Put down those fishing maps for a minute and head over to your sports betting book as the NFC looks to follow up an incredible Week 1 with more Week 2 action. Here is a peek at the top three games of the weekend.

Bears Saints Odds - Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Saints are 6.5-point favorites at home against the Bears, who put a beating on Atlanta last week, while New Orleans came up just short in a shootout with Green Bay. Chicago is 4-1 SU and 2-1-2 ATS in their last five meetings with New Orleans, with four games going over the posted total. While everyone looks at the Saints’ offense against the Chicago defense, can New Orleans stop Chicago? We like the Bears against the spread.

Pick: Chicago Bears +6.5

Packers Panthers Odds - Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Packers are 10-point favorites on the road according to NFL betting lines, and their defense will be out to prove something after the Saints ran wild on them. Cam Newton will be out to show that last week’s record-setting performance was no fluke, but the Panthers’ rookie is going to hit some obstacles along the way, and this will be the first. Green Bay is 3-2 SU and ATS in five meetings with Carolina.

Pick: Green Bay Packers -10

Eagles Falcons Odds - Sunday, 8:20 PM ET

In the game of the week, the Eagles are 3-point favorites on the road against the Falcons, who got manhandled by Chicago and will have a chip on their shoulder. Philadelphia is 4-1 SU and 3-1-1 ATS in five games against the Falcons, and we’re taking their corners against the Atlanta wideouts in this betting showdown.

Pick: Philadelphia Eagles -3

Stop planning that striper fishing trip and check out the games in your sportsbook for Week 2, and today we’ll look specifically at the AFC, where it’s going to be a fun year if Week 1 is any indication.

Ravens Titans Odds - Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Baltimore will probably be favored on the road, especially after wiping the floor with Pittsburgh in their opener to make a statement. The Titans lost a close one against Jacksonville and will make their 2011 home debut, but Chris Johnson has to prove something after a poor opening week. The problem is, he’s going against Ray Lewis.

Sports Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens

Browns Colts Odds - Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

It’ll be interesting to see what Bet Online football odds say about this game, as it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Colts were home underdogs after getting trounced in Houston. An injured Peyton Manning may have been more productive than Kerry Collins, and the Browns will be hungry after losing to their state rivals from Cincinnati. This may be the most intriguing game of the week.

Sports Betting Pick: Indianapolis Colts

Chargers Patriots Odds - Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Patriots should be favored at home in this AFC showdown, and they’ll have a short week after playing in Miami on Monday night. San Diego needed to rally to beat Minnesota at home, and the Patriots are going to be ready for them as these two have one of the most underrated rivalries in the league.

Sports Betting Pick: New England Patriots

Every year the division winners are predicted for both conferences, and while the majority of the time the projections are right, there are those few instances where the prognosticators get it wrong and a couple of underdog NFL betting lines’ teams make it in. While these teams may not have the talent to contend for a playoff spot, two of the four will emerge from week one of the regular season with a win, opening their season off on the right note.

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Jaguars finished at 8-8 a year ago, and the team was able to make some key roster additions without losing any of the core contributor’s from last year’s roster. That continuity could be the key for a team that has the talent to contend, but has lacked the consistency and direction to get it done. Head coach Jack Del Rio and a core group of Jacksonville players that include quarterback David Garrard and running back Maurice Jones-Drew are on the clock, and will need to prove that they can lead the franchise to bigger things or risk having their chance expire. The Titans are a team in transition with a new head coach and a new quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck, and they may not have the weapons to make up for a lack of sports betting preparation for a tough road visit against a division rival in week one.

NFL Betting Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars -3

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns (-6.5)
Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

Year after year it seems as though Browns’ fans have been forced to suffer in the AFC North basement, while the other three teams in the division have taken turns at the top. With the defending AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens both considered legitimate Super Bowl contenders, Cleveland will be hard-pressed once again to do anything special. But with a promising young quarterback and a confident head coach, the Browns may be on the verge of turning that corner with a little more talent. They won’t contend for a playoff spot this year, but they should be able to get a couple of big wins including fishing for a big one in a home opener against a Bengals’ team that is almost completely void of an identity.

NFL Betting Pick: Cleveland Browns -6.5

With the NFL lockout over, and preseason wrapping up this weekend, it is once again that time of year, for fishing games handicappers to pick the upcoming Super Bowl Champion. As always, 32 teams enter week one with a shot at the Super Bowl, but as February rolls around, only two sports betting teams will remain. Here is our prediction for Super Bowl 46.

Super Bowl 46 will feature two teams entering their primes, the Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons. Last season, the Houston Texans once again infuriated their fans, as a poor defense was the team’s Achilles heel as they missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive year. This offseason, the Texans hired former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Wade Philips to become the team’s new defensive coordinator.

Wherever he has gone, Philips has had strong defenses. For example, in 2004 when Philips took over as the defensive coordinator for San Diego, he was able to turn them into one of the top 15 defenses in the league. Given that Houston ranked dead last in defense last year, a jump to the top 15 would be more than welcome. As well, the additions of Daniel Manning and Jonathan Joseph to the defensive secondary should help the Texans dramatically this season.

Also last season, the Atlanta Falcons elevated their game from a playoff pretender to an annual contender. Atlanta went an impressive 13 and three during the regular season, prior to being dismantled, by eventual Super Bowl Champion, the Green Bay Packers. This offseason, the Falcons added depth to both the offense and defense, in an attempt to build upon there 2010 - 11 results.

On paper, both Houston and Atlanta are at the point in their current regimes, where a playoff run is necessary. If neither team is able to make it to the Super Bowl, they each may have to consider rebuilding.

The NFL betting lines preseason will wrap up this Thursday with a full slate of games, leaving all 32 teams with 10 days to prepare for opening weekend, with the exception of the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints, which open the season on the Thursday at Lambeau Field. Here is a quick look at the NFC matchups for this week.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Washington Redskins

Thursday, 7:30 PM ET

The Buccaneers showed the world that they could contend in the suddenly loaded AFC South a year ago, and will look to back that up this year with another strong start. Tampa Bay will get one more dress rehearsal on Thursday against a Redskins’ team looking to prove they are this year where the Bucs were last, although they still haven’t sorted out who their starter will be at the team’s most important sports betting position. Rex Grossman and John Beck don’t necessarily bring to mind the Pro Bowl, but both have performed well this preseason and that should make it tough on head coach Mike Shanahan to decide.

NFL Betting Pick: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers

Thursday, 8:00 PM ET

The Chiefs are going to have a hard time repeating in the AFC West, but that is nothing in comparison with what lays ahead for Green Bay. The Packers will go fishing for a second consecutive Super Bowl, something that is no easy task, and it starts with urgency right out of the gate. Head coach Mike McCarthy will have his troops looking sharp as Green Bay wraps up the preseason with a win at home.

NFL Betting Pick: Green Bay Packers

The online sportsbooks are looking for an AFC contender that can take on the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. There are several teams that should be contenders in the AFC, and they all get one more chance to fill in their depth chart in the final preseason game of 2011.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Jets

The Eagles took on some big name free agents, but it looks like Philadelphia is already cracking under the pressure of being a contender in the NFC. The New York Jets, on the other hand, look perfectly comfortable being a top AFC pick. The one problem the Jets have this season is the same problem they have had since Rex Ryan took over as head coach; no depth on the roster. The Jets will try to piece together a second and third-string that can step in if the first-string gets hurt, but it won’t be easy.

Pick: New York Jets

Kansas City Chiefs @ Green Bay Packers

The online casino wagering sports fans in Kansas City have noticed the concentrated effort by the Chiefs to develop a passing game to go along with their running game. But the Packers have such a deep roster that Kansas City may never get a chance to get their new air game off the ground.

Pick: Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers @ San Diego Chargers

If you are learning how to bass fish, then the San Francisco bay area is a good place to start. If you want a solid playoff contender, then you may want to move a little south from the Bay area into San Diego. The Chargers should be on of the primary AFC contenders this year, and they can get their momentum started with a preseason win over the 49ers.

Pick: San Diego Chargers

Even those who play online casino games know that the third week of the NFL preseason is the one to watch as teams will play their starters for most of the game, which will give you a decent indication of how they’ll far this season, and here is a look at three matchups to watch in your sports betting book.

Panthers Bengals Odds – Thursday, 7:00 PM ET

The Bengals are favored by a point at home, and they’ve looked pretty bad so far in the preseason, but breeders cup betting fans have to be patient as the Andy Dalton era is beginning. The Panthers will start rookie Cam Newton in this contest, so the defenses could take over this game with a pair of first-year quarterbacks under center. Take Cincinnati at home by a slim margin.

Browns Eagles Odds – Thursday, 7:30 PM ET

The Eagles are 4.5-point favorites at home, and their quarterbacks will be out to prove last week was a fluke as Michael Vick and Vince Young combined for four interceptions. The young Browns lost a big lead, but like Cincinnati their fans have to be patient because there is a lot of youth throughout the team. Go with Philadelphia here.

Patriots Lions Odds – Saturday, 8:00 PM ET

Finally, the Patriots are 3.5-point favorites on the road in Detroit, where the Lions are putting together some good, young pieces, but only Philadelphia made a bigger splash in the offseason than New England and everyone is waiting to see what the new Patriots will do. Still, Detroit is not to be taken lightly and the Lions will pull out the sports betting upset on Saturday.

A team’s NFL betting lines can depend on their offensive weaponry, and the NFL may be at an all-time high in terms of offensive superstars. Here are the top five on that side of the ball, but no quarterbacks are included in this list.

Andre Johnson, Houston

The most physically imposing receiver in the league, Johnson has phenomenal hands and can also blow by you. We also saw that he could throw a punch (or four) in his fight with Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan last year.

Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona

Fitzgerald still have a great season despite being double and triple-teamed, along with having Derek Anderson as a quarterback, which isn’t good for anyone’s sports betting chances.

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia

Jackson may be the biggest deep threat in the league and the Eagles know they have to keep their star receiver happy, which is why he’ll have a new contract very soon.

Chris Johnson, Tennessee

Speaking of new contracts, Johnson won’t report to the team unless he gets one, which is fair as the Tennessee offense basically plays off what Johnson brings to the team. No one in the league is faster in the open field, although it would be great to see a race between Johnson and Jackson.

Adrian Peterson, Minnesota

The most complete back in the league, and you’ll see how important Peterson is to the Vikings this season as they have Donovan McNabb under center. Peterson needs to have a massive year if the Vikings are going to overcome their sports betting odds.

If you bet on sports then you love looking ahead to the favorites in upcoming championship games. Super Bowl XLVI is being played in Indianapolis in February 2012, and there are some clear favorites from both sides that NFL fans can choose from.

New England Patriots (Super Bowl XLVI Odds: 6.45 to 1)

The Patriots showed a lot in their 47-12 blowout of the Jacksonville Jaguars in their preseason opener. Yes it was only preseason, but the Patriots’ second team completely dominated the Jaguars’ first team in every aspect. With depth like that, the Patriots are going to be tough to beat in 2011-2012.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Super Bowl XLVI Odds: 9 to 1)

Can the Steelers repeat as AFC Champions in 2011-2012? It won’t be easy, but the NFL betting lines certainly give the Steelers a chance. Pittsburgh still has one of the most dominating defenses in all of football and a quarterback that confuses opposing defenses when he constantly ad libs plays. But the Packers showed a lot of cracks in the Pittsburgh armor in Super Bowl XLV that AFC teams may learn from this year.

Green Bay Packers (Super Bowl XLVI Odds: 6.25 to 1)

Even though the Packers won Super Bowl XLV, fans do not feel that the league got a real look at the Green Bay Packers. The team was injured most of the season and on into the playoffs. With a fresh start in 2011-2012, and a completely healthy roster, the Packers should dominate the NFC.

Atlanta Falcons (Super Bowl XLVI Odds: 14 to 1)

Was rookie wide receiver Julio Jones the final piece in what could be one of the most dominating offenses in the NFL? Possibly, but the Falcons still have problems on their defensive line that they have not addressed. Stopping the run was an issue for Atlanta last season, and if they do not find a way to fix the problem then they may not be able to compete into the playoffs.

Sports betting experts know that offense sells tickets but defense wins championships. The NFL has had some impressive defensive units in its history, and there are a few entering the 2011 season that could be remembered as some of the most physical units of all time. Here is a quick look at the defenses to watch in 2011 and which teams could be dominating on the line of scrimmage this year.

Detroit Lions

Online casino wagering football fans had no problem watching Detroit Lions’ rookie Ndamukong Suh be named defensive rookie of the year in 2010. The Lions went ahead and added Nick Fairley to their defensive line in the 2011 draft, and a defensive unit that was already getting better just got a huge boost.

Pittsburgh Steelers

You can say that James Harrison is a dirty player and Troy Polamalu over-commits too easily, but both of those players are still excellent defensive football stars. The Pittsburgh defense is physical and intimidating and one of the main reasons why the Steelers will be playoff contenders again in 2011.

Baltimore Ravens

The Raven defense is anchored by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. If both of those players can stay healthy in 2011, then the Ravens have a good chance at being a contender. The Ravens defense is an interesting mix of veterans and younger players that just learned how to play together last season. In 2011, they get to really unleash their defense.

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have a fast and aggressive defense that is extremely difficult to get away from. The secondary can stay with any group of receivers, and the Green Bay Linebackers are some of the most gifted athletes in the league.