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

Baseball betting players may stick to their sport, but there are a few things that could get them to switch over to a football game, and we’re guessing that cheerleaders would be on the list. Cheerleaders have been around the NFL since the late 1950s when Green Bay started using them (we’re also guessing that there were no bikinis because Lambeau Field isn’t the warmest spot in the world), and now 26 of the 32 teams in the NFL have a cheerleading team (although last year’s meeting between Green Bay and Pittsburgh was the first time that the Super Bowl had two teams with no cheerleaders). Here is a look at the top five squads in the game and if there was a league, these would be their sports betting odds.
Dallas (+100): The Cowboy cheerleaders are a brand and they’re so far ahead of the pack it’s not funny.
Miami (+500): Of course the Dolphins are on the list. Have you SEEN the women in Miami?
New York Jets (+600): The Jets Flight Crew make sure that you have a comfortable ride when the Jets are on the field.
Cincinnati (+800): The Ben-Gals are the sports betting darkhorse on this list and you probably didn’t even know they exist. Go check them out.
Atlanta (+1000): Finally, the Falcons are in the mix and the only team on this list to play in a dome, which means the cheerleaders can be dressed, let’s say, rather scantily. They may even boost the Falcons’ odds in your best online sportsbook.

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.

Anyone betting on NFL preseason games has had a lot to look at in only one week. Rookie and second-year quarterbacks are making an impact while veterans are reviving their careers. Defensive units are improving while others just cannot seem to get anything right. Here is a list of some of the key games in preseason week 2 and how they should turn out.

Tennessee Titans @ St. Louis Rams

The Rams looked really good in their week 1 preseason win over the Indianapolis Colts. Colts fans can relax knowing that it is just preseason and quarterback Peyton Manning is not playing. But the Rams and their fans should be optimistic. The Titans are also excited about the play of rookie quarterback Jake Locker. This should be a good game between two young teams.

Pick: St. Louis Rams

New Orleans Saints @ Houston Texans

The Saints got everything they expected out of rookie running back Mark Ingram, and then some. Ingram proved to be very agile on an NFL field as well as powerful. The Texans are hoping to find the defensive players in this preseason that will make the team a contender in 2011.

Pick: Houston Texans

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets

The NFL betting lines still have the New York Jets as preseason playoff contenders. But the Cincinnati Bengals are a young team that should be able to make some waves in the 2011 season. The Bengals are young on offense and experienced on defense. That will make for some exciting football in 2011.

Pick: New York Jets

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.

The NFL preseason will be getting underway on Thursday August 11, and sports betting football fans could not be happier. Let’s take a look at some of the preseason Super Bowl favorites and how they may fare with their first preseason game in 2011.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Washington Redskins – Friday August 12^th – 7:30 PM EST

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking to defend its AFC championship and try to get back into the Super Bowl. Last year, the Steelers were an interesting mix of passing and running. But quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw two key interceptions in Super Bowl XLV, and the Green Bay Packers went on to win the game. Watch for the Steelers to work on their offense in this preseason to try and put together a more complete team.

Pick: Pittsburgh Steelers

Green Bay Packers @ Cleveland Browns – Saturday August 13th – 7:30 PM EST

Do not expect a lot from the Packers in this preseason. The team will work its starters a little bit, but the fear of the injury bug will keep most starters out for the preseason. The Green Bay second string is better than the Cleveland starters, but when this game gets into the third string it should shift to Cleveland.

Pick: Cleveland Browns

New York Jets @ Houston Texans – Monday August 15th – 8:00 PM EST

The Jets are, once again, expected to be in the playoff hunt for the AFC. But the Houston Texans should be given some credit for off-season moves on their defense that may make them a contender as well. Depth has been a problem for New York in the past, and the Texans may be able to hang a loss on the Jets to start the online casino play preseason.

Even those who play US poker sites know that it’s a risky proposition to wager against Indianapolis in the NFL’s AFC South, but can you pull the trigger in 2011 on a wounded Colts team?

The Colts (-180) are still holding out hope that Peyton Manning will be ready for the start of the regular season due to neck surgery, and it doesn’t matter what the MVP vote says each year: no player means more than Manning does to the Colts, who will hope to avoid a rash of receiver injuries like last year, and no one knows what the defense will do. Houston (+180) needs to only stop people some of the time, because they have one of the best offenses in the league, but that defense can’t be as bad as they were 2010….or can they? Jacksonville (+800) and Tennessee (+800) have to sort out a lot of things before they can challenge the top two, but you have to think that snagging Matt Hasselbeck gives the Titans an edge, which tells you something about the Jaguars’ David Garrard. This will also be Tennessee’s first year without Jeff Fisher coaching the team since 1994, although Mike Munchak has been in the franchise since 1992 as a Hall of Fame player and coach.

This will boil down to Indianapolis and Houston again, and it’s tempting to take the Texans, but their secondary is still very young and Manning is still one of the top three quarterbacks in the league. Their Week 1 sports betting matchup in Houston is huge in so many ways, but the Colts are the smart play in your sports book.

One of the divisions that was quiet in the free agency frenzy last week was the AFC North. The Cincinnati Bengals added through subtraction when they let mega-distraction Chad Ochocinco go to the New England Patriots. But the rest of the AFC North did not really make any moves, and sports betting experts know that the AFC North could be interesting to watch in 2011.

Baltimore Ravens – Predicted finish: First

Quarterback Joe Flacco was only in training camp a few minutes before the media started questioning his leadership once again. Flacco is emerging as a solid quarterback that does not lean towards the flashy media soundclips. He is better than the version of Trent Dilfer that took the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2000, and he has a better supporting cast than that team had.

Pittsburgh Steelers – Predicted finish: Second

One thing that every online casino wagering sports fan knows is that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be competing for the AFC North title from day one. The Steelers defense carries the team, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger finds new ways to generate points when needed.

Cincinnati Bengals – Predicted finish: Third

The Bengals officially announced last week that quarterback Carson Palmer will not be traded because he has retired. That leaves rookie Andy Dalton to play quarterback for the Bengals, which is not as bad as it sounds. The Bengals are building a young and winning team in Cincinnati, but it will take a year or two for the team to compete for a playoff spot.

Cleveland Browns – Predicted finish: Fourth

Most people in the NFL assume that Mike Holmgren knows something that they do not. When it comes to the Browns’ future, Cleveland football fans are really hoping that Holmgren knows what he is doing.