Sports Betting Blog

The 2009 NFL draft took place last weekend, on April 25 and 26. The first round saw some of the draft’s top players finding a home for the season. Some of the picks were hardly surprising – Michael Stafford going to the Detroit Lions – while others defied expectations – Michael Crabtree was a later-than-anticipated number ten pick.

Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of the first round.

Matthew Stafford

#1 -Quarterback and projected top pick overall Matthew Stafford fulfilled his expectations. The Detroit Lions had already signed the 21-year-old to a six-year contract with $41.7 million in guarantees. The Lions had a record-breaking season this year: 0-16, a losing feat no other team has accomplished in NFL history.

With a winless season wrought by Matt Millen, the Lions are looking to Stafford to pick up the franchise. At 6’3” and 237 lbs, and with a strong and accurate throwing arm that has brought 51 career touchdowns and 7,731 career yards, Stafford has the potential to become a franchise savior.  Hopefully the new Lion will do better than Detroit’s last top-pick quarterback, Joey Harrington.

Stafford left school a year early but is not expected to start the season. Nevertheless, he is ready to begin his career as a professional.

“I’m a competitive guy,” Stafford said. “I’m going to try to get ready as quick as I can.”

Stafford continues a trend in the NFL in which quarterbacks constitute top overall picks in the draft; in fact, 9 of the last 12 top picks have been quarterbacks. Time will tell whether Stafford continues to satisfy expectations during football season.

#4- Another potential for the Lions was taken in the top 5. Aaron Curry, a linebacker from Wake Forest, had discussed being the top overall pick with Detroit. Curry has an exceptional combination of height, weight, and speed for a linebacker, which, blended with his strong instincts, aggression, and overall effort, makes him an ideal player. Seattle was able to capture Curry at number 4.

#5 - The second quarterback to be chosen, Mark Sanchez of USC, was snatched by the New York Jets after they traded Cleveland for the 5th overall spot. Sanchez started at USC for just one season, leading the Trojans to a 12-1 season and a Rose Bowl win.

With the Jets, he will have to fill the shoes of retiring quarterback Brett Favre. The 6’3”, 225 lb quarterback has a strong arm, intelligence, and leadership skills that make him a prize for the Jets West Coast Offense. His limited experience makes him a moderate risk, but he is undaunted.

“It’s a very exciting time, a special time in my life,” Sanchez explains, “so I’m excited to get things going.”
#7- Captivated by his speed, the Oakland Raiders snagged Maryland’s Darrius Heyward-Bey at number 7 overall.  Although Heyward-Bey had the fastest 40-yard time in workouts, his undeveloped receiving skills make him something of a risk. Though he may take time to develop, with his incredible speed and height-weight combination, Heyward-Bey exhibits real potential.

#10- Michael Crabtree, who was the highest-rated receiver before the draft, completed the top ten when he was chosen by the 49ers. He lost the top ranking to Heyward-Bey, who was selected three spots before him. Although Crabtree lacks top-notch speed, he is still considered one of the best receivers in the draft, with an ability to catch almost anything thrown at him.

After only two seasons of football, Crabtree received the Biletnikoff Award. Now, in San Francisco, Crabtree aims high: “I got some big shoes to fill when I go to the 49ers, you know, with Jerry Rice. I am looking forward to that. I love challenges.”

#12- Knowshon Moreno went number 12 to the Denver Broncos. Moreno rushed 1,400 yards last season to lead the SEC and was in the second-team for the All-American players. Although Moreno lacks the breakaway speed possessed by topnotch backs in the NFL, he has great instincts and good vision that make him an excellent top pick for the Broncos.

#19- The Eagles were able to choose receiver Jerry Maclin from Missouri at number 19 after the Browns traded the pick for number 21 and a second 6th round pick. In 2008, Maclin was able to score 12 touchdowns, along with 1,260 receiving yards.

#27- The Indianapolis Colts selected Dan Brown at number 27. Brown was the 2008 Big East offensive player of the year at Connecticut, and, with over 2000 rushing yards last year alone and 3,800 career rushing yards, leads the NCAA.  He also holds the distinction of being the University of Connecticut’s first player to be drafted in the first round.

Overall, the first round saw 19 offensive and 13 defensive players drafted - 15 of which were underclassmen - for a grand total of 32 players.

‘This the season, football fans – every spring the NFL gathers for the draft, as the teams get to choose and trade players for the upcoming season. The two-day event takes place this year on April 25-26 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

The first three rounds take place on Saturday; rounds four through seven occur on Sunday. Each team – more or less – has one pick per round. The teams are ranked in the draft in the reverse of the team’s rank of the season. This year, the first three teams in the first round are the Detroit Lions, the St. Louis Rams, and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Who will be some of the top contenders on draft day? Here’s an analysis for some of the top picks in the draft according to position.

1. Quarterback

With several starters getting older and with teams like the Jets and 49ers lacking strong players for the position, quarterbacks will be in demand this year. That doesn’t mean, though, that quarterbacks won’t get picked after the first rounds. History has given the NFL top quarterbacks – like Tom Brady – who weren’t well-regarded after college but who more than proved themselves during their pro careers. In fact, more than half of the projected starting quarterbacks for 2009 weren’t drafted in the first or second rounds.

However, the top quarterback pick this year – and possibly the top pick altogether – definitely won’t have to wait after the first round. At 6’2” and 225 lbs, Matthew Stafford is a strong athlete with great arm strength, good footwork, and a quick delivery.

He began an outstanding career during high school, where he was rated as the best prep-passer in the nation by Rivals.com and ranked second in the country by ESPN and Scout.com. Prep Star Top 100 Honors ranked him third. He was thrice selected for the All-State, won Gatorade Player of the Year and EA Sports National Player of the Year as a senior.

Stafford enrolled in Georgia in 2005, but his 2006 performance was a disappointment: playing part-time, he threw seven touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

Stafford improved in 2007, throwing 19 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. In 13 starts during 2007, he had an 11-2 record. In a game against Florida, he threw an 84-yard touchdown that was the longest pass in the SEC that year. He broke season records for touchdown passes, yards per offensive play, and yards in total offense. He was also a finalist and semi-finalist for the Manning and Davey O’Brien Rewards, respectively.

In his junior year, he threw for 3,450 yards and 25 touchdowns – a solid, if not stellar, performance. His strength is in his arms – literally. With his ability to throw deep balls, scouts are sure to rank him at the top.

He may be taken first by Detroit, but San Francisco, Seattle, and Jacksonville may also have their eyes on him.

2. Running Backs

Last year’s trend for running backs found that splitting the work amongst two or more players increased the rewards. Of the 11 teams that had two plus running backs, seven qualified for the playoffs.

Running games is back in style.

Although there is no clear consensus about number one in this position, several names appear over and over again: Knowshon Moreno, Chris Wells, and LeSean McCoy.

At 5’11” and 217 lbs, Moreno sports a combination of size, speed, and athleticism that makes him one of the draft’s top picks as running back. He is a tough runner with strong instincts. As a freshman at Georgie, Moreno carried almost 250 times, gaining 14 touchdowns at Athens. He also caught some 20 passes from the backfield.

2008 wasn’t a good season for Georgia, and so not for Moreno either, although he did manage 1400 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Although he lacks super-speed, his running ability combined with his ability to receive out of the backfield makes him a top pick as a runner in the draft.

3. Wide Receiver

With the success of big receivers like Larry Fitzgerald and Andrew Johnson, the trend this year is to have pass catchers with the size and strength. With 70% of last season’s receivers reflecting this “big” trend, scouts this year are looking for more of the same. But scouts want more than size. With athletes such as Howard-Bey rushing up the charts, size isn’t the only thing that matters. Scouts will keep their eyes peeled for speed as well.

At 6’2” and 215 pounds, Michael Crabtree certainly has the “big” part of the equation down. With just over 25 games at university, Crabtree broke records for both the school and the Big 12 Conference. He was able to break the college record of 227 receptions with his 231 catches over two years. In the same time period, he also received the Fred Biletnikoff Award honors – the first time a freshman ever received the award – and set a collegiate record with 41 touchdown catches. With nearly 151 yards receiving per game and an average of 10.31 receptions, Crabtree also topped the major college ranks.

A great athlete with strong hands, Crabtree has been the top receiver in college football for two seasons, and his position as the draft’s top receiver is guaranteed.

The Anaheim Ducks entered into the NHL postseason as the undisputed underdogs. Their regular season had a rocky beginning, and only a dramatic recovery at the end of the season pushed them into the Stanley Cup playoffs in the eighth seed.

Their opponents: fellow Californians and top-seeded San Jose Sharks. The Sharks were the undisputed top team in the league for the Western Conference. They entered the playoffs already bearing the President’s Trophy and had only lost 5 home games during the regular season. The series playoffs began in their home territory, in San Jose.

Many predicted that the series would be challenging for the Sharks, who had a strong team but who lacked significant playoff experience. Those predictions have rung terribly true for the Sharks; the team has already lost its first two games in the playoff series against Anaheim. Now tongues wag, and there are whispers that San Jose is continuing its long tradition – six of the last eight playoff games – of dropping out of the postseason in a hurry.

But the Sharks haven’t yet lost hope. “It’s not like we’ve been spanked and we’ve got our tail between our legs,” San Jose Coach Tod McLellan stated. “We play the same way, do the same things, create the same number of chances, eventually it’ll go in for us, and we’ll continue on.”

After the loss in Game 1, McLellan changed his lines, breaking up top scorers Joe Thornton and captain Patrick Marleau. He had Thornton skate with Jeremy Roenick and Jonathon Cheechoo at the top while Marleau moved back to the middle. Both Clowe and Cheechoo scored, but it’s not clear that the goals came as a result of team effort rather than outstanding individual effort.

The Ducks, on the other hand, benefited from an excellent overall effort, a combination of postseason experience, skill, and simple luck. Their first goal – and the first goal in Sunday’s game – came less than 4 minutes into the first period. The Ducks had only seconds left on a power play when their young forward, Bobby Ryan, bounced the puck off of Sharks goaltender Evgenie Nabokov’s goalpost. Ryan then leapt over the prone Nabokov in order to shoot the puck into the net.

Early in the second period, Ryan Clowe was able to score the Sharks’ first goal in 174 minutes of playoff time. The score raised San Jose’s scoring chances and Anaheim Coach Randy Carlyle called time-out a few minutes later. Anaheim was unable to score in the second period; and even worse, the Ducks continued with penalties – Chris Pronger committed two fouls in that period alone.

With a 17-3 shot advantage in the second period, San Jose was slowed only by Anaheim’s stalwart goaltender, Joseph Hiller. Hiller made 42 saves on Sunday, and although the Swiss player has no previous playoff experience, he is a veteran from the Swiss League and the world championships. He has posed a major challenge to the Sharks in the first two games in the series.

Ten minutes into the third period, rookie Andrew Ebbett was able to break the tie, scoring his first career playoff goal. Ebbett deflected the puck off of Nabokov’s playoff pad after Teemu Selanne sped behind the Sharks’ defense and fired the puck into the net, setting Ebbett’s play in motion.

Just minutes later, Drew Miller scored again for the Ducks on a rebound goal. There were less than 7 minutes left to play and the Ducks were ahead 3-1. Seconds later, however, Cheechoo managed to shove past Anaheim’s defense to score. The Sharks kept the pressure on, and Christian Erhoff even hit the post with just over two minutes left to play, but the Ducks were able to keep control of the puck in most of the final minute.

The game ended 3-2, Ducks.

Since 1994, an eighth seed has defeated a top seed seven times. To keep the Ducks off of that list, San Jose must win four of the next five games, two of which will be in Anaheim. Another early playoffs loss would be a devastating blow to a team with a President’s Trophy and a 117-point season. The next game will be on Tuesday.

Don’t forget to check the NHL betting lines at Instant Action Sports!

Predictions for the Eastern Conference, First Round

The NHL’s playoff season has finally arrived, with the First Round of playoffs beginning Wednesday, April 15. The matchups this season have been extraordinary, and some promise grueling matches—and rematches—between rivaling teams.

We at Instant Action Sports want to help hockey fans gain insight into the ins and outs of the games this season, so we’ve done our research and compiled the picks from top-notch hockey experts and bloggers, including those from ESPN, NBC, The New York Times, Bleacher Report, the Daily Gazette, and our own staff here at Instant Action.

#1 Boston vs. #8 Montreal

Boston and Montreal face off again in the First Round of the Eastern Conference. The teams were matched last year but their roles were reversed; the Canadiens in the first seed and ultimately won 7 games.

But Boston’s fortunes have changed. Now in the first seed, the Bruins have enjoyed a winning streak this season—with an 8-2 run, they almost claimed the President’s Cup. Tim Thomas’ .933 save percentage is no small boon, nor is Zdeno Chara, who, at 6’9,” is a monster of a defenseman. With an outstanding offensive and defensive team, the Bruins prospects are good.

Montreal, in contrast, was unable to live up to its success last year. A combination of high expectations and a coaching controversy—Guy Carbonneau was fired after coaching for three seasons—brought down its game. The team dropped 8 seeds and barely made it into the playoffs; with only 93 points, the Canadiens only made it because of a tiebreaker with Florida. On the other hand, the team has won 24 of 31 playoff series.

The overwhelming consensus, however, goes to Boston.

#2 Washington vs. #7 NY Rangers

The Capitals and the Rangers played their first game Wednesday night, with the Rangers ahead 4-3. The win must have come as a surprise to the experts, because the consensus went with Washington. The power of a strong goalie can never be underestimated, and in the person of Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers have got one. Lundqvist made an astonishing 32 saves last night, with only a few sliding by him.

One win, however, doesn’t spell victory. Although the Rangers recouped in the second period, they had a rather shaky first. The Capitals boast strong talent, with Alex Ovechkin, who leads the league in goals for the second consecutive season and takes second for overall scoring, and Mike Green, a defenseman who enjoys some 31 goals already this season.

Rangers coach John Tortorella seemed to aim for penalty kills and power plays. “Our power play is going to have to score for us to stay in there,” he said. Washington came out successful on that round. After intermission, the Rangers were able to get in “some lucky shots,” Green explains.

How lucky will they be next time?

#3New Jersey vs. #6 Carolina

Opening Wednesday night, the game between the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Canes continues a long playoff rivalry. It is the fourth time that New Jersey and Carolina have met in the post season in the past 8 years. The overall outcome is yet uncertain, but the Devils dominated the Canes in a 4-1 victory.

The easy win may come as a surprise. New Jersey had a slow season this year, winning only four of their eleven games—although it entered the playoffs on a winning streak. The Devils relied on goalie Mark Brodeur, who performed well in the playoff game though he was out much of the season due to elbow surgery. They also have a strong top line, and in the first period outshot the Canes 15-7—though their efforts didn’t meet with success until Carolina goalie Cam Ward began making mistakes.

The Hurricanes entered the playoffs as one of the Eastern Conference’s hottest teams. Ward has a .931 save percentage, and Eric Staal led Carolina in a 9-game winning streak. But the team just lacked energy in this first game. Matt Cullen, Carolina’s center, remains hopeful. “We know we have to have a better effort, and fortunately, there is better hockey in this room.”

If the Hurricanes regain their energy, this playoff series may be a close call between New Jersey and Carolina.

#4 Pittsburgh vs. #5 Philidelphia

The Pittsburgh Penguins enjoyed a one-sided victory over the Philidelphia Flyers in the opening game. The game ended 4-1, almost a reenactment of last year’s playoff game.

The Penguins have done well for themselves this season, clawing their way to the 4th seed in the playoffs. They have a strong top line, anchored by Jordan Staal, Evgeni Malkin, and of course, Sidney Crosby, as well as a top goalie in Marc-Andre Fleury. They’ve also won 18 games in 24 since February 15, when Dan Bylsma took over as coach.

The Flyers have six players that have made 25 plus goals—tops in the NHL—but have won only 3 of their last eight games. They suffered in their first playoff game from mistakes—the first of which was losing to the Rangers Sunday and so losing a chance to have Wednesday’s game at home. They made some carelesspenalties, and were unable to gain the momentum they needed to fight the Penguins’ pressure.

Though the Flyers enjoy some support from the critics, the majority point to the Penguins as the winners this season.

Check out the IAS NHL Betting Lines and NHL Futures