Thursday, February 18, 2010
by Online Sportsbook
Lewis was released by the Cleveland Browns on Wednesday but hasn't given up hope of playing again in the NFL.
Lewis was let go with one year remaining on his contract. His season ended Dec. 2 when he was placed on injured reserve with post-concussion symptoms, but he doesn't want his career to end with an injury.
First, he must be cleared to return.
"If Jamal wants to play and he's cleared to play, I think he's got a lot of football he can bring to the table to help an organization," said his agent, Mitch Frankel. "He can be a significant contributor to the right organization. Jerome Bettis and some other guys at the end of their careers took on a different role, and I think Jamal can do that."
Lewis, 30, said after the Browns' season finale that he was still suffering from headaches and blurred vision as a result of the concussion, which he suffered in the opener against Minnesota. Frankel said he wasn't sure if Lewis was still having the problems.
Lewis carried 143 times last year for 500 yards and has rushed for 10,067 yards in his career.
Lewis' release leaves Jerome Harrison as Cleveland's apparent starter. The former Washington State player rushed for 862 yards last season, but ended with a flurry. He rushed for 561 yards and five touchdowns over the final three games — all wins — as Cleveland closed the season by winning its final four.
Ravens sign Stallworth
Desperate for a playmaking receiver, the Ravens granted disgraced former first-round draft choice Donte' Stallworth a second chance.
The ball is now officially in his court. Will the 29-year-old Stallworth finally fulfill the promise he held as the 13th pick in the 2002 draft? Or will his last chance continue the decline of an injury-strapped seven-year career?
The NFL suspended Stallworth for the 2009 season after he pleaded guilty last June to manslaughter while driving drunk in Miami Beach, a second-degree felony in Florida. He struck and killed a 59-year-old construction worker March 14, one day after he cashed a $4.5 million bonus from the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens signed Stallworth to a one-year contract reportedly worth $900,000 with $300,000 in incentives after a Tuesday workout.
For more news...
Lewis was let go with one year remaining on his contract. His season ended Dec. 2 when he was placed on injured reserve with post-concussion symptoms, but he doesn't want his career to end with an injury.
First, he must be cleared to return.
"If Jamal wants to play and he's cleared to play, I think he's got a lot of football he can bring to the table to help an organization," said his agent, Mitch Frankel. "He can be a significant contributor to the right organization. Jerome Bettis and some other guys at the end of their careers took on a different role, and I think Jamal can do that."
Lewis, 30, said after the Browns' season finale that he was still suffering from headaches and blurred vision as a result of the concussion, which he suffered in the opener against Minnesota. Frankel said he wasn't sure if Lewis was still having the problems.
Lewis carried 143 times last year for 500 yards and has rushed for 10,067 yards in his career.
Lewis' release leaves Jerome Harrison as Cleveland's apparent starter. The former Washington State player rushed for 862 yards last season, but ended with a flurry. He rushed for 561 yards and five touchdowns over the final three games — all wins — as Cleveland closed the season by winning its final four.
Ravens sign Stallworth
Desperate for a playmaking receiver, the Ravens granted disgraced former first-round draft choice Donte' Stallworth a second chance.
The ball is now officially in his court. Will the 29-year-old Stallworth finally fulfill the promise he held as the 13th pick in the 2002 draft? Or will his last chance continue the decline of an injury-strapped seven-year career?
The NFL suspended Stallworth for the 2009 season after he pleaded guilty last June to manslaughter while driving drunk in Miami Beach, a second-degree felony in Florida. He struck and killed a 59-year-old construction worker March 14, one day after he cashed a $4.5 million bonus from the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens signed Stallworth to a one-year contract reportedly worth $900,000 with $300,000 in incentives after a Tuesday workout.
For more news...
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
by Online Sportsbook
The Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints will open the 2010 NFL season at home on Thursday, Sept. 9, possibly against the Minnesota Vikings in what would be an NFC Championship game rematch.
The Super Bowl champ has hosted the season opener since 2004. Besides the Vikings, other possible opponents on the Saints' home schedule are the Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers, Rams, Seahawks, Browns and Steelers.
Here are the 2010 NFL Predictions at Football Betting section.
The Super Bowl champ has hosted the season opener since 2004. Besides the Vikings, other possible opponents on the Saints' home schedule are the Falcons, Panthers, Buccaneers, Rams, Seahawks, Browns and Steelers.
Here are the 2010 NFL Predictions at Football Betting section.
Monday, February 15, 2010
by Online Sportsbook
Barring a breakthrough in negotiations, the 49ers will use the franchise-tag designation on defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin, according to a report Monday.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, citing league sources, said the 49ers are poised to use the tag on Franklin if no multiyear agreement is in place by the Feb. 25 deadline for the franchise designation. The price tag for franchised defensive tackles is $7 million for 2010.
Franklin has long appeared headed for franchise-tag status. He acknowledged the possibility as he packed his belongings after a season-ending victory against the St. Louis Rams.
"I'd like to be back here, but me and my agent are going to sit down and talk and look at the possibilities of the franchise tag,'' Franklin said. "We'll figure out the possibilities. "... I enjoy playing with these guys, and I feel like we have a really good defense."
Franklin, 29, is coming off his finest season since signing as an unrestricted free agent from Baltimore in 2007. A stalwart against the run, Franklin helped the 49ers finish sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
More important to his teammates is Franklin's willingness to do the dirty work. The 6-foot-1, 317-pound lineman eats up blockers, which allows linebackers such as Patrick Willis to roam free. Willis campaigned hard for the 49ers to find a way to secure Franklin's return for 2010.
"I pray to God that they keep Aubrayo,''
Willis said. "The coaches already know where my heart is. I say he's the best nose in the game.
"People say, 'Man, Pat, you make a lot of plays.' But I make a lot of plays because of those three guys up front, especially Aubrayo."
It's possible the 49ers will continue to work on a long-term contract for Franklin until the Feb. 25 deadline. But a source told Schefter that it's doubtful any such deal could be struck.
For more NFL News Check out Football betting section.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, citing league sources, said the 49ers are poised to use the tag on Franklin if no multiyear agreement is in place by the Feb. 25 deadline for the franchise designation. The price tag for franchised defensive tackles is $7 million for 2010.
Franklin has long appeared headed for franchise-tag status. He acknowledged the possibility as he packed his belongings after a season-ending victory against the St. Louis Rams.
"I'd like to be back here, but me and my agent are going to sit down and talk and look at the possibilities of the franchise tag,'' Franklin said. "We'll figure out the possibilities. "... I enjoy playing with these guys, and I feel like we have a really good defense."
Franklin, 29, is coming off his finest season since signing as an unrestricted free agent from Baltimore in 2007. A stalwart against the run, Franklin helped the 49ers finish sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed.
More important to his teammates is Franklin's willingness to do the dirty work. The 6-foot-1, 317-pound lineman eats up blockers, which allows linebackers such as Patrick Willis to roam free. Willis campaigned hard for the 49ers to find a way to secure Franklin's return for 2010.
"I pray to God that they keep Aubrayo,''
Willis said. "The coaches already know where my heart is. I say he's the best nose in the game.
"People say, 'Man, Pat, you make a lot of plays.' But I make a lot of plays because of those three guys up front, especially Aubrayo."
It's possible the 49ers will continue to work on a long-term contract for Franklin until the Feb. 25 deadline. But a source told Schefter that it's doubtful any such deal could be struck.
For more NFL News Check out Football betting section.
by Online Sportsbook
It is the Mardi Gras that may never end. From the bars of Bourbon Street to those long-suffering households of the Lower Ninth Ward, the people of New Orleans were due to mobilise on Tuesday morning to give their triumphant Saints the type of homecoming parade that would embarrass even Broadway.
As the last piece of tickertape settled at the end of an unforgettable night at Miami's Sun Life Stadium, one sound continued to resound through the stairwells and across the parking lots. It sounded suspiciously like booing and yet its message was quite the contrary. "Who Dat?"
The words belonged to 19th-century minstrel songs, and were later reprised in the jazz numbers that filled the French quarter in the Thirties. Exultant Saints supporters, not daring to believe that a city under water five years ago could ever reach a day like this, kept up the refrain almost until their lungs burst.
Drew Brees, the winning quarterback and all-American boy who has thrust himself to the heart of the city's relief efforts since Hurricane Katrina, put it best when he dedicated their first Super Bowl to "the entire Who Dat Nation."
Jonathan Vilma, the Saints linebacker, felt a more powerful sense of accomplishment than most. As a man of Haitian descent, he had the aftermath of not one natural catastrophe, but two, weighing on his mind in the mayhem of Sunday. Drained of emotion, he looked squarely into the camera and asked: "Who dat say gonna beat dem Saints?" The answer was no one, not this year.
To defy all predictions, the Saints outgunned the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. It seemed fitting, too, that cornerback Tracy Porter, as a Louisiana boy, produced the decisive fourth-quarter score when he jumped in front of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's intended receiver, Reggie Wayne, before returning the interception 74 yards for the touchdown.
Expect Porter to assume a prominent role when the Saints ride their hometown floats today. Do not be surprised, either, if he and his team-mates are honoured with a tea party at the White House – President Obama is an avowed fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers but he, like all in attendance in Miami, remains acutely sensitive to the plight of New Orleans.
The plaudits will be bestowed mostly upon Brees, who eclipsed Manning, his far more celebrated contemporary, by completing all eight passes that gave the Saints their lead in the final quarter. It would be wrong to overlook, though, the inspiration of Sean Payton, the head coach whose calls galvanised his players to rally from 10-0 down. It was Payton, too, who took the gamble of ordering a short kick-off to start the second half, triggering a mêlée from which the Saints, somehow, emerged with the ball, before Brees picked out Pierre Thomas to score.
"Everybody in New Orleans gets a piece of this," Payton called out as he held aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the first in Saints history. The moment completed an astonishing run by his team – they won three post-season games this year, having managed just two in their previous 42. It also signalled the emergence of Payton as a master tactician on the grandest stage, far removed from his struggle to carve out a living in Leicester in the late Eighties, in Britain's now-defunct Budweiser League.
Hollywood royalty were out in force to watch a story of Hollywood pathos unfold: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jamie Foxx and Adam Sandler were in the sky boxes, all apparently cheering for the Saints. They witnessed the thwarting of Manning, by common consent the finest quarterback of his generation, but this was not the narrative of the night.
The story lay in how the Saints managed to engineer a decisive second-half shift in momentum. Such was the threat of Manning, they needed the clear water of a seven-point margin before they dared dream. Jeremy Shockey's touchdown gave the opportunity, but Payton's boldness allowed it to be converted.
For more Super Bowl News check out football betting section.
As the last piece of tickertape settled at the end of an unforgettable night at Miami's Sun Life Stadium, one sound continued to resound through the stairwells and across the parking lots. It sounded suspiciously like booing and yet its message was quite the contrary. "Who Dat?"
The words belonged to 19th-century minstrel songs, and were later reprised in the jazz numbers that filled the French quarter in the Thirties. Exultant Saints supporters, not daring to believe that a city under water five years ago could ever reach a day like this, kept up the refrain almost until their lungs burst.
Drew Brees, the winning quarterback and all-American boy who has thrust himself to the heart of the city's relief efforts since Hurricane Katrina, put it best when he dedicated their first Super Bowl to "the entire Who Dat Nation."
Jonathan Vilma, the Saints linebacker, felt a more powerful sense of accomplishment than most. As a man of Haitian descent, he had the aftermath of not one natural catastrophe, but two, weighing on his mind in the mayhem of Sunday. Drained of emotion, he looked squarely into the camera and asked: "Who dat say gonna beat dem Saints?" The answer was no one, not this year.
To defy all predictions, the Saints outgunned the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. It seemed fitting, too, that cornerback Tracy Porter, as a Louisiana boy, produced the decisive fourth-quarter score when he jumped in front of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's intended receiver, Reggie Wayne, before returning the interception 74 yards for the touchdown.
Expect Porter to assume a prominent role when the Saints ride their hometown floats today. Do not be surprised, either, if he and his team-mates are honoured with a tea party at the White House – President Obama is an avowed fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers but he, like all in attendance in Miami, remains acutely sensitive to the plight of New Orleans.
The plaudits will be bestowed mostly upon Brees, who eclipsed Manning, his far more celebrated contemporary, by completing all eight passes that gave the Saints their lead in the final quarter. It would be wrong to overlook, though, the inspiration of Sean Payton, the head coach whose calls galvanised his players to rally from 10-0 down. It was Payton, too, who took the gamble of ordering a short kick-off to start the second half, triggering a mêlée from which the Saints, somehow, emerged with the ball, before Brees picked out Pierre Thomas to score.
"Everybody in New Orleans gets a piece of this," Payton called out as he held aloft the Vince Lombardi Trophy, the first in Saints history. The moment completed an astonishing run by his team – they won three post-season games this year, having managed just two in their previous 42. It also signalled the emergence of Payton as a master tactician on the grandest stage, far removed from his struggle to carve out a living in Leicester in the late Eighties, in Britain's now-defunct Budweiser League.
Hollywood royalty were out in force to watch a story of Hollywood pathos unfold: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Jamie Foxx and Adam Sandler were in the sky boxes, all apparently cheering for the Saints. They witnessed the thwarting of Manning, by common consent the finest quarterback of his generation, but this was not the narrative of the night.
The story lay in how the Saints managed to engineer a decisive second-half shift in momentum. Such was the threat of Manning, they needed the clear water of a seven-point margin before they dared dream. Jeremy Shockey's touchdown gave the opportunity, but Payton's boldness allowed it to be converted.
For more Super Bowl News check out football betting section.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
by Online Sportsbook
New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush customized an Adidas' adiZero Ace 2 running shoe for Haiti that shows off the colors of the Haitian flag with “Help Haiti” inscribed on the heel.
The men's and women's shoe sells for $105 online through Thursday with 10% of the price of each pair sold going to Haitian relief effort Mercy Corps. Bush also designed a companion pair featuring the Saint's black and gold with the "Help Haiti" inscription.
"Partnering with Adidas and Mercy Corps to design this shoe is just one way to raise awareness, raise money and do my part to help the people of Haiti," Bush said.
For more Super Bowl news check out football betting section.
The men's and women's shoe sells for $105 online through Thursday with 10% of the price of each pair sold going to Haitian relief effort Mercy Corps. Bush also designed a companion pair featuring the Saint's black and gold with the "Help Haiti" inscription.
"Partnering with Adidas and Mercy Corps to design this shoe is just one way to raise awareness, raise money and do my part to help the people of Haiti," Bush said.
For more Super Bowl news check out football betting section.
Monday, February 8, 2010
by Online Sportsbook
Who dat you ask? The New Orleans Saints, that’s who.
The Saints entered Super Bowl XLIV in Miami listed as 4.5-point underdogs but were able to defeat the Indianapolis Colts by a final of 31-17.
The two finalists combined for 48-points, which went Under the Total of 56.5.
New Orleans entered halftime down 10-6.
For more information check out NFL betting section.
The Saints entered Super Bowl XLIV in Miami listed as 4.5-point underdogs but were able to defeat the Indianapolis Colts by a final of 31-17.
The two finalists combined for 48-points, which went Under the Total of 56.5.
New Orleans entered halftime down 10-6.
For more information check out NFL betting section.
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.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
by Online Sportsbook
The Annual Turkey Day trio of NFL games that kicks off the Week 12 card is setup to help the sports betting community ease into the action, starting with a NFC North divisional game between the Green Bay Packers (6-4) and Detroit Lions (2-8). Online sportsbook have listed the Packers (-10.5) as a double-digit favorite and the Over/Under is set at 47.
If it’s beginning to feel like a tradition for Thanksgiving’s first game of the day to seem a little meaningless, as far as playing a part in shaping the playoff picture, it’s because the Lions have only come into this game with a winning record once in the past nine years.
Detroit did excite fans at Ford Field last Sunday with a 38-37 come from behind victory against the Cleveland Browns but QB Matt Stafford was injured on the game’s final drive and has been all but ruled out of this contest vs. Green Bay. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said Stafford is in incredible pain and that Daunte Culpepper is going to be the starter.
The Packers lead this series 87-64-7 all-time and even when provided with a generous line from oddsmakers the Lions are 0-4 ATS in 2009 against divisional opponents.
Oakland Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys
Midday action pits the Oakland Raiders (3-7) against the Dallas Cowboys (7-3) and while this game is viewed by many as a token trip to Jerry Land for a Raiders team that has set records for futility, the underdog has been the one getting the Online betting action in this one so far. Online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com reported that over 60% of the volume at -14 was on the Raiders. Since the line move to -13.5, the wagering activity has balanced off on both teams.
Originally sets as a two-TD favorite, Dallas has been bought off the key number down to -13.5 points at sportsbooks. After a Week 2 loss to the New York Giants the Cowboys played three games on home turf, posting a perfect 3-0 ATS record. When the Washington Redskins paid a visit in Week 11 the betting trends were on the road team and the Skins nearly won the game straight-up.
Dallas does not seem content to rest on the laurels of its one-point victory and during its three-game win streak at home the Cowboys did cover the spread by an average of more than 11 points per game. Oakland has gained confidence under the leadership of newly named starting QB Bruce Gradkowski and is playing off a 20-17 upset win over Cincinnati.
It’s the third time the Raiders have surprised an opponent this year, getting a straight up win. However, it is worth noting that after their first two wins they have not performed well in their next start, going 0-2 straight and up and against the spread and it wasn’t even close, as the Raiders were beaten by 20 and 38 points.
NY Giants at Denver:
The New York Giants (6-4) are in Denver (6-4) for the nightcap and just four days after ending a losing streak that lasted 42 days, the G-Men are laying points on the road. Lines opened at Giants -5 but New York seems like the consensus best bet as they have been bet as high as -7 at several betting outlets.
New York has scored an average of 26.6 points per game this year compared to the Broncos average of just 17, but the Giants also allow more than five points per game more than Denver on the defensive side of the ball.
Favs and dogs have split the first two Thursday night matchups this season and both games have stayed under the posted total. That’s a sharp contrast to 2008 when Thursday night primetime games produced six overs to just one under. The total in Denver is 42.
Enjoy all the Thanksgiving Day NFL action.
If it’s beginning to feel like a tradition for Thanksgiving’s first game of the day to seem a little meaningless, as far as playing a part in shaping the playoff picture, it’s because the Lions have only come into this game with a winning record once in the past nine years.
Detroit did excite fans at Ford Field last Sunday with a 38-37 come from behind victory against the Cleveland Browns but QB Matt Stafford was injured on the game’s final drive and has been all but ruled out of this contest vs. Green Bay. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz said Stafford is in incredible pain and that Daunte Culpepper is going to be the starter.
The Packers lead this series 87-64-7 all-time and even when provided with a generous line from oddsmakers the Lions are 0-4 ATS in 2009 against divisional opponents.
Oakland Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys
Midday action pits the Oakland Raiders (3-7) against the Dallas Cowboys (7-3) and while this game is viewed by many as a token trip to Jerry Land for a Raiders team that has set records for futility, the underdog has been the one getting the Online betting action in this one so far. Online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com reported that over 60% of the volume at -14 was on the Raiders. Since the line move to -13.5, the wagering activity has balanced off on both teams.
Originally sets as a two-TD favorite, Dallas has been bought off the key number down to -13.5 points at sportsbooks. After a Week 2 loss to the New York Giants the Cowboys played three games on home turf, posting a perfect 3-0 ATS record. When the Washington Redskins paid a visit in Week 11 the betting trends were on the road team and the Skins nearly won the game straight-up.
Dallas does not seem content to rest on the laurels of its one-point victory and during its three-game win streak at home the Cowboys did cover the spread by an average of more than 11 points per game. Oakland has gained confidence under the leadership of newly named starting QB Bruce Gradkowski and is playing off a 20-17 upset win over Cincinnati.
It’s the third time the Raiders have surprised an opponent this year, getting a straight up win. However, it is worth noting that after their first two wins they have not performed well in their next start, going 0-2 straight and up and against the spread and it wasn’t even close, as the Raiders were beaten by 20 and 38 points.
NY Giants at Denver:
The New York Giants (6-4) are in Denver (6-4) for the nightcap and just four days after ending a losing streak that lasted 42 days, the G-Men are laying points on the road. Lines opened at Giants -5 but New York seems like the consensus best bet as they have been bet as high as -7 at several betting outlets.
New York has scored an average of 26.6 points per game this year compared to the Broncos average of just 17, but the Giants also allow more than five points per game more than Denver on the defensive side of the ball.
Favs and dogs have split the first two Thursday night matchups this season and both games have stayed under the posted total. That’s a sharp contrast to 2008 when Thursday night primetime games produced six overs to just one under. The total in Denver is 42.
Enjoy all the Thanksgiving Day NFL action.
