2006 NFL Betting Picks

Manchester United Tour is bad for 2007 AFC Asian Cup

2007-05-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

Manchester United made a new enemy for themselves aside from Chelsea.

Manchester United just secured the English Premier League title a few days ago and no matter what Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says, you just know that the rest of the Blues STILL can't stand these Red Devils after stopping what should've been their little three-peat in the Premiership.

The two-time English champions, Chelsea, were up against this year's champs, Manchester United, last Thursday, in a preview of the 2007 FA Cup Final on May 19. A preview, that's all there is to it as they met each other in somewhat a meaningless fixture with Man-U already having the Premiership secured.

There were no stars from both teams present too as both managers decided to just rest their stars in preparation for the FA Cup Final at the 19th. And yes, as a result, no goals were scored.

Expect sparks to fly when these two English clubs play for the last trophy of the season, the 2007 FA Cup. Manchester United have this one in the bag for sure.

Speaking of Manchester United, it seems the Red Devils made a new enemy and this time, it's Asia. Manchester United is planning to do this tour in Asia sometime in July and some Asians don't like it one bit. It turns out that Asia will be holding the 2007 AFC Asian Cup from July 7 – 29 and with Manchester United there, people from Asia might just come there to see Man-U instead of their own football tourney.

''The Manchester United tour dates clash with the AFC Asian Cup, and AFC doesn't want any competitions (other than the Asian Cup) to be promoted or organized during the month of July,'' AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam said in a statement.

Can Manchester United win the 2007 English FA Cup? Bodog has the odds on who will win the 2007 FA Cup Finals.

Manchester United 1/4

Chelsea 5/4

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Chelsea Manchester United

Raiders look for a quarterback as 2007 NFL Draft nears

2007-04-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

The Raiders need a good quarterback.

Although I still believe passing on Jay Cutler is not really much of a loss for Oakland, the idea that they could've had Matt Leinart playing for them only to let the Arizona Cardinals take him in last year's draft was just bad.

Staying with Aaron Brooks didn't work after all those fumbles the former New Orleans Saints QB had last season. The Andrew Walter experiment didn't work either after seeing the guy on his back in the middle of the football field more often than not.

Now, in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders have a chance to redeem themselves from the mistakes they did last year. They have, after all, the overall No.1 pick in this Saturday's draft class and if the Raiders make yet another mistake then they don't deserve to play in the NFL.

With the Oakland Raiders simply REFUSING to draft a good quarterback last year, they played the 2006-2007 NFL football season filled with all those fumbles and interceptions that plummeted them at the very bottom of the standings.

For what it's worth, the Raiders ARE indeed on the market for a good quarterback but the problem here is, they could go for someone from the free agency pool. And THAT would be another terrible mistake.

Rumors have it that the Oakland Raiders are looking to get either Tim Rattay, Josh McCown or Daunte Culpepper. Rattay and McCown is no different to Brooks and Walter whereas Culpepper could very well be another gamble Oakland just can't afford anymore.

Daunte Culpepper was one of the great quarterbacks in the game back when he was playing for the Minnesota Vikings. Since his move to Florida with the Miami Dolphins, his performance was anything BUT great. If the Raiders do sign Culpepper just so they can draft Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson and it turns out to be a nice QB-WR combo in the coming season, then THAT will be one nice deal. Of course, that scenario would have to be more of a miracle.

Can the Oakland Raiders win the Super Bowl in the coming season? Who will be the favorites to win Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Arizona? Here are the odds from Bodog:

San Diego Chargers 6/1

New England Patriots 10/1

Chicago Bears 8/1

Indianapolis Colts 7/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for more NFL football odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2007 NFL Draft Oakland Raiders

Zinedine Zidane could join the MLS soon

2007-02-26T00:41:00.000-08:00

Zinedine Zidane, was the guy who cost France the 2006 FIFA World Cup title.

He was also the same guy who gave Italian Marco Materazzi, a vicious head butt that ultimately ended his stint at the 2006 FIFA World Cup final.

Well, Zinedine Zidane made the soccer headlines again and apparently, the French phenom is contemplating on the idea of coming out of retirement to play in the MLS.

Major League Soccer, after signing former England captain David Beckham a multi-million dollar contract that will see him earn over $10 million a year playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy, is now eying ''the Z'' Zinedine Zidane himself, to play in their league.

Considering all the negativity in some quarters over the $10 million or so annual salary that David Beckham will be receiving to suit up for the L.A. Galaxy this summer, one can only imagine that those same pessimists are having a field day with the rumors that legendary (and retired) soccer star Zinedine Zidane of France is contemplating renewing his career in MLS.

That is if interested teams can pay Zidane the whopping $15 million a year he's asking.

Expect renewed proselytizing about how Zidane's signing will doom MLS to follow down the debt-ridden and financially irresponsible footsteps of the defunct NASL. However, since the Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls are the teams said to be heavily in pursuit, financial considerations aren't really a huge concern given the deep pockets of both teams' monetary backing.

The bigger issue is just how serious DA Z is about playing in America and whether or not he's actually worth the money. Call Zidane the anti-Beckham if you will, his signing definitely won't generate the type of media and pop culture buzz across all platforms that Beckham's did although his infamous head-butt in the 2006 FIFA World Cup final will continue to be a drawn-out theme.

Will Zinedine Zidane ink a deal with the MLS? Will he see France win the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa? OddsHQ has the best odds on the biggest sporting events of the year. Visit OddsHQ today.

Zinedine Zidane, MLS

Time to Play the 2007 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium

2007-02-09T01:05:00.000-08:00

Just when you thought the football season is over, the best players of the game gather to play the annual Pro Bowl game on Saturday.

The best players in the AFC will meet the best players in the NFC to play in the annual Pro Bowl game at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii. Unlike Super Bowl XLI where the last two surviving teams of the playoffs play for the Vince Lombardi trophy, the Pro Bowl is THE battle of the very best athletes in NFL Football.

At the 2007 Pro Bowl, you'll see the best players in the world. Guys like Super Bowl XLI Champions Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning and WR Marvin Harrison will be there, teaming up with San Diego Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson and Kansas City Chiefs TE Tony Gonzales NOT to represent their respective teams but to play for one team, in this case, the AFC Conference.

Speaking of the AFC Conference, five players from the Super Bowl XLI champions will be there. Joining Peyton and Marvin will be Colts wideout Reggie Wayne, tackle Tarik Glenn and center Jeff Saturday.

As for the NFC Conference, they will be out to prove that they are the better conference in the league and would stop at nothing in teaching Super Bowl XLI MVP Peyton Manning a thing or two.

New Orleans Saints explosive QB Drew Brees will lead the NFC offense. Wideouts Donald Driver of the Green Bay Packers and Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers will be waiting for Brees' deep 40-yard passes while Atlanta Falcons TE Alge Crumpler will be ready whenever Brees looks in his direction in case both Driver and Smith are covered.

Who will win the 2007 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii? Bodog has the odds on this NFL Football game on Saturday.

AFC Conference -4

NFC Conference +4

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Super Bowl XLI is here. Will it be Colts or Bears?

2007-02-01T23:52:00.000-08:00

After a week of over-analyzing this game, Super Bowl Sunday has finally come and it's time to choose sides.

So who'll be your pick? Who do you think will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Will you go for Peyton Manning and his Indianapolis Colts or Rex Grossman and the Chicago Bears?

Which defense will be a factor on Super Bowl Sunday? Will it be Dwight Freeney and the great Colts pass rush or will it be Brian Urlacher and the intimidating Bears D? Urlacher may have the edge over this match-up but where the Colts give the edge to the Bears on D, they take the advantage on offense with Peyton Manning over Bears QB Rex Grossman.

Peyton Manning was finally able to beat Brady and he'll be damned if he lets a young and inconsistent quarterback like Rex Grossman deny him of a Super Bowl ring yet again.

As for Rex? Well, he's good on his good days but he's at his worst on his bad ones. He's cocky and confident yes, but cockiness doesn't win championships, experience does. Advantage? Indianapolis Colts.

As for defense, of course, the best defensive guy on the field this Sunday would have to be Chicago Bears MLB, Brian Urlacher. But as good as Urlacher is, he may not be ''good enough'' to get the best of Peyton. Remember, Peyton Manning already faced one of this types when he faced MLB Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens defense in this year's AFC Divisional Playoffs.

Manning will find a way to get the football to his receiver one way or another and I doubt it if Urlacher can stop this guy for every play. Besides, Urlacher can't be in two places at once right? And when you're playing the Indianapolis Colts, you have to be, with guys like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne waiting for Peyton to drop them 20-30 yard passes in their direction.

If the Colts go conservative and decides to run with the football, then maybe Brian Urlacher can become a factor. But of course, Colts head coach Tony Dungy knows too well that nobody can get through that Urlacher wall so my best bet is these Colts would choose to go airborne.

Peyton Manning's time is now. And in case you don't know it yet, I'm picking the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLI.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLI? Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts -7

Chicago Bears +7

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Super Bowl XLI storylines to consider on Sunday

2007-02-01T23:44:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl XLI sure has been over-analyzed by now.

Hours away, yep, Super Bowl XLI is merely a few hours away as we are in the closing stages of what we would like to call ''Super Bowl'' week. The Chicago Bears finally arrived at Miami International Airport a couple of days ago to play their first Super Bowl in 25 years and yep, you just know Rex Grossman is feeling the pressure already.

However, Rex Grossman is only half the story. We have Peyton Manning in his very first Super Bowl trying to win the big one after finally being able to beat his nemesis, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

With that said, what are the other storylines that will come to play once it's time to play the game at Miami, Florida?

First, the premiere attraction would have to be the Indianapolis Colts offense going up against the Chicago Bears defense. It's Peyton Manning going up against Brian Urlacher.

Peyton Manning is one of the very best quarterbacks in the game. However, he can't seem to dominate games in the playoffs as well as he dominates the regular season. However, with his experience, talent and intelligence, I would still go with him leading my team to win a football game.

Next to Tom Brady of course.

He's going to find a way to exploit the Bears' defense, and when it counts the most, he'll come up with a big play. Besides, Brian Urlacher and the rest of the Bears defense don't have the interchangeable pieces the Baltimore Ravens D has so I guess Manning SHOULD HAVE an easier time against the Bears D compared to the one he had against Baltimore when he can only come up with field goals.

Next, we have Rex Grossman in a somewhat familiar territory, coming to this game against the Colts. Like Grossman, last year's Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers, have a young quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger who tends to rely on his defense and his running backs to be successful.

Rex Grossman is THAT guy this year and the Chicago Bears are also starting to make similar adjustments, putting their young quarterback in more favorable positions.

Does that mean Rex Grossman would be a Super Bowl champion on Feb.4? Were merely hours away from finding out.

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

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

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Things to consider before you bet on Super Bowl XLI

2007-01-30T01:13:00.000-08:00

Apparently, there are still more than a few storylines to consider before the big game.

Days away, yes, Super Bowl XLI is merely a few days away as we are in the middle of what we would like to call Super Bowl week. The Chicago Bears have finally arrived at Miami International Airport to play their first Super Bowl in 25 years and yep, you just know Rex Grossman is feeling the pressure already.

With that said, what are the other storylines that will come to play once it is time to play the game at Miami, Florida?

First, the premiere attraction would have to be the Indianapolis Colts offense going up against the Chicago Bears defense. Peyton Manning going up against Brian Urlacher.

Peyton Manning is one of the very best quarterbacks in the game. However, he can not seem to dominate games in the playoffs as well as he dominates the regular season. However, with his experience, talent and intelligence, I would still go with him leading my team to win a football game.

Next to Tom Brady of course.

He is going to find a way to exploit the Bears defense, and when it counts the most, he will come up with a big play. Besides, Brian Urlacher and the rest of the Bears defense do not have the interchangeable pieces the Baltimore Ravens D has so I guess Manning SHOULD HAVE an easier time against the Bears D compared to the one he had against Baltimore when he can only come up with field goals.

Next, we have Rex Grossman in a somewhat familiar territory, coming to this game against the Colts. Like Grossman, Super Bowl XL champions, Pittsburgh Steelers, have a young quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger who tends to rely on his defense and his running backs to be successful.

Rex Grossman is THAT guy this year and the Chicago Bears are also starting to make similar adjustments, putting their young quarterback in more favorable positions.

Does that mean Rex Grossman would be a Super Bowl champion on Feb.4? Were merely days away from finding out.

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

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Colts and Bears will make history at Super Bowl XLI

2007-01-26T00:52:00.000-08:00

This year's Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida will definitely be a historic event for sure.

Tony Dungy, head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, and Lovie Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears, two friends and former colleagues back when both were with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, will be facing each other as the first black head coaches to reach a Super Bowl.

This year's Super Bowl XLI would be the first all-black Super Bowl too, giving NFL Football one historic event which was 41 years in the making. And yep, you bet both NFL head coaches are ecstatic about it.

''It means a lot,'' Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy said after his Colts beat the New England Patriots 38-34 in the AFC title game. ''I'm very proud of being an African-American. I'm very proud of Lovie.''

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie SMith was the first one to reach football's biggest stage, beating the New Orleans Saints 39-14 in the ''early'' game.

Asked who he'd like to play on Feb.4 in Miami, Smith didn't hesitate with his answer. ''We have to play someone and, in my perfect world, I would like to see the Colts be that team.''

''Tony Dungy has done an awful lot for our game,'' Lovie Smith said. ''He hasn't had a chance to coach in the Super Bowl. I would love to see it.''

Four hours later, it was a done deal.

''I'll feel even better to be the first black coach to hold up the world championship trophy,'' Lovie Smith added.

Of course, Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning has other plans on Feb.4.

Peyton Manning has been dogged for years by critics who said his greatness was diminished by the fact he couldn't win a big game. After leading his team back from an 18-point deficit, he finally has the chance - on football's biggest stage.

''It sounds good,'' a beaming Manning said. ''It really does.''

Can Tony Dungy lead the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLI? Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

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Colts on the same Road as the Super Bowl XL Champs?

2007-01-23T01:41:00.000-08:00

It seems the Colts this season are taking a similar path taken by the Steelers en route to their win at Super Bowl XL last year.

Yep, the Indianapolis Colts will be facing the Chicago Bears at Super Bowl XLI. Their road to Miami, Florida finally culminates on Feb.4 after their come from behind win last Sunday. Unfortunately for the Colts, that road will be even harder.

Hell, ''harder'' could very well be an understatement. And yep, the road to get here was tough and will be tougher indeed. Tough but not unique. You see, the Pittsburgh Steelers team who won Super Bowl XL last year took a very similar one.

The Indianapolis Colts last year was as dominant in the regular season as they are this year. However, last season's ''perfect scenario'' went up in smoke when the Colts fell at home to Pittsburgh 21-18 in the second round.

The Colts' encore performance this season hasn't been flawless, only fruitful. After becoming the first NFL team to start consecutive seasons 9-0, they lost four games in a six-week stretch. Uncharacteristic errors on offense and a leaky run defense proved to be too burdensome to continually overcome.

The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled a similar path. They finished the 2004 season with a 14-game winning streak and secured the No.1 seed and with a 15-1 record. But after sidestepping an upset bid by the New York Jets in the divisional round, they were pummeled at home by New England 41-27 in the AFC Championship Game.

Pittsburgh's encore culminated with its fifth Super Bowl title. But the Steelers' championship path hardly was smooth. Consecutive losses to Baltimore, the Colts and Cincinnati in late November dropped them to 7-5 and threatened to extinguish their playoff hopes.

Hmm... Eerily similar eh? Can the Indianapolis Colts complete what is turning out to be a path taken by the Black and Gold last year? Well, they have to knock the Chicago Bears out first.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts to win Super Bowl XLI? Who will win Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida? Bodog has the outright odds on that one.

Indianapolis Colts 11/2

Chicago Bears 15/1

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Rex Grossman looks for Redemption at NFC Championship

2007-01-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

Rex Grossman wants a Super Bowl ring. He wants to silence his critics. More importantly, he wants redemption.

When Rex Grossman lost his, ''hot start'' if you will, when the Chicago Bears ended one of the best starts in the history of their franchise, many NFL analysts were on Grossman's case, just waiting for him to screw up some more.

Rex did gave these analysts what they wanted, Grossman tallied a miserable 1.19-something QB Rating one game and then he did one better (or worse...) with an even more miserable 0.0.

Last Sunday, Rex Grossman was coming off that 0.0 QB Rating he got from the Green Bay Packers as he prepared for the defending NFC Champions, Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game of the season. You can just imagine Grossman's thoughts coming to this one.

He was in a must-win situation then. Must win? Yes. Rex Grossman had to win last Sunday if he ever wants his critics to stop hounding him since he cooled off from his hot start earlier this year.
The result? Rex came out of this game firing, ultimately leading to Chicago's 27-24 win over Seattle. However, it seems it was not enough to silence his critics. Nevertheless, Rex still has an NFC Championship game to win next Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. A win on Sunday won't probably change anything but at least the guy will be a win away from becoming a Super Bowl champion.

And you bet, Grossman will bring what he's calling now an even-keel attitude when the New Orleans Saints visit them at Soldier Field.

''You have to go through a lot of adversity in the course of a game and a season, and everything is so exaggerated, positive and negative,'' Grossman said. ''It's so true that you have to stay on an even keel the whole time and never lose faith in yourself, your teammates, your abilities or the style of your offense, anything.''

Can Rex Grossman lead the Chicago Bears pass the New Orleans Saints? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Championship game.

New Orleans Saints +3

Chicago Bears -3

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Will Brett Favre walk away from NFL Football?

2007-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Brett Favre ended his 2006 NFL Football season with an incredible win over the NFL no.1 team, Chicago Bears.

And just like last year, Brett Favre ended the season with doubts on his mind whether he'll be calling it quits or not. Last time we did this, Brett Favre decided to return. Will it happen all over again this time?

Well, for what it's worth, it's possible Brett Favre played the final game of his illustrious NFL career Sunday night at Soldier Field.

Just don't bet on it.

Favre's tearful interview on national television following the Packers' 26-7 victory over the Chicago Bears gave a hint the veteran quarterback is strongly considering retirement. But Favre wouldn't give a definitive answer, and said he probably would decide on his future in the next two weeks.

Brett Favre, whether he decides to call it quits or not, is a lock to enter the NFL Football Hall of Fame. He has nothing more to prove and everybody knows he doesn't need another multi-million dollar salary.

After all, Green Bay Packers jerseys with the no.4 etched on it are selling like pancakes. Then again, he just as easily could return, with no regrets. In fact, why wouldn't Favre want to come back?

Forget about the money and the NFL passing records he could break. Those are nice fringe benefits, but deep down, the only reason Favre would play again is his passion for the game.

Brett Favre is healthy, having extended his starting streak to a superhuman 257 games (including playoffs). The prospect of undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his sore left ankle (bone spurs) today should have no bearing on his football future.

Neither should his playing ability. Despite being 37, which is ancient by pro football standards, Favre has what it takes to lead an NFL team.

And yeah, wouldn't it be nice to walk away from the game ala John Elway? Wouldn't it be nice if Brett Favre walked away from NFL Football with a brand new Super Bowl ring? Yep, it will.

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

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

NFL Final Four, One Win Away from Super Bowl XLI

2007-01-15T22:24:00.000-08:00

The Indianapolis Colts, the New England Patriots, the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints.

Yes, those teams are your official NFL Final Four as each team is merely one win away from the biggest and grandest stage in all of American sports, the Super Bowl.

Who will advance to Super Bowl XLI and win it all this year? Read on.

New England Patriots +3

Indianapolis Colts -3

Yes, the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots will meet each other in the AFC Championship game, playing for a trip to Miami, Florida.

New Orleans Saints +3

Chicago Bears -3

The Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints will be playing for the exact same thing in the NFC as two teams who had absolutely no chance of winning it all at the start of the season find themselves a win away from a Super Bowl berth.

Who'll be going to Super Bowl XLI? Read on.

It's all happening again in the AFC as Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the right to advance to the Super Bowl. Both the Colts and the Patriots were able to survive two weeks of the NFL Football playoffs, each failing to have that important first round bye. Well, apparently, it didn't matter as Indianapolis upset the Ravens in Baltimore after beating the Chiefs at home while New England just recently shocked the Chargers in San Diego after destroying the pesky Jets at Foxboro.

Peyton always had his problems against Brady in the post-season. However, THIS TIME, Peyton has Brady's most lethal weapon yet coming to this AFC Championship game, Adam Vinateri. It could be Peyton's year, and if I was a betting man, I'd expect just that.

In the NFC, the New Orleans Saints continue their improbable march this season as they meet the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship game. If you asked anyone who will represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLI, no one will probably be picking the Saints or the Bears. Who knew both of these NFL Football teams would have the season they had this year?

The New Orleans Saints, yes, they were a team coming off from the devastation Hurricane Katrina brought to Louisiana. We all heard about it. We all felt sorry for New Orleans, especially for the New Orleans Saints, whipping boys of football the last couple of years.

On the other end of the field, we have the Chicago Bears, electrifying the nation with a hot start for the season nobody saw coming. The Bears will come into this NFC Championship game with something to prove. Nobody's giving the Bears, specifically Rex Grossman, that much credit, even after knocking out the defending NFC Champions, Seattle Seahawks.

A win on Sunday will fix just that.

Manning prepares for Brady for AFC Championship

2007-01-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

How many times have we seen Peyton Manning and Tom Brady stood opposite each other in a huge football game?

Yes, it's all happening again as Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis for the right to advance to Super Bowl XLI at Miami, Florida.

Fate sure had her way in this one eh? Both the Colts and the Patriots were able to survive two weeks of the NFL Football playoffs, each failing to have that important first round bye. Well, apparently, it didn't matter as Indianapolis upset the Ravens in Baltimore after beating the Chiefs at home while New England just recently shocked the Chargers in San Diego after destroying the pesky Jets at Foxboro.

So, with two arch-rivals going at it for the last time this season, let's find out what Peyton Manning has to do to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time.

Peyton needs to keep throwing the football (duh!) between the hashes and up the seams to tight end Dallas Clark. New England already knows Peyton likes to throw the football to Marvin Harrison on one side and to Reggie Wayne on the other. Having a third option like Dallas Clark will confuse the Patriots a little bit.

Both Harrison and Wayne are the two main options in the Indianapolis Colts offense but Clark provides the Colts a different dimension and, when he is flexed into the slot, is a difficult matchup for any defense. Because the cornerbacks need help from the safeties to cover the wide receivers, Clark becomes almost impossible to bracket sometimes.

For the Colts' sake, let's sure hope so.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts pass the New England Patriots? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Championship game.

New England Patriots +3

Indianapolis Colts -3

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Can Grossman prove his critics wrong against Seattle?

2007-01-12T00:20:00.000-08:00

Rex Grossman is in a MUST WIN situation as his Chicago Bears meet the Seattle Seahawks Sunday.

Must win? Yes. Grossman has to win if he ever wants his critics to stop hounding him since he cooled off from his hot start earlier this NFL Football season. The Chicago Bears have been waiting for two weeks to get the foul taste of defeat handed to them by them Packers off of their mouths. They will have a chance to do just that when the Seattle Seahawks visit them at Soldier Field for the NFC Divisional Playoffs.

You just know that Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith is praying for Rex Grossman to not screw this up for them.

If Chicago Bears QB Rex Grossman plays solid in four quarters and doesn't screw up like he did against the Packers, the Bears would win. Other than New York Giants QB Eli Manning, no quarterback in the playoffs has been under as much scrutiny as Grossman.

Despite his hot start to the NFL Football season, Grossman has been horrible lately. He found a way to ''top'' his 1.3 quarterback rating against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13 by posting a miserable 0.0 rating in the season finale against the Green Bay Packers. Fans want him benched. Lovie Smith continues to support him but it's pretty evident a bad start could earn him the quick hook.

As for the Seattle Seahawks, they were able to survive a season full of injuries. After a season full of injuries, injuries like the one dealt to 2006 MVP Shaun Alexander, franchise QB Matt Hasselbeck and shutdown corner Marcus Trufant, the Seahawks are slowly getting healthy. And last Saturday, their incredible win over the Dallas Cowboys just got them a whole lot ''healthier.''

After watching Dallas Cowboys superstar Tony Romo, FUMBLE the football in what should've been the go-ahead field goal, the Seahawks are now in an all-time high as they have now resurrected what should've been a disappointing season.

This will be a tough game for the Chicago Bears on Sunday when the Seattle Seahawks will look to advance to the NFC conference championships at Soldier Field.

Can Rex Grossman lead the Chicago Bears pass the Seattle Seahawks? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Divisional Playoff game.

Chicago Bears -8.5

Seattle Seahawks +8.5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Eagles and Saints, one Cinderella Story will End Saturday

2007-01-12T00:14:00.000-08:00

The Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints, both have this Cinderella story going on heading to their NFC Divisional Playoff game.

First, let's talk about the Saints. ''Who dat sey they gonna' beat dem Saints?'' I hope I had that one right. The New Orleans Saints was already a feel-good story since the NFL Football season started.

After playing away from home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina last year, the New Orleans Saints brought NFL Football back to the Superdome this season and now, they are on the verge of bringing the NFL Playoffs home on Saturday as well.

Having said that, we will be bombarded once again with images of ruined New Orleans, of brackish eave-high water, of refugees on the rooftops, intercut with slow-motion montages of Reggie Bush and Drew Brees and cheering fans. The happy, sappy tale of the feisty Saints' giving their devastated city something to believe in is irresistible for the national media.

''It means so much to the city,'' New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. ''People come up to me in the streets and tell me how much it means to them. That makes it mean so much more than just football.''

On the the end of the field, there's Philadelphia and their beloved Philadelphia Eagles. Franchise QB Donovan McNabb went down midway through the season yet again and many have counted these Eagles out already.

Lo and behold, backup quarterback Jeff Garcia came out of nowhere to rejuvenate what should've been an already dead NFL Football season. Just like those football movies where we see an old guy being given a chance to lead a football team to glory, (e.g. The Replacements, Invincible) the aging Jeff Garcia found out this year that he has more than enough left in his tank to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to an improbable win at Super Bowl XLI.

Well, one Cinderella story will end Saturday when the New Orleans Saints and the Philadelphia Eagles meet. It's a shame that one Cinderella story has to end this early but hey, we might see ourselves cheering for both teams when it's time to play some football.

Can Jeff Garcia lead the Philadelphia Eagles pass the New Orleans Saints? Here are the odds on this huge NFC Divisional Playoff game.

Philadelphia Eagles +5

New Orleans Saints -5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Colts – Ravens War at AFC Divisional Playoff Saturday

2007-01-08T23:19:00.000-08:00

The Colts have a high-scoring offense. The Ravens have a formidable defense. Something has to give on Saturday.

Yes, the Indianapolis Colts, having survived the futile effort put up by the Kansas City Chiefs last Saturday, will move on to yet another Saturday showdown. The Colts will visit Baltimore for the second round of the NFL Football playoffs as they take on the Ravens in this AFC Divisional Playoffs match-up.

The Ravens will win this AFC Divisional Playoff game on Saturday if Baltimore's defense gets Peyton Manning moving his feet in the pocket. The Ravens were second in the league in sacks (60) and first in sack yards (418), and the unit featured five players with five or more sacks, led by defensive end Trevor Pryce, with 13.

However, as good as the Baltimore D is, the Ravens are where they are now because of the way their offense has supported their more established defense. The Baltimore Ravens won a franchise-record 13 games this season because their offense provided sufficient support to the league's top-rated defensive unit.

They hope to implement the same formula Saturday in their playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts.

However, if it so happens that this becomes a shootout, Peyton Manning will have the edge over Ravens QB, Steve McNair. McNair, as good as he still is, is no longer the playmaker he once was when he was with the Tennessee Titans.

McNair doesn't move well outside the pocket and that means Colts defensive monsters like Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will have one big purple target to unload on.

Peyton Manning continues to be patient throwing the ball to his secondary receivers. The big-play guys in the Colts' No.2-ranked passing game, of course, are wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, both of whom went over the 1,000-yard mark again in 2006.

But the Indianapolis passing attack is even more productive when Manning gets tight end Dallas Clark and, in recent weeks, rookie tailback Joseph Addai in the mix.

Can Peyton Manning lead the Indianapolis Colts pass the Baltimore Ravens? Here are the odds on this huge AFC Divisional Playoff game.

Indianapolis Colts +3.5

Baltimore Ravens -3.5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Florida VS Ohio State for BCS National Title

2007-01-07T23:49:00.000-08:00

After weeks of anticipation, the final NCAA College Football game of the season is finally here.

The Florida Gators and the Ohio State Buckeyes meet on Monday to decide who will be the BCS National Champions of the world. Yes, it is ON folks and Monday, we will know who will succeed last year's NCAA College Football champions, Texas Longhorns.

It has been 37 days since we last saw the Florida Gators, 51 days since we saw the top-ranked college football team of the nation, the Ohio State Buckeyes. However, despite this long absence from the field, nothing has changed. The Buckeyes are still expected to win and the Florida Gators will still come in this huge NCAA College Football championship game as the heavy underdogs.

Perhaps the marquee matchup to watch come game time are these two speed demons matching-up against each other for the BCS title.

He is Ohio State junior Ted Ginn Jr. and he is Florida freshman Percy Harvin. Together, their abilities illustrate the new and breathtaking paths that the Buckeyes and the Gators took to the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Monday night.

''They've got a great talent, a great athlete and they're doing a great job of getting the ball in his hands in different ways,'' Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Heacock said of Harvin.

''They can get the ball to him and he can just flat outrun you,'' Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said of Ginn.

Who will win it all this year? Here are some odds from Bodog on who will win the NCAA College Football BCS Championship:

Ohio State Buckeyes -7 ½

Florida Gators +7 ½

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

New York needs Giant Fix against Red Hot Eagles

2007-01-04T23:29:00.000-08:00

What will you do when an opposing team, clearly wounded without their leader, has become even stronger than ever?

Yes, this is the dilemma the New York Giants will be facing on Sunday when they visit the city of brotherly love to play the red hot Philadelphia Eagles. Yes, the young gunner Eli Manning will face the old veteran responsible for Philly's success without Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia.

For the Philadelphia Eagles, they will face something new, an opponent that has actually played them since Jeff Gracia took over at quarterback and since the offense became more balanced and consistent.

The question is, how much does it help the New York Giants to have seen first-hand, on Dec.17 at the Meadowlands, what Garcia likes to do, and what Brian Westbrook can do when given the ball a bunch?

Westbrook had 19 carries for 97 yards and five catches for 40 yards that day when Garcia and the Philadelphia birds faced the then struggling Giants.

The temptation is to say it shouldn't matter, when you factor in that the Giants lost, 36-22, as the Eagles rolled up 161 rushing yards and 221 net passing yards. And when you factor in that the Giants' injury situation has only gotten worse, with defensive end Michael Strahan now officially out for the season and starting cornerback Corey Webster going on injured reserve this week.

"I think they're going to adjust based on what we were able to have success on in the last game," Jeff Garcia said. "But I don't believe they're going to change a whole lot. This is Game 17 for both teams.''

''We are who we are. It's about execution now. I don't think that teams are necessarily going to change their colors just because it's a playoff week. We realize that it's about intensity, it's about emotion, it's about feeling good about what you're doing."

Can Jeff Garcia lead the Philadelphia Eagles pass the New York Giants? Here are the odds from All Star Sportsbook on this huge NFC wildcard playoff game.

New York Giants +7

Philadelphia Eagles -7

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Colts host Pesky Chiefs on AFC Wildcard NFL Saturday

2007-01-04T23:25:00.000-08:00

Tony Gonzales and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs will have a tough battle ahead as they meet the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday.

Sometimes it's hard to find words to describe the Indianapolis Colts offense. Some call it efficient, others call it adaptable. On Saturday, the Chiefs will look to call the Peyton Manning stronghold, STOPPABLE.

Efficiency. This is the core philosophy shared by coach Tony Dungy, coordinator Tom Moore and quarterback Peyton Manning. ''It's a real mind-set to try to stay on the field and move the ball down the field and get into the end zone,''' Manning said.

That the Manning-led offense has been able to remain one of the NFL's most prolific units is a direct result of it being able to adapt, to go with the flow. The offense that will test Kansas City's No. 16-ranked defense Saturday in the RCA Dome in an AFC wildcard playoff game is the same one that terrorized the league in 2004 with quick-strike capabilities in names only.

Many of the skill players are the same, Manning, who delivered a single-season record 49 touchdowns; wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, tight end Dallas Clark.

The difference is in approach. No longer are the Colts routinely striking with the suddenness of a cobra. That's because no longer are defenses as willing to blitz Manning and play man coverage, leaving themselves exposed to over-the-top plays in the passing game.

And yes, the Kansas City Chiefs won't make the mistake of trying to blitz Peyton Manning because, judging by the last few weeks, no.18 is not as effective when the defense stays in coverage.

Can the Kansas City Chiefs shock the world and eliminate the Indianapolis Colts? All Star Sportsbook has the odds for this NFL Thursday Night Football game.

Kansas City Chiefs +7

Indianapolis Colts -7

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Steelers to keep Playoff Hopes Alive VS Ailing Ravens

2006-12-22T00:29:00.000-08:00

This is the perfect time for the Steelers to take advantage of the somewhat ailing Ravens leader, Air McNair.

Air McNair, that's the nickname Steve McNair have in NFL Football with his knack for throwing looong passes for huge yardage. Well, Air McNair is, as of press time, grounded with an injury and it is still questionable if Air McNair can fly with his Ravens on Sunday when they take on the defending Super Bowl champs, Pittsburgh Steelers.

Despite this, Baltimore Ravens head coach Brian Billick remained optimistic about Steve McNair's chances of starting Sunday at Pittsburgh. But if coach Billick thinks for one second that the Steelers will go easy on McNair if ever the veterna QB decides to play, he's mistaken.

The Pittsburgh Steelers won their last three games emphatically, beating the Carolina Panthers 37-3 last Sunday after easy victories over the Cleveland Browns, 27-7 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 20-3.

Mathematically, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still alive in what is turning out to be a wild dash for the NFL Football playoffs. And on Sunday, they will try to keep those slim playoff hopes alive against the Ravens. This is definitely not the right time to have Steve McNair hurting on the NFL Football field.

Steve McNair left Sunday's 27-17 win over the Cleveland Browns after the Ravens' second series when he got his throwing hand stepped on by 254-pound Browns linebacker Andra Davis. Ouch. After taking snaps on the sideline during the game, McNair noticed that a cut on his hand had become irritated.

Because the Ravens don't want his injury to worsen, they could limit his reps with the offense or give him more snaps in the shotgun formation come Sunday.

''I'll have to see exactly how it feels,'' Billick said when asked how he will handle McNair. ''Obviously, I don't want to beat on it anymore [with snaps from center].''

Billick said he did not consider putting McNair back in for backup Kyle Boller during the game, even when the Browns tied the game at 17 in the third quarter.

''Sixty snaps [of the quarterback-center exchange] the whole game would do nothing but irritate that,'' Billick said. ''I don't know if that would have in our best interest in the long term, the long term being next week and the week after next.''

Can Steve McNair lead the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks now.

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

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

New Jeff Garcia to Face Terrell Owens Monday

2006-12-21T21:31:00.000-08:00

Man, what happened to the mild-mannered Jeff Garcia?

This guy was JUST suppose to be a solid backup to the injury-prone Donovan McNabb. This guy was JUST suppose to show how father time has reduced the level of his game after all these years. This guy was JUST suppose to keep Philadelphia Eagles fans coming, giving them false hope that they can win football games without No.5.

Yep, nobody thought Jeff Garcia will do this. After winning their last three NFL Football games, the Eagles are probably generating a lot more hype now than the hype they were having when McNabb was still playing. Unbelievable.

On Monday night, as the rest of the world celebrate what's left of Christmas, this new Jeff Garcia will face his former comrade now bitter enemy, Terrell Owens, as the Philadelphia Eagles dance with the Dallas Cowboys on NFL Monday Night Football.

It will be the Terrell Owens show Monday as his Dallas Cowboys take on his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in what would be round two between T.O. and Philly. Philadelphia won round one so you can bet Owens will either find redemption with a win or ultimately just suffer a mental breakdown with yet another loss to the Philadelphia birds.

And with the way Jeff Garcia has been playing for the Philadelphia Eagles as of late, the latter could be imminent.

The Terrell Owens saga started back in San Francisco when T.O. started jawing at quarterbacks. The first of which was former San Francisco 49ers QB, Jeff Garcia.

Isn't it ironic that Owens' former team, the Eagles, will have yet another ''Owens victim,'' so to speak, in Jeff Garcia as they meet T.O. on the field Monday? And yeah, Terrell Owens WILL still have the rest of the Dallas Cowboys led by quarterback extraordinaire Tony Romo against Philly but let's face it, this NFL Football game on Monday is all about T.O., especially after his infamous spit last week on DeAngelo Hall's mug.

The Dallas Cowboys goes up against the Philadelphia Eagles. Terrell Owens versus Jeff Garcia. Yep, this Terrell Owens saga ain't over yet folks.

Who will win this NFL Monday Night Football rivalry game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles? Can Dallas beat the Eagles or will Philadelphia upset the Cowboys yet again? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

Philadelphia Eagles +7

Dallas Cowboys -7

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

NFL Thursday Night Football pits Packers and Vikings

2006-12-19T00:51:00.000-08:00

The Packers and the Vikings are still in the NFL Playoffs race, barely.

On NFL Thursday Night Football, the surging Green Bay Packers will try to keep any hope they have left of reaching the NFL Playoffs as they host the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field.

The Green Bay Packers, just like the Minnesota Vikings and majority of the NFL Football teams hovering around .500, trying to get a playoff spot, is within striking distance from the coveted wild card invite.

Just like the surging Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals, these Packers were deemed dead as early as the halfway point of the NFL Football season.

But after winning back-to-back games, especially after Brett Favre passed Dan Marino for the all-time completion record in the NFL last Sunday, No.4 had his team and the entire state of Wisconsin talking about Packers in the post-season.

Two NFC wild-card berths are up for grabs, with the surprising Philadelphia Eagles (8-6), the stumbling New York Giants (7-7) and the broken Atlanta Falcons (7-7) having the inside track.

But the Packers are still in contention at 6-8, tied with the Carolina Panthers, the San Francisco 49ers, the St. Louis Rams and the very team they will be facing on NFL Thursday Night Football, the Minnesota Vikings.

This game on Thursday Night Football will prove to be a game that might just decide the fate of these two teams. Moreover, the fate of the legendary Brett Favre.

Can Brett Favre lead the Green Bay Packers to the playoffs? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks now.

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

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Can a Troubled Tom lead the Patriots Sunday?

2006-12-15T01:20:00.000-08:00

Tom Brady is criticizing the rest of the New England Patriots for not listening to the coaches after last Sunday's shutout loss from Miami.

This is definitely something you don't want to hear from a leader like Tom Brady. If the quarterback does not believe in the rest of the team, how will the team believe in him?

The coach STILL believing in his quarterback will.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick stands by his franchise quarterback's comments about his teammates not listening to the coaches. Apparently, Brady had castigated certain members of the team for freelancing instead of staying within the framework drawn up by the coaches.

''I have all the respect in the world for Tom,'' Patriots head coach Brian Belichick said. ''I think he has a real good sense of what this game is about, and what our team is about. Whatever he said, I would stand by.''

The Patriots were shocked by the Miami Dolphins last Sunday, shutting them out and sacking Brady more times than the Patriots leader is accustomed to. Of course, Tom Brady voiced out his displeasure.

''I think this team has to listen more to what the coach says,'' Tom Brady said. ''I think if we listen more and did more of what our coaches told us to do, I think we'd be a lot better off. But at times, I think we figure we can do it our way, and we show there is quite a bit of inconsistency to that.''

There were mixed reactions on Brady's statement. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi certainly didn't like it, saying that his defense team ''accepts coaching.''

Things certainly doesn't look good for the New England Patriots at this point of the NFL Football season. Luckily for them, they only have the Houston Texans visiting them at Foxboro Sunday.

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

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Has NFL Football Defenses Figured Tony Romo Out?

2006-12-15T01:19:00.000-08:00

We'll find out the answer to that Saturday.

The Dallas Cowboys will face the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday, six days after suffering an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints in a battle for NFC Supremacy on Sunday Night Football.

What happened? Has NFL Football defenses figured Tony Romo out already?

Tony Romo's hat was still on backward. He was still in his black pajamas and T-shirt. The same crowd surrounded his locker. But the questions were different this time than any thing that Romo had been asked since becoming the Cowboys' starting quarterback.

Romo wasn't asked about Jessica Simpson or Romo-mentum or his similarities to Kurt Warner. The questions were about bouncing back from his first sub-par performance, simplifying the offense and if defenses have figured him out.

''Anytime you go to bed after a game you lose, you're going to think about everything you could have done different,'' Romo said.

''That's the competitor inside of you. All we can do now is say, 'Hey, we're going to find out what we're made of this week.'''

For what it's worth, the Dallas Cowboys will learn what Romo is made of Saturday at Atlanta against the Atlanta Falcons.

The first six weeks of Romo's tenure were nothing short of spectacular. He was hyped for the Pro Bowl in leading the Cowboys to four straight wins. He tied a franchise record with five touchdown passes on Thanksgiving Day against Tampa Bay.

However, as we all know in NFL Football, one loss WILL CHANGE everything and Tony Romo saw that when he bowed down to the Saints last Sunday.

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

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

NFL Thursday Night Football pits Seahawks VS 49ers

2006-12-12T22:15:00.000-08:00

It seems the Seattle Seahawks, all of a sudden, are losing the form they once had after dealing Jay Cutler his first loss as a starter.

Yep, coming off a game where the Seahawks finally had their two stars (Shaun Alexander and Matt Hasselbeck) back into last season's form, leading the team to a win over the tough Denver Broncos defense, they got shocked and humiliated by the official league doormats, the Arizona Cardinals, 27-21, last Sunday.

This was an NFL Football game where the Seattle Seahawks were almost sure of a win. Everything was in place for a much needed W. The only problem was, Arizona Cardinals QB Matt Leinart was not in a very cooperative mood and the Hawks were dealt with the shocking loss.

Or rather, the Hawks handed themselves the shocking loss.

Yep, it was the Seahawks' fault why they lose this very winnable football game. The Seahawks hurt themselves with turnovers and their worst start to a game this season. Still, Seattle had one last chance to win. These Cardinals have been the kings of collapse in NFL Football, after all. They had lost three games in the final three minutes this season and lost leads of 14-0 and 17-7 to the Seahawks on Sunday.

On the other hand, the Seahawks have established themselves as the kings of late-game heroics this NFL Football season, with four last-minute wins. They were in position to win late again, but this time, their comeback fizzled.

Seattle Seahawks wideout Deion Branch caught an 18-yard pass at the Arizona 7-yard line on fourth-and-20 with less than a minute to play. Branch tried to reach for the first down, but the ball was spotted short. There was a measurement and a review of the spot. It was upheld, and the Cardinals only had to run out the clock to win.

Ouch.

On NFL Thursday Night Football, the San Francisco 49ers will visit the Seahawks in Seattle as they try to catch Shaun Alexander and the rest of the Hawks sleeping. These Niners are coming to this game agitated after watching Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers kick their asses again. Seattle should be careful come Thursday night.

Can Seattle destroy the 49ers or will San Francisco upset the Seahawks? All Star Sportsbook has the odds on this NFL Thursday Night Football matchup.

San Francisco 49ers +10

Seattle Seahawks -10

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Reggie Bush defeats Tony Romo on NFL Football Sunday

2006-12-08T00:46:00.000-08:00

Yes, the new generation of NFL Football superstars has finally arrived.

Last Sunday, Tony Romo and Reggie Bush faced off as Romo led the Dallas Cowboys flying offense while Bush fronted the New Orleans Saints ground attack. It was the Cowboys and the Saints. The passing game versus the running game.

And last Sunday, the Cowboys were humiliated in their own field in Irving, Texas.

Tony Romo has changed the outlook of the Dallas Cowboys' season. With Romo as the starting quarterback, the Cowboys were 5-1 before last Sunday's game and a freak ending at Washington away from being perfect. With a month to play, only the Chicago Bears has a better record than the Cowboys in the NFC. The Cowboys have a two-game lead in the NFC East and are looking for their first division title since 1998.

But it's been more than the switch to Romo that has turned the Dallas Cowboys into contenders. There have been a series of decisions, some made in Oxnard, Calif., some made on the fly and some made the last couple of weeks, made by the organization that have put the Cowboys into the Super Bowl discussion again for the first time in a long time.

As for Reggie Bush, he finally had his breakout game as he led the New Orleans Saints with four touchdowns to destroy the San Francisco 49ers, 34-10. Coming to this game, many wondered who was better between the Saints running back and San Francisco 49ers HB, Frank Gore. Gore was winning the popular vote at the exit polls. He entered the game second in NFL Football with 1,117 yards rushing.

On the other hand, Reggie Bush's numbers were modest. A three-yard rushing average and 64 catches with a modest 6.7-yard average. In 11 games, Reggie Bush had only one touchdown. There was nothing modest about his performance against the Niners.

Last Sunday, Reggie Bush was not as hot but luckily for him, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was playing like a madman.

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

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Can the Patriots make it to Super Bowl XLI?

2006-12-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Ugly. That's how one can describe the New England Patriots the last couple of weeks.

It seems after losing to former Patriots coach Eric Mangini and his New York Jets, the Patriots lost their mystique and are now playing like mere mortals on the NFL Football field.

However, as bad as it may seem for the Pats right now, they are still holding on to that AFC East lead. Brady doesn't have a big name receiver for him to throw the football to these days. The New England Patriots offense seemed lost coming to the NFL Football season after they let wideout Deion Branch go to the Seattle Seahawks.

However, after a few weeks of NFL Football, it seems Brady just keeps on finding ways to win, patrolling the Patriots offense to a 9-3 mark to lead the AFC East. It has not been pretty since losing to the Jets but STILL a huge accomplishment.

Consider these rather ''UN-PATRIOTS-LIKE'' instances the last couple of weeks.

Tight end Ben Watson let a Tom Brady pass hit his stomach instead of catching it with his hands against the Bears. When he was drilled from behind, the ball shot out and was intercepted.

The Chicago Bears forced two fumbles on one play, Watson losing the ball while barely being hit from behind, he fumble initially was scored unforced, and then Reche Caldwell failing to protect it off the bounce.

New England Patriots Running back Patrick Pass, who had been rigorously drilled on ball protection last week, fumbled against the Lions while running with the ball dangling carelessly by his side in one hand.

The Patriots committed a season-high 10 penalties for 72 yards, giving the Lions an extra four first downs.

In spite all these, the New England Patriots are STILL considered one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year. It just depends on them if they want to get to the big dance come February.

Will the New England Patriots play at Super Bowl XLI? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks now.

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

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Dolphin will miss NFL Sunday Game against Patriots

2006-12-06T23:05:00.000-08:00

What else can go wrong for the Miami Dolphins?

After an NFL Football preseason full of promise after picking up probably the biggest catch of the offseason, Daunte Culpepper, the Dolphins have fallen from grace, FAST.

They were seen as one of the teams to give the defending Super Bowl champions, Pittsburgh Steelers, trouble. Well, the Steelers are out of the playoff picture and guess what, the Dolphins are not in it too.

They have the visiting New England Patriots on NFL Football Sunday. And if that wasn't enough, they'll miss running back Ronnie Brown come game time.

Miami Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown confirmed that he's definitely out for Sunday's home game against the New England Patriots, the second consecutive game he'll miss with a broken bone in his left hand.

Ronnie Brown said doctors told him Tuesday, ''Everything's healing up pretty good for the most part, but you're going to sit out and make sure all the screws set in a little bit.'' He said he'll be evaluated again ''in maybe another week or so.''

Brown was hoping to get medical clearance to play this week.

''Yeah, that's what I was looking for,'' Brown said. ''But it was a medical decision. I think he was trying to look for my best interests and make sure I don't put myself in a bad predicament. I can understand it from that standpoint.''

The hand, with five screws and covered in a new cast that's smaller than the one Brown wore before Tuesday, doesn't prevent Brown from working out. Though he's left-handed, Brown has been holding the ball in his right hand during drills.

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

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

New England Patriots 8.50

Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Chicago Bears 4.50

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Browns newly found Gold to Dance with Steelers Thursday

2006-12-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

Derek Anderson. Remember that name next NFL Football season.

It seems the Cleveland Browns found gold in their come from behind win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. Backup QB Derek Anderson got the nod in the fourth quarter, down 14-28. He led the Browns rally, scoring two touchdowns to tie it 28-28 before winning the game in overtime, 31-28.

On Sunday, Derek Anderson will face his toughest test yet as he meets the Steel Curtain. The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns meet on NFL Network for NFL Thursday Night Football. The outcome of this football game won't have any dire consequences whatsoever pertaining to the playoffs but it's NFL prime time and what better to end your season on a high note than on NFL's newest tradition, Thursday Night Football.

The Pittsburgh Steelers come in to this NFL Thursday Night Football game coming off a big 20-3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday. The Steel Curtain only has a short week of rest to get ready for the Browns. Lucky for them, it's JUST the Browns.

Yes, the Cleveland Browns are coming off a huge win themselves, scoring the W over the very tough Kansas City Chiefs. What's even more surprising about this game is the fact that an unheralded backup quarterback named Derek Anderson RALLIED the Browns from a 14-28 deficit en route to a 31-28 come from behind victory in overtime.

Wow. This ''unheralded backup quarterback'' completed 12 of 21 passes for 171 yards including the two touchdowns that tied it up at 28-28 in regulation.

However, as good as Derek Anderson was against the Kansas City Chiefs in that fourth quarter, he'll go up against this Pittsburgh defense so tough, that the rest of NFL Football prepare various play routes just to survive this D on that football field. That's why the rest of the league call it the ''Steel Curtain.''

Cleveland Browns QB, Derek Anderson, versus the Pittsburgh Steelers defense could be like General Custer at Little Big Horn. Things happened too fast for Anderson to even realize what he was doing in leading Cleveland past Kansas City in overtime.

Now that Anderson has a couple of days to think things over, and Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau gets to put on his mad scientist's cape and devise a game plan to make Anderson's mind race at 100 mph, Anderson may go back to showing us why he wasn't a high draft pick coming out of college.

Can Pittsburgh destroy the Browns or will Cleveland upset the Steelers? All Star Sportsbook has the odds for this NFL Thursday Night Football game.

Cleveland Browns +7.5

Pittsburgh Steelers -7.5

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today’s biggest sporting events.

Steelers will Try to Protect QB From Buccaneers D

2006-11-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

Protect Ben Roethlisberger.

That is one of two goals the Pittsburgh Steelers should try to go for coming to their game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday. What's the other one? Do not let the quarterback get maimed.

How to keep Ben Roethlisberger healthy, happy and upright the rest of the season is a job that will fall on many people, including the Pittsburgh linemen.

These days, defenses in NFL Football sacked Steelers Pro Bowl QB, Ben Roethlisberger, 36 times in the 10 games he played. That's six more times than he was sacked last season and 13 times more than he was decked as a rookie.

Quite disturbing indeed.

Only one Steelers quarterback was sacked more in a season in the previous dozen years and that was Tommy Maddox, who was sacked 41 times in 2003 (Neil O'Donnell also was sacked 41 times in 1993). Only two Steelers quarterbacks have been sacked more often since the 1970 NFL merger, Bubby Brister 45 times in 1989 and Cliff Stoudt 51 times in 1983.

Of course, that's one of those NFL Football records you don't want to be a part of.

This NFL Football season, Ben Roethlisberger has been hit with 3.6 sacks per game played, and on that rate, he would hit the team's modern-day record in the next five games, if he can last that long.

He's listed as probable this week with an injury that came when halfback Willie Parker blew a blocking assignment and linebacker Bart Scott blew into Roethlisberger, bruising his chest. Roethlisberger left for one play but returned to finish the game.

''Ben wanted to be out there,'' Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher said. ''It's one of those situations where you don't want to not be out there with the rest of your teammates who are out there fighting and battling. There's a lot to be said about that. I wasn't going to put him out there if there were risks medically. He fought through it like everybody else fought through it.''

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

Want more odds? Visit OddsHQ for the best odds on some of today's biggest sporting events.

Grossman and Brady Face-Off NFL Football Sunday

2006-11-24T00:12:00.000-08:00

Tom Brady and Rex Grossman have 81 NFL Football starts at the QB position between them.

On Sunday, the Chicago Bears will visit the New England Patriots at Foxboro as Rex Grossman meets the former Superbowl MVP Tom Brady. Who will have the edge between these two awesome NFL Football quarterbacks?

If that "weak link" junk could be given a timeout, please, think how good Grossman could become by his 100th time out. Did you know Grossman is fifth in the entire 32-team NFL in touchdown passes? I didn't think so.

Grossman ranks ahead of Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Brett Favre, Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger, Steve McNair, Jake Delhomme and Jake Plummer among others in touchdown throws this season.In passing yardage, Brady is 10th, Rex Grossman 11th. That's right, he is only one spot behind the Patriots quarterback, one of the best in the league. Earlier this year, Grossman said he felt as if he is being judged "pass by pass," rather than week-to-week.

He's right. Quit going into a panic every time he throws a bad ball. Rex rocks.

Grossman could have quite a bit in common with Tom Brady one of these days, even if the Florida guy and Michigan man do disagree about which of their schools should play for the national championship against Ohio State.

Can Rex Grossman lead the Bears pass the Patriots in Foxboro where Tom Brady is simple phenomenal? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

Chicago Bears +3

New England Patriots -3

Patience of Tiki Barber TIKING AWAY with the Giants

2006-11-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Tiki Barber ain't happy with the New York Giants.

Tiki Barber has heard all of Tom Coughlin's reasons for why the New York Giants abandoned him and their running game in Jacksonville on NFL Monday Night Football. Yesterday, calmly but pointedly, the frustrated running back called them "a cop-out" and "a slap in the face."

"I'm not here to be a cheerleader," Tiki Barber said. "I'm not here to be someone who fades into the background. My job is to help this team win. The opportunities I get will dictate that. If it gets to a point where I feel I'm not doing anything, then generally our team is in trouble."

This wasn't the first time that Barber has complained about the Giants' penchant for abandoning the run. It was the fourth time he's done so publicly in the last 14 months, including his infamous "out-coached" outburst after the 23-0 playoff loss to Carolina.

Barber had hinted his latest rage was coming late Monday night when he said, "We didn't even try to run." The next day, Coughlin fired back, saying, "That's an easy thing to say after a game when you've only run the ball 14 times."

"We're not scared of anyone," the New York Giants franchise running back said. "We've played against the best defenses in this league and we've run the ball and done effective things against them. I think you put yourself halfway to failure when you say we can't do something because of another team's personnel. It's a slap in the face of me, it's a slap in the face of my front five guys. We don't take to that very kindly.''

"You say you have a couple of (bad) plays early on and you just can't do it anymore? That's a cop-out. The one thing you have to do as a team, whether it's passing the ball or running the ball, is establish an identity, believe in something and have faith in it, and do it over and over again - in some ways dare teams to stop you. We haven't done that. And I think that's why we've faltered the last couple of games."

The New York Giants visit the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Can the Giants bounce back with a win in Tennessee? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

New York Giants -3

Tennessee Titans +3

NFL Thursday Night Football on Thanksgiving Day

2006-11-20T18:19:00.000-08:00

The Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos dance on Thanksgiving night as NFL Network premieres on Thursday Night Football.

This Kansas City Chiefs – Denver Broncos game will be one of THREE NFL Football games to be played on Thursday. The Miami Dolphins and the Detroit Lions will kick off Thanksgiving day followed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Dallas Cowboys. Too much action on a Thanksgiving holiday huh?

The first-ever Thanksgiving Game at Arrowhead Stadium will feature a pair of AFC West rivals waging a pivotal division duel in front of a national television audience as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos square off in the first-ever live regular season NFL Thursday Night Football game telecast by NFL Network.

The Chiefs and Broncos will meet in a Thanksgiving showdown for the first time since Kansas City posted a 31-17 win vs. Denver in 1969.

The Kansas City Chiefs won six of their last eight games and will be looking to pull even with the Broncos in their divisional standings. Another thing going for the Chiefs come game time is the fact that they won six of their last seven face-offs with Jake Plummer and the rest of the Broncos in Arrowhead Stadium, that includes three straight wins.

You just know that Arrowhead Stadium will be jacked up for this one come Thanksgiving night.

The Chiefs and Broncos waged an early-season slugfest at INVESCO Field where Kansas City led for much of the day before Denver eventually prevailed by a 9-6 count in overtime. The Chiefs-Broncos rivalry has always been filled with close encounters. Just one point separates the two clubs in their last four meetings with Denver holding a slim 117-116 scoring edge. In fact, 27 of the last 33 outings in this series have been won by the squad scoring last.

This will definitely be a great game on a Thanksgiving night and if I was a betting man, I would STILL put my money on the Denver Broncos just because the level of competition they faced the past few weeks. The Kansas City Chiefs are good but Herman Edwards is no Mike Shanahan.

Can the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks 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

Bradley will be Bears Primary Receiver for now

2006-11-17T02:07:00.000-08:00

For Bears receiver Mark Bradley, returning to the lineup has the potential to be almost as frustrating as leaving it.

That's because Bradley, who started in place of the injured Bernard Berrian last Sunday after five games on the inactive list, is suddenly back in the mix. Against the Giants he had four catches for 79 yards, including a key 29-yard touchdown pass from Rex Grossman.

But now, with Berrian questionable for the Chicago Bears this Sunday's game against the Jets with bruised ribs but likely to return to form in the coming weeks, the mix is that much more crowded.

"It goes back to just being mentally tough," said Bradley, who was halfway through a breakout performance as a rookie last season when a torn ACL sidelined him for the final nine games of the season. "When [Berrian] comes back, I'm pretty sure they're going to get him into the rotation because he has done a lot of positive things. There's an old saying that if it's not broke, don't fix it. Now it's just a point of how can you get everybody on the field at the same time?"

Bears receiver coach Darryl Drake said that won't be a problem.

"I think you have to have two [deep threats]," Drake said. "You look at us and nobody thought we would be at all productive this year, the worst group in the National Football League. Every day in camp, somebody was asking me what are we going to do at receiver? Who's going to be the guy?"

''But you always have to have guys because it's such a long season and because the game is so violent and so physical and the body takes such a toll. We may as well have as many guys as they allow us to have. We're very fortunate Mark is ready to go 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

When will we see the Real Daunte Culpepper?

2006-11-17T02:04:00.000-08:00

For the sake of the Miami Dolphins, let's hope it's sooner than later.

The knife sliced into his right knee one year ago Wednesday, an anniversary Miami Dolphins quarterback Daunte Culpepper likely would rather forget.

Now, it seems every bad dream Daunte Culpepper had at that time has returned to haunt him all season long this year. And unfortunately, the Miami Dolphins are hurting big time because of it.

The injury has not faded from his mind or his soul. Not yet, at least. And certainly not this week. ''It has been an extremely painful process both physically and emotionally since the injury,'' Daunte Culpepper once said. ''I am wishing for the absolute best for my teammates this season. I will be their biggest fan.''

''I only wish I could be with them on the field,'' he added.

The very words of Daunte Culpepper last year. Lo and behold, he's injured yet again and now, he's losing his starting job to an unheralded quarterback named Joey Harrington.

Daunte Culpepper was officially listed as ''Out'' on the team's injury report, although he did practice in pads Wednesday for the first time in more than two weeks. His rehabilitation process, however, the one designed to regain explosiveness in his knee, will keep his return on hold.

''He wants to be on the field playing,'' backup quarterback Cleo Lemon said. ''He had a lot of success with the Minnesota Vikings. He went to Pro Bowls, and he has a lot of relationships with guys still on the team. I'm sure this is a different week for him than other weeks.''

Culpepper has politely declined interview requests since he last spoke publicly Oct. 12, three days after he was benched for Joey Harrington.

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

Raiders Coach try to Shell Out Dark Cloud This Sunday

2006-11-10T01:14:00.000-08:00

The Oakland Raiders head coach, Art Shell, still believes that their better days are still ahead of them.

This is after they blew an NFL Monday Night Football game against a Seattle Seahawks team who played without NFL Football MVP Shaun Alexander and franchise QB Matt Hasselbeck.

The casual observer looks at the Oakland Raiders and sees a team that lost six of its first eight games this NFL Football season and has the potential to lose eight more. Raiders coach Art Shell sees a team that won two games, lost six that it could have won and still has eight more winnable contests.

But don't mistake Shell for being in denial or delusional when it comes to the team he inherited on the heels of three straight losing seasons. This is a man who entered the league as an instant winner, left it a winner and returned this season with a single determination to bring back the winning ways from his past.

It hasn't happened just yet, but Shell said he intends to be here when the defeats turn to victories. Only then will his mission be complete. ''When I came back, I knew this thing wasn't going to be easy,'' Art Shell said, one day after the Raiders fell to 2-6 at the halfway mark in the season.

Against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, it won't get any easier.

The Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders occupy opposite seats in their own AFC West division. The Broncos are on top at 6-2 while the Raiders are at the bottom at 2-6.

That disappointing 2-6 mark could very well be because of Oakland's inability to protect their quarterback, Andrew Walter. Walter leads all NFL Football QBs in sacks this season, a stat no QB nor offensive lineman should be proud of.

Oh yeah, if in some way the Raiders manage to protect quarterback Andrew Walter, Randy Moss will still have Broncos corner, Champ Bailey to contend with.

Who will win this NFL Football game between the Oakland Raiders and the Denver Broncos? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

Oakland Raiders +9

Denver Broncos -9

49ers won't Stick to Candlestick in NFL Football

2006-11-09T22:27:00.000-08:00

The San Francisco 49ers are moving.

Following a surprising 9-3 win over Brad Johnson and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings, the San Francisco 49ers could very well see themselves out of Candlestick Park and start a new NFL Football chapter with a state-of-the-art stadium in Santa Clara.

After years of planning for a stadium in the city that has been the franchise's home for six decades, San Francisco 49ers team owner John York officially changed his club's focus Thursday from Candlestick Point to this Silicon Valley suburb 30 miles south of San Francisco.

This is after their plan to build a stadium and retail-housing complex at Candlestick Point failed according to the San Francisco 49ers team officials.

At a press conference in Santa Clara, at a hotel next door to the proposed new site, 49ers co-owner John York said paying for transportation improvements and a new parking garage at Candlestick Point would at least double the $600 million to $800 million that the team is willing to spend on a new home.

The team said a Santa Clara stadium near the Great America amusement park could be built for that price through a ''public-private partnership'' that might include a land deal for the 49ers, but would not raise taxes for residents or tap the city's general fund.

Of course, you just know that San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom wasn't pleased.

''John York is obviously a very straight shooter, but in this case, respectfully, I don't think he has been,'' Newsom said. ''We were just two months ago talking about rolling it out. That's why I'm a little perplexed about the abruptness of the phone call I received last night.''

The 49ers said their proposed Santa Clara site has the advantage of good freeway access and is a 10-minute walk from a VTA light-rail stop and an ACE commuter rail station.

On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers will meet the Detroit Lions, both teams coming off upset wins over their NFL Football rivals. Will Detroit beat the 49ers or will San Francisco upset the Lions? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks now.

Who will win this NFL Football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

San Francisco 49ers +6

Detroit Lions -6

Cardinals and Mountaineers meet on Black Out Thursday

2006-11-02T00:58:00.000-08:00

Black Out Thursday. That's how the no.5 ranked Louisville Cardinals are describing their game against no.3 West Virginia Mountaineers.

Apparently, the memories of the infamous Morgantown meltdown still haunt them. On Thursday, they are encouraging their fans to wear black shirts to Papa John's Cardinal Stadium because this NCAA College Football game on Thursday gives them the chance to ''black out'' thoughts of last year's visit to Morgantown.

It remains to be seen whether they can do just that. And against the no.3 ranked NCAA College Football team in the country today, the West Virginia Mountaineers, it will be difficult.

West Virginia is focused as far as college football glory is concerned. In spite of all the controversies surrounding the West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez, they know how to win football games and with the way they're playing at this point, it will be difficult to etch a win over these guys.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are interested in signing the West Virginia coach, engineering speculations about the coach's future with the Mountaineers college football program.

''Anytime any coaches on our staff or myself get mentioned [for a job], it's very flattering,'' Rodriguez said. ''It's not something I've ever viewed as a distraction.''

''I'm focused on what we're doing right now in our season,'' he said. ''After the season I'm sure I'll sit down with our people here and discuss, with my family, if anything is interesting at that point.''

Can the Louisville Cardinals pull off an upset against West Virginia? Which school will gain the inside track to the Big East title and a potential national title game appearance?

Comparing the stats, before tomorrow night's kickoff, West Virginia has the no.1 rushing offense in the country, while Louisville's ranked seventh; total offense, almost even. The Mountaineers are fourth, and the Cardinals are second.

Overall, the West Virginia Mountaineers have the stingier defense, and the defense of the Louisville Cardinals will have to contend with a pair of rushing monsters from West Virginia, Pat White and Steve Slaton. That's why I'm picking these guys to destroy the Cardinals at home.

Can Louisville upset the Mountaineers or will West Virginia destroy the Cardinals at home? All Star Sportsbook has the odds.

Louisville Cardinals -1

West Virginia Mountaineers +1

Chad Johnson runs His Mouth to Prepare for the Falcons

2006-10-27T01:40:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati Bengals enigmatic wide receiver, Chad Johnson, is breaking out of his silence.

Throughout the NFL Football season, Chad Johnson has been largely quiet off the field. And, compared to his three-time Pro Bowl standards, quiet on the field with just 30 receptions and one touchdown in six games.

But the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver broke out verbally with the media. Johnson came out of his shell on the day Sports Illustrated hit newsstands with, guess who? Chad on the cover.

''Trick or Treat: Is the NFL's Bad Boy Really Mr. Good Guy?'' asks the headline beneath a photo of Chad Johnson, who peers from beneath his gold Mohawk and above a tiger-striped left arm folded across his chest.

''Hey, world, 8-5 is on the cover of SI,'' Johnson said. ''It's a big day. I look good. I look good.''

Johnson's also in the November issue of GQ.

''I mean, what better time to come out and be the real 8-5?'' he asked. ''I'm in GQ. I pose in the... never mind.''

And, completing the well-choreographed flurry of publicity, Johnson is talking loud and proud again (he popped a James Brown CD in the locker room sound system during lunch) just in time to play against DeAngelo Hall, the Pro Bowl cornerback of the Atlanta Falcons and a regular Johnson phone pal.

The Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons will meet Sunday for NFL Football week 8.

Chad Johnson is looking forward to playing against Atlanta Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall, whom Johnson considers the top cornerback of NFL Football. Hall is anticipating the matchup, too.

Who will win this week's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Atlanta Falcons? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your pick now.

All Star Sportsbook has the odds for this week's NFL Football game on Sunday:

Atlanta Falcons +3.5

Cincinnati Bengals -3.5

Will this Bear play for Chicago Against the 49ers?

2006-10-26T02:16:00.000-07:00

The Chicago Bears should forget about interpreting Cedric Benson's body language.

On Wednesday at Halas Hall, Benson's words portrayed a running back as frustrated as he is confused about his role with the Chicago Bears.

Asked about the promise of increased playing time this week against the San Francisco 49ers that offensive coordinator Ron Turner delivered on the team's weekly radio show Monday night on WBBM-AM 780, Benson revealed how far out of the loop he feels. Either that or he needs to get an AM radio.

''If they are planning on it, I wish they could tell me so I could prepare instead of like hoping I can catch the hint,'' Cedric Benson said. ''I wish they'd be a little more upfront and more businesslike about the situation. I hope they're not planning on doing something and not telling me.''

Turner later took responsibility for the failure to inform Benson of the Bears' plan to insert him for the third series against San Francisco. But Turner's valiant effort to protect his player came too late to undo the additional damage Benson had inflicted on his reputation as a moody malcontent.

Before taking a swipe at the coaching staff's lack of communication during Wednesday's open locker room, Benson had complained about the difficulties of finding a rhythm with no clear-cut rotation behind starter Thomas Jones.

''It's hard to get into one when you're in for a series, out for a couple, in for a couple, out for a quarter,'' Benson said.

He had one carry at Arizona after a season-high 14 against Buffalo.

''I have no idea on a week-to-week basis,'' he said.

Coach Lovie Smith, suddenly a friend of the First Amendment, defended Benson's right to express himself. Well, with a perfect start so far in the NFL Football season, Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith can get away with basically anything.

Who will win this week's game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your pick now.

All Star Sportsbook has the odds for this week's NFL Football game on Sunday:

San Francisco 49ers +16.5

Chicago Bears -16.5

Are the Badgers Good Enough in College Football now?

2006-10-26T00:33:00.000-07:00

Are the Wisconsin Badgers good enough for NCAA College Football now?

Securing an accurate reading on the University of Wisconsin Badgers hasn't been easy this season, particularly for those poll voters who haven't seen the team in person.

Two issues have made it difficult for observers to get a feel for UW (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten Conference), ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press poll and No. 18 in the USA Today poll.

First, UW has played just one team currently ranked in the polls, the Michigan Wolverines, and it is possible that number won't change until the bowl game.

Second, several Big Ten teams have reshaped their rosters with young players and are typically struggling. The league is very strong at the top but weaker at the bottom than in past seasons.

''I think we're a good team,'' senior offensive tackle Joe Thomas said recently. ''But we still have a lot of room to improve and that is the exciting thing. We have a huge upside. We've played really good games lately but we still can play a better game.''

UW appears to be a legitimate top 15 today. If the Badgers continue to improve and win they will have a legitimate chance to finish in the top 10 because they'll likely face a higher-ranked team in their bowl game. The 14-point loss in the Big Ten opener at Michigan revealed UW's potential and that loss looks even better almost five weeks later. Michigan (8-0, 5-0) has climbed to No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, behind No. 1 Ohio State (8-0, 4-0), a team UW has the misfortune of missing this season.

Michigan's front seven on defense is the best in the Big Ten and could be the best in the nation. The Wolverines have difference-makers on all three units and tailback Mike Hart gives them the ability to control the clock in a tight game if needed.

As well as UW has played in its current four-game winning streak, outscoring its opponents by a combined 165-41, the fact UW was within striking distance of Michigan in the fourth quarter should tell voters what they need to know about this team.

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

Michael Vick makes Steelers' Bill COWER in Fear

2006-10-20T01:53:00.000-07:00

Twice as dangerous. That's how Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher described Michael Vick and the Atlanta Falcons.

Bill Cowher never has opened a news conference saying anything remotely negative about any opponent his Pittsburgh Steelers will be going up against. Perhaps not in Joe Paterno's league for praising his next foe, Cowher still could work for FTD because he delivers so many bouquets.

He even called the Atlanta Falcons ''twice as dangerous'' this week because they lost to the New York Giants Sunday to fall to 3-2.

The Pittsburgh Steelers will be going up against the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday for NFL Football week 7. But if Cowher's ''twice as dangerous'' argument was in any way true, imagine how dangerous the STILL winless Oakland Raiders will be the following Sunday for the Steelers.
It does not mean Cowher's words aren't often true. And yes, he could not contain himself when he talked about Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, someone he hopes his defense can contain Sunday in Atlanta.

Michael Vick is unique, dangerous, very unique, special, a challenge, a big challenge and a quarterback with an unbelievably strong arm, according to Cowher. Never mind that he also is a quarterback with an inaccurate arm, completing barely 50 percent of his passes, or that his 66.0 passer rating looks good only to those who saw Ben Roethlisberger in his first three games this NFL Football season.

What makes Vick unique from other NFL Football quarterbacks is not his passing, it's his ability to run. There, he has no peer at the position, perhaps in NFL history. Vick has 401 yards rushing after five games, 33 fewer than Willie Parker. His average of 8.7 yards per carry dwarfs his 5.78 yards per pass completion.

''Certainly, this whole offense is very unique because of what Michael presents back there,'' Bill Cowher said.

If you're not following NFL Football that much, you would think Bill Cowher coaches the Atlanta Falcons with the way he praises Michael Vick this much.

Can the Pittsburgh Steelers take advantage of the now struggling Atlanta Falcons? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks 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

Struggling Packers Struggle Some More in NFL Football

2006-10-20T01:49:00.000-07:00

Green Bay Packers wide receiver, Koren Robinson, will sit out the remainder of the NFL Football season.

Refusing to buy the argument that hearing Koren Robinson's appeal before his criminal charges in Minnesota were resolved was unfair, NFL Football upheld his one-year suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.

The league heard Robinson's appeal and little more than 24 hours later announced the Green Bay Packers' receiver would be suspended without pay for at least one year.

In a brief statement, the league said Koren Robinson is eligible to be reinstated no sooner than Sept. 18, 2007. A league spokesman said that date is one year from the day it determined Robinson violated the policy.

Robinson was allowed to play until the appeal was heard, and it's unclear whether that means Robinson won't be reinstated until one year from Tuesday. The league spokesman referred all other inquiries to the NFL's written substance-abuse policy, which states the suspension for players in the third stage of the program, as Robinson is, is one calendar year.

That means Robinson's ban is not for 16 games (the length of an NFL regular season) but rather for 365 days.

The policy also states that "following the one-year banishment, the Commissioner, at his sole discretion, will determine if and when the player will be allowed to return to the NFL."

The one-year ban also means Robinson will not be allowed to work out at Lambeau Field or take part in any team functions with the Green Bay Packers either during the regular season or in the offseason.

Green Bay Packers head coach, Mike McCarthy, said that he had not spoken with Robinson about the suspension. He said he thought league rules prevented him from having any contact with a suspended player.

"I've really never been involved in this process before, but my understanding is we're not allowed to be involved as an organization," McCarthy said. "In respect to the NFL guidelines, we will follow those guidelines.''

Can the Green Bay Packers beat the Miami Dolphins without Koren Robinson? Bet and play WagerTalk's NFL Football Handicapping Contest and decide for yourself. Make your picks 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

Raiders might Play Thrice on NFL Monday Night Football

2006-10-13T02:59:00.000-07:00

At least here's something to look forward to if your a fan of Oakland.

The Oakland Raiders announced that their Oct.22 game against the Arizona Cardinals would be moved to Monday night, Oct.23, if the Oakland Athletics reach the MLB Baseball World Series.

The Raiders are scheduled to play the Cardinals on Oct.22 this Sunday.

Should the Oakland Athletics play in the MLB Baseball World Series, Game 2 is scheduled to be played that day in the American League city.

If the Raiders-Cardinals game is moved to Monday night, kickoff would be at 7 pm.

Oakland Raiders season ticket holders with questions are urged to call 1-800-RAIDERS and check Raiders.com for updates.

The Raiders made no announcement regarding the Oct.29 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, also scheduled for McAfee Coliseum. That game could also be moved, with Game 7 of the World Series scheduled for that evening.

If that game were also moved, the Raiders would end up playing on Monday night for three consecutive weeks. Oakland plays on the road against Seattle on Monday night, Nov.6.

Three NFL Monday Night Football games in a row for a team without any wins to show for this NFL Football season is unfair indeed.

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

Michigan and Penn State Collide in NCAA College Football

2006-10-13T02:58:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, the undefeated Michigan Wolverines will put their perfect record on the line as they visit Penn State and the Nittany Lions on Saturday.

Everyone likes to be ahead of the curve and come up with the big call before it happens. That's why more and more are starting to hint that the Michigan Wolverines, not Ohio State, might be the real favorite to win the Big Ten title and play for the national championship.

The Wolverines have been every bit as impressive as the Buckeyes winning every game by 14 points or more, and with Northwestern, Ball State and Indiana ahead, only this game against Penn State and a date next week against Iowa stands in the way of the showdown in Columbus.

The Penn State Nittany Lions have bell plodding along beating the teams they should be, losing to Notre Dame and Ohio State, and escaping Minnesota with an overtime win thanks to a gift pass interference call to keep the final drive alive.

This is their chance to get back into the Big Ten title race and turn around a ho-hum season. It's asking too much to be a replay of last year's classic 27-25 Wolverine win, the only loss of the season for Penn State.

Michigan's run defense continues to be unbelievable leading the nation by allowing just 40 yards per game despite playing great rushing teams like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan State.

Penn State's offense has been saved by RB Tony Hunt, who has four straight 100-yard games, but he likely won't be going anywhere as Michigan will load up to stop the run and allow its great corners to hang one one one with the Nittany Lion receivers.

While Anthony Morelli has been fine, and he played well against Minnesota, he's still a question mark against a good defense. Is he good enough to beat Michigan? Probably not.

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

Randy Moss is Disgruntled of the Oakland Raiders

2006-10-06T00:54:00.000-07:00

The Oakland Raiders have much bigger concerns to worry about than Randy Moss spouting off again.

With an 0-3 record and a team that’s struggling in all phases of the game, a disgruntled wide receiver is the least of their problems.

In his latest ramblings, Randy Moss said this week that he wasn’t concerned about the team’s poor start because “it doesn’t seem like nobody else is concerned.”

“I don’t really want to single players out,” Moss said. “I mean, I don’t really know what the feeling is. But I know the feeling is bad, so that’s saying no one cares about what’s going on around here.”

Moss has not talked to local media members since after the second exhibition game of these struggling Oakland Raiders in Minnesota on Aug. 14, but has been critical of the team and coach Art Shell in various national interviews the past few weeks.

In his latest, he said the coaching staff is not letting the veterans be leaders and said he’d welcome a trade if management thought that would help the team.

“I don’t want to be the downfall, or the negative or the cancer of the team,” Moss said. “That’s definitely not my goal to do. If they feel trading me and getting me out is the best thing to do, I’ve been traded once, two won’t hurt.”

Raiders head coach, Art Shell said he’s not concerned by what his players say to the media.

“I don’t worry about all the stuff that’s being said,” he said. “I know the character of the players in this locker room. I know what they’re like and I know what they’re capable of doing and what they’ve done. I don’t worry about that. Maybe I’m naive, but I don’t worry about that.”

The Oakland Raiders will be on the road to face the San Francisco 49ers in NFL Week 5. Can they finally win one? Bet and play WagerTalk’s NFL Football Handicapping Contest today.

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Indianapolis Colts 7.00

Dallas Cowboys 15.00

Seattle Seahawks 11.00

Pittsburgh Steelers 11.00

Hurricanes will look to Prove Something in College Football

2006-10-06T00:49:00.000-07:00

The Miami Hurricanes and head coach Larry Coker needed a win in the worst way last weekend in NCAA College Football.

Not only a win, but they also needed an impressive, statement performance. They got the W, but it wasn’t pretty as they beat previously undefeated Houston 14-13 in the Orange Bowl that continued to keep the questions alive surrounding Coker and if his team is still battling as hard as it can be.

On the other hand, the North Carolina Tar Heels haven’t stepped on the field since getting pounded by Clemson 52-7 and must travel to Miami for the second consecutive season.

Both teams are 0-1 in the conference and need a win to stay within shouting distance of the ACC Coastal Division leaders.

Who has the advantage? The Miami Hurricanes may have their problems this NCAA College Football season but Miami is still Miami.

Miami’s run game improved mightily last week due in large part to the insertion of freshman RB Javarris James into the starting lineup. James ran for 148 yards against a better than advertised Houston defense and will face the 114th ranked run defense this weekend.

Although Miami should be able to run the ball well, it’s their ability to stop the run that is the main reason Miami will end up with the W.

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

Colts Look to Continue Winning in NFL Football

2006-09-29T01:16:00.000-07:00

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.

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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

2006-09-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

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.

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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

2006-09-26T00:50:00.000-07:00

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.

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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

2006-09-25T02:31:00.000-07:00

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.

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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

2006-09-25T00:54:00.000-07:00