Seahawks Blitz Broncos To Remain Perfect On The NFL Preseason
Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck and Denver’s Kyle Orton both played fairly well in the first half, but the Seahawks reserves pulled away in the second half. The Seahawks improved to 2-0 on the NFL preseason with a 27-13 win over the Denver Broncos.
Hasselbeck completed 16 passes in 23 attempts including two touchdowns, though he was sacked three times. That was a big concern as he missed considerable time last season due to a back injury, but appeared to suffer no ill effects here:
“It’s just like I remembered- no fun. … I forgot how hard people hit in here. It’s just like a car accident. It’s part of the game … and it was probably good that it happened.”
After a rough opening weekend as the Denver Broncos starting QB, Kyle Orton recovered to post decent numbers. He completed 16 of his first 19 pass attempts including a touchdown before finishing 18 of 26 for 182 yards with a touchdown and an interception. After the game, Orton indicated that hes feeling confident about his play:
“I’ve got an awful lot of confidence right now, I really do. This is the best offense I’ve ever played with. This is the best talent around me that I’ve ever had. I just feel that my game right now is as good as it has ever been.
Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels was more reserved in his assessment:
“I think he acquitted himself fairly well. He played, you know, fairly well. There’s still obviously room for improvement. But he did what we feel he is capable of doing.
It would have been hard for Orton to have played worse than he did in the Broncos opening NFL preseason contest against the San Francisco 49ers last week where he threw three interceptions in his first three drives.
The Seahawks will continue their NFL preseason slate next Saturday against the Chiefs in Kansas City. Denver, meanwhile, will host Ortons old team”the Chicago Bears”and face their former starting QB Jay Cutler for the first time.
Buffalo Offense Key In Win Over Tampa Bay
It wasn’t a game for the ages by the Buffalo Bills, as they blew much of a 17 point lead to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Still, they did what they had to do and put some offense on the board en route to a 33-20 National Football League victory. The Bills shot out to a 17-0 first quarter lead before Tampa Bay answered with 14 of their own in the second quarter.
NFL sports betting enthusiasts who took the Bills as -4 home favorites cashed their tickets with the pointspread cover. Despite a 1-1 straight up record, Buffalo improved to 2-0 against the spread. Tampa Bay has lost both of their 2009 NFL games straight up and against the number for a 0-2 mark in both categories. The combined 53 points put on the scoreboard went OVER the posted total of 41. Both teams have gone OVER in two games this so far this season.
Terrell Owens capped the game with a long touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Trent Edwards expressed his excitement and seeing T.O show some of his ability to be a deep threat for the team:
I was excited and he was excited. I don’t really recall what was said, but I’m honestly hoping that that continues to happen. I think that’s why we have him.”
“We learned our lesson from last week and it’s a valuable lesson we’re going to need throughout the season. We have to finish games and that’s what we did today.”
Lee Evans also caught a touchdown pass from Edwards, and after the game praised his quarterback:
“It comes down to opportunities. I think Trent wasn’t afraid to take any chances. You always have to have that threat of the deep play. I think we put it on the table today that we would.”
Eagles Add To Redskins Woes
The ‘new look’ Washington Redskins offense under Sherm Lewis looked much like the old offense under Jim Zorn, and the Philadelphia Eagles had little trouble as they opened a 27-10 halftime lead en route to a 27-17 victory on Monday Night Football. DeSean Jackson scored a long touchdown both rushing and receiving, and Donovan McNabb threw for 156 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions in the victory.
The Eagles also rewarded NFL betting enthusiasts with the pointspread cover as -8′ road favorites. Philadelphia is now 4-2 against the number while the Redskins continued their struggles against the NFL pointspread dropping to 1-6.
Jackson’s only complaint after the game was that a sore ankle undermined the artistry of his post touchdown tap dance:
“I was out there having fun, man, honestly. My ankle was kind of hurting. I really didn’t feel it, but it did kind of affect my dance a little bit. I could put it to perfection a little bit better than that.”
Redskins’ defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth suggested that this team has to learn to play as a unit:
“You can say but so much. You’ve got to actually want to. So once we get to that point — where we want to do something — then we’ll do something. But if we just keep going our separate ways, then we’ll just keep getting slaughtered like we have.”
Jim Zorn was apparently more interested in playing ‘gotcha’ with the management that replaced him as the Redskins’ offensive play caller than in analyzing the game:
“Well, the result was the same. We got 17 points. It was difficult for me. It was difficult to stand and watch. The hard part is to keep your mouth shut.”
Washington running back Rock Cartwright expressed Washington’s struggles in a philosophical light:
Matthew Stafford Handed Reins As Lions Starting Quarterback
Matthew Stafford has yet to play a regular season NFL game and hes already the Detroit Lions starting quarterback. First year coach Jim Schwartz named Stafford as his starter for the teams opening game of the NFL regular season against the New Orleans Saints. Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the spot, though Schwartz went out of his way to stress that the rookie won the job as opposed to Culpepper losing it.
Schwartz made clear that hes very confident with his personnel at the position including third stringer Drew Stanton:
“I’ve had a lot of very tough decisions in the last few days — guys making the 53-man roster or not making it — but none more difficult than at quarterback. We announced to our team this morning that Matt Stafford is going to be our starting quarterback.”
“I’m very, very comfortable with the quarterback position here, not just one and two, but also three. What made this decision difficult was that I think we can win with Daunte Culpepper, I think we can with Matt Stafford, and I think we can win with Drew Stanton.
Stafford indicated that he didnt know he’d be the starter until Schwartz gave him the word:
“I definitely thought I was going to be the guy, but as competitive as Daunte is, I’m sure he thought he was going to be the guy, too. Coach Schwartz called me in this morning and told me, and I went out and practiced with the first team. That was exciting.”
Despite the Lions dismal 0-16 record a year ago, Stafford stressed that hes not just happy to be in the NFL”he wants to win:
“I’m going to try to win football games. I think, just like everyone else on this team, that we can go out on Sunday and be competitive against the Saints and give ourselves a chance to win the game. That’s our job.”
Ravens Complete Undefeated Preseason By Ripping Falcons
Even when the games don’t count and the starters play little, if at all, the Baltimore Ravens hate to lose. Despite the Atlanta Falcons starting QB Matt Ryan playing only one series and with the Ravens third string signal caller John Beck playing the entire game it was apparent that Baltimore wanted the victory more. The former BYU standout threw for 232 yards and a pair of touchdown passes as the Ravens easily beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-3 at the Georgia Dome.
Sports enthusiasts who bet on NFL preseason action were rewarded for their investment in the Ravens, as Baltimore won outright as +3 road underdogs. Baltimore also finished the NFL preseason with a perfect 4-0 mark against the spread, while Atlanta finished 2-1-1 against the number.
Ravens QB Beck expressed how pleased he was to get the opportunity to showcase his skills for the entire game:
“He (coach John Harbaugh) told me a few days ago that I would play the whole game. It was very exciting to get to play the whole game.”
Beck made the most of his opportunity, finishing with 232 yards on 16 of 28 passing and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions. The Ravens defense held the Falcons to just 175 yards of total offense.
Despite the loss, Falcons coach Mike Smith was nonplussed:
“You’ve got to understand in these games, you’re going to call things defensively and offensively to put players in certain situations to evaluate them. You’re not game-planning in a game like this. You’re going to put players in certain situations to see how they handle certain techniques and coverages.”
Falcon cornerback Chris Houston was a little more concerned:
Peyton Manning Due For Record Contract Extension
In what has to be one of the least difficult front office personnel decisions in sports history, Indianapolis Colts’ owner Jim Irsay has confirmed that the team will sign quarterback Peyton Manning to a contract extension that could make him the highest paid player in NFL history. Manning’s current deal will expire after the end of the 2010 season, with the final two years having been voided due to his meeting a number of performance based criteria. Despite losing the Superbowl this year, the Colts have not wavered on their commitment to Manning as the longterm QB for the team.
You can tell that an owner is adamant about resigning a player when he tells the media that he wants to make him the highest paid player in league history, and Irsay did just that:
“You know it’s going to get done. I think it’s clear, and we’ll start on it this summer. That’s been the way we do things [to hammer out an extension when a player is entering the final year of his contract]. And it’ll be the biggest [contract] in history; there’s not much doubt about that.”
Not exactly the most advantageous negotiating position to make public that you’re committed to breaking the bank to resign a player. Then again, it’s not like Manning is a quarterback that can easily be replaced as Irsay emphasized:
“It simply comes to one question, and that’s replaceability. Everything is based on the replaceability factor. You make decisions based on who you can afford to target and keep. … Other guys you really want to [re-sign] you might have trouble doing it, because of what it costs you, and how much attention they’re getting [from other teams in free agency]. We don’t have that luxury and we’ve had to work hard.”
Manning’s agent, Tom Condon, has already had preliminary discussions with the Colts’ management about a new deal. Condon also represent’s Peyton’s brother Eli Manning, and negotiated a $97.5 million contract extension from the New York Giants for him last year. Peyton’s contract will almost certainly exceed those figures, with some speculating that he could receive $20 million per year with a $50 million signing bonus up front.
Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and World Cup betting sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.
Vikings’ Adrian Peterson Suffers Minor Back Injury
Brett Favre may get all of the headlines for the Minnesota Vikings, but NFL insiders are well aware that running back Adrian Peterson is the key to the teams offensive success. Peterson’s threat alone is enough to open up options for the passing game. Hes definitely more than a decoy, however–after winning the NFL rushing title last year hes already off to a great start with 272 yards and four touchdowns in only two games. His threat on the ground has been a large part for Favre’s solid play with his new team.
There’s been a good deal of concern this week in the Twin Cities media about Peterson’s health. Specifically, there are questions about the severity of a back injury suffered last weekend. Peterson has been limited in his practice activities all week as a precaution, though both he and QB Favre as listed as probable on the NFLs official injury report. Favre is dealing with a minor finger sprain.
Peterson minimized the significance of his injury in comments to reporters:
“God willing, I will be out there playing. Not a big deal at all.”
He turned into a standup comic when asked for details on the injury. Asked when the injury occurred, Peterson quipped:
“It happened, like, a week back. But that’s all behind me now.”
Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell didnt sound too concerned:
“I’m comfortable with where he’s at. I know he’s been working hard to rehab. … Right now, I think he’s going to be OK, but we have to continue to go throughout the week with that.”
Indy Nips Jacksonville As NFL Season Gets Underway
The Indianapolis Colts, finding their offense shut down by a relentless Jacksonville Jaguars attack, fought back in kind. The often maligned Indy stop unit matched the ferocity of their Jaguars counterparts play for play, and one touchdown pass from Peyton Manning proved to be enough to earn victory by a 14-12 margin in the NFL season opener for both teams. With the victory Peyton Manning tied the great Johnny Unitas for the franchise victory lead.
NFL sports betting enthusiasts who took the Jaguars as +6 road underdogs were rewarded with the pointspread cover. Indianapolis dropped to 11-16 ATS over the past three years when favored. The 26 combined points went well UNDER the posted total of 45. Despite their reputation as an offensive juggernaut, the Colts have actually trended to the UNDER over the past three seasons, with 19 UNDERs in their past 35 lined games. The Jaguars, conversely, have a slight edge to the OVER in that span with a 19-14 mark over the past three years. Thats somewhat counterintuitive for a team best known for their defense.
After the contest, Manning displayed his characteristic humility when asked about tying the mark held by the iconic Unitas:
“I’ve never felt comfortable with comparisons with him. I think he’s kind of in his own category. But I am proud of those wins.”
Manning was more concerned about the welfare of receiver Anthony Gonzalez:
“I asked Rashean Matthis what happened and he said, ‘I didn’t even touch him . He has worked so hard in the offseason, I just hope it’s not a season-ending injury.”
Falcons Start Fast, Beat Rams In NFL Preseason Action
The Atlanta Falcons are making a statement that they’ll be a factor in the NFC. The Falcons starters behind QB Matt Ryan were almost flawless, and left the reserves with a 14-0 lead before eventually beating the St. Louis Rams 20-13 at the Edward Jones Dome on Friday night.
Running back Michael Turner was unstoppable in his limited playing time, churning out 65 yards in the Falcons opening drive. After the game,he spoke of his team’s impressive offensive showing:
“We wanted to come out and execute. They were preaching that all week and we wanted to show that on game day. We’re way better than we were last year at this time.”
Tony Gonzalez caught QB Matt Ryans TD pass and after the game praised the young team leader:
“He’s a great quarterback. It’s obvious he’s figuring things out. He has a great arm, talent, and knows how to play with poise.”
It was a disappointing home debut for new Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, who saw his team blown away from the opening whistle before a half empty stadium:
“Just like I said to the team, we’d have liked to have started out a little better. You’ve got to come out and take it to them.”
Rams safety O.J. Atogwe sounded a similar tone:
“This was a fabulous game for us. That’s the reason you play the preseason. Going against a team like Atlanta, a top-caliber team, it allows us to reassess what we’ve been doing.”
Falcons coach Mike Smith, meanwhile, was enthused about the improved play of his rushing defense:
Rams Foil Comeback Attempt To Beat Bengals In Preseason NFL Play
Kyle Boller filled in for an injured Mark Bulger, and the St. Louis Rams improved to 2-1 on the NFL preseason with a 24-21 victory over the host Cincinnati Bengals. The Rams led 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter, but a Bengals TD early in the frame made for some drama down the stretch.
Boller did withstand a hard hit from linebacker Keith Rivers that knocked his helmet off his head. Despite the hit, he Rams #2 QB was 14 of 20 for 96 yards. After the game, he talked about the play:
“I could have slid a little earlier. It is what it is. My chin strap hit just above my eyes. It was a good scramble, but maybe if I can get down a little sooner, the coaches would like that.”
Rivers also commented on the play:
“I was just trying to get to the ball. It wasn’t anything intentional.”
Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo gave Boller some props in his postgame media comments:
“He moved the team. He drove us down there after the bad start. When you score on a drive, the quarterback deserves the credit.”
Bengals second string QB J.T. O’Sullivan didnt have it quite so easy”he was sacked three times, lost a fumble and had two passes deflected by linemen. The lost fumble added to the Bengals NFL preseason turnover woes”theyve lost five fumbles and thrown three interceptions for eight turnovers in three games. O’Sullivan talked about the problem after the game:
“We’ve just got to find a way to eliminate it. It puts you in such a disadvantage any time you turn the ball over. That’s one of the things that has to change immediately.”
Head coach Marvin Lewis concurred:
“When you turn the football over, you have a difficult time winning, whether you’re playing in the regular season, the preseason, junior high, sixth grade, whatever it is.