Friday Night Lights
By Kevin Rogers
Plenty of hoopla surrounds the Friday night preseason card in football, as Brett Favre makes his much anticipated return to the field, debuting for the Vikings against the Chiefs. Past the Favre-mania in Minnesota, the Falcons travel to St. Louis, while the Cowboys host the Titans.
Chiefs at Vikings (8:00 PM EST)
If there's one thing Vikings head coach Brad Childress can be happy with going into the second preseason game, is he'll get good quarterback play throughout the contest. Favre will start for Minnesota, despite being signed on Tuesday. One of the two quarterbacks that were fighting it out for the starting spot prior to Favre's arrival, Tarvaris Jackson, will see substantial time in this game. Sage Rosenfels is likely out due to an ankle injury, along with defensive end Jared Allen.
The Vikings beat the Colts in each team's preseason opener, 13-3, last Friday in Indianapolis. Minnesota covered easily as a 2 ½-point road favorite, finishing 'under' the posted total of 35 ½. Under Childress in the preseason, the Vikings are 8-5 ATS, while the 'under' has hit in seven of 13 games since his arrival in 2006. Minnesota is a perfect 3-0 ATS in the second game of the preseason the last three seasons.
The Chiefs fell at home in Todd Haley's debut as three-point favorites, 16-10 to the Texans. Matt Cassel saw little time, as expected, completing two of five passes for 15 yards. Former Alabama standout, Brodie Croyle looked impressive, connecting on 12 of 18 passes for 145 yards.
Kansas City has not been the best preseason play over the last two-plus seasons. Including the loss to Houston, the Chiefs are 1-8 ATS since the start of the 2007 season. So under Herm Edwards, the Chiefs didn't play to win the preseason games.
Most shops have listed the Vikings as a three-point favorite, with the total set at 37.
Titans at Cowboys (8:00 PM EST)
Tennessee plays its third preseason game, going for win number three after beating the Bills and Bucs. The Titans have been a good 'over' play so far, hitting the 'over' in each contest, while averaging 24 ppg.
The Cowboys were blown out by the Raiders, 31-10, as 1 ½-point road underdogs. Tony Romo saw limited action in that contest, but did toss a touchdown pass to Jason Witten before departing the game. Romo is expected to see more time against Tennessee, while Jon Kitna and Stephen McGee will get a majority of the snaps later following Romo.
The Titans are set with Kerry Collins at quarterback, as head coach Jeff Fisher is still evaluating former top selection Vince Young. The ex-Texas Longhorn has completed 58% of his passes through two games, while throwing two touchdowns and one interception.
Dallas will play their first game in brand-new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Moving into new stadiums seems exciting for the fans, but the home teams have not fared well from an ATS standpoint. Since 2002, teams playing their first game in a new stadium in the preseason are 0-5 ATS (Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Seattle).
Under Wade Phillips, the Cowboys have dropped six of their last seven ATS, but are 3-3 ATS as a favorite since 2007 in the preseason.
Dallas is listed as a three-point favorite at most shops, with the total set at 37 ½.
Falcons at Rams (8:00 PM EST)
Both these teams are coming off pointspread victories on the road, as St. Louis plays its first preseason home contest under new coach Steve Spagnuolo. Atlanta's passing attack wasn't terribly effective in a 27-26 loss at Detroit, throwing for just 115 yards.
Marc Bulger will not play Friday due to a fractured pinky finger, as former Raven Kyle Boller gets the start under center. Boller threw for just 25 yards on three of nine passing in last week's victory over the Jets. The Rams' running game was a success against New York, compiling 193 yards on the ground.
The Falcons have been a strong preseason play under Mike Smith, going 4-1 ATS since his arrival in Atlanta last season. Extending it to the short Bobby Petrino era, the Falcons are 7-2 ATS the last nine in preseason.
The Rams are 2-4 ATS in their previous six home contests in the preseason, but Spagnuolo steps into a tough spot. Head coaches in their first full season coaching their initial home game in the preseason are 1-8 ATS and 2-7 SU since 2008.
Atlanta is listed as three-point road 'chalk,' with the total listed at 36 in most books.
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NFL PRESEASON
Tennessee (2-0 SU and ATS) at Dallas (0-1 SU and ATS)
The Cowboys, coming off a blowout loss in their exhibition opener, aim to rebound as they christen their palatial new stadium against the Titans.
Dallas was dealt a 31-10 pounding Aug. 13 at Oakland, getting outscored 21-3 in the second half. Quarterback Tony Romo, who played just two possessions last week but led a touchdown drive that gave the Cowboys a 7-3 lead, will likely see much more time this week. Though coach Wade Phillips was non-committal, starters are expected to play through two quarters and possibly into the second half. Veteran QB Jon Kitna will relieve Romo, and rookies Stephen McGee and Rudy Carpenter could also see some action late.
Tennessee, coming off a 27-20 home win over Tampa Bay last week laying 4½ points, is already playing its third preseason contest of the year after opening with a 21-18 win over Buffalo in the Hall of Fame Game. QB Kerry Collins, who threw two picks last week while playing four series, will get the start, and first-teamers are expected to play well into the second quarter and perhaps the entire first half. Vince Young, who was a solid 9 of 14 for 131 yards and a TD last week, will follow Collins, and veteran Patrick Ramsey and rookie Alex Mortensen could see some time, as well.
The Cowboys are 3-6 ATS (4-5 SU) in preseason play since coach Wade Phillips took over in 2007, failing to cash in six of the last seven. However, Dallas is 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in its last four August home games. In fact, dating to 2004, Dallas is 9-0-1 SU and 7-3 ATS as a preseason host.
The Titans are now on an 8-2 SU roll in preseason play since 2007, though they are just 5-4-1 ATS. Tennessee split its two road games last August, at Atlanta and Green Bay, but went 0-2 ATS, and they are 5-4-1 ATS in true exhibition roadies dating to 2004.
The over has hit in six of Dallas’ last eight preseason starts and is on a 7-2 tear for Tennessee in exhibition play.
ATS ADVANTAGE: DALLAS and OVER
Kansas City (0-1 SU and ATS) at Minnesota (1-0 SU and ATS)
The Brett Favre era begins in earnest for the Vikings when they play their preseason home opener, welcoming the Chiefs to the Metrodome.
Minnesota is coming off a 13-3 road victory as a three-point chalk against Indianapolis last Friday. QB Sage Rosenfels started and led a pair of scoring drives in just over a quarter of that contest. However, Favre will get the nod tonight just days after being signed, though the 39-year-old vet is only expected to play a couple of series at most. Tarvaris Jackson, slated to start before the Favre acquisition, will relieve the future Hall of Famer, and John David Booty will finish out the game. Rosenfels is expected to sit out while resting an ankle injury.
Kansas City lost to Houston 16-10 last Saturday as a 2½-point home favorite in new coach Todd Haley’s debut. QB Matt Cassel, who played three series in the driving rain last week, will again get the nod to start and will likely play the entire first half, followed by Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen.
The Vikings are 8-5 ATS (6-6-1 SU) in preseason play under coach Brad Childress, who took over in 2006. They dropped both home exhibition tilts last year (1-1 ATS), but they are 6-4 SU and ATS in the preseason at the dome dating to 2004.
The Chiefs are on a 1-4 ATS slide in preseason play and have had little success in August over the past few years, going 5-16 SU and 4-17 ATS since 2004. The numbers are even worse on the highway since 2004, with K.C. going a paltry 1-9 SU and ATS. The Chiefs are also just 2-9 ATS in their last 11 preseason tilts as an underdog.
Minnesota is on a 3-0 “under” run in the preseason, and Kansas City’s loss last week fell far short of the 38-point posted price, ending a 3-1 exhibition “over” surge for the Chiefs.
ATS ADVANTAGE: MINNESOTA
Atlanta (0-1, 1-0 ATS) at St. Louis (1-0 SU and ATS)
New coach Steve Spagnuolo makes his home debut with the Rams when they take on the Falcons at the Edward Jones Dome.
St. Louis scored a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter last Friday to get the win and cover in a 23-20 victory as a three-point road underdog against the Jets. Starting QB Marc Bulger won’t be in the lineup this week after breaking the pinkie on his throwing hand, so veteran Kyle Boller will start and likely play the entire first half, Spagnuolo said, followed by Brock Berlin and rookie Keith Null.
Atlanta gave up a field goal as time expired in a 27-26 loss at Detroit on Saturday, but still covered as a three-point pup. Second-year coach Mike Smith said QB Matt Ryan and the rest of the starters will go 12 to 18 plays tonight – a little longer than last week – but Smith wouldn’t divulge the rest of his QB rotation. Last week, Chris Redman relieved Ryan and D.J. Shockley came on after the half and played into the fourth quarter, followed by rookie John Parker Wilson.
The Rams have cashed in their last three preseason contests (2-1 SU), and they are 7-3 SU the past five years in home exhibition affairs (5-5 ATS). With Bulger out, the Rams are once again a ‘dog in this contest, a role in which they’ve gone just 4-7 ATS dating to the 2004 preseason campaign, including last week’s cover at New York.
The Falcons are 4-1 ATS (3-2 SU) in August under Smith, including a 3-0 ATS mark on the highway after last week’s cover in Detroit. Atlanta, which hasn’t had a losing preseason in any of the past four summers, is 11-7 SU and 12-5-1 ATS in preseason play since 2005.
The under has hit in St. Louis’ last three home exhibition contests, and the under for Atlanta was on a 3-0 uptick and a 5-2 overall run before last week’s game at Detroit soared over the total.
ATS ADVANTAGE: UNDER
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NFL preseason betting previews
By VICTOR RYAN
Tennessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys (-3, 38)
Who’s in, Who’s Out
The Cowboys secondary will be bolstered with the return of cornerbacks Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins. Both are slated to play after the missing the Cowboys preseason opener vs. Oakland last week.
Wide receiver Roy Williams, who had one catch for 12 yards vs. the Raiders, suffered a sprained wrist this week at practice but is expected to be in the starting lineup.
The Cowboys first-team offense, which played just two series last week, is expected to play into the second quarter, according to head coach Wade Phillips. Tony Romo will start at quarterback and will be followed by Jon Kitna and Stephen McGee.
The Titans starting offense will play the entire first half, coach Jeff Fisher told the media. Kerry Collins will start at quarterback but Vince Young will also see significant time with the first-string. Young is battling Patrick Ramsey for the backup quarterback job.
“The important thing at the end of the day is he gets to play with the starting offense,’ Fisher told reporters.
Among the injured for Tennessee are tackle David Stewart (knee) and defensive tackle Jason Jones (foot), neither of whom are expected to play against the Cowboys.
Win or Lose
The Titans opened the preseason with a 21-18 win vs. Buffalo as 3-point favorites and then beat Tampa Bay 27-20 as 4.5-point favorites last week. The Cowboys opened the preseason vs. the Oakland Raiders and were beaten 31-10 as 1.5-point underdogs last week.
Trends
The Cowboys are 3-6 ATS under coach Wade Phillips and the over/under is 6-3. The Titans are 28-26-1 ATS under coach Jeff Fisher and the over/under is 30-23-1.
Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings (-3.5, 37.5)
Who’s In, Who’s Out
Brett Favre is scheduled to start at quarterback for the Vikings despite having only three days of practice and a slight tear in his right rotator cuff. He is expected to play one series before giving way.
Sage Rosenfels suffered a slight ankle injury in the Vikings preseason opener last week but is expected to play the majority of the game.
The Vikings are coming into this relatively healthy, but could be without defensive end Jared Allen (leg) and tight end Jim Kleinsasser (hand), who are both questionable.
The first-team offense of the Chiefs is expected to get a longer look following its dismal performance vs. the Houston Texans in their preseason opener last week.
Quarterback Matt Cassel was badly outplayed by backups Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen and head coach Todd Haley caused a bit of a stir this week when he refused to say Cassel has been the team’s best quarterback throughout training camp.
Cassel is still expected to start, though the pressure is mounting.
Wide receiver Dwayne Bowie has been promoted back to the first team after making five catches for 70 yards last week. Linebacker Zach Thomas has not practiced this week because of a lingering hamstring injury and probably won’t play.
Win or Lose
The Chiefs lost to the Houston Texans 16-10 while being a 3-point favorite last week. The Vikings beat the Indianapolis Colts 13-3 as 2.5-point favorites in their preseason opener.
Line Movement
The Vikings opened as a 5.5-point favorite and have been bet down to -3.5. The over/under has held steady at 37.
Trends
The Vikings are 8-5 ATS under Brad Childress in the preseason and the over/under is 6-7. This is Haley’s first season as the Chiefs head coach.
Atlanta Falcons at St. Louis Rams (+2.5, 36)
Who’s In, Who’s Out
Rams’ starting quarterback Marc Bulger will not play because of a broken pinkie on his throwing hand suffered at practice Monday. Picking up the slack for Bulger will be Kyle Boller and Brock Berlin, both of whom were sharp in the Rams win vs. the Jets last week.
The Rams will continue to be without No. 1 receiver Donnie Avery, who is expected to miss the entire preseason because of a broken foot. Among the other notables not expected to appear are defensive tackle Adam Carriker (ankle) and offensive tackle Alex Barron (knee).
The Falcons have scratched starting cornerback Chris Houston because of a hamstring injury suffered in Atlanta’s preseason opener. He will be replaced by a pair of rookies: third-round pick Christopher Owens out of San Jose State and William Middleton, a fifth-round pick from Furman.
The Falcons will receive some help on defensive as defensive end Kroy Biermann and linebacker Tony Gilbert will play after missing the preseason opener.
Win or Lose
The Falcons covered as 3-point underdogs when losing on the road to the Detroit Lions 27-26 in their preseason opener last week. The Rams won on the road vs. the New York Jets 23-20 as 3-point underdogs.
Trends
The Falcons are 3-2 ATS under coach Mike Smith and the over/under is 2-3. The Rams are 1-0 ATS and the over/under is 1-0 under first-year coach Steve Spagnuolo.
New Digs
Dallas' brand-new facility will be used for NFL Football Friday for the first time when the Cowboys host the Tennessee Titans. Cowboys not looking overly sharp in its preseason opener, a 31-10 loss at the Oakland are expected to give Romo and the first-string more extensive time this week. History suggests Cowboys will do just fine, 'The Boys' are an impressive 6-3 since 2000 in week-two of preseason with a cash grabbing 7-1 mark at the betting window. Titans downing Buffalo Bills 21-18 in the Hall of Fame Game followed by a 27-20 victory over Bucs last week enter a solid 25-13 (21-16-1 ATS) the past thirty-eight in August including 11-7 (11-7 ATS) on the highway. Much like Romo, QB Vince Young is expected to see more time with the first-team in this contest. Interesting note, Titans have opened 2-0 six times since 2000 but are just 1-5 (2-4 ATS) attempting a third preseason win. Cowboys are -2.5 to -3 point favorites with the total set at 37.5
Cowboys Unveil New Digs
By Brobury Sports
The Dallas Cowboys unveil their new stadium tonight in front of a nationally televised audience.
This is one of three Week 2 preseason games tonight. We are previewing two of them with the third Atlanta (-3) at St. Louis.
Tennessee Titans (+3) at Dallas Cowboys
Game-time is 8 pm ET and is being broadcast on FOX television.
A pre-season trend has developed for Dallas coach Wade Phillips. He is 0-5 straight-up and ATS on the road, including losing last week at Oakland 31-10. His Cowboys have been much better at home in the preseason with a 4-0 straight-up and 3-1 ATS mark.
This home game against Tennessee will mean a lot as it’s the first time the Cowboys will play in their new $1.15 Billion stadium.
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo should see a lot more action in this game. Receiver Roy Williams sprained his wrist earlier in the week but is expected to play. The backup quarterbacks are Jon Kitna and rookie Stephen McGee.
The interesting angles for Tennessee is they are already 2-0 (1-0-1 ATS) in the pre-season after playing in the Hall of Fame game against Buffalo and home against Tampa Bay.
Backup quarterback Vince Young looked good against Tampa (9-14, 131 passing yards) and may play some with the starters tonight after Kerry Collins. Remember, Young starred at the University of Texas so he has plenty of fans in the area and will be looking to put on a show.
The Titans will need him to because Dallas looks like good value at -3 points.
Kansas City (+3) at Minnesota Vikings
Kickoff is 8 pm ET.
Minnesota won at Indianapolis last week but all anyone cares about is the signing of Brett Favre. Favre is expected to play one series tonight and then give way to Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty. Sage Rosenfels is expected to rest his ankle.
Jackson is expected to be traded soon so this could be a good showcase. It will be interesting to see how focused the team is with the overall Favre circus.
Kansas City is looking to get the offense going after losing 16-10 at home to Houston last week. The Chiefs expensive quarterback acquisition, Matt Cassel didn’t look good in three series.
Cassel will be desperate to perform better tonight, but they also have a couple of good backups in Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen who will finish out the game.
Kansas City could be dangerous here as three-point dogs.
Tips and Trends
Tenneessee Titans at Dallas Cowboys
Titans: The Titans are the only team besides the Bills playing in their third preseason game. So the Titans could use this matchup as their dress rehearsal, which many teams do during their third preseason contest. Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said he plans on playing his starters at least one or two more series than last week. So look for quarterback Kerry Collins and the rest of the first-stringers to go deep into the second quarter. Backup quarterback Vince Young also could see time with the first unit. Young didn’t play well in the Titans’ 21-18 Hall of Fame Game victory against Buffalo. But he came back strong last week completing 9-of-14 for 131 yards and a touchdown pass to first-round draft choice wide receiver Kenny Britt in a 27-20 victory against Tampa Bay. Collins, by contrast, was just 4-for-9 for 37 yards and was picked off twice.
The Titans are 30-23-1 to the over in preseason under Jeff Fisher.
Key Injuries - Linebacker Stephen Tulloch (knee) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 17
Cowboys (-3, O/U 37.5): Dallas will be treating this preseason game with some seriousness because it’s the first game in their new $1.15 billion Cowboys Stadium. That should mean extra energy and effort. Owner Jerry Jones wants to make a splash on national television with his new stadium. The Cowboys are expected to play their starters at least a half. Dallas wants to rebound from a lackluster 31-10 loss last week to Oakland in its preseason opener. Veteran quarterback Jon Kitna backs up starter Tony Romo. Third-string quarterback Stephen McGee could see action in the fourth quarter. Romo should have his projected No. 1 wideout, Roy Williams, despite Williams suffering a sprained wrist during practice this week. The Cowboys’ secondary should get a boost with the return of cornerbacks Terence Newman and Mike Jenkins. Both missed the Cowboys’ loss to the Raiders. Dallas is 3-6 against the spread in preseason under Wade Phillips.
Dallas has gone over in 6 of its nine preseason games under Wade Phillips.
Key Injuries - Offensive tackle Flozell Adams (knee) is questionable.
PROJECTED SCORE: 20 (UNDER - Total of the Day)
Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings
Chiefs: New Kansas City coach Todd Haley has run the toughest training camp since Marty Schottenheimer was the Chiefs coach. But that didn’t matter in last week’s preseason opener, a 16-10 home loss to Houston. Quarterback Matt Cassel was 2-for-5 for 15 yards in that defeat. Cassel hasn’t played well in camp, committing turnovers and being off-target on some throws. There have been instances when backup Brodie Croyle has looked better. Cassel, though, remains the starter and is expected to play the first half with the rest of the first string. Dwayne Bowe had five catches for 70 yards in the loss to Houston. The Chiefs are learning new schemes both on offense and defense so a slow start can be expected. Kansas City’s linebacking has had problems because of a hamstring injury to veteran Zach Thomas. He hasn’t suited up in more than two weeks.
The Chiefs are 1-8 against the spread in their last nine preseason games.
Key Injuries - Zack Thomas (hamstring) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 16
Vikings (-3, O/U 37): What seemed like a meaningless preseason game is going to get a lot of attention. That’s because Brett Favre is going to start despite signing just three days ago with the Vikings. Favre is set to play one series. Favre is familiar with a West Coast offense having run one for years in Green Bay. The Vikings employ this style of offense although their version has different nuances and subtleties. Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson - Minnesota’s backup quarterbacks - have been dealing with injuries and ineffectiveness prompting Vikings coach Brad Childress to reach out to Favre one more time. Jackson was 7-for-15 for 39 yards during the Vikings’ 13-3 Week 1 preseason victory against Indianapolis. Rosenfels injured an ankle while playing in the opening two series of the Vikings’ victory against the Colts. The Vikings are 8-5 against the spread in preseason under Childress.
The Vikings are 6-1 to the over in Week 2 of preseason the past seven years.
Key Injuries - Defensive end Jared Allen (ankle) is doubtful.
PROJECTED SCORE: 21(Side of the Day)
Tennessee
HC Fisher said he plans to play the starters one or two series more than last week. Kerry Collins will start but he expects to get Vince Young in the game sooner.
Dallas
Starters are expected to play into the 3rd quarter.
K.C.
HC Todd Haley said QB Matt Cassel and most of the starters would play the first half
Minnesota
Brett Favre is expected to start this week and play 2 series followed by Tarvaris Jackson, who will play into the 3rd quarter then John David Booty will finish.
Atlanta
Quarterback Matt Ryan is expecting to play a little more than two series, and the Falcons plan to play all four quarterbacks. HC Mike Smith said he'll play the starters for the first quarter, give or take a few snaps.
St Louis
QB Kyle Boller will start this week. Starters are expected to play the whole 1st half.
New York Giants vs. Chicago Bears Preview
By Alex Smart
SOLDIER FIELD OPENS UP FOR ‘09
As the Chicago Bears try to makes sense of an extremely mediocre start in Buffalo last week - by new quarterback, Jay Cutler… by the secondary… by the standards of every Bears fan - the New York Giants are geared up and ready for a Saturday trip to the Windy City, as Soldier Field gets its first taste of the ’09 NFL season. Saturday will mark just the second time since September of 2000 that the G-Men will visit Soldier Field, with their last appearance coming in the form of a 21-16 win back in December of ‘07. If you really want to talk about a long awaited due, consider this: when playing in Chicago, the Bears have only beaten the Giants once in their last five tries (20-17 in September of 1991); Jay Cutler was eight years-old. At this point, Bears fans aren’t even concerned about history or the fact that it’s a preseason game; they just want to see their investment pay off. You have to assume the Giants want the same from their quarterback, Eli Manning, who signed a record, $97 million dollar extension in the off season.
PRESEASON BLUES
While Buffalo Bills quarterback, Trent Edwards, threw for 79-yards on a perfect 10-for-10 outing in Saturday’s 27-20 Bills win over the Bears, Jay Cutler struggled mightily in his Chicago debut. The highly touted 26 year-old Vandy product completed just five of his ten passes on the night for 64-yards and an interception; he was lucky to have thrown just one after Buffalo’s defense let a pass pass slip through its hands in the 1st quarter. After the game, Cutler remained calm, saying, “It’s too early to start to panic. It’s preseason. I feel fine about it.” Obviously Cutler does not and cannot speak for the fans, which dwindled in numbers at the Bears training facility at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois this week. “We’re just calling base stuff and seeing what happens out there right now,” Cutler said, in trying to justify his performance. “As soon as we start getting into the game plan, really nailing stuff down, that’s when it’s really going to count.” What truly counts is how he’s perceived, not only by the media, but his teammates as well. Cutler and Bears linebacker, Brian Urlacher have already exchanged words at training camp, and this week was said to have brought on a feud between Cutler and Devin Hester; after the allegations, both Cutler and Hester claim to have misunderstood one another. No need to misunderstand the numbers, however, as the Bears committed five turnovers last Saturday, was out gained by 150-yards and totaled just 13 first downs to Buffalo’s 23.
A GIANT FINISH
Thinking that Giants quarterback, Eli Manning would steal the show on the premiere of Monday Night Football this week seemed reasonable. In fact, it almost seemed necessary after signing his contract extension, but then you have to factor in that it’s just the preseason, and game one at that for New York, who surprisingly escaped with a 24-17 win over the Carolina Panthers at Giants Stadium. Why surprising, you ask? Surprising because :00 showed on the clock as Giants rookie DE Tommie Hill carried an 18-yard interception into the Panthers’ end zone on the games’ final play from scrimmage. “I’ve never seen a game end like that, not that way,” said Hill, the former Colorado State star who kept the game ball, marking his first touchdown since high school. Hill, who’s vying for a roster spot, added, “Anything like that that helps the team win in turn helps me. It was just a fortunate situation and I made the most of it.” With the game tied at 17, Panthers fourth-string quarterback, Hunter Cantwell dropped back to pass rather than taking a knee to wind out the clock. Cantwell had his arm hit by New York’s Leger Douzable, which popped the ball into the air, allowing Hill to steal the show, and the victory. As for Manning, who only played two series, he finished two for three through the air for 31-yards as the Giants moved to 1-0 against the odds with the improbable cover.
GAME INFO
The Chicago Bears and New York Giants square off at Soldier Field, this Saturday night, August 22nd at 8:00pm Eastern Time. Chicago enters as the -2 point favorite with the over under sitting at 34.
Preseason action heats up
By SPORTSBETTING.COM
Dallas opens their new stadium, Favre throws his first pass as a Viking, and Redskin season ticket-holders get a look at Haynesworth…we are only in the second week of the NFL’s preseason but already there are a number of intriguing storylines.
Friday night’s NFL preseason schedule features two of the bigger games of the week, with the Cowboys hosting Tennessee and the Vikings take the field vs. Kansas City.
Titans at Cowboys
Line: Cowboys -3
The Cowboys unveil their spanking new $1.5 billion facility tonight vs. the old Houston Oilers. The 2-0 Tennessee Titans come to town, while Dallas is coming off a road loss to the Raiders in Week 1 preseason action.
Online sportsbook SPORTSBETTING.com is seeing the betting action favor the home side, with a little over 71% of all the wagering coming in on Dallas. There are several factors that could give the Cowboys an edge. Tennessee head coach Jeff Fisher isn’t likely to go all out in this one with a pair of preseason wins already in the books. It’s next week, Week 3, that they’ll be spending more time on, as the starting units will get a significant amount of the action, unlike tonight. But Dallas is coming off a loss, and although it is only preseason, this team is under a microscope and feeling a ton of pressure heading into the 2009 campaign. They don’t want to start even the preseason 0-2, losing their first game ever in the new stadium.
The sports betting public is also jumping on the “Over” in this game, pushing the number from an opening line of 36 up to 38.5. It’s worth noting that only one of Tennessee’s last six road games would have gone over 38.5. As of Friday morning, the “Over” had 77% of all the betting action.
Chiefs at Vikings
Line: Vikings -3
The Minnesota Vikings won’t waste any time getting newly-signed Brett Favre some game action.
According to numerous reports, Favre will start in tonight’s home game against the Kansas City Chiefs, where the Vikes are favored by a field goal and the Total is set at 37.
The QB signed with Minnesota on the Tuesday and has had less than three days to get acquainted with the offense so don’t expect him to see too many reps; a report in the Star Tribune in Minneapolis suggests that No. 4 will only see one series in the Chiefs game.
If Favre does indeed lead only one drive, Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels should see their fair share of reps and Rosenfels was particularly sharp last week against the Indianapolis Colts going 10 of 13 for 91 yards—Minnesota won that game 13-3 and covered at +1.5 while the Total went Under 35.
Steelers at Redskins
Line: Redskins -3
What is it about Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger after a Super Bowl win?
After winning Super Bowl XL, Roethlisberger got into a serious motorcycle accident and right before the start of the following season had an emergency appendectomy.
Bad luck is again following Roethlisberger after last February’s Super Bowl win over the Arizona Cardinals. In July a woman came forward and accused Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her and yesterday ESPN reported that Big Ben suffered a right ankle injury at practice, was taken off the field on a cart and was seen icing the injured area.
No one really wanted to talk about the injury afterwards either.
Pittsburgh opened as a 1-point favorite in this matchup, but the betting action has been all on Washington, moving the Redskins to a 3-point favorite…it’s highly unlikely Roethlisberger will see any action and after a completely embarrassing game in Week 1 (they were shutout), you have to believe the Skins are going to be very focused.
Enjoy all the games.
Bettor's football three-way
By Sportsbook.com
The Week 2 NFL preseason card thickens with a trio of wagering options at Sportsbook.com on Friday night. The showcase contest is Tennessee at Dallas, which will be on Fox starting at 8 Eastern. Kansas City will make the trip north to Brett Favre country (now west of Wisconsin) to face the Vikings and former division rivals Atlanta and St. Louis will collide near the shores of the Mississippi River.
Tennessee at Dallas
Dallas gave their usual halfhearted first game effort (2-5 SU and ATS), in being whacked by Oakland 31-10. Quarterback Tony Romo should see increased playing time in preparation for the regular season. Dallas will look to control Tennessee’s running game since they are 0-11 ATS when they allow 125 to 150 rushing yards.
Tennessee already has wrapped up two wins in August and would gladly take a third if the Cowboys want to go thru the motions again. The storyline for the Titans is this: will Vince Young be able to build on last week’s crisp performance (9-14 for 131 yards, TD)? Sportsbook.com has Dallas as 2.5-point favorites with the total at 37 points. Tennessee is 14-4 ATS (+9.6 Units) as a road underdog, while the Cowboys are 2-9 ATS at home when the total is between 35.5 and 38 points.
Kansas City at Minnesota
Whatever the reasons for Favre’s return, coach Brad Childress has believed since last season the former Packer and Jet quarterback is better than what he’s had on his roster. Sage Rosenfels is now the backup and in all likelihood, Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty are playing for a roster spot.
The Vikings defense bottled up Indianapolis last week (142 total yards) and is 5-1 ATS after allowing 200 or less total yards in their previous game. Minnesota is a three-point favorite on the home turf and will sell more tickets for this encounter than anticipated.
With last week’s 16-10 home loss to Houston, Kansas City is now 5-16 and 4-16-1 ATS since 2004 in the preseason. New coach Todd Haley and Chiefs front office won’t say anything publicly, but there has to be a few furrowed brows after Matt Cassel was outplayed by both Brodie Croyle and Tyler Thigpen in Week 1. Kansas City has failed to cover six straight Week 2 assignments and is 3-12 ATS off a home loss.
Atlanta at St. Louis
New Coach Steve Spagnuolo will be on the home team sidelines in St. Louis for the first time Friday. The always intense former defensive coordinator was pleased with the play of the offensive line that helped generate 6.6 yards per attempt on 29 carries in 23-20 win as four-point road underdogs against the New York Jets. Everything isn’t perfect in Rams-land however, as starting quarterback Mark Bulger fractured his pinkie on his throwing hand in practice this past Monday, and is presumed out two weeks. That means the reins are turned over to Kyle Boller as first choice, along with Brock Berlin and Keith Null. With top receiver Donny Avery already out bettors have pounced on Atlanta, taking them from one-point underdogs to three point favorites.
The Falcons backups couldn’t hold a 23-10 lead midway thru the third quarter at Detroit and were passed on the last play of the game 27-26. Matt Ryan and the rest of the first team are expected to see extended minutes this week; however, the play of the Atlanta reserves is of note if the Birds face injuries during the regular season. The Falcons are 20-8 ATS after playing their last game on the road and are 6-1 against the number playing the second of two consecutive road encounters.