Week 1 Sun NFL Trends , Notes , Thoughts

[Kramer]

Cincinnati at Baltimore, Sunday, 1:00

Storylines: First-year head coach John Harbaugh and quarterback and No. 18 overall Draft choice Joe Flacco (Delaware) make their respective debuts for Baltimore...

Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson expected to play despite suffering a torn labrum in the preseason, and fellow wideout T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) also expected to play...
Baltimore running back Willis McGahee (knee) expected to play after missing most of the preseason... Kenny Watson and Chris Perry tabbed to share running back chores for Cincinnati after the team released ex-starter Rudi Johnson last week...


Ex- Dolphins head coach Cam Cameron coordinates Baltimore's offense for the first time...Former Cowboys and Falcons defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer serves his first game in that capacity for the Bengals...Ravens placed quarterback Kyle Boller (shoulder) on season-ending injured reserve on Wednesday, and signed journeyman Todd Bouman...
Ravens are 1-5 ATSin openers since 2002...Bengals have won three straight openers, including a 27-20 win over Baltimore last season.

The Bengals are 6-1 in their last seven meetings with the Ravens, including 3-1 in Baltimore.
Bengals are 8-3 ATS as road favorites of 4 or less points with Lewis

CIN is 6-1 ATS L7 vs. BAL... CIN is 5-9-1 ATS L15 games... CIN is 2-5-1 ATS L8 road games... CIN is 4-1 ATS L5 Sept. games... CIN is 5-1 to the UNDER L6 games... CIN is 8-4 to the OVER L12 games vs. BAL...
BAL is 3-14 ATS L17 games... BAL is 13-4 ATS L17 home games vs. CIN... BAL is 4-8 ATS L12 games vs. AFC North... BAL is 6-1 to the OVER L7 games... BAL is 4-1 to the OVER L5 home games



The Bengals were 7-9 against the number last season, including 3-5 on the road. … Cincinnati has covered one of its last five games as a road favorite and has covered the last three meetings with Baltimore. … The Bengals have covered their season-opening game the last three seasons. …


Five of Cincinnati’s last six games have stayed under the total, and 12 of its last 16 contests on artificial turf have stayed under the total. …


The Ravens were 3-13 vs. the number last season, including 3-5 at home. … Baltimore has covered eight of the last 11 meetings at home but has covered only one of its last six contests vs. AFC North rivals. …

The Ravens have covered their season opener in only one of the last six seasons, and six of their last seven games have gone over the total.

CINCINNATI is 47-69 ATS (-28.9 Units) versus division opponents since 1992.
BALTIMORE is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.


BALTIMORE is 3-13 ATS (-11.3 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 1-8 ATS (-7.8 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.
BALTIMORE is 3-11 ATS (-9.1 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
CINCINNATI is 3-1 against the spread versus BALTIMORE over the last 3 seasons
CINCINNATI is 3-1 straight up against BALTIMORE over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL ov

****Cincinnati was the only team in the league to improve both offensively and defensively in totally yardage yet decline both SU and ATS last season.


Joe Flacco replacing Kyle Boller ?


CIN 10TH OFF; BAL 6TH DEF
CIN 24TH RUN; BAL 2ND VS. RUN
CIN 7TH PASS; BAL 20TH VS. PASS
CIN 11TH PTS; BAL 22ND PTS ALLOWED
BAL 22ND OFF; CIN 27TH DEF;
BAL 16TH RUN; CIN 21ST VS. RUN
BAL 23RD PASS; CIN 26TH VS. PASS
BAL 24TH PTS; CIN 24TH PTS ALLOWED
BAL 32ND TO/TA; CIN 8TH TO/TA
BAL TURNED THE BALL OVER 12 TIMES IN 2 GAMES VS. CIN.
BAL HELD CIN RB RUDI JOHNSON TO 40-96-0 LAST SEASON.
BAL DID NOT THROW A TD PASS VS. CIN LAST SEASON.
BAL NOTCHED 32 SACKS LAST SEASON AFTER POSTING 60 IN 2006.
CIN HAS WON 6-OF-7 IN THE SERIES.

Against Carson Palmer
Have to take Bengals here


Detroit at Atlanta, Sunday, 1:00

Storylines:

First-year head coach Mike Smith and quarterback and No. 3 overall Draft choice Matt Ryan (Boston College) make their respective debuts for Atlanta...

Ex-Chargers backup Michael Turner will get his first start as a member of the Falcons...New offensive coordinator Jim Colletto takes the reins of the Detroit attack...


Third-round rookie Kevin Smith (UCF) expected to start at running back for Detroit...

Status of new Lions running back Rudi Johnson, who was signed as a free agent on Monday, unknown for Sunday..
.New-look Lions secondary includes cornerbacks Leigh Bodden (ex-Browns) and Brian Kelly (ex- Buccaneers) along with safety Dwight Smith (ex-Vikings)...Kicker Jason Elam makes debut with Falcons after 15 seasons with Denver (1993-2007)...
Detroit was NFL's only undefeated team during the preseason...

Falcons and Lions are both 4-1 in openers since 2003.

The Lions' last undefeated preseason came in 1993, when the team was 4-0-1 en route to a 10-6 mark with a playoff appearance during the regular season


DET is 3-7 ATS *** games vs. ATL... DET is 4-12 ATS L16 road games... DET is is 0-7 ATS L7 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less... DET is 12-4 to the OVER L16 road games... DET is 8-2 to the OVER *** games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points... DET is 6-1 to the OVER L7 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less...


ATL is 2-5 ATS L7 games... ATL is 2-5 ATS L7 home games vs. DET... ATL is 3-9 ATS L12 home games... ATL is 5-0 to the OVER L5 games... ATL is 4-0 to the OVER L4 games as a home underdog of 3 points or less... ATL is 5-1 to the UNDER L6 games vs. DET.


DETROIT is 0-7 ATS (-7.7 Units) as a road favorite of 3 points or less since 1992.
DETROIT is 2-10 ATS (-9.0 Units) in road games against conference opponents over the last 3 seasons.


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

The Lions were 6-9-1 against the spread last season, including 2-6 on the road. …

Detroit has covered only four of its last 16 road contests but has covered its season opener the last five seasons. …

The Lions have failed to cover their last seven games as a road favorite but have covered seven of their last eight contests vs. NFC South teams. …


Of Detroit’s last 24 road games, 16 have gone over the total, but five of the last six meetings have stayed under the total. …


The Falcons were 8-8 vs. the spread last season, including 3-5 at home. … Atlanta has covered three of its last 12 home games and is 20-33-2 against the number in its last 55 regular-season home contests. …


The Falcons have covered two of their last eight games vs. NFC North opponents, and their last four season-opening games have stayed under the total.

DET 19th OFF; ATL 29th DEF
DET 31st RUN; ATL 26th VS. RUN
DET 9th PASS; ATL 23rd VS. PASS
DET 16th PTS; ATL 29th PTS ALLOWED
ATL 23rd OFF; DET 32nd DEF
ATL 26th RUN; DET 23rd VS. RUN
ATL 18th PASS; DET 31st VS. PASS
ATL 29th PTS; DET 32nd PTS ALLOWED
DET 17th TO/TA; ATL 10th TO/TA
THE TEAMS HAVE SPLIT THEIR LAST 6 MEETINGS.
ATL HAS WON 4 OF LAST 5 OPENERS.
ATL SCORED 16 POINTS OR LESS IN 10 GAMES LAST SEASON.
DET IS 5-19 ON THE ROAD OVER THE PAST 3 SEASONS.
DET RUSHED FOR 68 YARDS OR LESS 8 TIMES LAST SEASON.
DET OUTSCORED 127-37 IN FINAL 3 ROAD GAMES LAST SEASON.

Seattle at Buffalo, Sunday, 1:00


Storylines:

Seahawks will head to Buffalo minus wideout Bobby Engram (shoulder), defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (suspension), and safety Jordan Babineaux (suspension)...


Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (back) expected to play after leading just two series in the preseason, and wide receiver Deion Branch (knee) is questionable after missing the entire warm-up period...


Former Pro Bowl defensive tackle Marcus Stroud (ex-Jaguars) makes his debut for Buffalo, as does Super Bowl starter and linebacker Kawika Mitchell (ex- Giants)...



Running back Julius Jones (ex-Cowboys) will make his first formal appearance as a Seahawk...Bills wideout and second-round Draft pick James Hardy (Indiana) makes his debut in the starting lineup...


Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren, who announced his retirement effective the end of the 2008 season, begins his final year with Seattle...


Bills are 2-5 in openers since 2001,
Seahawks are 4-1 in openers since 2003.

Buffalo's 38-9 win at the Seahawks on Nov. 28, 2004, ranks as the most lopsided home loss of the Mike Holmgren era in Seattle.

SEA is 7-3 ATS *** games... SEA is 2-5 ATS L7 road games... SEA is 1-5 ATS L6 games on turf... SEA is 9-17 ATS L26 games vs. AFC East... SEA is 5-0 to the OVER L5 vs. BUF... SEA is 7-3 to the UNDER *** games as an underdog...


BUF is 10-3 ATS L13 home games... BUF is 10-2 ATS L12 games where the line is +3 to -3... BUF is 30-14 ATS L44 home games where the total is between 38.5 and 42 points... BUF is 15-4 ATS L19 games vs. NFC West... BUF is 5-1 to the OVER L6 home games... BUF is 16-4 to the OVER L20 games vs. NFC West.



The Seahawks were 10-8 vs. the spread last season, including 3-6 on the road (including playoffs). … Seattle is 11-20-1 against the number in its last 32 road games, including playoffs, and has failed to cover its last nine contests vs. AFC North squads, including playoffs. …


The Seahawks have covered two of their last 10 games as a road favorite, and 21 of their last 29 road contests have gone over the total, including playoffs. …





The Bills were 10-6 against the spread last season, including 6-2 at home. … Buffalo has covered 10 of its last 13 home games and has covered its last four encounters vs. NFC West foes. … The Bills have covered the last three meetings with Seattle, and the last four meetings have gone over the total. … Buffalo has covered its last three season openers; its last five, and nine of its previous 10, season openers have stayed under the total.

Other than Matt Hasselbeck missing lots of time and not knowing the receivers, the greatest edge the Bills have in this game is Seattle's inability to win road games, particularly contests that begin at 1 p.m.


Eastern on the Atlantic Coast. Just check out the trends below; they're pretty unbelievable
Pacific Teams playing on the Atlantic Coast at 1:00 PM are 23-36 ATS since 2002 (Mike Holmgren 2-10).

Seahawks are 6-12 ATS on the road since 2006.
Bills are 5-9 ATS in season openers the previous 13 years

BUFFALO is 10-2 ATS (+7.8 Units) in games where the line is +3 to -3 over the last 3 seasons.

BUFFALO is 15-4 ATS (+10.6 Units) against NFC West division opponents since 1992
Buffalo only lost at home to Giants and Patriots last year ...


SEA 9TH OFF; BUF 31ST DEF
SEA 20TH RUN; BUF 25TH VS. RUN
SEA 8TH PASS; BUF 29TH VS. PASS
SEA 9TH PTS; BUF 18TH PTS ALLOWED
BUF 30TH OFF; SEA 15TH DEF
BUF 15TH RUN; SEA 12TH VS. RUN
BUF 30TH PASS; SEA 19TH VS. PASS
BUF 30TH PTS; SEA 6TH PTS ALLOWED
BUF 6TH TO/TA; SEA 5TH TO/TA
SEA QB MATT HASSELBECK SET A FRANCHISE RECORD WITH 3,966 PASSING YARDS IN 2007.
BUF IS RIDING AN AFC-LONG 8-SEASON PLAYOFF DROUGHT.
SEA HAS MADE THE POSTSEASON AN NFC-LONG 5 STRAIGHT SEASONS.
ONLY TEN THREW FOR FEWER TDS THAN BUF’S 12 IN 2007.
SEA RECORDED 19 MORE SACKS THAN BUF IN 2007

N.Y. Jets at Miami, Sunday, 1:00

Storylines: Brett Favre, the leading all-time passer in NFL history, makes his debut as a member of the New York Jets...
Favre will oppose new Miami quarterback Chad Pennington, who was cut to make way for Favre after starting 66 games as a Jet between 2002 and 2007...
First-year Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano also makes his formal sideline debut...Ricky Williams expected to start at running back for Miami..


.Linebackers Calvin Pace (ex-Cardinals), Vernon Gholston (1st Round, Ohio State), nose tackle Kris Jenkins (ex- Panthers), guard Alan Faneca (ex-Steelers), and tackle Damien Woody (ex-Lions) will make their regular season debuts, along with Favre, for new-look Jets... No. 1 overall Draft choice Jake Long will start at left tackle for Dolphins...


Miami running back Ronnie Brown to make first meaningful appearance since suffering an ACL tear in Week 7 of last season.
..Jets (losers against New England in Week 1 of 2007) haven't dropped back-to-back season openers since 1998-99...




Dolphins are 1-4 in openers since 2003.
The Jets are 16-4 against the Dolphins since 1998, including 7-3 in Miami
The Jets were 6-9-1 vs. the number last season, including 4-4 on the road. … New York has covered its last three, and 11 of its previous 17, regular-season road games and is 6-1-1 vs. the spread in its last eight road openers. …


The Jets are 8-0-1 against the number in the last nine meetings with Miami, 16-2-2 against the spread in the last 20 meetings, and have covered nine of the last 10 meetings on the road. …



The Dolphins were 5-9-2 against the spread last season, including 1-6 at home. … Miami has covered 10 of its last 39 home games, and six of its last seven home contests have gone over the total. … The Dolphins are 1-6-1 vs. the spread in their last eight games, and 4-20-1 against the number in their last 25 games, vs. AFC East rivals.

NYJ are 8-0-1 ATS L9 games vs. MIA... NYJ are 5-2 ATS L7 road games where the total is between 35.5 and 38 points... NYJ are 10-7 ATS L17 road games... NYJ are 6-1 to the UNDER L7 games... NYJ are 6-1 to the OVER L7 Sept. games...



MIA is 0-5 ATS L5 home games vs. NYJ... MIA is 2-7 ATS L9 home games... MIA is 2-9 ATS L11 games vs. AFC East... MIA is 0-5 ATS L5 Sept. games... MIA is 6-2 to the OVER L8 home games... MIA is 4-1 to the OVER L5 games vs. NYJ.


New York can’t afford to slip because its next two
games are against New England and San Diego


Jets have won 16 of the last 20 meetings.
Jets are 5-3 ATS as a favorite under Eric Mangini.
Dolphins are 9-6 ATS in September home games since 2000.
Dolphins are 29-17 SU in September since 1994. Chad Pennington is 3-8 ATS as a home dog.


With loads of action on the visitor, this line hasn't moved off three.


NYJ 26TH OFF; MIA 23RD DEF
NYJ 19TH RUN; MIA 32ND VS. RUN
NYJ 25TH PASS; MIA 4TH VS. PASS
NYJ 25TH PTS; MIA 30TH PTS ALLOWED
MIA 28TH OFF; NYJ 18TH DEF
MIA 23RD RUN; NYJ 29TH VS. RUN
MIA 24TH PASS; NYJ 9TH VS. PASS
MIA 26TH PTS; NYJ 19TH PTS ALLOWED
MIA 22ND TO/TA; NYJ 20TH TO/TA
NYJ QB BRETT FAVRE’S 253 CONSECUTIVE GAMES STARTED IS 16 FEWER THAN THE TOTAL CAREER STARTS OF MIA’S STARTING OFFENSE.



NYJ’S 6-GAME REGRESSION FROM 2006 TO 2007 WAS TIED FOR THE SECOND MOST PRECIPITOUS DROP.


NYJ AND MIA COMBINED FOR FEWER WINS THAN ANY OTHER DIVISION TANDEM LAST SEASON.



NYJ RB THOMAS JONES SCORED JUST 1 TD ON 310 CARRIES LAST SEASON.
3 MIA STARTING O-LINEMEN EITHER ROOKIES (2) OR IN SECOND SEASON (1).

Kansas City at New England, Sunday, 1:00

Storylines: New England, which went 0-4 in the preseason after losing Super Bowl XLII, plays first meaningful game since loss to the Giants last February..



.Pats have won an NFL-record 19 consecutive regular season games since a loss at the Dolphins on Dec. 10, 2006, and have also won 14 consecutive at home ...Patriots quarterback Tom Brady expected to play despite missing the entire preseason with a foot injury..





.Chiefs running back Larry Johnson makes his return to meaningful action after missing the final eight games of 2007 with a broken foot...Kansas City quarterback Brodie Croyle looking for his first win in seven NFL starts...Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Chan Gailey is Chiefs' new offensive coordinator.





..Rookie defensive tackle and No. 5 overall Draft choice Glenn Dorsey makes formal debut for Chiefs...
Kansas City is 1-3 in season-openers since 2003...
Patriots are 5-1 in last six openers, and last lost a home opener in 2000 against Tampa Bay.

Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards is 2-8 in his career against both the Patriots and Bill Belichick

KC is 2-6 ATS L8 games vs. NE... KC is 6-1 ATS L7 road games... KC is 11-24 ATS L35 games vs. AFC East... KC is 5-0 ATS L5 games as an underdog of 10 or more points... KC is 9-2 to the UNDER L11 road games... KC is 1-5 to the UNDER L6 Sept. games... NE is 0-5 ATS L5 home games...





NE is 4-2 ATS L6 Sept. games... NE is 3-1 ATS L4 games as a home favorite of 14.5 to 21 points...
Super Bowl losers are 3-11 ATS in their first game the following season.
Patriots are 38-27 ATS at home under Bill Belichick.



Tom Brady is 99-27 as a starter (76-48 ATS).
The Chiefs were 7-8-1 against the number last season, including 6-2 on the road. …


Kansas City has covered seven of its last nine regular-season road games and has covered its last six contests as a dog of more than 10 points. … The Chiefs have covered their last four regular-season games on artificial turf. … The Patriots were 10-9 against the spread, including 5-5 at home (including playoffs). …



New England has failed to cover its last six, and eight of its last nine, contests, including playoffs, and has failed to cover its last eight games as a favorite of 11 points or more. … Of the Patriots’ last seven games, including playoffs, five have stayed under the total





KC13TH RUN; NE 10TH VS. RUN
KC 20TH PASS; NE 6TH VS. PASS
KC 31ST PTS; NE 4TH PTS ALLOWED
NE 1ST OFF; KC 13TH DEF
NE 13TH RUN; KC 28TH VS. RUN
NE 1ST PASS; KC 5TH VS. PASS
NE 1ST PTS; KC 14TH PTS ALLOWED
NE 3RD TO/TA; KC 28TH TO/TA
KC QB BRODIE CROYLE LOST ALL 6 STARTS IN 2007.
KC TE TONY GONZALEZ NEEDS 118 RECEIVING YARDS TO REACH 10,000 FOR CAREER.
NE RIDING ITS SECOND 18-PLUS GAME WINNING STREAK IN THE PAST FIVE SEASONS INTO 2008.
NE WR RANDY MOSS CAUGHT MORE TDS (23) LAST SEASON THAN 18 TEAMS.
NE AVERAGED 134.4 MORE YARDS PER GAME THAN KC LAST SEASON

Tampa Bay at New Orleans, Sunday, 1:00


Game will be played as scheduled at the Louisiana Superdome despite the effects of Hurricane Gustav on the Gulf Coast earlier in the week...Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey, acquired from the Giants on the eve of training camp, expected to make his formal debut with the team...



New Orleans running back Deuce McAllister makes his regular season return to the field after missing the final 13 games of 2007 with a torn ACL...Saints running back Reggie Bush also back after missing the final four games of last season with a partially torn PCL...


.Warrick Dunn, who played for the Buccaneers from 1997 through 2001, makes his formal return to the team after six years with the Atlanta Falcons...Jonathan Vilma (ex-Jets) to make first start at middle linebacker for Saints...Buccaneers swept last year's home-and-home with Saints..
.New Orleans was a 41-10 loser at Indianapolis in its 2007 season- opener.



The Buccaneers are 2-4 in openers under head coach Jon Gruden, and have been outscored by a composite of 47-6 in their last two lid-lifters.

The Buccaneers were 9-8 vs. the number last season (including playoffs), including 3-5 on the road. … Tampa Bay has covered five of its last six games vs. NFC South rivals and has covered six of its last eight road contests vs. NFC South squads. …



The Buccaneers have covered three of their last 10 season-opening games, and their last five season openers have stayed under the total. … Tampa Bay’s last five regular-season games have gone over the total. … The Saints were 6-10 vs. the spread last season, including 2-6 at home. …




New Orleans has covered six of its last 19 games, including playoffs, and has covered seven of its previous 25 home contests, including playoffs. … The Saints have covered three of their last 14, and 13 of their previous 43, games as a home favorite. Also, their last five, and eight of their previous 10 contests have gone over the to

TB is 5-1 ATS L6 games vs. NO... TB is 6-10 ATS L16 road games... TB is 2-6 ATS L8 road games where the total is between 42.5 and 45 points... TB is 38-19 to the UNDER L57 Sept. games... TB is 14-5 to the UNDER L19 games as a road underdog of 3 points or less. NO is 6-13 ATS L19 games...


NO is 2-9 ATS L11 home games...

NO is 10-22 ATS L32 games as a home favorite of 3 points or less... NO is 5-0 to the OVER L5 games vs. TB... NO is 5-0 to the OVER L5 home games


Gruden is 7-1 SU in division openers this decade


The Bucs improved their season stats both offensively and defensively last season.
The Saints declined both offensively and defensively in their stats last season.

Saints are 18-36 ATS at home since 2001.
Saints are 11-26 ATS as a home favorite since 2001


NEW ORLEANS is 50-77 ATS (-34.7 Units) in home games since 1992.
NEW ORLEANS is 50-77 ATS (-34.7 Units) in home lined games since 1992.
NEW ORLEANS is 37-60 ATS (-29.0 Units) in home games against conference opponents since 1992.
NEW ORLEANS is 17-39 ATS (-25.9 Units) in home games versus division opponents since 1992.



NEW ORLEANS is 50-74 ATS (-31.4 Units) in home games in dome games since 1992.
NEW ORLEANS is 50-74 ATS (-31.4 Units) in home games in games played on turf since 1992.


Head-to-Head Series History



TAMPA BAY is 3-1 against the spread versus NEW ORLEANS over the last 3 seasons
NEW ORLEANS is 2-2 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
4 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons




TB 18th OFF; NO 26th DEF
TB 11th RUN; NO 13th VS. RUN
TB 16th PASS; NO 30th VS. PASS
TB 18th PTS; NO 25th PTS ALLOWED
NO 4th OFF; TB 2nd DEF
NO 28th RUN; TB 17th VS. RUN
NO 3rd PASS; TB 1st VS. PASS
NO 12th PTS; TB 3rd PTS ALLOWED
TB 4th TO/TA; NO 22nd TO/TA
TB 14-26 ON THE ROAD SINCE 2003, BUT 4-1 AT NO DURING SAME STRETCH.




TB WR JOEY GALLOWAY HAS 28 CATCHES FOR 614 YARDS AND 8 TDS IN LAST 6 VS. NO.
TB RB EARNEST GRAHAM HAD 140 CARRIES FOR 568 YARDS AND 7 TDS IN FINAL 7 GAMES LAST SEASON.
NO QB DREW BREES HELD TO SEASON LOW 179 YARDS IN WEEK 13 LOSS TO TB LAST SEASON.
NO RB REGGIE BUSH RUSHED FOR MORE THAN 72 YARDS ONLY ONCE LAST SEASON.
NO 7-9 AT HOME OVER PAST TWO SEASONS.


St. Louis at Philadelphia, Sunday, 1:00



Storylines: Al Saunders, formerly offensive coordinator with the Chiefs and Redskins, makes his debut in that role with the Rams...Rookie and No. 2 overall Draft choice Chris Long expected to start at end for St. Louis...




Orlando Pace expected to start at left tackle for Rams after missing 15 games last year with a torn labrum and rotator cuff...Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel (ex-Patriots) makes his formal debut with the Eagles...



Eagles will be without injured wideout Kevin Curtis (sports hernia), and fellow receiver Reggie Brown (hamstring) and safety Brian Dawkins (ankle) are considered questionable...Defensive end Chris Clemons (ex-Raiders) makes first meaningful appearance as an Eagle...


Rams end and former Pro Bowler Leonard Little returns to the lineup after missing the final nine games of 2007 with a toe injury... Pro Bowl Eagles guard Shawn Andrews will be in the lineup after missing time in training camp and the preseason due to a bout with depression...

Eagles are 3-6in openers under Andy Reid, including 1-3 at home...

Rams are 2-4 in openers since 2002


STL is 1-7-1 ATS L9 vs. PHI... STL is 5-11 ATS L16 games... STL is 2-6 ATS L8 road games... STL is 7-19 ATS L26 games vs. NFC East... STL is 4-1 to the UNDER L5 vs. PHI... STL is 6-2 to the UNDER L8 road games... STL is 7-0 to the UNDER L7 Sept. games...



PHI is 4-0-1 ATS l5 home games vs. STL... PHI is 1-5 ATS L6 home games... PHI is 8-13 ATS L21 games as a favorite... PHI is 7-3 to the UNDER *** home games... PHI is 10-3 to the UNDER L13 games as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points.


Rams are 16-31 ATS in road games since 2001.
Rams are 9-21 ATS on grass since 2001.
Eagles are 46-30 ATS vs. NFC opponents since 2001.
ST LOUIS is 6-16 ATS (-11.6 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 67-93 ATS (-35.3 Units) against conference opponents since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 7-19 ATS (-13.9 Units) against NFC East division opponents since 1992.
ST LOUIS is 24-41 ATS (-21.1 Units) in games played on a grass field since 1992.
PHILADELPHIA is 118-84 ATS (+25.6 Units)



against conference opponents since 1992
The Rams were 5-11 against the number, including 3-5 on the road. … St. Louis has failed to cover its last three games and is 0-7-1 against the spread in its last eight road openers. … The Rams have covered 15 of their last 43 games on grass and have covered 17 of their last 49 regular-season road games. …




St. Louis has covered three of its last 14 games as a road dog of between 3.5 and 10 points. …
The Eagles were 8-8 against the spread last season, including 2-6 at home. ... Philadelphia has covered nine of its last 26 regular-season home contests. ... The Eagles are 6-1-1 vs. the number in the last eight meetings, six of which have stayed under the total.





STL 24TH OFF; PHI 10TH DEF
STL 25TH RUN; PHI 7TH VS. RUN
STL 19TH PASS; PHI 18TH VS. PASS
STL 28TH PTS; PHI 9TH PTS ALLOWED
PHI 6TH OFF; STL 21ST DEF;
PHI 8TH RUN; STL 20TH VS. RUN
PHI 10TH PASS; STL 21ST VS. PASS
PHI 17TH PTS; STL 31ST PTS ALLOWED
PHI 25TH TO/TA; STL 27TH TO/TA
PHI OPENS AT HOME AFTER STARTING LAST 3 SEASONS ON ROAD.
STL OPENS ON ROAD AFTER STARTING 3 OF LAST 4 AT HOME, INCLUDING LAST 2.
STL RB STEVEN JACKSON’S HOLDOUT ENDED AFTER 27 DAYS THIS SUMMER.



FINAL 3 GAMES OF 2007, PHI WON ALL 3 GAMES, AVERAGED 380.3 YARDS (UP FROM 352.9 1ST 13 GAMES), AND OUTSCORED OPPONENTS 65-38.
FINAL 3 GAMES OF 2007, STL LOST ALL 3, ALLOWING AVERAGE OF 374.7 YDS, (UP FROM 333.3) AND WAS OUTSCORED 122-57.
LAST MEETING WAS 2005, A 17-16 PHI WIN. LAST MEETING AT PHI WAS IN 2004, A 20-7 STL WIN





Houston at Pittsburgh, Sunday, 1:00




Storylines: First-round rookie Rashard Mendenhall (Illinois) makes his formal debut with the Steelers, and fellow running back Willie Parker returns to the field after missing the end of 2007 with a broken leg...




Running back Ahman Green (hamstring) expected to start for Houston after missing the final three games of the preseason...Pittsburgh defensive end Aaron Smith returns for his first meaningful game since tearing biceps in Week 14 of 2007...Texans are 1-3 in their last four season openers...





Houston running back Steve Slaton (turf toe) expected to make his regular season debut with Texans..
.Kyle Shanahan, son of Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan, makes his formal debut as offensive coordinator for the Texans...
Houston signed ex-Patriots defensive back Eugene Wilson on Wednesday...



Steelers were 3-5 in their final eight games last season, including a playoff loss to the Jaguars, while Texans were 3-1 in their final four contests.

The Steelers have won five consecutive regular season openers, and have not lost an opener at home since falling to Baltimore to begin the 2000 campaign.

HOU is 1-6 ATS L7 road games... HOU is 8-12 ATS L20 Sept. games... HOU is 5-8 ATS L13 games as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points...



HOU is 4-1 to the OVER L5 games... HOU is 7-3 to the OVER *** road games...
PIT is 3-6 ATS L9 games... PIT is 9-4 ATS L13 home games...



PIT is 35-16 ATS L51 games as a home favorite of 3.5 to 7 points... PIT is 4-1 to the OVER L5 games... PIT is 17-8 to the OVER L25 home games.


Steelers are 4-7 ATS in September home games since 2000.

Ben Roethlisberger is 44-17 as a starter (37-24 ATS).


This may surprise you, but the Steelers generated only 36 sacks last season


The Texans, who were actually 12th in scoring last season, should be able to maintain a top 10 offense once again, as long as Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson stay healthy.



In the nine games Johnson played in 2007, Houston averaged 25.6 points per game. Johnson is a dominant force who will have to be double teamed.



If Pittsburgh does that, Schaub should be able to utilize some of his other weapons, including an emerging Kevin Walter, Owen Daniels and exciting rookie Steve Slaton.



As for Schaub, I believe he's due for a really good year. Not only does he have a solid group of targets at his disposal, he also looked great this preseason, save for one quarter against the Cowboys
The Steelers Battle the Browns, Eagles, Ravens and Jaguars after the "lowly" Texans.
Despite there being lots of action on the Steelers, the line has moved in Houston's favor.




The Steelers will have to double team Williams on every play, which is a shame for Houston because management neglected to find someone who can play across from Williams on passing downs




The Texans were 8-8 vs. the spread last season, including 2-6 on the road. … Houston has covered three of its last four games but has covered only five of its last 17 road contests. … The Texans have covered one of their last five games as a road dog of between 3.5 and 10 points. … The Steelers were 9-8 against the number last season, including 6-36 at home, including playoffs. …
Pittsburgh has covered two of its last eight regular-season games but has covered 11 of its previous 17 home contests, including playoffs. …



The Steelers have covered four of their last five season openers but have failed to cover their last four regular-season games vs. AFC South foes. … Pittsburgh has covered 11 of its last 12 contests as a home favorite of between 3.5 and 10 points





HOU 14TH OFF; PIT 1ST DEF
HOU 22ND RUN; PIT 3RD VS. RUN
HOU 11TH PASS; PIT 3RD VS. PASS
HOU 12TH PTS; PIT 2ND PTS ALLOWED
PIT 17TH OFF; HOU 24TH DEF
PIT 3RD RUN; HOU 19TH VS. RUN
PIT 22ND PASS; HOU 25TH VS. PASS
PIT 9TH PTS; HOU 22ND PTS ALLOWED
PIT 12TH TO/TA; HOU 31ST TO/TA
THE TEAMS LAST PLAYED IN 2005, WITH PIT WINNING 27-7 IN HOUSTON.
HOU IS 12-36 ALL-TIME ON THE ROAD.
PIT HAS WON ITS LAST 5 HOME OPENERS.
HOU RB AHMAN GREEN DIDN’T CARRY MORE THAN 16 TIMES IN ANY GAME LAST SEASON.
HOU WR ANDRE JOHNSON CAUGHT AT LEAST 1 TD PASS IN 7-OF-9 GAMES LAST SEASON.
PIT QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER THREW AT LEAST 2 TD PASSES IN 9-OF-15 STARTS LAST S



Jacksonville at Tennessee, Sunday, 1:00

Storylines: Jaguars will play first game since backup tackle Richard Collier was critically injured in a shooting Tuesday morning...Ex-Redskins defensive coordinator Gregg Williams makes his debut in that capacity with Jacksonville...Mike Heimerdinger makes his return to the offensive coordinator chair for Tennessee after a three-year hiatus that included stints with the Broncos and Jets...Defensive end Jevon Kearse and wide receiver Justin McCareins also begin their second tours of duty with the Titans...





Status of Jaguars wide receiver Jerry Porter (hamstring) uncertain for Sunday...Status of Jags first-round Draft choice and defensive end Derrick Harvey (Florida) unknown after Harvey missed most of the preseason due to a contract holdout...Tight end Alge Crumpler makes his debut with the Titans, as does first-round running back Chris Johnson (East Carolina)...Jaguars and Titans split home-and-home last season, with the road team winning both ends..





.Jags are 2-4 in season-openers since 2002..
.Titans are 4-2 in openers over that span.
The Jaguars were 12-6 against the spread, including 7-3 on the road, including playoffs. … Jacksonville has covered 12 of its last 16 games, including playoffs, but has covered only one of its last six, and six of its previous 19, contests as a road favorite. …



The Jaguars’ last 12 games, including playoffs, have gone over the total, and 10 of their last 11 road games, including playoffs, have gone over the total. …




The Titans were 8-9 vs. the number, including 3-5 at home, including playoffs. … Tennessee has covered two of its last seven home games but has covered seven of its last nine contests as a home dog. … The Titans have covered eight of their last nine, and 10 of their previous 12, games vs. AFC South rivals.


Fred Taylor needs 20 rushing yards to go over 1,000 for his career against the Titans, who trail only Indianapolis (1,130 yards) on the running back's personal yardage-against list.

JAC is 3-6 ATS L9 road games vs. TEN... JAC is 8-2 ATS *** games... JAC is 7-3 ATS *** road games... JAC is 8-14 ATS L16 games as a road favorite of 3 points or less... JAC is 11-1 to the OVER L12 games... JAC is 7-1 to the OVER L8 road games...



TEN is 2-5 ATS L7 home games... TEN is 10-2 ATS L12 games vs. AFC South... TEN is 14-8 ATS L22 games as an underdog... TEN is 4-2 to the OVER L6 games vs. TEN... TEN is 12-3 to the OVER L15 games as a home underdog of 3 points or less.


***Titans are 9-3 ATS last 12 as dogs vs. Jaguars


Jags are 1-7 ATS as division road favorites
*** Titan QB Vince Young is 10-2 ATS as a starter against division foes.


In situations like this, I like to go with what Vegas is telling me to do.

There's tons of action on the Jaguars, yet the line hasn't moved an inch.
In a sense, the sportsbooks are saying, "OK dumb public. You take the Jags. We'll take the Titans. We'll see who wins."

JAX 7TH OFF; TEN 5TH DEF
JAX 2ND RUN; TEN 5TH VS. RUN
JAX 17TH PASS; TEN 10TH VS. PASS
JAX 6TH PTS; TEN 8TH PTS ALLOWED
TEN 21ST OFF; JAX 12TH DEF
TEN 5TH RUN; JAX 11TH VS. RUN
TEN 27TH PASS; JAX 15TH VS. PASS
TEN 22ND PTS; JAX 10TH PTS ALLOWED
TEN 16TH TO/TA; JAX 6TH TO/TA
NEITHER TEAM HAD A PLAYER RANK IN THE TOP 42 IN RECEIVING YARDAGE LAST SEASON.
TEN THREW 3 FEWER TDS THAN ANY OTHER TEAM LAST SEASON.



JAX QB DAVID GARRARD 1 OF ONLY 3 QBS TO EXCEED A 100 PASSER RATING IN 2007 (102.2).
TEAMS ARE 5-5 VS. EACH OTHER LAST 5 SEASONS.
ONLY SD INTERCEPTED MORE PASSES THAN TEN’S 22 IN 2007


Dallas at Cleveland, Sunday, 4:15

Storylines: Dallas plays first meaningful game since 21-17 loss to Giants in NFC Divisional Playoff last January...


Quarterback Derek Anderson (concussion) and wide receiver Braylon Edwards (foot) both slated to play for Cleveland after missing extensive time in the preseason...Running back Jamal Lewis (hamstring) also expected to play...Offseason acquisitions and defensive tackles Shaun Rogers (ex-Lions) and Corey Williams (ex-Packers) make their first appearances with Cleveland...





Zach Thomas makes first start as a member of the Cowboys after 12 seasons with Dolphins...First-round Draft choices Felix Jones (Arkansas) and cornerback Mike Jenkins (South Florida) make their respective debuts with the Cowboys...Mel Tucker makes debut as Browns' defensive coordinator...




Pro Bowl kick returner Joshua Cribbs (ankle) not expected to be available for Cleveland...
Browns were 0-4 in the preseason....
Cowboys are 2-6 in openers since 2000..
Cleveland is 1-8 in openers since returning to the league in 1999.

The Browns' most recent home victory over the Cowboys was a 24-21 triumph on Dec. 4, 1988.

DAL is 12-4 ATS L16 games as a road favorite of 3.5 to 7 points... DAL is 5-1 ATS L6 Sept. games... DAL is 4-12 ATS L16 games vs. AFC North... DAL is 6-2 to the OVER L8 road games... DAL is 9-4 to the OVER L13 games played on a grass field...


CLE is 9-2 ATS L11 games... CLE is 5-0 ATS L5 home games...


CLE is 18-7 ATS L25 games played on a grass field... CLE is 5-0 to the UNDER L5 games... CLE is 11-7 to the OVER L18 games as an underdog.

Tony Romo is 13-4 ATS as a starter before Dec. 1.

Tony Romo is 4-0 ATS as a starter in September.

Tony Romo is 7-3 ATS on the road.
CLEVELAND is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
CLEVELAND is 11-1 ATS (+9.9 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.



The Cowboys were 9-8 vs. the spread last season, including 4-4 on the road, including playoffs. … Dallas has failed to cover its last five games, including playoffs, and their last four contests have stayed under the total, including playoffs. … The Cowboys have covered five of their last seven games vs. AFC opponents. …



The Browns were 12-4 against the number last season, including 7-1 at home. … Cleveland has covered 12 of its last 15 games but is 0-4-1 against the spread the last five times while playing the first of consecutive home contests. … The Browns have covered three of their last four games vs. NFC foes



DAL 3RD OFF; CLE 30TH DEF
DAL 17TH RUN; CLE 27TH VS. RUN
DAL 4TH PASS; CLE 24TH VS. PASS
DAL 2ND PTS; CLE 21ST PTS ALLOWED
CLE 8TH OFF; DAL 9TH DEF;
CLE 10TH RUN; DAL 6TH VS. RUN
CLE 12TH PASS; DAL 13TH VS. PASS
CLE 8TH PTS; DAL 13TH PTS ALLOWED
CLE 19TH TO/TA; DAL 8TH TO/TA
CLE WR BRAYLON EDWARDS CAUGHT 21-400-4 VS. NFC TEAMS LAST SEASON.
DAL TE JASON WITTEN HAD 10 GAMES OF 6 CATCHES OR MORE LAST SEASON.
CLE HAS WON 7 STRAIGHT AT HOME.
DAL QB TONY ROMO IS 10-2 IN REGULAR-SEASON ROAD STARTS.




CLE RB JAMAL LEWIS RUSHED FOR MORE THAN 100 YARDS IN 4 OF HIS LAST 6 GAMES OF 2007.
DAL AVERAGED 32.5 POINTS IN ITS FIRST 13 GAMES LAST SEASON BUT ONLY 12.3 POINTS IN ITS FINAL 4 GAMES (INCLUDING PLAYOFFS).



Carolina at San Diego, Sunday, 4:15

Storylines:


Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme, who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery and missed the final 13 games of 2007, makes his regular season return to the field..


.Chargers Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates (foot), who missed all of the preseason, expected to play on Sunday...San Diego carries a six- game regular season winning streak into Sunday's contest...Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith will miss his first of two games after being suspended following an altercation with teammate Ken Lucas in training camp...




Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman slated to play despite two torn ligaments in his left knee...Rookie running back Jonathan Stewart (Oregon) to make his debut as a Panther...First-round rookie Jeff Otah (Pittsburgh) to start at right tackle for Panthers...



Wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad returns to Carolina lineup after three seasons with Bears...
Panthers are 1-3 in openers since 2004...Chargers are 5-2 in openers since 2001.

Chargers head coach Norv Turner is 6-0 in his career against the Panthers.

CAR is 7-3 ATS *** road games... CAR is 1-5 ATS L6 games vs. AFC... CAR is 7-16 ATS L23 games played on a grass field... CAR is 9-4 to the UNDER L13 games...



CAR is 11-5 to the UNDER L16 games as an underdog...
SD is 5-0 ATS L5 home games... SD is 8-0 ATS L8 games as a home favorite of 7.5 to 10 points...


SD is 4-0 ATS L4 games vs. NFC South... SD is 5-2 to the UNDER L7 home games... SD is 11-3 to the OVER L14 games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points.



The Panthers were 8-8 against the spread last season, including 5-3 on the road. … Carolina has covered its last three games but has covered only five of its last 14 contests as a road dog of between 7.5 and 10 points. … The Panthers are 0-5-1 vs. the number in their last six games vs. AFC opponents but are 33-19-2 vs. the spread in their last 54 road contests, including playoffs. …



The Chargers were 14-5 vs. the number last season, including 8-1 at home, including playoffs. … San Diego has covered its last nine, and 13 of its previous 15, games, including playoffs, and is 23-9-1 against the spread in its last 33 regular-season home games. …



The Chargers have covered their last 12 games as a favorite of between 7.5 and 10 points and have covered eight of their last 10 season-opening games.




The Panthers are a much better team when Delhomme is taking snaps. He
had thrown eight touchdown passes with only one interception last year
before suffering his season-ending injury during Week 3. Carolina is 22-5
ATS as an underdog when Delhomme is its quarterback.


Pro Bowl defensive
end Julius Peppers had an off-year in 2007. He’s in a contract year and
had a huge preseason.Peppers could be a real thorn in the side of Chargers
QB Philip Rivers, who had off-season knee surgery
The Panthers have covered 66 percent of the time
when taking points under Fox.



With nearly two-thirds of the betting public on San Diego, this line has dropped from -10 to -9. Why does Vegas want more money on the Chargers?



SAN DIEGO is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 14-5 ATS (+8.5 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 11-3 ATS (+7.7 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.



SAN DIEGO is 8-0 ATS (+8.0 Units) as a home favorite of 7.5 to 10 points over the last 3 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in home lined games over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in all games where the total is between 42.5 and 49 points over the last 2 seasons.
SAN DIEGO is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) in games played on a grass field over the last 2 seasons.
CAROLINA is 72-45 ATS (+22.5 Units) as an underdog since 1992.

CAR 29TH OFF; SD 14TH DEF
CAR 14TH RUN; SD 16TH VS. RUN
CAR 29TH PASS; SD 14TH VS. PASS
CAR T-26TH PTS; SD 5TH PTS ALLOWED
SD 20TH OFF; CAR 16TH DEF;
SD 7TH RUN; CAR 18TH VS. RUN
SD 26TH PASS; CAR 17TH VS. PASS
SD 5TH PTS; CAR 15TH PTS ALLOWED
SD 1ST TO/TA; CAR T-13TH TO/TA
CAR AND SD HAVE NOT MET SINCE 2004, A 17-6 SD WIN
SD IS 7-1 AT HOME VS. NFC TEAMS OVER THE LAST 4 SEASONS
CAR QB JAKE DELHOMME THREW 8 TDS IN HIS 3 STARTS LAST SEASON
SD RB LADAINIAN TOMLINSON HAS RUSHED FOR MORE THAN 100 YARDS AND AT LEAST 1 TD IN 4 OF HIS LAST 5 GAMES
SD FINISHED 2ND IN KO RETURN DIFFERENTIAL IN ’07 WHILE CAR FINISHED 31S

Arizona at San Francisco, Sunday, 4:15

Storylines: J.T. O'Sullivan, who beat out Alex Smith and Shaun Hill for the starting quarterback job in San Francisco, makes his first career NFL start...49ers offense will be run by new coordinator and former St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz...Kurt Warner, who played for Martz in St. Louis, will start at quarterback for Arizona after winning a preseason competition with Matt Leinart...
Wideout Isaac Bruce makes debut with the 49ers after 14 seasons with the Rams...


Former Cardinals receiver Bryant Johnson expected to make his first start in San Francisco uniform...49ers swept Cardinals in last year's home-and-home...Along with Bruce and Johnson, running back DeShaun Foster (ex- Panthers) and defensive end Justin Smith (ex-Bengals) among the new faces for 49ers..
.Outside linebacker Clark Haggans makes formal debut for Cardinals after serving as a starter for Steelers for last four seasons...Rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Tennessee State) makes debut for Cardinals...


Arizona is 1-7 in openers since 2000..
.San Francisco is 2-1 in openers under head coach Mike Nolan
AZ is 3-5-1 ATS L9 games vs. SF... AZ is 2-4 ATS L6 road games... AZ is 4-7 ATS L11 games as a favorite... AZ is is 7-1 to the OVER L8 games... AZ is 16-7 to the OVER 23 games vs. NFC...


SF is 3-8 ATS L11 games... SF is 3-6-1 ATS *** home games... SF is 1-6 ATS L7 home games where the total is between 38.5 and 42 points... SF is 9-16 ATS L25 games played on a grass field... SF is 6-2 to the UNDER L8 home games... SF is 7-2 to the OVER L9 games vs. AZ.
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-9 ATS (-7.9 Units) in all games where the total is between 35.5 and 42 points over the last 2 seasons.


Head-to-Head Series History
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-2 against the spread versus ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
SAN FRANCISCO is 2-2 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons


The Cardinals were 8-7-1 vs. the spread last season, including 3-4-1 on the road. … Arizona is 1-6-1 against the number in its last eight games as a road favorite and 15-29-1 against the number in its last 45 road contests overall. …



The Cardinals have covered one of their last seven, and two of their last 10, season openers and have covered one of the last four meetings with San Francisco. …

Seven of the last nine meetings have gone over the total, and seven of Arizona’s last eight games overall have gone over the total. …
The 49ers were 5-10-1 against the spread last season, including 3-4-1 at home. … San Francisco has covered three of its last 11 games, and six of its last eight home contests have stayed under the total.

AZ 12TH OFF; SF 25TH DEF
AZ 29TH RUN; SF 22ND VS. RUN
AZ 5TH PASS; SF 22ND VS. PASS
AZ 7TH PTS; SF 20TH PTS ALLOWED
SF 32ND OFF; AZ 17TH DEF
SF 27TH RUN; AZ 9TH VS. RUN
SF 32ND PASS; AZ 28TH VS. PASS
SF 32ND PTS; AZ 27TH PTS ALLOWED
SF 30TH TO/TA; AZ 22ND TO/TA
AZ AVERAGED 32.1 POINTS IN ITS FINAL 8 GAMES OF 2007.
SF SWEPT THE SEASON SERIES IN 2007.
SINCE DIVISIONAL REALIGNMENT IN 2002, 4 OF THE 12 MATCHUPS BETWEEN THE CLUB HAVE GONE TO OT.
SF SCORED AN NFL-LOW 24 TDS LAST SEASON (TIED FOR LAST WITH KC).
AZ CONVERTED AN NFL-HIGH 12-OF-14 4TH-DOWN ATTEMPTS IN 2007.
RB EDGERRIN JAMES HAS ONLY 4 RUSHES OF 20 YARDS OR MORE IN 661 CARRIES WITH AZ

Chicago at Indianapolis, Sunday, 8:15

Storylines:



Colts open brand new Lucas Oil Stadium, a 63,000-seat, retractable roof facility...Indianapolis and Chicago meet for the first time since Colts' 29-17 win in Super Bowl XLI...


Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed the entire preseason after undergoing minor knee surgery in July, expected to start...Kyle Orton, who won a preseason competition with Rex Grossman for starting quarterback duties, will start a regular season opener for the first time...Indianapolis safety Bob Sanders (shoulder) and defensive end Dwight Freeney (foot) both expected to be in the lineup on Sunday..



.Rookie Matt Forte (Tulane) slated to start in backfield for Chicago, with ex-Lion Kevin Jones also expected to make his debut with the team...Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) slated to play despite missing extensive practice time in recent weeks...Indianapolis wideout Marvin Harrison needs 61 receiving yards to surpass James Lofton for fourth-place on all-time NFL list...
Bears are 1-4 in last five openers..
.Colts are 8-1 in openers since 1999.

Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison has fewer career receiving yards against the Bears (91) than any other NFL opponent.

CHI is 4-2 ATS L6 road games... CHI is 2-4 ATS L6 dome games... CHI is 2-5 ATS L7 Sept. games... CHI is 5-2 to the OVER L7 games... CHI is 4-1 to the OVER L5 dome games...



IND is 1-4 ATS L5 home games... IND is 13-7 ATS L20 dome games... IND is 8-1 ATS L9 games vs. NFC... IND is 5-2 to the OVER L7 games... IND is 5-1 to the OVER L6 home games where the total is between 42.5 and 45 points.
INDIANAPOLIS is 8-1 ATS (+6.9 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.


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



The Bears were 7-9 vs. the number last season, including 4-4 on the road. … Chicago has failed to cover its last four games vs. AFC South opponents. … The Bears have covered two of their last seven season opening-games, and their last four season openers have stayed under the total. …



The Colts were 9-8 vs. the spread last season, including 5-4 at home, including playoffs. … Indy has covered its last six, and eight of its previous nine, contests vs. NFC squads, including playoffs. … The Colts have covered 15 of their last 17 night games, including playoffs, and have covered their season opener the last five, and eight of the last nine, seaso


CHI 27TH OFF; IND 3RD DEF
CHI 30TH RUN; IND 15TH VS. RUN
CHI 15TH PASS; IND 2ND VS. PASS
CHI T-18TH PTS; IND 1ST PTS ALLOWED
IND 5TH OFF; CHI 28TH DEF;
IND 18TH RUN; CHI 24TH VS. RUN
IND 6TH PASS; CHI 27TH VS. PASS
IND 3RD PTS; CHI 16TH PTS ALLOWED
IND 2ND TO/TA; CHI T-17TH TO/TA
CHI AND IND LAST MET IN SUPER BOWL 41, A 29-17 IND WIN
CHI HAS LOST 4 OF ITS LAST 5 SEASON OPENERS
IND HAS WON 8 OF ITS LAST 9 SEASON OPENERS
IND HAS WON ITS LAST 8 HOME GAMES VS. NFC OPPONENTS
CHI QB KYLE ORTON AVERAGED 159 PASSING YARDS IN HIS 3 STARTS IN 2007
IND WR REGGIE WAYNE CAUGHT AT LEAST 1 TD IN 9 GAMES LAST SE

Kramers Opinions :

Spread Cin , Ten , Dal , Buf ,
Money Lines : NE , Pit , Phi , Ind
IMO : Never bet more than a TD In NFL on a spread ,
Take the Money Line ...

Suicide pool :
PATRIOTS
EAGLES
COWBOYS

[JETMAN]

Thank,s,i Love This Stuff!

[Thomas]

Kramer, great stuff you post up around here, I know what a thankless job it can be sometimes as I do the same thing at another forum. I guess it's a labour of love so to speak. So from my corner a big thanks for your time and effort, always appreciated.

Tom

[theunknown]

yes awasome

[PhillyPride76]

Kramer what's your feelings on tonight's games