Sports enthusiasts who bet on NFL preseason action were rewarded for their investment in the Ravens, as Baltimore won outright as +3 road underdogs. Baltimore also finished the NFL preseason with a perfect 4-0 mark against the spread, while Atlanta finished 2-1-1 against the number.

Ravens QB Beck hasnt had much playing time in the NFL since his ill fated rookie year in Miami in 2007. After the game, he expressed how pleased he was to showcase his skills for the entire game:

“He (coach John Harbaugh) told me a few days ago that I would play the whole game. It was very exciting to get to play the whole game.”

Beck made the most of his opportunity, finishing with 232 yards on 16 of 28 passing and a pair of touchdowns. The Ravens defensive reserves did their part by holding the Falcons to just 175 yards of total offense.

Despite the lackluster effort by his team, Falcons coach Mike Smith was nonplussed:

“You’ve got to understand in these games, you’re going to call things defensively and offensively to put players in certain situations to evaluate them. You’re not game-planning in a game like this. You’re going to put players in certain situations to see how they handle certain techniques and coverages.”

Falcon cornerback Chris Houston was a little more concerned after a poor showing by the Atlanta defensive secondary:

“We’ve got to work on everybody getting to the ball. We’ve got to try to be more aggressive in our techniques. We made some plays tonight, but other than that, we still have a lot to work on as a defense.”

The Ravens will get the 2009 NFL regular season underway at home, hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 13th. The Falcons, meanwhile, will welcome the Miami Dolphins to the Georgia Dome to get their campaign started. Baltimore will head west to San Diego for a game against the Chargers in week 2, while Atlanta will remain at home for a key NFC South matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and highly respected authority on football betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Houston took the money as +3′ road underdogs with the outright win, and both teams are now 3-3 on the season against the NFL pointspread. The 45 points just managed to stay UNDER the posted total of 46. The Texans have gone UNDER in 4 of 6 this season while the Bengals evened their NFL totals record at 3-3.

After the victory, Schaub said that his team knew of Houston’s penchant for late game comebacks and that ‘putting them away’ would be a priority:

“Every game went down to the wire for them. Credit goes to them because they were able to find ways to win those games. So it was a matter of putting the game away.”

The Texans’ taciturn head coach Gary Kubiak would only offer that:

“Matt continues to put up exceptional numbers on the road.”

The defense did a stellar job as well, shutting out the Bengals in the second half. In the third quarter, Houston only allowed six yards on nine plays for a franchise record. Cornerback Dunta Robininson talked about the defensive corps mindset:

“It was swarm tackling. Everybody has a job to do, and today we made this team a one-dimensional team. Overall as a defense, we played well.”

In the losing locker room, wide receiver Chad Ochocinco admitted that his team knew that they couldn’t rely on last minute heroics to win games:

“That’s our fault. We’ve been saying that we can’t keep winning with the way we’ve been playing. We’ve got to be consistent for all four quarters.”

The Bengals will play their next two games at home, starting with a contest against the Chicago Bears this Sunday. Cincinnati is a -1 home favorite with the total set at 42. They’ll host the Baltimore Ravens the following Sunday before traveling to Pittsburgh for a game against the Steelers on November 15. The Texans host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, with Houston a -3 home favorite and the total set at 44.

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Boller did withstand a hard hit from linebacker Keith Rivers that knocked his helmet off his head. Despite the hit, he Rams #2 QB was 14 of 20 for 96 yards. After the game, he talked about the play:

“I could have slid a little earlier. It is what it is. My chin strap hit just above my eyes. It was a good scramble, but maybe if I can get down a little sooner, the coaches would like that.”

Rivers insisted the hit wasnt intentional:

“I was just trying to get to the ball. It wasn’t anything intentional.”

Boller had struggled last week after starting QB Bulger was forced to leave the game with a broken pinkie finger but played well this week. Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo gave him credit in his postgame media comments:

“He moved the team. He drove us down there after the bad start. When you score on a drive, the quarterback deserves the credit.”

Bengals second string QB J.T. O’Sullivan didnt have it quite so easy”he was sacked three times, lost a fumble and had two passes deflected by linemen. The lost fumble added to the Bengals NFL preseason turnover woes”theyve lost five fumbles and thrown three interceptions for eight turnovers in three games. O’Sullivan talked about the problem after the game:

“We’ve just got to find a way to eliminate it. It puts you in such a disadvantage any time you turn the ball over. That’s one of the things that has to change immediately.”

Head coach Marvin Lewis concurred:

“When you turn the football over, you have a difficult time winning, whether you’re playing in the regular season, the preseason, junior high, sixth grade, whatever it is.

St. Louis will get the NFL regular season underway on Sunday, September 13th as they travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Seattle Seahawks. The Bengals open the NFL regular season at home against the Denver Broncos.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer and noted authority on football 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.

Buffalo rewarded NFL pointspread players with the outright victory as +7 road underdogs. The Bills have covered four of their seven games this season, while the Panthers have an awful record against the spread-they’ve only covered once this season for a 1-5 ATS mark. The 29 combined points went UNDER the posted total of 37. Buffalo has gone UNDER in 4 of 7 games this season while Carolina evened their NFL totals mark at 3-3.

The Bills’ Terrell Owens was again a non-factor, but gave credit to the defense for earning the victory:

“You can’t really complain about a win. Defensively, those guys are keeping us in ballgames.”

Buffalo defensive end Chris Kelsay commended his team’s victory on the road:

“Never once on the sidelines was there any doubt that we were going to win the game. Regardless if it’s an ugly win over not, it’s hard to win in this league.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick started at QB for Buffalo in place of the injured Trent Edwards and was solid, if not spectacular. Coach Dick Jauron observed:

“He made the plays when we had to make them.”

Panthers’ coach John Fox has said he’s going to’re-evaluate’ whether the struggling Delhomme should continue to start, and even the quarterback himself couldn’t make an emphatic case that he should keep his job:

“In my heart, yeah, but I mean let’s be honest, I don’t think I’m a dummy. When you’re not playing well offensively, you always have to look at the quarterback.”

The Panthers’ schedule doesn’t get easier this week as they head west for a game against the improving Arizona Cardinals. Carolina is a +9 road underdog with the total set at 43′. They’ll head south the following week to face the red hot New Orleans Saints before returning home on November 15 to take on the Atlanta Falcons. Buffalo will host the Houston Texans this weekend, with the game currently off the board due to injuries on both teams. They’ll have their bye week after that and will return to action on November 15 against the Tennessee Titans.

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former interior secretary James Watt.

Len’s early career

Len Dawson played quarterback for the Purdue Boilermakers before going on to the professional level. When he was being recruited he had his choice of schools to attend, and both were attractive options. He ultimately settled on Purdue University rather than Ohio State because he had misgivings about being a part of the Buckeyes’ split-T system of offense. As it turned out, the Boilermakers were the perfect fit for Dawson. He went on to compile a three-year career of more than three thousand passing yards, and was the Conference’s top passer in each of his seasons in the Big Ten.

Finding a home in the Pros

Though he was a much anticipated rookie, Dawson failed to really find a home in either Pittsburgh or Cleveland. At the time, both had star quarterbacks, and Lenny was of little use to either team. When he was released in 1962, it provided him the opportunity to rejoin his old college coach who was then coaching the Dallas Texans. His initial campaign as the Texans starter resulted in winning the season touchdown titles, while also snaring the most yards per attempted pass. He was the AFL’s MVP that year, and cheerily followed the team as it moved the next year to its Kansas City home.

Home in the Chiefs jersey

With a rocket arm that honed in on targets like a laser, Dawson’s presence within the team’s “moving pocket” system enabled him to quickly become the AFL’s perennial passing leader. In 1966, he and his team performed so well that they became the first AFL representative to the inaugural Super Bowl. Facing the Green Bay Packers in that game – and the now legendary Vince Lombardi and quarterback Bart Starr – nobody gave the Chiefs much of a chance to win. It turned out those odds were correct as the Packers won the game going away. The game was not a total loss, however – Dawson at least played a competent game, GIVING Chiefs fans hope of great things to come.

Back to the Bowl

Just a few years later, Len Dawson and his Chiefs would redeem themselves as they played in and won Super Bowl IV. Without Lombardi, Starr, or the Packers to stop him – the opponent was instead the Vikings of Minnesota – Dawson emerged victorious, providing the Chiefs with what would eventually turn out to be the only Super Bowl win of the franchise. Though Joe Namath had shocked the world the year before by being the first AFL quarterback to win a Super Bowl, Dawson is now known as the man who showed that the AFC’s first win was not a fluke.

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NFL sports bettors were faced with a choice between two teams with dismal ATS records in this game, and those who had the guts to take a 1-3 team as a -3 road favorite were rewarded with the cover. It was Carolina\’s first NFL pointspread cover of the season and left them with a 1-4 record against the number. Tampa Bay has covered one of their six games this year. The 49 points scored went OVER the total of 40\’. Tampa Bay has gone OVER in 4 of 6, while Carolina has exceeded the total in three of their five games.

Delhomme attempted only seven passes in the second half, but the way Williams and Stewart were running there was no reason to put the ball in the air. Williams said that even though Tampa Bay knew what was coming they couldn\’t stop the Panthers\’ running game:

\”I\’m sure everybody in the stadium knew what we were going to do. There were times they had nine in the box and we were still getting 7 or 8 yards.\”

There\’s been little impatience locally with Bucs\’ rookie head coach Raheem Morris, but his weekly habit of explaining the obvious to rationalize yet another loss is starting to wear thin:

\”We got overpowered at the end, and really throughout the game.\”

Carolina safety Dante Wesley was ejected after clobbering Bucs\’ return man Clifton Smith after a fair catch call. After the game, Wesley gave this defense for his actions:

\”I was just trying to make a play. You can check my record. I\’ve never really tried to hurt anybody. I\’ve never tried to take a cheap shot on anybody.\”

Wesley could face a possible fine or suspension from the NFL but, in all fairness, it did appear to be a momentary mental lapse as he was trying to make a big play and not a deliberate attempt to injure Smith.

Tampa\’s schedule has the look of them going from \’the frying pan into the fire\’ as they host the New England Patriots next Sunday-fresh off of their 57 point drubbing of Tennessee. Carolina has an easier draw, hosting the Buffalo Bills next Sunday. The game is currently off the board pending the status of Bills\’ QB Trent Edwards who suffered a concussion in Sunday\’s win over the New York Jets. The Panthers will then play on the road the following two Sundays, traveling to Arizona and New Orleans.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He 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.

NFL football betting enthusiasts who backed the Packers as -14 home dogs easily cashed their tickets with Green Bay\’s third pointspread cover in five games. Detroit slipped to 2-4 against the spread.

In the victory, Packers\’ receiver Donald Driver passed Sterling Sharpe for first place on the franchise reception list. Sharpe finished his career with 596 receptions, Driver now has 602. After the game, he talked about the accomplishment:

\”It couldn\’t it come in a better place — at home in front of the fans I\’ve played in front of for so many years. It feels good. Now I just have to wait on Sterling to call me and congratulate me.\”

Despite the convincing victory, cornerback Tramon Williams wasn\’t happy with the relatively narrow margin:

\”It feels like a 50 to zero game, but we didn\’t quite get there. I felt we should\’ve put more points on the board.\”

For the Lions, their quarterback woes continued. Matthew Stafford is already out indefinitely with an injured knee, and against Green Bay backup Daunte Cullpepper injured his hamstring in the third quarter and was replaced by the Lions\’ third string quarterback Drew Stanton. Cullpepper is now listed as \’questionable\’ on the official NFL injury report. After the game, he talked about Detroit\’s lack of offense:

\”It\’s very disappointing, very frustrating. It\’s embarrassing to me not to be able to move it on the field and get points on the board. We\’ve got to figure out a way to do that, simple as that.\”

The Packers will play on the road this Sunday, heading to Cleveland to face the Browns. The game is currently off the board as linemakers try to get a handle on the personnel impact of the Browns\’ struggle with a flu bug making its way through the locker room. Green Bay will host the Minnesota Vikings the following Sunday followed by a trip to Tampa Bay on November 8. Detroit has a bye this weekend and will return to action as they host the St. Louis Rams on November 1. They\’ll play their next two on the road, with games in Seattle and Minnesota.

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To successfully bet on NFL football you occasionally have to put aside W/L records and look at the underlying statistics. Those who did that found reason to take Kansas City as +6\’ road underdogs and were rewarded with the outright victory. Kansas City is now 2-4 against the NFL pointspread and has covered two straight while Washington is a dismal 1-5 versus the money.

After the contest, Haley sounded more relieved than excited about finally putting a \”W\” on the board:

\”We made it pretty difficult, right down to the end. We\’ve pushed through a very difficult period. We needed to get some positive reinforcement with a win.\”

Kansas City QB Matt Cassel also won for the first time since coming over from New England in the off season. His postgame comments were more upbeat:

\”There\’s been a lot of change, but this has definitely been special. We rose to the occasion. We made some big plays. We put ourselves in a position to score points.\”

Embattled Redskins\’ coach Jim Zorn was stripped of his offensive play calling duties by team management after the contest. In one of his last decisions in that role, he pulled starter Jason Campbell at halftime and went with Todd Collins. He explained his move as follows:

\”I felt the need to create a spark on our football team offensively and went with Todd. I think the guys responded well. We kept our spark, at times, and then we refizzled.\”

The Redskins have managed to win only two of their first six games despite being the only team in NFL history to play their first six games of the season against winless opponents. They\’ll get another chance to silence their doubters next Monday night as they host the Philadelphia Eagles. The Skins are +6\’ home underdogs with the total set at 38\’. They\’ll have a bye the next week and return to action on November 8th against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Kansas City will try to string together back to back wins as they host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

Ross Everett is a freelance writer who has written on sports gambling and how to successfully bet on NFL football. He has appeared on TV and radio talking about boxing, hockey and NFL pointspreads. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and a lynx.

The Bengals also made short work of the NFL pointspread, easily covering as +1\’ home underdogs. Cincinnati improved to 4-3 against the number while Chicago evened their ATS mark at 3-3.

A smug Benson described his feelings after the win:

\”Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional day. Everybody knew. What a wonderful day and a wonderful thing, to go out there and strut your stuff.\”

Despite the evidence to the contrary, Benson downplayed the motive of revenge:

\”I continue to be as graceful as I can be. I\’m not shoving anything in anybody\’s face. Like I say, it wasn\’t a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities.\”

He said his biggest problem was trying to keep his emotions in check and play under control:

\”There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy. A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling.\”

Bengals\’ receiver Chad Ochocinco had 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He shared his thoughts postgame:

\”I don\’t understand why it went this way today and why it didn\’t go that way last week or the week before that. The offensive line played unbelievable. For Ced to run the way he did today and for us to be able to throw, we could have done what we wanted to do.\”

Chicago gave up more points than in any game all season, a fact that left defensive end Alex Brown looking for answers:

\”That was pretty embarrassing. It\’s embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do.\”

The Bengals will enjoy a bye week before hosting the Baltimore Ravens on November 8. They\’ll then play two games on the road at Pittsburgh and Oakland. Chicago will try to get back on track this Sunday as they host the Cleveland Browns. The Bears are -13\’ home favorites with the total set at 40.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance writer specializing in casino gambling, fine dining and sports betting. He has appeared on a number of TV and radio programs offering strategies for successful NFL football betting. He lives in Northern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a pet llama. He is currently writing a biography of former NFL quarterback Jim Plunkett.

Lewis has only been out of retirement and with the team for two weeks, and has spent this week trying to ingest a crash course on the Redskins\’ offensive schemes. While he was learning on the job, head coach Zorn was trying to put the best spin possible on what can only be seen as a de facto demotion and vote of \’no confidence\’:

\”I need to have composure. I need to understand what the reality of the situation is, and I think our players expect me to rise up. We expect them to play under adverse conditions. We expect them to risk it all. … I\’m conscious of what\’s going on. I\’m not naive about what\’s going on, and yet I have to just hold back on any feelings and make the decisions.\”

Quarterback Campbell is more concerned about the convoluted system of getting plays from Lewis to him:

\”There\’ll probably be a couple of plays I have in my head just in case if some reason it doesn\’t get in on time.\”

Here\’s how things are supposed to work-Lewis will sit in the coaches\’ box above the field and read the plays off a sheet. While Lewis has years of experience working in the so called \’West Coast Offense\’, Zorn left doubt that he really knows what he\’s doing at this point stressing that Lewis \”doesn\’t know the protections\” and \”doesn\’t know the blitz schemes.\” Nevertheless, he\’ll be running the offense when the Redskins take on Philadelphia this Monday night.

Once Lewis figures out what to call, that\’s when it really gets tricky. He\’ll relay the plays via headset not to Zorn but to offensive coordinator Sherman Smith. Smith will then inform the quarterback what to run. Zorn is left in the role of a passive bystander on offense, though he will listen in to the playcalling on his headset.

Backup quarterback Todd Collins also shared his concern with the new arrangement:

\”It is unsettling. I\’ve never gone through this before. I\’ve never had a play caller get changed in the middle of the season.\”

Lewis didn\’t exactly evoke a lot of confidence upon his hiring, where he revealed that he\’d been calling bingo games at a seniors\’ center to kill time since his retirement in 2004. Still, Collins gave him a guarded vote of confidence;

\”I know he\’s been studying last year\’s game against the Eagles and seems to have a pretty good idea how he wants to call the game this week. It\’s the same plays. He might coach them a little differently or highlight some different areas, but the offense hasn\’t gone under an overhaul or anything like that.\”

The Redskins haven\’t scored more than 17 points in a game this season, so maybe the thinking is that things can\’t get any worse.

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and respected authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal 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.