2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) Prop Bet: The Green Bay Packers Player Props

Leading up to the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, we'll be taking a look at Super Bowl proposition betting, or more specifically, the fun or funny Super Bowl 45 (XLV) prop bets that you hear so much about. That includes props on the Super Bowl coin toss, Super Bowl halftime show, Super Bowl National Anthem, Super Bowl postgame Gatorade Shower dump and much more. Follow along on the Super Bowl sidebar to the right!

We've gone through countless of fun 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) prop bets that don't exactly feature this year's participants in the game, the Steelers and Packers. That changes today as we dissect some of the valuable player props available for both teams.

First off, let's take a look at the Packers.

Total TD Passes – Aaron Rodgers
OVER 2 (+105)

We're counting on a big game from Aaron Rodgers, and think that the worst case scenario with this prop, and maybe most likely, is that it pushes at 2. To get +105 for anything over is a bonus.

Total INT - Aaron Rodgers
UNDER 1/2 (+135)

Just as we think Rodgers should be able to find the end zone, we are banking on him not finding any Steelers. Save for a boneheaded red zone pick in the NFC Championship, Rodgers has been nearly flawless during the Packers run to the Super Bowl.

Total Receiving Yards - Donald Driver
UNDER 45 1/2 (EVEN)

Donald Driver is a big name, but at this point in his career, you can argue he is the fourth best option on the team at the moment. We expect bigger days from Jordy Nelson and Mr. Inconsistent, James Jones.

Total Receptions - Jordy Nelson
OVER 3 1/2 (-120)

To prove to you that we expect big things out of Jordy Nelson, we're putting our money where our mouths are. We take a bit of juice on here, but after being held without a catch in the first playoff game, Jordy has grabbed 15 balls in the last two. Even with the goose egg, that's an average of 5 catches per game. We like our odds here.

Total Sacks - Clay Matthews
UNDER 1/2 (+175)

Lastly, and maybe most controversially, we don't think the Claymaker will make any Clays... or plays. At least not in the form of a sack. Clay had a hot start to the season, but was slowed by injuries and newly implemented defensive schemes late in the season. You can bet the Steelers are game planning for the Packers biggest impact player defensively, and you can bet it will pay off. Clay will get pressure, and the Packers will get sacks based off of him simply running Ben Roethlisberger into a teammates open arms, but Clay won't get the credit in the box score.

That does it for our preview of the Packers player prop bets in the Super Bowl. We'll take a look at the Steelers player prop bets tomorrow.

Early 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) Prop Bets

Leading up to the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, we'll be taking a look at Super Bowl proposition betting, or more specifically, the fun or funny Super Bowl 45 (XLV) prop bets that you hear so much about. That includes props on the Super Bowl coin toss, Super Bowl halftime show, Super Bowl National Anthem, Super Bowl postgame Gatorade Shower dump and much more. Follow along on the Super Bowl sidebar to the right!

As your unofficial home for all things Super Bowl prop betting, we wanted to give you an idea of what to expect in your proposition betting adventures over the course of the next two weeks leading up to The Big Game.

Here are some standard and generic prop bets that will be offered for the matchup between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers.

For starters, some of which we mentioned earlier this morning, here are some of the fun and wacky Super Bowl prop bets we look forward to every year:

• How long will the National Anthem last? This will be an over/under, usually somewhere between 1:30-2:00. This year, the Star Spangled Banner will be performed by Christina Aguilera.
• How many times the announcers will say ____? This could be the name of a player not involved in the game but heavily mentioned in the pre-game hype. Brett Favre is an obvious possibility.
• How many times will cameras show ____? This could again be a famous person or player not involved in the game but in attendance. Not President Barack Obama, evidently.
• Will this be the highest rated Super Bowl ever? With two large fan bases in the Packers and Steelers, this will be attainable. This year's Super Bowl will air on FOX.)
• What color will the liquid poured on the winning coach be? One of our favorites, this will be a multiple choice question. Just pick a color, simple as that.
• Who will the game MVP thank first? It could be teammates, a higher power, God, parents, fans, etc.
• What songs will the halftime entertainer sing? The Black Eyed Peas are this year's halftime act. You can always expect their biggest hits to be played, but there is usually a wild card or two thrown in there.
• Will the coin toss be heads or tails? Very easy to bet on. Very popular bet. Yes, there is a correlation between the two.
• Which Super Bowl commercial will have the highest rating according to the USA Today's annual ad meter? Here, you'll bet on which company will be advertised in the top commercial. Beer makers, soft drink producers, and some of the other major Super Bowl advertisers will be options.
• Which game will be higher scoring, the Super Bowl or _____? Variations of this will exist, asking whether the Super Bowl score will be higher than a college basketball game on Super Sunday, or if a quarterback will have more completions than a basketball player has points, etc.

Aside from the fun props, here's a general list of what to expect:

First, there are your regular lines. The Packers opened at -2 favorites with an over/under set at 45. Don't feel like you have to bet on those, though. Those lines will be different on a quarter-by-quarter basis and updated as the game goes on. The basic bets look like this:

• Spread
• Moneyline
• First half line
• First quarter line
• Second quarter line
• Third quarter line
• Fourth quarter line (not including overtime)
• Over/Under

Then you get a little more specific:

• Total points scored by the home team (Packers)
• Total points scored by the visiting team (Steelers)
• First team to score
• Last team to score
• Will the last team to score win the game?
• Will there be a score in the last two minutes of the first half?
• Will either team score three unanswered times?
• Will there be a score in the first six and a half minutes of the game?
• Which team will have the longest touchdown?
• Will there be a successful two-point conversion?
• Will there be a safety?
• Which half will have the highest point score?
• Which quarter will have the highest point score?
• Will the home team ever have the lead?
• Which team will commit the first turnover?
• Which team will use the coaches' challenge first?
• Which team will be the first to call a timeout?
• Will there be overtime?
• Which team will get the first penalty?

Then, as we inch closer to the game, we'll have plenty of player props:

• Who will have more yards between a Packers RB/WR (such as Greg Jennings) and Steelers RB/WR (such as Hines Ward)?
• Who will have more tackles between a Packers defender (such as Clay Matthews) or Steelers defender (such as James Harrison)?
• How many yards will a team's star player (such as Aaron Rodgers) have? Answers will be in increments. For example: Between 200-240; Between 240-280, etc.)

Now that you know what to expect, you can expect to find more in-depth coverage of the above proposition bets right here at Stock Lemon. Tomorrow we will begin with our very detailed coverage of some of these aforementioned prop bets as we try to make prop betting profitable during the 2011 Super Bowl XLV (45) between the Packers and Steelers.

2009 NFL Mock Draft: Picks 21-23

As we enter the final week before the 2009 NFL Draft, we're about to put our finishing touches on our own 2009 NFL Mock Draft. 

You can check out the previous 20 picks by clicking the appropriate link in the upper right hand column of this site. 

Today, we're giving out our next three picks, which includes a couple of big playmakers. Take it away Philly. 

21. Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia 

The best running back in the draft, and possibly one of the best players in a few years, finally gets selected with the twenty-first pick. Moreno is the second RB picked in our mock draft, but we really feel that he is the best option in the backfield. Not only that, but Moreno is really a complete back, with the ability to catch balls out of the backfield similar to the way the Eagles typically use their running backs. Philly will get a difference maker and eventually their future starting running back late in the draft, a tremendous value for pick 21. With the moves Philly has already made (and some other trades they might make around draft day), they could be going deep into the playoffs yet again in 2009. 

22. Vikings: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

Sticking with the SEC, the Vikings search for a true No. 1 wideout continues with the selection of Harvin. Harvin played a key role on the National Champion Gators team, but we're not sure if his skills will translate in the NFL. In Minnesota, he might be hindered by the lack of a real quarterback, but he certainly has the athleticism and skill set capable of being a breakout receiver someday. 

23. Patriots: Clay Matthews, LB, USC

The Patriots will be looking linebacker here, and Matthews is a dependable defender who should fit in nicely in New England. He's a safer pick than most in this draft, but he doesn't have as much potential as some others in our view. Matthews will mark the third USC linebacker chosen in the first 23 picks, and time will tell where he stacks up against his higher-picked college teammates. 

We'll keep on mocking through the week leading up to the NFL Draft, so be sure to check back as we round out the first 32 picks.