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**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:34 PM

Rams still hold cards in NFC West

December 21, 2010

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Belonging to the downtrodden NFC West has its benefits. The St. Louis Rams laid an egg at home on Sunday, yet remain tied for first place and hold the tiebreaker over the Seattle Seahawks.

Another chance to get it done - a do over; a mulligan. Beat San Francisco this week at home and Seattle on the road in the finale, and the Rams will be 8-8 division champions who can open the playoffs at home.

There's even a slim chance the Rams could make it to the postseason at 7-9, if they lose to the 49ers (5-9) and win at Seattle (6-8) and the 49ers lose at Arizona.

``I'm not frustrated at all,'' cornerback Ron Bartell said. ``We can play better, we all know that. The playoffs really start for us right now.''

Coach Steve Spagnuolo doesn't want to hear about any of the 16 possible scenarios, adding Monday that ``if they come, I'll throw them in the waste basket.'' He knows it's all about how the Rams (6-8) perform.

If they make it to the postseason for the first time since 2004, Spagnuolo won't waste any time worrying if the team really deserves it.

``I don't look at being fortunate in a division,'' Spagnuolo said. ``I just know that until they tell us we cannot make it to the playoffs, that's what we're still shooting for.''

Even if it's an unsightly 7-9. Remember that this is the team that was 1-15 last season, ranked at or near the bottom in most major categories, and a dismal 6-42 from 2007-09.

Just being in the picture is a major step forward.

``If we happen to get in there, it won't matter what the record is,'' the coach said. ``It doesn't matter how you get in, it doesn't matter whether you're in there as a wild card or a divisional winner, if you're in you've got a chance to win it all.''

St. Louis has lost its last two, hardly peaking for a playoff run, to good teams in the Saints and Chiefs. An early rash of penalties kept the Rams from grabbing a big lead against Kansas City on Sunday and they got two field goals out of three promising drives to start the game.

Some players were unhappy that Spagnuolo mentioned playoffs for the first time all season in his postgame news conference. Running back Steven Jackson said the team should have already felt that way.

``I probably would retract that,'' Spagnuolo said. ``A better way is to say this is a must-win situation.''

The Rams made it to the Chiefs 9 after the kickoff before consecutive false start penalties by tight end Billy Bajema and offensive tackle Jason Smith left them settling for three points. Danny Amendola's 42-yard punt return to the Chiefs 36 jump-started their second possession, but after gaining 2 yards in three plays, Josh Brown kicked a 52-yard field goal.

Kevin Dockery's interception put the Rams at the Chiefs 48 on their third drive, but that one ended in a punt, the turnover wasted when Smith was whistled for illegal use of hands. Smith, the second pick of last year's draft, had three penalties in the first half, although a holding call was declined because the Rams had to punt.

The offense completely stalled in the second and third quarters, totaling one first down, before going to a no-huddle offense that produced Jackson's 5-yard scoring run to cut the gap to a touchdown with 4:04 to go.

Rams rookie quarterback Sam Bradford said crowd noise from the thousands of Chiefs fans who made the trek across Interstate 70 was a factor in the false starts.

``We had an opportunity to go up by a substantial lead, and we didn't do so,'' Jackson said. ``We allowed a team that does have an explosive offense with a great running gam, to stick around. It bit us.''

Wide receivers didn't get open fast enough, and Bradford was frequently on the run from a pass rush that rarely blitzed. The Rams' defense packed the line to get the ball back late in the game, but overpursued on Jamaal Charles' game-deciding 80-yard run to the St. Louis 2.

All in the past now, the Rams say. Acknowledge the missed opportunities and study up on the 49ers, who beat the Rams 23-20 in overtime five weeks ago in San Francisco.

``We're in the moving forward stage now,'' Spagnuolo said. ``This a resilient team in my particular opinion. These guys find a way when they're challenged to do some good things.''

**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:35 PM

Bears' focus shifts toward playoffs

December 21, 2010

CHICAGO (AP) - Not long ago the Chicago Bears were all but buried, a team going nowhere under a pile of mounting losses.

Well, it turns out they are going somewhere. They're headed back to the playoffs for the first time since their run to the 2007 Super Bowl.

A 40-14 romp outdoors at Minnesota on a cold and snowy Monday night did the trick, giving the Bears (10-4) their third NFC North title in six years.

And what a performance it was.

They shook off a brutal beating by New England the previous weekend and snapped a three-year playoff drought with a dominant effort that included Devin Hester's NFL record 14th career kick return for a touchdown and three TD passes by Jay Cutler.

``This is just one step, it's one thing we can knock off,'' Cutler said.

It's a huge step, one that was hard to envision not too long ago.

The Bears were a mess heading into their bye in late October, with three losses in four games after a 3-0 start. They have since turned things around in a big way.

The win over Minnesota was the sixth in seven games for a team that had appeared to be coming apart at the seams, with Cutler getting battered, the running game being ignored and the blockers providing little protection. The Bears were a mess heading into their off week. Now, they'll try to lock down a first-round playoff bye in a home game against the New York Jets, and then wrap up the regular season at Green Bay.

``This is our first goal of the season: win the division and get in the playoffs,'' tight end Greg Olsen said. ``Now we've got to win out these last two games to give ourselves the best possibility of getting a first-round bye. We've got to do our part and get ready for a big-time playoff run.''

A win over the Jets on Sunday coupled with a loss by Philadelphia and a loss or tie by the New York Giants would give Chicago a first-round bye. That would be another huge step for a team that was aiming high after a busy offseason.

``We worked hard for this,'' linebacker Lance Briggs said. ``Anytime you can win a championship, whatever it is, division, world championship, it's a cause for celebration.''

It comes nearly one year after Bears President Ted Phillips issued what many interpreted as a win-or-else mandate for coach Lovie Smith and general manager Jerry Angelo. Chicago had just gone 7-9, and he was adamant: The losing had to stop.

The Bears revamped their coaching staff, hiring Mike Martz as offensive coordinator and promoting Rod Marinelli to defensive coordinator.

They also made a big splash in free agency, signing Pro Bowl defensive end Julius Peppers from Carolina while bringing in running back Chester Taylor and blocking tight end Brandon Manumaleuna.

Peppers is a key reason why the defense has ranked among the league's best all year. Having Brian Urlacher back at a Pro Bowl level after missing almost all of last year with a wrist injury has helped, too, but the Bears might have been looking at another long offseason had they not made some adjustments.

The week off clearly helped.

They cut back on the deep drops, started moving Cutler around, and he's no longer getting brutalized the way he was earlier in the season. They went more to the running game, keeping defenses off balance while reducing wear and tear Cutler.

A relatively light schedule and some good fortune following the bye didn't hurt, either.

They beat lowly Buffalo and Minnesota, when it was falling apart last month. They got third-string quarterbacks against Miami and Detroit, a short-handed secondary against Philadelphia and a beat-up Favre against the Vikings on Monday night.

He gave it a shot after initially being listed as out with a sprained throwing shoulder, then left the game with a concussion after being sacked by Corey Wootton in the second quarter - possibly ending his storied career. That forced the Vikings to go with rookie Joe Webb. With star running back Adrian Peterson sidelined by thigh and ankle injuries, Minnesota was no match for Chicago.

Cutler, who hadn't led a team to winning record since high school, completed 14 of 24 passes for 194 yards. He finished the game with a bandage on his chin after a helmet-first hit by Vikings cornerback Antoine Winfield resulted in an interception by Asher Allen and left him with a gash requiring three stitches.

Hester had a big day, too.

He had a touchdown catch and 79-yard kickoff return that led to a field goal a few minutes before his game-breaking and record-setting 64-yard punt return.

``Coaches told me all I could do was kickoff and punt returns, but I wanted to play a position,'' he said. ``But I'm here today to say that I am a kickoff and punt returner, but at the same time the best to ever do it.''

**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:36 PM

Time to Fade Washington
December 21, 2010

We thought this might be a bad idea.

We're talking about Mike Shanahan's hiring by the Washington Redskins. This has not quite been a train wreck of marriage like Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra, but it sure hasn’t been a blissful one, either. The signs of dysfunction are everywhere at Redskin Park. And the season can't end soon enough in D.C.

While it is not a total shock to us to see the Washington situation unravel, as we enter the December 19 weekend it is a bit of a surprise to be lumping the Redskins in with some other, easier to project trouble spots from before the season. No one needed a crystal ball to forecast problems in Carolina, where HC John Fox and GM Marty Hurney were entering the last years of their contracts, without given an extension or vote of confidence by owner Jerry Richardson in the offseason. Absent a veteran QB outside of the little-used Matt Moore, with only rookies such as Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen and Cincinnati's Tony Pike in reserve, it was not hard to envision the Panthers struggling. And as sure as Santa Claus is going to be coming down chimneys later this week, we believe Fox and likely Hurney will be given their walking papers the day after Carolina's final game vs. Atlanta.

(Although that doesn't mean the Panthers are going to lose this week to the visiting Cardinals...after all, Carolina, despite its 1-12 record, is a slight favorite!)

Likewise, it wasn't hard to see the tripwires that had been laid in Cincinnati for another under-fire HC, Marvin Lewis. The addition of WR Terrell Owens, to go along with Chad Ochocinco, put the two most self-absorbed characters in the NFL in the same clubhouse, and in the same offense. These are not two guys you want to be next to in a foxhole and perhaps a reason why the Bengals couldn't forge the sort of bunker mentality they needed to shake out of a slump that has become acute. Now, it's QB Carson Palmer who looks like the unhappiest player in the league, having to worry about his two diva WRs as much as his banged-up OL. At 2-11, the season can't end soon enough in Cincy, and Lewis has the look of a coach who knows he's soon going to be walking the plank.

A few other "fade" situations were a bit harder to identify before the season. Indeed, many believed Tennessee was going to be a serious playoff contender. And through much of the first half of the campaign, the Titans played to that form. But bubbling under the surface were internal squabbles, mainly involving QB Vince Young, whose well-publicized in-game spat with HC Jeff Fisher and subsequent suspension (conveniently disguised around VY's thumb injury) shook the locker room to its core. And with backup QB Kerry Collins past his sell-by date, the Titans had no other viable alternatives at QB, or a diversion to help RB Chris Johnson. A current six-game losing streak has wrecked the season, split the clubhouse, and perhaps risks Fisher losing his job. Owner Bud Adams, the driving force behind Fisher being forced to draft Young instead of the QB he really wanted, Jay Cutler, in the 2006 Draft, is said to be doing a slow boil and perhaps ready to make a change, something Bud, approaching 90, used to do with regularity to his coaching staff. Fisher's run as the NFL's longest-serving coach (since 1994) might be about to end.

In Cleveland, there is word that team president Mike Holmgren might be preparing to hit the eject button on HC Eric Mangini. The Browns have competed valiantly most weeks but only have a 5-8 record to show for their troubles. Mangini, who needed his Browns to rally down the stretch last season to save his job a year ago, might be running out of weeks to do the same this season. A switch this Sunday back to rookie QB Colt McCoy, behind whom the offense moved more confidently than it did with Jake Delhomme at the controls, might be Mangini's last desperate roll of the dice to save his job. If the Browns can't beat Cincy this week, the handwriting might be on the wall.

Meanwhile, there is something very ironic about the way the season has unraveled in Minnesota. Most observers had a couple of possible scenarios in mind for the Vikings, but safe to say few envisioned the season collapsing. At 5-8, the Vikes are going to miss the playoffs, but that is hardly the story. Left in the wreckage of this season are the head coaching career in the Twin Cities of HC Brad Childress, likely the career of QB Brett Favre, whose season went just as badly in 2010 as it went good in 2009, and perhaps the franchise itself. Favre's problems were not impossible to identify, either, with another long absence from training camp before deciding to play again, on top of offseason ankle surgery.

The bigger news, however, might be that owner Zygi Wilf has new ammunition to hold the Minnesota State Legislature hostage in stadium talks after the embarrassing Teflon roof collapse at the Metrodome/**** of America Field before last week's game with the Giants. Wilf has been fuming for the past few years after the state helped fund new stadiums for the baseball Twins and the U of Minnesota Golden Gophers, whose new TCF Bank Stadium will ironic be an emergency home venue for the Vikings on Monday against the Bears. But the state did nothing for the Vikes, at least not yet, and now Wilf has fresh ammunition to fire at the politicians. Be prepared for threats about moving the team out of Minnesota after the latest stadium fiasco.

But it's Shanahan's situation that really intrigues, especially since it indirectly involves another team. Denver's woeful performance this season can be traced back to the day owner Pat Bowlen canned The Shan right after the '08 season and instead hired Josh McDaniels off Bill Belichick's New England staff. Less than two years later, young Josh is gone, the Bronco organization in tatters, and The Shan looks like the most uncomfortable guy in the NFL with the Skins. By the way, the Broncos might be starting Florida rookie Tim Tebow at QB vs. the Raiders in Oakland this week, as first-stringer Kyle Orton, taking a beating in recent games that would make even George Chuvalo cringe, is questionable with bruised ribs. Interim HC Eric Studesville, whose chances of keeping the job on a full-time basis might be less than Bowlen asking Shanahan to come back to Denver, cannot lose anything by giving a shot to Tebow.

It's Shanahan's Redskins, however, who might win the title of "Most Dysfunctional Team" in the NFL. Hardly what owner Dan Snyder expected before the season began, but as usual, Snyder's influence is likely behind some of the problems. It was obvious in summer that Shanahan wanted to cut ties with disgruntled DT Albert Haynesworth, though the word is that Snyder wouldn't allow The Shan to discard big Albert. The distractions eventually became too great and Haynesworth was recently suspended, but the damage has long been done. In the process, new GM Bruce Allen has been almost an invisible presence.

Meanwhile, the Donovan McNabb situation appears ready to explode, with The Shan announcing McNabb has temporarily lost the starting job to Rex Grossman. This after a rollercoaster season that saw McNabb pulled for the final minutes of a close battle at Detroit for what The Shan called "cardiovascular reasons," then a widely-discussed contract extension for McNabb (which really wasn't much of an extension at all, and easy for the Skins to terminate at the conclusion of the season). McNabb has been ineffective lately, but remains a popular figure in the clubhouse, which The Shan might have lost for good with the recent McNabb benching. Chuckling to himself up I-95 must be Eagles HC Andy Reid, who caught some flak from the fickle Philly fans after letting McNabb go in the offseason, only to get the last laugh with replacement Michael Vick a contender for MVP honors. Meanwhile, the Skins flounder, Dan Snyder stews, and The Shan must be wondering if it was all worth it, perhaps damaging a shot he might have eventually had to at least forge a candidacy for the Hall of Fame. Not after this debacle, however. If only Pat Bowlen hadn't hit the eject button two years ago...

We thought it might be interesting to reprise a story we first penned early last January, right after Shanahan took the Redskins job. We didn't think it was a particularly good idea then, and don't think so now. Our words from 11 months ago, however, are worth reviewing today. Keep in mind that at the time of this story being run, the Skins still counted Jason Campbell as their QB, as it wouldn't be until spring that McNabb joined the team. Following is what we wrote about the Shanahan hire in a story entitled "Mr. Shanahan Goes to Washington," last January 6...

Off-field news always intrigues at the conclusion of the pro football campaign, and this January is no different, with the biggest volley of the "coaching change season" just fired by the Washington Redskins.

The first thought is that pairing new coach Mike Shanahan and owner Dan Snyder might not be the best of ideas, considering the egos involved. Not to mention the fact that The Shan is Snyder's seventh different head coach since buying the franchise in 1999. On the other hand, we cannot believe that Shanahan didn't go into this deal with his eyes wide open, with some assurances that Snyder would not be involved in the nuts-and-bolts football decisions for the franchise.

The most interesting piece to the new Redskins puzzle, however, is new GM Bruce Allen, the first time Snyder has ever officially designated a "GM" during his ownership. Allen will likely be playing the role of buffer between The Shan and Snyder, something he knows a little bit about after working between Jon Gruden and Al Davis during days at Oakland a decade ago, then more recently between Gruden and the Glazers at Tampa Bay.

Still, there should be a few things Shanahan would do well to consider as he begins his new job.

1) Washington isn't Denver. Although the Broncos dominate the news cycles in Denver, the press corps in the Rockies is a lot different than the one in D.C. The Shan won't be able to control the spin in Washington as he could in Denver, because the press members in D.C. won't let him. Shanahan can expect the nagging to begin right after his first press conference, through the Draft and minicamps, and into training camps. All well before the regular season begins.

In D.C., the Skins get covered as closely as the Presidency, and the elbows are much sharper, because the members of the press (who far outnumber those in Denver) will be competing hard against each other for that all-important scoop. They will not defer as easily to Shanahan's wishes, secretive nature, and his trademark vanilla "coachspeak" as did the press in the Rockies. Even Joe Gibbs had to submit himself to the Redksins Report, hours with the Post and Times beat writers, as well as WTOP Radio and the various TV stations. Not to mention being polite to all of the Washington celebrities who will hound the coach at various offseason events. Steve Spurrier certainly learned as much during his short stay between 2002-03, recognizing quickly that he couldn't smart off to the press in D.C. as he could in Gainesville. Anything contradictory would be jumped on immediately by the Washington media corps. Those who saw "the ball coach" attend charity events and the like in the D.C. area confirm, as they were amazed at how deferential Spurrier was to questioners in the audience, far different to his days at Florida, or, subsequently, at South Carolina. Spurrier obviously knew that the media was there, ready to catch him on any slip. How comfortable will Shanahan be in the same, never-ending spotlight?

2) Dan Snyder. For the moment, all appears to be well-set with the new Redskin power structure featuring Allen and Shanahan, but let's see how it all works when events play out in real time. Many longtime Redskins observers don't believe Snyder will be able to step aside so gently, and instead suspect that Allen will eventually find out that the boss will not necessarily defer to him on critical issues. Moreover, as well-intentioned as the new Redskin front office might be, Snyder is never going to set himself up as the fall guy if personnel decisions (even those of his own making) go wrong. Snyder will cleverly let Allen take the heat for any bad personnel moves.

It is worth noting that of Snyder's Redskins coaches, only the deified Joe Gibbs lasted more than two seasons, with strong-willed sorts such as Spurrier and Marty Schottenheimer reduced to bit players in the Snyder saga. Snyder can also be a coach's worst enemy, at least if reports about him talking to agents, getting directly involved in player acquisitions, developing his own draft board, and attending workouts for players are true. Snyder's forays into free agency have been expensive and not necessarily worthwhile. Heck, even Jerry Jones, who at least has some real football in his background at Arkansas, is considered more tolerable by gridiron insiders. Snyder famously wants to win now, not later, and has been notoriously intolerant of anything less.

3) Bruce Allen. His last name still means something in Redskins Nation as the son of the iconic George Allen, who put the Skins back on the map as the head coach in the '70s. And that connection might buy Bruce a little space from Snyder, who gave Gibbs more maneuverability than his other coaches simply because Snyder, like all Skins fans, had Gibbs on a pedestal. Allen, however, is not Gibbs, and is in the unenviable position of being the man between Snyder and Shanahan (who, if reports are to be believed, will have the most say-so in football personnel decisions). There are also some in the D.C. area who believe Bruce was not-so-gently coaxed into taking the Skins GM job by brother George, who is desperately trying to re-start his political career in the Commonwealth after "macaca" and the loss of his U.S. Senate seat to Jim Webb in 2006, and is hoping any Skins success with his brother involved will credit some good will for him.

4) NFC East. Mostly, however, Shan will be dealing in a much tougher neighborhood than the AFC West in which he resided for 14 seasons between 1995-2008. Although one between the Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers was usually formidable at any given time during the Shan's Denver tenure, rarely were more than one good at the same time. Which is unlike things in the NFC East, where Jerry Jones has the money and wherewithal to regularly beat Snyder, and the Giants and Eagles also like to win every bit as much as the Cowboys. The Shan will also be inheriting a Redskins team not to be confused with his mid '90s Broncos, who, despite coming off a 7-9 season under Wade Phillips when the Shan took over, still had John Elway at QB and a decent talent base at the core of the roster. The Shan will instead inherit Jason Campbell at QB and a team that finished 4-12 for Jim Zorn this past season.

As for Shanahan, it should be noted that his record at Denver was a bit mixed after Elway's retirement and the second of back-to-back Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1998 season. Although the Broncos enjoyed one of the best three-year runs in NFL history between 1996-98, recording a 46-10 overall mark and two Super Bowl crowns, between 1999-2008, Shanahan reached the postseason only four times, and recorded only one playoff win in that span (vs. Bill Belichick's Patriots in 2005). The Shan's Denver teams also missed out on the playoffs on the final day of the 2002, 2006, and 2008 regular-season schedules.

Along the way, Shanahan, who had full control of all Bronco football matters, took increasing heat for his personnel decisions, which began to include numerous blown draft picks and disappointing free-agent acquisitions. In his last couple of Denver years, however, Shanahan might have begun to rehabilitate his aura somewhat with a series of inspired draft picks, from Brandon Marshall to Tony Scheffler to Jay Cutler to Ryan Clady to Eddie Royal, although Denver's FA acquisitions in those years were nothing special. On the field, the Bronco defense blew hot and cold, and by the time owner Pat Bowlen hit the eject button after the 2008 campaign, Shanahan's Denver stop unit was one of the league's worst. And Shanahan has all but admitted that defense is not his strong suit.

On the plus side, the Shan was something of a transformational coach in the history of the game while at Denver, in particular altering a long-held perception that bigger was better along the offensive line. Along with line coach Alex Gibbs, Shanahan changed those dynamics, focusing on smaller but quicker offensive linemen who could move, and the results were often breathtaking, especially for a ground game that routinely ranked among the league's best. Although some credited much of Shanahan's success to Elway, the opposite was also true; indeed, Elway raved about Shanahan, and it's worth noting that Elway's most-productive years came under Shanahan, who was a Denver assistant under Dan Reeves between 1984-87 (and o.c. between 1985-87). Elway was not quite the same force in the non-Shanahan years between 1988-94, when the Broncos recorded a record barely over .500 (60-52) during that stretch. The Broncos had evolved into a run-based offense featuring Terrell Davis (a late-round Shanahan draft steal in 1995) after the Shan reappeared as Bronco coach in '05, and Elway began to flourish in his newer, more-reduced role. Although he was still capable of memorable displays, including an MVP trophy in his final game, Super Bowl XXXIII against the Falcons in January, 1999.

And therein might lie Shanahan's biggest problem in D.C., more than Snyder, Bruce Allen, or the Washington press corps will provide. He inherits Jason Campbell at QB, not John Elway. Plus a 4-12 team.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:37 PM

McNabb felt 'disrespected' by benching

December 21, 2010

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) - Donovan McNabb felt disrespected by the way he was benched by Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan.

``Everything was handled awkwardly,'' McNabb said Tuesday on his weekly radio show on ESPN980, ``somewhat to a disrespect to me and to the team.''

Making his first public comments since his demotion last week, McNabb said he strongly disagreed with the decision, but he has a bigger problem with the way he says the organization leaked the news to the media before informing him.

``Because of the timing and because of all the leaks and everything that was put out there, and no putting out the fire, so to speak,'' McNabb said, ``I'm hearing everything through the media.''

Shanahan waited until Thursday evening to tell McNabb that Rex Grossman would be the starter for the rest of the season, even though rumblings of a possible switch had been circulating all week.

``I was pulled back by it. All of a sudden you get this news a couple of days before the game, you do feel somewhat disrespected,'' McNabb said. ``You could have told me earlier or at least prepared me for it. ... The term I did use was professional. You would like to hear it early, and if you hear it late, it kind of throws off the preparation for a lot of guys.''

McNabb said he wasn't even aware that he was being demoted to No. 3 quarterback for the final two games of the season until Shanahan announced the move to reporters the next day.

As for the benching, McNabb conceded he's had a tough year, but he said he felt he had made enough progress in his first season in the Redskins' offense to give the team something to build on. Shanahan said he benched McNabb because the team had been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and he wanted to evaluate the two other quarterbacks, Grossman and John Beck.

``The way this whole thing went down to me was 'off' and one that I strongly disagree, with because I've always believed that if you start something you finish it,'' McNabb said. ``I wanted to be out there with the team. ... Other quarterbacks have struggled a little bit, but I'm the one that's got to go through this 'evaluation process.'''

McNabb was asked if he felt demeaned by serving as the third-string quarterback.

``Yeah, I don't think too many guys go from 1 to 3,'' he answered. ``That's an unfortunate situation that I guess I'm one of a few to be a part of.''

The Redskins signed McNabb to a contract extension last month, but it contains a clause that allows the team to release him before next season without further financial obligations. McNabb said he did not think his relationship with Shanahan is permanently damaged and that he hopes to return to the team next season.

``I love the fans here. ... I've enjoyed myself here,'' he said. ``I think we can do some good things here.''

**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:38 PM

Cowboys put Romo on season-ending IR

December 21, 2010

IRVING, Texas (AP) - With time running out on this season, the Dallas Cowboys told injured quarterback Tony Romo he might as well rest up for next season.

Romo went on injured reserve Tuesday, eliminating any chance of him playing Saturday night at Arizona or in the season finale at Philadelphia. He's been out since breaking his left collarbone Oct. 25.

``When you just start doing the math on it and say, 'Where is he with this injury? Where is he physically functioning? Where is he being able to take a hit? And then, how much practice time you need to have any player be ready to play in a game?''' interim coach Jason Garrett said. ``We just felt when we factored all those things together, it just made sense to make this move.''

It seemed silly for the Cowboys to take any chances since they can't make the playoffs and are guaranteed a losing record, though they kept the option open by carrying him on the active roster the last eight weeks. Garrett said having this weekend as a target for a return helped Romo with his recovery.

On Sunday, team owner Jerry Jones said Romo was ``still having sensitivity there'' and not ready to play. Garrett indicated Romo would try to practice Tuesday, but the move was announced before the club even hit the field.

Jon Kitna will start the final two games. Garrett said he wouldn't use second-year backup Stephen McGee unless Kitna is hurt.

Kitna is 4-4 since taking over for Romo, including 4-2 since Garrett replaced fired coach Wade Phillips. Record aside, Kitna's statistics are quite similar to Romo's this season.

``Our team has certainly responded to him,'' Garrett said. ``He's a very driven guy. He loves to play football. He's very competitive. He'll look at the positive things and build on them and try to correct some of the things he doesn't like. It's an ongoing process. He embraces it every day.''

There's no threat of a QB controversy because Kitna will be 39 next season and Romo remains the face of the franchise. Kitna knows the drill.

``I signed a contract to be the backup to Tony and that's my job,'' he said. ``I'm supposed to play as well as I can if I get a chance to play. We've been consistent the last six weeks. That's what you want.''

Kitna didn't take a single snap last season and lost all four games he started for Detroit the previous season. So while this has been hailed as a career revival, Kitna doesn't see it that way.

``Honestly, it's not that satisfying for me because I knew that this was who I was,'' he said. ``What's exciting to me is that I got to be in a place that the guys around me make my job very easy.''

Romo completed 69 percent of his passes (148 of 213) for 1,605 yards with 11 touchdowns. His quarterback rating of 94.9 was a shade below his career average. His seven interceptions in six games was a big step back after having nine in a full season last year.

``I think if you look at the body of work, him individually and how our offense functioned, there were a lot of good things but there were obviously some areas to improve upon,'' Garrett said.

Romo has spent every game on the sideline, wearing a headset and consulting with Kitna. He'll continue doing that.

``He's played in this offense more than anybody has, so he has a real understanding of what we're trying to get accomplished,'' Garrett said. ``He and Jon have a really great relationship. ... There are some productive things that go on during the game and Tony is a big part of that.''

The Cowboys promoted Teddy Williams from the practice squad to take Romo's place.

Williams hasn't played organized football since he was a senior in high school. A gruesome ankle injury scared off recruiters, so he turned to track and became an All-America sprinter while at Texas-San Antonio. But he never gave up on playing football and signed with the Cowboys during training camp in San Antonio.

He played cornerback from the summer until last week, when he was switched to receiver because of a series of injuries. While he's a long way from learning his new duties, his speed could make him a threat as a returner. Garrett said it remains to be determined whether Williams will be active against the Cardinals.

``My whole thing is that I just want to be on the field and play,'' Williams said.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-21-2010, 07:39 PM

Packers save the Books
December 20, 2010

Week 15 of the NFL season had a little bit of everything that included fantastic finishes, upsets and most of all, revenge. There were eight divisional games last week that had teams facing each other for the second time. Through Sunday, the team that lost the first time around had won five of the seven games played with the Vikings hoping to continue the trend on Monday Night Football.

There was also a nice mix of favorites (7-7) and underdogs covering giving a little of something for everyone. However, the only down side of a fantastic weekend of pro football play was that the key games the public most prominently featured in their plays went down which helped the Las Vegas sportsbooks to either a break even or be a small winner for the day.

The Patriots-Packers Sunday finale would ultimately decide the fate on the day for both the books and bettors. With the uncertainty of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the game had been off the board all week until Saturday when most opened the Patriots as 14-point favorites when Matt Flynn was announced the starter. With Rodgers in, the early line had the Packers as 4 ½-point underdogs, a huge swing for a quarterback change. Despite the game being off all week, the action over the counter didn’t reflect it. The Patriots are back as being the public’s most reliable team after taking a couple years off. When the Packers covered, it was official, most sportsbooks won for the day.

The combination of the Texans, Cowboys, Saints, Buccaneers, Falcons and Raiders coming through would have been a dreadful parlay for the house to pay, but the books were able to beat those games down as the six teams went a combined 2-4. Had either the Falcons or Raiders game been lumped with the 10 early games, the books would have won much more, but because those two large favorites were keyed together in the get-back late games with equal action on the Steelers and Jets, it negated a lot of the win from the early contests.

If the sportsbooks had to choose who they would like between the Jets and Steelers, it would have been Pittsburgh all the way just because of some sharp play on the Jets that pushed the line from +6 to +3 ½ by kickoff. When that kickoff came, Brad Smith returned it all the way for a touchdown and set the tone for the day of what had been a struggling Jets squad coming in.

In the game that had the most betting action of the day, Philadelphia at the Giants, DeSean Jackson became the first player in NFL history to return a punt for a winning touchdown to end a game. The public was shaded slightly towards the Eagles with parlays, but straight bets were relatively even with the Giants being favored by 3 to 2 ½ points all week, bouncing back and forth from -120 to even money.

The Sharps were also on the Rams in the I-70 battle with the Chiefs pushing that game from St. Louis opening as a 1-point underdog to being Rams as 3-point favorites by kickoff. Kansas City won the game 27-13 and in doing so kept the futile NFC West wide open. The Seahawks and 49ers both lost which paves the way for a chase to the playoffs for all three led by the Seahawks and Rams 6-8 records. A major piece of that puzzle will be unveiled when the 49ers travel to St. Louis this week.

Despite Tampa Bay’s 8-6 record, they still hadn’t beat a team with a winning record which helped the public decide easily who to choose in their match with the Lions. Sharp money actually came in on Detroit and pushed the number from +6 to +4, with some places even dropping to +3 ½. The Sharps were right as the Lions pulled of a 23-20 overtime win, the first road win for Detroit in 26 games.

One of the rematches from earlier this season was the Texans and Titans. Houston had won 20-0 in the Week 12 matchup that also got Cortland Finnegan a fat lip. Because the Titans had been so bad in losing six games in a row coming in, the public was all over the Texans for the most one-sided action of the day. Wouldn’t you know, the Titans jumped out 21-0 in the first quarter and it never was a contest!

Almost as weighted by public opinion were the Cowboys, who opened up as 6-point favorites against the Redskins and moved up to -8 by kickoff thanks to bettors believing the “Bad” Rex Grossman would show up. For a while that looked to be the case, but he quickly became “Good Rex” as he threw for a career high four touchdowns making Mike Shanahan’s move to bench Donovan McNabb not like such a crazy idea. The Redskins still lost the game 33-30, but they got the money and helped the sports books.

Tim Tebow got the nod for the Broncos because of Kyle Orton’s bruised ribs -- or at least that’s what the team said -- and he did fairly well early on with a 40-yard TD run and 33-yard TD pass in a 39-23 loss to the Raiders giving Oakland 98 points on the year against Denver. Surprisingly, the line didn’t move much upon rumors that Tebow would start. The line just sat at 6 ½-points until eventually moving up to Raiders -8 by kickoff.

The Atlanta Falcons showed once again that they look like one of the best teams in football by simply playing good football at Seattle, nothing fancy, just winning football in every facet. This week they’ll get a chance to close the door on the division by beating the Saints who lost by six at Baltimore. Atlanta is a short 3-point favorite against the Saints, a team that has feasted on beating bad teams all season. Only Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh had winning records among the Saints 10 wins.

The bad beat of the week went to those who bet on the Jaguars getting 5-points at Indianapolis. With less than two minutes to go, it appeared that the Jaguars may have just back-doored the Colts when they scored a touchdown making it Colts 27-24. When the on-side kick came, most Jags bettors didn’t care if they recovered, they just wanted the game to end, but the game was far from being decided. The on-side kick went straight to linebacker Tyjuan Hagler who then sprinted 41 yards for the touchdown, sealing the game and a gift cover for Colts backers.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:07 PM

NFL's biggest totals continue to play Over

Earlier this week, we examined the games with the lowest posted totals this season and found that a vast majority of these games have ended up going over the total. Let’s take a look at the other end of the spectrum -- the games with the highest totals this season.
Through the first 15 weeks of the 2010 season, there have been 21 games with totals of 48 points or more. The over has hit in 13 of these games, with one game landing right on the total. With a record of 13-7-1, the over is connecting 65% of the time in these games.

This is a trend that has surfaced as the season has progressed. Through the first eight weeks of the season, the over was just 4-5 in these games with big totals. Since then, the over has gone 9-2, including a 6-1 mark in Weeks 12 through 15. Last weekend, Indianapolis and Jacksonville combined for 58 points to go well over the 48-point total (Indy won 34-24).

In Week 16, there are two games on the schedule that are headed for inclusion in this group.

HOUSTON TEXANS
at DENVER BRONCOS (Over/Under: 48)

The Texans have participated in six games in which the over/under was 48 or higher, second only to Indianapolis with seven. The total has been surpassed in four of the six contests involving Houston, most recently in Week 13 at Philadelphia (a 34-24 loss), which featured the highest posted total of the 2010 season at 51. By contrast, the Broncos have been involved in two of these games and both have gone under, although the total in their 35-14 loss to San Diego in Week 11 fell just one point shy of the 50-point total assigned to that game.

The FoxSheets make a strong case for an offensive slugfest in the mile high city:

Houston is 9-0 OVER (+9.0 Units) after a loss by 10 or more points over the last 3 seasons. The average score was Houston 27.6, Opponent 29.7 - (Rating = 4*).

Play Over - Any team against the total (Houston) - after allowing 25 points or more in 2 straight games against opponent after 2 straight losses by 10 or more points. (31-8 over the last 10 seasons.) (79.5%, +22.2 units. Rating = 3*).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
at ATLANTA FALCONS (Over/Under: 48.5)

The first meeting between these two NFC South rivals, a 27-24 home win for the Falcons, went over the 49-point total. Due to its solid defense, the rest of Atlanta’s 13 games this year have all had lower totals. The Saints have been involved in two other games with high totals, one a low-scoring affair on opening night against Minnesota (New Orleans won 14-9), the other a dramatic, high-scoring 30-27 victory over Dallas on Thanksgiving Day.

The FoxSheets are forecasting another shootout for this Monday night matchup with major playoff implications:

New Orleans is 13-3 OVER (+9.7 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last 3 seasons. The average score was New Orleans 29.8, Opponent 26.4 - (Rating = 2*).

Atlanta is 9-1 OVER (+7.9 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points this season. The average score was Atlanta 29.3, Opponent 21.2 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:15 PM

Steelers host Panthers in Thursday NFL betting mismatch

There might not be a bigger mismatch on the NFL odds than what we are about see unfold on Thursday Night Football this week. The Carolina Panthers are going to hit the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field with the hosts having everything to play for.

Pittsburgh won't win the AFC North with a 'W' on Thursday, but it can move within one win or a Baltimore Ravens loss from wrapping up both the division crown and a first-round bye in the playoffs in the AFC.

The biggest problem that Carolina will have in this game is that it doesn't have a passing game to speak of. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen just really doesn't have a sense of what's going on right now in his rookie campaign, and he is going to have to go up against one of the most ferocious defenses in the game on Thursday. The former Golden Domer has thrown for just two TDs against seven picks this year, and he is leading a passing attack that easily ranks dead last in the league at 149.3 YPG.

Knowing that his quarterback is going to be under the gun the whole game, head coach John Fox is going to be asking his running game to be strong. Without the injured DeAngelo Williams in the lineup, the task is very difficult. But at this point, with the Steelers allowing just 63.4 YPG on the ground, by far the best in the league, it probably doesn't matter who is carrying the football.

The Steelers are coming off of that bad loss at home to the New York Jets in Week 15, but they have to be full of confidence having already clinched a playoff spot. That bugaboo about the playoffs from last season has been exorcized, but there is still work to be done. Pittsburgh made a bad habit out of losing to teams like this in spots like this one, just as it did against the Oakland Raiders late last year.

The health of Troy Polamalu is a concern, but it shouldn't be the biggest deal in the world if he can't suit up. Polamalu missed his first game of the season last week with an Achilles injury, and he is listed as questionable for this one as well.

The ground game should be shining brightly considering the fact that the Panthers rank 23rd in the league at stopping the run. Running Back Rashard Mendenhall became the first man to rush for at least 100 yards on the New York Jets defense in 20 games last week, and his 17 carries and 100 yards marked the fourth time this year he reached the century mark on the ground. Mendenhall has a whopping 292 carries already on the season and has career highs in rushing yards (1,173) and TDs (10).

There isn't much history to analyze between these two teams, as this is only the fifth NFL betting battle that the two have had. The Panthers have never had any luck, especially here in Pittsburgh. The men from the Steel City are 3-1 SU and 4-0 ATS in this series all-time, and 2-0 SU and ATS here at home. The Steelers have wins of 30-14 and 30-20 from 2002 and 1999 respectively.

The NFL lines feature Pittsburgh as a 13 ½-point favorite by the oddsmakers at 5Dimes.com. The 'total' for Thursday Night Football has been set at 37.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:17 PM

NFL Free Pick: St. Louis Rams top 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers will try and keep their faint NFC West Division title hopes alive with a win over the St. Louis Rams this upcoming Sunday afternoon. Kickoff from the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis is set for 10 a.m. PT and the game will be broadcast regionally on FOX.

When San Francisco got off to a horrible 0-5 start, head coach Mike Singletary was optimistic his team could still make the playoffs. What he probably did not imagine was that his team would be 5-9 straight-up (5-9 against the spread) and still have a mathematical chance to win the NFC West.

It gets a bit complicated, but the 49ers can still clinch the division with a win in this game and against Arizona next week if Seattle (6-8) loses a couple more along the way.

The odds are against them this week. Sportsinteraction.com opened the Rams as a 2 ½-point favorite and set the ‘over/under’ line at 39 ½ points.

San Francisco would have been in a much better position to win the title if it had won last Thursday night, but instead it got thumped by San Diego 34-7 as a 10-point road underdog. The total stayed well ‘under’ the 44 ½ point line. Consistency has been a major problem for this team all season long as the 49ers have only won consecutive games once all season.

The primary area of concern has been the quarterback position. Alex Smith started the season as the number one guy but gave way to Troy Smith mid season. Neither Smith has been effective given the fact that San Francisco’s offense is ranked 26th in the league overall and 29th in scoring; averaging just 17.9 points per game. Its running game took a hit when RB Frank Gore was lost for the year with a hip injury in Week 12.

St. Louis’ six wins this season match its win total for the last three seasons combined, but even more incredible is the fact it still has the inside tract to win this division. The Rams are tied with Seattle at 6-8 SU and would clinch with wins in their final two games. They have been a solid play all season long as they are 9-5 ATS.

When St. Louis made Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford the first overall pick in this year’s draft, it had an eye to the future but did not realize the dividends he would return right from day one. He has started every game, throwing for 3,065 yards and 17 touchdowns. Bradford still has some rookie numbers such as 14 interceptions, 30 sacks, and a passer rating of 75.9, but he has more victories under his belt than any St. Louis starter in recent memory.

The Rams defense has also been a big reason they are still in the title hunt, as they are well-balanced against both the pass and the run and give up an average of just 21.1 points per game. Another key stat is a turnover ratio of +4 as this unit has generated 13 interceptions and 19 forced fumbles.

San Francisco is 1-3 ATS in its last four road games and 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in three out of its last five games overall.

St. Louis is 2-2 ATS in its last four games at home and 6-3 ATS in its last nine games overall. The total has stayed ‘under’ in six of these nine games.

Head-to-head, the 49ers have won the last five games SU and are 3-2 ATS. Earlier this season, they beat the Rams 23-20 in overtime as a 4 ½-point home favorite. The total went ‘over’ the 38 ½ point line in that game, but has stayed ‘under’ in seven of the last eight meetings.

The recent trends favor the 49ers in this game, but the way they have played this season does not. The Rams defense should be able to shut San Francisco’s anemic offense down and, while it will not be flashy, their offense will score just enough points to cover the 2 ½ points. Take St. Louis by a field goal to keep its division title hopes alive.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:18 PM

Raiders host Colts in huge NFL betting match
B
The Indianapolis Colts are coming off a big home win over division rival Jacksonville, a triumph that knotted the two squads atop the AFC South with 8-6 records. Peyton Manning had a second game without an interception and looks over the INT-itis that struck him during a three-game Colts losing skid.

Everything appears to be looking up for Indy, right?

Things are looking better for the Colts, but they face a tough challenge again this week with a trip to meet the Oakland Raiders (1:05 p.m. PT, CBS). Indianapolis is still fighting injuries and is allowing opponents nearly 24½-points per game, well above the norm for other division leaders who are collectively giving up 20.2 per game.

Opening odds were unanimous with Indianapolis giving three points. Bookmaker.com was taking minus three on the Colts even and charging $1.20 for Raiders backers. The total started at 47.

Oakland has several statistical edges in this game. The Colts offense ranks first in the NFL with just over 298 yards per contest through the air, but they'll be facing a Raiders defense that sits fifth in the league allowing 209.5 per game. Oakland's running game is second piling up 157.5 yards per game on the ground; Indy's defense rates 28th allowing nearly 136 per outing.

The Raiders are also still holding out for the playoffs, though their chances are very, very slim. It all starts with a win this Sunday, and that could be coach Tom Cable's toughest job this week – keeping his team focused on the game at hand. Even if Oakland doesn't get the necessary help to make the postseason, the team is at least playing for its first winning campaign since 2002.

Former Razorbacks star Darren McFadden is the main cog in the Black & Silver's offensive wheel. His 1,112 rushing yards are 11th in the league and he's one of just a handful of full-time backs averaging over five yards a trot. McFadden has also added 43 catches for close to 500 yards.

Indianapolis' ground game has been almost nonexistent this season with injuries limiting Joseph Addai and Mike Hart to just 136 carries between them. Addai, who hasn't played since a Week 6 win at Washington, is officially listed as questionable for this battle as he tries to rehab from his shoulder/neck injury. Hart (ankle) is also questionable and less likely to return than Addai. Even if both can play, how effective either one will be is a huge concern.

Or it was a huge concern before Donald Brown stepped up with a super performance last Sunday versus the Jags. The former first-round pick out of UConn went off for a career-best 129 yards, busting loose for a pair of scampers in excess of 40 yards. Expect the Colts to test the Raiders rush defense early with Oakland's unit allowing almost 131 per game on the ground, 26th in the NFL.

Indy hasn't had much luck at Oakland-Alameda Coliseum, though this is just the third visit in 16 seasons. The Raiders have won four of the last six, covering in three of the last five when hosting the Colts.

One of several voices in my head is telling me to cowboy up, grow a set and play Oakland to win outright. Another voice, however, says to just play the 'over,' which I will. Yet another voice is screaming to wrap this up and go have a beer which sounds like a splendid idea.

The Colts will close out their season at home next Sunday (Jan. 2) when they host the Tennessee Titans. Oakland travels to Kansas City to meet the Chiefs in what could be a huge contest if KC falls this Sunday at home to Tennessee and the Raiders pull off the upset over Indianapolis.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:19 PM

NFL Betting: Power rankings to pick winners

One of the principle concepts that fueled the development of NFLProPicker was to marry purely objective statistical information with subjective views provided primarily by expert pickers.

The idea was that football gurus (sports columnists, former players, retired coaches, etc.) would be more in touch with current developments, momentum shifts, personnel changes, injuries and other issues as they arise. Statistics are extremely useful and provide a snapshot of the recent past but, obviously, cannot take a gut-feel view on future events.

A new subjective picker category is born

In our search for subjective views on the strength of NFL teams, we didn’t stop with experts who picked winners in weekly matchups (both straight up and against the spread). We scoured the internet and became interested in weekly publications of power rankings. Further, we compared the power rankings from one site to another and selected the top 5 which, in our view, were the most accurate and reliable in assessing and ranking all 32 NFL teams. These were then averaged to determine a ‘consensus’ power ranking.

Formulas were devised that attributed the ‘consensus’ rankings of each team in a weekly matchup to help determine the team most likely to win. The formulas were modified to cover both SU and ATS selections. But we still weren’t satisfied, something was missing.

NFLProPicker gets into the Power Ranking business

We became curious and felt it would be a useful exercise to see exactly how the ‘consensus’ power ranking would compare to one that was based solely on statistics. We were already compiling our 10 major stats categories for all the teams and were tinkering with the optimum allocation percentages for those stats. It was a relatively simple exercise to rejig the data to produce power rankings that were wholly based on relevant team statistics.

Not too surprisingly, we found there was a pretty strong correlation between the ‘subjective’ and ‘objective’ power rankings. From a statistical and mathematical point of view, we saw merit in including both versions in our Preferred Wagers calculations.

Availability to football fans

One other major decision was made. We decided to include our NFLProPicker Power Rankings for free on approved reseller sites of the products being sold. It was felt it would be a useful tool for NFL fans who only wager occasionally, are in football pools or wish to follow their favorite team and see how they compare to the rest of league. But, as usual, we had to go one step further than everybody else.

We created a completely different ‘look’ for the Power Rankings. Each week, we show the rankings in a game oriented format. This resulted in a neat schedule that displays the higher ranked team above the lower ranked team at the same time as showing each team’s Win/Loss record and the spread for the upcoming matchup. It gives a useful overview of weekend games and allows the reader to quickly identify anomalies – say where a higher ranked team is actually the underdog according to the spread. This innovative schedule is also provided at no charge on approved reseller sites.

Benefitting from Power Rankings

What we can conclude in the end is that Power Rankings can be a useful tool in helping determine winners against the spread. We suggest the following:

1.Have a look at subjective Power Rankings on the internet (ESPN, FOX, USA Today, etc.) and get a feeling for the rankings of team(s) you’re interested in.
2.Check out the website(s) of NFLProPicker approved resellers and compare the totally objective, statistics-based Power Rankings to the more traditional ones.
3.Look for significant differences between the two sets of rankings, these may point to wagering opportunities.
4.Pay particular attention to the game oriented Power Rankings version displayed by NFLProPicker to identify anomalies between Win/Loss records and the derault spreads.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-22-2010, 07:20 PM

NFL Odds: Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

It takes a lot to get eliminated from the NFC West before the final week.

But the Arizona Cardinals turned the trick losing to Carolina, 19-12, last Sunday as 2 ½-point road ‘dogs for their eighth loss in nine games.

Now the 4-10 Cardinals get to show some of the nation just how bad they are as they host Dallas Saturday at 4:30 p.m. PT on NFL Network.

It’s a Christmas Day matchup that held far more promise of being a key game before the season started. Instead the Cardinals are absolutely brutal to watch, while the Cowboys rank as one of the most disappointing teams of the season.

The oddsmakers certainly know how brutal the Cardinals are. They’ve installed the 5-9 Cowboys as 6 ½-point road favorites with the total at 45 ½.

Arizona ranks 31st in passing and 30th in rushing so it’s no surprise it rates 31st in total offense. The Cardinals are equally inept defensively giving up 26.4 points a game, which ranks 29th. They are 30th in run defense allowing 145.7 yards per contest on the ground.

It’s hard to believe less than two years ago the Cardinals were in the Super Bowl. Just goes to show how much Kurt Warner meant. He went dancing off to the stars and the Cardinals have danced off to oblivion with a succession of bad quarterbacks, the latest being fifth-round rookie John Skelton of Fordham.

Skelton is slated to make his third start after replacing injured Derek Anderson, who is sidelined with a concussion and had lost his job even if he were healthy. Skelton completed 17 of 33 passes for 196 yards and an interception against the Panthers. Like Anderson, he had accuracy problems missing wide open receivers. Skelton’s receivers haven’t helped as Arizona leads the league in dropped passes, according to research compiled by STATS LLC.

Dallas opened 1-7 costing Wade Phillips his job. The Cowboys are 4-2 and 5-1 ATS since Jason Garrett was named interim head coach.

Under Garrett, the Cowboys upset the New York Giants as 11 ½-point road ‘dogs and Indianapolis as 5 ½-point road ‘dogs while losing to Philadelphia and New Orleans before escaping Washington this past week, 33-30, as 9 ½-point home ‘chalk.’

The Cowboys nearly blew a 27-7 lead against the Redskins. Rex Grossman threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns against the Cowboys. The combined 63 points in the Redskins matchup flew ‘over’ the 43 ½-point total marking the 11th straight game Dallas has gone ‘over.’

The ‘over’ has cashed in 13 of Dallas’ last 16 games. The ‘over’ also has cashed in six of Arizona’s past eight home contests.

Tony Romo’s season officially came to an end this week when he was put on injured reserve with a broken collarbone. Jon Kitna, though, has filled in well accounting for 12 touchdowns in the last six games. The Cowboys are averaging 32.2 points per game during this time frame. Kitna was 25-for-37 for 305 yards and two touchdowns against Washington.

Dallas, however, has surrendered 30 or more points in its last four games. The Cowboys are giving up an average of 31.2 points per game during this span.

The teams last met in 2008 with the Cardinals, winning 30-24, as five-point home ‘dogs. The Cardinals have covered nine of the past 12 times they’ve been home underdogs.

Arizona is likely to be without linebacker Joey Porter, who suffered a right triceps injury against the Panthers. The Cardinals may also be without kick returner LaRod Stephens-Howling (hamstring) and wide receiver Early Doucet, both of whom are ‘questionable.’

Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s with no rain and two mph winds.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-23-2010, 05:57 PM

Date WLT Pct Net Units Record
12/20/10 1-1-0 50.00% -50 Detail
12/19/10 13-10-1 56.52% +1000 Detail
12/16/10 1-1-0 50.00% -50 Detail
12/13/10 3-1-0 75.00% +950 Detail
12/12/10 9-16-1 36.00% -4300 Detail
12/09/10 1-1-0 50.00% -50 Detail
12/06/10 1-1-0 50.00% -50 Detail
12/05/10 16-12-0 57.14% +1400 Detail
12/02/10 0-2-0 0.00% -1100 Detail
Totals 45-45-2 50.00% -2250

Thursday, December 23Game Score Status Pick Amount

Carolina - 8:20 PM ET Pittsburgh -14 500
Pittsburgh - Over 37 500

**StarDust Bum** · 12-23-2010, 06:53 PM

Steelers try to cover 2-TD spread vs. Carolina

CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-12)
at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-4)

Kickoff: Thursday, 8:20 p.m. EDT
Line: Pittsburgh -14, Total: 37

Pittsburgh tries to move closer to a division title and playoff bye when it hosts 2-12 Carolina on Thursday night. The 10-4 Steelers will achieve both of these goals if they win their final two games. Safety Troy Polamalu will miss his second straight game due to a strained right Achilles’ tendon. TE Heath Miller is expected to suit up after being out for two games with post-concussion symptoms.

Polamalu is the Pittsburgh’s best player on defense and maybe the best player on the entire team, and the Steelers have struggled when he’s on the sidelines. Over the past two seasons, the Steelers are 14-4, allowing 14.8 PPG and forcing 41 turnovers when Polamalu plays. Without the All-Pro safety, Pittsburgh is 5-7, allowing 23.1 PPG and forcing 11 turnovers. But even with injuries to Polamalu and run-stopping DE Aaron Smith (triceps), the Steelers still rank third in the NFL in total defense (292 YPG) and first in stuffing the run (63 YPG).

They should have little problem stopping a Carolina offense ranked dead last in the NFL in scoring (13.1 PPG), total offense (266 YPG) and passing offense (149 YPG). Rookie QB Jimmy Clausen is the lowest-rated passer in the NFL (59.1 QB rating) with a 52.7% completion rate, 5.4 yards per attempt, two touchdowns and seven interceptions. For the Panthers to have any chance to keep this game close, RB Jonathan Stewart will have to find holes in Pittsburgh’s top-ranked rush defense. Stewart has been terrific in his past four games, rushing for 460 yards on 78 carries (5.9 YPC).

Pittsburgh has had its own problems offensively, with just four offensive touchdowns in its past four games. Ben Roethlisberger has thrown only two TD in these games, but he is moving the football with 255 passing YPG over this stretch. RB Rashard Mendenhall had his fourth 100-yard rushing game in last week’s loss to the Jets, gaining exactly 100 yards on 17 carries (5.9 YPC).

The Steelers are 4-0 ATS (3-1 SU) in the past four meetings between these teams, winning the past two by blowouts (30-14 in 2002 and 37-3 in 2006). This FoxSheets trend expects Pittsburgh will win and cover the two-touchdown spread.

PITTSBURGH is 14-4 ATS (77.8%, +9.6 Units) in home games after outgaining opp by 100 or more total yards in 2 consecutive games since 1992. The average score was PITTSBURGH 25.5, OPPONENT 14.8 - (Rating = 1*).

The FoxSheets also predict the game will finish Over the Total:

Play Over - Road teams where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points (CAROLINA) - off 2 or more consecutive unders, pathetic team - outscored by opponents by 10 or more points/game. (49-20 since 1983.) (71%, +27 units. Rating = 2*).

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