NFL Gambling: Grab the Giants in the Super Bowl Pool

"I'd run over Russ Grimm's mother to win the Super Bowl, too."-Oakland's LB Matt Millen, after learning Washington's Russ Grimm said he would run over his own mother to win

The Super Bowl brings out strong emotions. Fans bet their emotions. Don't bet your emotions.

But a fan can throw a thrill into their season by placing a wager on their favorite team to win the Super Bowl. Its a bet one can enjoy or, at the very least, moan all year long.

The New York Giants are not my favorite club but I think they have the best shot to win the big game this year, a good shot with pretty good value at 9-1 at most sports books.

Injuries can slay any super teams season and the Giants have suffered their share, particularly along the defensive and offensive lines, in the over long pre season.

They also have the hole left by their gun wielding wide out Plaxico Burress.

But even with the injuries they have one of the very best offensive and defensive lines in the league.The Giants were planning to experiment with a five man defensive front which just might give opponents offensive lines fits.

Burress, while not replaced perfectly, has been replaced adequately with depth and a fast rookie. And the bruising running game remains much the same sans Derrick Ward who went south.

The Giants face the weak AFC west where only the San Diego Chargers, in New York in November, will be much of a threat. They draw domed Atlanta outside in November and bring Carolina to the cold of Gotham in December.

But the beasts that must be battered are, of course, its NFC opponents.

Win the Divsion and get a ticket to the dance. Home field and a bye are much beloved bonuses especially when facing Dome clubs or mostly warm weather NFC West or South clubs.

The Giants are built for the cold but it seems the Philadelphia Eagles are being built to beat the Giants at their own game.

Andy Reid super-sized his offensive line. He added play-makers at all the offensive skill positions and, of course, added Mike Vick.

But the offensive line has been hurt and Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews doesn't, as usual, seem to have much interest in train camp. Rookies generally do not make a big difference and, two years removed from the game, Mike Vick, despite the hype won't make much of a difference.

Excerpt maybe in McNabbs head when fans begin to boo.

The biggest loss to the Eagles will be deceased defensive coordinator Jim Johnson who bailed out Andy Reid's offense quite often. Along with Johnson the Eagles lost team leader Brian Dawkins and corner Lito Shepherd from the secondary. Then key linebacker Stewart Bradley blew his knee out early in camp.

The Dallas Cowboys, especially Coach Wade Phillips and QB Tony Romo, can not get it done in big games.

The Dallas line is a weak link. Flabby tackle Flozell Adams has faded badly and the rest of the line, never built, for speed, has lost a step. Or two.

And if, reports in California papers are to believed, a spurned Jessica Simpson has resorted to finding relief by contacting a witch to curse Tony Romo's career and love life.

Think Romo was bad in the big games already?

Cowboys fans you haven't seen anything yet. Imagine Bewitches Samantha going way wicked on a cheating Darren? It's not for a plane pilot or a football pilot to have hexes floating in their already coverage confused brains.

Then there's is Danny Snyder's directionless Washington Redskins. The Redskin roster is filled with a quarterback, Jason Campbell, who has seemingly lost his confidence, fading free agents, below average offencive linemen, and poor special teams players.

The coach, Jim Zorn, will be staring anxiously at the owners box wondering if the restless owner is calling Mike Shanahan, Bill Cowher, Mike Holmgren, Jack Black, or just firing a few Redskin staff to shave a few bucks off the payroll.

The Giants take the division.

And a 100 buck bet will get you 180 bills back on that division bet.

But what of the playoffs?

The Green Bay Packers, a dark horse, wins the central after Project Favre flops. The Cardinals win the weak west but their luck is badly stretched. Give the south to the Atlanta Falcons. And the wild-cards to the Eagles and Carolina Panthers.

The Pack beats the Green Birds in Green Bay and the Panthers pound the Cardinals in Phoenix

The weather and the defense gives the Giants the game over Carolina in the cold. The next week a win in the weather sends the Falcons home to their Dome vowing to get home field advantage in 2010. 

A 100 dollars on the Giants to win the NFC will get you 450 bucks back.

And then the big bowl.

The Giants are built to beat teams with aging offensive lines. Teams like the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts whose old or average lineman have a hard time handling a superior defensive line.

The Giants would match up well with smash mouth, conservative clubs like the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans,  Baltimore Ravens, or San Diego Chargers would match up.

9 to 1 offers value with a quality team.

9 to 1 will win you a lot of fun in the Caribbean Sun.

Remember Rum, Cuban cigars, and Amstel brights make nice tips for hot tips.