Football Line

NFL betting players never expect much from Houston, and last year looked to be another tepid season for the Texans after two straight 8-8 seasons. The Texans were in danger of failing to reach .500 before a stunning end to the season, but can they carry that over to this upcoming campaign?

Six of their first seven losses came by eight points or less, and it was starting to wear on the Texans, but it all turned around with a 34-7 win at Seattle. They followed that with road wins at St. Louis and Miami before a shocking 34-27 win over New England at home to wrap up the season, but they still missed out on their first trip to the postseason with a 9-7 record. Still, it was an encouraging end to the season, especially with their talent on offense. Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson are one of the most explosive aerial duos in the league, while Brian Cushing improved the defense en route to winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

So can they do it against this year and finally make it to the postseason in their ninth season? We'd like to say yes, but they've had some stumbles in the offseason. Johnson had his little contract dispute, and although he reported to OTA, he didn't do it right away and we're wondering if that will cause a problem. Cushing will also miss the first four weeks of the season after he violated the substances rules, although he says it was only a fertility drug. The Texans aren't a stable enough franchise to overcome stuff like this, so stay away from their odds when you're betting online this season.

Brandon Marshall has made news this week when he disclosed a surgery he had this offseason. This week the star wide receiver told the Miami Dolphins he had hip surgery and will not be able to practice until training camp begins. Marshal was traded from the Broncos during the offseason and is expected to be a big part of the Dolphins offense and help young quarterback Chad Henne lead the team to the playoffs.

Injuries are key information when you bet on sports. The recent surgery disclosure may dampen some spirits among Dolphins management and the fans. With Marshall out at least until training camp, the team will go on without him during voluntary workouts and mandatory minicamp. Henne will not be able to begin working with what should be his number one target, and thus cannot develop a rapport.

The future of the Dolphins will have to wait, as they look to change from a run first offense to a more balanced approach. They have succeeded on the legs of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, and never have they had a wide receiver with the talent of Brandon Marshall.

There is no indication he won't be ready for training camp and the preseason, but it he and Henne still may not click early on. The Dolphins start the season at Buffalo, then travel to Minnesota before hosting the Jets and the Patriots. The AFC will be a tough division this year with New York upgrading at many positions and New England being as powerful as they always are.

The Dolphins can ill afford to have their best player on the sideline for long. They may struggle out of the gate, but look for Henne and Marshall to practice as much as possible to develop a rhythm. Football is months away, so in the meantime, World Cup betting is available as the biggest sporting event in the world gets underway.

In a NFL betting move many expected to happen earlier in the off-season, the Oakland Raiders have formally cut ties with former first overall pick JaMarcus Russell. After three years of being one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the game, as well as one of the most unproductive, the Raiders made announced the decision on Thursday through Senior Executive John Herrera, who told the Associated Press that the organization wished him well.

The decision came less than two weeks after the Raiders acquired former Redskins starting quarterback Jason Campbell from Washington to take over the job, and although it appeared as though owner Al Davis was unwilling to give up on his selection, eventually Russell's lack of work ethic and determination led to his dismissal. Davis just recently revealed to reporters that it was his personal decision to select Russell with the top pick in the 2007 draft, despite the head coach at the time Lane Kiffin vouching for the selection of wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who ended up being drafted by the Detroit Lions.

Russell's name will now be linked among the top busts in the history of the NFL draft, having already been paid upwards of $39 million despite just seven total sports betting wins. They still owe him $3 million this season, but saved a total $6.45 million by not keeping him on their roster for the 2010 season. Since the common draft in 1967, no other number one pick has been released this soon after being drafted.