| "I have a notion that gamblers are as
| |
| | New England is a heavy favorite (-8) but
|
| happy as most people, being always
| |
| | will be fielding a different team than
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| excited; women, wine, fame, the table,
| |
| | the one that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy
|
| even ambition, sate now and then, but
| |
| | last February. However, with Belichick,
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| every turn of the card and cast of the
| |
| | Brady, and Dillon still in the fold it
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| dice keeps the gambler alive."- Lord
| |
| | should hardly matter, right? Oh, and the
|
| ByronThe starting lineups have been set.
| |
| | over/under on "Tuck Rule" mentions is
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| The fantasy football teams have been
| |
| | 2.5.New York Jets at Kansas City (-3),
|
| drafted. The money has found its way back
| |
| | Sunday at 1 p.m.The Jets are a sheik pick
|
| into the offshore gaming accounts, and
| |
| | to unseat the aforementioned Patriots
|
| the Week 1 lines are posted and ripe for
| |
| | this season. However, questions still
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| the picking. The sporting public has been
| |
| | abound in New Jersey - like how will Chad
|
| going through rehab and withdrawal for
| |
| | Pennington's shoulder hold up? Also, the
|
| seven months since the Super Bowl, but it
| |
| | Jets defense is still unsettled. John
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| is about to again submerge itself in a
| |
| | Abraham has just recently rejoined the
|
| wonderful orgy of drinking, violence, and
| |
| | team, and his conditioning will be a
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| gambling that will last the next 21
| |
| | concern. Ty Law will start this weekend
|
| weeks.The season kicks off Thursday night
| |
| | but is still gimpy, and Dwayne Robertson
|
| when the Oakland Raiders travel to New
| |
| | is playing with an injured hand. The
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| England to take on the defending Super
| |
| | Chiefs defense, on the other hand, will
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| Bowl champion Patriots. That evening will
| |
| | be a reason to watch this game. I'm
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| feature the type of showmanship,
| |
| | curious as to how the new additions -
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| self-importance, and spectacle that we've
| |
| | Kendrell Bell, Derrick Johnson, Patrick
|
| come to expect from Commissioner Paul
| |
| | Surtain and Sammy Knight - will
|
| Tagliabue and his massive public
| |
| | perform.Seattle at Jacksonville (-3),
|
| relations machine.But don't be
| |
| | Sunday at 1 p.m.By Week 10 of last season
|
| distracted. We have work to do this
| |
| | the best bet in the NFL was a
|
| season - making all of us some money by
| |
| | middle-of-the-road AFC team against any
|
| finding and exploiting the weaknesses in
| |
| | NFC team. By that rationale this game
|
| the bookmaking industry. No matter who
| |
| | would be an easy cleanup for the Jaguars.
|
| you go through - an online sports book,
| |
| | I know it's only one week, but this game
|
| that fifth-year sophomore in the dorm
| |
| | will at least be an early indicator of
|
| next to yours or even that office picks
| |
| | whether that corollary still holds true
|
| pool that gets up to one or two hundred
| |
| | (Dallas at San Diego is another such game
|
| dollars - Doc's Sports is the place for
| |
| | in Week 1). Seattle was a dreamy pick for
|
| you to find the exclusive information
| |
| | the Super Bowl last season and still has
|
| that can be the difference between
| |
| | talent. They've been a bad road team the
|
| picking up that new surround sound system
| |
| | past two seasons, and I think that
|
| for your living room or having to pawn
| |
| | "experts" are severely underestimating
|
| that watch that Mom bought you last
| |
| | how good this Jacksonville team is. This
|
| Christmas.Looking at the lines for
| |
| | will also be the first time anyone sees
|
| opening weekend, it's apparent that the
| |
| | how healthy Fred Taylor is. He is the key
|
| books are just as skittish as the rest of
| |
| | to the Jags season.Indianapolis (-3) at
|
| us when it comes to predicting the
| |
| | Baltimore, Sunday at 8:30 p.m.Oh, this
|
| performance of most NFL teams. Most of
| |
| | one has it all. This game is a rematch of
|
| the lines are chalk, with the favorites
| |
| | a key game from last season's stretch
|
| from the end of last season listed as the
| |
| | run. Indianapolis dominated that contest
|
| favorites now. There are no real big
| |
| | (20-10) and Baltimore ended up missing
|
| numbers (minus 8 in the New England game
| |
| | the playoffs by one game. This season,
|
| was the largest). I'm going to take it
| |
| | both the Colts (5/1) and the Ravens (14
|
| slow this weekend, sitting back and
| |
| | 1) are two of the top six favorites to
|
| enjoying the blissful beginning to
| |
| | win Super Bowl XL. I know that the
|
| another fall football season. If you
| |
| | preseason means less than the drunken
|
| decide to throw around a few bills, here
| |
| | promises I make to college girls, but the
|
| are a few things to remember for Week
| |
| | Colts were 0-5 and didn't really look
|
| 1:1) Forget about last year. That's worth
| |
| | good at any point. This will also be
|
| repeating. FORGET ABOUT LAST YEAR! All of
| |
| | fans' first opportunity to see new Colts
|
| the preseason hype, predictions and the
| |
| | defensive lineman Corey Simon in his new
|
| opening week lines are based around how
| |
| | uniform. Deion Sanders (hamstring) and
|
| teams performed last year. That's the
| |
| | Samari Rolle (knee) are both
|
| point of origin and any adjustments to
| |
| | questionable. Jamal Lewis came out and
|
| that are based on limited conjecture.
| |
| | voiced serious displeasure with Baltimore
|
| Remember, part of the formula for
| |
| | management because he hasn't been given a
|
| determining a line is the public's
| |
| | contract extension. He contests that the
|
| perception about teams. People will form
| |
| | Ravens played a part in his decision to
|
| their opinions based on their most recent
| |
| | accept jail time.Philadelphia (-2) at
|
| recollection of these clubs (last year's
| |
| | Atlanta, Monday at 9 p.m.A juicy
|
| playoffs). The same 12 teams that made
| |
| | beginning to the Monday Night Football
|
| the postseason last year aren't going to
| |
| | lineup. This game may be a rematch of the
|
| make it this season. Conversely, at least
| |
| | 2004 NFC Championship Game, but it may as
|
| one team that had 4,5, or 6 wins last
| |
| | well be the Super Bowl for the Falcons.
|
| year is going to be playing in the second
| |
| | Somehow, the feeling in Atlanta is that a
|
| week of January. It happens every year,
| |
| | win here could somehow avenge the savage
|
| so don't try to fight it.2) Bet
| |
| | beating they took in Philly last January.
|
| conservatively in Week 1. I know you're
| |
| | The Eagles, on the other hand, are just
|
| excited. We all are. But you don't want
| |
| | trying to prove that the Owens vs.
|
| to put yourself in a hole early because
| |
| | Everybody feud has run its course and
|
| you'll be playing from behind the whole
| |
| | that the bad blood really won't spill
|
| season. Be patient. Make a few small bets
| |
| | over into the regular season. I was
|
| - maybe half the size of what you would
| |
| | surprised to see Atlanta as the home dog,
|
| wager during the season - and keep a list
| |
| | especially given the troubles that Philly
|
| of bets that you would have made. After
| |
| | has endured in the last month. However,
|
| the weekend, check your list of bets
| |
| | the books are wise enough to know that
|
| against what actually happens. If you
| |
| | despite the off-field distractions this
|
| would have done well, then you have a
| |
| | is still a dangerous Eagles team that can
|
| good read on the teams and are set for
| |
| | erupt at any time.Some final, quick
|
| Week 2. If not, keep the same
| |
| | thoughts:1) Eli Manning's elbow is
|
| conservative approach.3)Pay attention to
| |
| | reportedly fine, and he will be ready to
|
| the injury report. This is always
| |
| | go when the Giants host the Cardinals on
|
| important, but you'd be amazed how many
| |
| | Sunday. He better be. He might not face a
|
| people assume that in Week 1 all the
| |
| | weaker secondary again this year.2) Tampa
|
| players are healthy and ready to go. That
| |
| | Bay will be starting Dan Buenning and
|
| couldn't be less true. Pulled hamstrings,
| |
| | Anthony Davis at left guard and left
|
| lingering soreness and other ailments to
| |
| | tackle, respectively, when they take on
|
| key players will have just as big an
| |
| | Minnesota. Neither of these guys has ever
|
| impact in the opening games as they would
| |
| | started an NFL game. I expect them to be
|
| later in the year. A perfect example is
| |
| | totally dominated by the Vikings
|
| the Tennessee at Pittsburgh (minus 7)
| |
| | defensive line, which happens to be one
|
| game this weekend. Pittsburgh is the
| |
| | of the best in the league.3) Don't
|
| better team, but they're without Duce
| |
| | underestimate the serious emotional
|
| Staley, Jerome Bettis, and Joey Porter.
| |
| | factor for the New York Giants,
|
| On the flip side, the Titans roster is
| |
| | Washington Redskins, and New Orleans
|
| littered with talented but injury-prone
| |
| | Saints. The New Orleans situation is
|
| guys (Kris Brown, Steve McNair, and
| |
| | tragic and well documented, and no one
|
| Tyrone Calico) who are 100 percent at the
| |
| | can predict how they're going to come out
|
| moment, but probably won't be for the
| |
| | and play against Carolina. Also, there
|
| whole year. The result is a slightly
| |
| | will most assuredly be some type of
|
| different competition level this weekend
| |
| | poignant September 11 commemoration in
|
| than it would be if the game were played
| |
| | D.C. and NYC. Expect two lively crowds,
|
| in November.4)Special teams can win games
| |
| | and don't be surprised if those teams
|
| early. For whatever reason, it takes a
| |
| | jump out early on their opponent.4) This
|
| few weeks for most organizations to get
| |
| | is going to be the first opening week
|
| their special teams in order. Don't be
| |
| | without Jerry Rice in over 20 years. Au
|
| surprised to see more big plays than
| |
| | revoir. And no matter what Terrell Owens
|
| usual in the first few weeks. This also
| |
| | and Randy moss think about themselves,
|
| yields an extra advantage to squads with
| |
| | neither are half the man or half the
|
| good special teams. Some clubs with the
| |
| | player that Rice was.5) This Sunday,
|
| best: Buffalo, Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago
| |
| | whether you're at a bar surrounded by
|
| and Denver. Some with the worst: St.
| |
| | scantily clad waitresses or on a couch
|
| Louis, Oakland, Tampa Bay and Seattle.Now
| |
| | somewhere enjoying your team on the
|
| that we have some of the basics covered,
| |
| | high-def big screen, make sure you take
|
| let's take a look at the most compelling
| |
| | some time to think about how fortunate
|
| games in this weekend's slate:Oakland at
| |
| | your are. Especially compared to those
|
| New England (-8), Thursday at 8 p.m.Now
| |
| | lost souls down in the Bayou.Doc's Sports
|
| it's time to see just what Rasta Randy
| |
| | Handy Links:Football PicksJeremy Martin
|
| Moss brings to the Raiders. Despite the
| |
| | archive2005 NFL Preview pageDoc's Sports
|
| addition of the controversial wideout,
| |
| | Handicapping Service
|
| oddsmakers don't expect too much out of
| |
| | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports
|
| Oakland this season. Besides Randy, the
| |
| | has been recognized as one of the leaders
|
| Raiders will also trot out their new 4-3
| |
| | and most trusted names in sports
|
| defense, which should be a huge upgrade.
| |
| | handicapping information.
|
