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12/22/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a 7-7 record that includes a woeful 3-7 mark within the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs need a great deal of help to realize their playoff dreams.
But first, the Chiefs must help themselves.
Herm Edwards' team travels to play the struggling Oakland Raiders on Saturday night, and will look to take out the frustrations of an untimely three-game losing skid on the Silver and Black. The Chiefs have lost consecutive contests to the Browns (31-28 in overtime), Ravens (20-10), and Chargers (20-9), and have also been forced to contend with the passing of team owner Lamar Hunt, who died from complications of prostate cancer last Wednesday.
The high ground that Kansas City could once claim in the AFC Wild Card race has eroded during the troubling stretch, and anything less than a pair of wins coupled with a complete meltdown from several other Wild Card contenders over the final two weeks will not get the Chiefs their first playoff bid since 2003.
In that regard, it is a good time to be playing the Raiders.
Oakland is mired in a seven-game losing streak, the franchise's longest single-season skid since 1987, and its 2-12 record is tied with Detroit for the worst mark in the league. The Raiders enter Week 16 slightly behind the Lions in the quest for the No. 1 pick in the 2007 Draft, based on strength of schedule.
Whether Oakland picks first or second in April, offense of any kind will likely be high on the team's priority list. The Raiders haven't scored more than 14 points during their seven-game slide, and last week's 20-0 home loss to the Rams was their third shutout defeat of the season.
The Silver and Black are 2-21 in AFC West play since 2003, and have lost 13 straight division games since winning at Denver in Week 12 of the 2004 campaign.
SERIES HISTORY
Kansas City holds a 48-42-2 edge in its all-time regular season series with Oakland, which dates back to 1960. The Chiefs have won seven straight in the series, taking a 17-13 home decision in Week 11 and sweeping home-and-homes in 2003, 2004, 2005. Kansas City took a 23-17 triumph at McAfee Coliseum in Week 2 of last season. Oakland last defeated the Chiefs during the 2002 campaign, winning a 24-0 decision at home.
In addition to the regular season history, the teams have met three times in the playoffs, with Kansas City holding a 2-1 edge. The Raiders won a 1968 AFL Division Playoff, the Chiefs returned the favor with a 17-7 victory in the 1969 AFL Championship, and Kansas City also triumphed in a 1991 AFC First- Round Playoff.
Raiders head coach Art Shell is 2-11 against the Chiefs all-time, including 2-10 in his first stint with the franchise (1989-94). The Chiefs' Edwards is 4-4 against the Raiders, including playoff losses for his Jets to Oakland in both 2001 and 2002, and is 1-0 against Shell head-to-head.
CHIEFS OFFENSE VS. RAIDERS DEFENSE
It has been an eventful week for Chiefs running back Larry Johnson (1516 rushing yards, 36 receptions, 15 TD), who complained about the team's offensive approach in the wake of the loss to the Chargers, then was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl on Tuesday. Johnson had a string of four consecutive 100-yard games snapped against San Diego, as he amassed 84 yards on 19 carries for the night. He ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards as Week 16 begins, behind only LaDainian Tomlinson (1626 yards). Johnson carried 31 times for 154 yards and two touchdowns against the Raiders in Week 11, and has hit triple-digits in three of five career outings versus Oakland. Dee Brown (13 rushing yards) was Johnson's backup against the Chargers, rushing once for three yards.
The job of slowing Johnson will fall to an Oakland defense that ranks just 26th in the NFL against the run (134.1 yards per game), but has also faced more rushing attempts (33.4 per game) than any other team in the league. The Raiders are a more respectable 13th in yards per carry allowed (4.0). A young Oakland linebacking corps boasting Kirk Morrison (113 tackles, 2 INT, 1 sack) in the middle and Thomas Howard (93 tackles) and Sam Williams (44 tackles, 1 sack) on the flanks has been a team strength. Morrison had six tackles and a sack to lead that group against the Rams. A rotating group on the interior line has regularly featured Tommy Kelly (61 tackles, 3.5 sacks), Terdell Sands (40 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT), and Warren Sapp (39 tackles). Sapp had three tackles and a sack in the St. Louis loss.
When Johnson complained about the team's offensive approach, he may have been talking about the work of an aerial game that ranks just 21st in the league (188.1 yards per game) and seems to lack a downfield threat. Quarterback Trent Green (1013 passing yards, 5 TD, 6 INT) slipped to 2-4 as a starter this season with the San Diego loss, completing 23-of-41 passes for 185 yards with an interception and failing to throw a touchdown pass for the fourth time in six starts. Tight end Tony Gonzalez (66 receptions, 5 TD) was Green's top target as usual, catching six passes for 53 yards, and No. 1 wideout Eddie Kennison (46 receptions, 3 TD) added 43 yards on his six grabs. Tight ends Kris Wilson (13 receptions, 3 TD) and Jason Dunn (4 receptions) had two receptions each, and No. 2 receiver Samie Parker (36 receptions) posted the team's only catch of longer than 20 yards, a 26-yard completion. Gonzalez and guards Brian Waters and Will Shields were all named to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday, despite being part of a line that has allowed 36 sacks on the year, including six last week.
The Raiders continue to rank first in the NFL against the pass (151.6 yards per game), but are tied with the Colts for the fewest aerial attempts faced on the year (25.4 per game). Oakland does present problems with its pass rush, led by end Derrick Burgess (42 tackles, 11 sacks) and interior playmaker Sapp (8 sacks). Burgess is Oakland's only 2006 Pro Bowl selection, and Sapp leads all NFL interior linemen in sacks. In the secondary, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha (39 tackles, 7 INT, 1 sack) is having a Pro Bowl-caliber year (though he was snubbed from the AFC team), and fellow secondary members such as corner Fabian Washington (33 tackles, 4 INT) and safeties Michael Huff (68 tackles) and Stuart Schweigert (90 tackles) have done a credible job as well.
RAIDERS OFFENSE VS. CHIEFS DEFENSE
Like Johnson, Raiders quarterback Aaron Brooks (969 passing yards, 3 TD, 7 INT) voiced displeasure with his own team's direction earlier this week, hypothetically querying "What the [heck] have I gotten into?" Brooks dropped to 0-7 as a starter in 2006 following last week's loss to the Rams, failing to add a touchdown pass to the team's NFL-low total of seven on the year and being benched in favor of Andrew Walter (1451 passing yards, 3 TD, 11 INT) late in the game. Brooks, who was 11-of-19 for 98 yards with an interception, is expected to start this week. Top receiver Randy Moss (42 receptions, 3 TD) was unavailable last week due to an ankle injury, and is questionable for Sunday. No. 2 wideout Alvis Whitted (27 receptions) was lost for the season with a dislocated wrist suffered against St. Louis. Ronald Curry (46 receptions, 1 TD), who led the Raiders with nine catches for 87 yards last Sunday, could start opposite prodigal son Doug Gabriel (27 receptions, 3 TD), who caught two passes for 31 yards after being cut by the Patriots earlier in the week. Tight end Courtney Anderson (21 receptions, 2 TD) comes off a four- reception, 52-yard day. The Raiders continue to lead the NFL in sacks allowed, with 66.
Getting to Brooks will be a priority for the Chiefs this week, after Kansas City failed to register a single sack against Oakland in the Week 11 meeting. The Chiefs ranks near the bottom of the league with just 25 sacks on the year, but did get to Philip Rivers a couple of times last Sunday. Rookie end Tamba Hali (50 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 INT) had a sack and an interception, and tackle James Reed (33 tackles, 1 sack) broke through for a sack on a night that saw Rivers complete just 8-of-23 passes for 97 yards without a touchdown. Free safety Greg Wesley (57 tackles, 3 INT) had the secondary's only pick of Rivers, and cornerback Patrick Surtain (59 tackles, 1 INT) led the Kansas City defensive backs with six tackles. The Chiefs are 14th in the league against the pass (203.9 yards per game).
Raiders running back Justin Fargas (490 rushing yards, 1 TD) has received an extended chance to prove his value in the four games since LaMont Jordan (434 rushing yards, 2 TD, 10 receptions) was sidelined for the year with a knee injury, but the fourth-year-pro has failed to distinguish himself to any great degree. Fargas has not broken the 50-yard barrier in any of his starts, and has just one touchdown over that span. The USC product carried 12 times for 43 yards against the Rams' bottom-tier run defense last week. Backup ReShard Lee (52 rushing yards, 2 TD, 17 receptions) wasn't much better, with his seven touches totaling 22 yards on the afternoon. The Raiders are 28th in NFL rushing offense (94.2 yards per game), and their five rushing touchdowns are tied for the fewest in the league.
The Chiefs will be pleased to see the weak Raiders running game this week, just six days after facing probable NFL MVP Tomlinson and the San Diego ground attack. Tomlinson carved up the Chiefs for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, with 100 or those yards coming on a pair of first-half scoring runs. The linebacking crew of Kawika Mitchell (95 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT) in the middle and Derrick Johnson (61 tackles, 4.5 sacks) and Kendrell Bell (44 tackles, 1 sack) on the outside must be better this week. The group combined for 21 tackles in San Diego, but came up well short in the big-play department. Up front, tackles Reed and Ron Edwards (19 tackles, 2.5 sacks) appear to be fading after a quick start. Edwards did not have a tackle last week, the fourth time this season that has happened. The Chiefs are 19th in the NFL against the run (121.6 yards per game).
OVERALL ANALYSIS
The Raiders played the Chiefs tough in the teams' last meeting, but that was long ago and far away, when Oakland looked like it still had a pulse. Shell's team has lost four more times since, and last week's performance against the Rams showed a franchise that looks much closer to calling it a season than coming out with pride in an effort to put together a win. Do the Raiders have the talent to beat the Chiefs? Absolutely, but talent has never been the issue on this team, coaching and desire have. Oakland doesn't have enough of either, which means consecutive loss number eight is imminent.
Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Chiefs 27, Raiders 10
<< Saints Can Prolong Giants' Misery
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - In football terms anyway, the New York Giants can relate.
Not that their five-losses-in-six-weeks is comparable with the off-field
issues laid upon the New Orleans Saints last season, but the fallout of what's
gone on in g
<< Yankees ink Cuban prospect Miranda to four-year deal
Bronx, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Yankees signed Cuban-born infielder
Juan Miranda to a four-year Major League contract on Friday and added him to
their 40-man roster.
Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The
<< Seahawks can Wrap up NFC West Vs. Chargers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last year's NFC Champions and one of the favorites to win
this season's AFC title get together Sunday in Seattle, as the Seahawks
welcome the powerful San Diego Chargers to Qwest Field.
The AFC West champion Chargers curre
<< Raptors eyeing division lead
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Raptors are in the midst of a four-game road
trip and will need to keep pace with Boston and New Jersey in the Atlantic
Division standings.
The Raptors have won four of their last five games and are tied
Determined Bengals Await Broncos, Cutler >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Appropriately, the Denver Broncos' quest for a spot in the
AFC Playoff bracket could come down to a wild card.
He wears No. 6.
Rookie Jay Cutler will make his fourth career start when the Cincinnati
Bengals invade Inves
Will Bears Take it Easy on Lions? >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Chicago Bears will have to put together a plan of
attack for Sunday's game at the Detroit Lions, and that strategy will have
little to do with run-pass balance, taking shots down the field, or safety
blitzes.
The NFC
Desperate Falcons, Fading Panthers Battle at Georgia Dome >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Falcons hope to take advantage of a Carolina
Panthers team in disarray and record a much-needed victory when the two rivals
square off this Sunday at the Georgia Dome.
This late-December matchup was thought to
Win Over Ravens Would Keep Hope Alive for Steelers >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - You thought last year was something, huh?
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thread-of-a-thread-of-a-thread abyss and actually get themselves into the
playoffs with even a chance to de
Will Ohio State continue to run the table in College Football betting odds?
MySportsbook.com favors Buckeyes, Fighting Irish and Golden Bears in this weekend's big games.
NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 21 - My Sportsbook NCAA football fans: things are beginning to get really interesting on college football's national stage. Following last weekend's "Separation Saturday", which included five teams ranked in the top 15 dropping games, the BCS Championship picture is beginning to take shape - with Ohio State leading the charge. And, according to odds makers at MySportsbook.com, the number-one-ranked Buckeyes will continue their winning ways this weekend.
Revenge will be the name of the game in Columbus this Saturday, as Ohio State looks to even the score following last season's loss to Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions. Although Penn State are listed as 16.5 point underdogs, they are 11-10 all-time versus the Buckeyes. Paterno and the Lions, however, will have to shut down Heisman Trophy favorite Troy Smith who has thrown for 769 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
Speaking of revenge, Notre Dame will be out for some against Michigan State, following last year's 44 - 41 overtime loss to the Spartans in South Bend. The thirteenth-ranked Irish, listed as a 3-point favorite, will also be looking to avenge last Saturday's thrashing from the Michigan Wolverines. The Spartans, meanwhile, have won seven of the last nine match-ups against Notre Dame and are coming off an impressive 38-23 victory over Pittsburgh.
Out west, 22nd-ranked Arizona State will be battling for their first victory over 21st-ranked California since 2000. Although the Golden Bears are listed as 7.5-point favorites, the Sun Devils are 3-0, lead the nation in sacks with 18 and possess the Pac-10's leading passer in sophomore quarterback Rudy Carpenter.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Visa needs.
NCAA Football betting lines (home team in CAPS)
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Date Favorite Opponent Point Spread
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Sept 21 GEORGIA TECH Virginia 17
Sept 22 NEVADA Northwestern 6.5
Sept 23 MICHIGAN Wisconsin 14
Sept 23 Minnesota PURDUE 3
Sept 23 SYRACUSE Miami (Ohio) 6.5
Sept 23 MISSOURI Ohio 21.5
Sept 23 Louisville KANSAS STATE 14
Sept 23 TENNESSEE Marshall 22
Sept 23 CLEMSON North Carolina 16.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA Kentucky 24
Sept 23 Iowa ILLINOIS 20.5
Sept 23 FLORIDA STATE Rice 30.5
Sept 23 AUBURN Buffalo 41.5
Sept 23 BOWLING GREEN Kent 7
Sept 23 NAVY Tulsa 4.5
Sept 23 VIRGINIA TECH Cincinnati 27
Sept 23 BYU Utah State 29
Sept 23 OHIO STATE Penn State 16.5
Sept 23 TEXAS Iowa State 25
Sept 23 Washington State STANFORD 10
Sept 23 CALIFORNIA Arizona State 7.5
Sept 23 UCLA WASHINGTON 3
Sept 23 INDIANA Connecticut 1.5
Sept 23 Central Michigan EASTERN MICHIGAN 4
Sept 23 WYOMING Air Force 1
Sept 23 UTEP NEW MEXICO 9.5
Sept 23 West Virginia EAST CAROLINA 21
Sept 23 Boston College NORTH CAROLINA STATE 7
Sept 23 GEORGIA Colorado 27
Sept 23 ARKANSAS Alabama 1.5
Sept 23 BAYLOR Army 11
Sept 23 WESTERN MICHIGAN Temple 28
Sept 23 MISSISSIPPI Wake Forest 2.5
Sept 23 KANSAS South Florida 5.5
Sept 23 TEXAS A&M Louisiana Tech 23.5
Sept 23 UAB Mississippi State 9.5
Sept 23 LSU Tulane 36
Sept 23 Utah SAN DIEGO STATE 6.5
Sept 23 BOISE STATE Hawaii 15
Sept 23 Notre Dame MICHIGAN STATE 3
Sept 23 USC ARIZONA U 22
Sept 23 Oklahoma State HOUSTON 1
Sept 23 OREGON STATE Idaho 23
Sept 23 OKLAHOMA Middle Tennessee State 29
Sept 23 MARYLAND Florida International 18.5
Sept 23 AKRON North Texas 17.5
Sept 23 SOUTH CAROLINA Florida Atlantic 29.5
Sept 23 NEBRASKA Troy 23
Sept 23 SMU Arkansas State 6
For complete NCAA football odds and World Series odds please visit MySportsbook.com
Michael Vick is back, Brett Favre isn't and the NFC East remains the best division in the NFC, maybe in all of football.
As players start to gather for the start of another season, some things change and some stay the same in the world of the NFL.
The NFC East has been the dominant division in the National Conference for a while, despite limited playoff success, save for the New York Giants surprise Super Bowl win two seasons ago.
Hell, there's a generation of kids in Texas who have never seen the Cowboys win a playoff game (last win was in 1996).
But collectively, the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins (well, maybe not so much the Redskins) are as good as a division gets in an NFC conference that has struggled to stay competitive with the AFC side.
Sports bettors have both acknowledged the NFC East's dominance, as one glance at the NFL future odds menu will show.
Looking over the NFL betting odds at online sports book MySportsbook.com we see the top three teams listed to win the NFC Championship are all from the NFC East:
Dallas Cowboys - 7 - 1
Philadelphia Eagles - 13 - 2
New York Giants - 9 - 2
Slotting in behind these three are two teams from the NFC North: the Minnesota Vikings (15-2) and the Chicago Bears (10-1).
Again, despite the lack of recent playoff success, the Dallas Cowboys are popular with the sports betting community, as they hold 14% of all the money wagered on who will win the NFC Championship.
So far, the New York Giants are the bettors' favorite to represent their conference in the Super Bowl, as they have 24% of the overall NFC Championship betting volume.
And what about the Philadelphia Eagles? For the most part, the Eagles had a very productive offseason, the kind that could bring them back to the top.
They had a good draft adding the likes of WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy.
Unfortunately, the team received a blow when long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday.
But this team will make a real run at the division title this year. Going into the regular season, Philly is listed at +240 to win the division.
Last season the Eagles were 9-6-1 SU and 10-6 ATS.
Teams from the NFC East will play teams from the AFC West in the regular season and the Eagles haven't really been a good bet in the last 20 games against the likes of San Diego, Oakland, K.C. and Denver, only going 8-12 ATS.
Two seasons removed from that Super Bowl title, the New York Giants see themselves listed as the odds-on favorite in NFC East championship futures at +162.
Plaxico Burress is gone and with him all the bad publicity surrounding the gun in the sweatpants incident, but can they replace him in the offense?
Last season the Giants were a very reliable bet going 12-4 ATS.
In the Giants' last 20 games against fellow teams from the NFC East; they are 13-7 ATS.
Dallas is listed at +240 to win the division.
Dallas went 9-7 SU and 7-9 ATS last season and with the amount of talent the Cowboys have, a similar performance won't do.
The Cowboys have been atrocious against divisional rivals, going 6-14 ATS in their last 20.
The Washington Redskins are longshots to win the division at +550.
Visit MySportsbook.com for free sportsbook odds RSS feeds go to MySportsbook.com for all your betting football needs.
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