It’s no secret when you’re betting on football teams, the first thing you look at every week is how the QB has performed, are there any injury rumors going around regarding the QB, how’s the QB’s relationship with the receivers so far…see a theme here? That’s right, it’s the team leader that interest you the most. Sure, defense is important, but if the big guy ain’t clicking on all cylinders, it throws a major wrench of doubt into your picks for the week. So let’s take an early look at some of these guys and see where they stand right now.
Starting, of course, with the big dogs. Peyton Manning. Always at the top of any draft board, the question for real gamblers is how much big victory fuel does Peyton have left in the tank. You never thought you’d see that question asked, but you also never thought you’d consider ranking Eli above him in terms of being a winner. Peyton has his #1 still in Reggie Wayne, and that should produce expected big numbers, but there will be more pressure on him this year unless Addai and the defense can both step up their games. It used to be if Peyton were starting, you could bet the Colts blindfolded, but you’d be a fool to do that this year.
Tom Brady. This is really who everyone’s waiting to hear about. You can tell the betting world is collectively just waiting for the floodgates to open again so they can have their blu-chip, can’t miss QB back. Sure, betting the Patriots when they’re 9-0 won’t yield huge returns, but if you need a team for a combination bet, or just to make a little cash on an off-week, they were always the team. Well Tom is back, and you can expect him not to miss a step. While the same can’t be said for RB Lawrence Maroney, it won’t matter like it might for Peyton. Brady has so many ridiculous receivers to throw to, he’ll never be at a loss for options, and the O line is still strong enough to give him the time he needs.
One more quick one, Drew Brees. You equate huge yardage each year with this guy, but for some reason not high TD’s or big wins. There’s a reason for that, and I don’t see it changing this year. In fact, the Saints window seems stuck on half open. I wouldn’t say it’s closing anytime soon with Colston (if he’s healthy) and company, but they never seem to have enough to push them into the football betting Super Bowl. Brees has the talent around him in Bush and the aforementioned Colston, it’s just a question if he can be the guy to lead them all the way. And I wouldn’t count on it. He’s not worth the risk, there are QB’s that are just as flashy out there whose teams are deeper and more worth your betting consideration.