Year of the backup in the NFL
by Mark Rothstein
Just about anyone would give his right arm to be an NFL quarterback. Well, the southpaws would. But even guys with two arms are having trouble holding onto their starting jobs these days.
Quarterback injuries, controversies and conundrums are quickly turning into the main theme of the 2006 season, as they always seem to do at this time of year. Handicappers have some extra homework to do these days to figure out who these people lining up behind center are.
We already know that David Garrard will start for the Jacksonville Jaguars when they host the Houston Texans. Jags coach Jack Del Rio called it a ?no-brainer? to start Garrard, saying that incumbent No. 1 Byron Leftwich?s injured left ankle is ?85 to 90 percent, and it?s probably not going to get much better than that.? Leftwich disagrees, but as long as Garrard is playing well, Del Rio is evidently going to stick with him. Jacksonville is listed as an 11-point favorite with a total of 37.5.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards has a tougher decision on his hands. Starter Trent Green, who hasn?t played since suffering a concussion in the season opener, says he plans to be ready for the Nov. 19 game against the Oakland Raiders. Meanwhile, backup Damon Huard has posted a 105.2 QB rating in his absence. Huard will try to make Edwards? decision even more difficult this Sunday when the Chiefs visit the Miami Dolphins as 2-point favorites. The total is 40 in that affair. The Fish are expected to give Joey Harrington yet another start as Daunte Culpepper convalesces ? although Harrington has been awful (six touchdowns and nine interceptions), even in Miami?s 31-13 upset of the previously undefeated Chicago Bears. Reports from Miami suggest Culpepper could be shut down for the remainder of the season.
The Seattle Seahawks and the aforementioned Oakland Raiders should see their starters back in action in Week 10, when we could see the returns of Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks, respectively (Brooks? status is still up in the air). But it looks like Tony Romo is here to stay for the Dallas Cowboys. Although Dallas was upset 22-19 on Sunday by the Washington Redskins, Romo had another excellent outing: 24-for-36 for 284 yards and a pair of TDs with no picks. Drew Bledsoe will continue holding the clipboard this Sunday when the Cowboys visit the Arizona Cardinals in a late afternoon matchup. The Cowboys are pegged as 7-point faves with a total of 43.
Article courtesy of BetUS.com.
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No. 15 Scarlet Knights Host No. 3 Cardinals
Thursday, when No. 15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights face the No. 3 Louisville Cardinals, it will be the biggest football game ever played in Piscataway, N.J.
Rutgers enter this contest as the puppies which may bode well for their backers, because the Scarlet Knights are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.
In order to pull off the upset, Rutgers (8-0 SU & 4-2-1 ATS) will need to have a solid ground game. The duo of RBs Brian Leonard and Ray Rice is averaging over 180 yards on the ground per game this year for Rutgers. However, Louisville limited the two to a combined 79 yards on 20 carries last season.
One strategy Louisville may employ is to stack the line of scrimmage against Leonard and Rice and force Rutgers QB Mike Teel to throw.
The Cardinals will be attempting to keep their title hopes alive. If Louisville can finish the season unbeaten, it will have a good chance to play for the national title.
Louisville (8-0 SU & 5-3 ATS) vaulted to No. 3 in the Bowl Championship Series standings after last Thursday's 44-34 victory over then-No. 3 West Virginia. The Cardinals, who have never opened 9-0, are behind Ohio State and Michigan, which meet in Columbus on Nov. 18.
Reigning Big East offensive player of the week QB Brian Brohm is rounding into form for the Cardinals, who are generating nearly 500 yards of offense per game -- the second-best mark in Division I-A. Brohm, who missed two games with a right thumb injury, threw for a season-high 354 yards and a TD against the Mountaineers.
Last year, Brohm threw for 315 yards and three TDs in a 56-5 victory over Rutgers. But in this game it may be a different story considering the Scarlet Knights rank No. 2 nationally in total defense (227.38 ypg) and pass defense (135.3 ypg), and they've allowed only four TD passes in eight games, second fewest in Division I-A.
Notable Game Trends:
- Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
- Cardinals are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 night games.
- Cardinals are 22-10 ATS in their last 32 games as a favorite.
- Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
- Cardinals are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games overall.
- Scarlet Knights are 4-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Scarlet Knights are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as a home underdog.
- Scarlet Knights are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a bye week.
- Scarlet Knights are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
- Scarlet Knights are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Article courtesy of BetUS.com.
by Mark Rothstein
Just about anyone would give his right arm to be an NFL quarterback. Well, the southpaws would. But even guys with two arms are having trouble holding onto their starting jobs these days.
Quarterback injuries, controversies and conundrums are quickly turning into the main theme of the 2006 season, as they always seem to do at this time of year. Handicappers have some extra homework to do these days to figure out who these people lining up behind center are.
We already know that David Garrard will start for the Jacksonville Jaguars when they host the Houston Texans. Jags coach Jack Del Rio called it a ?no-brainer? to start Garrard, saying that incumbent No. 1 Byron Leftwich?s injured left ankle is ?85 to 90 percent, and it?s probably not going to get much better than that.? Leftwich disagrees, but as long as Garrard is playing well, Del Rio is evidently going to stick with him. Jacksonville is listed as an 11-point favorite with a total of 37.5.
Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards has a tougher decision on his hands. Starter Trent Green, who hasn?t played since suffering a concussion in the season opener, says he plans to be ready for the Nov. 19 game against the Oakland Raiders. Meanwhile, backup Damon Huard has posted a 105.2 QB rating in his absence. Huard will try to make Edwards? decision even more difficult this Sunday when the Chiefs visit the Miami Dolphins as 2-point favorites. The total is 40 in that affair. The Fish are expected to give Joey Harrington yet another start as Daunte Culpepper convalesces ? although Harrington has been awful (six touchdowns and nine interceptions), even in Miami?s 31-13 upset of the previously undefeated Chicago Bears. Reports from Miami suggest Culpepper could be shut down for the remainder of the season.
The Seattle Seahawks and the aforementioned Oakland Raiders should see their starters back in action in Week 10, when we could see the returns of Matt Hasselbeck and Aaron Brooks, respectively (Brooks? status is still up in the air). But it looks like Tony Romo is here to stay for the Dallas Cowboys. Although Dallas was upset 22-19 on Sunday by the Washington Redskins, Romo had another excellent outing: 24-for-36 for 284 yards and a pair of TDs with no picks. Drew Bledsoe will continue holding the clipboard this Sunday when the Cowboys visit the Arizona Cardinals in a late afternoon matchup. The Cowboys are pegged as 7-point faves with a total of 43.
Article courtesy of BetUS.com.
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No. 15 Scarlet Knights Host No. 3 Cardinals
Thursday, when No. 15 Rutgers Scarlet Knights face the No. 3 Louisville Cardinals, it will be the biggest football game ever played in Piscataway, N.J.
Rutgers enter this contest as the puppies which may bode well for their backers, because the Scarlet Knights are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games as an underdog.
In order to pull off the upset, Rutgers (8-0 SU & 4-2-1 ATS) will need to have a solid ground game. The duo of RBs Brian Leonard and Ray Rice is averaging over 180 yards on the ground per game this year for Rutgers. However, Louisville limited the two to a combined 79 yards on 20 carries last season.
One strategy Louisville may employ is to stack the line of scrimmage against Leonard and Rice and force Rutgers QB Mike Teel to throw.
The Cardinals will be attempting to keep their title hopes alive. If Louisville can finish the season unbeaten, it will have a good chance to play for the national title.
Louisville (8-0 SU & 5-3 ATS) vaulted to No. 3 in the Bowl Championship Series standings after last Thursday's 44-34 victory over then-No. 3 West Virginia. The Cardinals, who have never opened 9-0, are behind Ohio State and Michigan, which meet in Columbus on Nov. 18.
Reigning Big East offensive player of the week QB Brian Brohm is rounding into form for the Cardinals, who are generating nearly 500 yards of offense per game -- the second-best mark in Division I-A. Brohm, who missed two games with a right thumb injury, threw for a season-high 354 yards and a TD against the Mountaineers.
Last year, Brohm threw for 315 yards and three TDs in a 56-5 victory over Rutgers. But in this game it may be a different story considering the Scarlet Knights rank No. 2 nationally in total defense (227.38 ypg) and pass defense (135.3 ypg), and they've allowed only four TD passes in eight games, second fewest in Division I-A.
Notable Game Trends:
- Cardinals are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Thursday games.
- Cardinals are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 night games.
- Cardinals are 22-10 ATS in their last 32 games as a favorite.
- Cardinals are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
- Cardinals are 23-11 ATS in their last 34 games overall.
- Scarlet Knights are 4-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Scarlet Knights are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games as a home underdog.
- Scarlet Knights are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a bye week.
- Scarlet Knights are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 conference games.
- Scarlet Knights are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
Article courtesy of BetUS.com.
