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NFL Week 1 Odds

Gump — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 22:19:47 +0000

NFL Week 1 Odds

The countdown to NFL Week 1 is on and the big question remains the status of quarterback Brett Favre.

The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer (and resident drama queen) received a visit from Vikings coach Brad Childress in Mississippi this week. Childress is trying to coax a commitment from his signal caller, but he left without one or a deadline.

Brobury oddsmakers don’t seem very concerned about the situation. The spread for Thursday night’s opener at the Saints has remained steady. Minnesota would be greater than a four-point ‘dog if it was thought that Tarvaris Jackson would be under center.

Having the Super Bowl champion host the Thursday night opener has quickly become an NFL tradition. So has the Monday Night doubleheader. San Diego (-6) at Kansas City is the nightcap, but fans are much more interested in Baltimore (+3) visiting the NY Jets in the Big Apple.

Coach Rex Ryan used to be the defensive coordinator for Baltimore, but was passed over as head coach for John Harbaugh. Ryan isn’t bashful about discussing all topics and you know he wants the Ravens to pay for their actions.

The Jets have a lot of question marks after bringing in star-studded acquisitions like LaDainian Tomlinson, Santonio Holmes, Antonio Cromartie, and Jason Taylor.

There are potential holdout concerns with cornerback Darrelle Revis and center Nick Mangold unhappy about their contracts. However, both should be in uniform and this will be a great game.

Other games to wager early on are Atlanta (+1 ½) at Pittsburgh and Dallas (-3 ½) at Washington. Pittsburgh has to replace Ben Roethlisberger for at least the first four games. Veteran Byron Leftwich is the favorite. Atlanta could be this year’s surprise NFC team to make the Super Bowl.

Dallas is the favorite (7/2) to win the NFC, even over New Orleans. The ‘Boys certainly have as much talent as anyone in the conference. They will head to the nation’s capital on Sunday night and try to spoil the Redskins’ debut of coach Mike Shanahan and quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb is of course very familiar with Dallas from his Philly days.

NFL Week 1 Odds

Minnesota (+4) at New Orleans –Thursday Night
Miami (-3) at Buffalo
Detroit (+7) at Chicago
Oakland (+7) at Tennessee
Cincinnati (+6) at New England
Carolina (+7) at NY Giants
Atlanta (+1 ½) at Pittsburgh
Cleveland (+2 ½) at Tampa Bay
Denver (+1 ½) at Jacksonville
Indianapolis (-3) at Houston
San Francisco (-2) at Seattle
Green Bay (Even) at Philadelphia
Arizona (-3 ½) at St. Louis
Dallas (-3 ½) at Washington – Sunday Night
Baltimore (+3) at NY Jets – Monday Night
San Diego (-6) at Kansas City – Monday Night

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AFC vs NFC Live – 2010 Pro Bowl – NFL

Sellier — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:12:30 +0000

The Pro Bowl’s experimental one-year move to Miami has resulted in better ticket sales, more media coverage and some grousing by players.

“I like Hawaii a lot better,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison said. He and the other all-stars wanted to end the season in Miami – but not this week.

With a new venue and new slot on the league calendar, the Pro Bowl will be played Sunday as a preliminary to next week’s Super Bowl on the same field.

It definitely feels like a warmup act.

“There’s a bittersweet taste,” said quarterback Tony Romo, a late addition to the NFC roster after his Dallas Cowboys came up two wins shy of a Super Bowl berth. “You’re always hoping to play in the big game.”

The NFL is trying to transform the Pro Bowl into a bigger game by playing it before the Super Bowl for the first time. The league also moved the game from Honolulu, its home since 1980.

One result: the best attendance in 51 years, with a sellout crowd of more than 70,000 expected. But some players said they preferred the more exotic setting of Honolulu for the game.

“Hawaii is considered kind of a vacation,” San Diego tight end Antonio Gates said. “A lot of these guys are from Florida, and a lot of people come to Florida on a regular basis.”

Defections by players were numerous, as usual. More than a dozen pulled out citing injuries. Minnesota tackle Bryant McKinnie was dismissed from the NFC team for unexcused absences after missing two days of practice.

Nearly 40 percent of those originally selected won’t play. That includes seven Colts and seven Saints missing because they’re preparing for the Super Bowl, a drawback to playing the Pro Bowl first.

“You take 14 guys from the Super Bowl teams that are not here,” Gates said. “Does it mean it’s a true all-star game now?”

Frank Supovitz, the NFL’s senior vice president for events, noted that the high defection rate was nothing new. It’s not what the league sought to fix by changing the date and site of the game, he said.

“The changes were meant to look at two things: Whether we could create more excitement with the Pro Bowl being the first event of Super Bowl week, and whether it would have an impact on TV ratings,” he said.

Ticket sales show the excitement level is up, Supovitz said. And he’s optimistic about the television audience for the game.

“It’s being shown on a weekend when there’s usually no football and interest in the NFL is at its highest,” he said.

Those tuning in will see established stars such as Ray Lewis, Chad Ochocinco and DeMarcus Ware, as well as first-time Pro Bowlers such as DeAngelo Williams, Clay Matthews and Matt Schaub. The TV audience they attract will help the NFL decide where and when to play future Pro Bowls.

The game will return to Honolulu in 2011 and 2012, but the league hasn’t decided whether to hold those games before or after the Super Bowl. The Pro Bowl site for 2013 and beyond hasn’t been determined.

Players had mixed reactions to this year’s changes. Many said they preferred the old schedule so those in the Super Bowl could also be available for the Pro Bowl.

But Romo said he could see the appeal of putting the Pro Bowl first.

“There’s something to be said for playing the game during the season,” he said. “I think more people are interested.”

By moving the game to the Super Bowl site, the NFL created a bigger spotlight for the Pro Bowl. There are 1,076 credentialed media members this week, compared with 334 in Honolulu a year ago.

That’s good for the league, and maybe not so good for the all-stars.

“There’s a lot more media here, that’s for sure,” said eight-time Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae, addressing a throng of reporters after an AFC practice. “It’s not as relaxed here. There’s a little more hustle and bustle here than there would be at the resort where we stay in Hawaii.”

Still, practices this week were pretty laid back. AFC offensive linemen ran pass patterns. Browns kick returner Joshua Cribbs took a wildcat snap. Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson threw a pass on an end-around. Ochocinco practiced punting and kicking and said he may boot one in the game.

The primary goal seemed to be having a few laughs, which at the end of a long season was understandable. For players who came up short of the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl can be a consolation prize worth accepting.

Running back Adrian Peterson decided not to play, then changed his mind two days after his Vikings lost in the NFC championship game.

“I was beating myself up, and then I realized that really wasn’t the right route to go,” Peterson said. “I’m here, and I’m going to enjoy myself.”

Watch Here >> For NFL Pro Bowl’s: AFC vs NFC Live

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NFL Playoff Schedule 2010 Released

Rohith — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 06:01:07 +0000

The 2010 NFL Playoff schedule is already out, with dates for all the AFC and NFC Playoff games. The 2010 NFL Playoff schedule starts on Saturday, January 9th with two wild card games, and continues on Sunday, January 10th with two additional wild – Live Sports Nation – NFL 2010 Playoffs

2010 NFL Playoff Schedule Released for TV Coverage. Card game and an AFC Wild Card game and a NFC Wild Card game will be played on both dates, between the lower seeds in each of the 2010 NFL Playoff brackets.

The #3 seed will play the #6 seed
The #4 seed will play the #5 seed in both of the Conferences,
The #1 and #2 seeds each getting a bye into the second round of the 2010 NFL Playoffs.

The 2010 NFL Divisional Playoff schedule will also be split between two days, with the first date being Saturday, January 16th, and the second set of games taking place on Sunday, January 17th. The winners of those games will play in the AFC Championship Game and the NFC Championship Game, on Sunday.

In the off week between the championships and Super Bowl XLIV the Pro Bowl will be played for the first time, which will be on January 31st. It’s the first time the Pro Bowl has been played outside of Hawaii, and the first time that it has been played before the Super Bowl. This decision has had mixed reactions about Super Bowl players having to miss the Pro Bowl this season.

NFL 2010 Playoffs

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Redskins Vs. Chargers NFL Week 17 Predictions Picks

Venu — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:29:08 +0000

Washington Redskins Vs. San Diego Chargers, NFL Week 17, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA 4:15 PM EST Sunday January 3. - Live Sports Nation

San Diego Chargers take on the disappointing Washington Redskins. Now, I am a Redskins fan and this season I have seen the Skins play some terrible football including their last 2 games getting crushed at home to the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys. Their season is lost, but they can gain a little momentum for next season with a win in this game over a Chargers team that has Super Bowl aspirations.

The Chargers have already wrapped up the AFC West title and they will also get a 1st round bye in the playoffs. Will the Chargers even throw out their big guns for this game since it really does not mean anything? Philip Rivers in THE man in San Diego, but do not be surprised if he rides some pine in this game in order to avoid getting injured.

The Redskins lost their last game to the hated Dallas Cowboys 17-0 while the Chargers won their 10th straight game laying a beat-down on the Tennessee Titans 42-17 on Christmas Day.

In the win over the Titans the Chargers did as expected and dominated the passing game out-gaining Tennessee 259 passing yards to 88. The Titans did have more rushing yards (182 to 166), but the Titans simply could not defend the pass and it did not help that they committed 3 turnovers in the game. The Chargers dominated in time of possession almost 2 to 1 (39:07 to 20:53).

The Chargers were actually underdogs by 1.5 points in this game so they barely covered the spread, by only 23.5 points, and the posted total of 47.5 was surpassed. In their loss to Dallas the Redskins had fewer total yards, passing yards, and rushing yards. The Redskins could not run the ball, as they only had 43 rushing yards and Jason Campbell was pressured by the Dallas’ D all game. The Redskins were only 4/14 on 3rd down conversions and Dallas had the ball for almost 10 more minutes in the game. The Redskins were underdogs at home by 7 points so they did not cover the spread and the posted total of 42 was nowhere near being reached.

According to the Sagarin NFL ratings the Chargers rank 4th (28.06) and the Redskins rank 26th (13.37). The total was Over in 6 of the last 7 Washington games after a SU loss and the total has gone Over in the last 4 San Diego games played on grass, which this game will be played on.

San Diego is giving up an average of just over 120 rushing yards per game, but look for them to improve on their average in this game, as the Redskins RB’s corps has been decimated by injuries this season.
The Chargers have 34 sacks this season and they will add to that total against a Redskins’ offensive line that has struggled all season due to key player injuries.

Philip Rivers will have a big game, as he always does at home and he will be facing a sketchy Washington secondary. The Redskins have the league’s 11th ranked defense, but look for them to struggle in this game against a Chargers’ offense that has been scoring at will recently. Live Sports Nation

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Ravens Vs Steelers NFL Week 16 Betting Picks Sunday Football

Ramesh — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:27:45 +0000

Baltimore Ravens Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers , NFL Week 16 Football Match Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 27th, 1 PM. More at Live Sports Nation – Watch Live NFL Match

The defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive for this season with a last-second victory over Green Bay last Sunday. Now they’ll try to use whatever momentum they gained from that victory to make a late-season push toward the playoffs when they host the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC North Division clash Sunday afternoon at the Big Ketchup Bottle.

The Ravens started 3-0 this season, then lost three straight by a total of 11 points to the Patriots, Bengals and Vikings, all of whom seem headed to the playoffs. Baltimore then alternated wins and losses for six weeks, but has won two in a row after pounding Chicago last week 31-7.

So the Black Birds, at 8-6, sit a game back of first-place Cincy in the AFC North, although the Bengals hold the tie-breaker over Baltimore, having swept the season series. More importantly, the Ravens also own the five seed in the AFC playoff standings, a game ahead of six teams, including Pittsburgh, who all sit at 7-7.

The Steelers began their defense of their league championship by losing two of their first three games, then won five straight to get to 6-2. Pittsburgh then proceeded to lose five in a row, two in overtime and all by a touchdown or less. But last week the Steelers got a Ben Roethlisberger TD pass on the last play of the game to beat Green Bay 37-36 and get back to .500 on the season.

More at Live Sports Nation – Watch Live NFL Match

So Pittsburgh is wedged in a six-way tie with the Dolphins, Jets, Jaguars, Titans and Texans, all one game behind Baltimore and Denver in the AFC wild-card race.

Baltimore QB Joe Flacco, in his sophomore season as a pro, has completed 64% of his passes for 7.4 YPA, with 19 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and an 89.9 passing rating.

His counterpart Sunday, Big Ben, has had a lot put on his shoulders this season, and has done well under that pressure. So far this season Ben has hit on 67% of his throws for 8.6 YPA, which ranks behind only San Diego’s Rivers and New Orleans’ Brees, with a 22/11 TD/INT ratio and a 100.6 rating.

On the season Baltimore is outgaining opponents on average by a 355-300 YPG margin, and outrushing foes 128-100.

The Steelers, meanwhile, are outgaining opponents 375-304 and outrushing them 110-83.

Last year Pittsburgh beat the Ravens three times, twice in the regular season by scores of 23-20 and 13-9, and in the AFC championship game 23-14. But in the first meeting between these two division rivals this season a month ago in Baltimore, the Ravens beat the Roethlisberger-less Steelers 20-17 in overtime.

More at Live Sports Nation – Watch Live NFL Match

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Steelers Vs. Browns – Thursday Night Football Matchup

Pavan — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:04:46 +0000

Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers insisted they weren’t panicking about their sinking playoff chances after a three-game losing streak. A fourth straight loss, however, seems to have the Super Bowl champions contemplating wholesale changes.

With their chances of defending that title fading with each defeat, the Steelers hit the road Thursday night looking to halt their midseason swoon with a 13th consecutive victory over the feeble Cleveland Browns.

Pittsburgh (6-6) started the season 1-2, but then ran off five consecutive wins to put itself in position to challenge emerging Cincinnati in the AFC North.

An 18-12 Bengals victory at Heinz Field on Nov. 15, however, gave Cincinnati a one-game lead and a season sweep of the Steelers. Three subsequent losses by three points apiece have now left Pittsburgh’s wild-card hopes in doubt.

The Steelers’ once-vaunted defense has blown fourth-quarter leads in all three, with its worst collapse Sunday against Oakland. Pittsburgh coughed up three separate leads in the final 8:21, allowing the Raiders’ 31st-ranked offense to score 21 points and leave Heinz Field with a 27-24 win.

“I can’t even describe how frustrating it is right now to be 6-6,” linebacker James Farrior said. “We thought we’d be doing a lot better at this point. But we are what our record says we are.”

That record currently has the Steelers on the outside of the playoff picture looking in, but ground can certainly be made up in the muddled AFC wild-card picture the final four weeks. Denver (8-4) and Jacksonville (7-5) are the two current leaders, with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Miami and the New York Jets all 6-6.

The Steelers own a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos and face the Ravens and Dolphins to close the season.

Tomlin, however, is far more concerned with the franchise avoiding its first five-game slide since Sept. 28-Nov. 2, 2003. A week after saying his team “doesn’t blink in the face of adversity” and would “unleash hell in December,” Tomlin admitted Monday that personnel moves are on the way.

“We can’t stay status quo in terms of how we’re approaching this and expect the pattern of behavior or outcome to change,” Tomlin said. “That’s unrealistic. That’s hoping. This is not a hope business.”

One of those likely moves certainly won’t be by choice. Receiver Hines Ward, who has six touchdowns in his last eight games against Cleveland, likely won’t play after suffering a hamstring injury late in the loss to Oakland. Rookie Mike Wallace, who has five catches during the losing streak after having 25 in his first seven games, will get the start if Ward can’t go.

The other noticeable changes will come in the secondary. All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu (knee) will likely miss his fourth straight game — he left early in the November loss to Cincinnati — and struggling cornerback William Gay might not play after suffering a concussion against the Raiders.

Meanwhile, Tomlin suggested veteran corner Ike Taylor, who was beaten for a 75-yard touchdown Sunday, could be benched, with rookies Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis seeing more playing time in the secondary. Polamalu, who’s played in three full games, has three interceptions, but no Pittsburgh cornerback has a pick.

“I’m not going to make excuses,” Tomlin said. “I think we’re capable of playing winning football with or without Troy. Are we different? Yes, because Troy’s a unique individual. Maybe the ceiling is different but the floor, the level of expectation, is the same.”

Ben Roethlisberger, who missed the team’s Nov. 29 loss at Baltimore with a concussion, had a quarterback rating over 100.0 for his second straight game despite Sunday’s loss, and the Ohio native was outstanding against the Browns (1-11) earlier this season. Roethlisberger was 23 of 35 for 417 yards and two touchdowns on Oct. 18 in Pittsburgh’s 27-14 win, its 12th straight against Cleveland.

San Diego’s 13-game winning streak over Oakland is the active record for most consecutive wins over one opponent.

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Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs NFL Betting Picks

Abu — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:41:49 +0000

Pittsburgh Steelers Vs Kansas City Chiefs: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City 1:00 PM EST Sunday November 22, 2009.

The Pittsburgh Steelers saw their high-flying offense hit a big stumbling block in their latest game, but have reason to believe it will bounce back at Arrowhead Stadium.

Pittsburgh tries to get its offense recharged Sunday by taking advantage of the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, who look to win consecutive games for the first time in more than two years.

The Steelers (6-3) had the NFL’s fifth-ranked offense (403.7 yards per game) through six weeks, with Ben Roethlisberger’s passing attack averaging 315.5 yards — second behind Indianapolis. The next two weeks saw Pittsburgh’s rushing game take over, averaging 140.0 yards behind the emerging Rashard Mendenhall in wins over Minnesota and Denver.

But neither the ground attack nor Roethlisberger could get untracked last Sunday, when the Steelers failed to score a touchdown in an 18-12 home loss to Cincinnati. They were limited to a season-low 226 total yards and held under 27 points for the first time since Week 3, giving the Bengals a one-game lead in the NFC North and a season sweep of the Super Bowl champions.

“There was just something missing all day, I don’t know what it was,” said Roethlisberger, who was 20 of 40 for 174 yards and an interception. “We weren’t good in the red zone, we weren’t good in the run, we weren’t good in the pass. … It hurts. But how can we rebound now?”

Visiting Kansas City (2-7) could be a good way to do it. The Chiefs have allowed averages of 443.3 yards and 30.0 points in losing their last three at Arrowhead, and they are 0-4 at home for the first time since opening 0-6 in 1976.

They’ve given up an average of 152.3 rushing yards in the last six games overall, and that bodes well for Mendenhall after he was held to 36 yards on 13 carries last week.

However, perhaps the Steelers’ two biggest problems against Cincinnati had nothing to do with their lackluster offense.

Troy Polamalu left with an injury to his left knee in his fourth game back after previously missing four games with an MCL sprain in that knee. While this injury wasn’t initially considered as serious, the All-Pro safety has been limping this week and is all but certain to be out Sunday.

The Steelers also need to shore up their special teams, which allowed a kick return for a touchdown for the third time in four games. It was the seventh straight they allowed a TD via defense or special teams.

Pittsburgh’s defense has allowed a league-low 11 touchdowns, but a season after having the league’s best kickoff coverage unit (19.1 yards per return), it’s 29th (25.9 ypr) in 2009.

“They’re all head-scratchers. … It’s detail, it’s about shedding blocks and making tackles and being schematically sound,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “We’re in the process of looking at all elements of that unit.”

No team has allowed four kickoff returns for TDs in a season since the 1998 Vikings. The Chiefs haven’t had one since Dante Hall did it in 2005.

Kansas City was happy to get any sort of touchdown in Oakland last Sunday. Jamaal Charles had a 44-yard TD — the Chiefs’ first on the ground this season — in a 16-10 victory, less than a week after Larry Johnson was released.

“We talked about that before the game, that one of the running backs had to go and make something happen,” said Charles, who rushed for 103 yards. “It turned out to be me, and I’m blessed to be in that position.”

Kansas City hasn’t won back-to-back games since Oct. 14-21, 2007.

The positive feelings from the win in Oakland were dimmed Tuesday, when leading receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended four games for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances. Bowe, who had 466 yards and four touchdowns, took a diuretic for weight loss, according to his agent.

“It’s no different than injuries,” coach Todd Haley said. “When somebody goes down, somebody has to step up and that’s all part of the process of us becoming a good team.”

Haley has ties to Pittsburgh — he was a ball boy for the Steelers when his father, Dick, was their director of player personnel and the architect of four Super Bowl winners in the 1970s.

He also was Arizona’s offensive coordinator last season, when the Cardinals scored 16 fourth-quarter points before Pittsburgh rallied to win its sixth championship, 27-23.

“I know the Super Bowl was a surreal experience, having to play of all the teams, the Steelers,” Haley said. “Now we get to play them again and I’m just looking forward to the challenge.”

The Chiefs and Steelers haven’t met in Kansas City since 2003. Roethlisberger was 16 of 19 for 238 yards and two TDs in a 45-7 win in Pittsburgh in 2006.

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