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12/22/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's NFC Champions and one of the favorites to win this season's AFC title get together Sunday in Seattle, as the Seahawks welcome the powerful San Diego Chargers to Qwest Field.
The AFC West champion Chargers currently lead the conference with a 12-2 record, and are in excellent position to secure homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.
San Diego has won eight straight contests, and with another one this week, the Chargers can set a franchise record for most victories in a season. The team previously had 12 wins during the 1961, 1979 and 2004 campaigns.
The most recent victory for the Bolts came last Sunday against the division- rival Kansas City Chiefs. San Diego running back LaDainian Tomlinson chased down more records with a two-touchdown performance.
L.T. now has the most points (186) in an NFL season, breaking the mark set by Green Bay's Paul Hornung in 1960, and his eighth straight game with multiple TDs broke the record established by Washington's John Riggins in 1983. Tomlinson also extended his lead for most TDs in a season to 31.
The Seahawks are way behind last year's regular-season pace, but still appear headed back to the playoffs.
After going 13-3 in 2005, Seattle can seal up its third straight NFC West title with either a win against the Chargers or a San Francisco loss to Arizona. The Seahawks could have won the division title themselves last Thursday, but were handed a 24-14 setback by the visiting 49ers.
SERIES HISTORY
The Seahawks have a 25-22 edge in their all-time series with the Chargers, and are 5-0 against San Diego since being swept in a home-and-home against their then-AFC West rival in 1999. Seattle won a 31-28 overtime decision when the teams last met, at Qualcomm Stadium in 2002, and claimed a 13-10 victory in overtime when the clubs last matched up in the Emerald City, in 2001.
Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer is 17-7 all-time against the Seahawks, including 16-4 while with the Chiefs from 1989 to 1998. Seattle's Mike Holmgren is 7-2 in his career against San Diego, but is just 1-3 head-to- head against Schottenheimer.
CHARGERS OFFENSE VS. SEAHAWKS DEFENSE
Tomlinson's record 31 touchdowns obviously lead the NFL, but he also recently took over first place in the push for the rushing title. With his 199 yards in last week's game against the Chiefs, Tomlinson took over Kansas City's own Larry Johnson for the most rushing yards in the NFL this season. L.T. now has 1,626 rushing yards, and holds a 110-yard edge over Johnson. Also, Tomlinson's two rushing TDs last week gave him 28 scores on the ground this season, breaking the record of 27 set by Seattle's Shaun Alexander a year ago. Tomlinson wasn't the only Charger having an easy day running the ball last week, because San Diego wound up with 265 yards rushing as a team. Michael Turner (415 yards, 2 TD) spelled Tomlinson nicely with 58 yards on seven carries, and fullback Lorenzo Neal (92 yards, 1 TD) added 10 yards on two attempts. Neal, along with Tomlinson of course, was selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl earlier this week. Overall this season, the Chargers are ranked third in the NFL in rushing offense with 160.1 yards per game.
Seattle has struggled to stop the run this season, and it figures to have its hands full with Tomlinson and the Chargers this week. One of the Seahawks' strengths last season was its rushing defense, and that skill figured greatly in the team's NFC championship season. This year, Seattle is 22nd in the NFL in run defense, surrendering 125.1 yards on the ground per game. The Seahawks were torched by San Francisco's runners last week, and wound up surrendering 228 rushing yards in the game. Frank Gore led the way for the 49ers with 144 yards on 29 carries. Starting defensive tackle Chartric Darby (33 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks) had three stops, and middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (103 tackles, 1/2 sacks, 1 INT) led the team with nine tackles. Outside linebackers Julian Peterson (79 tackles, 9 sacks, 1 INT) and Leroy Hill (83 tackles, 2 sacks) also posted seven tackles apiece.
The Chargers made a controversial decision last season when they allowed quarterback Drew Brees to leave via free agency and handed his job to Philip Rivers, who had never started an NFL game heading into this season. It appears the decision has benefited Brees' new team, the New Orleans Saints, as well as his former club. Brees was named starter for the NFC Pro Bowl squad, and Rivers was selected as a reserve for the AFC. Rivers (2,976 yards, 18 TD, 8 INT) has certainly had his hand in some victories this season, but last week was not one of those occasions. The former North Carolina star had his worst outing of the season, completing just 8-of-23 passes for 97 yards and a pair of interceptions. That computes to a 12.4 passer rating, or nearly 80 points lower than his season average of 91.5. Wide receiver Vincent Jackson (19 catches, 328 yards, 3 TD) led the way with three catches for 66 yards, while starting Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates (65 catches, 805 yards, 8 TD) was held to just one reception for seven yards. For the season, the Chargers are 17th in the NFL with an average of 205.1 passing yards per game.
The Seahawks secondary was ripe for the picking last week, after San Francisco softened it with a potent rushing attack. 49ers quarterback Alex Smith was efficient rather than prolific, completing 14-of-25 passes for 162 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Seattle has been getting consistent pressure on quarterbacks this season, but failed to post a single sack against the Niners. Free safety Ken Hamlin (89 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 INT) led the secondary with seven tackles last week, while strong safety Jordan Babineaux (52 tackles, 1 INT) and cornerback Kelly Herndon (65 tackles, 1 INT) each had five stops. The Seahawks are rated 16th in the NFL in passing defense this season, giving up an average of 207.6 yards per game.
SEAHAWKS OFFENSE VS. CHARGERS DEFENSE
Despite missing star running back Shaun Alexander for over a third of the season, the Seahawks are still averaging 117 rushing yards per game (16th - NFL). Part of the reason for that is the fact that Seattle has two stellar blockers in fullback Mack Strong and offensive tackle Walter Jones, both of whom were named as starters to this year's Pro Bowl. Alexander (664 yards, 4 TD) missed six games with a fractured bone in his left foot, but has been healthy since returning to game action on November 19. Last year's Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player, Alexander is averaging just 3.4 yards a carry this season, and has rushed for over 100 yards in just one of his eight games, running for 201 yards against Green Bay on November 27. The former University of Alabama standout played last week against San Francisco, and ended with 73 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Alexander's backup, Maurice Morris (562 yards), added 14 yards on two attempts for Seattle.
The Chargers rush defense faced one of its toughest tests of the year last Sunday, and they passed with flying colors. Larry Johnson of the Chiefs came into the game as the NFL's leading rusher, but San Diego kept him in check with just 84 yards on 19 carries. Johnson, who ran for 132 yards against San Diego back in October, had rushed for 100 yards in four straight and seven of eight games before facing the Chargers last Sunday. Defensive tackle Jamal Williams (58 tackles, 2 sacks) is the main run-stopper for San Diego, and posted six tackles against the Chiefs. Williams was rewarded with a starting Pro Bowl nod earlier this week. Defensive end Igor Olshansky (25 tackles, 1.5 sacks) aided the run-stuffing with five stops. San Diego's is sixth in the NFL with 97.3 rushing yards per contest.
Seattle did not face one of the league's better passing defenses last week in the 49ers, but it still had a hard time moving the ball through the air. Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw for 220 yards and a touchdown, but was also picked off twice. Hasselbeck (2,037 yards, 17 TD, 13 INT) registered a below- average passer rating of 58.4, marking the third time in the last four weeks that the number has been under 60. Wideout D.J. Hackett (38 catches, 510 yards, 3 TD) led the team with eight catches for 87 yards, emerging to replace the loss of No. 1 receiver Darrell Jackson (63 catches, 956 yards, 10 TD), who sat out with a turf toe injury. Jackson is doubtful for this week's game. Tight end Jerramy Stevens (16 catches, 153 yards, 4 TD) also notched five catches for 64 yards and a TD. This season, Seattle is rated 20th in the NFL in passing offense with 191.5 yards per game.
San Diego has been the best team in the NFL at getting to the quarterback this season and, as a result, has frustrated many a passing offense. That was certainly the case last week, as the Chargers sacked KC quarterback Trent Green on six occasions and held him to a passer rating of 57.5. Overall, Green completed 23-of-41 passes for 185 yards with no TDs and one interception. The only surprising thing for San Diego, which leads the league with 54 sacks, was that Pro Bowl outside linebacker Shawne Merriman never dropped Green. Merriman (48 tackles, 12 1/2 sacks, 1 INT) finished with six tackles, and was held without a sack for the first time in four games. Randall Godfrey (57 tackles, 4 sacks) led the way with two sacks, and fellow inside linebacker Donnie Edwards (123 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 INT) posted six tackles, a sack and an interception. The Chargers are 11th in the NFL with 193.2 passing yards allowed per game.
OVERALL ANALYSIS
It's hard to pick against the Chargers at this point of the season, especially when homefield advantage is still up for grabs. Both of San Diego's losses (Baltimore and Kansas City) came on the road this year, so this is a potential upset. However, the noise of the home crowd will only succeed in making this game closer than expected until Tomlinson and the Chargers pull away in the end. Alexander may have something to prove now that L.T. surpassed a few of his touchdown records from last year, but that won't be enough to give Seattle the win.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Chargers 31, Seahawks 24
<< Browns, Bucs, Play for Pride, Draft Position
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In a year where it seems like every team has a shot at the
playoffs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns meet this Sunday in a
battle for draft positioning.
With two weeks left in the regular season, Tampa Bay an
<< Titans, Bills, Seek to Maintain Momentum
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tennessee Titans didn't need rookie quarterback Vince
Young to lead them to their fifth straight win last week, because the defense
did all the work. The Titans are likely to require more of Young's services on
Sunday, wh
<< Playoffs Remain a Possibility for Rams
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The playoffs are still on the minds of the St. Louis Rams,
and they will try to do whatever it takes to stay afloat in the crowded waters
of the NFC postseason race.
St. Louis will shoot for its second straight win on Sund
<< Top three stay the same in FIFA Women's Rankings
Zurich, Switzerland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Germany finishes the year as the
world's top women's team for the fourth year in a row in the FIFA World
Rankings which came out Friday.
The USA and Norway hold the second and third place
Saints Can Prolong Giants' Misery >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In football terms anyway, the New York Giants can relate.
Not that their five-losses-in-six-weeks is comparable with the off-field
issues laid upon the New Orleans Saints last season, but the fallout of what's
gone on in g
Can Pats Break Jags' Home Stranglehold? >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots will become the latest team to try
to solve the mystery of Alltel Stadium on Sunday, when they visit the
Jacksonville Jaguars in a game rife with postseason implications.
The Jaguars, who are tied
Chiefs Need Win Over Raiders, Holiday Miracle >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a 7-7 record that includes a woeful 3-7 mark within
the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs need a great deal of help to realize their
playoff dreams.
But first, the Chiefs must help themselves.
Herm Edwards' team travels
Colts Carry New-Found Momentum into Houston >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts will attempt to move one step closer
to securing a first-round playoff bye this Sunday at Reliant Stadium, where
the AFC powerhouses visit a Houston Texans team they have owned in recent
years.
The
Two playoff teams from 2007 take center stage on the NFL Network Sunday night in a Week 2 NFL betting match-up when the (0-1) New England Patriots betting head south to Florida for a contest with the (1-0) Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
New England HC Bill Belichick couldn’t care less about the way his team plays in the preseason. With a chance to tie last week’s game with the Baltimore Ravens betting, He elected to go for the two-point conversion and outright victory. The conversion failed, and the Pats ended up falling to the Ravens by a 16-15 final count.
New England rolled off twelve unanswered points to give it a chance at securing the victory, but it never threatened to cover the 3.5-point spread. NFL bettors saw this one coming, as they bet the Ravens down from +6 to +3.5 as the week progressed. QB Tom Brady didn’t take part in the Patriots first preseason clash, but could see action this weekend.
His three replacements all put up embarrassing numbers. They went a combined 17 for 33, and threw three interceptions and no touchdowns. The New England defense was encouraging, as they held the Ravens to 2/12 third down conversions and surrendered just ten first downs. That ‘D’ should be bolstered with the addition of former Bucs and Denver Broncos betting safety John Lynch, who could make his Patriots debut on Sunday against his former mates.
HC Jon Gruden had to be impressed with the way his Bucs played on both sides of the ball in their dominating 17-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Week 1’s NFL pre-season betting action. Bucs bettors were quite happy with the effort, as they made a mockery of the fact that they were underdogs in the game.
The logjam at the quarterback position didn’t get any easier to separate for Gruden, as all four of his QBs had positive experiences in the first exhibition of 2008. The four combined to complete 28 of their 40 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, and that was without starting QB Jeff Garcia in the lineup.
RB Michael Bennett had 19 carries and four receptions, totaling 90 yards and a touchdown. Expect to see more of Bennett, Kenneth Darby, and Earnest Graham, as they all compete for playing time with Warrick Dunn in the backfield this season. Defensively, the Bucs recorded four sacks and held the Fins offense in check all day.
First round draft pick Aqib Talib was impressive in the secondary, recording a tackle and two pass defenses in his debut. Don’t be surprised to see Talib in the starting lineup opposite Ronde Barber for the Bucs in ’08.
The betting trends suggest that NFL bettors should be backing the Bucs in this intra-conference exhibition.
These two teams hooked up last year in Tampa Bay, with the Bucs winning that game 13-10. The Buccaneers have only lost one preseason game at home dating back to the beginning of the ’05 preseason. The Patriots have had a mixed bag of results in their recent exhibitions. They have gone 2-2 ATS and SU each of the last three years.
New England currently sits as modest 1-point favorites in this preseason showdown with the ‘total’ now sitting at 34.5.
You can find these lines and all of the NFL betting lines , so be sure to login and get your wagers down before kickoff!
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting lines .
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MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined
Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.
"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."
Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)
According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.
As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).
Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.
Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at
17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.
*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007
New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers
By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.
"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."
While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."
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