9-13-10

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 06:57 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Monday Night Showdowns

The opening week of the NFL season concludes with a pair of AFC games on Monday night. The Chiefs host their first primetime game at Arrowhead Stadium since 2004, as Kansas City entertains reigning AFC West champion San Diego in the late kickoff. The night begins at the new Meadowlands with the Ravens trying to knock off the Jets in a battle of the last two runner-ups in the AFC.

Ravens at Jets (-2 ½, 35 ½) - 7:00 PM EST

Many eyes will be on this contest, not only because it's the first Monday Night Football game of the season, but fans are curious if the Jets can live up to the hype. Rex Ryan's club was showcased on HBO's "Hard Knocks" during training camp and wants to prove that last season's run to the AFC Title Game was no fluke. The Ravens, meanwhile, are quietly becoming a difficult team to handle on both sides of the ball after the pickups of Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh to boost the receiving corps.

Baltimore looked strong in the preseason with a 3-1 SU/ATS record, as the Ravens fell in their finale at St. Louis. The defense stepped up in the three wins by limiting the opposition to 25 total points. Under John Harbaugh, the Ravens are a profitable 9-6-1 ATS as a road underdog, but lost at Green Bay on a Monday Night last season as four-point 'dogs, 27-14. Playing on the road under the Monday Night lights for the Ravens has not been something to look forward to, as Baltimore is 1-6 SU since 2005, with the lone victory coming in a 16-0 shutout at Cleveland last season.

The Jets started last season at 3-0 in Ryan's debut, but went on to lost seven of their next 11 games. New York received a huge break with Indianapolis and Cincinnati wrapping up its divisions, as the Jets knocked off each club to clinch a playoff berth. The Jets made it all the way to the AFC Championship before falling at Indianapolis, as Mark Sanchez enters his second season at quarterback. New York finished the preseason at a pedestrian 2-2 SU/ATS, with both losses coming at home to the Giants and Redskins.

Playing division opponents was an issue for Ryan's squad last season, going 2-4 SU/ATS against the AFC East. However, when the Jets faced non-divisional foes in 2009, they finished 9-4 SU/ATS. The Jets haven't hosted a Monday Night game since a 2005 loss to the Patriots, as New York is 1-4 SU/ATS the last five Monday Night contests.

Each team has won their last two season openers, while Baltimore has cashed the 'over' in Harbaugh's two road series openers at Pittsburgh ('08) and San Diego ('09). These two clubs are meeting in the regular season for the first since 2007 when the Ravens failed to cover as 9 ½-point home 'chalk' in a 20-13 victory.

Chargers (-4 ½, 45) at Chiefs - 10:15 PM EST

These AFC West rivals hook up in Western Missouri as San Diego moves forward this season without several vital pieces of last season's 13-3 squad. Gone are LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Cromartie, while top receiver Vincent Jackson starts a three-game suspension along with a holdout. The Chiefs, meanwhile, look to reclaim the competitive days of 2003 when Kansas City was the top-seed in the AFC, as this club has won 10 games combined over the last three seasons.

San Diego began last season at 2-3, but Norv Turner's team rattled off 11 consecutive wins to clinch their fourth straight AFC West title. The season ended in disappointment when the upstart Jets traveled to Southern California and eliminated the Bolts, 17-14 in the second round of the playoffs. The Chargers do have it easy with six games every season against the Chiefs, Broncos, and Raiders, as San Diego is 20-4 SU and 15-8-1 ATS versus division foes since 2006. San Diego dominated Kansas City twice last season, outscoring the Chiefs, 80-21 in a pair of easy victories.

Todd Haley enters his second season as the head coach in Kansas City, as the team bolstered its coaching staff with the hiring of Charlie Weis as the offensive coordinator and Romeo Crennel to anchor the defense. Arrowhead Stadium used to be a venue in which the opposition feared, but that has not been the case over the last three seasons. Backing the Chiefs at home is a risky proposition for bettors, as Kansas City owns a 6-17-1 ATS mark since 2007, including only four SU wins. The Chiefs have not won a season opener since Dick Vermeil coached in 2005, a span of four games.

The Chargers needed a last-minute rally to knock off the Raiders in last season's Monday Night opener, 24-20 as 10 ½-point road favorites. San Diego has won each of the last three meetings at Arrowhead, with Kansas City's last home win in this series coming in 2006.

Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood:

In 2008, the 'over' hit in 13 of 17 Monday Night games, making it incredibly fun and profitable for the betting public. Things evened out a bit after a hot 'over' start last season, finishing 10-7 to the 'over.' Here is an interesting number regarding 'overs' the last two seasons: The 'over' is 16-1-1 the first eight weeks of the last two seasons, meaning the offenses are a little ahead of the defenses early on.

Looking ahead to some of the key matchups in Week 2, the Jets stay at home to battle the Patriots, while the Ravens head to Cincinnati for an AFC North showdown. The two primetime games are very intriguing with the Manning brothers hooking up in Indianapolis on Sunday night when the Colts host the Giants. The week wraps up in San Francisco when the reigning Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints take on the upstart 49ers.

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 06:59 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Monday Night Football: What bettors Need to Know

Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets (-2, 36)

CURRENT ODDS

The Jets opened as 3-point home favorites earlier this summer but the money came in on the Ravens. New York is between 1.5- and 2-point chalk. The over/under opened at 37.5 this summer and the bettors backed the under and bringing the total down to 36.

These are two of the favorites to win the AFC conference this season with the Ravens standing at +500 and the Jets at +600 to advance to the Super Bowl with +1000 odds for Baltimore and +1300 for New York to win Super Bowl XLV.

WEATHER REPORT

The weather forecast is calling for rain on Monday morning, however the conditions should be clear by Monday afternoon. There is only a 30 percent chance of showers by kickoff on Monday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium. Temperatures will be around 70 degrees with winds at only six mph.

NO HOLMES BUT REVIS IS BACK

The Jets will be without their top off-season acquisition as wide receiver Santonio Holmes will miss the first four games of the season. Holmes is suspended for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

And after a 36-day holdout, the Jets finally came to terms with cornerback Darrelle Revis on a four-year $46 million dollar deal. Revis is widely regarded as the best shutdown corner in the NFL, so getting him back was a big deal for the Jets.

Revis’ agent showed up at head coach Rex Ryan’s home with Revis’ jersey before the deal was done. Ryan had this to say to the agent: "Neil, I don't want the fu**ing jersey. I want him."

STRANGE DAYS

Offense is the story in Baltimore these days, not defense.

The Ravens have a young quarterback (Joe Flacco) with a big arm and playoff wins under his be< they’ve got a hybrid tailback (Ray Rice), who’s dangerous running between the tackles and catching the ball in the flat; with the addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Anquan Boldin, they have easily their deepest and most talented group of receivers in the franchise’s history.

“I think [our] will offense will be the No. 1 offense,” veteran wideout Derrick Mason told the Baltimore Sun.

THEY TALK THE TALK BUT...

No team has been hyped more this offseason than the New York Jets. Head coach Rex Ryan oozes with confidence and told anyone who’d listen that his group is primed to win the Super Bowl.

“Is it going to be easy? Hell no,” Ryan told the New York Daily News. “There’s no guarantee that this is going to happen. But I sense it’s going to happen. I really believe that we’re going to do this thing. In my heart, I think this is the time.”

Ray Lewis doesn’t agree with his former defensive coordinator’s belief. The Ravens middle linebacker expressed his distaste for all the attention the Jets are getting.

"We're talking about the Jets like we're talking about the (New Orleans) Saints," Lewis told the Newark Star-Ledger. "Those are the only people that can be dethroned: Drew Brees and the Saints. Not Mark Sanchez and the Jets."

The Jets didn’t look too good in the preseason, particularly Mark Sanchez. But the sophomore quarterback tells reporters that he and his teammates aren’t concerned about their struggles in August.

"I don't think we're too worried about it," he told the Bergen Record. "We're confident. We're excited about this next challenge and we know that it's time to get going."

San Diego Chargers (-4.5, 44.5) at Kansas City Chiefs

CURRENT ODDS

The Chargers opened as 5.5-point road favorites earlier this summer and the line briefly touched -6 before moving back down to -4.5. The over/under line has seen very little action this summer with the line fluctuating from 45 down to 44.5 total points.

The Chargers are a heavy -300 favorite to win the AFC West division this season, while the Chiefs are a +700 long shot. Oddsmakers are giving the Chargers (-500) an 85 percent chance of making the playoffs for a fifth straight season, while the Chiefs have only a 20 percent chance (+350) of making a postseason appearance for the first time since the 2006 season.

WEATHER REPORT

There is only a 30 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms on Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium with a temperature of 75 degrees and winds at only nine mph.

MATTHEWS EXPRESS

The Chargers let LaDainian Tomlinson go (he’s with the Jets now) and they used their first-round draft pick on running back Ryan Mathews from Fresno State.

Mathews gained 146 yards on 34 carries in the preseason. He averaged an impressive 4.3-yard per rush, and according to Chargers head coach Norv Turner, Mathews will be featured in Monday night’s game.

“I want Ryan to have an opportunity to have an impact on this game,” Turner said. “So he’s going to get the ball. I think in one of those (preseason) halves he had 11 carries. I would think he’s going to get double-digit touches in each half (against the Chiefs). I’d like to see that happen.”

CASSEL IS THE CHIEF QUESTION MARK

Chiefs’ quarterback Matt Cassel parlayed his solid season in New England to a big paycheck in Kansas City last year. Cassel was given a free pass last season as he and the Chiefs were just beginning a big rebuilding project.

But after a dismal preseason for Cassel, he has a lot of doubters out there, including former NFL quarterback and current CBS analyst Rich Gannon.

“There’s a sense of urgency. I think he realizes this is an important year,” Gannon says. “I’m just trying to be realistic. I think he’s a fine player. Do I think he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player right now? Well, no. He’s got to get better. As you look at him in the preseason, it’s still a work in progress.”

Keep this little quote in mind as it may be a nice motivator for Cassel if Gannon is the commentator for one of his games later this season.

BIG NAMES MISSING FOR THE BOLTS

Tomlinson isn’t the only familiar face who won’t be in uniform for the Chargers Monday night. Leading receiver Vincent Jackson and starting left tackle Marcus McNeill are both in conflicts with team management over their contract situations and won’t suit up against the Chiefs.

Former Pro Bowl outside linebacker Shawne Merriman is doubtful for Monday’s game because of injury. Merriman was seen in a protective boot over the weekend.

“It’s just to take the pressure off (the injured Achilles),” head coach Norv Turner told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It’s not an exact science. I think he’s doing better and he’s done more each day. He’s shown great improvement.”

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 07:03 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Monday’s Wagering Tips

Lines to keep an eye on

Baltimore Raves at New York Jets – total is at 35.5 from its opening of 38.5.
San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Chiefs opened as 5.5-point favorites but are now listed at -4.5.

Weather to watch

Arizona at Cincinnati – high winds blowing WSW at 21 mph.

Who’s hot

Toronto is 35-16 in its last 51 meetings with Baltimore.
Philadelphia is 14-3 in its last 17 meetings with Florida.
Chicago is 8-2 in its last 10 road games.
Colorado is 16-5 over its last 21 overall.

Who’s not

Pittsburgh is 7-44 in its last 51 road games.
Washington Nationals are 16-40 in their last 56 road games.
Arizona is 5-17 in its last 22 meetings with Cincinnati.
Milwaukee is 3-8 in its last 11 overall.
Boston is 2-6 over its last eight overall.

Key stat

15-5-2 – The over’s record in Kansas City’s last 22 home games heading into the Chiefs’ home opener against the San Diego Chargers on Monday.

Injury that shouldn’t be overlooked

Shawne Merriman (Achilles), San Diego Chargers – Merriman was back in a protective boot during Saturday’s walk-though and is officially listed as doubtful for Monday’s game.

Game of the day

Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets

Notable quotable

"I'm not a rookie. I've been in this league for 13 years. If I get an offer after the season, I consider that a slap in the face.”
"I don't want this to be negative. I want to be here. But from a business standpoint this probably will be my final season as a Patriot."
-Patriots WR Randy Moss on his contract situation following Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Moss is in the final year of his contract with New England.

Tips and notes

It looks like the San Diego Chargers are getting ready to throw rookie running back Ryan Matthews into the deep end in his first NFL start. “I want Ryan to have an opportunity to have an impact on this game,” Chargers coach Norv Turner told reporters. “So he’s going to get the ball. I think in one of those (preseason) halves he had 11 carries. I would think he’s going to get double-digit touches in each half (against the Chiefs). I’d like to see that happen.”

New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is ready to play a big role in Monday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Even though he has only been in Jets camp for about a week, the club expects him to play all the snaps he normally would.

If you’re expecting to cash in on unders in Baltimore Ravens games against this year, tread carefully. Baltimore retooled its receiving corps in the offseason and is expect to improve on the ninth-ranked scoring offense it had in 2009. "If we just continue on that road, I think we will become not just the best offense, but the winningest offense in the NFL — and that's all we what we want to do," wideout Derrick Mason told. "You can get all the numbers and still not win. What we want to do is make sure that if we do get the numbers, that we're winning in the process."

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 07:06 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Scott Spreitzer

MONDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN* NFL* Kansas City Chiefs

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 07:08 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Baseball Crusher

COL (-135) over SD

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 07:09 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Baseball Prophet

Sox/Sea over 6.5

Balt/Jets under 36

SD/KC over 45

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 07:33 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Bulgarian Paid service

Västeräs SK - BK Forward, 1@1.55
Schaffhausen v Servette FC 2 @ 2.15
Energie Cottbus v Karlsruher SC 1@1.90
Dundalk v Shamrock Rovers 2@1.73
Pandurii TG Jiu v Universitatea Craiova 2@2.55
Stoke City - Aston Villa 2 @3.14

**Mr. IWS** · 09-13-2010, 10:50 AM

Re: 9-13-10

Vegas Sports Informer's

3 Unit Play. #479 Take Over 36 Baltimore at NY Jets (7:00p.m., Monday, Sept. 13)

When this game was posted defense was the first thing that popped in my mind but then came all the offensive weapons the Ravens got in the offseason. I'm not saying that this game will produce 50 points but the winners will score over 21 points and this Monday Night bash will be a close game. The NY Jets are 5-1 O/U in their last 6 Monday night games and the Ravens are also 8-3 O/U in Monday night games.

**Mr. IWS** · 09-13-2010, 10:50 AM

Re: 9-13-10

POINTWISE

NFL KEY RELEASES

5 SAN DIEGO over Kansas City

**Mr. IWS** · 09-13-2010, 10:51 AM

Re: 9-13-10

JOYCE STERLING

Monday Night
UNDER 35.5 NYJ vs Baltimore
the Jets will blitz from every angle and in every situation and they will play a lot of man schemes behind it.
Baltimore's defense consistently ranked among the league's best with Ryan in charge, and New York was the best in the NFL in his first year.

**Mr. IWS** · 09-13-2010, 10:51 AM

Re: 9-13-10

SIXTH SENSE

BEST BETS

3% BALTIMORE +2.5

NY JETS -1.5 Baltimore 36
BALTIMORE 20 NY JETS 16

San Diego -4.5 KANSAS CITY 44.5
SAN DIEGO 28 KANSAS CITY 23

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 11:09 AM

Re: 9-13-10

AccuScore Best Picks

NFL2010-09-13481 San Diego Chargers v 482 Kansas City Chiefs
SPREADS / TOTALS: Current Point Spread is KC +4.5
Over/Under line is 44.5
San Diego Chargers-4.5
AccuScore Point Spread Line is San Diego Chargers -6

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 11:10 AM

Re: 9-13-10

ProPicksWeekly

NFL Monday 9/13/10

NY Jets -1 ov Baltimore 7:00pm EST (Play of The Day)

**spook** · 09-13-2010, 11:11 AM

Re: 9-13-10

double dragon nfl week 1

ravens +3 (-125)

9-13-10

9-13-10

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