Line of Scrimmage: Rating the Divisions
Football Betting Lines
11/17/2008 -
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The word "arguably" has been kicked around
quite a lot by NFL pundits in recent weeks.
The Giants/Titans are arguably the best team in the league.
Kurt Warner/Adrian Peterson/Clinton Portis has arguably been the league MVP
through the first two-and-a-half months of the season.
NFL officials arguably don't know their rear ends from a hole in the Texas
Stadium roof when it comes to making an accurate roughing the passer call.
Actually, not many people would argue that last one.
The "A" word is also getting used a great deal when it comes to naming the
best and worst divisions in the NFL this season, usually in conjunction with a
soliloquy on the strength of the NFC East and NFC South, or weakness of the
AFC West or NFC West.
Well, I've been accused of being a pundit, so it's time to make my argument on
this topic.
A look at the best and worst divisions in the NFL in 2008, in highly dramatic,
Casey Kasem-style descending order:
8. NFC West
The Cardinals (7-3) are going to win this division for the first time, and in
fact, are going to be able to claim a division title for the first time since
they won the NFL's Eastern Division, as the Chicago Cardinals, in 1947. The
team's historic title is going to be pretty anti-climactic, though. Arizona
could actually clinch the West as early as next Sunday, since the 49ers (3-7),
Seahawks (2-8), and Rams (2-8) all appear headed to the Draft's lottery zone.
But how good is Arizona, really? We might not know for sure until the
playoffs. The four teams in the NFC West are a combined 6-18 when playing
outside the division this year.
7. AFC West
This was already a two-horse race before the end of September, as the Raiders
(2-8) and Chiefs (1-9) never looked like they were going to trouble the win
column very often, and have lived up to that reputation. The Broncos (6-4) and
Chargers (4-6) are better, but neither resides anywhere in the neighborhood of
the NFL elite. Denver's defense is among the worst in the league, while San
Diego's intensity level has never matched its talent. The winner of this
division might be 9-7, and that means a tough first-round playoff assignment
against the top Wild Card entry.
6. NFC North
Strange that a division without a winning team wouldn't fare worse on this
list, especially considering it also harbors the only remaining winless club
in the NFL, the hapless Lions (0-10). But the Bears (5-5), Packers (5-5), and
Vikings (5-5) are all dangerous in their own way, and whoever emerges with the
title will have the pleasure of hosting a playoff game in an environment that
will not be much fun for the visitor. What's more, the three teams in the hunt
all have a long, contentious history with one another, which will
make the race for the division crown a heck of a lot of fun over the final six
weeks.
5. AFC North
Back in the preseason we thought this had the potential to be a terrific four-
team race, since the Steelers looked to be treading water, the Browns were
supposed to be a serious playoff contender, and the Bengals looked like an "X"
factor. But Cleveland (3-6) and Cincinnati (1-8-1) have both been major
disappointments, and the only team threatening hit-or-miss Pittsburgh (7-3) is
mildly surprising Baltimore (6-4). The Steelers look to have too many problems
to be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and the upstart Ravens may
have shown their true colors with Sunday's blowout loss at the Giants.
Overall, not a very scary group, though the top two teams do play some
defense.
4. AFC South
This has been the most disappointing division in football. Remember that all
four teams in the South had records of .500 or better last year, with the
Colts, Jaguars, and Titans all making the playoffs, and it looked like the
young Texans were on the verge of threatening that trinity this season. But
other than the Titans (10-0), who have indeed been the AFC's most consistent,
if not most complete, team, the other three clubs have underachieved. The
Colts appear to be the only legitimate playoff contender apart from Tennessee,
and this Indianapolis (6-4) team is not as powerful as those of years past.
Jacksonville (4-6) has crumbled under the weight of injuries and internal
bickering, while Houston (3-7) has proven it's not ready for prime time.
3. AFC East
On the flip side of the AFC South scenario is that of the AFC East, which
looked to all the world like it would be the Patriots and the three dwarfs as
the season kicked off. The Tom Brady injury changed that, though we now know
that even if Brady had remained healthy, the division would have been light
years better than it was a year ago. The Jets (7-3) have ridden Brett Favre
and a revamped defense to the top of the division, Bill Belichick may be doing
the best coaching job of his career with the still-relevant Patriots (6-4),
the Dolphins (6-4) have undertaken one of the great one-year turnarounds in
recent NFL memory, and the Bills (5-4) have struggled of late but would be
good enough to win at least two divisions on this list. Like the NFC North,
this division should be a blast to watch as the weather begins to turn colder.
2. NFC South
It doesn't have the national profile of the AFC East or NFC East, but what the
NFC South does possess is four high-quality, well-coached teams that could all
provide a difficult matchup come playoff time. The Panthers (8-2) haven't
played inspired football against the Raiders or Lions the last two weeks, but
have been solid for most of this season and look a real Super Bowl sleeper.
The Buccaneers (7-3) are a veteran group that already has a blowout win of
Carolina (27-3) on its resume. The Falcons (6-4) have been a pleasant surprise
in the first year of the Mike Smith/Matt Ryan era, and it would be unwise to
count out a Saints (5-5) team with the most prolific offense in the NFL.
Maybe, unlike last year, this division will be deemed worthy of some Pro Bowl
citations.
1. NFC East
OK, so it isn't the unstoppable collective force that it appeared to be
through the season's first month, though at this moment, there are at least
three teams here that will call their seasons a disappointment if they don't
reach the Super Bowl. If the Giants (9-1) aren't the consensus top team in the
NFL at this moment, then they're no worse than "1-a" behind the Titans. The
Cowboys (6-4) haven't allowed their recent injury woes and on-field missteps
to alter their goal of being a Super Bowl team, and the talent is there for
them to make a similar run to that of the Giants last year. The Redskins (6-4)
have some fade potential, but also look capable of beating anyone in the
league from week-to-week. The odd team out in the division looks like it will
be the Eagles (5-4-1), who looked awful in Cincinnati on Sunday and are
already 0-3 in the division. Still, if you want confirmation that is the best
division from top-to-bottom in the NFL, watch what happens when the worst team
in the NFC East plays the best team in the NFC West on Thanksgiving night.
<< Stuttgart manager Veh slams team, Gomez
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stuttgart coach Armin Veh slammed his
side's performance in the goalless draw with Arminia Bielefeld at the weekend,
aiming particular criticism at striker Mario Gomez.
Veh fumed: "He ran too littl
<< Rangers host Senators aiming to extend win streak to three
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers will aim
for their third consecutive victory when they host the struggling Ottawa
Senators tonight at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers had lost four of five contests to beg
<< Sagnol worried over career future
Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol has
revealed he may be forced to quit the game through injury.
The 31-year-old France defender has been sidelined since Euro 2008 with an
Achilles injury which re
<< Red Wings, Oilers clash in Motown
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Red Wings will try record a point in their
sixth straight game when they welcome the slumping Edmonton Oilers to Joe
Louis Arena for tonight's opener of a home-and-home series.
The Red Wings, who are leading th
<< Bruins hope to get back in win column against Maple Leafs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Bruins will try to start a new winning streak
when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs for tonight's battle between Original
Six teams at Air Canada Centre.
The Bruins, who lead the Northeast Division with 24 poi
Mavs' Cuban charged with insider trading >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dallas Mavericks billionaire owner Mark Cuban
has been charged with insider trading by the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The outspoken and controversial Cuban, who made his fortune as an I
JMU clinches bid, maintains top spot in FCS Poll >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - James Madison clinched the Colonial
Athletic Association automatic bid to the playoffs on Saturday and retained
its No. 1 ranking in The Sportsbook Betting Lines FCS Top-25 poll on Monday.
The Dukes (9-1) received 1
'Canes re-assign Dwyer >>
Raleigh, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carolina Hurricanes re-assigned forward Patrick
Dwyer to the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, it was announced
on Monday.
The 25-year-old Dwyer, who was recalled from Albany on Nov. 2, and ma
Pujols named NL MVP >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert
Pujols has been named the National League's Most Valuable Player, as voted on
by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Pujols, who won this award in 2005
Pair of Capitals lead list of NHL's Three Stars >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Capitals forwards Nicklas Backstrom
and Alexander Ovechkin, along with Nashville Predators goaltender Dan Ellis,
were selected as the NHL's 'Three Stars' for the week ending November 16.
Backstrom
Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt
Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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Big Ten Conference odds
Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa
 Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.
Should be in:
Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?
Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.
Work left to do:
Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.
Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.
Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.
Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com
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Bonds nearly hits HR 751, SF wins
4 and drove in
a pair of runs, and Barry Bonds nearly hit homer No. 751 as San Francisco beat
1, in the middle contest of three at AT&T Park.
6) allowed five hits and one run over 6 2/3 innings, fanning
eight and walking three.
game slide.
Bonds, who came within five homers of Hank Aaron's record on Friday, went
1 with three walks, an RBI double and scored twice. The double ...
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