The sports betting surrounding Super Bowl XLV is picking up pace, and many people are wondering how each team’s offense will affect the NFL betting in this game. There are surprises that have affected the Super Bowl betting odds for both teams, and in order to make accurate NFL predictions you need to be aware of what is going on with each team’s offense.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have always been known as a running team, but when they decided to run their way to Super Bowl XLV it came as a surprise to just about everyone. Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall had a great regular season racking up 1,273 rushing yards and scoring 13 rushing touchdowns. But the two-pronged running attack the Steelers were known for was just not there in 2010. Running back Isaac Redman only had 247 rushing yards with no touchdowns during the regular season and Mewelde Moore only had 99 rushing yards. It seemed like the Steelers were going to air it out to Hines Ward and Mike Wallace on their way to the Super Bowl.

But the leading receiver for the Steelers in the playoffs after two games is Antonio Brown, and he only has 89 receiving yards. Meanwhile, Rashard Mendenhall has 167 total rushing yards in the playoffs and three touchdowns. Mendenhall ran right through the New York Jets defense in the AFC Championship game and was a key reason why the Steelers are playing in Super Bowl XLV.

So what can the Packers expect from the Steelers? Now that the Steelers have found their running game, it is hard to say what they will do against the Packers. The over-aggressive nature of the Packers linebackers can be exploited with a good running game up the middle. But with nose tackle B.J. Raji in the middle of the line for the Packers, running the ball will not be as easy as it was against the Jets.

Look for the Steelers to get Wallace and Ward more involved in the offense in the Super Bowl. The Jets defense was a bit one-dimensional, focusing primarily on the pass. The Packers have a more rounded defense that will force Ben Roethlisberger to throw the ball just as much as the Steelers run it.

Green Bay Packers

Up until the Packers kicked off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round, the general consensus was that quarterback Aaron Rodgers was the Green Bay offense. With no warning at all, the Packers got great production out of rookie running back James Starks and now the Packers have a well-rounded and dangerous offense.

Starks has 263 rushing yards in three playoff games, which is 162 more rushing yards than he had all regular season. He finally scored a touchdown in the NFC championship game, but his value extends way beyond touchdowns. Now the opposing defense has no idea whether Rodgers will run the ball or pass it when he gets in trouble. Because the Packers have a running game, opposing offenses are guessing that Rodgers will throw the ball away rather than run it. That has been the wrong guess throughout the playoffs.

Look for Rodgers to continue to throw the ball deep to Greg Jennings and Donald Driver while handing the ball off to James Starks 20 to 25 times in the Super Bowl. Now that the Packers have a well-rounded offense, they are a very dangerous team to defend.

The Bruins and Canucks both advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with 4 straight wins.

Boston swept away with their Original Six foes from Montreal and along with it the  spectre of a 3 series losing streak to the Candiens. Tim Thomas was solid but never needed to be spectacular as Montreal wasn’t a threaten to take a game in this series.

Vancouver swept a 4 games series for the first time in franchise history. It will give high profile addition Mats Sundin time to rest his “lower body injury.” I’m guessing it’s his hip or groin.

Both teams will rest their bodies and wait for their next opponents.

There is still plenty games to bet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

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Bruins-Canadiens

Every Boston Montreal series is intense but this time the grudges go beyond tradition. Claude Julien, fired by Montreal in 2006 is the head coach of the conference champions.

Boston finished at the top of the Eastern Conference with but they’ve been in this position before against Montreal, posting more than 100 points in 02 and 04 only to drop their first round series to the underdog Canadiens. They hope that Tim Thomas who led the league in Goals against and save percentage will continue his magical season and carry them past the Habs.

This will mark the 32nd time Montreal and Boston have met in the playoffs with the Habs holding a huge 24-7 advantage in the meetings. And have continued that dominance recently winning the past 3 in 2002, 2004 and again last season.
Like the Western Conference, we could see another conference champ golfing after the first round. When these two teams meet in the playoffs history has shown us, the regular season records don’t matter but this time the Bruins will pull it out with the help of Tim Thomas.

Rory Says, “NHL Betters should take Boston in 5.”
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The marathon to the Stanley cup begins Tuesday with some powerhouse clashes, Cinderella possibilities and a couple teams that are just happy to be there. Let’s have a look at the first round match-ups and see if there are some good betting opportunities or some series that you might want to avoid.

Sharks-Ducks
This will be the first time since the 1969 epic battle between the LA Kings and the now defunct California Seals where two California teams have faced off in the NHL playoffs. That series went seven and so should this one. The 2007 champion Ducks are playoff savvy and they proven they know how to win when it counts.

The San Jose Sharks are the Presidents Trophy winner but have failed time and time again to get over the playoff hump. The Sharks added 7 players with rings this season and the name that standout the most on the list is Claude Lemieux, as much as I hate the guy he has been through the wars and knows what needs to be done to win. He won’t provide much support on the ice but the experience he brings could push the Sharks over the top.

The 2007 champion Ducks are playoff savvy and they proven they know how to win when it counts. The Ducks haven’t been themselves this season but they still have the key players from there run 2 years ago. If there will be an 8 vs. 1 upset this year the Anaheim are the team to do it.

This series could be decided by a single bounce of the puck, the added veterans to the Sharks lineup should ensure the bounce goes there way.

Rory says “San Jose in 7 games.” Read the rest of this entry »