Saturday Trends and Indexes 01/05

[pm530]

Trends and Indexes
Saturday, January 5

Good Luck on day #5 of 2008!

NOTE:
As information becomes available, we will attempt to post the trends and indexes as soon as possible.
Information is posted from what we believe are reliable sources.


Note:
We are experiencing some high wind and heavy rain conditions in our area resulting in extended power outages. This may result in some late postings. Your patience is appreciated!
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[pm530]

Six-pack for Saturday

-- Why would the NFL put the Pittsburgh game on at nite? It is by far the coldest of the four home sites this weekend.

-- #5,6 seeds in NFL playoffs often have advantage in this round, because they usually had to play better to get into playoffs, as opposed to team winning a weaker division.

-- Knicks played well in San Antonio Friday night, but lost yet again. The Ford family and James Dolan must have a huge bet as to who gets fired first, Millen or Isiah.

-- Miami Heat are a pathetic team; Dwyane Wade sat out again Friday, as did Shaq (but that doesn't matter so much anymore). Heat actually has the worst record in the east.

-- If form holds this week, next week's games would be as follows: Chargers-Colts, Steelers-Patriots......Dallas-Giants and Seattle-Green Bay.

-- Snow games get huge TV ratings, by the way, which is why they put the Steelers' game on at night; they're hoping for bad weather, and the ratings that go with it.

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[pm530]

Saturday's List of 13: Focus on fun for a frigid Saturday.....

In my humble opinion, the 33 best sports days of the year:

-- Conference championship Sunday in NFL. For some teams, getting to the Super Bowl is almost as good as winning it.

-- First day of World Match Play tournament in February—32 golf matches, plus full card of college hoop at night.

-- Thursday-Saturday of championship week. 14 hours of hoops, three days in a row. Not bad.

-- First weekend of NCAA tournament—64 teams get whittled down to 16. Best weekend of the year, by far.

-- Final Four Saturday, which is usually two days before…..

-- ….opening day of baseball season, and no, not when they play games from Japan at 5am. Real Opening Day, when they play in Cincinnati.

-- Sunday afternoon at the four golf majors. Good drama.

-- 17 NFL Sundays—From 1:00 until 11:30 for 17 Sundays in a row, nothing else matters.

-- Rivalry Saturday in college football—Has now moved back to Thanksgiving Saturday. Ton of pigskin and hoops, all wrapped around leftovers.

I left New Year’s Day off because those six games don’t mean any more than the six games played on New Year’s Eve…… ....…lot of people would put Breeders’ Cup day on, especially since it is also a college football day, but I don’t like horse racing that much. The NBA and NHL don’t have one specific "day" that stands out……..I don’t like All-Star games…...…. you can make a case for the NFL Draft, or Sunday at the Tour Championship……….but not the Kentucky Derby, much ado about a two-minute race…….I guess Daytona 500 would also have a shot on some people’s list.

Make your own list, see what you come up with.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Dunkel Index

NFL
Dunkel Index

Wild Card Weekend


Washington at Seattle
The Redskins have been on a mission since the death of safety Sean Taylor and finished the regular season with four straight wins, including road victories over the Giants and Vikings in which a loss would have ended their postseason chances. They ended the season with a 21-point win -- the same number that Taylor wore -- over the Cowboys that was impressive even though Dallas rested a number of starters. Now Washington gets a chance to face the Seahawks in a rematch of the 2005 playoff contest, won by Seattle (20-10). But while the Seahawks were able to win 10 games this season, they played only one against a playoff team (Pittsburgh in Week 5) and lost 21-0. Facing a hot Washington team is a tough draw for Seattle and makes the Redskins the underdog pick (+3 1/2) according to Dunkel, which has Washington favored straight up by 1. Dunkel Pick: Washington (+3 1/2). Here are all of this week's picks.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5

Game 479-480: Washington at Seattle
Dunkel Ratings: Washington 133.598; Seattle 132.917
Dunkel Line: Washington by 1; 42
Vegas Line: Seattle by 3 1/2; 40
Dunkel Pick: Washington (+3 1/2); Over

Game 481-482: Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Dunkel Ratings: Jacksonville 136.373; Pittsburgh 138.635
Dunkel Line: Pittsburgh by 2 1/2; 44
Vegas Line: Jacksonville by 2; 39 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Pittsburgh (+2); Over

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6

Game 485-486: NY Giants at Tampa Bay
Dunkel Ratings: NY Giants 131.027; Tampa Bay 132.909
Dunkel Line: Tampa Bay by 2; 42
Vegas Line: Tampa Bay by 3; 39 1/2
Dunkel Pick: NY Giants (+3); Over

Game 487-488: Tennessee at San Diego
Dunkel Ratings: Tennessee 129.151; San Diego 142.210
Dunkel Line: San Diego by 13; 37
Vegas Line: San Diego by 9; 40 1/2
Dunkel Pick: San Diego (-9); Under

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[pm530]

National Football League – Long Sheet

NFL
Long Sheet


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Saturday, January 5
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WASHINGTON (9 - 7) at SEATTLE (10 - 6) - 1/5/2008, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SEATTLE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home lined games over the last 3 seasons.
SEATTLE is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in home games in games played on a grass field over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 45-27 ATS (+15.3 Units) as an underdog of 3.5 to 9.5 points since 1992.
WASHINGTON is 28-11 ATS (+15.9 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1992.
SEATTLE is 13-27 ATS (-16.7 Units) as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points since 1992.

Head-to-Head Series History
SEATTLE is 1-1 against the spread versus WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
SEATTLE is 1-1 straight up against WASHINGTON over the last 3 seasons
1 of 2 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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JACKSONVILLE (11 - 5) at PITTSBURGH (10 - 6) - 1/5/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
JACKSONVILLE is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) when playing with 6 or less days rest this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
JACKSONVILLE is 3-0 against the spread versus PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
JACKSONVILLE is 3-0 straight up against PITTSBURGH over the last 3 seasons
2 of 3 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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Sunday, January 6
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NY GIANTS (10 - 6) at TAMPA BAY (9 - 7) - 1/6/2008, 1:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY GIANTS are 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
NY GIANTS are 11-2 ATS (+8.8 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY GIANTS is 1-0 against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
NY GIANTS is 1-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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TENNESSEE (10 - 6) at SAN DIEGO (11 - 5) - 1/6/2008, 4:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN DIEGO is 8-2 ATS (+5.8 Units) as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points this season.
SAN DIEGO is 10-3 ATS (+6.7 Units) as a favorite this season.
SAN DIEGO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in home games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 7-1 ATS (+5.9 Units) in home lined games this season.
SAN DIEGO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) against AFC South division opponents since 1992.
SAN DIEGO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) in games played on a grass field this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN DIEGO is 2-0 against the spread versus TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
SAN DIEGO is 2-0 straight up against TENNESSEE over the last 3 seasons
1 of 1 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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[pm530]

National Football League - Short Sheet

NFL
Wild Card Games
Short Sheet


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Saturday, January 5
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NFC Wild Card Round
TV: NBC
Washington at Seattle, 4:30 ET


Washington:
12-1 Under after outgaining prev opp by 200+ total yards
6-0 Under in playoff games

Seattle:
6-1 ATS as a home favorite
18-7 ATS in home games

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AFC Wild Card Round
TV: NBC
Jacksonville at Pittsburgh, 8:00 ET


Jacksonville:
5-0 ATS vs. Pittsburgh
10-0 Over L10 games

Pittsburgh:
1-4 ATS in home playoff games
18-5 Over in home games

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Sunday, January 6
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NFC Wild Card Round
TV: FOX
NY Giants at Tampa Bay, 1:00 ET


NY Giants:
12-4 ATS in road games
12-3 ATS after scoring 35+ points last game

Tampa Bay:
13-4 Under at home off home loss
26-11 Under vs. NFC East

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AFC Wild Card Round
TV: CBS
Tennessee at San Diego, 8:00 ET


Tennessee:
11-2 Over after BB wins by 6 or less points
15-3 Over after scoring 17 points or less BB games

San Diego:
8-0 ATS as a home favorite of 7.5 to 10 points
7-1 ATS in home games

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[pm530]

National Football League – Write up

NFL
Write-up
Wild Card Games


Saturday, January 5

Wild-Card Round Schedule
Saturday's games

Seattle beat Redskins 20-10 in playoffs here couple of years ago, but Washington is playing inspired ball, winning last four games after their QB went down (knee), their star safety was killed and their HOF coach blew a game by not knowing a rule. Seahawks won last five home games (5-0 vs spread) since losing to Saints at home in Week 6. Redskins are 4-2-1 vs spread as dog; they're 5-3 SU on road- this is their third road games in last four weeks. Hard to imagine vet Collins (no starts in last 10 years until start due to Campbell's injury three weeks ago) winning playoff game on foreign soil, but strangers things have happened.

Jacksonville came to sloppy Heinz Field three weeks ago, won by 29-22 over Steelers, outrushing Pittsburgh 225-111; Jags had five sacks in that game, held Pitt to 2.8 ypa. In last four games before mailing last week's loss in, Jags had run ball 139 times for a total of 193 yards/game. Two of Steelers' three TDs in that game were on drives that started in Jax territory. There is concern that Pitt has slipped, losing three of last four games. Hard to imagine that Steelers are home dog in playoff game against warm weather side

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[pm530]

National Football League - Tips & Trends

NFL


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Tips and Trends
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Wild Card Weekend


Saturday, January 5

Washington Redskins at Seattle Seahawks
(NBC | 4:30 PM ET)

Seattle is one of the best home teams in the NFL, going 7-1 SU at Qwest Field and 6-2 ATS. The Seahawks have won their last 5 home games by an average of 20 points. Two of their three losses to end the regular season were both on the road with the division already clinched. Seattle beat Washington 2 years ago in the playoffs as a 9.5-point favorite, 20-10. BIG EDGE: SEAHAWKS
The Redskins have been emotionally charged since Pro Bowl safety Sean Taylor was fatally shot just prior to Week 13, going 4-1 SU & ATS with 4 straight wins. All 4 wins came against teams either in the playoffs or battling for playoff spots, as Washington helped knock both Chicago and Minnesota out of contention. Two of those wins also came on the road. EDGE: REDSKINS
Seahawks are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Seahawks are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games as a favorite.
Seahawks are 6-2 in their last 8 games against NFC opponents.
Redskins are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games in January.
The UNDER is 6-2 in Washington's last 8 games in January.


Jacksonville Jaguars at Pittsburgh Steelers
(NBC | 8 PM ET)

This is one of two Wild Card rematches from the regular season, with the Jaguars beating the Steelers 29-22 in Pittsburgh back on December 16th. Jacksonville has covered the last 5 meetings and 7 of 8, taking a 22-7 lead into the 4th quarter of the last game between the teams before Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger rallied his team back. EDGE: JAGUARS
Jaguars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Jaguars are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games on grass.
Steelers are 2-6 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
The home team is 14-5 ATS in the last 19 meetings.
The OVER is 9-0-1 in Jacksonville's last 10 games and 16-5-1 in the last 22.
The OVER is 13-3 in Pittsburgh's last 16 games in January.
The OVER is 9-2 in Pittsburgh's last 11 playoff games.
The UNDER is 13-6 in the last 19 meetings.


Sunday, January 6

New York Giants at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (FOX | 1 PM ET)

Tampa Bay was one of the best home teams in the NFC this season, going 6-2 both SU & ATS. One of the losses was 24-23 to Jacksonville and the other came in the regular-season finale against Carolina in a meaningless game. EDGE: BUCS
New York finished tied with Indy and Dallas as the 2nd-best road team in the NFL behind New England. The Giants were 7-1 away from home and their only loss came against the Cowboys in Week 1. Since then, they have won 7 straight, including a trip to London in Week 8 vs. Miami. That is the only road game they did not cover since losing to Dallas. EDGE: GIANTS
Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia will try to defeat the Giants in the playoffs with his 3rd different team after beating them last year as an Eagle and as a 49er in 2003, leading San Francisco back from a 24-point deficit en route to a 39-38 victory. EDGE: BUCS
Giants are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games vs. NFC opponents.
Bucs are 8-3 ATS in their last 11 games vs. NFC opponents.
Bucs are 3-7 ATS in their last 10 vs. teams with a winning record.


Tennessee Titans at San Diego Chargers (CBS | 4:30 PM ET)

This is the other rematch of a regular-season meeting, with San Diego rallying back to win 23-17 in overtime at Tennessee back on December 9th. There is a lot of bad blood remaining from that game that saw Chargers defensive star Shawne Merriman take a shot on his knee while there was also a horse collar tackle on Tennessee RB Chris Brown. The Titans blew a 14-3 lead in the 4th quarter and remain bitter. "I don't think anybody's happy about the way that game ended,'' Tennessee DE Kyle Vanden Bosch said. ''We take a lead, we'd like to be able to finish a game. We give them credit. They made big plays when they had to to beat us. At the same time, there was definitely some unfinished business when they came to Nashville.'' SLIGHT EDGE: TITANS
Tennessee QB Vince Young is listed as day-to-day with a quad injury, but head coach Jeff Fisher is optimistic that he will play. "I can't really say right now if Vince is going to play this week,'' Fisher said. ''I have a good feeling he'll be back on the practice field, and we'll see how he goes.'' EDGE: CHARGERS
Chargers are 6-0 SU & ATS in their last 6 games.
Titans are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 road games.

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[pm530]

National Football League - Gameday

NFL
Gameday



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NFL Gameday
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NFL Playoff Gameday

The NFL Wild Card weekend kicks off on Saturday as the road to the Super Bowl begins with Washington at Seattle and Jacksonville at Pittsburgh.

Washington at Seattle

The Redskins ended the season on a four-game winning streak which propelled them into the postseason. Before their late push, the Redskins looked like a team going nowhere after losing four straight to fall to 5-7 and then having to go through the untimely death of Sean Taylor. Washington looks like a whole different team since Todd Collins seamlessly took over for staring quarterback Jason Campbell. Campbell was having a breakout year before being derailed by a dislocated kneecap. The Redskins’ offense didn’t miss a beat under Collins, who has passed for 888 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions in four games.

The Redskins' offensive improvements can also be attributed to a healthy and productive Clinton Portis. Despite the usual injuries that have become commonplace with Portis, he did not miss a game this season and rushed for 1263 yards on 325 carries with 11 touchdowns to stabilize the Washington running game. Santana Moss led Washington with 808 receiving yards and caught three touchdown passes despite battling numerous injuries that caused him to miss two games. Tight end Chris Colley proved to be a reliable target, especially in the red zone, as he recorded 786 yards with eight touchdowns.

On defense the Redskins really started to find their footing late in the season despite a depleted secondary that lost both Taylor and cornerback Carlos Rogers. On the season Washington allowed 19.4 points per game, while during their four-game winning streak they allowed only 13 points per game.

The Seahawks won the NFC West title for the fourth straight year after being the only team in the division to finish with a winning record at 10-6. Seattle won five games in a row at one point this season after relying more heavily on their passing attack instead of their lackluster running game. Matt Hasselbeck had another solid season behind center with a career-high 3966 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Seattle has a number of reliable receivers for Hasselbeck to throw to, although injuries limited his options throughout most of the season as Bobby Engram and Nate Burleson were the only receivers to play in all 16 games. Engram led Seattle with 1147 yards and six touchdowns, while Burleson has 694 yards and nine touchdowns. Deion Branch was limited to 11 games and is still battling a calf injury that has him listed as questionable this week, while D.J. Hackett made it into only six games but appears to finally be healthy heading into the postseason.

The Seattle running game, which had been one of their strengths in the past, fizzled behind the oft-injured Shaun Alexander. In 13 games this season Alexander rushed for only 716 yards with four touchdowns. Alexander’s troubles have given Maurice Morris a more active role in the offense and he tallied 628 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games this season.

On defense the Seahawks are one of the more underrated units in the league after allowing only 18.2 points per game this season. Seattle’s D is comprised of a number of notable defensive stars including Lofa Tatupu, Marcus Trufant and Patrick Kerney.

The Redskins and Seahawks last met up in the 2006 playoffs when Seattle defeated Washington 20-10 as a 9.5-point home favorite en route to their appearance in the Super Bowl. In this year’s playoff matchup, Seattle is a 3.5-point favorite.


Jacksonville at Pittsburgh

The Jaguars returned to the postseason after an impressive 11-5 campaign. David Garrard proved that Jags’ coach Jack Del Rio was right to stick with him after passing for 2509 yards with 18 touchdowns and only three interceptions in 12 games. The Jaguars' biggest threat on offense is their running back tandem of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Taylor, once injury-prone, remained healthy all season and rushed for 1202 yards with five touchdowns. Jones-Drew was unable to match his rookie numbers, but still impressed while rushing for 768 yards with nine touchdowns.

The Jaguars lack a real No. 1 receiver, but Garrard still has a number of solid options in the passing game. Reggie Williams led the Jags with 629 yards and 10 touchdowns, and Dennis Northcutt had 607 yards with four touchdowns while also being a threat on special teams.

On defense the Jaguars ranked tenth overall after allowing 19 points per game during the season. Jacksonville had hoped to have linebacker Mike Peterson back on the field this weekend, but he remains sidelined with a broken hand.

Pittsburgh stumbled into the playoffs after losing three of their last four games. The Steelers were hit hard by injuries late in the season and enter the playoffs without running back Willie Parker and OT Marvel Smith, while Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward are also hobbled. With Parker out, it will be up to Roethlisberger to keep the offense moving on Saturday. Big Ben is coming off his best season yet after passing for 3154 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Najeh Davenport will replace Parker in the starting lineup, but it’s impossible to replace a back that rushed for 1316 yards and was the league leader before getting hurt.

With Ward expected to play through a knee injury this weekend, Roethlisberger has three go-to receivers in Ward, Santonio Holmes and tight end Heath Miller. Holmes led Pittsburgh with 942 yards and eight touchdowns this season, while Ward recorded 732 yards and seven touchdowns and Miller had 566 yards and seven touchdowns.

Pittsburgh’s defense was one of the best in the league this season and ranked second in points allowed, allowing 16.8 per game.

Back in Week 15, Jacksonville defeated Pittsburgh 29-22 as a 3-point road underdog. Garrard threw three touchdown passes with an interception, while Taylor rumbled through Pittsburgh’s No. 1 run defense for 147 yards and a touchdown. Roethlisberger had three touchdowns for Pittsburgh while Parker rushed for 100 yards. In the playoff rematch, the Jaguars are a 2-point road favorite.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Matchup Notes

NFL


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NFL – Matchup Notes
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NFL game day buzz: Wild card edition

Washington at Seattle (-3 ½, 40 ½)

Two years ago, the Redskins faced Seattle in an NFC divisional playoff game and lost 20-10 despite veteran quarterback Mark Brunell passing for 242 yards compared to 215 from Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck. Washington, though, allowed 119 rushing yards while managing only 59.


Jacksonville at Pittsburgh (+2 ½, 39 ½)

Ben Roethlisberger had three TD passes in the Steelers' 29-22 loss to Jacksonville last month, but finished just 15-of-32 for 142 yards.


N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay (-3, 39 ½)

The Giants and Bucs have never met in the playoffs. New York has won two of the last three meetings, most recently a 17-3 home victory Oct. 29, 2006, and leads the series 10-6. Tampa Bay, though, has won five of nine matchups at home.


Tennessee at San Diego (-9 ½, 40)

San Diego has won five straight in this series, including a 40-7 win at home last season. The Chargers, though, are 0-3 in the postseason against the former Houston Oilers, including a 17-14 loss in their last playoff meeting on Dec. 29, 1979.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Previews

NFL


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NFL Previews
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NFL wild-card betting previews

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Saturday Football Previews
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Preview: Washington at Seattle

GAME: Washington Redskins (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-6)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, January 05 - 4:30 PM EST
SPREAD: Seattle -3.5 TOTAL: 39

The shooting death of All-Pro safety Sean Taylor in November has galvanized the Washington Redskins' defense. The surprising success of a 12-year veteran quarterback thrust into a starting role for the first time in a decade has done the same for their offense.

Hoping to use momentum from a late surge that helped them qualify for the postseason, the Redskins meet the four-time defending NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks at Qwest Field on Saturday in a wild-card matchup.

The Redskins were two games under .500 at 5-7 when Taylor died on Nov. 27, one day after being shot during an invasion in his Florida home. After his slaying, though, Washington went 4-0 by dominating both sides of the ball.

"I wouldn't want to play us right now," Washington defensive end Phillip Daniels said. "To be honest with you, I wouldn't. Because of the things we've done. We've played solid defense, the offense has played great, special teams. We're hitting on all cylinders right now."

Over the final quarter of the season, the Redskins led the league in rushing defense - 71.8 yards per game - by stopping runners that included AP offensive rookie of the year Adrian Peterson of Minnesota, who was limited to only 27 yards in Washington's 32-21 win on Dec. 23. In the regular-season finale the following Sunday, the Redskins surrendered only one rushing yard in a 27-6 rout of NFC East rival Dallas.

Opponents have tried passing against Washington (9-7), but haven't had much more success, completing just 50 percent (86-for-172) for an NFC-worst 5.1 yards per attempt over the last four games.

"We're not happy just to be here. We feel like we can do some damage," linebacker London Fletcher said after the Redskins reached the postseason as a wild card for the second time in three years during Joe Gibbs' second stint as coach.

With starting quarterback and former first-round pick Jason Campbell sidelined by knee injury, backup Todd Collins has been far better than expected.

The ex-Michigan signal-caller attempted only 27 passes while with Kansas City from 2001-05, but has shown no signs of rust over the last month, completing 63.8 percent (67-for-105) of his passes for 888 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.

Coming into this season, Collins hadn't started since 1997 and had made just 17 starts overall since Buffalo selected him in the second round in 1995.

"There were difficult times, there's no question about it,' said Collins, the NFC offensive player of the month for December. "A lot of times the game isn't fun and it's just all work. You work, work, then the reward is the game, and for so many years I put in the work as if I was going to play and didn't get the reward in the game.

"You've just really got to believe before you can do. And I believed if I really worked hard and hung around long enough I was going to get my chance, and when my chance came I wanted to be ready. And I think I was."

Running back Clinton Portis averaged 76.6 yards and had only seven rushing touchdowns in his first 12 games. But during the Redskins' winning streak, he's increased his average to 85.5 yards with four TDs, two coming in the win over Dallas.

Washington hopes the wave of momentum will make this trip to the Pacific Northwest smoother than its last one. Two years ago, the Redskins faced Seattle in an NFC divisional playoff game and lost 20-10 despite veteran quarterback Mark Brunell passing for 242 yards compared to 215 from Seattle's Matt Hasselbeck. Washington, though, allowed 119 rushing yards while managing only 59.

"We're a lot better team than that one," Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs said. "We were really struggling on offense in 2005."

While the Redskins come in strong, the Seahawks (10-6) stumbled down the stretch after winning another division title. They lost two of their final three games to Carolina and Atlanta, a combined 11-21 this season.

Seattle had its worst defensive game in more than four years on Sunday, falling 44-41 to the woebegone Falcons.

"We don't enter the postseason on a positive note. But we will do what we've got to do," Seahawks linebacker Julian Peterson said.

Late-season struggles aside, Seattle's defense could easily end the 36-year-old Collins' success. Peterson and defensive end Patrick Kearney combined for 24 of the Seahawks' 45 sacks this season. Safety Deon Grant and cornerback Marcus Trufant accounted for half of the team's 20 interceptions, and linebacker Lofa Tatupu had a team-high 109 tackles and four picks.

Grant called last week's loss to Atlanta "embarrassing," but assured things would be different in the playoffs.

"But you know, the plus part in all of this is that we get to wipe the slate clean," he said. "We can fix the mistakes we made and we go into (this) weekend ... and dominate."

Still another concern for the Seahawks heading into the postseason is the health of Hasselbeck and running back Shaun Alexander. Hasselbeck, who set franchise records for completions (352), attempts (562) and passing yards (3,966), suffered a slightly injured wrist in the loss to the Falcons and sat out the second half as planned.

In four career playoff games at home, Hasselbeck has completed 60.9 percent of his passes (81-for-133) for 1,015 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. Seattle has won three straight playoff games at Qwest Field.

Alexander struggled through his worst season since he was a rookie in 2000. The 2005 NFL MVP ran for 716 yards with just four touchdowns as knee and wrist injuries limited him to 13 games. In their last playoff meeting, Washington held Alexander to only 9 yards on six carries.

He scored his 100th career touchdown in the loss to the Falcons but finished with just 31 yards, the sixth time in nine games he ran for fewer than 50.

If Alexander is ineffective again, coach Mike Holmgren could turn to Maurice Morris, who had a season-high 91 rushing yards against Atlanta. Morris was second on the team this season with 628 rushing yards, and tied Alexander with four TDs.

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Preview: Jacksonville at Pittsburgh

GAME: Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) at Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, January 05 - 8:00 PM EST
SPREAD: Pittsburgh 2.5 TOTAL: 39.5

Maybe no team in NFL history has gone through a more difficult path through the playoffs to win a Super Bowl than the Pittsburgh Steelers did two years ago.The one they now face could easily top it.

With possibly the least momentum of any playoff team and missing their Pro Bowl running back, the Steelers host the only visiting team to win at Heinz Field all season when they meet the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday night.

Even if Pittsburgh (10-6) can get by Jacksonville (11-5), which beat the Steelers 29-22 on Dec. 16, its road back to the Super Bowl could include road games against unbeaten New England and defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis.

Before they can think about going on the road next week, the Steelers must knock off a Jaguars team which won six of seven before losing a meaningless regular-season finale. One of those victories included the trip to Heinz Field, preventing Pittsburgh from finishing with an 8-0 home record.

The Steelers even had Willie Parker for that game and he ran for 100 yards, but his season ended four days later when he broke his leg in a game at St. Louis. That leaves Pittsburgh without the NFL's fourth-leading rusher.

Parker has been replaced by Najeh Davenport, who came off the bench against the Rams to rush for 123 yards before being held to 27 last week on 12 carries in a 27-21 loss at Baltimore. Pittsburgh came out flat in that game, falling behind 17-0, despite entering with a chance to claim the AFC's No. 3 seed.

"A lot of things are of concern. What lies ahead is an enormous playoff game versus a great football team at our place," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "If there is any hesitation, they better quickly get over it because the ball is going to be kicked off here shortly."

The Steelers enter the postseason having lost three of four as their once vaunted defense has allowed averages of 28.5 points and 373.0 total yards - more than 15 points and 140 yards above their averages through 12 games. They have only five sacks over the last five games, but still enter with the NFL's top-ranked defense (266.4 ypg).

Pittsburgh never allowed more than 20 points against some very talented offenses during its title run two years ago. Before beating Seattle to win that Super Bowl, the Steelers won at Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Denver - the AFC's top three seeds - to become the second team to win three playoff games on the road.

That squad, though, entered the postseason having won four in a row while this group of banged-up Steelers limps into the playoffs. Parker and defensive end Aaron Smith (torn biceps) are out for the postseason, and third-stringer Trai Essex is Pittsburgh's only available left tackle due to injuries to Marvel Smith (back) and Max Starks (knee).

"Whoever hoists that Lombardi Trophy in a month or so will have had injury issues and will have found ways to overcome it," Tomlin said. "We don't dwell on that. It's as much a part of the game as blocking and tackling. The healthy guys play and the standard of expectation doesn't change."

The only real health issue for Jacksonville involves linebacker Mike Peterson, who remains sidelined by a broken right hand. Peterson also missed last month's game at Pittsburgh, but the Jaguars held the Steelers to 217 total yards and sacked Ben Roethlisberger five times.

The Jacksonville rushing attack had the biggest impact in that game on a day when snow, swirling winds and cold temperatures created a marshy field. Fred Taylor ran for 147 yards on 25 carries and the Jaguars' 224 rushing yards remain the most Pittsburgh has allowed since giving up 240 - also to Jacksonville - in 2000.

"I don't see Fred Taylor doing that to our defense twice in a row," Steelers receiver Hines Ward said.

Referred to as 'the Pittsburgh of the South' by an admiring Parker after last month's meeting, the Jaguars finished the regular season with the AFC's top rushing attack at 149.4 yards per game and 4.6 per carry.

Though he scored the game-winning touchdown versus the Steelers, Taylor recently complained about the substandard grass field in Pittsburgh, suggesting the team should spend $1 million on artificial turf.

"That field is terrible," said Taylor, who has five straight 100-yard games and is expected to replace Parker in the Pro Bowl. "That's a lawsuit pending. That's ridiculous."

However, there is no rain or snow in the forecast for this game, and the temperature could remain in the 40s throughout.

While most of the Steelers are very familiar with a playoff atmosphere, 23 of the Jaguars have never experienced it. The team's only postseason game since 2000 was a 28-3 wild-card loss at New England two years ago.

"We're glad we had a good season, but it's time to turn it up," Jags left tackle Khalif Barnes said. "It's not time for a one-and-done for us. We don't want to duplicate that '05 season and just be happy to get in and not be able to advance. We don't want to taste that again. We did that before.

"One major difference this time is David Garrard will be the starting quarterback instead of Byron Leftwich, who was released in the offseason after Garrard won the job.Garrard was 9-3 as the starter this season, throwing for 18 touchdowns with only three interceptions, and was the league's third-highest rated passer behind Tom Brady and Roethlisberger.

While Garrard is set for his first start in the playoffs, Roethlisberger already has a Super Bowl title on his resume and is coming off the best regular season of his four-year career.Roethlisberger completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 3,154 yards with 32 TDs and 11 interceptions. He sat out the season finale to rest a sprained ankle, but should be back at full strength Saturday.

"I don't think we will just abandon the running game," he said. "I know we won't. We've thrown the ball when we need to and we've proven we can win the game when we have to throw it."

Roethlisberger had three TD passes against Jacksonville last month, but finished just 15-of-32 for 142 yards. The Jaguars have held the opposition below 150 passing yards in four straight games.

While Jacksonville has not won a playoff game on the road since its run to the AFC championship game 11 years ago, no team has won at Pittsburgh twice in one season in the Steelers' 75-year history.

"Guys are aware of the situation. The magnitude of the game is going to increase with every play," Jags cornerback Terry Cousin said. "Your focus level has to be so much better than it is in the regular season."


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Sunday Football Previews
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Preview: N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay

GAME: New York Giants (10-6) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, January 06 - 1:00 PM EST
SPREAD: Tampa Bay -3 TOTAL: 39.5

The New York Giants haven't won a playoff game since 2001. Jeff Garcia has played a big part in that - and gets yet another chance to extend that drought Sunday.

Garcia leads the fourth-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7) against the fifth-seeded Giants (10-6) in a wild-card matchup at Raymond James Stadium.

Garcia will make his third playoff start against the Giants in as many uniforms, and the sight of the veteran quarterback likely won't be pleasing to New York. Garcia has engineered two playoff victories over the Giants in the past six seasons, most recently last year.

Filling in for an injured Donovan McNabb, Garcia completed 17 of 31 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown to help Philadelphia defeat New York 23-20 in a wild-card game last Jan. 7. That performance, however, is hardly his most memorable one against the Giants in the postseason.

On Jan. 5, 2003, Garcia helped lead the second-biggest playoff comeback in league history, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns, and rushing seven times for 60 yards and a TD to help San Francisco rally from a 35-14 deficit and defeat New York 39-38.

Now the Giants again face the 37-year-old Garcia, who won the Bucs starting job this season after being signed away from the Eagles as a free agent in March. He threw for 2,440 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions to help Tampa Bay return to the top of the NFC South for the first time since 2002 - the season the team won its only Super Bowl.

Garcia posted a 94.6 quarterback rating, seventh in the league, as the Bucs returned to the playoffs after a year off. Tampa Bay was 4-12 in 2006.

"He certainly has done an outstanding job for them. He is the guy that you have to try to do something about," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Wednesday. "You have to get pressure on him; you have to contain him; you have to get up in his face. You have to do all of those kinds of things. And of course they are always trying to create opportunities for him to be able to be in a position that he can take full advantage of.

"So we definitely know of the strengths of Jeff Garcia, how well he is playing. And we will spend a week trying to do something about it."

Coughlin will be counting on his team's formidable pass rush to keep Garcia in check. New York's 53 sacks topped the league, and led by defensive ends Osi Umenyiora (13), Justin Tuck (10) and Michael Strahan (nine), the Giants will look to generate heavy pressure on Garcia, whose short drops and quick release have given New York problems in the past.

"It's not just the four guys up front; it's the perimeter blitz package," Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden said. "They're a great overload blitzing team; you're going to see their cornerbacks have sacks, their linebacking corps has sacks, sacks are coming from all over the place. It's a credit to this scheme and to their personnel, they do an excellent job."

Along with New York's pass rush, Gruden may have to be concerned about rust. Tampa Bay clinched its division with two weeks remaining, then rested most of its starters over the past two games - including Garcia, who didn't play in last week's 31-23 loss to Carolina.

Gruden, though, felt it was more important to get time off for banged-up players such as receivers Joey Galloway (shoulder) and former Giant Ike Hilliard (knee) - not to mention Garcia, who missed two games this season with a back bruise. Gruden feels that playing at home will immediately give his team all the energy it needs.

"When you run out of the tunnel and you have 80,000 fans going crazy, you're going to have momentum," Gruden said.

If Galloway and Hilliard, who combined for more than 1,700 receiving yards, are healthy, they'll form a dangerous combination for a Giants secondary that has been prone to giving up big plays this season. That unit was weakened when starting cornerback Sam Madison aggravated a pulled stomach muscle in last week's loss to New England.

New York, though, has shown the ability to overcome such adversity this season after a turmoil-filled 2006. The Giants went 2-6 in the second half last year amid infighting between the players as well as Coughlin, but the team was much more harmonious this year.

New York was just 4-4 in the second half, but picked up road wins over Detroit, Chicago and Philadelphia, and came close to knocking off the unbeaten Patriots before losing 38-35.

While their aggressive defense may be able to do enough to keep them in Sunday's game, the Giants' hopes of earning their first playoff win in five tries - a slide that started with a 34-7 defeat to Baltimore in the 2001 Super Bowl - rest largely with Eli Manning.

The fourth-year quarterback had a strong performance last week, going 22-for-32 for 251 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, but a lack of consistency has plagued him throughout his career. So have turnovers, as he threw a career-high 20 INTs this season to 23 TDs.

While New York boasts a versatile rushing attack led by the bruising Brandon Jacobs (1,009 yards) and emerging rookie Ahmad Bradshaw (8.3 yards per carry), Manning's ability to put together at the very least a steady, efficient performance will be critical to the Giants.

That, however, could be a tall order against a Bucs defense that was second in the league in yards allowed (278.4 per game), first in passing defense (170.5) and third in points allowed (16.9).

"They have veteran players and they are very sound with what they are doing," said Manning, who threw for 3,336 yards this season and will be playing in his third career postseason game. "They don't give up big plays by mental mistakes. They are able to get a good pass rush whether they bring a blitz or just on the four-man rush. They mix up what they do enough and they are very sound and disciplined in their technique and in their coverage.

"The more I look at them I will get a better feel, but I think they have talented players and they are confident in what they are doing."

Those talented players include linebackers Derrick Brooks and Barrett Ruud, cornerbacks Ronde Barber and Philip Buchanon and a pass rush led by rookie defensive ends Greg White (team-best eight sacks) and Gaines Adams (six), as well as tackle Jovan Haye (six).

While Tampa Bay has some injury issues, the Giants also could be missing some key players Sunday. Madison, along with center Shaun O'Hara and linebacker Kawika Mitchell, did not practice Wednesday, and Coughlin wouldn't speculate on their status.

New York is also without tight end Jeremy Shockey, who suffered a broken leg Dec. 16 against Washington and was placed on injured reserve.

The Giants and Bucs have never met in the playoffs. New York has won two of the last three meetings, most recently a 17-3 home victory Oct. 29, 2006, and leads the series 10-6. Tampa Bay, though, has won five of nine matchups at home.

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Preview: Tennessee at San Diego

GAME: Tennessee Titans (10-6) at San Diego Chargers (11-5)
DATE/TIME: Sunday, January 06 - 4:30 PM EST
SPREAD: San Diego -10 TOTAL: 40

For the second straight season, the San Diego Chargers are on a roll heading into the playoffs. This time around, they're trying not to be overconfident, especially with a matchup against a Tennessee Titans team that is thrilled to be getting another crack at the AFC West champions.

San Diego brings another long winning streak into the postseason on Sunday when it meets visiting Tennessee for the second time in five weeks.

The first matchup between these teams resulted in a 23-17 overtime victory for San Diego in Nashville on Dec. 9 - the Titans' only loss in their last five games.

In that contest, the Chargers (11-5) rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 17 on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Philip Rivers to tight end Antonio Gates with 9 seconds remaining. San Diego won on LaDainian Tomlinson's 16-yard TD run in overtime.

The game was extremely physical, with four players getting fined a total of $32,500 by the NFL and Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman accusing the Titans of a cheap shot that left him with an injured knee.

"I know that there's a lot of things that went on a few weeks ago when we played them at our place, a lot of bad blood in this game," said Tennessee center Kevin Mawae, who was docked $5,000 for a hit on Merriman. "So it'll be interesting to see. We're going to try to stay focused this week and not get caught up in the locker room trash talk and just focus on ourselves.

"We go out to San Diego and give them our best shot."

Tennessee (10-6) is still upset about the last meeting, believing it was on the wrong end of a call on a crucial fourth-and-5 play for San Diego during the final drive of regulation. Rivers threw a pass downfield to Chris Chambers, who had to dive back for the ball, and the officials ruled it a catch.

It was replayed because it came in the last two minutes, but not overturned because of a lack of camera angles.

"If people missed the first one that we played, tune in," Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck said.

Rivers, though, isn't ready to label this wild-card game as a grudge match.

"Nah, I mean, we won the game. That's all that matters to us," he said. "It's a new game now. We get to play them at home. It's going to be another fun, physical game. I'm looking forward to it."

San Diego was also looking forward to its playoff opener last season after finishing on a 10-game winning streak and earning the top seed in the AFC. The Chargers, however, lost 24-21 at home to New England - their fourth straight defeat in the postseason since reaching the Super Bowl in 1995.

The Chargers now bring a six-game win streak into the playoffs and enter having won 10 of 12 following a 1-3 start.

"Last year, the season we had, it felt so easy throughout the year, winning something like 10 straight," said Tomlinson, who won his second consecutive rushing title this season with 1,474 yards. "You had to get to that point where we were kind of a little arrogant, and saying, 'You know what? We don't think nobody out there can beat us.' We won 10 straight. You can have a tendency as human nature to do that. We did that last year and we paid for it.

"This year things have come tougher for us. We have really been in some tough games. We have lost some tough games, some close games, and we have had games where we just got embarrassed. So I think all that, you go into the playoffs with a newfound respect, somewhat."

San Diego's recent playoff failures led to the firing of coach Marty Schottenheimer after last season. Norv Turner took over and he's coaching just his third postseason game, having gone 1-1 with Washington in 1999.

"By the nature of what both teams do, it's going to be an extremely physical game," Turner told San Diego's official Web site. "Then when you look at the players involved, there are some real physical players and very competitive players. I said it after that game (in Nashville), the intensity level was like a playoff game. The intensity level in this game I imagine will be even higher."

Tennessee needed a 16-10 win at No. 2 seed Indianapolis last Sunday night to secure its first playoff spot since 2003, but saw starting quarterback Vince Young get hurt in the process.

Young is day-to-day after re-injuring his right quadriceps muscle, but coach Jeff Fisher said Monday he expects Young to play in this game.

"I have a good feel that he will be back on the practice field," Fisher said. "We'll just see how it goes."

If he starts Sunday, the 24-year-old Young would become the youngest quarterback in franchise history to start a playoff game.

"Just talking to the veteran guys, they keep saying it's one of the greatest feelings ever," the second-year pro said of being in the playoffs. "The tempo, the fans, the people. It's like a different edge to the game. I'm just looking forward to being a part of it. I'm just happy."

San Diego did a good job against Young in the Dec. 9 matchup, picking him off twice and holding him to two yards on two carries.

The Chargers led the NFL with 30 interceptions and finished fifth in scoring defense, allowing 17.8 points per game.

"Their defense is playing very, very well," Fisher said. "They're healthy. They're getting turnovers. Their offense has a running back that's pretty good. They've got pretty good receivers and an All-Pro tight end, and a quarterback that knows what to do with the football."

San Diego has won five straight in this series, including a 40-7 win at home last season. The Chargers, though, are 0-3 in the postseason against the former Houston Oilers, including a 17-14 loss in their last playoff meeting on Dec. 29, 1979.

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[pm530]

National Football League – Wire Alerts

NFL


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NFL – Wire Alerts
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01/04/08
10:44 PM Coach's Call
NFL
Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren says WR Deion Branch (calf) will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the Redskins.

01/04/08
05:15 PM Lineup Alert
NFL
Steelers S Troy Polamalu practiced today and is expected to play in Saturday's AFC wild-card game.

01/04/08
04:49 PM Lineups
NFL
Giants C Shaun O'Hara (knee) and CB Sam Madison (abdomen) are not expected to play against the Bucs.

01/04/08
04:45 PM Lineup Alert
NFL
Titans QB Vince Young (quadriceps) increased his participation in practice today and is expected to start against the Chargers.

01/04/08
02:44 PM Lineups
NFL
Seahawks RB Shaun Alexander will continue to split carries with Maurice Morris in the NFC wild-card game on Saturday.

01/04/08
11:10 AM Lineups
NFL
Steelers return specialist Allen Rossum (hamstring) has not practiced and looks likely to miss Saturday's game.

01/04/08
11:09 AM Injuries
NFL
Giants CB Sam Madison (ribs) will struggle to play on Sunday.

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[pm530]

College Football - Dunkel Index

NCAAF
Dunkel Index


SATURDAY, JANUARY 5

Game 483-484: Ball State vs. Rutgers
Dunkel Ratings: Ball State 83.401; Rutgers 91.494
Dunkel Line: Rutgers by 8; 55
Vegas Line: Rutgers by 10; 60
Dunkel Pick: Ball State (+10); Under


SUNDAY, JANUARY 6

Game 489-490: Bowling Green vs. Tulsa
Dunkel Ratings: Bowling Green 83.544; Tulsa 84.741
Dunkel Line: Tulsa by 1; 69
Vegas Line: Tulsa by 5; 76
Dunkel Pick: Bowling Green (+5); Under


MONDAY, JANUARY 7

Game 491-492: Ohio State vs. LSU
Dunkel Ratings: Ohio State 109.014; LSU 112.040
Dunkel Line: LSU by 3; 54
Vegas Line: LSU by 6; 51 1/2
Dunkel Pick: Ohio State (+6); Over

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[pm530]

College Football – Long Sheet

NCAAF
Long Sheet


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Saturday, January 5
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BALL ST (7 - 5) vs. RUTGERS (7 - 5) - 1/5/2008, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
BALL ST is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
BALL ST is 22-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Sunday, January 6
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BOWLING GREEN (8 - 4) vs. TULSA (9 - 4) - 1/6/2008, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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Monday, January 7
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OHIO ST (11 - 1) vs. LSU (11 - 2) - 1/7/2008, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LSU is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 2 seasons.
OHIO ST is 15-6 ATS (+8.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
OHIO ST is 24-11 ATS (+11.9 Units) in all lined games over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
There were no past matchups in this series during this time period.

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[pm530]

College Football – Short Sheet

NCAAF
Short Sheet

Saturday, January 5th

International Bowl
Toronto, Canada
TV: ESPN2
Ball State vs. Rutgers, 12:00 ET


Ball State:
9-1 ATS off an ATS loss
6-1 ATS off a win by 6 or less points

Rutgers:
10-4 Over off BB conference games
4-1 Over playing with 2+ days rest


Sunday, January 6th

GMAC Bowl
Mobile, Alabama
TV: ESPN
Bowling Green vs. Tulsa, 8:00 ET

Bowling Green:
19-8 ATS off a home win by 17+ points
16-6 ATS after allowing 3 or less first-half points

Tulsa:
0-6 ATS after allowing 37+ points
0-8 ATS after having 475+ total yards


Monday, January 7th

BCS Championship Game
New Orleans, Louisiana
TV: FOX
Ohio State vs. LSU, 8:00 ET

Ohio State:
12-1 ATS off an Under
10-2 ATS off a road game

LSU:
1-5 ATS as a favorite of 3.5 to 10 points
1-5 ATS off an ATS loss

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