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SUNDAY'S CONFIRMED NFL CARD AND BOOKIE BUSTER
(12) LIONS +1 (THE BOOKIE BUSTER)
(8) TENNESSEE -2 (ALMOST A BOOKIE BUSTER)
(6) SAN FRANCISCO -4.5
(4) KANSAS CITY -4.5
(2) TITANS/COLTS UNDER 44
(2) LIONS/CARDINALS UNDER 40½
DETROIT (3 - 9) at ARIZONA (4 -
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 4:05 PM
141 DETROIT 39.5
142 ARIZONA -1
Current Season Results And Upcoming Games
Here are the most recent results and upcoming schedules for the two teams involved. Lines, total, game scores, results versus the spread, straight up and against the total are all displayed.
DETROIT - Season Results
Date Opponent Score SU Line ATS Tot. O/U
9/8/2002 @ MIAMI 21-49 L 9.5 L 35.5 O
9/15/2002 @ CAROLINA 7-31 L 3 L 35.5 O
9/22/2002 GREEN BAY 31-37 L 7.5 W 43.5 O
9/29/2002 NEW ORLEANS 26-21 W 9 W 44.5 O
10/13/2002 @ MINNESOTA 24-31 L 4 L 49 O
10/20/2002 CHICAGO 23-20 W 3 W 44 U
10/27/2002 @ BUFFALO 17-24 L 7 T 50.5 U
11/3/2002 DALLAS 9-7 W -3 L 37 U
11/10/2002 @ GREEN BAY 14-40 L 10.5 L 42 O
11/17/2002 NY JETS 14-31 L 3 L 42.5 O
11/24/2002 @ CHICAGO 17-20 L 5.5 W 37.5 U
11/28/2002 NEW ENGLAND 12-20 L 6 L 45.5 U
12/8/2002 @ARIZONA
12/15/2002 TAMPA BAY
12/22/2002 @ATLANTA
12/29/2002 MINNESOTA
ARIZONA - Season Results
Date Opponent Score SU Line ATS Tot. O/U
9/8/2002 @ WASHINGTON 23-31 L 6 L 45 O
9/15/2002 @ SEATTLE 24-13 W 4 W 40 U
9/22/2002 SAN DIEGO 15-23 L 3 L 39 U
9/29/2002 NY GIANTS 21-7 W 3 W 39 U
10/6/2002 @ CAROLINA 16-13 W 5 W 35 U
10/20/2002 DALLAS 9-6 W -4 L 36.5 U
10/27/2002 @ SAN FRANCISCO 28-38 L 9 L 40 O
11/3/2002 ST LOUIS 14-27 L 5 L 43.5 U
11/10/2002 SEATTLE 6-27 L -3 L 37 U
11/17/2002 @ PHILADELPHIA 14-38 L 12 L 37.5 O
11/24/2002 OAKLAND 20-41 L 9.5 L 44 O
12/1/2002 @ KANSAS CITY 0-49 L 9 L 47 O
12/8/2002 DETROIT
12/15/2002 @ST LOUIS
12/21/2002 SAN FRANCISCO
12/29/2002 @DENVER
Head-to-Head Series History
All games in this series since 1992
ARIZONA is 4-2 against the spread versus DETROIT since 1992
ARIZONA is 4-2 straight up against DETROIT since 1992
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
All games played at ARIZONA since 1992
ARIZONA is 2-1 against the spread versus DETROIT since 1992
ARIZONA is 2-1 straight up against DETROIT since 1992
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games played at ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 1-0 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Rushing Passing Turnovers Penalties
Date Teams Score Line Result Half FD TOP ATT-YDS CMP-ATT YDS FL INT PEN-YDS
11/18/2001 DETROIT 38 39.5 Over 14 30 32:29 22-49 36-62 429 0 3 6-69
ARIZONA 45 -1.5 SU ATS 14 23 27:31 26-89 21-33 328 0 1 5-59
Team Line Action - Where the money is going!
Oddsmakers move a line in part because of one-sided public betting action on a side or total. They also move the line in reaction to "wise guy's" selections. Either way, this attempts to uncover whether the wise guys and public have a "read" on a given team. It summarizes both line and total movements. As a general rule, follow the line or total movement when percentages exceed 57% and go against it when they are below 43%.
As indicated by the movement of the line, the betting public is favoring DETROIT in this game.
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in DETROIT games 47.6% of the time since 1992. (60-66)
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in DETROIT games 48.6% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (17-1
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in ARIZONA games 48.2% of the time since 1992. (66-71)
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in ARIZONA games 50% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (19-19)
No Edge.
As indicated by the movement of the total, the betting public is favoring the UNDER in this game.
The betting public is correct when moving the total in DETROIT games 50.8% of the time since 1992. (65-63)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in DETROIT games 52.8% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (19-17)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in ARIZONA games 44.1% of the time since 1992. (52-66)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in ARIZONA games 53.1% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (17-15)
Key Player Injuries
DETROIT
Anthony Herron DE P.u.p. List Out Indefinitely. 8/18
Luke Staley RB Knee Surgery Out for the season. 8/12
Jared DeVries DL Foot Out Sun. vs Ari. 12/5
Brian Walker S Toe Probable Sun. vs Ari. 12/5
Az-Zahir Hakim WR Hip Out for the season. 11/19
Desmond Howard WR Neck I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
Victor Rogers OL Ankle (sprain) I.R. Out for the season. 8/27
Kerlin Blaise OL Knee (surgery) Out for the season. 9/18
ARIZONA
Mike Gruttadauria C Knee Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Dennis McKinley FB Stomach Probable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Rob Fredrickson LB Neck Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Levar Fisher LB Knee Doubtful Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Chris Dishman OG Collarbone Probable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Pete Kendall OG Knee Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
John Fina OL Ankle Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Tom Burke DE Knee Out for the season. 12/4
Duane Starks CB Knee/ankle Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/3
Kyle Vanden Bosch DE Knee Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/3
Frank Sanders WR Foot Out 1-2 weeks. 12/3
Thomas Jones RB Hand Out for the season. 11/26
David Boston WR Knee I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
MarTay Jenkins WR Shoulder I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
Bryan Gilmore WR Leg I.R. Out for the season. 10/29
Detailed Writeup
Two struggling teams will meet Sunday when the Detroit Lions battle the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium. The Lions are tied for the worst record in the NFC, but no team has been worse over the last month-and-a-half than the Cardinals, who have been outscored by the whopping margin of 220-82 in their six-game losing streak. Detroit's Joey Harrington is suffering through some customary rookie struggles. Three weeks ago, the Cardinals gave up five touchdown passes to a quarterback (Donovan McNabb) playing with a broken ankle. Two weeks ago, they yielded more than 500 yards to Oakland. For an encore, Arizona suffered what is believed to be the most lopsided loss in franchise history, a 49-0 defeat at Kansas City last week. The previous worst loss came when the Chicago Cardinals lost to the Chicago Bears, 53-7 in October 1941. The Cards were founded in 1898 and records are not available until 1920. Jake Plummer, the quarterback who led the Cards to their last playoff appearance in 1998 is just about done in Arizona. He threw for only 88 yards with three interceptions in the loss at Kansas City and has an 11-17 touchdown to interception ratio. Eligible to become a free agent at the end of the year, Plummer will likely soon take a backseat to rookie Josh McCown , a third-round pick from Sam Houston State. McCown was 4 of 12 for 45 yards with an interception in the loss at Kansas City.
The Lions know that Joey Harrington , the third overall pick in the 2002 draft, is their quarterback of the future. Harrington experienced some more growing pains, throwing three interceptions -- one of which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Tedy Bruschi -- in a 20-12 loss to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving Day. "There are a lot of bad things a quarterback has to work through," said Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg. "If we were to pull him out of there, he wouldn't learn much." Jason Hanson accounted for all of Detroit's points with four field goals and is 18 of 20 this season. The Cardinals managed just 10 first downs and 122 total yards and yielded five sacks in the loss to Kansas City. After rushing for 115 yards the previous week against Oakland, Marcel Shipp was held to 26 yards on 14 carries by the Chiefs. The defense yielded 477 total yards, including 216 on the ground. Detroit's James Stewart, who has rushed for 910 yards this season, gets his crack at the Cards on Sunday.
The Lions coughed up a Patriot wishbone 20-12 on Thanksgiving last Thursday. Getting a punt blocked, throwing an interception in the red zone and racking up nine penalties usually is a recipe for defeat. Unless the opponent is the Lions (3-9) who have dropped four straight games and lost consecutive games on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since 1992-93. New England scored two TDs off Joey Harrington's three first-half interceptions. The Cardinals lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, with a defense ranked dead last in the NFL, 49-0 Sunday. It's believed to be the most lopsided loss ever for a franchise that's played in three different cities, and in parts of three different centuries. Both of these futile teams see a winning opportunity on Sunday. A scoreless overtime game seems likely but the Lions with a few extra days to prepare will get the win in the desert. Don't look for too many points either...
Projected Score: ARI Cardinals 10, DET Lions 17
BOOKIE BUSTER ON DETROIT LIONS +1
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INDIANAPOLIS (8 - 4) at TENNESSEE (7 - 5)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
131 INDIANAPOLIS 43
132 TENNESSEE -2
Detailed Writeup
Peyton Manning returns to Tennessee this weekend, but reminiscing about his college days is not on the agenda. First place is on the line Sunday when Manning and the Indianapolis Colts meet the Tennessee Titans in a pivotal AFC South rematch. Tony Dungy's defense is showing steady improvement as the season progresses. A state hero after shattering all of the passing records at the University of Tennessee, Manning is shooting for the second division title of his five-year NFL career. A win Sunday would give the Colts a two-game lead over Tennessee with just four remaining. However, a win by the Titans puts them in the driver's seat since they would own the tiebreaker by virtue of sweeping the season series.
In the first meeting between the new division rivals last month at Indianapolis, the Titans blanked Manning and the Colts for three quarters and posted a 23-15 victory. Keith Bulluck returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown and fellow linebacker Peter Sirmon intercepted a pass by Manning and returned it 31 yards to set up a field goal by Joe Nedney. "I remember their defense playing very, very well," said Colts coach Tony Dungy of the first meeting. "With Jeff Fisher as the coach, you know they're going to be tough and they created some turnovers."
Fisher's style is also a smash mouth attack on offense and George produced 95 yards on 22 carries against a much improved Colts defense under Dungy. McNair attempted just 19 passes, completing 14 for only 82 yards and a touchdown. The Colts had 378 yards in total offense, but scored their first points in the fourth quarter after Tennessee had already built a 23-0 lead. Manning hit Mike Roberg with a two-yard touchdown with 12:17 left and connected with Marvin Harrison on the two-point conversion. Harrison caught a 19-yard scoring pass with 1:57 remaining. The touchdown capped an 11-catch, 99-yard day for Harrison, who again will probably be shadowed by Titans star cornerback Samari Rolle on Sunday. The only player in NFL history with four straight 100-catch seasons, Harrison is closing in on Herman Moore's single-season record of 123 receptions in 1995. Harrison has 109 catches for 1,318 yards.
Since that loss to the Titans on November 3, Indianapolis has won four straight and is tied with Oakland for the best record in the conference. After an emotional overtime win at Denver on November 24, the Colts rode their defense to a 19-3 win over the expansion Houston Texans last week. Indianapolis recorded six sacks, including three by defensive end Brad Scioli, and held the Texans to 10 first downs and 165 total yards. Indianapolis also did not achieve much offensively, totaling 13 first downs. Manning threw for only 190 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown to tight end Marcus Pollard, and Edgerrin James was held to 65 yards on 20 carries.
Listed as questionable with rib, shin and toe injuries, McNair threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, including a nine-yard scoring pass to tight end Frank Wycheck with nine seconds left. After that pulled Tennessee within 29-27, McNair scored the game-tying two-point conversion on a quarterback draw. In overtime, McNair directed a seven-play, 60-yard drive to set up Nedney's winning 38-yard field goal. "He doesn't get nearly enough credit from the national media," Fisher said of McNair, who completed 30 of 43 passes and also rushed four times for 38 yards.
It looks like the Colts offense has bogged down and the defense has improved steadily opposed the the Titans offense which has heated up under Air-McNair. When Manning led the Colts to the AFC East title with a 13-3 record in 1999, it was the Titans -- led by coach Jeff Fisher, quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George -- who beat him in the divisional playoff en route to Super Bowl XXXIV. Deja Vu? I think so.
Projected Score: TEN Titans 21, IND Colts 16
PLAY 8* UNITS ON TENNESSEE - 2
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE UNDER 44
SAN FRANCISCO (8 - 4) at DALLAS (5 - 7)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
135 SAN FRANCISCO -4.5
136 DALLAS 39.
The 49ers held on to beat the Seahawks 31-24 on Sunday as Garrison Hearst rushed for 124 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and Jimmy Williams returned a punt 89 yards for a score. The 49ers (8-4) took a three-game lead in the division, which they can win for the first time since 1997 with another victory and a loss by St. Louis (5-7) in the final four games. "I want to see better things out of this offense,' said Jeff Garcia, who passed for just 164 yards following two early interceptions. "We all want to be better. Today was frustrating, because I don't see the progress being made on a daily basis.' The Cowboys, led by Emmitt Smith, with 144 yards rushing, beat the Redskins 27-20 for the 10th straight time on Sunday. Roy Williams returned an interception for a touchdown late in the third quarter, then Joey Galloway strutted into the end zone with the go-ahead score early in the fourth. The 49ers haven’t put it all together in a while but against the Cowboys look for some impressive numbers. The 49ers defense will corral the ‘Boys on Sunday.
Projected Score: SF 49ers 21, DAL Cowboys 10
PLAY 6* UNITS ON THE 49ERS -4.5
ST LOUIS (5 - 7) at KANSAS CITY (6 - 6)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
125 ST LOUIS 44.5
126 KANSAS CITY -5
The St. Louis Rams probably didn't think they would ever have to face former coach Dick Vermeil. On Sunday, however, the Rams meet the coach who led them to their only Super Bowl title when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. Marshall Faulk and the Rams have little hope of making the postseason.
Shortly after leading the Rams to a thrilling win over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000, Vermeil announced his retirement from coaching. He went 22-26 in three seasons with St. Louis. It was no secret that when Vermeil retired, the Rams did not want to lose offensive coordinator Mike Martz, eventually naming him to take over as new coach. After a one-year hiatus, Vermeil returned to the sidelines when he was named Chiefs coach. Under Vermeil, Kurt Warner went from a grocery store clerk to Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. On Sunday, Vermeil will not have to deal with the two-time NFL MVP, who is expected to miss at least two games with a broken right hand. Warner is 0-6 as the Rams' starting quarterback this season. Martz said that third-stringer Jamie Martin will get the start, with Marc Bulger, who is 5-0 as a starter, serving as backup. Bulger has been hampered by a sprained right index finger. Martin lost his only start this season at San Francisco. With Warner's struggles, the defending NFC champion Rams are all but out of the playoff picture, trailing the San Francisco 49ers by three games in the West. Last week, Warner was intercepted twice and lost a fumble in a 10-3 loss at Philadelphia. St. Louis committed five turnovers, but its defense forced four.
Sunday's game is the first meeting for Chiefs quarterback Trent Green against his old team. Green spent two seasons with the Rams and was their starter heading into the 1999 campaign before he went down with a season-ending knee injury. That led to Warner authoring one of the best stories in NFL history. In a 54-34 loss at Kansas City during the 2000 season, Warner went down with a broken right pinky. The Chiefs, who are desperately trying to stay in the AFC West race, are coming off a 49-0 rout of Arizona. Ranked last in the NFL in total defense, Kansas City held the Cardinals to 122 total yards and 10 first downs. Priest Holmes paced the offense with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Holmes has 22 total TDs, putting him within four of matching St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk 's single-season record, set in 2000. Holmes leads the NFL in rushing with 1,322 yards, four more than San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson. Kansas City is in last place in its division, one game behind Denver and two behind co-leaders San Diego and Oakland. The Chiefs are the best last place team we've seen in a long time.
Projected Score: KC Chiefs 27, STL Rams 21
PLAY 4* UNITS ON KANSAS CITY -4.5
(12) LIONS +1 (THE BOOKIE BUSTER)
(8) TENNESSEE -2 (ALMOST A BOOKIE BUSTER)
(6) SAN FRANCISCO -4.5
(4) KANSAS CITY -4.5
(2) TITANS/COLTS UNDER 44
(2) LIONS/CARDINALS UNDER 40½
DETROIT (3 - 9) at ARIZONA (4 -
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 4:05 PM
141 DETROIT 39.5
142 ARIZONA -1
Current Season Results And Upcoming Games
Here are the most recent results and upcoming schedules for the two teams involved. Lines, total, game scores, results versus the spread, straight up and against the total are all displayed.
DETROIT - Season Results
Date Opponent Score SU Line ATS Tot. O/U
9/8/2002 @ MIAMI 21-49 L 9.5 L 35.5 O
9/15/2002 @ CAROLINA 7-31 L 3 L 35.5 O
9/22/2002 GREEN BAY 31-37 L 7.5 W 43.5 O
9/29/2002 NEW ORLEANS 26-21 W 9 W 44.5 O
10/13/2002 @ MINNESOTA 24-31 L 4 L 49 O
10/20/2002 CHICAGO 23-20 W 3 W 44 U
10/27/2002 @ BUFFALO 17-24 L 7 T 50.5 U
11/3/2002 DALLAS 9-7 W -3 L 37 U
11/10/2002 @ GREEN BAY 14-40 L 10.5 L 42 O
11/17/2002 NY JETS 14-31 L 3 L 42.5 O
11/24/2002 @ CHICAGO 17-20 L 5.5 W 37.5 U
11/28/2002 NEW ENGLAND 12-20 L 6 L 45.5 U
12/8/2002 @ARIZONA
12/15/2002 TAMPA BAY
12/22/2002 @ATLANTA
12/29/2002 MINNESOTA
ARIZONA - Season Results
Date Opponent Score SU Line ATS Tot. O/U
9/8/2002 @ WASHINGTON 23-31 L 6 L 45 O
9/15/2002 @ SEATTLE 24-13 W 4 W 40 U
9/22/2002 SAN DIEGO 15-23 L 3 L 39 U
9/29/2002 NY GIANTS 21-7 W 3 W 39 U
10/6/2002 @ CAROLINA 16-13 W 5 W 35 U
10/20/2002 DALLAS 9-6 W -4 L 36.5 U
10/27/2002 @ SAN FRANCISCO 28-38 L 9 L 40 O
11/3/2002 ST LOUIS 14-27 L 5 L 43.5 U
11/10/2002 SEATTLE 6-27 L -3 L 37 U
11/17/2002 @ PHILADELPHIA 14-38 L 12 L 37.5 O
11/24/2002 OAKLAND 20-41 L 9.5 L 44 O
12/1/2002 @ KANSAS CITY 0-49 L 9 L 47 O
12/8/2002 DETROIT
12/15/2002 @ST LOUIS
12/21/2002 SAN FRANCISCO
12/29/2002 @DENVER
Head-to-Head Series History
All games in this series since 1992
ARIZONA is 4-2 against the spread versus DETROIT since 1992
ARIZONA is 4-2 straight up against DETROIT since 1992
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
All games played at ARIZONA since 1992
ARIZONA is 2-1 against the spread versus DETROIT since 1992
ARIZONA is 2-1 straight up against DETROIT since 1992
2 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL since 1992
Games played at ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons.
ARIZONA is 1-0 against the spread versus DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
ARIZONA is 1-0 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons
Rushing Passing Turnovers Penalties
Date Teams Score Line Result Half FD TOP ATT-YDS CMP-ATT YDS FL INT PEN-YDS
11/18/2001 DETROIT 38 39.5 Over 14 30 32:29 22-49 36-62 429 0 3 6-69
ARIZONA 45 -1.5 SU ATS 14 23 27:31 26-89 21-33 328 0 1 5-59
Team Line Action - Where the money is going!
Oddsmakers move a line in part because of one-sided public betting action on a side or total. They also move the line in reaction to "wise guy's" selections. Either way, this attempts to uncover whether the wise guys and public have a "read" on a given team. It summarizes both line and total movements. As a general rule, follow the line or total movement when percentages exceed 57% and go against it when they are below 43%.
As indicated by the movement of the line, the betting public is favoring DETROIT in this game.
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in DETROIT games 47.6% of the time since 1992. (60-66)
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in DETROIT games 48.6% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (17-1
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in ARIZONA games 48.2% of the time since 1992. (66-71)
The betting public is correct when moving the money line in ARIZONA games 50% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (19-19)
No Edge.
As indicated by the movement of the total, the betting public is favoring the UNDER in this game.
The betting public is correct when moving the total in DETROIT games 50.8% of the time since 1992. (65-63)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in DETROIT games 52.8% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (19-17)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in ARIZONA games 44.1% of the time since 1992. (52-66)
The betting public is correct when moving the total in ARIZONA games 53.1% of the time over the past 3 seasons. (17-15)
Key Player Injuries
DETROIT
Anthony Herron DE P.u.p. List Out Indefinitely. 8/18
Luke Staley RB Knee Surgery Out for the season. 8/12
Jared DeVries DL Foot Out Sun. vs Ari. 12/5
Brian Walker S Toe Probable Sun. vs Ari. 12/5
Az-Zahir Hakim WR Hip Out for the season. 11/19
Desmond Howard WR Neck I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
Victor Rogers OL Ankle (sprain) I.R. Out for the season. 8/27
Kerlin Blaise OL Knee (surgery) Out for the season. 9/18
ARIZONA
Mike Gruttadauria C Knee Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Dennis McKinley FB Stomach Probable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Rob Fredrickson LB Neck Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Levar Fisher LB Knee Doubtful Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Chris Dishman OG Collarbone Probable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Pete Kendall OG Knee Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/5
John Fina OL Ankle Out Sun. vs Det. 12/5
Tom Burke DE Knee Out for the season. 12/4
Duane Starks CB Knee/ankle Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/3
Kyle Vanden Bosch DE Knee Questionable Sun. vs Det. 12/3
Frank Sanders WR Foot Out 1-2 weeks. 12/3
Thomas Jones RB Hand Out for the season. 11/26
David Boston WR Knee I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
MarTay Jenkins WR Shoulder I.R. Out for the season. 11/13
Bryan Gilmore WR Leg I.R. Out for the season. 10/29
Detailed Writeup
Two struggling teams will meet Sunday when the Detroit Lions battle the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium. The Lions are tied for the worst record in the NFC, but no team has been worse over the last month-and-a-half than the Cardinals, who have been outscored by the whopping margin of 220-82 in their six-game losing streak. Detroit's Joey Harrington is suffering through some customary rookie struggles. Three weeks ago, the Cardinals gave up five touchdown passes to a quarterback (Donovan McNabb) playing with a broken ankle. Two weeks ago, they yielded more than 500 yards to Oakland. For an encore, Arizona suffered what is believed to be the most lopsided loss in franchise history, a 49-0 defeat at Kansas City last week. The previous worst loss came when the Chicago Cardinals lost to the Chicago Bears, 53-7 in October 1941. The Cards were founded in 1898 and records are not available until 1920. Jake Plummer, the quarterback who led the Cards to their last playoff appearance in 1998 is just about done in Arizona. He threw for only 88 yards with three interceptions in the loss at Kansas City and has an 11-17 touchdown to interception ratio. Eligible to become a free agent at the end of the year, Plummer will likely soon take a backseat to rookie Josh McCown , a third-round pick from Sam Houston State. McCown was 4 of 12 for 45 yards with an interception in the loss at Kansas City.
The Lions know that Joey Harrington , the third overall pick in the 2002 draft, is their quarterback of the future. Harrington experienced some more growing pains, throwing three interceptions -- one of which was returned 27 yards for a touchdown by linebacker Tedy Bruschi -- in a 20-12 loss to the New England Patriots on Thanksgiving Day. "There are a lot of bad things a quarterback has to work through," said Lions coach Marty Mornhinweg. "If we were to pull him out of there, he wouldn't learn much." Jason Hanson accounted for all of Detroit's points with four field goals and is 18 of 20 this season. The Cardinals managed just 10 first downs and 122 total yards and yielded five sacks in the loss to Kansas City. After rushing for 115 yards the previous week against Oakland, Marcel Shipp was held to 26 yards on 14 carries by the Chiefs. The defense yielded 477 total yards, including 216 on the ground. Detroit's James Stewart, who has rushed for 910 yards this season, gets his crack at the Cards on Sunday.
The Lions coughed up a Patriot wishbone 20-12 on Thanksgiving last Thursday. Getting a punt blocked, throwing an interception in the red zone and racking up nine penalties usually is a recipe for defeat. Unless the opponent is the Lions (3-9) who have dropped four straight games and lost consecutive games on Thanksgiving Day for the first time since 1992-93. New England scored two TDs off Joey Harrington's three first-half interceptions. The Cardinals lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, with a defense ranked dead last in the NFL, 49-0 Sunday. It's believed to be the most lopsided loss ever for a franchise that's played in three different cities, and in parts of three different centuries. Both of these futile teams see a winning opportunity on Sunday. A scoreless overtime game seems likely but the Lions with a few extra days to prepare will get the win in the desert. Don't look for too many points either...
Projected Score: ARI Cardinals 10, DET Lions 17
BOOKIE BUSTER ON DETROIT LIONS +1
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INDIANAPOLIS (8 - 4) at TENNESSEE (7 - 5)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
131 INDIANAPOLIS 43
132 TENNESSEE -2
Detailed Writeup
Peyton Manning returns to Tennessee this weekend, but reminiscing about his college days is not on the agenda. First place is on the line Sunday when Manning and the Indianapolis Colts meet the Tennessee Titans in a pivotal AFC South rematch. Tony Dungy's defense is showing steady improvement as the season progresses. A state hero after shattering all of the passing records at the University of Tennessee, Manning is shooting for the second division title of his five-year NFL career. A win Sunday would give the Colts a two-game lead over Tennessee with just four remaining. However, a win by the Titans puts them in the driver's seat since they would own the tiebreaker by virtue of sweeping the season series.
In the first meeting between the new division rivals last month at Indianapolis, the Titans blanked Manning and the Colts for three quarters and posted a 23-15 victory. Keith Bulluck returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown and fellow linebacker Peter Sirmon intercepted a pass by Manning and returned it 31 yards to set up a field goal by Joe Nedney. "I remember their defense playing very, very well," said Colts coach Tony Dungy of the first meeting. "With Jeff Fisher as the coach, you know they're going to be tough and they created some turnovers."
Fisher's style is also a smash mouth attack on offense and George produced 95 yards on 22 carries against a much improved Colts defense under Dungy. McNair attempted just 19 passes, completing 14 for only 82 yards and a touchdown. The Colts had 378 yards in total offense, but scored their first points in the fourth quarter after Tennessee had already built a 23-0 lead. Manning hit Mike Roberg with a two-yard touchdown with 12:17 left and connected with Marvin Harrison on the two-point conversion. Harrison caught a 19-yard scoring pass with 1:57 remaining. The touchdown capped an 11-catch, 99-yard day for Harrison, who again will probably be shadowed by Titans star cornerback Samari Rolle on Sunday. The only player in NFL history with four straight 100-catch seasons, Harrison is closing in on Herman Moore's single-season record of 123 receptions in 1995. Harrison has 109 catches for 1,318 yards.
Since that loss to the Titans on November 3, Indianapolis has won four straight and is tied with Oakland for the best record in the conference. After an emotional overtime win at Denver on November 24, the Colts rode their defense to a 19-3 win over the expansion Houston Texans last week. Indianapolis recorded six sacks, including three by defensive end Brad Scioli, and held the Texans to 10 first downs and 165 total yards. Indianapolis also did not achieve much offensively, totaling 13 first downs. Manning threw for only 190 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown to tight end Marcus Pollard, and Edgerrin James was held to 65 yards on 20 carries.
Listed as questionable with rib, shin and toe injuries, McNair threw for 334 yards and three touchdowns, including a nine-yard scoring pass to tight end Frank Wycheck with nine seconds left. After that pulled Tennessee within 29-27, McNair scored the game-tying two-point conversion on a quarterback draw. In overtime, McNair directed a seven-play, 60-yard drive to set up Nedney's winning 38-yard field goal. "He doesn't get nearly enough credit from the national media," Fisher said of McNair, who completed 30 of 43 passes and also rushed four times for 38 yards.
It looks like the Colts offense has bogged down and the defense has improved steadily opposed the the Titans offense which has heated up under Air-McNair. When Manning led the Colts to the AFC East title with a 13-3 record in 1999, it was the Titans -- led by coach Jeff Fisher, quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George -- who beat him in the divisional playoff en route to Super Bowl XXXIV. Deja Vu? I think so.
Projected Score: TEN Titans 21, IND Colts 16
PLAY 8* UNITS ON TENNESSEE - 2
PLAY 2* UNITS ON THE UNDER 44
SAN FRANCISCO (8 - 4) at DALLAS (5 - 7)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
135 SAN FRANCISCO -4.5
136 DALLAS 39.
The 49ers held on to beat the Seahawks 31-24 on Sunday as Garrison Hearst rushed for 124 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, and Jimmy Williams returned a punt 89 yards for a score. The 49ers (8-4) took a three-game lead in the division, which they can win for the first time since 1997 with another victory and a loss by St. Louis (5-7) in the final four games. "I want to see better things out of this offense,' said Jeff Garcia, who passed for just 164 yards following two early interceptions. "We all want to be better. Today was frustrating, because I don't see the progress being made on a daily basis.' The Cowboys, led by Emmitt Smith, with 144 yards rushing, beat the Redskins 27-20 for the 10th straight time on Sunday. Roy Williams returned an interception for a touchdown late in the third quarter, then Joey Galloway strutted into the end zone with the go-ahead score early in the fourth. The 49ers haven’t put it all together in a while but against the Cowboys look for some impressive numbers. The 49ers defense will corral the ‘Boys on Sunday.
Projected Score: SF 49ers 21, DAL Cowboys 10
PLAY 6* UNITS ON THE 49ERS -4.5
ST LOUIS (5 - 7) at KANSAS CITY (6 - 6)
Week 14 Sunday, 12/8/2002 1:00 PM
125 ST LOUIS 44.5
126 KANSAS CITY -5
The St. Louis Rams probably didn't think they would ever have to face former coach Dick Vermeil. On Sunday, however, the Rams meet the coach who led them to their only Super Bowl title when they travel to Arrowhead Stadium for a matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs. Marshall Faulk and the Rams have little hope of making the postseason.
Shortly after leading the Rams to a thrilling win over Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV in January 2000, Vermeil announced his retirement from coaching. He went 22-26 in three seasons with St. Louis. It was no secret that when Vermeil retired, the Rams did not want to lose offensive coordinator Mike Martz, eventually naming him to take over as new coach. After a one-year hiatus, Vermeil returned to the sidelines when he was named Chiefs coach. Under Vermeil, Kurt Warner went from a grocery store clerk to Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. On Sunday, Vermeil will not have to deal with the two-time NFL MVP, who is expected to miss at least two games with a broken right hand. Warner is 0-6 as the Rams' starting quarterback this season. Martz said that third-stringer Jamie Martin will get the start, with Marc Bulger, who is 5-0 as a starter, serving as backup. Bulger has been hampered by a sprained right index finger. Martin lost his only start this season at San Francisco. With Warner's struggles, the defending NFC champion Rams are all but out of the playoff picture, trailing the San Francisco 49ers by three games in the West. Last week, Warner was intercepted twice and lost a fumble in a 10-3 loss at Philadelphia. St. Louis committed five turnovers, but its defense forced four.
Sunday's game is the first meeting for Chiefs quarterback Trent Green against his old team. Green spent two seasons with the Rams and was their starter heading into the 1999 campaign before he went down with a season-ending knee injury. That led to Warner authoring one of the best stories in NFL history. In a 54-34 loss at Kansas City during the 2000 season, Warner went down with a broken right pinky. The Chiefs, who are desperately trying to stay in the AFC West race, are coming off a 49-0 rout of Arizona. Ranked last in the NFL in total defense, Kansas City held the Cardinals to 122 total yards and 10 first downs. Priest Holmes paced the offense with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Holmes has 22 total TDs, putting him within four of matching St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk 's single-season record, set in 2000. Holmes leads the NFL in rushing with 1,322 yards, four more than San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson. Kansas City is in last place in its division, one game behind Denver and two behind co-leaders San Diego and Oakland. The Chiefs are the best last place team we've seen in a long time.
Projected Score: KC Chiefs 27, STL Rams 21
PLAY 4* UNITS ON KANSAS CITY -4.5