Tony George
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NE Patriots
Ron Raymond
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Dallas Cowboys
Mike Lineback
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Astros/Marlins Over
Nick "BookieKiller" Parsons
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Steelers
JIM FEIST
NEW ENGLAND
OAKLAND
ARIZONA
We Cover Spreads
1* Cowboys vs Raiders Under 34.5
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Wade Phillips team didn't exactly light up the scoreboard last preseason averaging 17.2 PPG. The Raiders on the other hand only averaged 12.5 PPG last August. The Raiders will focus more on running ball trying to control the clock utilizing Justin Fargas, Darren McFadden, and Michael Bush. Last preseason the Raiders averaged 31.5 carries per game in August; make note the only game they decided to pass more than run they were shut out vs. Arizona. The under cashed in three of four of these games.
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Tonight we can expect them to run quite a bit especially since back up Jeff Garcia will not participate. Tom Cable said back up QB's Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye will receive significant playing time in Thursday's opener. That's not a good sign for the Raiders air attack. On top of that they have the weakest receiver corps in the league and Javon Walker is out and Darrius Heyward-Bey missing all of spring due to a hamstring injury has taken it's toll since reports out of camp are he is becoming more known for his dropped passes. The media at camp has reported a poor week of practice for Bey.
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Even with Cowboys starting CB's Terrence Newman and Michael Jenkins out; the back ups Orlando Scandrick who was Cowboys rookie of the year last year and rookie Deangelo Smith who had 10 Int's in his Jr. and Sr. seasons at Cincinnati won't be tested much by the Raiders pass attack.
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Once Romo is done for the night the Cowboys have veteran Jon Kitna and rookie Stephen McGee filling in; and neither is capable of a lot of damage. The Cowboys will put Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice to work.
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Some interesting stats the Under has cashed in seven of the last eight Cowboys preseason openers. In the last five years they've only averaged 12.8 PPG in their August debuts. Dating back to the last seven preseason meetings between the two the total has averaged just 30.4 PPG right around where we think it will come in tonight and cash us an under ticket.
William Kidd Guaranteed Selections
QUADRUPLE DIME MLB PLAYERS CLUB SUPER CRUSHER
Cincinnati w/Arroyo -148
Rocco Vincintore Guaranteed Selections
PREFERRED PLAYERS CLUB BASEBALL RUN LINE GAME OF THE YEAR WINNER
NY Yankees w/Sabathia -1.5
SPORTS BANK
300 Philadelphia
Larry Ness
Las Vegas Insider-NFLX Week 1 (11-5 LY)
My Las Vegas Insider is on the oak Raiders at 10:00 ET. Since losing 48-21 to the Bucs in Super Bowl 37, the Raiders own the NFL's worst regular season record (24-72, .250), earning the reputation as one of the league's most-troubled franchises (Lions are giving them a run, though). The Lane Kiffin coaching debacle was a good example of what's happened to a franchise which was once known as being one of the NFL's best. As for the Cowboys, Wade Phillips took over for Bill Parcells in 2007 and led Dallas to an NFC-best 13-3 mark, only to see his team lose its first playoff game 21-17 to the hated-Giants. The Cowboys opened last year 3-0 but lost three of their final four regular season games, just missing the playoffs with a 9-7 record. Verty few people would be surprised to see Dallas back in the playoffs but almost no one thinks the Raiders have any postseason chances in 2009. However, Thursday night's game is a preseason game, not a regular season one. Wade Phillips has shown little interest in winning on the road in his previous two preseasons with the Cowboys, going 0-4 SU and ATS, as Dallas has allowed an average of 26.3 PPG in those four games. Meanwhile, the Raiders have been an excellent preseason team at home the last three years, going 5-1 SU and ATS. The Raiders come into this game with excellent RB depth, featuring Michael Bush, Justin Fargas and Darren McFadden. All want playing time this year and expect a spirited competition during the preseason. JaMarcus Russell is the likely starter at QB, although veteran Jeff Garcia could win the job. However, Garcia is suffering from a minor calf injury and won't play Thursday night. Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye should both see plenty of time on Thursday. Bradkowski recorded the highest passer rating of any Tampa Bay QB in the 2006 preseason (he was a 6th-round pick that year) and became Tampa's starting QB when Chris Simms ruptured his spleen. Gradowski would go 3-8 as Tampa's starter that year. He's appeared in just six games since his rookie year (was released by the Bucs after the 2007 season) and his lone start since 2006 came for the Browns in their 2008 season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, after injuries to Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, and Ken Dorsey. Gradkowski will compete while in the game. Charlie Frye was selected in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Browns. He started the final five games of the 2005 season for the Browns, compiling a record of 2-3 as a starter. Frye was named the starting QB of the Browns for the 2006 NFL season and palyed 13 games (64.1% / 2,454 yards / 10 TDs and 17 INTs). He won a battle in the 2007 preseason with Derek Anderson and rookie Brady Quinn, again earning the starting job. However, in Cleveland's season-opener against the Steelers, Frye was benched after struggling in the first few minutes. Derek Anderson replaced him for the remainder of the game and was named the starter for the rest of the year. Just days after that game, Frye was traded to the Seattle Seahawks, the first time a team has traded its starting quarterback during the NFL season in league history. My point here is that Frye, like Gradkowski, has something to prove and both QBs have motivation to play well here. It doesn't hurt their chances of playing well that both of the Cowboys' starting CBs are expected to miss this game. Meanwhile, I expect Dallas to "go through the motions," which makes the Raiders the play. Las Vegas Insider 15* Oak Raiders.
MTi Sports
Yankees/Mariners Over
Street Rosenthal
*300 Oakland Raiders -1
Raiders coach Tom Cable needs to win to secure his coaching job. Cable has emphasized that there will be heavy competition for the starting spots and quarterback is likely no exception. "It's on," Cable said. "And everyone's got to fight for a job to get this thing down. To me, this sounds like a coach that wants to win tonight. Wade Phillips may also be coaching for his job this year, but don't expect him to go all out in the preseason.
The Dallas Cowboys have had no controversies or major injuries and only one position battle, a starting cornerback job. The Cowboys have nothing to prove tonight.
Tony Romo will start for the Cowboys, and he will likely play 1-2 series. Jon Kitna will likely get the remainder of the first half and may even play a few series in the third quarter. Rookie Stephen McGee will get extended playing time in the third and fourth quarter and fellow rookie Rudy Carpenter will likely close the game for the Cowboys. Not to impressive by any means.
The Raiders, have a talented quarterback squad. They will open the game with JaMarcus Russell and he will likely see most, if not all, of the first quarter and may even see time into the second quarter. Veteran Jeff Garcia will replace Russell and play the remainder of the first half and possibly see some time in the third quarter. Former NFL starters Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye will see some time in the second half for the Raiders.
The Raiders are in a good spot to pull off a victory tonight for Coach Cable.
Sam Clayton
15 dime - Raiders -2.5
As Chris Berman would say, I love "daaa Reyyduzz" in their Thursday night NFL Preseason opener against America's team. It's no secret that Oakland has been the laughingstock of the league the past four seasons and while that might not be motivation enough to back the silver and black tonight, it's surely a start. The past three preseasons, the Raiders are 5-1 SU and ATS at Oakland Coliseum and they've won their previous three NFLX openers. Dallas offensive coordinator Jason Garrett has stated on several occasions that he has no special game plan for Oakland and he's going to run "fairly basic" stuff tonight. What I take out of those comments is that Dallas really could care less about winning this game. Sure, Tony Romo and the first-team offense is supposedly playing the entire first quarter, but from there on out, the reins are being handed to two rookie quarterbacks in Rudy Carpenter and Stephen McGee. I love the opportunity for Oakland's defensive unit against two rookies that are making their NFL debuts so to speak. Oakland has far better reserves under center and after JaMarcus Russell departs mid-first half, the Raiders will have serviceable quarterbacks in Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye, both of whom are familiar with the style of play and have led NFL franchises in the past. I'm laying the chalk and rolling with Oakland.