Will Donovan McNabb Rejuvenate His Career in Minny?
by Richard Gardner | Bodog Sportsbook Manager - 8/5/2011
To say it didn’t work in Washington would be an understatement. Donovan McNabb’s one-year stint with the Redskins was a downright disaster.
Statistically, quarterbacks have fared worse. But it’s never just about stats. The former Philadelphia Eagle found himself part of a dysfunctional group led by new coach Mike Shanahan. And in Week 8 when Shanahan pulled McNabb late in a game against Detroit so that Rex Grossman (of all guys) could run the two-minute drill, well, it was tough to recover from that.
Now McNabb is with the Minnesota Vikings, a team that had its own dysfunctional moments in 2010. Read: Brett Favre.
At Bodog’s online sportsbook, we’ve set McNabb’s total passing yards for the 2011 season at 3,200.
So far we’ve booked most of the action for this prop on the over, which isn’t a huge surprise since McNabb threw for 3,377 yards last year, and that was a bad season. A lot of experts expect him to bounce back with Minnesota, a team that has a much better running game that will keep defenses honest and, theoretically, should give McNabb more time to make plays.
Of course, there’s always the possibility that McNabb gets hurt. At 34 years old, he’s no spring chicken, and he’s had his share of injuries in the past.
There’s also the fact the Vikings drafted quarterback Christian Ponder with their 12th overall selection. If Minnesota falls out of playoff contention early, will coach Leslie Frazier make a move with an eye toward the future?
Another quarterback that changed teams in the offseason is Kevin Kolb, who oddly enough forced McNabb out of Philadelphia before Michael Vick took the NFL by storm, thus forcing Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals.
We’ve set Kolb’s total passing yards at 3,500. If you think he’ll go over, you can get +105 odds, which should tell you the way the early betting has gone.
With all the things that have been written and said about Kolb, it’s easy to forget that he’s completely unproven as an NFL quarterback. He had his moments last season with the Eagles, but he also had his share of setbacks.
Kolb will have one big thing on his side in Arizona, and that’s Larry Fitzgerald. It’s always nice to have one of the top receivers in football to throw to.
Another guy Kolb will be able to look to is newly acquired tight end Todd Heap, who was cut by the Baltimore Ravens. Heap is a two-time Pro Bowler that, at age 31, still has a lot to offer.
Be sure to check out all the NFL player props we’ve posted at Bodog. How will Chad Ochocinco do with the Patriots? What about Matt Hasselbeck in Carolina, or Reggie Bush in Miami? Plenty of big names have changed teams, and you can bet on all of them.
I will be posting weekly articles about betting previews, matchups and the inside scoop from a bookmaker’s point of view right here at Doc's Sports. Read my past articles HERE and to learn more about Bodog JUST CLICK HERE.