Keep in mind that early season NFL can be as tricky a proposition as there is in sports betting, proceed with caution, and don’t be afraid to learn a little before you make your move.

Buffalo Bills- Many fans and bettors still haven’t forgiven JP Losman for his horrible performance as a first year starter back in 2005. He came into the league as a long-haired surfer type that doesn’t come off as the sharpest crayon in the box. However, the fact is Losman made huge strides as ‘07 progressed, and he can make a lot of throws that many QBs in this league simply cannot. This team plays hard for head coach Dick Jauron, and the team’s weakness the last 3-4 years, the offensive line, was addressed in free agency. Behind the new line, I expect the combination of Anthony Thomas and Marshawn Lynch to do good things in this offense. There are question marks in the secondary, with the loss of Nate Clements, but we are talking about ATS value teams, not Super Bowl contenders here. The young Bills went 5-3 SU, 6-2$ down the stretch, and no one is talking about them.

Cleveland Browns- Sure, I’d like a little more to choose from the QB position, but whoever ends up taking the bulk of the snaps for the Browns will be surrounded by a much better supporting cast. This is another team that should be greatly improved on the offensive line, and that’s what gets overlooked in the pointspread as gametime approaches, as the betting public only knows fantasy football and what has happened the last couple of seasons. No team was bit as hard by the injury bug as Cleveland last year, and the Brownies were second-worst in the league with a -13 turnover margin. Expect an improvement in both categories, and that should lead to pointspread improvement as well. Especially early on, with 4 of the first 6 at home.

St.Louis Rams- The Rams improved statistically on both sides of the ball last season, and with the addition of Orlando Pace, along with excellent free agent signings of Randy McMichael and Drew Bennett, this team figures to be top 5 in the league offensively. DC Haslett’s defense made even bigger strides, allowing 3 ppg and15 ypg less than in ‘05, while forcing 30 turnovers. Their defensive line looks to be much improved this year, as rush defense has been an achilles heal for this team since the early part of the century. The statistical jumps led to a 2 win on-the-field improvemnt and a 4 win ATS improvement from the previous year. What I like most about these improvements is that A. they came under a first-year coaching regime, so we can expect them to take another step forward, and B. the Rams did not make the playoffs, so they remain under the radar for ‘07.

Washington Redskins- The Redskins had major issues on both sides of the ball last season, but the fact remains that there is talent in DC. Reports on Jason Campbell give hope for his second season at the helm, and he will be protected by one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. The return of a healthy Clinton Portis along with Ladell Betts gives the young Campbell the all-important running game a young quarterback needs to lean on. The defense was a huge bust last season, but looking at their personnel, I believe that Gregg Williams simply did not tailor his system to what he had on hand, and besides hard-hitting S Taylor, the secondary has basically been revamped. With new coordinators on both sides of the ball, and something to prove this season, I look for this group of veterans to rebound in what is most likely Joe Gibbs’ final stand. A forgotten team for ‘07.