NFL Betting - Who to choose, who to avoid when going against the spread

Tennessee and Arizona were the NFL betting surprises of last year, and it paid off in the ATS standings as they were both in the top five when it came to beating the spread. Here’s a look at the top three teams you should definitely consider when betting on the spread, and who you shouldn’t touch with a 10-foot pole.

NFL Betting: ATS tips and picks

• Look closely at last year’s standings
  
• Pay attention to strength of schedule
  
• Stay away from the NFC East

Place Your Bets On:

Pittsburgh – The defending Super Bowl champions have the fourth-easiest schedule in the league, which means they should have a pretty decent road back to the playoffs. Having the NFL’s best defense helps when it comes to covering the online betting spread.

Seattle – The Seahawks were missing Matt Hasselbeck last year, among others, which aided with their terrible season. However, Hasselbeck is back and healthy, which means the Seattle offense should be much improved, and they’re in the weak NFC West, which contributes to them having the ninth-easiest schedule in the league.

Green Bay – The offense looked spectacular in the preseason, but it’s the improved defense that will lead the Packers to a great ATS season. They switched to a 3-4 scheme with more blitzing, and their corners are good enough to play man-to-man.

Avoid At All Costs:

Tampa Bay – The Bucs are beginning to rebuild, but having the fifth-toughest slate in the league doesn’t help them in the sports betting department at all.

Chicago – Yes, yes, the Bears got Jay Cutler from Denver, and he’ll improve the offense, but how much? The Bears don’t really have any receivers outside of Devin Hester, and you can only go to tight end Greg Olsen so many times. Cutler will help, but I see a lot of close games that will ruin their chances against the spread, even with the league’s easiest schedule.

NFC East teams – You can take them against other teams, but when they’re facing each other, forget about it. This is the toughest division in the league, and handicapping these games are nearly impossible as all four teams are so close to each other. The Giants and Eagles were in the top five last year, but they’ll drop to a lackluster offense (Giants), and a team in transition (Eagles). The Redskins and Cowboys finished in the bottom third of the league, and they have the same problems as the above teams.

For more NFL odds, props and totals, visit the offshore sportsbook at betonline.com.

Devon Jordan “D.J.” Tomkins doesn’t own turntables, but the sound of screaming fans at a football game is music to his ears. He had quite the following as a speedy wide receiver during his high school days and went on to successful coaching career. Now, he moonlights as an expert handicapper, combining his practical knowledge of the game with a penchant for memorizing numbers and stats. If you want informed football picks, DJ is your man. Thoughts or questions?