Thursday, December 31, 2009
by Online Sportsbook
Sportsbook Online : Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cleveland Browns
The Jacksonville Jaguars' playoff chances were in their own hands just three weeks ago. Three disheartening losses later, the Jaguars need what amounts to a minor miracle to qualify for the postseason -- and winning their finale is suddenly far from a sure thing.
The Jaguars look to bounce back from a four-touchdown defeat and give themselves a glimmer of hope Sunday when they visit the resurgent Cleveland Browns, who try to close with their first four-game winning streak in more than 15 years.
Jacksonville (7-8) opened with consecutive losses and endured a 41-0 drubbing at Seattle three weeks later, but five wins in its next seven games left coach Jack Del Rio's team in the driver's seat for an AFC wild card berth thanks to a 6-2 conference record.
The Jaguars were in a precarious position after consecutive home losses to Miami and Indianapolis in early December, and after visiting New England last Sunday, now find themselves on the brink of elimination. The Patriots held a five-touchdown lead one play into the fourth quarter, and David Garrard's fourth-quarter run was the only scoring Jacksonville could muster in a 35-7 loss.
"Blew it," said running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who leads the AFC with 15 rushing touchdowns and needs one rushing or receiving to tie Fred Taylor's single-season record (17) set in 1998. "That's pretty much what it came down to. We didn't do what we needed to do to win games. It wasn't really what other teams did to us, we just beat ourselves."
Jacksonville isn't eliminated, but needs to beat the Browns (4-11) and have a bevy of other results go their way. Five teams are ahead of the Jaguars in the wild-card race, meaning they need at least four losses among games involving Baltimore, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh, Denver and Houston to get in.
"For all that to happen it would be crazy," said linebacker Daryl Smith, the team's leading tackler. "That's not our focus. Our focus is on getting a win at Cleveland. The opportunities were there. Three straight home games and we just let it slip away."
Beating the Browns seemed like the least of Jacksonville's concerns a few weeks ago, but it now looks like quite a challenge.
To get more information and bet it on @ Sportsbook – Sportsbook Online
The Jacksonville Jaguars' playoff chances were in their own hands just three weeks ago. Three disheartening losses later, the Jaguars need what amounts to a minor miracle to qualify for the postseason -- and winning their finale is suddenly far from a sure thing.
The Jaguars look to bounce back from a four-touchdown defeat and give themselves a glimmer of hope Sunday when they visit the resurgent Cleveland Browns, who try to close with their first four-game winning streak in more than 15 years.
Jacksonville (7-8) opened with consecutive losses and endured a 41-0 drubbing at Seattle three weeks later, but five wins in its next seven games left coach Jack Del Rio's team in the driver's seat for an AFC wild card berth thanks to a 6-2 conference record.
The Jaguars were in a precarious position after consecutive home losses to Miami and Indianapolis in early December, and after visiting New England last Sunday, now find themselves on the brink of elimination. The Patriots held a five-touchdown lead one play into the fourth quarter, and David Garrard's fourth-quarter run was the only scoring Jacksonville could muster in a 35-7 loss.
"Blew it," said running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who leads the AFC with 15 rushing touchdowns and needs one rushing or receiving to tie Fred Taylor's single-season record (17) set in 1998. "That's pretty much what it came down to. We didn't do what we needed to do to win games. It wasn't really what other teams did to us, we just beat ourselves."
Jacksonville isn't eliminated, but needs to beat the Browns (4-11) and have a bevy of other results go their way. Five teams are ahead of the Jaguars in the wild-card race, meaning they need at least four losses among games involving Baltimore, the New York Jets, Pittsburgh, Denver and Houston to get in.
"For all that to happen it would be crazy," said linebacker Daryl Smith, the team's leading tackler. "That's not our focus. Our focus is on getting a win at Cleveland. The opportunities were there. Three straight home games and we just let it slip away."
Beating the Browns seemed like the least of Jacksonville's concerns a few weeks ago, but it now looks like quite a challenge.
To get more information and bet it on @ Sportsbook – Sportsbook Online
by Online Sportsbook
Sportsbook Online: Indianapolis Colts vs Buffalo Bills
After the Indianapolis Colts all but threw away their chance for an undefeated season -- creating a swirl of controversy in the process -- they have even less reason to play their starters in the regular-season finale.
Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts' stars will almost certainly see an abbreviated afternoon of action in Sunday's postseason tuneup against the host Buffalo Bills.
Leading 15-10 in the third quarter against the visiting New York Jets last Sunday, the Colts were in good shape to improve to 15-0 and win their 24th straight regular-season game until coach Jim Caldwell replaced Manning with rookie quarterback Curtis Painter.
Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai were also removed, and Painter turned the ball over twice as the Jets surged to a 29-15 victory.
Team president Bill Polian had insisted all season that the Colts' lone goal is to win the Super Bowl, and with the top seed in the AFC already secured, they proved it by removing the three-time league MVP and his top weapons from harm's way.
"The perfect season was never an issue with us," Polian said. "We've said it time and time and time again. It's somebody else's issue, but not ours. That was of no concern. Football logic has to come into play, and that logic is it makes no sense to have guys out there with the potential for injuries."
The decision did not sit well with the team's fans, who booed as it became clear the Colts (14-1) would not become the first team to finish unbeaten since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
"Until any player in here is the head coach, you follow orders and you follow them with all of your heart," Manning said. "That's what we've done as players. We follow orders."
Besides earning critics, Caldwell's move also affected the AFC playoff race, giving the Jets the inside track on a wild-card berth following their victory. There won't be nearly as much controversy about Manning coming out early against the Bills, who are guaranteed to miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
To get more information and bet it on @ Sportsbook – Sportsbook Online
After the Indianapolis Colts all but threw away their chance for an undefeated season -- creating a swirl of controversy in the process -- they have even less reason to play their starters in the regular-season finale.
Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts' stars will almost certainly see an abbreviated afternoon of action in Sunday's postseason tuneup against the host Buffalo Bills.
Leading 15-10 in the third quarter against the visiting New York Jets last Sunday, the Colts were in good shape to improve to 15-0 and win their 24th straight regular-season game until coach Jim Caldwell replaced Manning with rookie quarterback Curtis Painter.
Wide receiver Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark and running back Joseph Addai were also removed, and Painter turned the ball over twice as the Jets surged to a 29-15 victory.
Team president Bill Polian had insisted all season that the Colts' lone goal is to win the Super Bowl, and with the top seed in the AFC already secured, they proved it by removing the three-time league MVP and his top weapons from harm's way.
"The perfect season was never an issue with us," Polian said. "We've said it time and time and time again. It's somebody else's issue, but not ours. That was of no concern. Football logic has to come into play, and that logic is it makes no sense to have guys out there with the potential for injuries."
The decision did not sit well with the team's fans, who booed as it became clear the Colts (14-1) would not become the first team to finish unbeaten since the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
"Until any player in here is the head coach, you follow orders and you follow them with all of your heart," Manning said. "That's what we've done as players. We follow orders."
Besides earning critics, Caldwell's move also affected the AFC playoff race, giving the Jets the inside track on a wild-card berth following their victory. There won't be nearly as much controversy about Manning coming out early against the Bills, who are guaranteed to miss the playoffs for the 10th straight season.
To get more information and bet it on @ Sportsbook – Sportsbook Online
Thursday, December 17, 2009
by Online Sportsbook
The undefeated Indianapolis Colts (13-0) have a chance to take one more step towards greatness Thursday when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars (7-6). For the home underdog, the win is equally important, but for a different set of reasons; like making the playoffs.
NFL Odds:
Line: Colts -3
Over/Under: 41.5
Jacksonville missed the post-season party last year and was labelled as one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments. When Sportsbook Online posted win totals and odds for the Jags to improve this season the projections were much more modest and the team has responded positively.
Following a 41-0 loss at Seattle in Week 6 the Jags have played their best football since 2007, going 5-3 SU and at least putting themselves in position to make a charge at one of two AFC Wild Card spots. The Jaguars will make the playoffs as a wild-card team if they beat the Colts, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns in their final three games.
Okay, if the first two teams on that list suddenly made you cross the Jags off your playoff party invite list, consider that Indianapolis has one of the longest injury reports in the entire league right now. HC Jim Caldwell has publicly announced that he is treating this game just like any of the first 13 Indy has won this year, but keep in mind, the guy is a rookie. What else can he possibly say?
QB Peyton Manning and all of his receivers will take the field for the final Thursday night game of the year but there is no guarantee they will be out there for the full 60 minutes. On defense we can expect to see DE Dwight Freeney and LBs Clint Sessions and Gary Brackett along with safety Antoine Bethea for much of the first-half but Caldwell has been with the Colts through all of their success the past decade and knows that being healthy for a run to the Super Bowl is far more important than a perfect regular season record.
As for the Patriots and Browns, well, Jacksonville better concentrate on taking this one day at a time. The drama coming out of New England right now is already serving as a big enough distraction for Tom Brady and his crew.
The Jaguars need to be focused on cutting down the number of mental mistakes that were so common last week against the Dolphins because there is little margin for error available. Dropped passes and penalties are what cost the Tennessee Titans in Week 13 at Indy and even if Manning doesn’t plan to finish the game, it doesn’t take him long to capitalize on a mistake.
Jacksonville is the least penalized defense in the NFL and playing in their final home game of the season, which also happens to be their third straight at home, the opportunity for betting on the Jags to keep their playoff hopes alive still exists.
Sportsbook Online SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting balanced action on this game, with 56% of the volume on the road favorite Colts. This would be higher if the speculation wasn’t about a short game for some of the key Indy players. Hard to be on a team when you don’t know if Manning, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, etc. will be on the bench in the 4th quarter.
The Over/Under has come down a point or two since opening at 43, as again, the sports betting public feel the Colts might rest key players. The betting trends show that all five Thursday Night Football games this season so far have stayed under the posted total.
I look at this game and like the home underdog. I think if they limit mistakes, they can stay close and have a great shot at the upset win. So I’m playing a unit on the Jaguars.
Good luck and enjoy the game.
NFL Odds:
Line: Colts -3
Over/Under: 41.5
Jacksonville missed the post-season party last year and was labelled as one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments. When Sportsbook Online posted win totals and odds for the Jags to improve this season the projections were much more modest and the team has responded positively.
Following a 41-0 loss at Seattle in Week 6 the Jags have played their best football since 2007, going 5-3 SU and at least putting themselves in position to make a charge at one of two AFC Wild Card spots. The Jaguars will make the playoffs as a wild-card team if they beat the Colts, New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns in their final three games.
Okay, if the first two teams on that list suddenly made you cross the Jags off your playoff party invite list, consider that Indianapolis has one of the longest injury reports in the entire league right now. HC Jim Caldwell has publicly announced that he is treating this game just like any of the first 13 Indy has won this year, but keep in mind, the guy is a rookie. What else can he possibly say?
QB Peyton Manning and all of his receivers will take the field for the final Thursday night game of the year but there is no guarantee they will be out there for the full 60 minutes. On defense we can expect to see DE Dwight Freeney and LBs Clint Sessions and Gary Brackett along with safety Antoine Bethea for much of the first-half but Caldwell has been with the Colts through all of their success the past decade and knows that being healthy for a run to the Super Bowl is far more important than a perfect regular season record.
As for the Patriots and Browns, well, Jacksonville better concentrate on taking this one day at a time. The drama coming out of New England right now is already serving as a big enough distraction for Tom Brady and his crew.
The Jaguars need to be focused on cutting down the number of mental mistakes that were so common last week against the Dolphins because there is little margin for error available. Dropped passes and penalties are what cost the Tennessee Titans in Week 13 at Indy and even if Manning doesn’t plan to finish the game, it doesn’t take him long to capitalize on a mistake.
Jacksonville is the least penalized defense in the NFL and playing in their final home game of the season, which also happens to be their third straight at home, the opportunity for betting on the Jags to keep their playoff hopes alive still exists.
Sportsbook Online SPORTSBETTING.com is reporting balanced action on this game, with 56% of the volume on the road favorite Colts. This would be higher if the speculation wasn’t about a short game for some of the key Indy players. Hard to be on a team when you don’t know if Manning, Reggie Wayne, Joseph Addai, etc. will be on the bench in the 4th quarter.
The Over/Under has come down a point or two since opening at 43, as again, the sports betting public feel the Colts might rest key players. The betting trends show that all five Thursday Night Football games this season so far have stayed under the posted total.
I look at this game and like the home underdog. I think if they limit mistakes, they can stay close and have a great shot at the upset win. So I’m playing a unit on the Jaguars.
Good luck and enjoy the game.
