, continues to get worse.

The Falcons are now 4-0 in home games.

Similarly to the Cardinals, if the Falcons can become more competitive on the road, they could find themselves among the premiere teams in the NFL.

With games against the Panthers, Giants, Eagles, and Saints in four of the next five, fans should know more about who the Falcons truly are by the end of November.

Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Denver Broncos’ Demise

Published: November 3, 2009

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The Week Nine Power Rankings make sense of it all and set up the lines for Week Nine with a glance back at some of the results from Week Eight that are what make betting football so much fun in the first place.

The biggest demise of all is that of the NFL-Power-Rankings/20091102220003627″ title=”Why ??? Read more here…” target=”_blank”>Denver Broncos. It looks like the Week Nine Power Rankings have had a bit of a change this week, due to some poor performances from teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions.

Figuring out how a Philadelphia Eagles team can lose straight up at Oakland, get a healthy road win against a division rival on Monday Night Football, and then completely annihilate the New York Giants is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube with your eyes closed. It just won’t happen.

Top of the Charts

An offensive production nearly 10 points better than the next closest team can’t last forever, but until it fades to at least less than touchdown, the Saints are No. 1 on the bet republic’s power ranking chart.

New England was off for Week Eight following its London Calling vs. Tampa Bay but Indy’s game against San Francisco has prompted us to put Tom Brady and his crew in an official tie for second place.

Brady vs. Manning is going to be the big story for Week 10 when those teams hook up. And pending straight up wins in Week Nine vs. Miami and Houston, this ranking won’t change until the super power of the AFC is crowned Sunday night.

By the way, this is the only time this year the words “Tampa” and “Bay” will be used in the “Top of the Charts” segment, so we hope you enjoyed it, Bucs fans.

Upticks

No ties in this department as the Chicago Bears stop the bleeding and the Dallas Cowboys make a significant jump that solidifies them in our top 10 rankings.

That win over Cleveland is nothing for the Bears to write home about. But they don’t have to write home because they are home again this week against the original Chicago team, the Arizona Cardinals.

A strong game from the defensive front seven and better red zone efficiency against a comparable unit could make the Bears a strong play on option in the back half of the season.

Tennessee gets a mention, too, but it should be noted they just ticked up from 27th to 24th.

The Titans (+4) are getting a ton of action from sports bettors on a line that opened as high as -5.5 at some online sportsbooks, but the anticipation of win No. 2 is nowhere near as great as it was for their first.

Downticks

Green Bay’s season wasn’t lost in that game against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, but its playoff hopes were. Head coach Mike McCarthy will get another shot, too, since his defense is new this year and QB Aaron Rodgers is young. But a lack of discipline will continue shooting that team in the foot if something doesn’t change.

Jacksonville is now one overtime win better than the Titans and it’s time for head coach Jack Del Rio to go. Really. The Jaguars (-6.5) welcome Kansas City in Week Nine and money line options on the Chiefs are worth considering.

Bottom Feeders

If anything, Oakland can have credit for being a good cover team. The Raiders are 4-4 ATS this year and that’s more than we can say for the Detroit Lions (2-5 ATS). Off a bye with QB Matthew Stafford back, the Leos couldn’t game plan for a home win against the previously winless St. Louis Rams.

Now the Lions travel to Seattle (-10) and Minnesota and glancing down their schedule, it’s safe to say the Lions will not likely win another game in 2009.

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NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Broncos Taking Late Action

NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Denver Broncos’ Demise

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