2010 NFL and Collage Football Season Predictions With Expert Capper

Expert Sports Handicapper Offers up Some Great 2010 NFL Season and College Football Season Predictions Including a Look at Some Underdogs With Gambling911.com’s Jenny Woo

NFL Preseason is here and football fever will be starting soon – if it hasn’t started already. Last year I was able to meet some successful handicappers at the VegasInsider.com Sports Handicapping Seminar at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa who were able to give Jenny a lesson or two on sports handicapping. Just recently, I reached out to Jason Johnson to get his take on the 2010/2011 football season. Check J.J. out at VegasInsider.com.  

JENNY: How long have you been handicapping and how long have you been involved with VegasInsider.com?

J.J: I’ve been handicapping since I was about 13 when I used to grab the newspaper and pull out the sports section and see the lines in the paper and circle the teams that I thought would win and give it to my dad and he’d look at me a laugh. And then he’d come back on Sunday night and say, “Wow you did pretty well”. So now I’ve been with Vegas Insider – I think about seven years and it’s been a great experience. Everybody there has been fantastic.

JENNY: What do foresee for the 2010/2011 NFL season? Who’s the clear favorite?

J.J: I think everybody has the Colts or at least Vegas (Insider) has the Colts as their clear favorite. The Cowboys, Packers, Ravens, and the Jets are all up there 9 to 1 – 10 to 1 odds. But I see a lot of parity in the NFL. I think a lot of teams are mediocre and based on their schedules and any injury here or there – you could see some team that we see mediocre today definitely slip into the playoffs get hot and make a run into the Super Bowl.

JENNY: Where do you see the New Orleans Saints? Do you see them getting far this season?

J.J: I think they’ll have a good season. There’s no reason to think they wouldn’t. Basically the entire team returned. They play in a division that kind of blends itself to competition so if they can get through the NFC South – you’re prepped well for the playoffs and I think they’ll have a good season. I don’t think it’ll be as good as last year but I think they’ll make the playoffs.

JENNY: Who are the underdogs this season to watch out for?

J.J: I’m looking out for the Washington Redskins. I think Mike Shanahan is a great coach and they got him on board. And now Donovan McNabb comes in as quarterback obviously with something to prove. They added a cornerback with Phillip Buchanon, extra running back Willie Parker, there defense is one of the best in the league and with Shanahan there – it will probably only get better. I think they’re a team to look out for in a very tough division. – the NFC East. But they’re my underdogs, at least to close winning record and possibly make the playoffs. 

JENNY: We’ll soon be enjoying college ball in Sept. What teams will be entering the 2010/2011 season as favorites? And underdogs to watch out for?

J.J: Alabama is definitely the clear cut favorite. They’re ranked number one in the polls and for good reason. They return almost the entire team – well on offense at least including their quarterback, Greg McElroy. Nick Saban has always had a strong defense and he’s definitely a quality coach. So there’s no reason Alabama shouldn’t have a successful season.

As far as underdogs, I’d look out for Nebraska. They’re a team that kind of flies on the radar last couple of years but if improved – they had last year’s best defense and they return seventeen starters this year. And on top of that their toughest game is at home against Texas. So they have a chance to impress.

What but any Florida teams?

J.J: Well Florida is always going to be a great competitive team with a great coach in Urban Meyer and quality recruiting. They just replenish any talent that goes missing. If you had to ask me between Florida, Florida State, and Miami, which team I thought would have the most successful season out of the state of Florida – I’d probably say it’s going to be the University of Florida.   

JENNY: What’s been you most memorable football season? It can be anything. Ex. Whether it’s been something that has shocked the hell out of you or something that brought in bragging rights?

J.J: I guess the most memorable football season – I think was probably back in 1990/1991 when the Giants won the Super Bowl.  As sappy as this is going to sound – I remember a hundred people sitting in my living room in New York watching the game. It was my first real memory of a major sporting event – bringing people together for no other reason than to watch the game. It was kind of the prelude to my life now, which is go out to the sports bars on the weekends with your friends and watch the game. Something I’ve been doing for as long as I can remember now. But I think that was the first time I really remember – my entire family and all of my friends at my house watching a game screaming at the television. Kind of sappy – I know. Haha

JENNY: I’m sure it’s safe to say that you love what you do. However, what kind of challenges have you run into (if any) throughout you handicapping career?

J.J: I think the toughest challenge “now” is that there’s a 24 hour news cycle and if you walk away from a cell phone or the Internet for just a couple of hours – you probably miss something and as a handicapper you can’t miss something. That’s where you get your edge over the books. So having all the information is what makes the handicapper successful. The fact that it’s constantly updating now as opposed to years ago when it used to be just read the newspaper in the morning or get a little clipping here or a little information there. Now everybody has everything. It’s gotta be the most time consuming job in the world at this point.

JENNY: Yeah. But you love it don’t you?

J.J: Oh yeah.