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MVP Prop Play
Here is a prop play that is loaded with line value. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers to win the Most Valuable Player! Right now you can get at least 12/1 odds (Bet $100 to win $1,200) at some betting shops. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady have won two MVP’s each in the last four years. Rivers has a real shot this season. I believe that his main competition is coming from another pair of gunslingers in Green Bay’s Aaron Rogers and New Orleans’ Drew Brees.
San Diego’s 9-7 record last season was a fluke that was caused by atrocious special teams play. With the receiving core that Rivers has, he should put up some HUGE numbers in the weak AFC West. Last season, the Chargers were swept by the Raiders. This season, they will be primed for revenge and Nnamdi Asomugha is not in the Raiders’ secondary anymore. The Denver Broncos have a terrible defense and Kansas City is in for a butt-kicking because the Chiefs had the nerve to win their division last season.
The Chargers lost three games last season when they were more than seven-point favorites. Why? Because they came out of the locker room flat and overconfident and they featured their rushing and short passing game. They lost 20-17 to the Rams laying eight, 28-13 laying 13 to the Raiders and 34-20 to the Bengals laying 7 ½-points. In the first quarter of these three games the Chargers were outscored 31-0. That’s right! They were outscored 31-0 in the first quarter despite the fact that they were laying more than a TD. Hopefully, head coach Norv Turner will learn that you have to let this team play THEIR game even against weak opponent. They have to CRUSH weak opposition EARLY in the game. They have to come out firing. When you come out passively, it just gives the underdog hope. Turner has to loosen the reins on this team and let them fly. Norv needs to channel the ghost of Don Coryell and let Rivers throw the ball on virtually every down.
The Chargers will be underdogs only twice this season – at New England in Week 2 and at New York against the Jets in Week 7. The Patriots will be off a Monday Night Football affair with the Dolphins AND the Jets will be also be coming off a MNF divisional battle with the Dolphins. Teams have usually suffered the week after battling the Dolphins and this should give Rivers the edge. In addition, Rivers and the Chargers will have an extra week to prepare for the Jets' defense since Week 6 is San Diego’s bye.
Another reason why we lean toward Rivers is that the Chargers’ defense is much better than that of the Colts or the Patriots. This means that the Chargers’ offense will spend more time on the field and, hence, have more scoring opportunities.
Philip Rivers led the league in passing yards in 2010 despite the fact that he had 117 fewer attempts than Drew Brees and 138 fewer attempts than Peyton Manning.
Finally, the Chargers have a QUALITY offensive line that has been playing together for some time now and in pass protection, this is important.
This is a nice price for a Pro-Bowl QB that has the consensus best set of receivers in the entire league.
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