Sportsbooks Predicting Rebound For Pittsburgh Steelers, Others In 2010?

NFL News - January 8th, 2010 - Written by John

The Tennessee Titans were projected to compete for the AFC South, and at least secure a wild card bid this year after being the top seed in the 2008 playoffs. But with Kerry Collins back at center, the Titans went through a miserable 0-6 stretch to start the year, and were one of a dozen teams to surprisingly falter with high expectations.

Bodog is offering proposition betting on these teams who had disappointing years, which will allow gamblers to predict how each of those teams will rebound in 2010.

While five other powerful teams are mentioned in the prop bet, the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only team with a minus payout of it reaches the postseason, and a positive one if not.

The Steelers, who won it's fifth Super Bowl last year, failed to even secure a wild card berth after it lost on a series of tiebreakers. After losing Troy Polamalu to a knee injury in the season opener against Tennessee, Mike Tomlin's defense was clearly shaken and surrendered more than 24 points four times in the last seven games. The year before, that total had been reached only two times all season.

The Steelers went through a devastating stretch in the middle of the schedule, losing five-straight to teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns, and a three-game run at the end of the year was too little. They have made the postseason four times in the last five years, and Bodog is giving them the best odds to return in '10. If they do, it's a -135 payout. If not, it's +105.

The aforementioned Titans are the next favorite, according to the site, and with good reason. After the slow start, Vince Young was implemented into the offense and finished the year 6-2. Chris Johnson became the league's sixth rusher to top 2,000 yards in only his second year, and will be back completely healthy. A favorable schedule would help, but for the moment, they are getting +110 odds to make the postseason.

Then it's the Houston Texans, who missed their first-ever playoff appearance on the final day when the New York Jets squeaked in. Quarterback Matt Schaub shattered his career highs with 4,770 yards and 29 scores, and was re-signed for another three years. With he and Andre Johnson still leading an explosive air attack, a bet on Houston to make it could net a +160 return. If not, it's a -200 payout.

Among the other three teams are the San Francisco 49ers, who seemed to improve with Alex Smith quarterbacking late in the year, and Atlanta Falcons, which finished back-to-back winning season for the first time in franchise history. They are both considered the long shots of the group, at +250, but those odds could improve if running backs Frank Gore and Michael Turner stay healthy.

Gore led San Francisco with 1,120 yards in '09, but was hampered by an ankle injury that kept him out for a couple weeks midway through. Turner was well on his way to 1,000, and nearly reached that total by Week 11, but suffered an ankle sprain that kept him sidelined for most of the final seven weeks.

If they fail to reach the NFL Playoffs, those participating in NFL betting will receive a -325 return.

The final team on the list, the New York Giants, is probably the most enigmatic because Eli Manning had a career year in '09, but couldn't score enough points to atone for the team's defensive miscues. New York ranked 13 in defense for the year, and gave up 40 or more points three times in the last four weeks.

The Giants were the NFC's no. 1 seed in last year's playoffs, and won the Super Bowl the year before, but couldn't match up against the rest of it's division and finished third.

If they turn things around and make the postseason, bettors receive a +250 payout. If not, it's -325.