Tampa Bay got a surprisingly dominant 16-10 home victory over Carolina in Week 1. Rookie tailback Doug Martin, who won the starting job in camp, powered his way to a sensational debut of 95 yards on 24 carries.  The Bucs defense played fast, they played hard and they certainly caused issues up front for the Carolina front. They held a team that was ranked third in rushing in the league last year to 10 yards; it was minus-1 at half time.

Last year’s No. 1 running back, LeGarrette Blount, appeared to be shaken up on a 1-yard gain in the second quarter but wasn’t listed as an injury during or after a game in which he carried only three times. While the Bucs wait to learn if Blount will be available Sunday, they’ve turned their focus to the daunting task of facing one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks for the second straight week.

Sheridan’s defense kept the heat on Carolina’s Cam Newton impressively at Raymond James Stadium, but New York’s Eli Manning presents a new challenge as one of the game’s great line-of-scrimmage improvisers with a pair of Super Bowl championship rings to show for his efforts.

New York lost at home to Dallas 17-24 in Week 1. Their defense allowed Dallas quarterback Tony Romo to throw three touchdown passes while running back DeMarco Murray ran for 131 yards. Their offense sputtered. The run game was almost non-existent and Eli Manning and his receivers produced two big plays. Put that week behind you and move on to the Bucs.

Coach Tom Coughlin was struck by what he saw from Tampa Bay’s defense during the season-opening win against the Panthers. He saw some familiar concepts in coordinator Mike Sullivan’s offensive scheme which might be helpful in the Giants’ preparation. Sullivan was on the Giants’ staff before coming to Tampa Bay this year.

Even with a far more experienced squad, New York head coach Tom Coughlin isn’t taking this week’s match-up lightly. “I’ve watched the preseason games and I’ve watched this game, and I think Tampa Bay plays hard. They certainly have taken well to the new staff,” he said by conference call Wednesday.

“They’re rushing the ball and doing a nice job taking care of it — not turning it over — and have cut down on penalties. Their offensive line is doing a good job. They’ve added some fine players through free agency, and their three top rookies are all starters. Defensively, they’re playing very well. Giving up 10 yards rushing to the team that was seventh in the league last year, that’s a pretty good job. Their special teams are very good and fast. So the first win of the year was impressive.”

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Week 2 NFL Picks & Betting Trends:
Under is 7-0 in the last 7 meetings.
Road team is 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Buccaneers are 0-4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
Buccaneers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in Week 2.
Giants are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games in Week 2.
Buccaneers are 0-4 ATS in their last 4 road games.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New York Giants.
When: Sunday Sept 16th@1:00 PM ET
Pick: Giants -7

The Bottom Line: The Giants will rebound, but the Bucs have confidence. I think the Bucs can’t produce the offense to match the Giants.

Sports-Odds.com recommends you check out our consensus Week 2 NFL Picks before the Sunday games kick off.

Los Angeles has been a mixed bag, all or nothing club since the All-Star break, posting a four game losing streak as well as a five game win streak. The club comes into tonight’s contest having lost three straight after its 5-3 win over St. Louis in the opener of a four game set at Busch Stadium.

Still, despite its difficult June and up and down July, L.A., at 53-47, finds itself just three games back of the division leading Giants. It will attempt to chip away at San Francisco’s advantage this evening with rookie right hander Stephen Fife. Fife made his big league debut last Tuesday and he made impressive showing, limiting the Phillies to four hits and one earned run over six innings in a 2-3 Dodger loss.

Unfortunately for Fife and the Dodgers, he will be countered by one of baseball’s best pitchers in the Giants Matt Cain. Cain has produced some shaky starts of late, though, yielding a total of 14 earned runs in last four appearances (26.5 innings pitched) and he gave up three home runs in his most recent outing. Still, Cain brings a 10-3 record (19 starts) and 2.74 ERA to the hill this evening. Cain, who owns a 3-8 record in 19 starts opposite the Dodgers, is 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA in nine appearances at AT&T Park this season; the Giants are 7-2 in those games.

San Francisco has won of the six meetings between these two rivals this season and it swept the Dodgers in a three game set at AT&T Park in late June to take the division lead from Los Angeles.

MLB Odds Betting Trend: The Giants are 8-2 in their last 10 games as a home favorite in the month of July.

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MLB Odds 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers vs San Francisco Giants: Provided by Bovada.lv

Los Angeles Dodgers +1.5 (-145), Over 6.5 (-115), +165 (Moneyline)

San Francisco Giants -1.5 (+125), Under 6.5 (-105), -185 (Moneyline)

At one point in the season, the Dodgers were probably considered by many to be the best team in the league, but that point has come and gone. Right now, Los Angeles is playing like, arguably, the worst team in baseball, having scored just 13 runs in its last nine games.

The Dodgers offensive collapse has resulted in the team posting a 1-8 record since June 19th, and never was it more problematic than in this week’s series with NL West rival San Francisco. Los Angeles did not produce a single run in its three game set with the Giants, allowing San Francisco to pull into a first place tie in the division standings.

The Dodgers can only hope the offense comes alive tonight when they face former Padre Chris Young. Young, who has made only four starts this season, has not been spectacular, but he has certainly been adequate, allowing just nine earned runs in 23 2/3 innings of work for a 3.42 ERA. Unfortunately for the towering right hander, the Mets, outside on an 11 outburst against the Rays, have not provided him a great deal of offensive support (scored 10 total runs in his other three starts). Consequently, New York is just 1-3 with Young on the hill this season.

The Mets, who are coming off back-to-back series losses, improved their record to 40-36 yesterday as they pounded out an eye popping 17 runs in a series finale win over the Cubs. They will look to keep the bats hot this evening when they square off against former Met Chris Capuano. Capuano, who is having a career year, enters tonight’s start with a 9-2 record and 2.60 ERA. He is coming off two starts in which he allowed just 13 hits, two earned runs, and one walk over 15 innings (16 strikeouts). Capuano is 5-0 with a 1.57 ERA in seven starts at Dodger Stadium this season.

MLB Odds Betting Trend: The Dodgers are 9-1 in their last 10 games as a home favorite with a moneyline spread between 120 and 140 and a game total between 6 and 7 runs.

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MLB Picks 2012 New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers: Provided by TopBet.com

New York Mets +1.5 (-195), Over 7 (+110), +119 (Moneyline)

Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5 (+165), Under 7 (-130), -129 (Moneyline)

The ticker-tape has yet to be cleaned up from yesterday’s championship celebration in Indianapolis, but somehow the Giants are still in an underdog role of sorts with three NFC teams favored to beat them out in the race to win Super Bowl XLVII. While New York, which figures to be right in the thick of things next year, may take offense, it probably should not.

There have been a number of repeat Super Bowl winners but it is by no means common for a team to win back-to-back championships. Only eight times in the 46 year history of the Super Bowl has a team repeated and the last club to do it was the Tom Brady led Patriots in 2004 and 2005.

The Giants would seemingly have the makings to win it all next season, though, as Eli Manning and a majority of the team’s top performers, including Justin Tuck, Jason Pierre-Paul, Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Kenny Phillips, all return. And while a back-to-back title would defy the odds, New York, especially at 15 to 1 odds, is worth a long look.

However, the Packers, the favorite to win Super Bowl XLVI, should provide some stiff competition for the likes of New York, New England, and New Orleans. Green Bay nearly put together a perfect regular season, but its mistake laden divisional round playoff loss to the Giants ended what many believed would be an inevitable run to Lucas Oil Stadium. With Aaron Rodgers still throwing the ball for Green Bay, the Packers will have an opportunity to make amends for that setback and potentially bring another Lombardi back to Wisconsin.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan, after yesterday’s winning plays on the side and total, improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 87-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and the good news for NFL Football bettors was  – TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS WERE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charged big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL season by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

2013 Super Bowl Odds: Provided by Bovada.lv

Green Bay Packers 6/1
New England Patriots 7/1
New Orleans Saints 8/1
Houston Texans 12/1
Philadelphia Eagles 12/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1
Baltimore Ravens 14/1
New York Giants 15/1
New York Jets 16/1
San Diego Chargers 16/1
San Francisco 49ers 16/1
Dallas Cowboys 18/1
Detroit Lions 18/1
Atlanta Falcons 22/1
Arizona Cardinals 30/1
Chicago Bears 30/1
Miami Dolphins 35/1
Cincinnati Bengals 40/1
Tennessee Titans 40/1
Carolina Panthers 50/1
Denver Broncos 50/1
Indianapolis Colts 50/1
Kansas City Chiefs 50/1
Oakland Raiders 50/1
Buffalo Bills 60/1
Seattle Seahawks 60/1
Washington Redskins 60/1
Minnesota Vikings 75/1
St. Louis Rams 75/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75/1
Cleveland Browns 100/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 100/1

2012 Super Bowl Results Payouts:

Winning Side: New York +2.5 to +3 points

The Giants opened as a +3 dog, a number which returned as much as +115 in some cases (Bovada.lv), but that number had gone down to +2.5 yesterday with a -105 attached to it (SBG Global). So if someone jumped on the Giants early, they would have won $115 for every $100 wagered; a late play (-105) would have resulted in a $100 return for every $100 wagered. Those backing the Patriots at -2.5 points (the late line yesterday) would have lost $115 for every $100 wagered (-115).

Moneyline Win: New York +110 to +135

Those who splurged on a straight up Giants victory were rewarded with anywhere from a $110 to $135 return on every $100 wagered. Of course, the early action is always better (if you are on the right side) as a +135 line was no where to be found yesterday. Moneyline Patriots backers lost anywhere from $130 to $140 on every $100 they wagered on a straight up New England win.

Winning Total: Under 55 to 54 Points

The total, in most every case, featured the standard -110 line. In other words, individuals playing the Under won $100 for every $100 wagered while those siding with the Over lost $110 for every $100 wagered.

Throughout the week I provided a number of recommendations on everything from the winning side to some obscure prop bets. Here’s how I fared in my predictions:

Wins - 10 for a return of $1030 (based upon $100 wager scale)

Side: Giants +3 (+115) Giants won by four points
Total: Under 54 Points (-110) Game resulted in 38 points
New England Team Total: Under 29.5 Points (-110) The Patriots scored just 17 points
Will the Giants convert a 4th Down: No (-200) The Giants did not go for it on fourth down
Will the Patriots convert a 4th Down: Yes (+105) New England converted on its lone fourth down attempt
First team to kickoff will be: New England (-260) Patriots snapped an NFC streak of 14 consecutive coin toss victories but elected to kickoff
Team to get the first 1st Down of the game: New York (-200) Giants recorded four first downs on their opening drive
New England first TD of the game: TD Pass (-220) Brady connected with Danny Woodhead on a four yard pass
Total TD Passes – Tom Brady: Under 2.5 (+110) Brady threw two touchdown passes (Woodhead, Aaron Hernandez)
Total TD Passes – Eli Manning: Under 2.5 (-175) Manning threw one touchdown pass (Victor Cruz)

Losses - four for a loss of $520 (based upon a $100 wager scale)

Will either team score three unanswered times: No (+135) Both teams scored three unanswered times
Will the opening kickoff result in a touchback: Yes (-190) Opening kick returned to the 23 yard line
Total pass attempts – Tom Brady: Under 39.5 (-115) Brady threw 41 passes
Total pass attempts – Eli Manning: Under 39.5 (-115) Manning threw 40 passes

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan, after yesterday’s winning plays on the side and total, improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 87-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and the good news for NFL Football bettors was  – TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS WERE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charged big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL season by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

New England and New York arrived in Indianapolis by wildly divergent paths, but they are both here nonetheless and ready to do battle. The Giants were the last team to officially punch a post-season ticket as they needed a win over Dallas to secure the NFC East and a spot in the playoffs. The Patriots, on the other hand, went in as the AFC’s top seed after producing a 13-3 regular season record.

New England played two home playoff games in route to the Super Bowl while New York hosted a Wild Card contest before hitting the road to face two of the league’s best teams, Green Bay and San Francisco. Both clubs were tested in their respective conference championship games, though, as the Pats barely slipped by a tough Ravens team and the Giants needed overtime to turn back the 49ers.

Everyone knows the strength and weaknesses here, they have been discussed all week. And most pundits believe New York to be the more well-rounded team at this juncture. The Giants have some holes, but they are small ones as their once porous defense has played like a top five unit down the stretch. New England is viewed more as a high powered offense with a bend, don’t break type defense that does just enough to help keep the Patriots out of the loss column.

New York, strangely, has talked an inordinate amount of trash coming into this game, something that did not take place four years ago. The Giants embraced the underdog role given to them by the odds makers but they have acted as though tonight’s result is a foregone conclusion. New England has been quite, though, keeping to its low key script while hoping to silence the chatty Giants on the field this evening.

All the talking will disappear once the ball is in the air and the G-Men, for all their bluster and talk of being under appreciated and under valued, will give New England all it can handle. The Patriots will be game too, though. This is not Tom Brady or Bill Belichick’s first rodeo…they know what this looks and feels like. I suspect Brady will shake off his ugly AFC Championship Game performance and provide a more than worthy adversary for New York’s recently revamped defense.

The bigger question, however, is whether or not the Patriots secondary can stand up to Eli Manning and the Giants host of explosive receivers. We all know there will be some bending going on, but just how much breaking will New England do? Well, if I am correct in my assessments enough to see the Giants hoist a fifth Lombardi Trophy.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan heads into the Super Bowl on a 6-3 playoff run, which has improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 85-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and he is now poised to send them into the off-season with a championship winner. The good news for NFL Football bettors is  - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

Giants vs Patriots Odds 2012 Super Bowl: Provided by SBG Global

New York Giants +2.5 (-105), Over 54 (-110), +120 (Moneyline)

New England Patriots -2.5 (-115), Under 54 (-110), -140 (Moneyline)

Giants vs Patriots Prediction 2012 Super Bowl: Provided by Bovada.lv

Super Bowl XLVI – Will the opening kickoff result in a touchback:

Yes (-190)
No (+155)

Odds are that New England will kickoff as it always defers in the event of a coin toss win, which means the Patriots Stephen Gostkowski will, most likely, be the first player to touch the ball in Super Bowl XLVI. Gostkowski has nine touchbacks in the Pats two playoff games (14 kickoffs) and he figures to record another to get things started in Indy.

Super Bowl XLVI – Team to get the first 1st down of the game:

New York Giants (First 1st Down) -200
New England Patriots (First 1st Down) +160

I’ve mentioned New England’s penchant for deferring, a fact that makes this wager far more predictable. Assuming the Giants get the ball first, it seems probable they will pick up at least one first down in their first possession of Super Bowl XLVI. Nothing is certain, but you can call me shocked if the Pats defense produces a three and out to open the game.

Super Bowl XLVI – New England Patriots first TD of the game:

TD Pass (-220)
Any other TD (+180)

Just playing the percentages here…TD Pass. New England threw 39 touchdown passes this season; it only produced 18 rushing touchdowns, two defensive touchdowns, and one special teams touchdown. Seems like a TD pass is the way to go.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan heads into the Super Bowl on a 6-3 playoff run, which has improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 85-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and he is now poised to send them into the off-season with a championship winner. The good news for NFL Football bettors is  - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

2012 Super Bowl Prop Bets: Provided by Bovada.lv

Total Passing Attempts – Tom Brady:

Over 39.5 (-115)
Under 39.5 (-115)

Take the Under 39.5 here. While Brady has attempted over 39.5 passes eight times this season, he has only done so one time in the Patriots last nine games. That’s a trend folks and one New England is not likely to deviate from considering it won all nine of those games. Also working in favor of the Under is the probability that this game stays close. It seems doubtful that New England finds itself in a chase position the majority of the game, which would be required for Brady to exceed the 39.5 pass attempt total.

Total TD Passes – Tom Brady:

Over 2.5 (-140)
Under 2.5 (+110)

Sunday will mark Tom Brady’s fifth Super Bowl appearance and while he is known for his brilliance on the biggest of stages, he only exceeded the 2.5 touchdown mark one time in his previous four championship game outings. Brady also has just five touchdown passes in four career meetings with the Giants, putting the odds in favor of the Under 2.5.

Total TD Passes – Eli Manning:

Over 2.5 (+145)
Under 2.5 (-175)

Manning has crested the 2.5 touchdown pass mark two times this post-season, but a third occurrence seems improbable, even against New England’s suspect pass defense. Consider that Manning has thrown over 2.5 touchdown passes just six times in 19 games this season and only twice in 16 career playoff games and I think you will find that the Under, once again, is the reasonable play.

Total Pass Attempts – Eli Manning:

Over 39.5 (-130)
Under 39.5 (+100)

In sticking with my theme, I am going to recommend the Under here as well. Manning went over the 39.5 pass attempt total five times when the Giants went through a 1-5 slump late in the season, but he has done so just once (NFC Championship Game) since their remarkable resurgence. Here’s betting Manning sticks around 33 to 36 pass attempts against the Pats, which is still well above his career playoff average of 19.75 attempts per game.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan heads into the Super Bowl on a 6-3 playoff run, which has improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 85-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and he is now poised to send them into the off-season with a championship winner. The good news for NFL Football bettors is  - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

2012 Super Bowl Bets: Provided by SBG Global

Will either team score three unanswered times in the game:

Yes -175
No +135

Both of these offenses are explosive and capable of scoring in bunches which is precisely why the No at +135 odds makes the most sense. It seems unreasonable to think that either defense will completely shut down the two respective offenses. The only way I see three unanswered scores coming to fruition is via the turnover.

Will the Giants convert a fourth down:

Yes +150
No -200

New York was anything but efficient at converting the fourth down in the regular season, hitting on just four of its 13 attempts and it has only gone for it on fourth down two times (1-for-2) in these playoffs. While the odds are not the best, here’s betting the Giants either do not go for it of fourth down or are unsuccessful in converting a fourth down attempt.

Will the Patriots convert a fourth down:

Yes +105
No -135

In closer games Bill Belichick is not afraid to gamble a bit, especially if he feels a fourth down conversion might be the difference between winning and losing. New England did quite well on fourth down during the regular season, converting on seven of its 11 attempts (64 percent) and it is 1-for-1 in the post-season with a successful conversion against the Ravens in the AFC Championship.

First team to kickoff will be:

Giants +200
Patriots -260

If the Patriots win the coin toss, we know they will defer as they have with every winning toss since Tom Brady injured his knee in the 2008 season opener against Kansas City. There is always the chance that New York wins and defers, but that seems unlikely. Yes, the odds are kind of steep, but the chances of New England kicking off first are extremely high.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan heads into the Super Bowl on a 6-3 playoff run, which has improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 85-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and he is now poised to send them into the off-season with a championship winner. The good news for NFL Football bettors is  - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

This game has already been broken down, analyzed, critiqued to the nth degree, but with money on the line, one can never be too certain. With that in mind, let me state why it is I think the Giants will win this game or, at the very least, cover the three point spread. It comes down to a critical match-up between the Giants passing game and the Patriots leaky secondary.

New York’s offense ranked fifth in the league in pass yards per game with an average of 295.5 while New England’s pass defense ranked 31st, giving up an average of 293.9 yards per contest. The Patriots defense did play better down the stretch and it performed reasonably well in playoff wins over Denver and Baltimore, but the secondary is clearly behind the eight ball in Sunday’s meeting with New York.

The Giants feasted on weak pass defenses this year as they posted a 7-2 record against clubs that ranked 19th or worse in pass yards per game allowed. The only two teams to beat New York out of that illustrious group were the Saints and Packers. However, the Giants faced both of those squads at a time when their defense was struggling, an issue they are not dealing with at this juncture. In other words, it is doubtful the Patriots will be able to march the ball up and down the field against New York in the same fashion New Orleans and Green Bay did during the regular season.

Want even more assurance that the Giants are going to exploit New England’s secondary on Sunday? Here are Eli Manning’s numbers in the nine games New York played against the league’s worst pass defenses: 20 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 105.9 passer rating.

Publisher’s Note: NFL Odds Expert Tyler Morgan heads into the Super Bowl on a 6-3 playoff run, which has improved his 2011-2012 NFL Picks record to an astounding 85-48-4 (64 %). Tyler’s moves put thousands of dollars into his clients hands week after week during the regular season and playoffs and he is now poised to send them into the off-season with a championship winner. The good news for NFL Football bettors is  - TYLER MORGAN’S PICKS ARE FREE – unlike most self proclaimed experts who charge big bucks to subscribers. Put a few Morgan Silver Dollars in your bank account during the 2012 NFL Playoffs by getting Tyler’s winning plays for FREE. Feel free to sign up to get NFL Picks Free!

Giants vs Patriots Spread 2012 Super Bowl: Provided by Bovada.lv

New York Giants +3 (-115), Over 54 (-110), +115 (Moneyline)

New England Patriots -3 (-105), Under 54 (-110), -135 (Moneyline)