Larry Ness
Las Vegas Insider (1st of NFL '08 / won 1st CFB Insider 52-7!)-Thursday
My Las Vegas Insider is on the NY Giants at 7:00 ET. The Redskins overcame the tragic death of Sean Taylor by winning their final four games of the regular season, sneaking intro the postseason at 9-7 (did lose at Seattle in the wild card round, 35-14). Starting QB Jason Campbell was lost with a dislocated kneecap in the first game of that four-game season-ending run but Todd Collins stepped in and played well, especially in the team's final two regular season games. Of course, everyone remembers New York's incredible postseason run, winning three straight road games in the NFC playoffs before upsetting the undefeated Patriots 17-14 in the Super Bowl. Much has changed for the Giants on the defensive side of the ball since last February. Five starters from Super Bowl XLII will not be in uniform on Thursday night. DE Michael Strahan retired, LBs Kawika Mitchell (Bills) and Reggie Torbor (Dolphins) left as free agents, FS Gibril Wilson also left as a FA (Raiders) and DE Osi Umenyiora is out for season after getting hurt in a preseason game with the Jets (knee). However, 10 starters return on offense, as only TE Shockey (traded to the Saints) is missing and of course, he sat out LY's playoff run with an injury. Eli "came of age" in LY's postseason and most expect his improvement to continue. As for the Redskins, QB Campbell is on his third offensive coordinator as he begins just his fourth NFL season, as well as his seventh offensive system in eight seasons, dating back to his time at Auburn. Also, there is first-time head coach Jim Zorn, who has brought his version of the West Coast offense to the nation's capital. Campbell has hardly looked comfortable in that offense, as in his last three preseason games he completed just 11-of-24 passes (45.8 percent) for 70 yards (that's a pathetic 2.92 YPA!) without a TD and one INT. LY's two starting WRs Moss and Randle-El both underachieved plus Zorn has been very critical of the team's two rookie WRs (Thomas and Kelly), saying neither would contribute much during the early part of the season. TE Chris Cooley (66 receptions, 8 TD) is probably the team's best receiver. Eli was terrific in the 2007 postseason, throwing six TDs with just one INT, while compiling a 95.7 QB rating (20 points better than his regular season mark). His supporting cast remains largely the same with Plaxico Burress (70 receptions, 12 TDs) and Amani Toomer (59 receptions, 3 TD) heading up a deep receiving corps, while Brandon Jacobs (1,009 rushing yards) and Derrick Ward (602 rushing yards) man the running game. As for the Giants' D, don't sell it short. I expect the Redskins to struggle this year, as Zorn could be in "over his head." Meanwhile, like him or not, Coughlin is a proven winner. Defending Super Bowl champs are on a 6-0-1 ATS run when opening the following season with a prime time game and I see the Giants easily extending that run here. Las Vegas Insider on the NY Giants.
20* Non-Conference GOY (1st GOY play TY / 7-1 start to CFB '08)-Sat
My 20* play is on Penn State at 3:30 ET. Oregon State opened the '08 season with a conference road game at Stanford, losing 36-28. The Beavers had a chance late but fumbled the ball away at the Stanford goal line, with just under 50 seconds remaining. QB Lyle Moevao impressed with 404 yards passing and three TDs but he also threw two INTs (one returned for a TD) and also botched a swing pass which resulted in a Cardinal safety. WR Sammie Stroughter missed of most of LY with an injury but looked great in his first game of '08, with 12 catches for 157 yards and two TDs. Fellow WR Shane Morales, who had just 16 catches in '07, almost matched that total in his first game of '08, with 13 receptions for 151 yards. However, OSU's running game, which last year featured Yvenson Bernard (1,214 yards / 13 TDs), gained just 86 yards on 28 carries. Things hardly get easier for OSU this week, as the Beavers must travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. By the way, it should be noted that Oregon State is the only BCS school which is being asked to open the '08 season with back-to-back road games. Penn State opened its '08 season with a 66-10 win over Coastal Carolina. While it's impossible to make too much of that win, it should be noted that the 66 points were the most scored in an opener by a Penn State team since 1926! I was NEVER a fan of QB Anthony Morelli and senior QB Daryll Clark was a solid 11-of-14 with 146 yards (one TD / no INTs) in the team's opener. He's made even better by a trio of WRs in Butler, Norwood and Williams, who are now all seniors. PSU rushed 43 times for 334 yards in the easy win, as four players ran for 60 yards or more, led by redshirt freshman Stephon Green's 89 yards with two TDs. The Penn State defense owns a veteran DL and 2ndy and should have little trouble with the OSU running game (sans Bernard) and will be fore-warned about Moevao, after his 404-yard effort vs Stanford. OSU's defense allowed Stanford only 301 total yards but 210 of those came on the ground. I guess that should come as no surprise, as while OSU led the nation in rushing yards allowed in '07 (71 YPG / 2.1 YPC), the team returns just THREE defensive starters in '08, including NONE of the team's front-seven! Let's note that OSU traveled to Cincy last year and lost 34-3, traveled to Boise St in '06 and lost 42-14 and visited Louisville in '05, losing 63-27. That's three non-conference road losses by an average margin of 31.7 PPG. That margin sounds about right to me here, as well. Non-Conference GOY 20* Penn State.
SEC Game of the Month (7-1 start to CFB '08 / 3-0 with GOM plays)-Thursday
My SEC Game of the Month is on South Carolina at 8:30 ET. When these two schools met last October 20 in Columbia, South Carolina, the Gamecocks were 6-1 and ranked No. 6 in the AP poll. South Carolina took a seven-game series winning streak into that game and Steve Spurrier had NEVER lost to the 'Dores in 14 previous meetings (most as Florida's head coach). However, the 'Dores, 13 1/2-point underdogs, won 17-6.. They held South Carolina to 282 total yards and just 26 rushing yards as the team set a school record with seven sacks. The defeat was the first of five consecutive losses for the Gamecocks, who finished the '07 season just 6-6 As for Vandy, the 'Dores won the following week vs Miami-Ohio to move to 5-3, just one win away from being bowl-eligible. That's no small deal, as Vandy hasn't been to a bowl game since 1982. However, similar to South Carolina, Vanderbilt lost its final four games (finished 5-7), with the defense allowing an average of 33 PPG. Both teams won last Thursday, South Carolina 'pitching a shutout' at home to NC State (34-0) and Vandy winning at Miami-Ohio, 34-13. South Carolina's defense was great last week, holding NC State to just 138 total yards and its QBs to five completions in 20 attempts for 49 yards with two INTs. The Gamecocks really struggled for the first three quarters offensively, as QB Tommy Beecher was awful, completing 12-of 22 passes for just 106 yards, while throwing FOUR interceptions. Spurrier replaced him with former starter Chris Smelley and he led three TD drives in the fourth quarter, completing 5-of-5 passes for 92 yards with two TDs and no INTs. Smelley has been named the team's starter this week and look for the team's best WR, Kenny McKinley (77 catches / 9 TDs) to contribute more than his six catches for only 37 yards against the Wolfpack. The South Carolina ground game struggled a year ago averaging just 3.6 YPC but the Gamecocks have four starting OL back in '08 for TB Mike Davis, who gained 101 yards last week on just 14 carries. Vandy QB Nickson had a career-high 166 yards rushing last week and two rushing TDs but that came against a Miami-Ohio defense which is nowhere near as athletic as South Carolina's. Note that Vandy only out-gained Mia-O by 20 yards last week and that in LY's upset of the Gamecocks, Vandy only gained 269 yards. South Carolina does have Georgia up next week but the memory of last year's loss will be all the motivation Spurrier's team needs here to win and win handily. The road team has covered SEVEN of the eight meetings between these schools this decade and that form follows Thursday night. SEC Game of the Month 15* South Carolina.
