NFL Football Futures - Bengals at New York Giants

Sunday, September 21

BetUS NFL betting odds: Giants -4.5 (-125)

NOTABLE STAT: Cincinnati was 27th in total defense in 2007 (348.7 ypg)

KEY NFL FOOTBALL BETTING TREND: New York has lost its last four games as the home team

The New York Giants (10-6 SU & ATS) when the two NFL teams in a Week 3 game on Sunday, September 21 at 1 PM ET at Giants Stadium (natural turf) in East Rutherford, N.J.

In the BetUS NFL football betting odds, the Giants are listed as a 4.5-point advance home favorite (laying -125 at that price, while Cincinnati is -105)

Here are some NFL betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* CIN has won four of its last six games SU

* CIN has lost eight of its last ten road games SU

* CIN has played five of its last six games UNDER the total

* NY has won 14 of its last 18 games SU

* NY has covered eight of its last nine games

* NY has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total

* NY has lost its last four home games SU

* NY has played five of its last six home games OVER the total

Coming off their Cinderella season, the New York Giants have won ten consecutive games away from home. But the problem is, they don't extract a very big advantage when playing at the Meadowlands, having lost their last four contests at Giants Stadium. That's part of the battle Eli Manning & Co. must face this year, because after all, can they keep winning road games at that kind of pace? Otherwise, we think the guys in blue are well-stocked, with a crew of running backs returning healthy to fortify a ground attack that finished fourth in the NFL. The wide receivers, with Plaxico Burress returning, Sinorice Moss and Steve Smith bound to become greater threats, and rookie Mario Manningham a potential contributor, should be at least adequate, and Jeremy Shockey is with the team (at least for now).

With Manning transforming himself into a playoff hero after a shaky season under center, this team should have better on-field leadership. On defense, Michael Strahan has ridden off into the sunset, but New York will be able to rush the passer just fine, with Marcus Kiwanuka on hand, perhaps, for the full ride after breaking his leg last season.

Cincinnati was a team that had some trouble defending the run last year (ranking 21st in the NFL), and the Giants should be able to keep the Bengal linebacking corps plenty busy. Of course, that linebacking crew is a lot healthier this season, after the Bengals had to put a want ad out for help when everybody went down last season. There is still quite a ways to go for the pass rush, which was awful at exerting pressure, with less sacks per play than anyone last season.

But let's not forget what kind of offense the Bengals can put on the field. There is no reason to believe that Carson Palmer, who threw for 4131 yards and 26 TD's last season, has slowed up at age 28, and he's got as good a pair of wide receivers as there is in T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson, who combined for over 200 catches and 2500 yards in 2007. What was missing last year was the balance provided by a running game, and Rudi Johnson was expected to be in good enough shape to be a regular contributor once again.