During the NFL preseason, unique conditions occur; therefore, successful sports investment and handicap require different strategies than those used during any other time of the professional soccer season. Previously, we have revealed some pre-season soccer handicap tips related to team training and motivation. This week, we are going to look at QB ROTATIONS.
One of our favorite NFL preseason handicap strategies is:
Play AGAINST a team with rookie quarterbacks who will see significant playing time, such as the second half of a game, especially in Week 1.
These young quarterbacks are often late picks and undrafted free agents, not the cream of the quarterback crop. Their unfamiliarity with the offensive scheme and the speed of NFL defensemen often get them into trouble. Even great college quarterbacks can learn in the preseason. We seized that opportunity with USC legend Matt Leinart. He made his NFL debut with Arizona and faced the Patriots, who were 3½-point favorites. It’s rare that we play a team favored by more than one FG during NFL preseason; however, this was too good to pass up, as we noted in our GAMEDAY INVESTMENT e-LERT article:
âEURoeWhile Leinart may have a long and productive career in the league, he is supposed to be in way over his head here. He has had little practice with Arizona and has never even been to an NFL game. Making a rookie debut on the road against the Patriots, who love to confuse opposing quarterbacks with various schemes and attacks, even in the preseason, is not a recipe for success. New England defensemen will be highly motivated to give Leinart a rude welcome to professional football.
This one got ugly early on, when the Patriots beat the Cardinals, 30-3, when we beat the spread by more than 3 TDs.
A couple more pre-season handicap tips are:
Play ON a team with experienced backup quarterbacks who have previous experience with the team and will see significant playing time, such as the second half of a game. – This will happen more often early in the preseason, especially Week 1. Because of their familiarity with the offensive scheme and speed of NFL defenders, these veteran quarterbacks are much less likely to make critical mistakes.
Play ON a team with a battle between 2 good, starting position-motivated quarterbacks, especially if the 1st-string offense will see extended playing time to get playing time with both quarterbacks. – This can create a huge mismatch, in which the second quarterback and first offense face off against an opponent’s backups.
The QB rotation was certainly a key factor in a PRO INFO SPORTS NFL GAMEDAY INVESTMENT e-LERT STAR PICK in which we took a Panthers underdog team over Jacksonville, noting:
âEURoeAn inspired Minter and company will look to slow down the Jaguars QB who hit 4 TD passes of 50+ yards last week. While David Garrard was impressive, throwing two of the long TD passes, he was there in the second half against Miami’s tired backups. Garrard will have a much tougher test Saturday night against the Panthers, whose first-team defense held Buffalo without a first down on four series last week. Garrard will face the first stringers as Leftwich will only play briefly due to a sore arm. It will also mean an earlier appearance for Jacksonville’s #3 QB.
With a poor QB rotation against a solid defense, it’s no wonder the Jaguars could manage just 10 points and lose via TD to the Panthers for another PRO INFO SPORTS NFLX winning STAR PICK.
Next time, in Part 4 of PRO INFO SPORTS NFL Preseason Football Handicapping Tips, we’ll take a look at GAME PLANS below.