The Super Bowl Odds now list just two teams. Congratulations are due to the Saints and the Colts, and all those who bet on them to get here (…patting myself on the back.) The sportsbook odds are live for the most important game and largest viewed television event of the year. This year a week before the Super Bowl, they are holding the Pro Bowl in Miami, where Super Bowl XLIV will be held a week later.
The Pro Bowl has been getting horrendous television ratings and players were opting to go on vacations with their families and resting up instead of playing. This ploy to get more players to play isn’t working as well as they envisioned as the 11 combined Pro-Bowlers in the Super Bowl will not be able to play including both starting QB’s: MVP Peyton Manning and Drew Brees. A big question also remains about the losers of the championship games’ participation in the game.
Between the Jets and the Vikings, 13 pro bowlers have to get themselves up to play a meaningless game a week after having their hopes and dreams crushed. That is a tough thing to do and people have skipped the Pro Bowl for less in the past (I’m convinced Dan Marino used to skip the games to go fishing).
By holding it at the Super Bowl location turns a week long party into a two week party and should attract more players and since everyone is still in football mode since there is still a meaningful game left to play, they will get more ratings. At least that’s what Roger Goodell thinks. It may happen, and if it does then we will never see the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl ever again.
Be sure to take a look at prop bets for this game as it is fun to bet on those more in this singular game than any other. The odds are going to be higher with all the players to choose from and the fact that they will be rotating players all game. Betting on each quarter I have always found to make this game more than watchable.
NFL predictions are usually difficult about the Pro Bowl but here are 10 predictions about this enigmatic all-star game:
10- DeSean Jackson will take a kick to the house
9- Josh Cribbs will run one play at QB out of the wildcat formation
8- Brett Favre plays in the game after taking a whooping at the hands of the Saints defense and has a curtain call for his, now finished, NFL career. (I don’t think his wife is going to let him play anymore, you see her face the whole game?)
7- Adrian Peterson will play, and fumble the ball once. A-Pete developed TBS (Tiki Barber Syndrome) this year and is going to have to shake it if he ever wants to win a Super Bowl.
6- Darrelle Revis will have an interception
5- Peyton Manning and Drew Brees will be shown on camera over 15 different times (interesting prop bet if it comes up).
4- Maurice Jones-Drew will lay someone out blocking
3- The biggest hit of the day will belong to the great Ray Lewis
2- Chris Johnson will win MVP and score two touchdowns and run for over 100 yards
1- 5 dimes review: AFC 38- NFC 28
