Colts Look to Continue Winning in NFL Football

The Indianapolis Colts are just disguising their angst.

If the Indianapolis Colts are worried about a run defense that ranks No. 28 in the NFL and made Jacksonville rookie Maurice Jones-Drew look like a first-ballot Hall of Famer, they're doing a nice job of disguising their angst.

Consider this sampling from the locker room.

Tackle Montae Reagor: "We know we're at the bottom of the league in run defense, but the biggest stat that matters is we have three wins and zero losses.''

Tackle Raheem Brock: "A lot of teams are running the draw on us because we get to the quarterback pretty good. We just have to get our fits (assignments) better, like we did the second half the other day.''

End Dwight Freeney: "There is no concern. It goes from game to game. The bottom line is how many points they score. If you don't score 17 points, chances are you're not going to win the game. You can run the ball up and down the field for all I care. If we win the game, that's all that matters.''

So there.

But as the Colts prepare for Sunday's trip to East Rutherford, N.J., and a game against the New York Jets, they should be motivated by one reality. Fix the run defense, or resign yourself to dealing with more handoffs than passing attempts the rest of the season.

"We have to know that people are going to run the ball,'' coach Tony Dungy said.

Who can blame them? The Colts are one of six teams off to a 3-0 start, but in two of their three games -- against the New York Giants and Jacksonville -- they allowed a total of 377 yards on the ground, and 5.5 yards per attempt.

However, as long as they have Peyton Manning to run their offense for another win, the Indianapolis Colts are, and will always be at ease. For now.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you're favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

Patriots take Pointers from NFL Football Champions

The New England Patriots will hope they can do what the Steelers did to the Cincinnati Bengals offense.

What Pittsburgh did to Cincinnati's offense Sunday, as the Steelers are fond of saying, is what they do. They blitzed the statuesque Carson Palmer, over and over. When it didn’t work, they did it some more.

So the thinking might go that a blueprint has been drafted for the Patriots. After all, the Steelers sacked Palmer six times, and that followed the Browns, running a virtually identical scheme to Bill Belichik's, taking Palmer down four times in Week 2.

And though center Rich Braham has been on the shelf, and the heat has been relentless on Palmer, the Bengals' quarterback is more than willing to shoulder his share of the blame.

''I'd say out of the 10 sacks, at least half the sacks are my fault,'' Palmer said. ''I need to do a better job of realizing there's nothing there, and there's nothing more that can be made of this play. We did a great job last year and we've had a couple of issues here and there, but it's nothing that's worrying us or our offensive line.''

The primary worry of most around the Cincinnati Bengals is that Palmer's mobility is still limited by the reconstructive knee surgery he underwent in January, which has made him something of a sitting duck.

But Palmer's golden arm, clearly, is still in great shape. And Palmer's arm is a big reason why the Patriots will have to pick their spots Sunday in Cincinnati.

Surrounding the Bengals' quarterback are even more reasons to be careful, particularly receivers Chad Johnson, Chris Henry and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Because even though Palmer has become familiar with the turf during the last two weeks, he made the Browns and Steelers pay with his playmakers running through secondaries undermanned by the defensive play call.

In the process, Palmer has completed 64 percent of his passes for 545 yards and six touchdowns in those games. Moreover, he has connected on 14 passes of more than 15 yards.

The New England Patriots need to be careful come Sunday or else, they'd have yet another loss staring them in the eye.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you're favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

New Orleans Saints Pound the Falcons Down

The Superdome got a new roof after Hurricane Katrina. The New Orleans Saints did their best to blow it off again.

In an earsplitting return to their rebuilt stadium, the Saints gave the Big Easy something to cheer about—an undefeated football team that made it look easy with a 23-3 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on NFL Monday Night Football.

This one couldn't have been scripted any better for a team that spent all of last season on the road, and it couldn't have come at a better time for a city that is still struggling to overcome the devastation of Katrina.

After a Super Bowl-like pregame show that included a performance by supergroups U2 and Green Day, the Saints wasted no time turning their welcome-home party into Mardi Gras.

The Falcons' first drive stalled, and special teams demon Steve Gleason sliced through the middle of the Atlanta line to smother Michael Koenen's punt. The result? Touchdown for the New Orleans Saints.

Take early lead. A lead they never relinquished. New Orleans is back.

DeLoatch ran over to the stands and pointed at the crowd of 70,003, as if to say, ''Take that Katrina!'' Undoubtedly, many more were cheering around this still-recovering city, some of them vowing to set up televisions outside government-issued trailers that pass for homes more than a year after the storm blew ashore, the levees broke and the water poured through.

The New Orleans Saints (3-0) poured it on against the Atlanta Falcons (2-1), who fell behind 14-3 in the first quarter and never recovered. Devery Henderson scored New Orleans' second TD on an 11-yard double-reverse, taking a handoff from Reggie Bush and cutting inside the pylon with help from a gutsy block by quarterback Drew Brees.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you're favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

Arizona Wildcats to be Tested in NCAA College Football

The offense of the Arizona Wildcats can't run the ball. Their defense has allowed too many big plays.

Pay no attention to all that stuff. Through four games, the Arizona Wildcats are playing .500 football and, despite their struggles, are on pace to make their first bowl game since 1998. With that in mind, here's what the Wildcats must do to stay on point, starting with Saturday's game against Washington.

Establish the run. From Pop Warner to the pros, every level of football starts with the running game. Arizona is averaging 28.4 rushing yards per game against Division I-A schools this year. Scary.

Strike early. The offensive highlight of the 2006 season has been a 14-play, 79-yard drive that started the Stephen F. Austin game. Predictably, the dominant drive set the tone for a good game.

Find the end zone. Arizona has scored just five touchdowns through four games. Both passing scores have gone to Anthony Johnson.

Improve on third down. The Cats converted on just three of 15 third downs against LSU and two of 12 against USC. Good teams move the ball on big plays.

The Arizona Wildcats are playing good college football and Washington could very well be their first true test to see if they can go all the way in NCAA College Football this season.

NCAA College Football season is here and it’s time for red-blooded sports fans to cheer their favorite NCAA College Football teams through the whole ten yards of the football field.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NCAA College Football fan? Think you’re favorite teams will go all the way and be crowned kings of the NCAA College Football field?

Join the NCAA College Football Handicapping Contest now because in this playing field, there are only two rules: RULE OR BE SCHOOLED. Register NOW!

There you go, and by the way, a whopping $1,000 is at stake so don’t let this opportunity slip away baby.

Here are some odds from Bodog on who will win the NCAA College Football BCS Championship:

Oklahoma Sooners 6/1

USC Trojans 8/1

Texas Longhorns 8/1

Arizona Wildcats to be Tested in NCAA College Football

The offense of the Arizona Wildcats can't run the ball. Their defense has allowed too many big plays.

Pay no attention to all that stuff. Through four games, the Arizona Wildcats are playing .500 football and, despite their struggles, are on pace to make their first bowl game since 1998. With that in mind, here's what the Wildcats must do to stay on point, starting with Saturday's game against Washington.

Establish the run. From Pop Warner to the pros, every level of football starts with the running game. Arizona is averaging 28.4 rushing yards per game against Division I-A schools this year. Scary.

Strike early. The offensive highlight of the 2006 season has been a 14-play, 79-yard drive that started the Stephen F. Austin game. Predictably, the dominant drive set the tone for a good game.

Find the end zone. Arizona has scored just five touchdowns through four games. Both passing scores have gone to Anthony Johnson.

Improve on third down. The Cats converted on just three of 15 third downs against LSU and two of 12 against USC. Good teams move the ball on big plays.

The Arizona Wildcats are playing good college football and Washington could very well be their first true test to see if they can go all the way in NCAA College Football this season.

NCAA College Football season is here and it’s time for red-blooded sports fans to cheer their favorite NCAA College Football teams through the whole ten yards of the football field.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NCAA College Football fan? Think you’re favorite teams will go all the way and be crowned kings of the NCAA College Football field?

Join the NCAA College Football Handicapping Contest now because in this playing field, there are only two rules: RULE OR BE SCHOOLED. Register NOW!

There you go, and by the way, a whopping $1,000 is at stake so don’t let this opportunity slip away baby.

Here are some odds from Bodog on who will win the NCAA College Football BCS Championship:

Oklahoma Sooners 6/1

USC Trojans 8/1

Texas Longhorns 8/1

At 0-2, was Daunte Culpepper the Safer Pick for Miami?

On Sunday, the 0-2 Miami Dolphins will meet the also 0-2 Tennessee Titans.

Yes, the Miami Dolphins, the team who opened up their season against the defending Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers, meaning they ARE the team ''destined'' to challenge the champions the most this season, SHOULD BE anyway, in paper, are 0-2.

Was picking Daunte Culpepper up the best choice?

The Miami Dolphins studied their medical reports on Daunte Culpepper and Drew Brees during their mid-March hunt for a franchise quarterback and came away with the belief that acquiring either offered risk and reward, but Culpepper was the safer pick.

So despite the fact the football staff's preference was to sign Drew Brees as an unrestricted free agent rather than give up a second-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for Culpepper, the medical opinion prevailed.

It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, a decision that has not worked out as planned.

It was, in the short-term snapshot of both players' recovery from injury, the wrong decision.

''Let me just say this,'' Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban said in addressing the subject directly for the first time, ''It was a medical decision. I don't think medicine, personnel or any of that is an exact science.''

''I think we have good, professional people in that area. I think they made the best judgment they could make at the time relative to the circumstances. No one could predict the future. It is what it is right now.''

Well right now, they are 0-2 and you got to wonder if the best judgment has really been made. They have the Tennessee Titans on Sunday and if rookie QB Vince Young beats them to give Miami its third straight loss, then someone needs more explaining to do in this part of Florida.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you’re favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win this game between the Miami Dolphins and the Tennessee Titans? This NFL Football Handicapping Contest has the outright odds on that one.

Miami Dolphins -11

Tennessee Titans +11

Notre Dame meets Michigan State on Saturday

These two schools have been in the most entertaining games in all of NCAA College Football so far.

They have played one of the most entertaining and consistent series over the last six games, decided by seven points or fewer. The Michigan State Spartans have been a major thorn in the side of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning seven of the last nine and come into this looking for a signature win to get the college football world to start taking them seriously.

Notre Dame saw its big season crash with a resounding thud in a 47-21 thud that wasn't as close as the blowout final score might indicate. Even so, things get easier, much easier, over the next seven games up until the USC showdown. In other words, a win in East Lansing should mean a 10-1 record and a spot secured in the BCS no matter what happens against the Trojans.

Pick the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win this one.

Michigan State's pass defense is suspect. It's fine on the shorter plays, but it has a nightmare of a time against the deep ball, and it's getting worse. It was ripped apart last week by Pitt for 277 yards and two touchdowns, but it was able to come up with two key picks.

The Michigan State Spartans pass rush isn't nearly dangerous enough to get the steady pressure needed on QB Brady Quinn to force the mistakes made against Michigan. Quinn should be able to hit the 300-yard mark without much of a problem. You don't think the Irish offense will be focused and fired up after last week, do you?

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NCAA College Football fan? Think you’re favorite teams will go all the way and be crowned kings of the NCAA College Football field?

Join the NCAA College Football Handicapping Contest now because in this playing field, there are only two rules: RULE OR BE SCHOOLED. Register NOW!

There you go, and by the way, a whopping $1,000 is at stake so don’t let this opportunity slip away baby.

This NCAA College Football Handicapping Contest have the odds on this game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Michigan State Spartans +3.5

Notre Dame Fighting Irish -3.5

Peyton Manning is no Michael Vick, but He's just as Good

Peyton Manning and Michael Vick are two opposite sides of the coin.

''No, definitely not Michael Vick,'' Indianapolis Colts offensive tackle Tarik Glenn said with a wry smile when asked about his quarterback's mobility. ''But he's mobile enough for what we need, man.''

Mobile enough to step up into the pocket to avoid outside pass rushers. Agile enough to slide to his left or right to elude pressure up the middle. On the rare occasion protection breaks down completely or a blitzer comes free, Peyton Manning is nimble enough to vacate the pocket, buy time with his feet and find a receiver downfield.

One of the main objectives for the defense of those Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in the RCA Dome will be to disrupt Manning. That hasn't been easy for any team. Manning's career sack-to-dropback ratio is 1-to-28.7, among the best in the league.

The Jaguars have gotten to him for only five sacks in nine previous games, but three came in a 26-18 Colts win in Jacksonville last December.

''I don't know about him being real mobile,'' Jaguars linebacker Mike Peterson said of Manning. ''It's him knowing where the blitz is coming from and that play clock in his head.''

Manning realizes, Peterson added, that ''after a certain amount of time he has to get that ball out of his hand.''

Maybe like a sixth sense? Maybe something else.

''Believe it or not,'' Manning said, ''what I usually do is use the crowd.''

In the heat of battle, he hears the crowd take a collective deep breath as a defender zeroes in on him. ''I think, 'Somebody's about to hit me right now in the back,''' Manning said. ''You either slide up or bail out of the pocket.''

Peyton Manning definitely has a way of making things look easy but being a quarterback in NFL Football is anything but.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you're favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

HOT-LANTA Falcons Continue Dominance in NFL Football

Michael Vick and Warrick Dunn made it look like easy.

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tried to contain Vick, Dunn scooted through a huge hole up the middle. When they focused on stuffing the inside runs, Vick took off around the outside for another big gain.

The result was the greatest rushing effort in the history of the Atlanta Falcons. Falcons win, 14-3.

Dunn ran for 134 yards against his former team, Michael Vick added to one of his own NFL records with 127 yards and the Falcons set a franchise record with 306 yards on the ground while beating offensively challenged Tampa Bay 14-3 Sunday.

"I don't think any defense can stop us," Dunn said. "Today, we did have some holes like it was in practice. Because in practice, it usually looks like that a little bit, like, 'This is where the holes are supposed to go."'

The Atlanta Falcons (2-0) fared just fine on defense, too, even though Week 1 star John Abraham didn't suit up because of a groin injury. Atlanta has yet to allow a touchdown this season.

Then there's Tampa Bay (0-2), still seeking its first TD of 2006. Linebacker Derrick Brooks tried to pitch in, returning an interception 63 yards for an apparent score, only to have it called back on an illegal block.

"We missed the opportunities that we had all day long," embattled quarterback Chris Simms said. "Whether it was a penalty or an interception by me, a receiver falling on a route, we just didn't get a break."

Simms had another miserable day despite throwing for a career-best 313 yards, getting picked off three times by the Falcons to match what he did in the season-opening, 27-0 loss to Baltimore. So, is coach Jon Gruden planning a switch to rookie Bruce Gradkowski?

"I'm not thinking about a quarterback change at this time," Gruden replied in what hardly qualified as a solid endorsement. "I'll address the quarterback position in the future as we move forward."

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some of the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you’re favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

QB Drama within the Colorado Buffaloes in College Football

Like any other stuff in football, be it NFL Football or NCAA College Football, the Colorado Buffaloes have a soap opera of their own.

Only this time, it's not a wide receiver but a quarterback. The soap opera that is the Colorado Buffaloes' quarterback situation took another startling twist when junior Brian White informed coach Dan Hawkins he was leaving the team.

''He didn't give a reason. He just rolled right in and said he was quitting; that was that,'' Hawkins said at the conclusion of one of the team's late-afternoon practices.

White's exit came one day after the Buffs' 14-10 loss to Colorado State, the second game in which he did not take a snap. Listed as co-No. 1 with junior Bernard Jackson when preseason camp began, White also stood entirely on the sidelines for CU's 19-10 opening loss to Montana State.

Hawkins said Jackson, who started the CSU game in place of senior James Cox, also will start Saturday against No. 22 Arizona State. ''We'll go with 'B Jax' and try to get it rolling,'' Hawkins said.

That pronouncement came as a surprise to Cox, who had rallied from No. 3 on the preseason depth chart to overtake White and Jackson and was named the Game 1 starter.

''I know (the coaches) are trying to do what's best for the team. I can't be mad about it,'' Cox said. "I definitely wouldn't have planned it this way, but 'B Jax' is like a brother to me and I'm excited for him.''

No matter the QB, NCAA Football statistics this week tell a perturbing story of how ineffectual CU has been offensively. CU ranks 117th out of 119 Division I-A teams in total offense, averaging 181 yards a game. In scoring offense, the Buffs are No. 105, averaging a meager 10 points (two touchdowns, two field goals) in two games.

Neither Cox nor Jackson had an extensive conversation with White, whose performance in relief of Cox in the 2005 Champs Sports Bowl was seen by many as giving him a leg up in the 2006 QB battle.

''I was surprised,'' Jackson said of White's departure. ''Me and Brian are really close. I just say, 'Best of luck' to him.''

Here are some odds from Bodog on who will win the NCAA College Football BCS Championship:

Oklahoma Sooners 6/1

USC Trojans 8/1

Texas Longhorns 8/1

Terrell Owens was unable to give Cowboys the Win

Terrell Owens was simply too early and too late.

He was too early to hurt the Jacksonville Jaguars and too late to help the Dallas Cowboys. Byron Leftwich threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score, and Fred Taylor had 115 combined yards to help the Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Dallas Cowboys 24-17 on Sunday, spoiling Owens' much-anticipated debut.

Owens finished with six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, but the Jaguars held him without a catch through much of the second half. Still, Owens keyed all three of Dallas' scoring drives, including a 21-yard TD reception with 1:54 to play that cut the lead the 24-17.

Jacksonville recovered the onside kick and was forced to punt. The Cowboys got the ball back with 51 seconds to play, but Drew Bledsoe's third-down pass was intercepted by linebacker Mike Peterson.

It was Bledsoe's third interception of the game and gave the Jaguars their ninth opening-day win in 12 seasons.

It also may have silenced critics who said the Jags made the playoffs last season only because of a weak schedule and that they would struggle to replace retired receiver Jimmy Smith.

Jacksonville hardly missed the five-time Pro Bowler.

Matt Jones caught five passes for 71 yards, including four in a row on the team's go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Reggie Williams had six receptions for 47 yards, and Ernest Wilford caught three passes for 58 yards.

Taylor was even better. The 30-year-old, oft-injured Taylor ran 21 times for 74 yards, including a 5-yard score with 3:13 remaining. He also caught six passes for 41 yards.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some pf the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you’re favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Can Terrell Owens lead the Dallas Cowboys to Miami, Florida and win Super Bowl XLI? Sports Interaction has the outright odds on some NFL Football teams on who might just do that.

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

Louisville try to Destroy the Temple of the Owls Saturday

It was a bittersweet start of the NCAA College Football season as far as the Louisville Cardinals are concerned.

Louisville's 59-28 thrashing of Kentucky Sunday night turned bittersweet when Michael Bush broke his right leg early in the third quarter. No doubt a big back of his caliber will be missed, but it's a testament to the depth of talent Bobby Petrino has been able to amass that Kolby Smith and George Stripling are waiting in the on-deck circle to combine to be just as productive.

How they progress will go a long way in the Big East title chase, and maybe the national title hunt. Both could start just about anywhere, so don't count on the offensive play calling, or the expectations by these Louisville Cardinals, to change with new personnel.

Somewhat overshadowed by Bush's departure was the return from knee surgery of QB Brian Brohm, who looked crisp completing 19-of-31 passes for 254 yards and a score.

Meanwhile, 9-3 overtime loss to Buffalo showed just how long a road first-year head coach Al Golden has ahead of him at Temple. He used 11 true freshman in the opener, which will sting in September, yet pay off by November.

However, the Cardinals will prove to be just too much for the Temple Owls come game time.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a wider gap in talent and production among I-A programs than the one that exists between the Cards and the Owls. Louisville is a scoring machine fueled by a bunch of future NFL players, while Temple is extremely young and managed just 183 yards and three points against bottom-feeding Buffalo. Two early touchdowns will put this out of reach.

Sports Interaction has the outright odds on the game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Temple Owls.

Louisville -39.5 (-110)

Temple +39.5 (-110)

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Face-off in College Football

To say that Pittsburgh will come in this NCAA College Football game in high spirits could very well be an understatement.

Pittsburgh is coming off the biggest win of the Dave Wannstedt era, a surprisingly easy 38-13 thumping of Virginia that was light years better than the way team performed at any time in 2005.

The Panthers were dominant at the point of attack and noticeably faster than a year ago, but if they can’t win on the road, the goodwill from the strong start will be gone by Saturday morning.

Cincinnati is also feeling pretty good about itself after pitching a shutout for the first time in 11 years against an above average, veteran Eastern Kentucky offense. The Bearcats, which were mere kittens last fall, are all grown up on defense, and it showed on Thursday night.

However, I'm still picking Pittsburgh. Here's why.

The Panther defense held Virginia to just 211 yards on Saturday and was air tight in pass defense. That’s bad news for Cincinnati, which will play both Dustin Grutza and Nick Davila behind center because neither has been good enough to pull away from the other. Tyler Palko threw three touchdown passes last weekend and gives Pitt a huge advantage over UC’s quarterbacks.

Can Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati in NCAA College Football? Sports Interaction has the outright odds.

Pittsburgh -8.0

Cincinnati +8.0

Make or Break for the Dolphins against the Steelers

The Miami Dolphins will try prove something against the defending Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers.

And they will do that in Day 1 of the new NFL Football season. This season's first game offers the Miami Dolphins a grand opportunity. And a grand opportunity to fail. By the time mustard-colored Heinz Field no longer is pulsating with pageantry tonight, the Miami Dolphins either will be considered a Super Bowl challenger or a super bummer.

A team capable of beating the defending-champion Pittsburgh Steelers at home or one that can't beat a team with Charlie Batch at quarterback.

''It gives us,'' Dolphins head coach Nick Saban notes succinctly, ''an opportunity to see where we are right away.''

Some people's prediction that the Miami Dolphins will play in Super Bowl XLI will seem either more prophetic or pathetic after Thursday night.

''We can take a big step,'' tight end Randy McMichael says, summing up the stakes. ''Everybody's going to be watching and this will be our chance to showcase all the hard work we've done this offseason.''

''But it can blow up in our faces if we don't play good,'' he adds.

NFL Football has honored the Super Bowl champions each of the past three seasons by giving them a showcase game to kick off the following NFL Football season. The idea is to match last year's best team with a team likely to challenge for this year's title.

It will all be up to the Miami Dolphins to live up to all the hype once the NFL Football season officially starts Thursday night.

WagerTalk is having this NFL Football Handicapping Contest on the brand new NFL Football season. Yep, NFL Football is here and the rest of the sporting world will stop to witness another season of intense football action from some pf the best football athletes ever to grace the entire 100-yard football battlefield.

Think you have what it takes to be the ultimate NFL Football fan? You think you're favorite NFL Football team will be crowned the new Super Bowl XLI champions in Miami, Florida?

Join the NFL Football Handicapping Contest and see if you can win lots of cash as you join the rest of the NFL Football teams on their road to Super Bowl XLI. Register NOW!

Here are the odds on the Miami Dolphins - Pittsburgh Steelers game that kicks off the brand new NFL Football season.

Miami Dolphins (-1.5)

Pittsburgh Steelers (+1.5)

College Football Labor Day War between FSU and Miami

The Florida State Seminoles and the Miami Hurricanes will face-off Monday night.

And when they do, here are just three questions that this NCAA College Football game may answer.

Will the commitment of the Florida State Seminoles to the running game pay off?

Since the end of last season, the Florida State Seminoles have focused their attention on bolstering their 109th-ranked rushing offense. Miami's formidable front seven will provide a stern test for an FSU offensive line that not only is healthy but is more comfortable with second-year coach Mark McHale's zone-blocking scheme.

Tailbacks Lorenzo Booker (right) and Antone Smith will be critical to the Seminoles' success. In the last 19 FSU-Miami meetings, the team with the most rushing yards has won 16.

Can the Florida State Seminoles exploit the rebuilding offense of the Miami Hurricanes and get Miami QB, Kyle Wright, in trouble?

The Seminoles sacked Wright nine times during their 10-7 victory last season, with future NFL first-round picks Brodrick Bunkley and Kamerion Wimbley providing a significant push.

Now FSU returns only three starters from its front seven and lacks a proven pass-rushing threat off the edge. If the Seminoles resort to blitzing linebackers and defensive backs, the Hurricanes could make big plays.

Which special-teams unit affect this NCAA College Football game on Monday night?

No rivalry can match FSU-Miami when it comes to decisive special-teams moments. The Hurricanes return kicker Jon Peattie and punter Brian Monroe, are coming off subpar seasons, as is Seminoles kicker Gary Cismesia.

The Florida State Seminoles travel to Miami on Labor Day hoping to repeat last year’s Labor Day win over the Miami Hurricanes. Can the Seminoles beat the Hurricanes again or will the University of Miami avenge last year’s loss to Florida State? Here are the odds from Sports Interaction.

Florida State Seminoles +3.5 (-110)

Miami Hurricanes -3.5 (-110)

Seahawks end Silver and Black Perfection of the Raiders

I guess everybody saw this one coming.

In an NFL Football exhibition that was an accurate portrayal of the real thing, at least what has been real recently, the defending NFC champion Seattle Seahawks throttled the ragged Oakland Raiders, the recent bottom feeders of the AFC West who had been 4-0 in the preseason for the first time in their team's 47-year history.

NFL Football, MVP, Shaun Alexander ran for a touchdown before leaving after two series with the rest of Seattle's starters. Then his backup, Maurice Weeks, second-team quarterback Seneca Wallace and the entire defense excelled in the 30-7 win for the Seattle Seahawks.

Weeks ran for 78 yards on 22 carries and a touchdown after entering for Alexander's injured backup, Leonard Weaver.

Wallace was 8-for-13 for 58 yards and an improvisational 18-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Hackett late in the first half. That was after most of the starting line returned for two series and gave Wallace time to drift around and find Hackett standing alone in the back of the end zone.

The defense of the Seattle Seahawks had concerned coach Mike Holmgren after giving up big plays on third downs in three exhibitions. But Friday, first- and second-teamers alike whacked the Raiders on all downs - except for Chris Carr's 72-yard punt return for a touchdown 1:07 into the game.

Seattle outgained Oakland 362-104.

New Oakland Raiders quarterback Aaron Brooks and his starters - with the exception of rookie guard Paul McQuistan - left after one drive in their final tuneup before Oakland's Sept. 11 opener against San Diego. Their six plays gained 7 yards.

It got no better with backup quarterback Andrew Walter. Oakland had 10 yards on 22 first-half plays - including minus-3 net yards passing after three Seahawks sacks.

Can the Oakland Raiders win Super Bowl XLI? Bodog has the odds on who will win Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida. Here are some NFL football teams and their respective odds to win it all in the brand new NFL football season:

Oakland Raiders 70/1

Baltimore Ravens 22/1

Atlanta Falcons 30/1

Indianapolis Colts 6/1

Seattle Seahawks 10/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1

Notre Dame meets Georgia Tech on Saturday

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish is one of the top-ranked NCAA College Football teams even before the season began.

On Saturday, they will be facing a Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets team accustomed to beating and upsetting highly-ranked NCAA College Football teams for a living.

Last season, Georgia Tech beat No. 16 Auburn and No. 3 Miami, both on the road. In 2003, the Yellow Jackets defeated No. 17 Auburn, which featured two future first-round draft choices, running backs Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown.

''The thing that is a huge advantage that Chan Gailey brings into this game is that his players have done the upset, they have done it three times,'' said Bill Curry, an ESPN analyst and a former NCAA College Football coach of Alabama and Georgia Tech.

''When he goes in that locker room before the game, he won’t see eyes that are hoping 'Jeez, dear God, maybe we have a chance.' He will see eyes that say, 'I can't wait. We just did this recently.'''

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and favored by 7 points. A loss would send them tumbling in the rankings and, given the long line of contenders behind them and the heft of Notre Dame's schedule, it would be a tough climb back to contender status.

There are also implications for the Heisman Trophy hopes of quarterback Brady Quinn. If Quinn leads Notre Dame to victory, he would likely enhance his status as the Heisman front-runner. If the Irish lose, the Heisman door would open for Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson, or perhaps even Georgia Tech's 6-foot-4-inch wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who is regarded by many as the best in the nation at his position.

And the NCAA College Football season is just getting started.

Can Notre Dame beat Georgia Tech or will the Yellow Jackets upset the Fighting Irish? Sports Interaction has the outright odds.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish -7.0

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets +7.0

New York Giants End NFL Preseason Unimpressive

The new NFL Football season is coming as NFL Football teams try to enter the year with some semblance of momentum.

The New York Giants failed on that, but not by much. There were no serious injuries among the starters during the fourth and final preseason game Thursday night, although there was one heart-stopping scare.

At the end of the game's eighth play, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan was crumpled on the turf and required the aid of trainers on the field. The team later reported that he had been hit in the groin and that he would be fine.

As for playing well in the final dress rehearsal for the regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, 10 nights away, the starters did not overly impress the fans who speckled the inside of Giants Stadium.

They played briefly, and not particularly well, in a game that the Giants ended up winning, 31-23. The victory capped a 4-0 preseason.

Well, any way you look at it, a win is a win and the New York Giants are perfect on that regard, as far as the NFL Football preseason is concerned.

''You'd like the first-team defense to stop the other guy and not let them score, it didn't happen,'' said Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, who turned 60 on Thursday and did not seem overly concerned with the starting units.

''And you'd like the first-team offense to take the ball and go somewhere, and that didn't happen, either.''

Well, for what it's worth, the New York Giants STILL have Tiki Barber to power them to the top. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next.

Can Tiki Barber lead the New York Giants and win Super Bowl XLI in Miami, Florida? Visit and bet on Bodog today.

New York Giants 18/1

Seattle Seahawks 11/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1