Each year there’s a group of NFL Draft prospects who carry obvious red flags about their ability to adjust to NFL life both on and off the field. Inevitably, some GM will overlook the warning signs and get burned.

Here’s just a few top prospects for the 2011 draft who come with a sizable risk.

Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina

Quinn is big, fast, and powerful, and was a force on the Tar Heels D-line in 2009. However he was out of football in 2010 after being suspended by the NCAA for lying to investigators about over $5,000 worth of jewelry and travel accommodations he allegedly received. Some players can bounce back after time away from football (Michael Vick), some don’t (Maurice Clarett). GMs are hoping Quinn falls into the former camp.

Oh, and he has a brain tumor. Teams might want to keep that in mind, if you’ll pardon the pun.

Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Like Quinn, Bowers is a physical specimen at a premium position, and he’s coming off a 15.5-sack season for the Tigers. He’s a versatile player who matches up well against both the run and the pass and worked hard to drop 25 pounds heading into his final college season, and was rewarded with the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as college football’s best defensive player

But thanks to a faulty knee, Bowers remains a risky prospect. He missed a pair of games in 2009 with a strained ligament, and went under the knife in January to repair a partially torn meniscus, which forced him to miss the NFL Draft Combine.

Lingering knee injuries can hamper a player’s entire career, and Bowers’ durability definitely makes him a risky prospect.

Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas

Mallett has an absolute cannon of an arm and has had success in pro-style offenses in college, making him one of the best pure pocket passers in this class. However, serious questions have been raised about his maturity following an arrest for public intoxication in spring 2009, and he reportedly admitted his drug use to teams in private interviews.

While the fact he was willing to be honest about his past should be seen as a positive, what happens when a player with a reputation as a “big party guy” gets his first six-figure paycheque? Former New York Jets QB Erik Ainge, a collegiate star at Tennessee, recently washed out of the NFL due to drug problems, and substance abuse plagued former Raiders QB Todd Marinovich – like Mallett, a tall, strong-armed passer – was a bust for the same reasons.

If Mallett can keep his nose clean, he could be a star. If not, he could cost a GM his job.

Cam Newton, QB, Auburn

If you ask some scouts, GMs, and draft experts, Cam Newton is the best prospect in this class, a championship-winning signal-caller who accounted for 50 scores in the 2010 season. Ask others, and they’ll tell you he’s a bust waiting to happen.

Newton has tantalizing potential – as a fast, powerful runner with a rocket arm, he’s reminiscent of Daunte Culpepper. Of course, whether or not that’s a good thing is up for debate. He’s not the most accurate passer, and many have questioned his awareness in the pocket.

And perhaps most worrisome is his attitude. He seems to have the LeBron James “Global Icon” DNA – a sense that he’s entitled to become a superstar. He’s also been entangled in a number of controversies, from academic cheating to laptop theft to a recruiting investigation that might cost him his Heisman.

Even MLB baseball betting players have one eye on the ongoing NFL lockout saga as football always looms over the online wagering scene, whether they are in offseason, and especially if there is a threat that there won’t be a season in the fall. However, things are looking up, or at least better, as the two sides are back at the bargaining table after a month of no discussions.

The two sides met for 16 days in Washington D.C., but as of March 11th they still couldn’t come to an agreement and then talks just stopped. Word was leaked out that the players attempted to set something up with the owners, who declined to go back to the table, but then a judge ordered that the two resume talks in Minneapolis, where representatives and attorneys for the two sides met on Thursday. Judge Arthur Boylan will be the mediator in this set of discussions, and with the lockout at 33 days, no one knows what to expect.

Business seems to be going on as usual in the NFL as the draft is still being planned for later this month in New York City, teams are meeting with prospects, and the preseason schedule has been released. But there should be a cautious optimism about the talks because it didn’t seem like neither side really wanted to discuss things. The fact that a judge had to order them back to the table is a sign that these two sides are far apart in what they’re willing to concede, so until we have an idea of what is going to happen in the fall, be careful of NFL odds at your favorite sports betting sites.

Having laid waste to the league’s upstart bad boys and a longtime rival respectively, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers are now set to compete for the 2011 Super Bowl in Dallas on the NFL schedule. With two storied franchises slated to contend, legacy will be a proud topic as kickoff draws closer. The Steelers have won the most Super Bowls in league history with 6 while Green Bay is the all-time leader in original NFL championships with 9. Pittsburgh Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s second trip to the big game before turning 40 will be a living testament to Steelers’ owner Art Rooney’s successful campaign on behalf of African American coaching candidates, the Packers aim to win the trophy dubbed after their legendary coach and godfather; Lombardi, the league’s most revered name. So, with those classic logos and colors swirling amid the debauchery of the Dallas night, two players long departed from Starr and Bradshaw will compete for a place in history. Aaron Rodgers and Ben

Roethlisberger are the latest names in the hallowed records of their teams but their impact as players is unavoidable. Roethlisberger has staked his claim to becoming one of the best players, let alone Steelers, ever with his third trip to the Super Bowl, having won the previous two, while Rodgers is entering the prime of his career as one of the league’s premier quarterbacks and the torchbearer of this resurgent era for Green Bay. Both are supremely talented and iconic in their own way – dichotomous leaders of the NFL’s golden teams, battling for possession of the trophy.

Roethlisberger’s talents and accomplishments as a player are generally summed up by stating that he is the game’s premier “big game”, “crunch time” quarterback. With two league titles to his name, a 10-2 record in playoff games and too many improvisational late-game heroics to count, such an attribution would seem fitting. Big Ben will never be looked to as an example of pivoting perfection – he has never put up mind-bendingly efficient and grand statistics nor does he appear on the field like a football robot designed to execute each play without a flaw. It is Roethlisberger’s imperfections that have come to identify him. Things never appear easy for the quarterback – the score is tight, the pressure is heavy, he’s halfway to the ground, but Roethlisberger has a way of inevitably rising to the occasion and winning ugly. No quarterback in the league is better at converting a broken play into production other than perhaps Michael Vick. When it’s cold outside and the chips are down, Big Ben finds a way. The sealing play against New York in the AFC Championship is definitive of Roethlisberger’s style – as three Jets broke free to chase him, Roethlisberger rolled right, using his athleticism and size to ward off the defenders and complete a running throw to his receiver past the first down marker. Where other quarterbacks might have been sacked or forced into an incompletion, Big Ben coolly delivered victory. Roethlisberger’s 6’5 frame, mobility and arm strength are his tools for evading defeat but it is confident demeanor as a team leader which allows him to do it with such ease.

While Big Ben is the unlikely hero, a lucky leviathan who wears cold mud with pride, Aaron Rodgers is the pure bred pivot. Rodgers operates under center with a fluidity that comes from honed skills and dedicated preparation. The quarterback is seemingly adept in all phases of playing the position; he is sharp at recognizing defenses, expedient in his drop back and throwing motion and swift in adaptation should the initial plan be affected. Rodgers has the accuracy of a Soviet sniper at Stalingrad, a guiding hand that allows his quartet of speedy receivers the best possible positioning when the ball reaches their hands, and also possesses a great awareness of the chasers that surround him as he prepares to loft another perfect spiral. The combination of mindset, precision passing and elusiveness makes Rodgers a text book example of quarterbacking and his playoff numbers certainly back up that notion. In three games, Rodgers has completed %71 of his passes for six scores and nearly 800 yards. There is a sense that Rodgers’ streak of strong play might be all the Packers need to walk away with the trophy after New Orleans’ Drew Brees proved last year that a quarterback playing insanely well can carry a team to a championship. Rodgers seems to have completely mastered his offense and gained a firm understanding of the opposition’s methods for stopping it. With the quarterback operating at the level he is now, halting the Packers’ production might be impossible.

There is no “right” way to play quarterback though Rodgers and Roethlisberger make compelling arguments for their style with every game. Both pivots have led their teams to the upper echelon of the NFL standings, both put up impressive numbers and both are supported mightily by their squads. At this point Roethlisberger has two trophies in his favor but if the Packers win this year’s, Rodgers will be near equal based on the fact that this is his team, while Ben’s first championship came as a game-managing youth. Arguing the championship credentials of the quarterbacks gets at a larger point; that so many factors go into the successes and failures of a pivot. Beyond Rodgers’ laser tosses for 400 yards and Roethlisberger’s 4^th quarter scrambles are hard-working rosters, inspiring coaches, dedicated owners and deep, proud histories.

In a rematch of last year’s AFC championship game, the New York Jets will attempt to stop Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday night. The focus of the matchup will again be Manning’s offense versus the Jets’ aggressive defense – a unit molded in the visage of its general, Head Coach Rex Ryan. In last year’s meeting, Ryan’s crew rode the momentum of consecutive underdog victories as the travelling fifth seed to challenge the Colts for the majority of the game, only to eventually fall 30-17. Much has changed for both teams since; the Jets have graduated from unlikely contenders to the league’s rowdy rock stars while the Colts, despite making the playoffs for a record ninth consecutive season, have lost some of their Super Bowl shine.

When news broke that the Jets were to be featured on this year’s edition of HBO’s NFL training camp mini-series Hard Knocks, it seemed like the perfect marriage of medium and content. The unfiltered delivery of the show matched the team’s candid lunacy; there were personalities and comic moments abound. Naturally, the star of the show was Ryan, the larger than life nut running the nuthouse, who at once inspired confidence and trepidation. As the season played out for New York their reality show credentials became less of a running joke and more of an onus for the team. Controversies arose from all angles as the team was criticized for harassing a female reporter at practice, wide receiver Braylon Edwards was arrested for a DUI, quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled on the field and Ryan himself was exposed as an internet foot-fetish fanatic. Despite the ongoing circus, the Jets managed to finish with an 11-5 record, finishing second to New England in the AFC East in the NFL standings and earning a postseason berth. There is a sense that the Jets’ ability to remain competitive in the face of controversy stems from their coach’s remarkable aptitude for drawing the storm to himself, deflecting attention from his team. Ryan’s press conferences are loud, boisterous and humorous – he makes himself the dominant personality on the team and absorbs the focus of the media, allowing his squad to play without distractions on Sunday.

Ryan will need more than his bravado to best the Colts on Saturday; he will need his sharp defensive intellect. In games in which Ryan’s defenses (he previously acted as the defensive coordinator for Baltimore) have lined up across from Manning, the coach is 1-5. The Jets have the personnel to compete with the Colts’ offense but there is always the lingering feeling that Manning will find a way to deliver victory late in the game, despite his struggles this season. Though the man who has been considered the golden standard for the pivot position passed for 4,710 yards and 33 scores this season, Manning had a string of awful multi-interception games in which he threw picks that were returned for touchdowns in crucial situations. The quarterback finished the season with 17 interceptions and his team required a late field goal in the final game on the NFL schedule to make the playoffs. Manning faced sharp criticism, at least by his standards, for Indy’s slip and rightfully so – if one player is given considerable credit for a team’s successes then he should be equally culpable in its failure. Still, anyone who has followed the Colts this year and in seasons past understands that Manning’s struggles were partially the product of a slew of injuries to key offensive players. Tight end Dallas Clark, a third down safety blanket for Manning since he arrived eight years ago, missed half of the season and will not return until next year. More importantly, running back Joseph Addai missed eight games, weakening the Colts’ rushing attack and forcing Manning to throw on every down; which ultimately led to the quarterback’s multitude of turnovers. Indianapolis does not appear as dominant as they have in previous seasons but Ryan’s defense will still need to contend with a focused Peyton Manning, the spectacular Reggie Wayne and the rest of the gang at home, which is never an easy task. The Jets’ answer for Wayne, Manning’s top target, is cornerback Darrelle Revis. The swift Revis held himself out of training camp to receive a contract extension after he completed a season as the NFL’s premier shutdown coverage corner, and thus became a major plotline on Hard Knocks. Since, the defensive back’s nagging injuries and good but not great performance on the field has relegated his name to the back of league discussions but he is sure to receive his due attention as the Jets’ most important defender on Saturday. Wayne is a brilliant route runner with the athletic ability to create big plays, so he will prove a formidable challenge for Revis’ speedy backpedal and sharp instincts.

There will be reputations, and of course, the ability to advance, on the line on Saturday. Manning can recover from his midseason stumble to prove once again that he can never be doubted, while Ryan can silence critics with a win against the media’s darling star. The game will be decided by who feels pressure and who applies it – if Ryan’s dogs, led by linebackers Calvin Pace and Bart Scott, can get after Manning a Jets’ victory will sound off like a tuba in a drunk tank.

Super Bowl betting is underway as the wild-card games will be played this week, and here is who we think will go through to the next round.

Saints Seahawks Odds (Saturday, 4:30 PM ET)

The Saints are 10.5-point favorites on the road, and while we don’t expect them to lose, they could have more trouble covering the spread than people think. Qwest Field is arguably the loudest stadium in the NFL, and the Seahawks are actually pretty good at home. We’d suggest New Orleans on an SU bet, but take Seattle ATS.

Jets Colts Odds (Saturday, 8:00 PM ET)

The Colts are 2.5-point favorites at home, where they ended the Jets’ season last year in the AFC title game with a 30-17 win. New York coach Rex Ryan, who was also defensive coordinator in Baltimore, has lost all seven of his career meetings with Peyton Manning. We think this ends in the same fashion, so go with Indy to cover.

Ravens Chiefs Odds (Sunday, 1:00 PM ET)

The Ravens are 2.5-point favorites on the road, and they’ll win for two reasons: they have far more experience at this point in the season than the young Chiefs, and Kansas City will lose offensive coordinator Charlie Weis after the season, and that will affect them. Take Baltimore to cover.

Packers Eagles Odds (Sunday, 4:30 PM ET)

The Eagles are 2.5-point favorites at home, but we’re taking Green Bay for the upset because their defense is far stronger from front to back than the Eagles, and we’re not sure how healthy Michael Vick and DeSean Jackson are despite sitting out last week’s game. Go with Green Bay when you’re sports betting online this weekend.

The Raiders need to win their remaining games on the NFL schedule to make the playoffs. They also need the Chiefs and Chargers to stumble mightily. First order of business: defeat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, who are also on a mission to the postseason. Oakland certainly has their work cut out for them but Head Coach Tom Cable has his team playing with great confidence and the belief that anything can happen. Cable delivered an inspiring half-time speech to his team in last week’s game against Denver which led to the Raiders taking over the second half and going on to win the game. The Coach will need to be at the height of his oratorical skills this week, as Peyton Manning and the top ranked passing offense comes to the Bay.

What is so interesting about this matchup is that where Oakland is strong, Indy is weak and vice versa. The Raiders have the second ranked rushing attack at 157.5 yards per game, the Colts have the 28^th ranked rush defense, allowing 135.8 yards per game. Manning and his offense average a league best 298 yards through the air, while Oakland is fifth best at defending the pass, allowing only 197.3 yards per. In the past, Indy’s soft run defense has proved to be the team’s downfall, as the opposition has used their ground game to not only gain offensively, but keep Manning off the field. Oakland has a nasty offensive line led by tackle Langston Walker and guard Robert Gallery, who open up holes for their brilliant combination of young running backs. The main tailback is Darren McFadden, a former 4^th overall pick out of Arkansas, who is just now in his third year hitting his stride as one of the NFL’s best runners. Spelling McFadden is Michael Bush, who was taken in the fourth round of that same draft and now uses his 6’1, 245 lb frame to punish would-be tacklers. With Bush providing the thunder and McFadden supplying the lightning, Oakland has the ability to change the pace of the game with every substitution. McFadden or “Run DMC” as he has come to be known, is a spectacular open field runner, who uses his speed to burst through the initial hole, then utilizes his 6’3 frame to take long strides toward the end zone. Players in the secondary hoping to down McFadden know to be wary of his notorious stiff-arm, which has floored many a defensive back before. Once McFadden has blown past a defense for scores, Bush supplies the physical style that is so effective at gaining short yardage and battering an already tired defense. Both runners will be crucial in Oakland’s effort to limit Manning, who seems to move the ball every time he has possession.

Manning was blamed for the Colts’ struggles during a series of games in which the superstar quarterback threw multiple interceptions, several of which went for scores, but now number 18 has responded with a pair of strong performances against divisional rivals to put Indy back in playoff contention. Manning and his offense will face a tough test in the Oakland pass defense, which is effective at applying pressure on the passer from the line of scrimmage and covering receivers in the back end. Raiders’ defensive tackle Richard Seymour is an old Colts foe from his days as a Patriot and has maintained his innate ability to swim through offensive linemen to down the quarterback. Supplanting Seymour is rookie end Lamarr Houston, who has benefitted from the attention paid to his pro bowl line mate to record 4 sacks on the season. Regardless of how quickly the line gets to Peyton Manning, the Raider defensive backs will need to contend with the spectacular Reggie Wayne. That responsibility will fall on Nnamdi Asomugha, the NFL’s best cover corner. Asomugha has the size, at 6’2, to battle with Wayne in the air and the speed to keep up with the deep threat. Wayne is a remarkably sound route runner, but Asomugha has sound coverage skills and should not bite on the double moves with which Wayne usually shakes lesser opponents.

The Raiders are third in the AFC West in theNFL standings , yet they have not lost a game to a divisional rival this year. Oakland not only believes they are the best team in that division, but one of the best teams in the league. At 7-7, it is hard to make that argument, but a win against Peyton Manning will always hold weight. If Cable and his rowdy Raiders are able to get dirty Manning’s jersey and keep their playoff hopes alive, they might earn something nearly as good as a postseason berth; respect of their peers.

Offshore NFL betting players have to factor in playoff pressure as they prepare to make their Week 15 picks, and here are four matchups that will affect the postseason picks.

Jaguars Colts Betting – Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

The Jaguars are 4.5-point underdogs in this game for the top spot in the AFC South, and even though they’re 1-4 SU in their last five in Indianapolis, they’re also 4-1 ATS and even though that may not help their playoff chances, they may be worth a bet.

NFL Picks: Jacksonville +4.5

Eagles Giants Betting – Sunday, 1:00 PM ET

This is also for first place, this time in the NFC East where the Giants are 3-point favorites. They’re only 1-4 SU and ATS in their last five at home against the Eagles, but Philadelphia has some tough injuries that may hurt their playoff push.

NFL Picks: New York Giants -3

Jets Steelers Betting – Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Steelers are favored by six points at home, where they are 5-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in their five home games against the Jets. However, watch the injury report as Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu may have to sit this one out.

NFL Picks: New York Jets +6

Broncos Raiders Betting – Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Raiders are 6.5-point favorites at home in this AFC West tilt, and they’re looking to improve a 1-4 SU mark in their last five in Oakland against the Broncos, along with a 2-3 ATS record. The Broncos don’t have much to play for, while the Raiders are still in the postseason hunt; we’d take them in our sports book.

NFL Picks: Oakland -6.5

The Jacksonville Jaguars have flipped the script on the Indianapolis Colts this year and are currently rewriting the 2010 edition of the AFC South.With Peyton Manning’s machine sputtering, the Jags have taken hold of first place in the division in the NFL standings using their trademarked toughness, perseverance and physicality. For years the Jaguars have presented the most difficult challenge in the South for Indy as their defense and run game structured the team perfectly to beat Manning.The Colts have been bombarded with injuries and Jacksonville has pounced on the opportunity, winning 4 of their last 5 games on the NFL schedule. This Sunday the two teams will meet for control of the division; a battle between old school pigskin and vertical strategy, a parity-era rivalry.

It has been a difficult season for Manning and his Colts. There was the bumpy week 1 start in Houston, where Texans running back Arian Foster exploded onto the scene with 231 rushing yards, then the heartbreaking 59 yard field goal by Jaguars’ kicker Josh Scobee at the close of the teams’ first meeting and, most recently, a string of three games in which Manning threw 11 interceptions, several of which were returned for scores and two of which sealed defeats late in the game for the Colts. The blame has fallen largely on Manning and rightfully so – you cannot attribute all of a team’s successes to one man, and then make excuses for him when the outfit falters. Still, it’s not as if the clock struck midnight and Peyton transformed into his younger brother; injuries to receiver Austin Collie, running back Joseph Addai and tight end Dallas Clark have robbed Manning of three of his crucial offensive weapons, subsequently upsetting the precision and rhythm of the Colts’ clockwork offense. With backups and recent signees trotting in and out of the huddle, Manning has been restricted from engaging in his usual pre-snap gesticulations – adjustments that so often allowed him to control the pace of the game in years past. The loss of Addai has been especially harmful to the team as it has unbalanced the offense, forcing the team to pass on almost every down, eliminating the element of surprise.

This sort of predictability could doom Indianapolis against the Jaguars on Sunday. Though Jacksonville has not been a statistically strong defense for the entirety of the season, their play of late has reestablished their status as a hardened unit. Linebackers Daryl Smith, Kirk Morrison and Justin Durant are playing with an intensity to match that of their Head Coach Jack Del Rio, a former backer himself. The trio has each amassed over 50 tackles and their ability to both cover and stop the run has been the foundation of the team’s zone defense. Defensive tackle Terrance Knighton has emerged as a capable replacement for former Jaguars Marcus Stroud and John Henderson, the core of the team during their success in the mid 2000s. With the linebackers dropping into coverage, fearless of the Colts’ weak running game, and the interior of the defensive line bearing down on the pocket like snow on the Metrodome, Manning will be embattled all day long. All-pro cornerback Rashean Mathis should only make matters worse for the pivot, as he has the size, speed and athleticism to keep up with Manning’s top target Reggie Wayne. Wayne has been the lone constant for Peyton this season, putting up huge numbers even as opponents make him a coverage priority. The receiver has shown that after years of being number two to surefire hall of famer Marvin Harrison, Manning’s record-breaking recipient, he can hold his own as one of the league’s best at the position.

For years the formula for beating the Colts has been to forcefully defend with intelligence and to run the ball effectively, keeping Manning off the field. The latter part of the equation was and still is made easy by the fact that the Colts defense is a smallish unit that is built for defending a lead, not stopping the run. In the past the Jags have gashed the Colts for huge totals of rushing yards, shoving the ball in the belly of either Fred Taylor or Maurice Jones-Drew and letting the backs charge through the blocks set by their massive, powerful offensive line. Though Taylor is departed, Jones-Drew remains and has been performing as one of the league’s best ball carriers. “MoJo” is second in the league with 1,278 yards rushing and is coming off a game in which he sprinted in the game winning, 30 yard touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. The line, always a priority for Del Rio, has been fantastic, clearing holes for the league’s second best running attack. Guards Vincent Manuwai and Uche Nwaneri are standouts, while young left tackle Eugene Monroe has lived up his to high draft pick by protecting quarterback David Garrard’s blindside and getting push downfield on running plays. The running game has been the focus for the Jaguars, but their ability to pull out wins lies with the play of Garrard; a thoughtful, gutsy leader who can pass and run for crucial first downs late in games. Garrard will not be relied upon to do the same things in the passing game as Manning will be on Sunday, but his guidance is equally important to his squad. The skirmishes between these teams have always been close, so expect one of the two field generals to deliver crunch-time heroics.

The Raiders come into their meeting with Jacksonville empowered by a silencing of the San Diego crowd last Sunday. The Chargers were being hyped profusely after they had defeated Peyton Manning and the  Indianapolis Colts convincingly, but the Silver and Black made sure to shatter any notions of San Diego emerging as a Super Bowl contender. The Jaguars will likewise be rolling with a positive energy; they have wrestled the AFC South division lead from those same Colts and have won 4 of their last 5. Both of these teams are enjoying unexpectedly successful seasons and are doing so in a similar manner.

Jacksonville and Oakland rank 2^nd and 3^rd respectively in the NFL for rushing yards per game. The run-heavy approach of both teams is predicated on their superb tailbacks. The Jaguars’ Maurice Jones-Drew is the second leading rusher in the NFL while the Raiders’ young pairing of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush has amassed 1,323 yards. The teams’ grinding, clock-control style may not be flashy enough to draw widespread attention but it is the kind of football that becomes favoured as the NFL schedule closes out. Jones-Drew is a stout workhorse who can miraculously emerge from a pile with his legs churning. Once deemed “too small” by NFL scouts, Jones-Drew has become one of the league’s premier backs and continues to operate at peak capacity despite his large number of carries. McFadden’s entry into the NFL was just the opposite; a highly touted Heisman finalist coming out of Arkansas, McFadden seemed like a regrettable top-5 pick through two seasons. This year, the 6’3 back has been able to turn it around, averaging 5 yards per carry and nearly 90 yards per game. McFadden is a big-frame runner with exceptional speed and receiving ability, so the Raiders like to employ him in space and give him opportunities to run on the outside. Balancing McFadden’s slashing pace for Oakland is Michael Bush, a bruising third year runner out of Louisville. Bush is more of a between the tackles back who can gain yards after the first hit and plow through the line in short yardage situations. The duo is the focus of Oakland’s offense and their production has been the leading factors in the team’s victories.

To supplant a possession offense based on the ground game, a team must have a tough defense. The Raiders and Jaguars have adhered to this formula, trotting out units that play with aggression and awareness. Oakland’s defense begins with the pressure they apply from the defensive line. Richard Seymour, acquired last season in a trade with New England, has provided leadership and a player who can command a double team, freeing rookie Lamarr Houston and veteran tackle Tommy Kelly to pursue the passer for sacks. Rounding out the front seven is an improved group of linebackers, led by 2010 first round pick Rolando McClain. McClain has shown the same instincts and athletic ability that made him a terror during Alabama’s run to the national title a year ago and is the frontrunner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The jaws of the Raiders’ defense will be tested by Jacksonville’s forceful offensive line and Jones-Drew but their own size and speed will make it difficult for the Jags to run the ball successfully. If Oakland is able to force Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard to beat them with his arm, they will be in an advantageous position. Though Garrard has been efficient and gutsy in delivering scores and wins, the Raiders are opportunistic in the secondary and should be able to take advantage of errors Garrard is forced into by the potent pass-rush. Nnamdi Asomugah, one of the league’s top lockdown cornerbacks, has just returned from an injury and will be on form, shutting down an entire side of the field as he is known to. Oakland safeties Tyvon Branch and Michael Huff are natural playmakers from the back end.

The Jaguars and Raiders are teams that need to get the lead early in order to be victorious. Both teams have snarling, hard-hitting defenses and dynamic running games but neither are offensive powerhouses. Garrard and his Oakland counterpart Jason Campbell are gamers who can make big plays to pull out wins, but they lack receiving weapons around them. Making the passing game even more difficult for the quarterbacks is the fact that both will be facing All-pro defensive backs in Asomugah and the Jags’ Rashean Mathis. Expect a low-scoring, bone-crushing affair with control of the clock as the main point of contention. The head coaches, Tom Cable and Jack Del Rio, are proud leaders who will push their teams to the extent of their abilities so this game should come down to the wire. Jacksonville and Oakland were projected to be near the bottom of the league pile, but in this final month the scrappy squads are competing for divisional leads in the  NFL standings . It may not feel like winter in Florida and California, but the Raiders and Jaguars can sense the style of the season.

NFL football betting players can get a better snapshot of the playoff picture after this weekend…or maybe not. Three of the top four games involve division rivals, and one thing we know for sure, is that it’s going to be an exciting Week 14.

Dolphins Jets Betting – Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Jets are favored by six points at home over their AFC East rivals from Miami, who will have to be at the top of their game to face a New York team that was humiliated in New England on Monday night. You can bet your last dollar that the Jets are going to come out on fire. (Pick: Jets -6)

Chiefs Chargers Betting – Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Chargers are favored by a touchdown at home against the Chiefs, who can put an iron grip on the AFC West title with a win on the road. The Chargers had their outlandish December winning streak snapped by Oakland, and they won’t want to lose at home to another division rival. (Pick: Chiefs +7)

Patriots Bears Betting – Sunday, 4:15 PM ET

The Patriots put on the team performance of the season when they stomped the Jets at home on Monday night, now they have to go to Soldier Field as 3-point favorites against a Chicago team that don’t quite get the respect they deserve. (Pick: Bears -3)

Eagles Cowboys Betting – Sunday, 8:20 PM ET

The Eagles are favored by a field goal on the road in Dallas in this NFC East showdown, and Philadelphia has to be careful as these aren’t the same Cowboys who were doormats early in the season. Under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys have been worth a solid look from sports betting players. (Pick: Cowboys +3)