"America's Team" will be on road Saturday night when they face the Chargers in the preseason opener for both teams. Dallas will be taking the field following a headline-grabbing offseason. Shortly after the 2007 season, owner Jerry Jones managed to retain offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, who was being courted as head coach by multiple NFL teams. Garrett was given a pay raise and assigned the title of assistant head coach in Big D, moves that are seen as exerting pressure on head coach Wade Phillips.
From a personnel standpoint, Dallas made a splash by trading for troubled cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones, also drafting running back Felix Jones to push Marion Barber atop the depth chart at that position. Barber and other key starters such as quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Terrell Owens are expected to see only limited time on Saturday, in keeping with first-game-of-preseason tradition; however, it will be quite a bit more than the Chargers' best player, LaDainian Tomlinson, who won't see any action.
Compared to Dallas, San Diego experienced a decidedly tranquil offseason. After finishing 11-5 and advancing to the AFC Championship last January, Norv Turner's club experienced precious little roster or coaching turnover, and is the overwhelming favorite to win the AFC West once again. On the injury front for the Chargers, wideout Vincent Jackson, tight end Antonio Gates, and center Nick Hardwick are among the players who will not see action against Dallas. With "LT" and others out, it gives us the opportunity to play AGAINST a team that will not have key starters playing against an opponent not resting its key players. Some coaches don't see any need to risk undue injury during the exhibition season to those players whom he already knows will be starters, which is the case for Turner and San Diego.
Wade Phillips should certainly have his team ready to go here, as coaches on the hot seat want to get off to a good start, and Phillips was an assistant in San Diego from 2004-06, installing the team's 3-4 defense. One of our NFLX coaching strategies is to play ON a team with a new head coach or assistant that was previously with his new team's current opponent. This situation is especially strong if the coach left with a bitter taste in his mouth and/or his new team is an underdog. These coaches know their ex-team and ex-players very well, and if the schemes they left behind are still in tact, they will have a a huge gameplanning edge. While this is Phillips second year in Dallas, he will still be looking to make a stament with his team against San Diego.
Finally, in looking at some numbers, we note that Dallas is 13-3 SU & ATS vs. the AFC, including 5-0 ATS as an underdog vs. the AFC. On the other hand, Norv Turner is an ugly 3-8-2 ATS as an NFLX home favorite and 8-16 ATS overall in his last 6 NFL preseasons. The Chargers haven't fared well in NFLX openers, going 1-6 ATS in their last 7 Game 1s. We look for the 'Boys to make the most of their trip out West here and hold off a listless home team just wanting to avoid any serious injuries.
PROJECTED FINAL MARGIN: DALLAS BY 4 OVER SAN DIEGO
When it comes to picking pro football games, there are a number of factors that can affect your success. Last minute injuries to key players, weather, and even an odd bounce of the ball can mean the difference between a win and a loss for both the football team and for you. So how do you make the right picks? There is no real answer; in fact it is called gambling for a reason. There are, though, some tips you should consider. So, to that end, here are some tips on choosing the best pro football pick.
Pick Early
One of the best tips on choosing the best pro football picks you can get is to pick early. When the lines first come out on the game, that is the time you will likely get the most favorable spread. As the week goes on, bets are placed, and things happen, the spread can change dramatically, which can make it much more difficult for you to decide. When you make the picks early in the week you can get on the bet when the line is fresh and before betting has driven it one way or another. This is probably the most common of the many tips on choosing the best pro football picks you will hear.
Go With Your Gut
Another one of the best tips on choosing the best pro football picks you will get is to go with your guy. One of the biggest mistakes that amateur football gamblers will make is to over-think or overanalyze the games. You likely do not have inside information or access to the teams, so beyond what you already know about the game and the teams, there is not much you will learn that will allow you to "cheat" the line. Even pro gamblers fail often, so overanalyzing the games will not help you any more than going with your gut will. See the line, think about the game, decide how you feel about it, and make your picks. It sounds simple, but it is going to serve you better than studying the game deeply.
Pick A Game On Its Own
One of the best, but least heard tips on choosing the best pro football picks is to pick each game on its own. What does that mean? Instead of hedging your bets by picking one game one way because of how you chose another one, you should pick each game in a vacuum, so to speak. Make your picks and stick with them. Hedging can eventually cause you to lose two games when you might have only lost one otherwise. Keep that in mind and you will actually minimize your losses more than when you try to hedge out.
There are many pro tips on choosing the best pro football picks out there, but these are a few to get you started. Remember, pick early on the first line, go with what your gut tells you, don't over-think the game, and pick each game on its own merit. Do those things and you will be on your way to responsible picking of pro games.on the links.
Both Jerry Fox & Jack Peterson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jerry Fox has sinced written about articles on various topics from Anger Control, Recreation and Sports and Fitness. Jerry Fox is the founder of ProInfoSports.com, a professional sports handicapping and sports investment firm. Along with providing his premium. Jerry Fox's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Jack Peterson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Basketball, Recreation and Sports and Football. Jack Peterson has an interest in Football Picks related topics. To access more information on or on. Jack Peterson's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.