Favre came out of retirement for a second time last season to take the helm of the Minnesota Vikings.  Many thought it was a terrible decision for the former Green Bay QB, though he proved that he can still play with the best of the league as he posted his best year to date as he led the Vikings through a fantastic regular season and deep into the playoffs.  When asked outright if he had made a decision on returning, he said no.  It’s reported that Minnesota head coach Brad Childress has given Favre as much time as he needs to make the decision, and since the Vikings passed on the opportunity to pick up some new QB talent in this year’s draft, many are taking it as a sign of Favre’s imminent return.

His ankle rehab is reportedly going well, but, as he famously dislikes preseason training, don’t expect any confirmation of his decision until after NFL training camps.  In the meantime, check out BetUS to check out their list of NFL Futures.  They are offering some early lines on the upcoming season, including:

Week 1 Lines:
Vikings +4 ½ Points: -115
Saints -4 ½ Points: -115

Bengals +6 Points: -115
Patriots -6 Points: -115

Colts -3 Points: -115
Texans +3 Points: -115

Packers pk Points: -115
Eagles pk Points: -115

They are also offering Futures on the 2011 Super Bowl, 2011 NFC Champions, and the following division odds:

To Win the AFC East
Patriots: +130
Jets: +140
Dolphins: +300
Bills: +2500

To Win AFC North
Bengals: +300
Ravens: -120
Steelers: +225
Browns: +1500

To Win AFC West
Chargers: -350
Broncos: +600
Raiders: +750
Chiefs: +700

To Win NFC East
Cowboys: +125
Eagles: +270
Giants: +260
Redskins: +550

To Win NFC North
Vikings: +140
Packers: +130
Bears: +350
Lions: +2000

To Win NFC South
Saints: -165
Falcons: +200
Panthers: +600
Buccaneers: +2000

To Win NFC West
Cardinals: +225
49ers: -110
Seahawks: +300
Rams: +1500

There is plenty more available at BetUS, so visit their site to check out all of the latest NFL futures.

Here’s a look at this year’s list of NFL nominees:

Best Male Athlete
-    Drew Brees (NFL)
-    Kobe Bryant (NBA)
-    LeBron James (NBA)
-    Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR)
-    Albert Pujols (MLB)

Best Breakthrough Athlete
-    Brittney Griner (Baylor Basketball)
-    Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)
-    Stephen Strasburg (Washington Nationals)
-    John Wall (U of Kentucky Basketball)

Best Record-Breaking Performance
-    Usain Bolt (100/200 Meter World Records)
-    Brett Favre (NFL record for consecutive starts)
-    Roger Federer (Most Grand Slam Titles)
-    Connecticut Women’s Basketball (Longest Winning Streak)
-    John Isner and Nicolas Mahut (Longest match in tennis history)

Best Moment
-    Joannie Rochette (Winter Olympics)
-    Landon Donovan (Soccer/USA v Algeria)
-    New Orleans Saints (Super Bowl XLIV)
-    Phil Mickelson (2009 Masters)

Best Team
-    Alabama Crimson Tide (NCAAF)
-    Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
-    Connecticut (NCAA Women’s Basketball)
-    LA Lakers (NBA)
-    New Orleans Saints (NFL)
-    New York Yankees (MLB)

Performance Under Pressure Award
-    Sidney Crosby in Olympic Hockey Gold Medal Game
-    Landon Donovan in World Cup v Algeria
-    Brett Favre in his return to Green Bay
-    Stephen Strasburg in MLB debut

Best Coach/Manager
-    Geno Auriemma (Conn Women’s Basketball Team)
-    Joe Girardi (NY Yankees)
-    Phil Jackson (LA Lakers)
-    Mike Krzyzewski (Duke Basketball)
-    Sean Payton (New Orleans Saints)
-    Nick Saban (Alabama Football)

Best NFL Player
-    Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints)
-    Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings)
-    Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans)
-    Petyon Manning (Indianapolis Colts)
-    Darrelle Revis (New York Jets)
-    Charles Woodson (Green Bay)

Before you start the celebration at the idea of a 22- game season, let me just explain the possible shakeup.  Each team would continue to play 20 games.  However, instead of four preseason games and 16 regular season games, the league would shift to two preseason games for each team and 18 regular season games.
The idea has received substantial support from owners as they consider the deterioration in fan support of the preseason.  Many choose to surpass this portion of the NFL season as it has become increasingly evident that big name players often opt out of these games to save their bodies for the rigor of the regular season.  I guess NFL officials are suggesting that a shorter preseason could possibly make the games more tolerable.  It’s certainly less of a wait until the real NFL action gets underway.  And, let’s not forget that more regular season games mean more money.  It’s no wonder the suits approve.

Even though more revenue means higher paychecks, some players aren’t so anxious to jump on the 18-game bandwagon.  There has been some expressed concern that a longer season would take more of a toll physically, which could end up costing the team in the long run.

It’s all in the developmental stages at this point, but one thing is certain.  The collective bargaining agreement expires in March, which means decisions must be made in the near future.

So, what do you think?  Should the NFL expand the regular season to 18 games?

Bruce played the last two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers; however, the 9ers allowed the Rams to sign the WR on Monday, which meant Bruce could retire as a St Louis Ram where he played 14 of his 16 seasons in the NFL.  His teammates and coaches remember him as a highly professional and talented receiver.  Bruce’s number 80 will be retired later on in the upcoming season.

He joins a slew of offseason retirements that includes former St Louis teammate Kurt Warner, Zach Thomas, Walter Jones, Junior Seau, Bertrand Berry, Jeff Feagles, Deuce McAllister, Jason Elam, Chris Samuels, Patrick Kerney, Ryan Tucker, Craig Hentrich, Casey Fitzsimmons, and Mike Schneck.

With everyone anticipating the new season, the online sportsbooks are preparing for the onslaught of betting that the NFL season always brings.  This includes BetUS, our number one recommended sportsbook.  In fact, they are offering a whole slew of new NFL Futures.  These include:

AFC Championship: To Win
Baltimore Ravens: +800
Buffalo Bills: +5000
Cincinnati Bengals: +1600
Cleveland Browns: +5000
Denver Broncos: +2500
Houston Texans: +1500
Indianapolis Colts: +400
Jacksonville Jaguars: +2500
Kansas City Chiefs: +8000
Miami Dolphins: +2000
New England Patriots: +550
New York Jets: +700
Oakland Raiders: +6000
Pittsburgh Steelers: +750
San Diego Chargers: +500
Tennessee Titans: +1400

NFC Championship: To Win
Arizona Cardinals: +1800
Atlanta Falcons: +1000
Carolina Panthers: +1600
Chicago Bears: +1800
Dallas Cowboys: +550
Detroit Lions: +6000
Green Bay Packers: +650
Minnesota Vikings: +650
New Orleans Saints: +450
New York Giants: +900
Philadelphia Eagles: +750
San Francisco 49ers: +1600
Seattle Seahawks: +3000
St Louis Rams: +10000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +6000
Washington Redskins: +1800

Early Super Bowl Line: To Win
AFC Conference: -125
NFC Conference: -105

AFC v NFC Super Bowl Total
Over 48 ½ points: -115
Under 4 ½ points: -115

NFL Week 1
Minnesota Vikings v New Orleans Saints
Vikings +5 Points: -115
Saints +5 Points: -115

Minnesota Vikings v New Orleans Saints Total
Over 51 ½ points: -115
Under 51 ½ points: -115

There’s plenty more on offer at BetUS, including odds on all of the Week 1 games.  Check it out to take an early punt on the upcoming season.

We’re still counting down the days until the regular season gets underway, so here’s something fun to keep you entertained in the meantime.  It’s a look at some of the best touchdown celebrations in the NFL.

The Squirrel by Kelly Washington: Baltimore Ravens
It’s hip, it’s cool, and all the kids are doing it.  Kelly Washington shows off the Squirrel in this clip.

Snow Angel by Wes Welker: New England Patriots
There’s one benefit to having a game in the snow and that’s … well … playing in the snow as Wes Welker demonstrates.

Riverdance by Chad OchoCino: Cincinnati Bengals
He’s become known for his zany celebrations, but here’s my pick for one of the best.

The Ray Lewis by Terrell Owens: Philadelphia Eagles
A controversial player for sure, and even more so since he likes to rack up the fines with his outrageous touchdown celebrations.  Here’s his tribute to Ray Lewis.

The Icky Shuffle by Icky Woods: Cincinnati Bengals
Everyone knows it and it’s become as much of a classic as the Lambeau Leap.  Watch Icky Woods perform his iconic dance on the sidelines to avoid the penalty.

The Lambeau Leap: Green Bay Packers
You can’t talk about touchdown celebrations without mentioning the Lambeau Leap.  It’s become a football tradition that still thrills the crowd.

Be sure to remind us about your favorites in the comments.

# 5 – DeSean Jackson’s Punt Return

There is hardly a player in the NFL that can return a punt in a more impressive fashion than DeSean Jackson.  Here’s a 72-yard return against the New York Giants.

# 4 – Jacoby Jones goes 95 Yards

Jacoby Jones turned more than a few heads when he ran nearly the entire length of the field for to give the Houston Texans a three touchdown lead over the Oakland Raiders.

# 3 – Brandon Stokley shocks Cincinnati

This was a near interception/near incomplete that was batted up into the air only to be caught by Stokley.  He ran 82 yards to for the game-winning touchdown.  Plus, Gus Johnson’s reaction to the amazing play makes it all the better.

# 2 – Brett Favre over the 49ers

It was a last ditch effort that paid off in a huge way as this touchdown pass put the Vikes into the NFC Championship.

#1 – Tracy Porter’s Super Bowl Pick

We all remember it, it was the game that sealed the deal for the New Orleans Saints, giving them their first Super Bowl win.

Only seven of those 25 teams will have veterans on the field wit the new guys, running them through their paces as they adapt to the life of a pro football player.  Six other teams will start up their mini camps later on this month, but the Houston Texans until June.

Early news coming out of these mini training sessions is that St Louis, Detroit, and Tampa Bay have hope for the upcoming season.  The three finished off last season as the worst in the NFL, but they grabbed three of the most talented college players in the draft: Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh, and Gerald McCoy.  Though there is still plenty of work to be done for these three teams, things are starting to look up.

On a side note that has little to do with mini camps, Tim Tebow’s number 15 Denver jersey has come in number one in April sales.  Let’s hope the decision to draft Tebow will payoff in more important ways when the season starts.  Veteran QB Donnovan McNabb’s number 4 Washington jersey came in second.

New York Jets
The Jets made some big moves this offseason and capped it off with some excellent Draft picks.  First, they cut guard Alan Faneca and traded RB Leon Washington.  They supplemented the former with OL Vladimir Ducasse and the latter with Joe McKnight.  They also added first round pick CB Kyle Wilson from Boise State to their lineup.  Together with Antonio Cromartie and Darrell Revis, they have the major defensive potential.  Though, with all of their money delegated to other positions on the field, they are still lacking when it comes to a Kicker.

Minnesota Vikings
They may have just lost out on the Super Bowl last season, but they are shaping up to be Super Bowl favorites in the new season.  They started off by replacing RB Chester Taylor with Toby Gerhart (Heisman runner-up).  They also grabbed CB Chris Cook, who will be the biggest CB on the team at 6’2”.  All three acquisitions add some fresh talent to their respective positions, making the team stronger in the long run.  The only question that remains is that of Brett Favre.  Will he return for another season?  An answer will probably come just after training camp has wrapped up, but perhaps Minnesota should have looked into longer term QB plans.

While these two teams used the Draft to their advantage, some teams made a few picks that left plenty of NFL fans and experts scratching their heads.

Denver Broncos
Their first round pick of QB Tim Tebow may have cocked a few eyebrows, but as the guy has shown some drastic improvement and dedication throughout the combine he’s probably a pretty decent decision.  But, they it was followed up with such picks as OL Zane Beadles who was clobbered in the Senior Bowl.  Coach Josh McDaniels also took WR Demaryius Thomas instead of Dez Bryant for ‘purely football related’ reasons that we may never understand.  These are some big reaches on Denver’s part and it will be interesting to see if any of them actually payoff, especially when you consider that McDaniels’s career might well be on the line if the Broncos have another spiraling season.

Jacksonville Jaguars
There was little doubt that Jacksonville would be heading into this draft with their eyes firmly set on defense.  However, they shocked more than a few people when they picked up Tyson Alualu with their first round pick.  The kid has talent; no one is disputing that.  But, he wasn’t likely going to be scooped up in the first round.  The Jags could have used that pick to get a much needed QB.

There were plenty of other teams out there that made some big (and risky) moves in this year’s Draft.  We’ll see how it all pans out when the regular season rolls around in September.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of the Draft, the NFL has decided to expand the selections over three days.  The red carpet is rolled out and plenty of celebs are slated to make appearances.  This includes Whoopi Goldberg and Alyssa Milano.  There will also be plenty of NFL legends making an appearance, including Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and Barry Sanders.  Many are predicting more than 39 million viewers as the media coverage includes two nights of prime time.

No NFL fan is immune to the hype surrounding this Draft.  The sportsbooks are even getting into the spirit of things.  BetUS has updated their odds and are now a few new props.  This includes:

Number of quarterbacks taken in round one
Over 2 QBs: -700
Under 2 QBs: +400

Number of running backs taken in round one
Over 1 ½ running backs: -350
Under 1 ½ running backs: +225

Number of wide receivers and tight ends taken in round one
Over 2 ½ WRs and TEs: -130
Under 2 ½ WRs and TEs: -110

Number of offensive linemen taken in round one
Over 6 ½ OL: -300
Under 6 ½ OL: +200

Number of defensive tackles taken in round one
Over 4 ½ DF: +150
Under 4 ½ DF: -200

Number of defensive ends taken in round one
Over 4 DEs: -250
Under 4 DEs: +175

Many mock drafts have QB Sam Bradford as the odds-on favorite to be the first pick.  It’s no wonder as the St Louis Rams were ready to sign the contract after seeing Bradford’s impressive performance during his pro day earlier in the month.  Though, in recent weeks, there has been some chatter about the Browns approaching St Louis about a possible trade for the first round pick as they also have their eyes on the Sooner’s QB.  My guess is that St Louis isn’t going to pass up on this opportunity as they’ve made it no secret that they’re in the market for a new quarterback.

Rounding out the top three potential picks are Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy.  Expect Suh to go before McCoy.  Both are fantastic players, but Suh’s size and athleticism make him a huge asset as a defensive tackle.  The Detroit Lions are likely to pick him up as they are holding the number two pick.  Though there are a few predicting offensive tackle Russell Okung to sneak in before Suh.  He’s a solid player, but Suh is a smarter pick in my eyes.

Of course, you can’t count out media darling Tim Tebow.  He could be a sleeper in this Draft.  There aren’t too many mocks out there predicting that he’ll go in the first round, but he could surprise a few people.  His modified throwing style did impress a few scouts throughout the combine, and he’s a PR dream.  The media flocks to this kid wherever he goes, and he’s shown that he knows how to charm.  Though he might be an asset, he needs too much development to go in the first round.  Second or third seem more likely.

In other NFL news, the new schedule has been released, and the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints will kick off the new season by hosting the Minnesota Vikings.  Plenty will be tuning in to see this conference championship rematch.  Speaking of the Vikes, BetUS is also offering some Brett Favre props.  The superstar QB has yet to resign with Minnesota or enter his third (and possibly final) retirement.  BetUS is offering the following odds:

Will Brett Favre play in week one of the 2010-11 season?
Yes: -250
No: +175

Check out the full 2010-11 schedule at NFL.com, and don’t forget that the 2010 NFL Draft is set to take place on Thursday, April 22. Get to BetUS to put down all your wagers before the prime time selection process gets underway.