After the initial excitement of football being back, many fans quickly see their enthusiasm tempered when they remember how little their starters might play. Starters might not even see a full game’s worth of action over the whole of the preseason combined.
In the first game of the preseason, starters typically only play a series or two and sometimes are held out entirely. The second game of the preseason will usually see coaches play their starters for about a quarter, with reserves and roster hopefuls again seeing the bulk of the action.
The third game of the preseason is the marquee game. This is the game that is closest to the regular season football we know and love, as starters will usually play for the entire first half and sometimes play into third quarter as well. However, the fourth and final game is often completely bereft of starters. Coaches don’t want to risk their superstars with the regular season just a week away, leading to it being an all-reserve affair.
That leads to many fans only casually following the preseason, but as with anything else, betting on the preseason makes the proceedings a lot more exciting. Recently, GetMoreSports.com brought on former NFL player Chris Gronkowski and he will provide his first-hand knowledge and insight throughout the year. Chris was asked about betting on the preseason, and he gave out this helpful advice.
GMS: What is your best preseason betting tip?
Gronk: Bet on running (mobile) quarterbacks in Week 4 of the preseason. When the second- and third-string guys get into the game, it means that the second- and third-string offensive line is going to be in the game as well. In turn, the quarterback will have very little time in the pocket and will be scrambling a lot. Take a team with a quarterback that can scramble and you will have will a good chance of winning.
Analysis
This makes a lot of sense. If an immobile quarterback is behind an offensive line of reserves, he is prone to get pressured on many of his dropbacks. He won’t have many options to make something happen once he feels the pressure, and he will often go down for a loss.
However, a mobile quarterback has the potential to make something happen after his pocket breaks down around him. He can turn a sack into a positive play, and that can keep teams ahead on down and distance.
If you’re looking for another way to win at preseason betting, take the over in every preseason game until books adjust. The new helmet rules that are designed to protect players are being enforced vigorously in order to try to make them stick in players’ minds once the regular season starts. There were more personal fouls called in the first week of this preseason than we saw last preseason, and the overwhelming majority of those were called against defenders who used their helmets in an illegal manner.
Those 15 yards have proven to be costly. They are keeping drives alive and giving teams major field possession boosts, which in turn, leads to more points. Books goosed their numbers upward from what we saw in Week 1 last year, but it hasn’t been enough thus far. The over went 11-5 during the first week of preseason, and overs should again be winning bets.
The Gronkcast Episodes:
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 9: Inside The NFL: Featuring Rob Gronkowski’s bodyguard Bobby Goons
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 8: Inside The NFL: Inside A Players Life in the NFL
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 7: Inside The NFL: An Interview with WWE superstar Mojo Rawley
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 6: Inside The NFL: NFL Week 2, BulletProof Picks, NFL Head Coaches
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 5: Inside The NFL: A Day In The Life of An NFL Player, NFL Week 1
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 4: Inside The NFL: NFL Betting Strategies, The Best NFL Prop Bets
Link: The GronkCast: Episode 3: Inside The NFL: What It’s Like To Be A Rookie In The NFL
