Tennessee Goes To 2-0 In NFL Preseason With Win Over Tampa Bay
Despite the early struggles of starting QB Kerry Collins, who threw two interceptions, the Tennessee Titans managed to prevail over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday by a 27-20 score. The victory ran Tennessee’s record to 2-0 in the NFL preseason, while the Bucs dropped their first exhibition contest.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher wasn’t happy with his teams performance, particularly their offensive rhythm, despite winning the game:
“We just really didn’t get in synch like we would’ve like to.”
Conversely, Tampa Bays new head coach Rahim Morris was fairly upbeat after his NFL coaching debut:
“Not a bad start though, not a bad start.
Tennessee QB Collins post game comments didn’t provide much insight into the reason for his poor outing:
“We had too many turnovers, and that can’t happen. We know we have a lot to improve on.”
Young, meanwhile, related how he had taken the advice of the Titans offensive coordinator and used his legs to keep a play alive and avoid a sack.
“And that’s basically what I did. I saw the free safety relax and he was in the Cover Two, and Kenny adjusted his route and did what he was supposed to do. I just got the ball to him.
Luke McCown started for Tampa Bay, though wasnt able to do much on offense either. He was tightlipped about his performance in postgame interviews:
“We have some things to clean up. We will look at the tapes and get better at it on Monday”
The Bucs other QBs, Byron Leftwich and Josh Freeman didnt do much better, though Leftwich did throw a touchdown pass. After the game head coach Morris indicated that Leftwich will start Tampa Bays next NFL preseason game, with McCown coming on in relief.
The Titans will open the NFL regular season against the Superbowl Champion Steelers at Pittsburgh on Thursday, September 10th. Tampa Bay will begin the 2009 campaign at home, welcoming the Dallas Cowboys to Raymond James Stadium on Sunday, September 13.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Jags Need Overtime To Stop Winless Rams
Despite dominating the winless St. Louis Ram on the stat sheet, the Jacksonville Jaguars needed overtime to eke out a 23-20 home field victory over arguably the worst team in the NFL. Based on their statistical superiority, the Jags should have made mincemeat out of the hapless Rams-they had 33 first downs to 13 for St. Louis, held a 492-262 overall yardage edge and had possession of the ball for 42:12 compared to 24:48 for the Rams. They did have three turnovers to only one for St. Louis, including an interception that was returned for a touchdown. Jacksonville evened their record at 3-3 while the Rams dropped to 0-6.
Those who bet on NFL football would argue, however, that while Jacksonville may have ‘won the battle’ the Rams won the financial ‘war’ as St. Louis easily covered as +9′ road underdogs. It was only the Rams second NFL pointspread cover of the season (2-4 ATS) while Jacksonville evened their record against the money at 3-3. The 43 points put on the board just managed to go OVER the posted total of 42.
The catalyst behind the Jags offense was running back Marcus Jones-Drew who churned out 133 yards and three touchdowns. He’d gone public the week before saying that the Jags needed to run more and he explained the motives behind the comments after the game:
“I just wanted to show people my frustration of losing/ I feel we are on the verge of being great, but we just have to feel the same way about frustration. I lashed out a little bit. I think I went overboard, but the coaches understood after I talked to them and told them what it was about.”
Jags’ QB David Garrard said that the win was a confidence boost:
“This offense can battle even when the situation looks kind of bleak. To have that composure, that poise … that was huge for us. That was a good test for us to be able to move forward.”
There was immediate second guessing of Rams’ coach Steve Spagnuolo’s decision to go for the tie with the team had the ball on the nine yard line with seven seconds remaining. Some suggested that a team with a 0-6 mark should have gone for the win at this point. Spagnuolo responded all but saying that this team wasn’t playing to win but ‘playing not to lose’:
“It was too close. We never wanted something bad to happen and we just couldn’t take the chance. I think it was the right thing to do.”
The Rams won’t have an easy task earning their first victory next weekend as they host the Indianapolis Colts. They’ll play another one of the NFL’s bottom feeders on the road the next week, facing the Detroit Lions before a bye week. Jacksonville will now have a bye week before returning to action on the road against the Tennessee Titans on November 1st.
Ross Everett is a respected freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a staff handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Miami Beats Carolina To Remain Undefeated In NFL Preseason Play
Starting QB Chad Pennington went 8 of 11 for 105 yards and a touchdown pass as the Miami Dolphins first team offense played well in a 27-17 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Dolphins improved to 2-0 in the NFL preseason while the Panthers dropped to 0-2. While it is only preseason action, a victory is still a victory and no team likes to go down to defeat in back to back weeks. Carolina will have to pick up the pace if they wish to avoid a substandard NFL season that could result in their quarterback contemplating retirement.
Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said that there weren’t any big secrets:
“There are really no secrets there, but it’s good homework for us — a chance to see what people have been studying during their offseason, and how they want to defend this.
Pennington was also pleased with the effectiveness of the offense:
“The wildcat went well. Anything we can do to get an edge, I’m all for it.”
Ronnie Brown caught Penningtons TD pass and joined in the chorus of positive comments:
“We made some strides. We’re going in the right direction.”
Carolina coach John Fox sounded nonplussed, a surprising tone with a 0-2 team. His comments further suggested that the Panthers might be keeping a lot of their schemes under wraps in the preseason:
“Our first unit looked a little sharper. We’re not there yet, but I thought it was an improvement.”
Defensive end Julius Peppers sounded a similar tone:
“We’ve got to work on everything. That’s what the preseason is for.”
After a rough opening week, Panthers starting QB Jake Delhomme was also upbeat in his postgame comments to the media:
“We did better things tonight. It’s a process, but we’re doing all right.”
Miami will head to the northwest coast of Florida for their next preseason contest, taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next Thursday night. Carolina will host the Baltimore Ravens in Charlotte, North Carolina on Saturday. The Panthers will begin the NFL regular season on Sunday, September 13th at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Dolphins will face the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome to get their regular season slate underway.
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer who covers travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
categories: NFL football,sports,recreation,entertainment,marketing
The NFL Returns To London As New England Dominates Tampa Bay
Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers was played in an unusual venue, but produced the expected result. In the NFL’s third regular season game in London, England the Patriots showed the Wembley Stadium crowd why they’re among the league’s best as they methodically dismantled the Bucs en route to a 35-7 victory. Oddly, it took a trans-Atlantic trip for the Pats to get their first road win of the season-the Bucs were ‘officially’ the home team in the contest. New England QB Tom Brady threw for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns, though was picked off twice in the workmanlike victory. Tampa Bay remained winless, slipping to 0-7 while New England improved to 5-2.
The Patriots easily covered the pointspread as -15′ ‘road’ favorites, and improved their record against the number to 4-3 on the season. The Bucs have struggled almost as badly against the NFL pointspread as they have straight up, and slipped to 1-6 versus the money. The 42 combined points scored went UNDER the posted total of 44′. Tampa Bay has gone OVER in four of their seven games, while New England has gone UNDER in 4 of 7.
Afterwards, Pats’ QB Brady said that he’s enjoying the trip to England-as well as the victory:
“I’m feeling great. I keep rolling. That’s two wins in a row. We went out there and put two touchdowns on the board there in the second half. We had plenty of distractions coming over here, but everybody was really energized. To get the win and fly home and have a bye week off is just great.”
NFL football is still a big deal in soccer mad England, and over 80,000 fans jammed the stadium for the game. League commissioner Roger Goodell has stated that he’d like to see multiple regular season games held in London, with a possibility of the city eventually receiving an NFL franchise. Even a superstar like Tom Brady wasn’t quite used to the rock star like treatment he received in England:
“All the flashbulbs were going off there before the kickoff. They went on for about 10 minutes, which you don’t see in the States too often. I think it’s a privilege to come over here and get to enjoy this type of experience. It will probably never happen again for us, so we’ll retire 1-0 internationally.”
Even the taciturn coach Bill Belichick was pleased with the experience:
“It’s a great way to end this week. It’s been an enjoyable couple days here and glad we could end it on a positive note.”
And even in Europe, Bucs’ first year coach Raheem Morris continued to sound like a man in over his head as he made his weekly excuse filled post game comments:
“Tom, he’s the guy that changed the game. He’s the guy you worry about constantly. When you have a great quarterback like that, that’s what he does and that’s what he will do for you.”
The Bucs have now lost 11 straight games, their longest losing streak since a NFL record 26 game losing run in’76-77. Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe served as honorary captain of Tampa Bay, and they could have done worse than to put a real fighter in the lineup on this day. As Brady noted, New England will have a bye next week as will Tampa Bay.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Miami Beats Bucs To Remain Undefeated In NFL Preseason Play
Success in the NFL mandates that even when teams aren’t playing their best they need to find a way to win. The Miami Dolphins found a way to win ugly in their NFL preseason battle of Florida on Thursday night. After spotting the Bucs a 6-0 lead, Miami used a late first half field goal and scored the only touchdown of the second half to comeback for the 10-6 win. The victory improved Miamis preseason NFL record to a perfect 3-0 while Tampa Bay dropped to 1-2.
A starting QB battle in Tampa was the biggest storyline of the game and veteran Byron Leftwich appears to have gained the edge over Luke McCown. Bucs coach Raheem Morris has indicated that hell be making a decision soon, though he gave little indication as to his preference in postgame comments:
“Obviously you want somebody to jump up and take it. We’ll find out when we go back, look at the tape and evaluate this thing.”
McCown had a rough night, with two sacks and no points scored. He gave a verbose no comment on his status as starter:
“It’s not for me to say. … My part in it is preparing every day, being the best I can be and getting better from my mistakes. As long as I feel like I’m doing that, then I’m OK.”
Leftwich, meanwhile, was 9 of 17 for 100 yards and came up big on several third down completions. He had very little to add after the game:
“Hopefully, I’m the guy. I felt good. I missed a few, but I hit a few also. Luckily for me on the ones I missed, I made plays on the following play to get those first downs.”
Bucs running back Cadillac Williams returned to action after major knee surgery seven months ago. Hes been limited in the last three seasons due to injuries, but looked solid in picking up 54 yards on eight carries:
“The knee is not an issue to me. … I feel great. I’m just loving what I do.”
Dolphins QB Chad Pennington said that its hard to take much away from a strange game like this one. The game had several delays due to rain and lightening, the longest a 45 minute stoppage:
“It was a very odd game for us, as far as the rain delay, a lot of stoppages of play and things like that We were able to come out get a score before halftime and get a score after the half. We’ll build on that. We’ll be critical of ourselves and make sure we don’t let a win overshadow what we need to do to get better.”
The Dolphins will conclude their NFL preseason play next Thursday against the Saints at New Orleans. Tampa Bay will host Houston next Friday in their final preseason contest. Miami will get the NFL regular season underway against the Atlanta Falcons at The Georgia Dome on Sunday, September 13. Tampa Bay will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to The Cigar City on the same day to kick off their 2009 campaign.
Ross Everett is a freelance writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
categories: NFL,NFL football,sports,recreation,marketing,hobbies
Football Flashback: Saints Win NFC Championship Game
Until Sunday, it looked as if the return of Brett Favre to the NFL would have a storybook ending and propel the Minnesota Vikings to the Superbowl. Instead, the New Orleans Saints will be heading to the Superbowl for the first time in franchise history. Garrett Hartley nailed a 40 yard field goal in overtime to give the Saints a 31-28 victory in the NFC Championship game after Brett Favre was intercepted deep in Saints territory during the final seconds of regulation. Favre may be headed back to retirement, while the Saints are headed to Miami to play the biggest game of them all.
The Vikings did reward NFL betting fans who took them as +4 underdogs with a pointspread cover. Minnesota finished the season a solid 11-6-1 against the NFL pointspread while the Saints head into the Superbowl with a 9-9 ATS mark. The 59 combined points scored went OVER the posted total of 53′. The Saints went OVER for the second consecutive game after playing four straight UNDER verdicts to close out the regular season.
After the game, head coach Sean Payton drew an analogy to the city of New Orleans’ recovery after Hurricane Katrina:
“This is for everybody in this city. This stadium used to have holes in it and used to be wet. It’s not wet anymore. This is for the city of New Orleans.”
Winning quarterback Drew Brees extended that same metaphor:
“In reality, we had to lean on each other in order to survive and in order to get where we are now. The city is on its way to recovery, and in a lot of ways has come back better than ever. We’ve used the strength and resiliency of our fans to go out and play every Sunday and play with the confidence that we can do it, that we can achieve everything we’ve set out to achieve.”
Place kicker Hartley was low key despite securing the victory with his overtime field goal:
“Just helping my team get to Miami. Just doing my part.”
Brett Favre didn’t have much to say in defeat:
“I’ve felt better. It was a physical game. A lot of hits. You win that and you sure feel a lot better.” Mississippi native Favre did throw his support behind the Saints:
“I would have loved to represent the NFC. But, as I told Sean throughout the year when we talked, if it’s not us, I hope it’s you guys.”
The Vikings gave up a total of five turnovers including three fumbles. That, said running back Adrian Peterson, was the game:
“We really gave those guys the game. Too many turnovers. It’s eating me up inside.
Ross Everett is a consulting advisory handicapper advisor for Oddsbay. He’s a highly respected expert on soccer betting, as well as a published freelance writer specializing in sports betting, auto racing, judo and model railroading. He lives in Las Vegas with his Asian houseboy, three dogs and a wombat.
Cleveland Browns Won’t Name Starting QB Until Game Day
Most NFL head coaches place a priority on naming a starting QB before the regular season begins. The idea is that it helps the chemistry on the team, as well as helping the quarterback define himself as a team leader. Cleveland Browns head coach Eric Mangini hasn’t named his starting QB yet. Nor will he, at least not publicly. Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson will find out if they’re the starting QB in the next couple of days, but the first public confirmation their coach will give is when they trot out on the field after the NFL regular season begins.
Mangini stressed that he’d already made his choice, and that hell meet with both Quinn and Anderson individually to inform them of his decision:
“In terms of announcing it publicly, that’s not something I plan to do. It will be internal. I understand everybody has a different opinion on it. I respect that. I understand the excitement in relationship to that and I respect that as well. But that will be something that will be internal.”
As of Sunday, both quarterbacks had no idea if they’d be the starting QB. Derek Anderson said he didnt have a clue:
“I know as much as you guys know.
While Quinn suggested that it wasnt a big concern for him:
“I’m not worried about it. You guys are more worried about it than I am.”
Mangini may be trying to gain a strategic advantage over the Browns opponents in the opening week of the NFL regular season:
“It is more difficult to plan for two quarterbacks than it is to plan for one. I’m not saying that’s going to be the difference or not the difference, but I know that there is time allotted to that and you can’t put the same amount of time into focusing on one player.”
On the other hand, Vikings coach Brad Childress said that it really didnt make a difference in how hed approach preparing his gameplan:
“Just schematically, you’re going to go back and look at tape and see what you’ve seen. And then I know, as do our guys, that there will be unscouted looks. They certainly haven’t showed their whole hand, offensively and defensively. So you’re just going back and looking at formation-wise where they’re putting people and what kind of players they are. It will be more about us deploying to what they do.”
The Browns coach concluded his comments by emphasizing that hes happy with the play of both quarterbacks:
“I have been happy with the progress that both guys made. I’m happy with the way they’ve worked. I’m happy with the way they approached this competition, and it’s not always easy to approach a competition in a team fashion, and I respect the way they’ve handled it.”
After hosting the Vikings in their opening game of the 2009 NFL regular season, Cleveland will hit the road for their second game as they take on the Broncos at Denver.
Ross Everett is a experienced freelance writer specializing in travel, poker and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and scuba diving. He lives in Southern Nevada with four dogs and a pet coyote.
Pro Football Flashback: Favre Leads Minnesota To Rout Of Cowboys
When legendary quarterback Brett Favre announced his return to the NFL from what has become a seemingly annual flirtation with retirement, many second guessed the Minnesota Vikings’ decision to sign “The Gunslinger”. On Sunday, Favre and the Vikings answered those critics in the best way possible-with a lopsided 34-3 beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys. Favre threw 4 touchdown passes in the victory and the Vikings’ defense sacked Dallas QB Tony Romo six times in the blowout.
NFL football betting fans also cashed tickets on the Vikings as -3 point home favorites. This was the shortest pointspread of the divisional playoff weekend and many thought that Dallas’ momentum would carry them to victory. The 37 combined points went UNDER the posted total of 45.
After the contest, Favre boasted that a playoff run was a large part of his motivation to return to NFL action:
“”This is what I came back for. Probably the most fatigued I got today was celebrating. I feel like I’m playing the same way. I have the same enthusiasm. As long as I’m out there, the enthusiasm and the passion that you see is real. And I know the guys feed off of that. Fans enjoy that, because it is real and genuine. Today was like this season: It’s been wonderful.”
Sidney Rice caught three of Favre’s touchdown passes:
“Same ol’ Brett. He’s doing thing he’s done since he first came in the league: moving around, getting the ball out, breaking tackles and even running down the field and throwing blocks. That just shows you how big of a heart he has.”
Head coach Brad Childress mixed up a bunch of metaphors as he took a swipe at the prognosticators who picked Dallas to win:
“The Tasmanian devils were coming from Dallas that were about to bombard the state of Minnesota and run through us like Sherman through the South. All of us felt it quite palpably.”
Cowboys’ QB didn’t have much to say in defeat:
“Any time you come in with the expectations and goals we set and don’t accomplish them, No. 1, it’s frustrating. Right now, it’s just hard to think the season is over.”
Cowboys’ head coach Wade Phillips had a similar take:
“It’s like the elevator falling from the top. It’s tough when it’s over. If you don’t win it all, you have not reached your goal.”
The Vikings will now head to New Orleans for Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the Saints. Minnesota is a +3′ point road underdog with the total set at 52′. The winner will advance to the Superbowl to take on the winner of the New York Jets/Indianapolis Colts contest.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on World Cup betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.
Niners Undefeated In Preseason After Win At Dallas
The Dallas Cowboys used their running game to take a 10-3 halftime lead, but the San Francisco 49ers reserves made the most of their opportunity in the second half. San Francisco outscored Dallas 17-3 after the break to win the NFL preseason contest by a 20-13 final score.
San Francisco won outright as +6 road underdogs”oddly, it was their first pointspread cover of the NFL preseason despite their undefeated straight up record. Dallas ATS mark at 1-2 is identical to their straight up record. The 33 combined points dipped UNDER the posted total of 38. It was the Cowboys first UNDER of the preseason, while the Niners have failed to eclipse the total twice in their three exhibition contests.
Despite the setback, Dallas was excited about the play of their one-two combination at running back. Felix Jones and Marion Barber carried most of the load during the Cowboys 94 yard touchdown drive in the first half. After the game, Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett expressed his pleasure at the performance of his running back tandem:
“They’re a great combination. You don’t want to pigeonhole one as being this kind of back and the other guy being this kind of back. We just like to get them out there and let them play and they both have proven they can run both inside and outside and they can catch the ball, and they can block and do all those things. It’s just fun to see them get their opportunities.”
Dallas starting QB Tony Romo moved the team well, but failed to convert on two of his three trips into scoring position. For that reason, he gave a reserved assessment of his offense after the game:
“We’re continuing to grow as an offense and I think there is a lot of room for improvement.
Niners QB Shaun Hill had a lot of reservations about his teams performance despite the outright victory:
“I would have liked for it to have gone a bit smoother than it did. You can’t tell a whole lot right now. I just wish we could have put a few more points on the board. … There’s just certain plays out there that we need to make, but we didn’t. They were stopping those drives. Obviously, we have a lot of work yet to be done.
San Francisco will get the 2009 NFL regular season underway against the Arizona Cardinals at Tempe, Arizona on Sunday, September 13. The Cowboys will face the Tampa Bay Bucs on the road to begin their regular season docket.
Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer who covers travel, casino gambling and NFL football handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.
New Orleans Pounds Oakland In NFL Preseason Play
While its unwise to put too much importance on NFL preseason performances, its hard not to be impressed with the New Orleans Saints offense. In particular, its impossible to not be impressed with the play of starting QB Drew Brees. Brees played only three series against the Oakland Raiders on Saturday night, but that was enough–by the time he left the Saints led 21-0 en route to a 45-7 thrashing on their hosts. New Orleans improved to 3-0 on the NFL preseason, while the Raiders dropped to 1-2. The Saints appear to be in mid season form, while the Raiders are looking like an expansion team.
All Brees did in only three series was roll up 179 yards on 14 of 17 passing and three touchdowns. After the game, he was pleased with the performance of his offense:
“I just felt like we accomplished what we wanted to there with regards to playing with our tempo and our intensity. We were able to get into a rhythm. When you walk away with three touchdowns on three possessions, that’s what you want to do.”
Brees was aided by the return of last years leading receiver, Lance Moore. Moore had shoulder surgery in the offseason and was excited to be back on the field:
“I felt great. I felt like I hadn’t missed a lot. It was great being out there, getting hit and having fun in the game.”
Tight end Jeremy Shockey was also pleased with the effort:
“It looked good on the scoreboard but let’s look at it in the film room. We came all the way to California not for the wine but to get some good work in.
In the Oakland locker room, the mood was somber. Raiders QB JaMarcus Russell was particularly shaken by the setback:
“Everything that could have possibly went wrong, went wrong today. It was very embarrassing today. It was disrespectful to our fans, ourselves and our family to go out and perform that way.”
While the Saints scored almost at will against the Raiders porous defense, tight end Zach Miller was more concerned with the sputtering offense:
“I’ve never felt so lousy after a game, period. The way our offense played was embarrassing so we’re going to fix it.”
The Raiders will look to conclude the NFL preseason with a better effort as they travel to the Pacific Northwest to play the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday. New Orleans will host the Miami Dolphins on the same night.
Ross Everett is a well known freelance writer who covers travel, poker and NFL football handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, flower arranging and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.