The story of the game in this weeks contest between the Baltimore Colts (0 – 7) and the Tennessee Titans (3 – 3) is one of a suffering team vs a problematic player. The Colts, who have been an NFL power considering the emergence of quarterback Payton Manning and they are 0 – 7 this year without him. The Titans have a star operating back who is averaging just under 45 yards per game.
The Colts have struggled to replace Manning who has missed the entire time of year so far. Kerry Collins was signed as a temporary replacement, but he was injured. That turned the offense over to Curtis Painter and they have struggled. However, the defense of the Colts has also not stepped up to expectations and they are ranked 30th in the NFL by giving up 416 yards per game.
The Colts haven’t been able to rack up a win yet this time of year, but the loss last week was particularly severe. They were defeated by the New Orleans Saints by a rating of 62-7. Indianapolis may have to focus on producing a strong operating game in order to turn their year around.
Titan running back Chris Johnson was late to camp this year due to a hold out. while he did sign early enough to play in the first game, he has been far less successful this year and only had 18 yards in last weeks 41 – 7 loss to Houston.
Despite booing from the fans, head coach Mike Munchak has been quick to point out that the operating game isn’t always about the running back. “It takes 10 other guys” to successfully be able to run the ball. They are hoping their operating game will regain the stature of their past with two of their next three games against teams that haven’t fared well against the run this year.
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Archive for the ‘Basketball News’ Category
Colts vs Titans Week 8 Preview of Football Betting
Vikings vs Panthers Preview – Week 8 of Football Betting
When the Baltimore Ravens and the Az Cardinals meet on Sunday, both teams will be trying to turn things around. Baltimore is trying to rebound from a very poor offensive performance which resulted in an surprising loss to Jaguars last week and the Cardinals are trying to break a 5 game dropping streak.
After a 4-1 commence to the period, the Ravens were held to only 146 yards of total offense last week. Ninety of those yards came on a single drive in the 4th quarter that resulted in their only touch down of the game. They weren’t able to convert a first down till the 3rd quarter and only had 16 yards at the half. Regardless of how you look at it, the offense will be looking to make a point vs the Cardinals. They hope to improve on their performance by making sure running back Ray Rice gets more than the 8 holds he got in the loss.
After winning their opening game of the year, the Cardinals have lost the next 5. Many of the team’s offensive woes are pointed toward quarterback Kevin Kolb due to his passer rating of only 66.8. This is the lowest rating in the NFL. However, Kolb isn’t the only player struggling for the Cardinals. Their floor game has only reached the 100-yard mark in one of its first six games and the defense is ranked 28th in the league for factors allowed.
The Coach, Ken Whisenhunt is looking at every position in an effort to prompt greater play out of his team. He said “We have to find somebody to make plays” and has indicated they may be looking at multiple changes to make that happen.
They key to which team is able to rebound from last weeks losses may rest upon who wins the fight amongst the Cardinals offensive line and the Ravens defensive line.
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The 2011-2012 NFL Football Betting Season Kicks Off Today
Tonight the NFL soccer Betting season starts. Let’s take this opportunity to take a brief look at both the AFC and NFC Divisions to see what prospects may lay a head in the 2011-2012 season. Let’s start with the AFC East exactly where the New England Patriots have had a strangle hold for almost a decade. Last year the New York Jets exploded onto the scene and eradicated the Patriots in the Playoffs. You have to like the Patriots to find a way to win this division again.
The AFC South has been dominated by the the Indianapolis Colts, but this could be the year exactly where the Houston Texans Ultimately make their move and take home a division title. In the AFC West the Kansas City Chiefs won the division last year, but most believe that if the San Diego Chargers stay healthy they will win it this year. In the AFC North the Pittsburgh Steelers won the division last year and transferred on to the Super Bowl losing to the Packers 31-25. If they stay healthy they should win the division again, Although the Baltimore Ravens will give them a run for their money.
In the NFC East the Philadelphia Eagles won the division last year and should do so again. The Giants or Cowboys could make a run, but it is not likely. The NFC West the Seattle Seahawks won the division with a dismal 7-9 record. Don’t expect that again. Look for the Los Angeles Rams to win it with a 9-7 record instead.
In the NFC North the chicago Bears won the division last year, but it was the Wild Card Green Bay Packers that made it all the way to the Super Bowl to win it all. Although the Detroit Lions are making their move, look for the Packers to win this division again. In the NFC South the Atlanta Falcons won the division last year with the Saints taking the Wild Card. Look for more of the same this year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers making a doable challenge. There will be plenty of good soccer betting this NFL season.
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Lakers and Hawks Both Limped Into All-Star Break, Now Play Each Other
After his strong showing in the NBA All-Star Game, Kobe Bryant is looking ahead to the rest of the basketball season, starting with the game against the visiting Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks will take on the LA Lakers at the Staples Center Tuesday night, and will give the LA team their first chance to recover from an embarrassing loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers before the All-Star break.
NBA wagers
Kobe was named the All-Star Game MVP after putting up 37 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. He lead the Western Conference team to a 148-143 victory over the East. Bryant also received the loudest, most sustained applause from the crowd during the pregame introductions, but what else could you expect from Kobe’s hometown fans? This will probably be Bryant’s last All-Star Game played in Los Angeles.
Sports Gambling
Interest in NCAA Basketball Waning as Talent Leaves for NBA
Although college basketball betting is the most popular form of sports betting every year after the Super Bowl has been played, interest in the sport has been fading as of late. This is due mainly to the fact that the NBA keeps taking the best college players as soon as they are eligible for the draft, and the increasing number of teams that play in the March Madness tournament.
March Madness wagering
Both of these factors are beginning to combine to create both an NBA filled with young players who can not handle the challenges of professional-level basketball, as well as college basketball teams that perform at a sub-par level due to losing their best talent every year. And as more teams come into the NCAA tournament, the competition is becoming more average over time.
Sportsbook
March Madness Quickly Approaching
With the Super Bowl over, the next big thing in sports betting will be the upcoming March Madness NCAA basketball tournament. And with just under a month to go before the big dance starts, now is the time to start looking at the playing trends of many of the favorite teams. How various schools are performing right now and up to the beginning of the tournament on March 13 will give sports bettors ample information for predicting who will go all the way in 2011.
Sportsbook
There are a few changes this year to the tournament to make it even more exciting. New television deals have been worked out with CBS and Turner Sports channels. This will make it possible to show every single game played during the tournament for the first time in its history. So there is no excuse to miss a single exciting college basketball game throughout the month.
College Basketball wagering
Texas Versus Texas A&M Great Start to Exciting Week of Sports Games
This week, Texas is the place to be for sports betting enthusiasts. On Sunday, Super Bowl XLV will be held against the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers. In the NBA, both the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks are playing exciting games in their own home arenas. And to start it all off, Texas plays Texas A&M on Monday, January 31.
Currently, the Texas Longhorns are ranked #8 with an undefeated record of 6-0 in their conference, while the Texas A&M Aggies are ranked #11, with a record of 4-2. The Longhorns are currently 1 ½ point favorites despite playing on the road. The total is 128. The game will be televised from the Reed Arena in College Station, Texas on ESPN, starting at 9:00 pm EST.
Football wagering
Texas is favored over A&M mainly because Texas won their first meeting this year 81-60 on January 19, 2011. Typically, the home team wins in the Texas versus Texas A&M matchups, but this week may be a different story. While both teams are playing well this year and have winning records so far, Texas is doing much better than A&M, especially taking this past weekend’s games into account.
A&M is also coming off of a tough second half against Nebraska on Saturday, where they scored only 17 points, ending with a 57-48 loss. They also racked up 14 turnovers during the game. At the end of the first half, the Aggies were up by seven points, but then completely fell apart after halftime. And their defense was not strong enough to make up for the poor shooting and turnovers on offense.
College Basketball wagers
While they are not expected to play as badly against Texas tonight, they will have to have a remarkable turnaround to win as underdogs. On the other hand, Texas had a great performance against Missouri on Saturday in a 71-58 conference win. Because of this most recent history and the trend of the Longhorns so far this season, is it any wonder that Texas is favored over Texas A&M tonight?
Updates to Stories Affecting the NFL, NBA, and MLB
There are a few updates to articles we posted earlier this week. A couple of them involve the upcoming Super Bowl, with injury drama from both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. Another story involves the partial sale of the New York Mets due to fallout from the owners’ involvement with Bernie Madoff. And the final update is related to Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo.
First of all, the news from the Pittsburgh Steelers is that their rookie center Maurkice Pouncey will not be playing in the Super Bowl game next weekend. He had been questionable but mostly out of the game due to an ankle injury he sustained during the AFC championship game against the New York Jets. Now it is known that Pouncey has a fractured ankle, as well as a high ankle sprain, which will keep him out of the big game.
Green Bay gambling
Moving on to the Green Bay Packers, everyone remembers the side show with the injured reserve players not being in the Super Bowl team picture. Everything seemed to be ironed out when the photo was rescheduled to include all the players. But then quarterback Aaron Rodgers made some controversial statements to the press about the injured players choice of rehab locations. Linebacker Nick Barnett seemed a bit offended. Now it is reported that Rodgers called Barnett to clear the air, and now everything seems to be better between the two.
In baseball news, the New York Mets’ owners may put a portion of the team for sale. Martin Luther King III has expressed interested in buying a share of the team. He is part of a group of interested parties who may want to purchase partial ownership of the Mets from Fred Wilpon and his son Jeff Wilpon. The Wilpons have been considering offering 20-25% of the team for sale, and King has expressed interest in being a 50% owner. So obviously, some details need to be ironed out.
Super Bowl XLV lines
Finally, after O.J. Mayo of the Memphis Grizzlies tested positive for DHEA, a steroid banned by the NBA, he was suspended for 10 games. Mayo now states that he picked up an energy drink from a local gas station, which caused him to test positive for the substance. Unfortunately, Mayo’s third season in the NBA has been filled with drama and controversy. He has lost his starting position, gotten into a fight with a teammate over a card game, and his father was charged with attempted murder this past December. The suspension is only the latest problem for him.
Indiana Pacers Changing Head Coach in the Middle of the Season?
Can the Indiana Pacers do any worse than they have done over the past few years? The owners and management don’t seem to think so, as they are expected to fire head coach Jim O’Brien later this afternoon. After the head coach’s dismal record at the helm of the Indiana basketball team, it is probably no wonder that the Pacers and O’Brien will part ways. The Indiana Pacers have called a press conference for 4:00 PM this afternoon to make some major announcements about the future of the team.
Sports Betting
After coming off of their seventh loss in eight games against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, the team has racked up the less-than-impressive record of 17-27 this season. O’Brien’s overall record with the Pacers has been a slightly more impressive 121-169, but that is only in relative terms. In absolute terms, O’Brien has been a disappointment for Indiana basketball fans, never having won more than 36 games in any of the four seasons he has been head coach.
And this dismal coaching performance is not for lack of talent. The Indiana Pacers came to the 2010-2011 season with higher hopes than in previous years. Center Roy Hibbert is considered one of the most improved players in the league right now, and the team picked up Darren Collison, a point guard from New Orleans. This year, the expectations were higher for the Indiana Pacers, who are ten games back from being .500.
Super Bowl bets
Plenty of changes may be coming to the Pacers in the next few months. Assistant head coach Frank Vogel is expected to take over the head coaching duties until a permanent replacement is found. And team president Larry Bird has also hinted that he may not return after his current contract expires this year. But after so many disappointments over the past few years, do Indiana basketball fans really want any of these team leaders to return?
