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12/29/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Don't expect the Dallas Cowboys to unfurl a "We're Back!" banner after Sunday afternoon's tilt with the Detroit Lions.
The Cowboys are more than likely to beat the Lions at Texas Stadium in Week 17, and a decisive win appears to be a fairly solid proposition as well. But just six days removed from a humiliating 23-7 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, whipping up on 2-13 Detroit isn't exactly going to erase nationwide doubts about Dallas' staying power in the NFC postseason bracket.
A Cowboys victory would, however, put pressure on the Eagles in their late- afternoon home contest against the Atlanta Falcons. Though both Dallas and Philadelphia have already clinched postseason berths, a Cowboys win and Eagles loss would give America's Team its first NFC East title since 1998, and would lock Dallas into the No. 3 spot and a First-Round home game against whatever 7-9 or 8-8 club claims the conference's second Wild Card berth.
Should the Eagles defeat the Falcons, Dallas will be the No. 5 seed and will travel to meet NFC West Champion Seattle in the opening playoff round.
The only suspense for the Lions on Sunday will be in regard to the franchise's quest for the No. 1 pick in the 2007 Draft. Detroit is tied with Oakland for the worst record in the NFL as Week 17 begins, and owns a narrow edge in the strength-of-schedule tie-breaker.
Although a victory in Dallas would help Detroit avoid its fourth 0-8 road finish in the last six seasons, and would snap a run of losses that was extended to seven in last week's 26-21 home setback against the Bears, it would likely also infuriate a long-tormented Lions fan base that has only the No. 1 pick to look forward to after another humiliating campaign.
SERIES HISTORY
Dallas has a 10-8 lead in its all-time series with Detroit, including a 20-7 home victory in Week 11 of last season. The Cowboys also defeated the Lions in 2003 and 2004. Detroit's last win in the series came in 2002 at home, and its most recent win in Big D was a 20-17 overtime decision during the 1994 season.
In addition to their regular season history, the teams have met twice in the postseason. The Cowboys were 5-0 winners in a 1970 NFC Divisional Playoff, and the Lions won a 38-6 affair in a 1991 NFC Divisional Playoff.
Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells has a 8-3 all-time mark against the Lions, including a 4-1 record while with the Giants from 1983 to 1990. Detroit's Rod Marinelli will be meeting both Parcells and the Cowboys for the first time as a head coach.
LIONS OFFENSE VS. COWBOYS DEFENSE
If he makes his 16th start as expected this week, Lions quarterback Jon Kitna (3902 passing yards, 17 TD, 21 INT) has a chance to join a select group of which he undoubtedly wishes not to be a part. Kitna is set to become just the fourth quarterback in NFL history to start every game for a team with 14 or more losses, joining Archie Manning ('80 Saints), Jeff George ('91 Colts), and David Carr ('05 Texans). The veteran is actually fourth in NFL passing yards as Week 17 begins, though his 58 sacks absorbed lead the league, and his 21 picks are just one behind Ben Roethlisberger's 22 for most in the NFL. Kitna snapped a streak of 12 consecutive games with at least one interception against Chicago, when he completed 27-of-45 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns. Wideouts Roy Williams (76 receptions, 5 TD), Mike Furrey (87 receptions, 5 TD), and tight end Dan Campbell (21 receptions, 4 TD) all caught TD passes in the loss. With 16 more receiving yards for Furrey, he and Williams will become the first Lions teammates since Johnnie Morton and Germane Crowell in 1999 to go over 1,000 yards in the same season. Second-year Lions receiver Mike Williams (6 receptions) had two catches for 22 yards last week, but also had several costly drops.
The vulnerability of the Cowboys secondary was laid bare on Christmas night, when Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia completed 10 passes of more than 10 yards, including three of 25 or longer. Safeties Roy Williams (55 tackles, 5 INT) and Patrick Watkins (34 tackles, 2 INT) have been a particular liability in coverage, and both players' confidence could benefit from a couple of big plays against Kitna. Cornerbacks Anthony Henry (78 tackles, 2 INT) and Terence Newman (61 tackles, 1 INT) have been slightly better than the safeties, with Henry posting his second interception of the year early in Monday's loss. Starting outside linebackers DeMarcus Ware (63 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 1 INT) and Al Singleton (25 tackles, 1 sack) both had sacks versus the Eagles, though Dallas continues to rank in a tie for 24th in the league in that category (29). Yardage-wise, the Cowboys are 22nd in NFL pass defense (215.3 yards per game).
The Lions enter Week 17 with little hope of pulling out of last place on the NFL rushing offense chart (69.6 yards per game), though Detroit did manage to field a spark of a ground game in last week's loss to the Bears. Running backs Arlen Harris (129 rushing yards, 1 TD, 14 receptions), Aveion Cason (63 rushing yards), and Lamar Gordon amassed 77 yards on 16 combined carries, an average of 4.8 yards per tote. Harris was the high man with 44 yards on 10 attempts, while Gordon made his first and only carry in 2006 to date count for two yards. Detroit, which has run the ball an NFL-low 279 times on the year (17.4 times per contest), has three running backs - Kevin Jones (foot), Shawn Bryson (knee), and Brian Calhoun (knee) - on season-ending injured reserve.
Six days after being gutted by the Eagles' formerly middle-of-the-road running game, the Cowboys will likely be glad to see Detroit's deficient rushing attack on Sunday. Philadelphia running backs Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter piled up 160 yards on 34 combined carries (4.7 yards per rush) in the game, moving the chains and helping the Eagles boast a 14-minute-plus advantage in time of possession. Parcells will be looking for better things out of the three-man line of nose tackle Jason Ferguson (41 tackles) and ends Chris Canty (30 tackles, 1 sack) and Marcus Spears (45 tackles, 1 sack), and will require inside linebackers Bradie James (91 tackles, 1 INT) and Akin Ayodele (77 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) to make some plays behind them. Ferguson and James tied for the team lead with seven tackles against Philly. Despite Monday's struggles, the Cowboys rank a respectable ninth in the league against the run (104.9 yards per game).
COWBOYS OFFENSE VS. LIONS DEFENSE
Following a November in which he threw nine touchdown passes versus just one interception, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (2582 passing yards, 17 TD, 12 INT) has fallen back to earth with four TD strikes and seven picks in December. The 2007 Pro Bowl selection has thrown multiple INTs in three of his last four outings, and has completed fewer than 50 percent of his passes in Dallas' two most recent defeats. Romo was 14-of-29 for 142 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions against Philadelphia, the weakest of his 10 efforts as a starter. Starting wideouts Terrell Owens (79 receptions, 12 TD) and Terry Glenn (64 receptions, 6 TD) both made public complaints about the direction of the offense in the wake of the Eagles loss, perhaps attempting to disguise the fact that neither played particularly well in the defeat. Owens had three catches, 32 yards, and his NFL-leading 12th touchdown reception of the year to go along with multiple dropped passes, and Glenn finished with just one catch for 17 yards. Glenn is 62 yards shy of the first back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons of his 11-year NFL career. Tight end Jason Witten (60 receptions, 1 TD) led Dallas with six catches for 50 yards last week. The Cowboys line has allowed 33 sacks on the year, including three to Philly on Monday.
Romo shouldn't have much trouble locating his receivers against a Detroit defense that is allowing opponents to complete a league-high 66 percent of their passes and ranks near the bottom of the NFL in sacks (26) and interceptions (11). Bears quarterbacks Rex Grossman and Brian Griese last week completed 26 passes to 10 different targets, not turning the ball over and absorbing just two sacks on the day. Neither sack came from starting ends Kalimba Edwards (31 tackles, 2 sacks) and Jared DeVries (22 tackles), with reserve linemen Corey Smith (9 tackles, 1 sack) and Tyoka Jackson (12 tackles, 2 sacks) both breaking through. Tackle Cory Redding continues to lead Detroit in sacks with seven. Cornerbacks Dre' Bly (50 tackles, 3 INT) and Stanley Wilson (35 tackles) combined for 15 tackles against Chicago, while safeties Terrence Holt (73 tackles, 3 INT) and Kenoy Kennedy (61 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) chipped in with 10 stops.
After suffering through a curious inability to run the ball against the soft Philadelphia defense last week, the Cowboys will likely try to establish running backs Julius Jones (1057 rushing yards, 4 TD) and Marion Barber III (639 rushing yards, 18 receptions, 15 TD) early on Sunday. Jones and Barber combined for just 41 yards on 16 carries (2.6 yards per rush) in the loss, and together were out-rushed by Romo (3 rushes, 42 yards) on the night. Jones, who carried 10 times for 38 yards, has now averaged fewer than four yards per rush in nine of his last 10 games. In the two recent losses to the Eagles and Saints, Barber has rushed eight times for a total of two yards. Dallas currently ranks 11th in NFL rushing offense (125.2 yards per game).
Jones and Barber will be operating against a Detroit defense that ranks 23rd in the league against the run (130.1 yards per game), and did a solid job against Chicago's stable of running backs last week. The Lions held three Bears backs to 116 yards on 30 carries (3.9 yards per rush). Weak side rookie Ernie Sims (123 tackles) and middle man Paris Lenon (65 tackles, 1 INT), who combined for 13 tackles versus Chicago, have been the team's most active run- stopping linebackers. Redding (44 tackles) has done a good job at the under tackle position after switching from end at mid-season, and second-year man Anthony Bryant (7 tackles) has held up capably while serving in a starting role for the last two weeks.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
There shouldn't be a great deal of mystery here. The injury-riddled and less- than-talented Lions are playing for nothing, the somewhat-dysfunctional but still-capable Cowboys are spitting mad after an embarrassing loss and still have a shot at a division title. Look for Romo and Dallas to rebound, and for Detroit to officially be on the clock after another thorough beating.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Cowboys 34, Lions 7
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College
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The Ravens will head into the playoffs as winners of the A
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The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards
2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds
The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.
Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”
“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”
MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:
Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:
Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1
Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17
Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1
Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1
Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1
Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1
Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5
Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1
Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1
Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1
Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50
Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1
Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1
Best Animated Feature Film:
"Cars": 1/3
"Happy Feet": 2/1
"Monster House": 20/1
Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:
"Water" – Canada: 22/1
"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2
"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1
"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10
Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:
"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5
"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2
"Helmer & Son": 5/2
"The Saviour": 6/1
"West Bank Story": 7/2
Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:
"Babel": 7/4
"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1
"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20
"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4
"The Queen": 5/4
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11/4
"The Departed": 1/2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10
"The Queen": 20/1
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10
Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1
Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1
Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5
Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1
Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1
Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1
Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8
Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1
Film To Win Most Oscars:
Dreamgirls: 2/3
Pans Labyrinth: 6/5
The Departed: 6/1
The Queen: 11/1
Babel: 15/1
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1
Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1
Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
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