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Despite a bowl effort in his fi rst season with the Wildcats last year, Joker Phillip’s squad petered out down the stretch, going 2-4 SU and 1-4 ATS in its final six games.

Will the Bluegrass Cats open like last year’s 3-0 SU and ATS debut under Phillips or will they continue to underperform? We won’t lay substantial points to fi nd out, especially against a ‘Toppers team that made huge strides last season, winning their fi rst two conference games in school history.

WKU also snapped a 20-game ITS (In The Stats) losing skein when it outgained fi ve foes overall. Not onlydo the Sun-Belters return 17 starters overall (10 on defense), RB Bobby Rainey is back after rushing for 1,649 yards and 15 TD’s.

By comparison, UK’s loss of big-time playmaker WR Randall Cobb to the NFL represents just the tip of a troubling offensive iceberg: the Wildcats must replace 80% of their total rushing attack, 92% of their passing yardage and two receivers that combined for 1,942 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Kentucky is -19½ point favorites at Luxbet Mobile and the total is 51½.

Granted,Kentucky may have won and covered all three games as a big favorite last year – including a 35-point pounding of the Hilltoppers – but they’re about to run headlong into a revenge-minded bunch that boasts a 5-1 ATS mark of late as dogs of more than 17 points.

Yes, the game takes place at LP Field in Nashville (home of the Tennessee Titans) instead of WKU’s home turf in Bowling Green.

Most teams have made their important regular season decisions by week four of the preseason. Teams know who their starting quarterback will be, the starting running back and who will be playing on the offensive line. But the Redskins are not quite so sure just yet. Head coach Mike Shanahan, who has drastically altered his coaching style since arriving in Washington to something more chaotic than fans are used to, still has not settled on a starting quarterback. In a game where coaches should be looking to make final decisions on second and third-string players for special teams and the depth chart, the Redskins are still trying to figure out their starting line up. The offensive and defensive lines are still in a state of transition as well. Shanahan has some decent players to choose from, but he needs to make up his mind soon.

The Buccaneers have been ready for the regular season for a while now. The NFL betting lines have the Bucs contending for a playoff spot this season based on the team’s strong play last year. But this is still a young Tampa Bay team with a lot to learn about winning big games. The Bucs have been very reserved in this preseason. There has been a lot of generic offensive schemes and the constant cycling in and out of second and third-string players. Tampa is methodically getting ready for a season in which it hopes to dominate. This game will be a preview of the special teams and depth chart players for the Bucs that fans may still find very interesting.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

NFL fans were more than a little entertained when Tampa head coach Raheem Morris announced that his team was one of the best in the NFC. In a conference dominated by the Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons, Morris put his young squad out there with the best of them. Morris was jumping the gun a little, but that did not stop him from making the same statement in an interview during this preseason. Confidence from the head coach is one thing, but the Bucs need to start putting together the play on the field to back up those strong words. Quarterback Josh Freeman has been very reserved in this preseason along with the rest of the Tampa offense. This game will solidify the second and third-string players and give Freeman a rest. But it will be interesting to see what the real Tampa offense looks like on opening day.

Washington Redskins

Quarterbacks John Beck and Rex Grossman have both put on stellar preseason performances. But both quarterbacks have been NFL picks to be a starter in the past based on preseason performances, and both failed in the regular season. Mike Shanahan still has chaos reigning in Washington, and the fans are curious to see what kinds of final decisions Shanahan makes for the Redskins in this last preseason game.

The Bottom Line

The bass fishing around Tampa Bay is some of the best in the country, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have their sights set on the NFL playoffs. This game will probably feature a lot of Washington starters in the first half, which is why the Redskins should be able to win this final preseason game.

BSNblog Pick: Washington Redskins

St. Louis Rams @ Kansas City Chiefs

Friday August 26, 2011 – 8:00 PM ET

Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

NFL Betting Lines : St. Louis Rams – 2

These in-state rivals rarely see eachother in games that matter, but that could change in the near future as both are projected to be trending upward. The Rams fell just short of a division title a year ago with a loss to the Seattle Seahawks on the final day f the regular season, while Kansas City made no excuse in taking the AFC West.

NFL Betting Preview: St. Louis Rams

The Rams have shown significant progress over the past couple of years, and with a perfect start through the first two games of the preseason they aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon. The offense is finally coming together with a healthy Sam Bradford looking to make the most of the lack of weapons around him, although he does have running back Stephen Jackson rumbling on the ground. Meanwhile, with the addition of rookie first round pick defensive end Robert Quinn, St. Louis may have one of the most underrated defensive lines in the NFC. The Rams will need that line to generate pressure in order to avoid having their secondary exposed, and will face a good test this week against Matt Cassell and the Chiefs.

NFL Betting Preview: Kansas City Chiefs

With Dwayne Bowe continuing to emerge as one of the league’s better playmakers and Jamaal Charles making the chains move on the ground, Cassell has some quality weapons around him to make his job a lot easier. The biggest question mark for Kansas City heading into this season is whether or not the defense can make things work enough to keep them on top of the division, and if the preseason is any indication that may be a negative. The Chiefs have allowed an average of 28 points through two betonline preseason games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens, and will need to show more intensity against the Rams.

NFL Betting Preview: Outlook & Pick

The Chiefs have to be very careful not to become too complacent after winning the AFC West a year ago, especially with both the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders improved. Kansas City will get another good test against the Rams this week in an in-state battle, and it will be crucial for the team to respond with a much better effort with just two weeks to go before their sports betting bonus regular season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

BSNblog Pick: St. Louis Rams -2

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens

Friday, 7:30 PM ET

The Ravens have managed to keep the Super Bowl window open for years, and with Joe Flacco finally reaching a Pro Bowl level, this could finally be the year that everything comes together in Baltimore. The Ravens’ defense had no answer for Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense in week one, but should have a much easier time against a Chiefs’ team that was shutout 25-0 at home, especially if Matt Cassell doesn’t see much time. Baltimore was the team that knocked Kansas City out of the playoffs a year ago, but this game will be more about building for the sports betting bonus season than getting revenge.

NFL Betting Pick: Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos

Saturday, 8:30 PM ET

The Bills have the best pass-rush in the NFL after week one of the preseason, and they will look to let their motors loose once again with veteran Shawne Merriman leading the way against Denver. Buffalo has a ton of question marks on both sides of the ball, but the one spot that is locked in is at quarterback, where Ryan Fitzpatrick is the unquestioned starter. The Broncos are now in a stage where it appears as though Kyle Orton is also a lock to start at quarterback, but that doesn’t mean that Tim Tebow won’t make things interesting over the next couple of games. Tebow will have every opportunity to prove his merit with three preseason games remaining, and he could make the betonline difference in front of the home crowd at Mile High Stadium in week two.

NFL Betting Pick: Denver Broncos

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets

Sunday, 8:00 PM ET

The Jets were somewhat humbled in week one of the preseason as the Houston Texans beat them up on both sides of the ball, and a return trip home will mean getting back to the basics. With fullback John Connor penciled in as a starter, New York will play to the run more than ever on offense this season, allowing Mark Sanchez to go over the top on play-action passes. The Bengals were blown away 34-3 by a Detroit Lions’ team that isn’t considered to even be in the same class as New York, and with head coach Rex Ryan’s defense looking to dial up some blitzes to make life difficult for Cincinnati rookie Andy Dalton, things could get ugly in a hurry as the favorites look to make a sports betting statement.

NFL Betting Pick: New York Jets

If all reports are accurate, expect the preseason to be one of the most intense in recent memory. Essentially, due to the college football betting NFL lockout, training camp was limited to roughly a few days rather than a month. What this means, is that all the auditions and new systems teams would have learned during training camp and tested out in practice, will be moved to preseason. This also means that teams using new free agent or rookies in their starting lineup will take extended looks at what they have.

For instance, in Jacksonville and Cincinnati, rookie quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Andy Dalton, will be thrown into action right away. Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis has already stated, that due to the short training camp, his starters, and in particular, 2011 second round draft pick Andy Dalton, will see a ton of action, during Friday’s preseason game. In Jacksonville on the contrary, Blaine Gabbert is receiving his reps by circumstance, as normal starter David Garrard is out with an injury.

With fans and experts alike curious about a variety of team’s offseason moves, and how they will gel, the preseason will provide a small sample size of what they can expect this year. One game on everybody’s preseason calendar is the Thursday night opening game featuring the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles. On the one hand, the Ravens will be introducing fans to a new look offense, that has both a whole new rushing contingent and a whole new wide receiving corp. On the other hand, the Eagles will be displaying the new look defense, that includes free agent prize Nnamdi Asomugha.

Conversely, fans will expecting blowout wins during the preseason, need look no farther than Friday’s preseason opener featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. In an ironic twist, Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman claimed his team would lay the smack down on the NFC this season, however on Friday Pittsburgh will most likely put the cleats to the Redskins.

Through the aforementioned games, fans and media alike have plenty of games over the next few days to look forward too. What’s more, the short training camp has opened the door to plenty of competitions during the preseason. This in turn, allows fans and handicappers the opportunity to research each team individually, and form an idea on who to back before placing Super Bowl future wagers for Super Bowl 46 in February 2012.

It’s only preseason, but it is something that many football fans and players thought they would never see. The Baltimore Ravens come into this season with some high expectations. The offense has questions that need to be answered such as the consistency of the offensive line and the leadership abilities of quarterback Joe Flacco. The NFL betting lines do not have the Ravens as a top favorite to win it all, but there is enough curiosity on the part of the betting public to make this Ravens team something to watch. The real pressure to win for Baltimore will come for inside the organization from leaders such as linebacker Ray Lewis and defensive secondary specialist Ed Reed.

The Philadelphia Eagles made a few moves in free agency that turned a lot of heads in the NFL. The most notable move was getting cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, but quarterback Vince Young and running back Ronnie Brown were quieter signings that could make a difference in 2011. NFL fans in Philadelphia do wonder why the Eagles would take a back-up quarterback that plays a similar style to the starter, but the Eagles are more interested in winning that in a change of pace in their quarterbacks. The Eagles are happy that disgruntled wide receiver DeSean Jackson ended his holdout and reported to training camp, but the team is not getting a lot of support from fans on this one. Jackson is scheduled to make $565,000 this year, and for the player that carried the bulk of the offensive load for his team in 2010, that number does not sit well with anyone.

Baltimore Ravens

Because of the shortened training camp due to the lockout, fans may not get the chance to see many of the Ravens veteran starters in this game. However, it is very possible that Joe Flacco and the first offensive unit could see two or more series in this game before being taken out. The offense is a primary concern in Baltimore, and the coaching staff wants to get the first unit as much time as possible together in this preseason to make up for lost practice time. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will see very limited action if they are even allowed to get on the field at all. But the Ravens also want to see their second and third string players as those units may get called on frequently during the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles fans should get ready to see a lot of second string players in this game. More than likely, Michael Vick may get a couple of snaps, maybe even a full series, but he will be quickly replaced by Vince Young. Ronnie Brown could start at running back to get some time behind the first-unit offensive line. The Eagles seemed to lack depth on their roster last season, so betonline football fans can expect head coach Andy Reid to take a good, long look at his second and third string players in this game.

The Bottom Line

The Ravens and Eagles are expected to be top contenders in their conferences this season. But one of the things that both teams need is depth. The shortened training camp and the need to look at second and third string players could be something that plays into the hands of the Eagles in this game.

BSNblog Pick: Philadelphia Eagles

In 2010, the AFC West had a changing of the guard, as the Kansas City Chiefs led by quarterback wide receiver tandem, Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe, came out of seemingly nowhere to win the division. Kansas City was one of the highest scoring teams in the NFL last season, as they literally lit up opponents in a similar fashion to AFC rivals the Indianapolis Colts.

Another team with much success last season was the Oakland Raiders, who for the first time in roughly eight years, were able to finish with a 500 record. The Raiders, a team with one of the biggest fan bases in sports, finally gave their loyal patrons something to cheer about, as they went undefeated against the AFC West last season. The only issue was, similar to CFL team the Toronto Argonauts, the Raiders stunk against the rest of the league, going a measly two and eight.

San Diego and Denver by all accounts took steps back in 2010, but look to be improved heading into this season. The Chargers led by quarterback Philip Rivers, had one of the best defenses in the league, but one of the worst offenses. Rivers himself had an impressive season, but his wide receivers were nothing to write home about.

Denver had plans of building on the 2009 season, in which they won the first six games of the season. However, due to several locker room issues that affected team chemistry, Denver would have a disastrous 2010 campaign.

Entering the 2011 – 12 seasons, the AFC West has the potential to be one of the most exciting divisions in all of football. Kansas City and Oakland showed a ton of progress in their team’s development and will look to go from middle of the pack to contender status this year. San Diego should have an improved offense which should keep them competitive. Denver is the wildcard of the division, as anything will be better than last season.

In theory, the AFC West could have two teams qualify for the playoffs this year, one of which should be able to make it to the Super Bowl. Will this be the year San Diego finally parts ways with the choke artist label, or will Kansas City, Oakland or Denver make it back to the Super Bowl?

Philadelphia Eagles – Predicted finish: First

Fans of the Philadelphia Eagles felt pretty good about the team’s chances of winning the NFC East even before free agency. What made Eagles’ fans nervous was the team’s collapse in the playoffs. While some of the Philadelphia signings made sense in improving the team, others are more interesting to examine.

Vince Young will not be part of the NFL betting lines results for the first time in a couple of years as he backs up Michael Vick in Philadelphia. Considering Young’s tremendous ego, and his divisive ways in the locker room, it is interesting to see him agree to become a back up at a time when he should be peaking as a starter. This dynamic will be one to watch, and fans will be looking to see how head coach Andy Reid handles Young.

The Eagles had a pretty good defense, and it just got better with the signings of cornerbacks Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. That leaves cornerback Asante Samuel’s future in doubt but any team could use three high-quality cornerbacks.

Dallas Cowboys – Predicted finish: Second

The Cowboys are the best of what will prove to be a bad bunch of football teams in the NFC East. The owners of the teams in the NFC East have systematically taken what used to be one of the best divisions in football and made it one of the worst. When Asomugha went to the Eagles, the NFL fans in Dallas cringed. The Dallas offense will now have a difficult time keeping up with the Philadelphia defense. The release of wide receiver Roy Williams now puts the Cowboys’ offensive fate in the hands of Miles Austin and Dez Bryant. It will be interesting to see if any kind of chemistry develops between quarterback Tony Romo and his two wide receivers.

New York Giants – Predicted finish: Third

The Giants will bolt out to an early lead in the NFC East and look like they may even grab home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. But in the second half of the season, the Giants will bumble and stumble their way out of the playoff race. How do we know this? It has happened for two consecutive seasons in New York and the same people that let it happen those last two times are still in place for 2011.

Washington Redskins – Predicted finish: Fourth

The Redskins are a mess. They have no quarterback thanks to head coach Mike Shanahan’s inexplicable behavior last season, and their defense is questionable as well. If the Redskins do not start some sort of rebuilding process this year, then it could be a long time before betonline Washington fans see the playoffs again.