News

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 6 Picks

Xavier — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 03:19:22 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 6

One way to sum up the first 5 weeks of the 2010-2011 NFL season is surprise. After 5 weeks, the teams with the top records are the: N.Y Jets, Baltimore Ravens, Atlanta Falcons and the Chicago Bears. All 4 of those teams sit at 4-1. A couple of those teams are definite surprises. But that’s what makes the NFL so exciting. You never know. On any given Sunday…you just never know.

Once again, Xavier is back to give you his weekly X-Factor Can’t Miss Picks. As usual, I will start by doing a recap of last week’s picks, then bring you up to speed on some NFL news that you need to know. Finally I will unveil this week’s picks including my Lock of the Week and my Upset of the Week. So let’s get to it.

NFL WEEK #5 RECAP

Xavier’s picks went 2-3 last week. Was it a good week? No. Was it an improvement over a disastrous week 4? Definitely. Improvement is always good.

Xavier correctly predicted his Lock of the Week as the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Cleveland Browns 20-10. My other correct prediction was Tennessee covering against the Dallas Cowboys as the Titans won the game 34-27.

Xavier came oh so close with his Upset of the Week as a game Kansas City Chiefs team held strong throughout most of the contest until a late 4th quarter touchdown by Indianapolis sealed the deal. The Chiefs had several opportunities to win this game; i.e. Dwayne Bowe…catch the ball!! My other 2 picks were not as good. The Houston Texans got trounced by the New York Giants 34-10 and the San Diego Chargers lost in Oakland 35-27. Overall for the year, Xavier is 11-13-1.

NFL NEWS OF THE WEEK:

I think News of the Week is a bit of an understatement this week. I think it should be titled Huge News of the Week. The biggest and most shocking news is the sudden trade of New England’s mega superstar wide receiver Randy Moss. The Patriots dealt their star wideout to the Minnesota Vikings for a 3^rd round pick. The Pats felt that their team has enough depth that they could win without Moss. The downside is that quarterback Tom Brady’s main weapons will now consist of: Wes Welker, Brandon Tate, Aaron Hernandez, Danny Woodhead, and BenJarvus Green-Ellis. Those are hardly household names…yet. But, for those keeping score, the Patriots now have 2 picks in each of the 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th rounds of next year’s draft. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Brett Favre instantly has a new go-to guy and now the Vikings become immediate contenders for the NFC North title. Moss adds another dynamic piece to the Vikings offense, along with stud running back Adrian Peterson, and tight end Vishante Shiancoe. Also, speedy wideout Sidney Rice will be back from injuries somewhere around week 10, which will give them another weapon come playoff time.

Another significant trade to note this week was the Buffalo Bills finally dealing running back Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks for a 4^th round pick. The Bills continue to rebuild by trading away Lynch, while the struggling Seahawks may have finally found their main running threat after unsuccessful tries with Julius Jones, Justin Forsett and Leon Washington. The Bills could afford to deal Lynch as their backfield was crowded with Fred Jackson and 2010 draft pick C.J. Spiller also in the mix.

There was also a major injury from this past weekend’s games. Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick sustained a rib cartilage injury and his return is uncertain. Some reports suggest that he may be out between 2-6 weeks. This is a huge blow to the Eagles because as you may recall, Vick came in and played brilliantly when opening week starter Kevin Kolb went down with an injury. Kolb regains his starting job for now, during Vick’s absence.

CAN’T MISS PICKS - WEEK #6

Last week results against the spread: 2 – 3
Overall for the year: 11 – 13 – 1

GAME #1 - New York Jets VS. Denver Broncos

NY JETS to COVER

Line: N.Y. Jets -3 @ Denver:
Xavier’s Pick: NY JETS to Cover

After 5 weeks this season, the New York football Jets look like the most complete team in the NFL right now. They have a great running game led by LaDanian Tomlinson and Shoone Greene; a quarterback Mark Sanchez, that has still yet to throw an interception and a ferocious defence. They survived a late game comeback attempt by Brett Favre last Monday night and this week they face a Broncos’ team that has been hurt by injuries; especially in their running game. Denver is going to have to rely on Kyle Orton’s arm to win this one and Xavier just doesn’t see that happening.

GAME #2 - Tennessee Titans VS. Jacksonville Jaguars

TENNESSEE to COVER

Line: Tennessee -3 @ Jacksonville:
Xavier’s Pick: TENNESSEE to COVER

Who will step up to take the lead in the AFC South division? Every team is 3-2. This week, 2 teams try to take charge as the Titans face the Jaguars on Monday night. For Tennessee, their defence has started to pick things up and Chris Johnson is…well Chris Johnson, aka a beast. Meanwhile Jacksonville’s defence has given up the 3rd most points this year in the NFL. Bet you didn’t know that. Also, their star tailback Maurice Jones-Drew has been battling nagging injuries and has not looked like himself so far this year.

GAME #3 – Oakland Raiders VS. San Francisco 49ers

OAKLAND to COVER

Line: Okland +6.5 @ San Francisco:
Xavier’s Pick: OAKLAND to COVER

On paper, this might look like a type-o. The lowly 0-5 49ers favoured by almost a touchdown against a Raiders team that has grown by leaps and bounds compared to last year. Sure Oakland has looked vulnerable at times against the run…but they did stop the run last week against San Diego. Xavier predicts that the Raiders keep San Fran’s Frank Gore in check and Oakland pulls off an upset.

GAME #4 -LOCK OF THE WEEK - Cleveland Browns VS. Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH to COVER

Line: Cleveland +13.5 @ Pittsburgh:
Xavier’s Pick: PITTSBURGH to COVER

Question: What is every young quarterback’s worst nightmare? Answer: starting your 1st professional NFL game against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defence. That is exactly what is going to happen to poor Colt McCoy as he starts for the Browns. With injuries to both Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, McCoy will get thrown to the wolves. Over/under on the number of times, young Colt gets knocked down in this one. I say 15. Oh by the way…did I mention that this is also the 1st start for a Ben Roethlisberger itching to play! Fresh off his suspension, this game will get ugly folks!

GAME #5 -UPSET OF THE WEEK - San Diego Chargers VS. Saint-Louis Rams

ST-LOUIS to COVER

Line: San Diego -8.5 @ St Louis:
Xavier’s Pick: ST-LOUIS to COVER

San Diego at times looked great offensively last week at Oakland; and then at other times looked miserable. Despite Philip Rivers throwing for 431 yards last week, including 290 yards in the 1st half, the Chargers gave that game away thanks to 2 blocked punts and several key turnovers inside the red zone. The Rams rookie QB Sam Bradford has looked anything but a rookie in his 1st pro season. Look for St Louis to keep this game much closer than most people might think.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	N.Y. Jets	Tennessee	Oakland	Pittsburgh	St-Louis

* Betting lines can change at any time. Make sure to keep a close eye on the betting lines before making your plays. These picks are based on the lines mentioned above and are by no means guaranteed. Anything can happen so do your homework. Good luck and enjoy week 6 everyone!

XAVIER’S X-FACTOR – PAST PICK PERFORMANCE:

Week 1 Results: 3-2
Week 2 Results: 3-1-1
Week 3 Results: 2-3
Week 4 Results: 1-4
Week 5 Results: 2-3
OVERALL RESULTS: 11-13-1

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 5 Picks

Xavier — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:44:12 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 5

We’ve passed the quarter point of the 2010-2011 NFL season and I’ve prepared something special for Xavier’s fans this week. I’ve posted an article for my ¼ season award winners for best and bust teams. Be sure to check it out and leave me some feedback.

As always, I will do a quick recap of last week’s games, and then bring you up to speed on some important NFL news…actually this week, its huge NFL news. Finally, I will unveil my picks for the week, including the Lock of the Week, and the Upset of the Week.

NFL WEEK #4 RECAP

As ESPN’s Chris Berman likes to say: “That’s why they play the game.” Oh what a tough week it was for Xavier and probably many other football prognosticators. Xavier went a dismal 1-4 for the week. In fact, favourites were 5-9 for the week against the spread. Even more bizarre, during the 1 o’clock games, favourites were 1-6 (with the Jets the only team to cover) and 3 of the favourites were upset (Pittsburgh, Tennessee, Cincinnati).

The only game that Xavier correctly predicted last week was San Diego trouncing Arizona 41-10. My other picks Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, New Orleans, and Chicago all failed to cover. Have no fear my friends, I put on my thinking cap for this weeks’ games. Or, as Peter Griffin would say…”Hand me my thinking grenades.” Xavier is out to avenge himself this week. Overall for the year, my record now stands at 9-10-1. It’s time to get back to my winning ways.

NFL NEWS OF THE WEEK:

CAN’T MISS PICKS - WEEK #5

Last week results against the spread: 1 – 4
Overall for the year: 9 – 10 – 1

GAME #1 - New York Giants VS. Houston Texans

HOUSTON to COVERR

Line: N.Y. Giants +3 @ Houston:
Xavier’s Pick: HOUSTON to Cover

The Texans have been a pleasant surprise so far this year as they boast the league’s best rushing attack, led by NFL rushing yardage leader Arian Foster. The scary part…Houston also has some other weapons named Andre Johnson and Matt Schaub. This is a very dangerous offense. The Giants roughed up the Bears on Sunday night but they’re defence will have to really step it up in order to win. Xavier picks the Texans to cover.

GAME #2 - Tennessee Titans VS. Dallas Cowboys

TENNESSEE to COVER

Line: Tennessee +7 @ Dallas:
Xavier’s Pick: TENNESSEE to COVER

Usually Xavier likes to pick teams coming off their bye, but I feel that 7 points is a big spread for a Dallas team that has struggled at times this year. The Cowboys’ running game has not gotten off to a good start. Oh yeah, and I think some guy named Chris Johnson plays for Tennessee. You might remember him…he only rushed for 2,000 last year. I pick the Titans to keep it close.

GAME #3 – San Diego Chargers VS. Oakland Raiders

SAN DIEGO to COVER

Line: San Diego -6 @ Oakland:
Xavier’s Pick: SAN DIEGO to COVER

As expected, the Chargers trounced the Arizona Cardinals last week. As Xavier had pointed out, San Diego needed to make a statement and they did. This week they visit the pesky Oakland Raiders, who are a little banged up for this game. Their main offensive weapon, running back Darren Mcfadden looks to be out for this week and maybe longer. The main goal for the Raiders’ defence is to try and find a way to stop tight end Antonio Gates, who has been a monster so far this season with 386 yards and 6 tds.

GAME #4 -LOCK OF THE WEEK - Atlanta Flacons VS. Cleveland Browns

ATLANTA to COVER

Line: Atlanta +3 @ Cleveland:
Xavier’s Pick: ATLANTA to COVER

Jake Delhomme looks to be in position to return this week as the Browns starting quarterback; which may be to the team’s detriment as Seneca Wallace has been playing well, especially in their win versus division rival Cincinnati last week 23-20. Atlanta’s potent offense of Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White lights up Cleveland this week and enjoys a big offensive day.

GAME #5 -UPSET OF THE WEEK - Kansas City Chiefs VS. Indianapolis Colts

KANSAS CITY to COVER

Line: Kansas City +7 @ Indianapolis:
Xavier’s Pick: KANSAS CITY to COVER

The NFL’s lone remaining undefeated team travels this week to face Peyton Manning and the Colts. Indianapolis has been unable to stop the run effectively and the Colts have not had much of a running game of their own. The Chiefs have played very inspired football to this point and fresh off of their bye week; look poised to spring an upset. Expect big games from K.C. running backs Jamal Charles and Thomas Jones. The Chiefs might not win this game, but they will cover 7 points.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	Houston	Tennessee	San Diego	Atlanta	Kansas City

XAVIER’S X-FACTOR – PAST PICK PERFORMANCE:

Week 1 Results: 3-2
Week 2 Results: 3-1-1
Week 3 Results: 2-3
Week 4 Results: 1-4
OVERALL RESULTS: 9-10-1

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Quarter-Year Awards

Xavier — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 02:09:21 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Quarter-Year Awards:

As we approach Week 5 of the NFL season, we are now ¼ of the way through the season. That being said, Xavier wanted to give out some awards for the deserving and not-so-deserving for the 2010-2011 NFL season. May I have the envelopes please!!

BEST TEAM:

The JETS are 3-1 and on top of the AFC East division. They rank 5th in the NFL in points scored and 9th in the NFL in points against; of which 4 of those teams ahead of them have had their bye week and only played 3 games. Quarterback Mark Sanchez has yet to throw an interception this year and running back LaDanian Tomlinson is enjoying a resurgence.
Honourable mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Green Bay Packers

WORST TEAM:

The 0-4 BILLS have been downright miserable this season. They are contemplating making their 2nd quarterback change of the season by starting their 3rd string. They cut their opening day starting QB, and traded their starting running back. They have also given up the most points this year. This will be an ugly year for Bills’ fans.
Honourable mentions: Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions

BIGGEST SURPRISE TEAM:

When the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL after 4 weeks is the Kansas City Chiefs, then you easily deserve this award. The 3-0 Chiefs have only given up 38 points and their offense has been clicking. Not many star players on the team, but so far they have meshed very well together.
Honourable mentions: Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, St-Louis Rams

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTING TEAM:

There were high expectations coming into this year for Mike Singletary’s team with their young, talented defence and potentially explosive offense. So far, none of that has happened. The 0-4 Niners have given up almost twice as many points as they have scored.
Honourable mentions: Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings

MVP:

Arian Foster, running back Houston Texans
Easily the MVP of the 1st 4 games, he leads the NFL with 537 rushing yards and was the deciding factor in 2 of Houston’s 3 wins when he rushed for 231 yards against Indianapolis and 131 yards against Oakland.

There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. What do you think of my selections? Do you disagree with these picks? I would love to hear your feedback, either in the comments section or on my new Twitter @XaviersXFactor. Be sure to tune in during the midway point as I reveal the half-year awards. Until then, take care of yourselves and check out my week 5 picks!

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 4 Picks

Xavier — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 17:06:57 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 4

Is it me or do these weeks just seem to fly by? We have already reached week # 4 of the NFL football season and it’s time once again for Xavier and his weekly X-Factor’s Can’t Miss Picks. For those of you who are new to this site…pass the word around!! The usual format is as follows. I will recap last week’s performance, then update you on some of the week’s top news and finally conclude with my weekly picks; including my Lock of the Week and my perfect 3-0 Upset of the Week.

Note: for next week’s article, I will prepare a ¼ of the season review with some analysis of top teams; terrible teams; sleepers; MVPs and busts. Be sure to check it out!

NFL WEEK #3 RECAP

Xavier continues to shine with his Upset of the Week pick. For the 3^rd straight week, I correctly predicted and Oakland wound up covering against the spread. In fact, if not for Janikowski’s missed 30 yard field goal and the overturn of Calvin Johnson’s last second TD in week 1…all 3 of my Upset of the Weeks picks would not only have covered, but would have won their games outright.

The rest of the week was a bit of a disappointment for Xavier. Pittsburgh crushed Tampa Bay, while Washington, Green Bay and New Orleans all lost their games to put me at 2-3 for the week. Overall for the year, Xavier is still over .500 at 8-6-1.

NFL NEWS OF THE WEEK:

Once again the news of the week revolves around injuries. But this week, the injuries are of the frustrating questionable kind. Several key superstars are still unsure whether or not they will suit up for their respective games. The NFL’s top wide receiver Andre Johnson has been ruled a game-time decision for Houston against the Raiders. As well the Rams’ star running back Steven Jackson is also game-time against Seattle. The Saints, who are already without running back Reggie Bush now have Pierre Thomas limited in practice and he too is still questionable this Sunday against Carolina. Detroit’s rookie running back Jahvid Best and Baltimore’s running back Ray Rice are also question marks for their games against Green Bay and Pittsburgh.

CAN’T MISS PICKS - WEEK #4

Last week results against the spread: 2 – 3
Overall for the year: 8 – 6 – 1

GAME #1 - Cincinnati Bengals VS. Cleveland Browns

CINCINNATI to COVER

Line: Cincinnati -3 @ Cleveland:
Xavier’s Pick: CINCINNATI To Cover

Cincinnati’s Batman and Robin (Chad Ochocinco & Terrell Owens) take their aerial show to Cleveland. The Browns’ offense has not been very threatening thus far and they face a tough Bengals defence. Cincy is a very balanced team. Look for them to win big in the battle of Ohio.

GAME #2 - Arizona Cardinals VS. San Diego Chargers

SAN DIEGO to COVER

Line: Arizona +8 @ San Diego:
Xavier’s Pick: SAN DIEGO to COVER

Don’t let their early season record fool you, Arizona is not a strong 2-1 team as their wins have come against St-Louis and Oakland. San Diego needs to make a statement in this game if they want to be a factor in the AFC West. Look for San Diego’s offense to explode in this one. I expect a big game from QB Philip Rivers and TE Antonio Gates.

GAME #3 – Carolina Panthers VS. New Orleans Saints

NEW ORLEANS to COVER

Line: Carolina +13.5 @ New Orleans:
Xavier’s Pick: NEW ORLEANS to COVER

Carolina’s offense has sputtered this year. The running team of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart have struggled and rookie QB Jimmy Clausen is set for only his second career start…against the mighty Super Bowl champs no less. I smell a blowout in this one, as New Orleans tries to forget the shocking overtime loss last week against the Falcons.

GAME #4 -LOCK OF THE WEEK - Baltimore Ravens VS. Pittsburgh Steelers

PITTSBURGH to COVER

Line: Baltimore +1.5 @ Pittsburgh:
Xavier’s Pick: PITTSBURGH to COVER

How good has Pittsburgh looked so far this year? The scariest part is that their starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hasn’t even played yet. The steel curtain’s defence has been outstanding this year. They have a +6 turnover margin while the Ravens have a -6 turnover ratio. Add to that Baltimore’s star running back Ray Rice has started the season very slowly and he now faces a Steelers defence that has yet to allow a 100 yard rusher.

GAME #5 -UPSET OF THE WEEK - Chicago Bears VS. New York Giants

CHICAGO to COVER

Line: Chicago +4 @ New York:
Xavier’s Pick: CHICAGO to COVER

Chicago’s quarterback Jay Cutler is an early possibility for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award as he’s making Bears’ fans forget his terrible 2009 season. Through 3 games, he has thrown just 2 interceptions, while he threw 26 in 16 games a year ago. Coming off a very tough win on Monday night against the Packers, the Bears visit the struggling Giants, who have been carved for 38 points and 29 points respectively in back-to-back losses to Indianapolis and Tennessee in weeks 2 & 3. Xavier predicts that Chicago will not only cover, but win the game outright.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	Cincinnati	San Diego	New Orleans	Pittsburgh	Chicago

XAVIER’S X-FACTOR – PAST PICK PERFORMANCE:

Week 1 Results: 3-2
Week 2 Results: 3-1-1
Week 3 Results: 2-3
OVERALL RESULTS: 8-6-1

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 3 Picks

Xavier — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:29:22 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 3

Welcome back everyone to Xavier and his weekly column. As usual, I am here to give you a quick rundown of what happened last week; bring you up to date on some important NFL news and unveil my soon to be infamous weekly prognostication picks. Without further ado, let’s get to it.

NFL WEEK #2 RECAP

Xavier did very well last week, as I went 3-1-1 and came oh so close to pitching a shutout. Kansas City moved to 2-0 with a 16-14 win over Cleveland; Green Bay smashed Buffalo, as expected 34-7. Xavier also hit his Upset of the Week for the 2^nd week in a row as I correctly predicted that Miami would not only cover against Minnesota, but defeated them 14-10.

I missed my Lock of the Week as Philadelphia won against Detroit 35-32, but did not cover thanks to a couple of scores late in garbage time by the Lions. The game was not as close as the score indicates as the Eagles dominated the game, but could not cover the spread thanks to a late 4^th quarter touchdown.

There was also a push last week. In an exciting game, the Houston Texans defeated the Washington Redskins 30-27 in overtime and pushed against the spread. Houston was down big to start the second half but made a great comeback. Great, great game.

NFL NEWS OF THE WEEK:

This week’s top news is the significant quarterback changes by a number of teams. Once again, the quarterback carousel continues to revolve. In Oakland, Bruce Gradkowski becomes the new starting quarterback, replacing an ineffective Jason Campbell; in Carolina, rookie Jimmy Clausen makes his 1^st NFL start; and in Buffalo, Ryan Fitzpatrick gets the nod.

But perhaps the biggest news of the week was the surprise announcement by Eagles coach Andy Reid that Michael Vick will be the team’s starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. Kevin Kolb had been deemed healthy to return to action, but Reid remained committed to Vick, surprising many.

One final note that may be useful to all the betters out there, New York Jets’ stud cornerback Darrelle Revis has been ruled out for Sunday night’s game against Miami due to an injury.

CAN’T MISS PICKS - WEEK #3

Last week results against the spread: 3 – 1 – 1

Overall for the year: 6 – 3 – 1

GAME #1 – Pittsburg Steelers VS. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

PITTSBURGH to COVER

Line: Pittsburgh –2.5 @ Tampa Bay:
Xavier’s Pick: PITTSBURGH To Cover

The Steelers defence is awesome…just ask Tennessee! Last week, they were absolutely battered. Pittsburgh’s D caused 7 Titans’ turnovers. Tampa is off to a surprising 2–0 start, but they are overmatched in this one.

GAME #2 – Washington Redskins VS. St-Louis Rams

WASHINGTON to COVER

Line: Washington – 3.5 @ St. Louis:
Xavier’s Pick: WASHINGTON to COVER

Donovan Mcnabb has ignited the Redskins offense so far this season and the Skins came very close to starting the year 2–0 if not for a 497 yards, 3 touchdown performance by Houston’s Matt Schaub. The Rams look better than they did last season, but Washington is a legitimate threat in the NFC East.

GAME #3 – Green Bay Packers VS. Chicago Bears

GREEN BAY to COVER

Line: Green Bay – 3 @ Chicago:
Xavier’s Pick: GREEN BAY to COVER

One of NFL’s longest and greatest rivalries continues as the Packers visit the Bears for this week’s edition of Monday Night Football. Green Bay has looked very good so far this year. Jay Cutler has also looked good, but he won’t in this one. Green Bay has too many weapons for Chicago to handle.

GAME #4 – LOCK OF THE WEEK - Atlanta Falcons VS. New Orleans Saints

NEW ORLEANS to COVER

Line: Atlanta +4 @ New Orleans:
Xavier’s Pick: NEW ORLEANS to COVER

The Super Bowl champs return home to host a division rival. The Saints lost Reggie Bush to a broken leg. New Orleans is by far the most balanced and deep team in the league as Drew Brees has tons of targets to throw to and several different running backs to carry the ball. The Saints keep the fans happy as they beat the Falcons by at least 1 touchdown.

GAME #5 – UPSET OF THE WEEK - Oakland Raiders VS. Arizona Cardinals

OAKLAND to COVER

Line: Oakland +4.5 @ Arizona:

Xavier’s Pick: OAKLAND to COVER

Bruce Gradkowski takes over as Oakland’s starting quarterback. Gradkowski played very well for the Raiders last year and should do well in this matchup. Darren McFadden has also played very well to open the season, rushing for 240 yards after 2 games. Arizona’s offense has sputtered to start the season and will have trouble getting going in this one as the Cardinals top offensive weapon will be blanketed by super cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. The Raiders will win this game.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	Pittsburgh	Washington	Green Bay	New Orleans	Oakland

XAVIER’S X-FACTOR – PAST PICK PERFORMANCE:

Week 1 Results: 3-2
Week 2 Results: 3-1-1
OVERALL RESULTS: 6-3-1

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 2 Picks

Xavier — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 04:20:07 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 2

Welcome back everyone to Xavier and his now infamous Can’t Miss Pics – Week 2 edition. First of all, let’s do a quick recap of last week’s picks and results, followed by some latest news and happenings for Week 2 and finally, the highly anticipated Week 2 picks:

NFL WEEK #1 RECAP

Overall, it was a decent week of 3-2 against the spread in a pretty tough Week 1 of the NFL. I hit the critical Lock of the Week, Miami over Buffalo 15-10 and connected on my Upset of the Week, Detroit to cover against the Bears 19-14.

In all fairness, Detroit should have won the game as I strongly believe the referees made a horrible call against “Megatron” Calvin Johnson on a last second game winning touchdown. I only have one thing to say about it…C’mon Man!! That was the greatest example of reading a rule to its most extreme. It was a catch, plain and simple and the NFL needs to amend that rule hasta pronto.

I also correctly predicted New England to cover against the Bengals 38-24, while incorrectly predicting Indy losing to Houston 34-24. But the biggest surprise was my pick of San Fran. They got dismantled by Seattle 31-6. Wow, that was ugly!

NFL NEWS OF THE WEEK:

The biggest news coming into this week is some critical injuries that should greatly impact some teams. The Philadelphia Eagles lost their starting quarterback Kevin Kolb to a concussion early in their week 1 game against Green Bay and he is currently a big question mark for this week’s game against Detroit. Michael Vick played admirably in relief and now some are saying the job may be his for the rest of the year. Ah how things change fast, as Kolb was a darling coming into the season by many football experts.

The Detroit Lions also got hit hard with an injury to their starting quarterback as Matthew Stafford separated his shoulder against Chicago, after he was sacked by Julius Peppers. This could be a big blow to the Lions if Stafford is out for any significant amount of time. I had high hopes for them this year…but with Shaun Hill starting in his place, the offense should be much less explosive. The good news is that Stafford won’t require surgery.

CAN’T MISS PICKS - WEEK #2

GAME #1 – Kansas City Chiefs VS. Cleveland Browns

Take KANSAS CITY to COVER

Line: Kansas City + 2.5 @ Cleveland:
Xavier’s Pick: KANSAS CITY to Cover

Kansas City looked very good on Monday night and upset the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs are a young team with some nice parts including Matt Cassel, Jamal Charles, and Derrick Johnson. Jake Delhomme is still questionable for Sunday’s game, not that it matters much. Cleveland’s offense is not good.

GAME #2 – Houston Texans VS. Washington Redskins

Take HOUSTON to COVER

Line: Houston – 3 @ Washington:
Xavier’s Pick: HOUSTON to COVER

Houston played exceptionally well against Peyton Manning and the Colts. Their running game was outstanding as Arian Foster ran all over Indy’s defence, carving them for 230 yards and 3 touchdowns. Houston has a very potent offense and should do quite well against the Redskins.

GAME #3 – Green Bay Packers VS. Buffalo Bills

Take GREEN BAY to COVER

Line: Green Bay – 12.5 against Buffalo:
Xavier’s Pick: GREEN BAY to COVER

Aaron Rodgers should be in for a great game in Green Bay’s home opener in the not-yet frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. Look for 2 to 3 touchdowns from Rodgers, while Buffalo’s offense continues to sputter. Green Bay should win by at least 2 touchdowns. I smell a blowout.

GAME #4 – LOCK OF THE WEEK - Philadelphia Eagles VS. Detroit Lions

Take PHILADELPHIA to COVER

Line: Philadelphia – 6 @ Detroit:
Xavier’s Pick: PHILADELPHIA to COVER

As I discussed in the recap section, both teams are going into this game with different starting quarterbacks as both Kevin Kolb and Matthew Stafford were injured in Week 1. Michael Vick should be in for a great game as he should give the Lions fits with his passing and running game. The Lions D will have to be on their heels for most of this one.

GAME #5 – UPSET OF THE WEEK - Minnesota Vikings VS. Miami Dolphins

Take MIAMI to COVER

Line: Miami + 5.5 @ Minnesota:
Xavier’s Pick: MIAMI to COVER

Xavier is pretty high on Miami this week and I believe they have a good matchup here against a Vikings team that looked pretty shaky against New Orleans in week 1. Brett Favre looked out of sync with his receivers and their runs defence looked pretty average in the 2^nd half against the Saints. Miami has got a great run game and expect Brandon Marshall to come up with some big plays. I expect Miami to cover, but don’t be surprised if they win this game outright.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	Kasas City	Houston	Green Bay	Philadelphia	Miami

XAVIER’S X-FACTOR – PAST PICK PERFORMANCE:

Week 1 Results: 3-2
OVERALL RESULTS: 3-2

Xavier’s X-Factor NFL Week 1 Picks

Xavier — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 03:23:49 +0000

Xavier’s X-Factor’s Can’t Miss NFL Picks: Week 1

Ladies and gentleman, we have finally arrived. Opening week of the 2010-2011 NFL season. As per tradition, the season kicks off this Thursday night with the defending Super Bowl Champions hosting the opening game. This year we feature Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints against the ageless wonder Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. The opening weekend also features several other top games. As promised, Xavier is here to give you his weekly Can’t Miss Picks to help you in your choices for top plays. Without further ado, here are this week’s NFL Football week 1 picks:

Take San Francisco to COVER

GAME #1 – San Francisco 49ers Vs. Seattle Seahawks

Line: San Francisco – 3 at Seattle:
Xavier’s Pick: San Francisco to cover

San Francisco has put together a pretty powerful defense under Mike Singletary. Frank Gore, Brian Westbrook, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree form a potentially explosive offense. Seattle, on the other hand, is having problems. Can you name their top offensive weapon? Didn’t think so. San Fran takes this one.

Take INDIANAPOLIS to COVER

GAME #2 – Indianapolis Colts Vs. Houston Texans

Line: Indianapolis – 2 at Houston:
Xavier’s Pick: Indianapolis to cover

Despite being a big supporter of Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson & company, Peyton Manning and the Colts always play their division rivals very well and the opener should be no different. This should be one of the top opening weekend games, but the Colts pull it off once again.

Take NEW ENGLAND to COVER

GAME #3 – Cincinnati Bengals Vs. New England Patriots

Spread: Cincinnati + 4.5 at New England:
Xavier’s Pick: New England to cover

Tom Brady passing to Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, & others proves too much for the Bengals to handle. Keep an eye out for the potential redzone celebrations of Chad Ochocinco and/or Terrell Owens. Should be fun.

Take MIAMI to COVER

GAME #4 – Lock of the NFL Week 1 - Miami Dolphins Vs. Buffalo Bills

Line: Miami Dolphins – 3 at Buffalo Bills:
Xavier’s Pick: Miami to cover

The Miami Dolphins hit a homerun this offseason by acquiring stud receiver Brandon Marshall. This greatly improves an already strong Dolphins offense. Buffalo, on the other hand…ummm, did not do much. Miami wins by at least a touchdown.

Take DETROIT to COVER

GAME #5 – Upset of the Week - Detroit Lions Vs. Chicago Bears

Line: Detroit + 6.5 at Chicago:
Xavier’s Pick: Detroit to cover

Despite the addition of Julius Peppers to the Bears’ defense, Detroit has added rookie running back Jahvid Best and Nate Burleson to a young offense full of potential including Matthew Stafford and “Megatron” Calvin Johnson. Detroit will surprise people this year.

PICK SUMMARY

	GAME #1	GAME #2	GAME #3	GAME #4	GAME #5
Xavier’s Pick*	San Francisco	Indianapolis	New England	Miami	Detroit

Xavier’s NFL Teams to keep an Eye On in 2010

Xavier — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:00:32 +0000

NFL Teams to Keep an Eye on This Season:

The greatest thing about the NFL is parity. Unlike any other major sport, the NFL allows a team to be miserable one year and a powerhouse the next thanks to the NFL draft, free agency, salary cap and injuries. I mean, how many of you predicted the Saints to win it all, especially against Peyton Manning and his boys. This off-season has been no different, so let’s take a look at some teams to keep on your radar this betting year:

• Philadelphia Eagles/Washington Redskins – the Eagles have decided to go in a new direction this year and for the 1st time in a long time, neither Donovan McNabb nor Brian Westbrook will be suiting up for Andy Reid’s team. McNabb’s departure begins the Kevin Kolb era in Philly; while McNabb tries to revive his career and jumpstart a fizzling Washington Redskins offense.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins at Bet365

• New York Jets – The NY football Jets come into the 2010 season as possible Super Bowl contenders. Are you serious Xavier? Yes, I am. The Jets had a wonderful end of season, including a great playoff run. They’re defence is scary; led by Darrelle Revis. They promoted last year’s breakout playoff star Shonn Greene to their featured running back, and signed someone called LaDanian Tomlinson to be their touchdown machine.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the New York Jets at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the New York Jets at Bet365

• New England Patriots – The P-men had a relatively quiet off-season with no major moves. But the problem is both the Jets and the Miami Dolphins made significant upgrades.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the New England Patriots at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the New England Patriots at Bet365

• Baltimore Ravens – They have a stud at running back with Ray Rice; they always have a dangerous defence led by Ray Lewis; they have a young gunslinger at QB Joe Flacco…and with the addition of wide receiver Anquan Boldin, the Ravens might have their final piece of the puzzle to become the AFC`s cream of the crop.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the Blatimore Ravens at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the Blatimore Ravens at Bet365

• Arizona Cardinals – No Kurt Warner…no Anquan Boldin = not as much passing offense for the suddenly run first, Arizona Cardinals. With the recent demotion of Matt Leinhart, Derek Anderson has the temporary job of being the Cards’ field general.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the Arizona Cardinals at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the Arizona Cardinals at Bet365

• Oakland Raiders – The laughing stock team of the NFL got a lot stronger this year by using the age old addition by subtraction theory. As bad as they were last year, they played much, much better when JaMarcus Russell wasn’t anywhere near the football field.

US and Euro Players can Bet on the Oakland Raiders at BetUS
Canadian and Euro Players can Bet on the Oakland Raiders at Bet365

____________________________________

Questions? Comments? What teams do you think we should keep an eye on? Leave your comments below…

BetUS USA Online Sportsbook

Caesar — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:00:43 +0000

Online Sportbooks are the best and easiest internet websites to place all your important sports bets. OnlineCasinoShowcase.com knows how important it is to play with the most reliable names on the net. Make sure to follow Xavier’s X-Factor on a weekly basis for the best info and tips on betting on NFL Football. If you are new to Football betting, check out Xavier’s Betting on Football How To’s to get you started.

BetUS – US Player Sportsbook Accepting US bets

BetUS is a US player friendly Sportsbook accepting bets from sports bettors across the USA and the rest of the world. You can bet on a variety of professional and amateur sports including American Professional NFL Football, NBA Professional Basketball, MLB Professional Baseball, NHL Professional Hockey, NCAA Basketball, College Football (NCAAF), UFC, MMA, NASCAR, Tennis and much more.

BetUS also offers bets and information on current events, breaking news, politics, Hollywood gossip, sports, stock predictions, weather, you name it – BetUS will have the analysis, the best odds, and opportunity to wager more accurately, faster and more complete than anyone else. Best of all, no download required!

BetUS is one of the most popular and safest Sportsbooks on the internet. Around since 1994 and legally licensed, they have built a solid reputation with sports bettors around the world so you can feel confident that your bets are placed safely and securely with one of the top online sportsbooks.

BetUS Bonus - 100% Match Bonus up to $250 or $500

Deposit $250 or $500 and $250 or $500 Free!

Betus is currently offering a huge 100% match bonus up to $250 or $500. the choice is yours and BetUS will match your initial deposit.

Deposit up to $500 and BetUs will give you an extra $500 free so you can start betting with a $1,000 balance.

This is the best and biggest sportsbook bonus on the net! Plus, get your free BetUS girls calendar and Free DVD when you join. Signup today to bet on NFL Football and College Football games.

BetUS Bonus Terms and Conditions

100% match up to $500 or $250

10x Wagering Requirement

60 day hold

none

This Special Offer is for NEW accounts only

BetUS $25,000 Gridiron Guru Contest

A one of a kind contest for the ultimate Football betting gurus! By no means it this a giveaway but the mighty footballers out there should be up to the task. Big Winnings are here and BetUS is calling out to all Football bettors to bring their “A” game picks to the table for a handsome payout. Signup today for your chance to win $25,000 in Cash!

Wager on the Point Spread and/or the Total (Over/Under) of any regular season NCAA Football (College Football) or NFL game between September 2, 2010 to January 3, 2011 and you could win $25,000 cash!

In order for a bet to qualify, you must place a minimum $10 real-money sportsbook wager to begin your journey towards the BetUS Gurudom. Win 15 wagers in a row and get a $1,000 Free Play. Win 20 bets in a row and get a $5,000 Free Play. If you are the first player of the season to win 25 bets in a row, not only are you the BetUS Gridiron Guru, but you will receive $25,000 cash!

BetUS – Not just a Sportsbook

BetUS is not only a top online sportsbook but also offers a complete casino , poker room and Racebook in addition to sports betting. Do all your online gaming in one safe and secure place.

This Weeks NFL Football Betting Lines at BetUS:

______________________________________________________

BetUS does not accept wagers from players in the following countries: Canada, Costa Rica, Panama, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles.

Betting on NFL Football How To’s

Xavier — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:00:33 +0000

Xavier’s Helpful Football Betting How-To’s:

This week, I have decided to share some helpful how-to’s on football betting for some of the less experienced betters. You might say it’s a sort of Football Betting for Dummies. I will discuss betting on the spread, over-unders, moneylines, parlays, and teasers. Any questions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Bet on Football - Deposit $250 Get $250 | Deposit $500 Get $500

SPREADS:

This is the most common way to bet on football games. Every week, there is a spread given on every game and the team must cover that spread in order for you to win your wager. For example, if you placed $20 on the Dallas Cowboys as favourites to win, the spread would read “Dallas – 6.5”. That would mean in order for you to win your bet Dallas would have to win by at least 7 points (there are no half points in football, so round up to the nearest point). Alternatively, if you bet on Dallas as underdogs, the spread might read “Dallas at +6.5” that would mean in order for you to win Dallas would have to win the game or at the very least lose by less than 7 points. If you bet on Dallas at -6 and they win by 6 points, then the bet would be a push. Same thing if the spread is +6 and they lose by 6 points.

Example #1: Dallas as favourite:

Dallas – 6.5

Final score Dallas 21, Chicago 14 —> YOU WIN

Final score Dallas 21, Chicago 20 —> YOU LOSE

Example #2: Dallas as underdog:

Dallas + 6.5

Final score Chicago 21, Dallas 17 —> YOU WIN

Final score Chicago 21, Dallas 14 —> YOU LOSE

Example # 3: Push / Tie

Dallas – 6

Final score Dallas 20, Chicago 14 —> YOU TIE (push)

OVER/UNDER:

Betting on over/under is to wager on the total amount of points scored in a given football game. For example, if the line of the over/under for New England against Indianapolis reads 47.5, that means to bet and win with the over…the total score of the game must combine for at least 48 points. To win with the under, the final score must combine for a maximum of 47 points.

Example #1: Over:

Miami/New England OVER 38

Final score New England 24, Miami 17 | Total Score = 41 —> YOU WIN

Final score New England 24, Miami 10 | Total Score = 34 —> YOU LOSE

Final score New England 24, Miami 14 | Total Score = 38 —> YOU TIE

Example #1: Under:

Miami/New England UNDER 38

Final score New England 24, Miami 10 | Total Score = 34 —> YOU WIN

Final score New England 24, Miami 17 | Total Score = 41 —> YOU LOSE

Final score New England 24, Miami 14 | Total Score = 38 —> YOU TIE

Betting at BetUS is Easy and Simple! No Download!

MONEY LINE:

Money line betting is to correctly predict the winning team. There is no spreads to cover. However, there are odds on each game. A huge favourite will generate minimal winnings, whereas a big underdog will pay out quite a bit. Again, here is an example. Suppose the New Orleans Saints playing the Cleveland Browns and the odds on the money line shows as follows: New Orleans – 1000, and Cleveland +1300. In this example, New Orleans is heavily favoured against a much weaker Cleveland team. With these odds, if you were willing to bet on New Orleans, you would have to bet $1000 to win $100. Conversely, if you were to bet on Cleveland and they were to win, a wager of $100 would pay out $1300.

PARLAYS:

Parlay betting is choosing multiple teams on one wager for a potentially higher payout. In essence, if you were to choose a 3-team parlay, you would select 3 games (spreads, over/under, or money line) and all 3 selections would have to cover in order to win the ticket. There is a factor with the number of teams on a given parlay ticket. These vary from site to site, but as an example, a site might offer 5:1 on a 3-team parlay, and a 10:1 on a 4 team parlay, and so-on.

Earn up to 50% more with Bet 365 on your NFL / NCAAF / NBA / NCAAB / MLB pre-game parlays including regular and post-season games. Place a pre-game parlay with bet365 of 2 or more selections combining teams in any of these competitions and if successful the relevant bonus wil be added to your winnings.

TEASERS:

Betting on NFL teasers is a little tricky, but can be quite good as well. Basically, betting on teasers allows you to add or subtract a set amount of points against the spread for a certain amount of games. For example, a 3 team, 10 point teaser means that you will choose 3 games; for example’s sake let’s assume you select New York Giants at -7, Baltimore at -13.5 and St-Louis at +7. The 10 point teaser allows you to add those points, which means that your new spreads on your ticket would be: New York Giants +3, Baltimore at -3.5 and St-Louis at +17. In order to win your teaser, all games would have to hit. The payout is less than a parlay.

For a great football betting site that allows all of these types of plays, I suggest checking out BetUS for US Players and Bet365 for Canadian Players. If you are from Europe or other parts of the world, either Sportsbook is a great fit for you!

Questions? Comments? Please feel free to comment below…Good luck to all this NFL and College Football Season (and… don’t forget about the CFL – the Canadian Football League for additional betting action).