10/14/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns won a football game on Monday night, and so did the suits at the television networks.
So convinced were the executives that the Browns were on the cusp of greatness that they awarded a franchise with zero playoff wins since 1994 no fewer than five primetime games, a decision which you have to believe some in this not particularly sympathetic group of people had begun regretting.
Not only were the Browns 1-3 heading into Monday's ESPN-televised tilt with the New York Giants, but they were a bad 1-3, a seemingly rudderless 1-3, and - biggest sin of all - a boring 1-3.
Cleveland's first primetime game of 2008 had been a wind-ravaged 10-6 loss to the Steelers back in Week 2, one of the least watchable displays of alleged football you're likely to see in this calendar year.
Thus, you have to believe the network honchos began breathing a bit easier on Monday, when the Browns finally looked like the playoff-worthy unit they were purported to be in a 35-14 smack-down of the defending champion and previously unbeaten New York Giants.
The biggest development in the win was the long-awaited emergence of Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards, and the Cleveland offense.
Anderson, who had accrued a miserable 49.9 passer rating through his first four games and was in grave danger of being benched in favor of Brady Quinn, completed 18-of-29 passes for a season-best 310 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers.
The quarterback's fellow Pro Bowler Braylon Edwards, who had dropped numerous passes during the team's 1-3 start and had often looked disinterested in catching the tough ball over the middle, awoke from his slumber with five receptions, 154 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown grab that helped put the Giants away.
It was Anderson and Edwards that were the story on a night in which the Browns helped restore their reputation and stood toe-to-toe with the defending champs for 60 minutes.
"We had a great week of preparation," said Anderson of the Browns offense. "I felt pretty good about it. The guys, during the bye week, worked hard. We got a little bit of a jump on them early on. I was proud of the way they fought."
The win, which came just two weeks after a fourth-quarter rally at the Bengals got Cleveland off the schneid, figures to further restore the Browns' confidence.
Not that anyone will go gushing over a 2-3 record, but the Browns moved into a tie with the already fading Ravens at second place in the AFC North, and given the injury problems currently facing the first-place Steelers, Romeo Crennel's club looks unlikely to allow an initially disappointing 2008 to end as a lost season.
Further evidence of the Browns' return to prominence will have to be provided over a brutal upcoming four-game stretch in which the team will travel to meet the Redskins (4-2) and Jaguars (3-3) before returning home to face the always- challenging Ravens and Broncos (4-2).
The latter game is another of those primetime affairs, and it is the hope of just about everyone in C-Town that by the time Denver arrives on the shores of Lake Erie, no one will be decrying the presence of the Browns on the primetime lineup.
Said Browns center Hank Fraley following Monday's impressive win, "We set the bar high and we're just starting to reach it."
BENGALS: The Bengals will enter Week 7 as the NFL's only 0-6 team, and as if that isn't bad enough, the news on quarterback Carson Palmer does not sound encouraging.
Palmer, who has missed two of Cincinnati's last three games with an elbow problem, has already been ruled out of Sunday's home tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Earlier this week, the former Pro Bowler traveled to New York to meet with specialist Dr. David Altchek, and while the phrase "season- ending surgery" hasn't been brought up by anyone in Bengals camp, neither has anyone ruled it out.
"I don't think any option has been closed off at this point," said Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on Monday. "Let's just see what's the best thing. I want to talk with Carson and see where he is. He's texted me a couple times, but I just want to see what his thoughts are."
Getting his third start of the year on Sunday will be backup Ryan Fitzpatrick who has shown decent mobility but has moved the offense erratically in losses to the Browns (20-12) and Jets (26-14). Against New York this past Sunday, Fitzpatrick led Cincinnati in rushing yards (23) for a second straight game but threw for just 152 yards on 20-of-33 passing and was sacked five times.
"I think Ryan will keep playing better and better for us," noted Lewis on Monday. "We've got to keep playing better and better around him as well, I think is important. And that's our task."
The only other quarterback on the roster at the moment is Palmer's brother, Jordan, who has never attempted a meaningful NFL pass.
RAVENS: The era of good feelings is pretty much over for the Baltimore Ravens, who have dropped three straight games since a surprising 2-0 start and have been sunk by turnovers in all three defeats. More specifically, the club has been seeing declining results from rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, who has now thrown just one touchdown pass against seven interceptions on the year.
In Sunday's 31-3 meltdown at the Indianapolis Colts, Flacco tossed three INTs and was sacked four times, fully overshadowing any promising developments that could be gleaned from his 28-of-38, 241-yard passing day.
Trouble is, it was just last week that rookie head coach John Harbaugh named Flacco the starting QB for the rest of the season. It seemed a natural move, given that benching the rookie might shatter his confidence, and was also a pre-emptive strike against any of the Ravens publicly lobbying for backups Troy Smith and/or Todd Bouman to replace Flacco.
But in light of Sunday's performance, Harbaugh is going to find that decision a tougher sell with the fans in Charm City.
"We believe he's our starter. Joe's our guy," said Harbaugh on Monday. "I'm never a guy that's going to sit up here and say, 'Never ever.' But I don't envision a scenario today where Joe is not going to be our starter this year, save an injury."
"[Quarterback] is a very complicated position to play," Harbaugh added. "It's not so basic as speed of the game. There are a number of elements within a play or within a defense that can confuse a quarterback. But I would not categorize [Flacco] as being confused. I think he's learning."
Flacco will get his sixth start of the year on Sunday, when the Ravens travel to meet the Miami Dolphins.
Current Baltimore offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was head coach of the Dolphins during last year's 1-15 debacle, which included a single win, against the Ravens on Dec. 16th.
STEELERS: Pittsburgh's bye week gave the team an opportunity to enjoy its status as kingpin atop the AFC North, but may have been more vital in the club's ability to find a measure of health.
After missing two games with a sprained left MCL, running back Willie Parker appears set to return when the Steelers (4-1) travel to meet the winless Bengals this week.
"I'm ready to play, man," Parker told reporters on Monday. "I went out there and my main focus was to get my timing down, just practicing so I can help the team out the best way I can Sunday.
"I can pick it right back up, that ain't no problem. I have enough motivation and self-pride, that's not a problem."
Elsewhere on the injury front for Pittsburgh, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (shoulder), nose tackle Casey Hampton (groin), defensive end Brett Keisel (calf), and kicker Jeff Reed (groin) are all expected to play.
Fullback Carey Davis (ankle), wide receiver Dallas Baker (arm), and linebacker Keyaron Fox (hamstring) appear less likely to make the trip to Cincinnati.
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Jones will be suspended at least fou
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reportedly been suspended indefinitely by the NFL for an altercation with a
personal security guard at a Dallas hotel last week.
According to ESPN on Tuesday,
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Tuesday
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2007 Academy Award Betting : Oscars odds
The 79th Annual Academy Awards odds , which will air February 25th, is sparking an interest throughout the nation with the announcement of its nominees. As the public chooses their favorites, sportsbooks are creating odds for one of the biggest entertainment betting nights of the year.
Whether its at a “Oscar Party” or in an on line sportsbook, entertainment gambling on award shows represent a huge increase in betting. As the public speculation mounts, MySportsbook.com, the largest and most respected sportsbook on the web, posted odds on who is going home with a “Golden Best Friend.”
“ We see a majority of our entertainment wagers come from the Academy Awards,” said MySportsbook.com spokesperson, Tim Dalton. “This is a competition that applies to everyone. These are the people that entertain us on a daily basis and you want to see them win.”
MySportsbook.com posted the following odds for Academy Awards:
Odds to win the Achievement in Directing:
Alejandro González Iñárritu "Babel": 8/1
Martin Scorsese "The Departed": 2/17
Clint Eastwood "Letters From Iwo Jima: 4/1
Stephen Frears "The Queen": 12/1
Paul Greengrass "United 93": 15/1
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio in "Blood Diamond": 11/1
Ryan Gosling in "Half Nelson": 20/1
Peter O’Toole in "Venus": 16/5
Will Smith in "The Pursuit of Happyness": 16/1
Forest Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland": 1/11
Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:
Penélope Cruz in "Volver": 18/1
Judi Dench in "Notes on a Scandal": 15/1
Helen Mirren in "The Queen": 1/50
Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada": 10/1
Kate Winslet in "Little Children": 20/1
Best Animated Feature Film:
"Cars": 1/3
"Happy Feet": 2/1
"Monster House": 20/1
Best Foreign-Language Film of the Year:
"Water" – Canada: 22/1
"The Lives of Others" – Germany: 7/2
"After the Wedding" - Denmark: 24/1
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)" – Algeria: 23/1
"Pan's Labyrinth" - Mexico: 1/10
Odds to win the Best Live-Action Short Film:
"Binta and the Great Idea (Binta Y La Gran Idea)": 6/5
"Eramos Pocos (One Too Many)": 7/2
"Helmer & Son": 5/2
"The Saviour": 6/1
"West Bank Story": 7/2
Odds to win the Best Original Screenplay:
"Babel": 7/4
"Letters From Iwo Jima": 3/1
"Little Miss Sunshine": 21/20
"Pan's Labyrinth": 11/4
"The Queen": 5/4
Best Motion Picture of the Year:
"Babel": 11/4
"The Departed": 1/2
"Letters from Iwo Jima": 15/2
"Little Miss Sunshine": 17/10
"The Queen": 20/1
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:
Alan Arkin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 11/10
Jackie Earle Haley in "Little Children": 10/1
Djimon Hounsou in "Blood Diamond": 9/1
Eddie Murphy in "Dreamgirls": 2/5
Mark Wahlberg in "The Departed": 5/1
Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Adriana Barraza in "Babel": 14/1
Cate Blanchett in "Notes on a Scandal": 11/1
Abigail Breslin in "Little Miss Sunshine": 2/1
Jennifer Hudson in "Dreamgirls": 1/8
Rinko Kikuchi in "Babel": 11/1
Film To Win Most Oscars:
Dreamgirls: 2/3
Pans Labyrinth: 6/5
The Departed: 6/1
The Queen: 11/1
Babel: 15/1
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: 11/1
Little Miss Sunshine: 15/1
Additional sports and entertainment odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers SPORTS TRASH TALK
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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