Giants defensive line key to another run

Football Betting Lines

02/05/2012 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - At one point in his life, Jason Pierre-Paul didn't want to be a football player. But after a broken leg ended his basketball career in high school, Pierre-Paul made a decision that sent him on a path to winning a Super Bowl.

Pierre-Paul played at two junior colleges before transferring to South Florida in 2009, where he was named a First-Team All-American.

Because he played in just 13 games for the Bulls, NFL teams were hesitant to take Pierre-Paul until the Giants finally selected him with the 15th overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft.

The gamble paid off.

Just like the their Super Bowl run four years ago, the Giants got instrumental help from their defensive line during a 2011 postseason that ended Sunday in another title at the expense of the New England Patriots.

With fellow defensive ends Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck plagued by injuries all season long, Pierre-Paul emerged as one of the top players at the position in just his second season in the NFL.

Using unparalleled athleticism, Pierre-Paul recorded 16 1/2 sacks to go with 86 tackles during the regular season and was named to his first Pro Bowl.

After Tuck and Umenyiora finally got healthy once the postseason rolled around, the Giants had another fearsome threesome at the defensive end position.

Four seasons ago, it was Michael Strahan, Umenyiora and Tuck who wreaked havoc in the backfield during the Giants' memorable postseason run. Strahan was in the final year of his career while Umenyiora was still in his prime. Like Pierre-Paul this season, it was Tuck who emerged as a pass rusher that year.

During the magical ride, the Giants recorded eight sacks in the postseason, including five during their Super Bowl XLII win against the Patriots.

Against New England, the Giants at times used all three defensive ends on the defensive line at once, with Tuck playing the defensive tackle position.

Tom Brady, who was sacked just 26 times that season, had no answer as the Giants' persistent pressure knocked him down again and again.

This time, it was Umenyiora, Tuck and Pierre-Paul who terrorized their opponents in the backfield during an eerily similar postseason stretch.

The Giants notched 11 sacks during this year's postseason, with Tuck getting two in the Super Bowl.

New York didn't have the gaudy sack numbers like it had in Super Bowl XLII, but Brady was forced to continually elude pressure all game long.

Pierre-Paul was consistently getting his hands up to swat away passes. Tuck's second sack came on 3rd-and-10 with 39 seconds left in the game, which forced New England to use its final timeout. Umenyiora had a silent game, but led the Giants with 3 1/2 sacks during the postseason.

At 23, Pierre-Paul has just scratched the surface of his potential on a path that began with a broken leg.

Wlucky7 Football Betting News

<< Gronkowski's 1st catch comes on record-tying drive
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It took Rob Gronkowski nearly an entire half to make his first catch in the Super Bowl. The injured Patriot, who set the tight end record for receiving yards and touchdowns during the regular sea

<< Released Underwood reacts to Patriots' loss
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former New England Patriots wide receiver Tiquan Underwood, released a day before the Super Bowl, sent dozens of tweets during the game Sunday but didn't have much to say immediately after it was over.

<< Again! Giants top Patriots to win Super Bowl
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Eli Manning and the New York Giants did it again, beating the New England Patriots with another game-winning drive in the Super Bowl. Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a six-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remai

<< Giants lose TEs Ballard, Beckum to injuries
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Giants lost tight ends Jake Ballard and Travis Beckum to knee injuries in Sunday's Super Bowl against the Patriots. Ballard went down with a left knee injury early in the fourth quarter. Re

<< Patriots lead Giants 17-15 after 3rd quarter
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tom Brady set a Super Bowl record for consecutive completions and threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez that helped the Patriots take a 17-15 lead over the Giants after three quarters. Brady's

Gronkowski: 'Almost isn't enough' on Hail Mary pass >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It took Rob Gronkowski nearly an entire half to make his first catch in the Super Bowl. Later, the injured Patriots tight end was several tortured inches away from snaring a Hail Mary pass that would

Manning wins another Super Bowl MVP >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Is Eli Manning elite? That's likely no longer a concern for the New York Giants quarterback. Manning won his second Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award Sunday after leading the Giants on another

FCS Giants bask in Super Bowl triumph >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - They're Super beyond the FCS level. A contingent of former FCS players are reveling in the New York Giants' 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI Sunday night. The Giants' roster inc

I'll Have Another - The Overlay of the Century >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - How many times does a gambler like a horse and wish the odds could have been much higher than they were? It does not happen that often but when the unforeseen takes place, it's best to take the money and ask questio

Farrington expected to become VMI's defensive coordinator >>
Lexington, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - VMI is expected to name Jeff Farrington as the new defensive coordinator of its football program later this month. Farrington became Mercer University's defensive coordinator last July as it builds a program

2007 NFL Football Betting Preview


“You play to win the game!”

Those are the words of notoriously intense head coach Herman Edwards. Unfortunately, from a bettors’ perspective, most coaches don’t feel that way about the NFL preseason. August is a time to evaluate young players, finalize the depth chart and pray your star players stay healthy.

The trick to making money during the exhibition schedule is identifying coaches – like Edwards – who can’t stand losing even when there's nothing on the line.

The New York Jets betting won 15 of 21 preseason games and went 14-7 against the spread (ATS) during Edwards’s five-year tenure with the club. In his first season as the Kansas City Chiefs field boss, the team improved from 0-4 to 2-2.

Identifying win-a-holics like Edwards is a good start if you plan betting the preseason – even though most say you shouldn’t ... but what the hell do they know anyway?

Here’s a brief rundown of two teams that have a habit of winning during the second-stringers’ season, and another club that has a good chance of exceeding this year.

New York Giants betting lines

Playing in the media hub of North America can be stressful but the press can’t write anything negative about the way Tom Coughlin’s boys play in the preseason. The Giants won and covered all four games last summer, improving their record to 7-1 both straight up (SU) and against the spread over the last two years.

Coughlin has shown he’s not afraid to give his starters more time in the second preseason game than most of his colleagues, no doubt one of the reasons his team has been so dominant.

Dallas Cowboys betting lines

Bettors can count on America’s team early on. The Cowboys are 14-6 both SU and ATS since 2002 in warm-up contests. Former coach Bill Parcells, the coach of the team the last four years, has an intimidating, in-your-face presence – surely a reason Dallas has had so much early success.

The Big Tuna won’t be strolling the sidelines with looks of disgust, but new coach Wade Phillips will be anxious to make a good first impression for owner Jerry Jones.

Dallas plays the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos before things get serious. They then face the Houston Texans in their third contest (the game starters see most game time) and finish off with the Minnesota Vikings.

Expect a Dallas team able to walk away with another 3-1 preseason record.

Oakland Raiders betting lines

This team scored a league-worst 12 offensive touchdowns last season, so the rookies and veterans each have something to prove. There’s a bounty of first-unit jobs up for grabs and plenty of bodies competing for those slots.

First-time head coach Lane Kiffin will be eager to impress an owner who employs the philosophy, “Just win, baby!”

The 32-year-old Kiffin has to command respect from a locker room full of players older than him. All of these factors should lead to purpose in preseason. 

Don’t forget: before playing like a team that belonged in NFL Europe, Oakland went 4-1 (both SU and ATS) in exhibition games.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football wagering needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.