Chick-Fil-A Bowl: Tennessee Volunteers vs. Virginia Tech Hokies

The Tennessee Volunteers and the Virginia Tech Hokies will both be gunning for a victory when they meet at Georgia Dome in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Bodog Sportsbook currently have the Hokies listed as 6-point favorites versus the Volunteers, while the game's total is sitting at 49½.

Montario Hardesty rushed for the winning touchdown in overtime as Tennessee defeated Kentucky 30-24 in Week 13. Tennessee covered the 3-point spread, and the 54 points made it OVER the posted total of 50.5.

Hardesty finished with 180 yards and three touchdowns in that victory.

Virginia Tech unleashed a 42-13 beating on rival Virginia at Scott Stadium in Week 13.

Virginia Tech covered as a 14-point road underdog, while the final score played OVER the 44-point total.

Some Stats to about the teams:

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Tennessee's last 5 games

Tennessee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

Tennessee is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games

The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Tennessee's last 23 games

The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Virginia Tech's last 6 games

Virginia Tech is 9-2 SU in its last 11 games

Virginia Tech is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

Manchester United very close to the Leader Chelsea

Manchester United completed the process at the home of Hull City (1-3), second from bottom in the Premiership table, and capitalize on the blunder Saturday's Chelsea, who drew at Birmingham (0-0), to put the draft leadership of the English competition, which this weekend reached the nineteenth day.

The set of Alex Ferguson stood two points behind the Italian Carlo Ancelotti picture. A setback is paid dearly for this course. And the title fight intensifies also the presence of Arsenal, which beat Aston Villa (3-0) and, with a game that Chelsea and United, also threatens the first place.

Wayne Rooney was the architect of the victory of Manchester. The attacker was involved in all three goals for his team. He signed the first in time added in the first part, led to the second, which was introduced in Andrew Dawson own goal to break the tie set minutes before by Craig Fagan, penalty, and attended the Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov, who scored the third .

Earlier, Arsenal pulled out his duel against Aston Villa (3-0). The Spanish Cesc Fabregas signed a sublime performance at little less than half an hour he was on the lawn of the Emirates Stadium, which dazzled with his game and decided the Arsenal victory with two goals before getting hurt again and leave the field.

Book tickets for the French coach Arsene Wenger, Cesc jumped into the tapestry of the London court to 57 minutes in place of Denilson and debottlenecking the game for the Gunners.

Week 17 NFL Football Odds

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sportsbook Rating Odds: Falcons -1

There will be no playoff implications on the line when the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but there will be plenty of pride.

Both teams are focusing on 2010 and a win could end their seasons on a high note.

The Falcons franchise has never had back-to-back winning seasons but a win on Sunday would finish them at 9-7. For the Bucs, it has been a trying year but they have won two straight and could end the year on a high note with a three-game winning streak.

The Falcons are clearly the better team in this matchup. When healthy, they are a playoff contender and clearly without a healthy Matt Ryan or Michael Turner, they have slid down the ranks.

Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has been decent in the last couple of weeks but the difference has mostly been in taking advantage of other team’s mistakes. They have run the ball well and played mistake-free, for the most part, and simply taken advantage of teams that lost interest.

Atlanta is still playing hard for head coach Mike Smith and they will be up for this game. They are on the road but they have the better quarterback and the better offense. That should be enough to secure themselves a winning season.

Bet Jamaica Sportsbook Reviews Pick: Falcons -1

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

NFL Betting Lines: Cardinals -3

The Green Bay Packers and Arizona Cardinals will meet up in Week 17 and they very well could meet up in the first round of the playoffs.

The Packers and Cardinals are the No. 4 and No. 5 seeds in the NFC and with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys – the No. 3 and No. 6 seeds – facing each other in Week 17 as well, the same games could occur in the first round of the playoffs if both Dallas and Green Bay lose or if both of those teams win.

Both the Packers and the Cardinals have clinched playoff spots but home field advantage in the first round could be very important.

The Packers home field is in the frigid temperatures at Lambeau Field whereas the warm, cozy confines at the University of Phoenix Stadium is a much easier place to play for the Cardinals.

The Cards have been in a swoon in December while Green Bay has been hot – look for that to continue.

NFL Predictions: Packers +3

NCAA Football Betting - Humanitarian Bowl Preview

The Humanitarian Bowl is not exactly Alabama-Texas, but don’t tell these kids that bowl games don’t matter. Idaho will be thrilled to be in this game while Bowling Green should also be focused on winning. This should be an interesting game for internet gambling fans.

Idaho Season Recap:

After Dennis Erickson came for a brief stint, then Nick Holt decided against head coaching Idaho, Robb Akey happily took over the Idaho program.

Yes, it has been a glum decade for the Vandals but they finally have had a winning season (7-5) and they are in a bowl game, which for them is huge. This was the Vandals first winning season since 1999 and this will be their second bowl game in school history.

Sure, the start was much better than the finish - Idaho won six of its first seven games - but regardless, the team is thrilled to be hear after a good year and will be ready for this game.

Bowling Green Season Recap:

Bowling Green didn’t compete for a MAC Championship as they were hoping but they still had a pretty good year and they are once again an offensive power. The Falcons had an opposite season to the Vandals as they started the year with losses in four of their first five games but then managed to finish the season 6-1 to get to this point.

But overall, when you look at Bowling Green’s season, all five of their losses came to teams that will be playing in bowl games. At the same time, their only win against a bowl-bound team was a win over Troy.

Sports wagering cappers should know that Bowling Green has a very good offense and they don’t bother with playing defense, which is what makes their games very entertaining.

The Matchup

Both teams have lethal passing games, which should make this game an air show. The Vandals have the 11th-ranked passing offense while sports handicapping sharps know that Bowling Green is also ranked high in that category, ranking eighth.

Idaho will be fired up to be in their second bowl game in school history but Bowling Green will be a challenge for them. Bowling Green was throttled in their last bowl game as they lost 63-7 to Tulsa and they will be looking to play much better.

The 5Dimes Reviews Pick: Bowling Green -2

NFL Betting – Week 16 Predictions and Picks

Kansas City Chiefs @ Cincinnati Bengals

Sportsbetting Odds: Bengals -13.5

The Cincinnati Bengals have had a rough couple of weeks as they went a two-game road trip that resulted in several losses. On their record, the Bengals lost two games. In the locker room, the Bengals also suffered an emotional loss as wide receiver Chris Henry died.

The Bengals should be able to get back on track at home in Week 15, though, as the feeble Kansas City Chiefs come to town.

The Bengals had a tough loss in Minnesota two weeks ago as they were blown out and they followed it up with a gutty loss in San Diego. After playing the No. 2 seeds in both conferences, they’ll be happy to host one of the worst teams in the NFL on Sunday.

The Chiefs are horrible on both sides of the ball but if there is one weapon that the Bengals have to wary of, it’s running back Jamaal Charles. He’ll have a tough time finding running room against the Bengals, who have one of the best run defenses in the NFL.

On the flip side, look for the Bengals offense to go to work against the Chiefs defense. The Bengals should be able to have their way on the ground, which will set up some deep passes to Chad Ochocinco.

The Bengals shouldn’t have many problems rolling the Chiefs, who are a bad football team.

Bet Mania Reviews Picks: Bengals -13.5

Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons

NFL Betting Line: Falcons -9

The Atlanta Falcons had a gutsy win in New York on Sunday as they needed a touchdown on a fourth down of their final drive of the game to get the win. Even so, it was too little, too late as they were eliminated from the playoffs because both the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers won their games.

Interestingly enough, the Falcons are immediately established as big favorites against the Buffalo Bills and while the Bills are not a good team, you have to wonder if the Falcons deserve being a nine-point favorite given how poorly they have played over the last two months.

The Bills are a scrappy bunch and they will make waves against this bad Falcons defense. Nine-points is too much to lay with a Falcons team that would be about a three- or four-point favorite had they lost last week.

NFL Betting Picks: Bills +9

Philadelphia Eagles Won the Ticket to the Playoffs

Donovan McNabb threw for one touchdown and ran for another, DeSean Jackson had 140 yards catching the ball and the Eagles beat the San Francisco 49ers 27-13 to secure a spot in the NFL playoffs for the eighth time this decade.

None of the previous seven has been a victory in Super Bowl
though.

"It's always good to secure a place early, but we will not release the pedal," McNabb said.

"It's an exciting time, but nothing that we have to enlarge. One of our goals is to have a week off and win the NFC East and the only time that happens, you win our last two games. "

With the defeat of San Farncisco, the Arizona Cardinals secured their second title in the NFC West in a row.

The Eagles (10-4) have won five straight games and have a game ahead of Dallas in the NFC East. Philadelphia overlooking the Cowboys in two weeks where one could dispute the championship of that division.

The start of play was delayed by three hours because the city was recovering from the second biggest snowfall on record since 1884. A total of 23.2 inches of snow fell over Philadelphia on Saturday.

It looked so bad in the Lincoln Financial Field until some fans began throwing snowballs in the fourth quarter. Once LeSean McCoy scored a touchdown from 2 yards to put the game 27-13 for the Eagles, some of the frozen fans were throwing snow into the air like celebrating.

Some others pointed their snowballs to the Niners fans, but were RAPD controlled by stadium security.

"We need not throw snowballs," coach Andy Reid. "We're decent people here in Philadelphia. Leave that to the parking lot. "

Frank Gore rushed for 107 yards, becoming the first player to surpass 100 yards against the Eagles in 24 games. But the 49ers (6-8) could not overcome the three interceptions thrown by Alex Smith.

McNabb completed 21 out of 36 for 306 yards. He threw two interceptions to become only the second time this season.

"There were some passes that definitely should not have done," said McNabb. "It is characteristic of me, forcing the ball."

Down on the marker 20.3 at halftime, the 49ers scored 10 points to close quickly on the scoreboard. Josh Morgan returned the kickoff 52 yards in the third period, but the offense failed to convert six points and Joe Nedney kicked a 25-yard field goal.

Then, Dré Bly intercepted a pass from McNabb in double coverage. This time, the Niners took advantage. Smith connected with Morgan on a 12-yard pass to cut to 20-13.

The Eagles marched 89 yards later and went up 27-13 on a run from McCoy early in the fourth quarter.

Coming off a stunning victory over Arizona on Monday Night, the 49ers wore tired after a short week and a trip from coast to coast. But the Eagles were not so successful this afternoon.

It's obviously not our best performance, "said San Francisco coach Mike Singletary. "We came here with the purpose of making all the right things but it was not the end."

Barcelona is the King of the World

A historic goal with his chest allowed Lionel Messi to Barcelona to win the Club World Cup by beating 2-1 in extra time to Estudiantes de La Plata.

Messi, who disappeared during the regular time, got all the glory by scoring for 110 minutes and gave his team its first world club title.

The Argentine team, champion of the Copa Libertadores de America 2009, gave him a tactical lesson to Barcelona, champion of the Champions League.

The pincharratas opened their account thanks to both Mauro Boselli (37 ').

However, the Catalans frustrated the achievement of students in the last breaths of normal time through a header from Peter (88 ').

Barça ended a 2009 perfect, all titles to be played: League, Champions League, Copa del Rey, Spain Super Cup, European Supercup and the World Cup.

Students appealed to intelligence in his argument and the order to stop the generation of the Barcelona game.

Juan Sebastián Verón and Enzo Perez were planted in the rival camp to cancel the arrival of Sergio Busquets spherical, while Leandro Benitez and Rodrigo Brana were responsible for controlling the output from Xavi Hernandez.

In turn, the Barcelona wanted to destroy the defensive pricked with a constant exchange of position between Messi and Ibrahimovic.

However, the duel was being debated in midfield and the South American group could maintain its role as an own goal away from the dangerous strikers in the team FC Barcelona.

Mauro Boselli was responsible for breaking the zero at the first available opportunity.

At Barcelona he took absorb the blow and his response was reduced to a central free kick himself Ibrahimovic failed when attempting to connect the ball with a pirouette.

Josep Guardiola ordered the Peter in the second half and joined with four forwards in his tactics.

The ten initial minutes of the second half found the best version of the League Champion of Champions.

Over the final 20 minutes, the physical difference between the teams began playing his own party and Barcelona stood on the rival camp to besiege the Argentina area centers from both sides.

Just found equal to two minutes from the end of the game. when a ball rained the heart of the area ended in Pique in attendance to beat Peter Albilad with a fine header.

The extra time remained the same script, but kept a special stage for Messi, controlled the entire game: the past Rosario took a cross from the right, instead of running a check, stood with his chest to score. Students tried to react on the final, but was too late.

NFL Week 15 Betting Picks

Houston Texans @ St. Louis Rams

NFL Betting Odds: Texans -11

The Houston Texans will take on the St. Louis Rams this week in what should be a second straight cupcake matchup against an NFC West team. Last week, the Texans absolutely crushed the Seattle Seahawks and this week, they are likely to do the same to the Rams.

Things can’t get much worse for the Rams right now. Just days after being blown out by the Tennessee Titans and being forced to start their third string quarterback, the Rams were forced to cancel practice completely on Thursday because of a swine flu bug riddling the team.

Quarterback Kyle Boller and center Jason Brown were among the ill, which means the Rams will be even more shorthanded heading into this week’s contest.

The Texans are a very good, young team and while they have struggled to win important games this year, they have no problem winning when the pressure is off.

The Rams don’t have the defense to slow down the Texans and they don’t have the offense to score points with them. On top of that, the Rams are a completely defeated team at this point while the Texans have a small, outside chance to still make the playoffs.

Bet Mania Reviews Picks: Texans -11

Green Bay Packers @ Pittsburgh Steelers

NFL Betting Lines: Steelers -1.5

The Green Bay Packers will catch a break when they head out on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers as they are expected to be without Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu once again.

The Steelers have been a completely different team with or without Polamalu in the lineup as indicated by their 13-6 loss to the feeble Cleveland Browns last week.

The Packers will still be in tough this week because this will be their second consecutive road game and the Steelers are still a tough team to beat at home. On top of that, the Steelers have had 10 days to prepare for this contest so they should be a little more focused and ready for this game.

The Packers also don’t have much of a running game, which makes them a tough team to trust when they are on the road. They constantly have to rely on the pass.

Look for the Steelers to bounce back and end their ugly five-game losing streak with a big win over the Packers.

NFL Prediction: Steelers -1.5

Tiger Woods Wife Leaves the House with their Childrens

The wife of golfer Tiger Woods, the former Swedish model Elin Nordegren, began moving to leave shortly, along with his two sons, the residence she shared with the well-known sportsman, today publishes the New York Post.

"He plans to leave the house and go live somewhere else with their children," said a source close to the Woods family to the Daily News, published images of several moving trucks parked at the residence of the golfer in Florida, where many packages were removed and works of art carefully wrapped.

Nordegren was in the house on Tuesday and instructed the workers of the removal company, according to the newspaper, about what he had to remove the housing that occurred before the end of November the strange car accident that uncovered Tiger Woods scandal and his alleged harem of mistresses.

Woods American media focuses attention since she shot to light the possible cause of the accident was an attack of jealousy by his wife, who had discovered that her husband had had several lovers. Golfer himself later acknowledged publicly that he had been unfaithful.

The Post says Nordegren had not left home before "because his son had the flu" and that the former Swedish model was proposed to spend the Christmas holidays away from her husband "in a warm place and with his family and their children.

Another source told the newspaper that small of Woods and Nordegren, Sam, aged two, and Charlie, ten months, who has been with his mother in a restaurant near the residence, are well, " seem happy and healthy, and do not realize the seriousness of the problem. "

However, the former model, according to the same source, is "thin to the bone and kept a very intense and passionate conversation with the two adults who accompanied her" during the meal he took with his children.

The Post, which also explains Nordegren on Wednesday that no longer wears the wedding ring, reveals that Woods paid his various lovers between five and ten thousand dollars a month through bank transfers them to remain silent about the adventures they had shared with the golfer.

"The money arrived for a transfer. There was no contract or talk about it, but it was clear that the money came in exchange for silence, "said one of the alleged lover of sports, which ensures that the night of the accident Woods called her from his line of home because her wife had taken his mobile phone.

Since she shot the scandal have appeared a dozen women who say they were lovers ranked golfer in the world both before and during their marriage, most notably an actress in pornographic films whose services, according to the Post, Woods hired for one of their birthday parties.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl – Southern Miss To Edge Out Middle Tennessee

New Orleans Bowl

Southern Mississippi Eagles vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

Sportsbook Odds: Southern Miss -4

The Southern Mississippi Eagles and Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders will have their first ever meeting on the gridiron in the New Orleans Bowl this weekend.

It has been a banner year for Middle Tennessee, which won nine games. They joined the FBS in 1999 and this has clearly been their best year by far. This is their second bowl appearance overall.

The Blue Raiders are led by quarterback Dwight Dasher, who threw for 2627 yards and 21 touchdowns this year. He’s a dual threat and a serious one at that. He added another 11 touchdowns and 953 yards on the ground.

For Southern Miss, a lot of college football betting experts thought their season would go down the tubes when they lost quarterback Austin Davis for the year. Martevious Young stepped in after Davis was lost midway through the year and the offense didn’t really skip much of a beat. For a third straight year, the Eagles churned out over 5000 yards of offense, which is fairly impressive given the circumstances.

Young was very efficient with the football as he threw for 13 touchdowns and just one interception. His one interception came in the game against Memphis on October 17th and he hasn’t been picked off since.

The New Orleans Bowl will be the swan song for veteran running Damion Fletcher, who has had an illustrious career for the Eagles. He will need just 63 yards in the New Orleans Bowl to become just the ninth player in FBS history with four 1000-yard seasons.

While both teams are solid overall, there is slight difference between the two that may not be noticeable to the naked eye. The Blue Raiders may have nine wins but they have had a much easier schedule than Southern Miss. The Blue Raiders play in the feeble Sun Belt whereas Southern Miss is part of Conference USA.

That should be the main difference as Southern Miss may be the toughest opponent the Blue Raiders have faced since playing Mississippi State earlier in the year.

Another side note for this game is that the Eagles are coached by Larry Fedora, who sports wagering fans might remember coordinated the Middle Tennessee offense. He should have some insight into how to slow it down.

Sportsbook Ratings Picks: Southern Mississippi -4

NFL Betting – Week 15 Free Picks

Chicago Bears @ Baltimore Ravens

Sportsbook Odds: Ravens -10

If there is one team that is coming apart at the seams more than the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s the Chicago Bears.

The Bears, who were 3-1 at one point this season, have lost seven of their last nine games and are just playing out their string of games. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens are playing for a playoff spot.

The Ravens have been consistently inconsistent over their last eight games and they’ll be hoping to break the trend. The Ravens are 4-4 in that span and have alternated wins and losses every game. The Ravens won last week so they’ll hope to avoid the trend and win for a second week in a row.

While most people will be quick to hop on the Ravens bandwagon in this contest, keep in mind that these December contests don’t always turn out as planned. The Ravens have more on the line but the loose Bears may turn out to be a handful.

10 points is a lot for the Ravens to cover and while they should win, the Bears should be able to stay within the double-digit spread.

BetJamaica Review Picks: Bears +10

Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs

Sports Betting Odds: Chiefs -1

If you’re looking for the highlight game of the week, it won’t be this one.

The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs meet up in a battle of basement bums in the AFC. The Chiefs are at a low-point right now after losing at home in back-to-back games to the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills. Meanwhile, the Browns are on cloud nine after topping the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday night.

The Browns do deserve some credit as they have played well since Brady Quinn took over the quarterbacking duties. Since their bye week, the Browns lost a close game to Baltimore (closer than the score indicates), lost on the last play of the game to the Detroit Lions, put up a fight in Cincinnati, lost by seven to the San Diego Chargers and defeated the Steelers.

Quinn’s play over that time is what has led this team. Over his last four games, Quinn has thrown for six touchdowns and no interceptions. He has been a big leader for the Browns.

This will be a tough test for them but they are more confident right now and that should be the difference.

NFL Betting Picks: Browns +1

NFL Odds – Raiders come up big in battle of awful teams

Sports betting players could have their hands full when looking at this week’s NFL odds for Washington’s trip to Oakland, as both teams are absolutely atrocious. How can you win some cash on a matchup like this? Read ahead.

Redskins vs Raiders betting – Sunday, December 13, 4:05 PM ET

The Redskins (3-9) are still trying to figure out how they let last week’s 33-30 overtime loss to New Orleans at home slip away. Shaun Suisham had a chance to ice the game with a 23-yard field goal, but he missed it right with 1:52 to play, leaving the door wide open for the Saints, and Suisham was released shortly after the game. This was Washington’s third straight game in which they allowed a fourth-quarter lead to slide away, but this one may have hurt the most. Jason Campbell was 30-of-42 for 367 yards, three touchdowns and a pick, but the Redskins had four turnovers, and like their NFL odds, their spirit may be dead.

The Raiders (4-8) showed a lot of heart in a 27-24 upset win at Pittsburgh, led by Bruce Gradkowski’s fourth-quarter heroics. Gradkowski, a Pittsburgh native, was 20-of-33 for 308 yards and three touchdowns, which all came in the last 15 minutes, and he was named the AFC Player of the Week for his exploits. The Raiders were 2-of-2 in the red zone and didn’t turn the ball over once, leading to a big NFL odds upset.

NFL odds in your sportsbook have the Redskins as a 1-point favorite on the road, which seems strange when you consider that the Raiders are 2-4 at home, and Washington is 0-6 away from home. Washington is also 0-4 as an ATS favorite, while the Raiders are a decent 6-5 as an underdog, and 3-3 ATS at home. The Redskins will hope to have Albert Haynesworth and DeAngelo Hall back, and their secondary (particularly safety Laron Landry) has had problems with the deep ball as of late, which is right up Oakland’s alley. Like Cleveland-Detroit in Week 11, this matchup of lowly teams may actually turn out to be decent.

NFL picks: Raiders +1

Ronaldo and Zidane will play in January, "Match Against Poverty"

Ronaldo and Frenchman Zinedine Zidane advert today that the upcoming "Match Against Poverty" will take place in Lisbon on 25 January 2010.

The meeting, organized every year to raise funds to finance anti-poverty projects in Asia, Africa and LatinAmerica, face a team that will feature the two stars to a combined figure of Benfica.

For the first time since he organized the charity event, Ronaldo and Zidane will be on the same side. They will play alongside other renowned players.

"No one is a spectator in the struggle to end poverty," Ronaldo said in a statement, which called for "work together as a team" to achieve the eight goals gathered in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs ).

The MDGs is an agreement by all 192 UN members and at least 23 international organizations that are committed to reducing extreme poverty, reducing child mortality and combat epidemics such as AIDS. It has eight goals to develop until 2015.

"We write these eight goals through commitment, teamwork and willpower," said Zidane.

The seventh edition of "Match Against Poverty" will be played at the Stadium of Light where Benfica usually serves as a local.

Army vs Navy Odds – Army has improved, but not enough to beat Navy

The sports betting odds for Saturday’s Army vs Navy betting matchup have the Black Knights as a huge underdog, even though they’ve improved a lot from last year, and they still have a bowl game to play for. But is that enough to end a seven-year losing streak against their interservice rivals?

Army vs Navy Odds – Saturday, December 12, 2:30 PM ET

The Black Knights (5-6) have won their last games to stay in bowl contention, and a win this week would put them in the EagleBank Bowl, bouncing UCLA. Army is powered by the 14th-ranked rushing attack in the nation, led by freshman quarterback Trent Steelman, who has run for 100 yards or more in two of his three games. Patrick Mealy also gets carries in Army’s version of the triple-option, while Alejandro Villanueva and Damion Hunter are the main targets when the Black Knights decide to throw. But something that may hurt their Army vs Navy odds in this game is their run defense, as Army is 66th in the nation against the run.

This fits right into Navy’s (8-4) gameplan as they’re third in the country in rushing. Junior pivot Ricky Dobbs leads the team in rushing, despite playing the last few games with a cracked kneecap, so no one can ever question his toughness. Vince Murray is another weapon in Navy’s triple option, while Mario Washington’s nine receptions leads the team. Defensively, the Midshipmen are 44th in defense, including 41st in stopping the run.

Army vs Navy odds in your sportsbook have the Midshipmen as a two-touchdown sports betting favorite, and they’ve won seven in a row over the Black Knights, including two straight beatdowns by a combined score of 72-3. The Black Knights are going have to figure out a way to stop the run as they allowed 222 rushing yards in a win at North Texas last week. Navy’s pass defense was carved up in Hawaii last week, but they’re playing a team who, like them, think of passing as an afterthought. Army has played well this year, but they still have a way to go to catch up to their rivals at Navy.

NCAA football predictions: Navy -14

NFL Odds – Steelers need to Snap Out of it Against Browns

The sports betting odds for Thursday’s matchup between a pair of AFC North rivals, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, are thinking that it’ll be a blowout, but the Steelers must get their heads together before this game.

Steelers vs Browns betting – Thursday, December 10, 8:20 PM ET

The Steelers (6-6) were stunned 27-24 at home by Oakland for their fourth straight loss, giving up a touchdown with nine seconds to go. Pittsburgh really misses Troy Polamalu’s presence in the lineup, as Bruce Gradkowski passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns with no picks against the Steelers…that’s right, Bruce Gradkowski. Ben Reothlisberger returned from a concussion to go 18-of-24 for 278 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, but Pittsburgh has to better in the red zone to boost their NFL odds, as they were only 2-of-5 inside the 20-yard-line.

The Browns (1-11) fell behind by 20 by the end of the third quarter, but fought back to make it a respectable 30-23 scoreline in a home loss to San Diego. Brady Quinn was 25-of-45 for 271 yards and three touchdowns for his second good outing in three games for the Browns, and he’s showing that he should have been given a chance to play all along, instead of Derek Anderson. The Browns were also 3-of-4 inside the red zone. It’s a shame their defense is just so awful, allowing 477 yards of offense against the Chargers.

NFL odds in your sportsbook have the Steelers as a 10-point favorite in Cleveland, where they’ve won nine of their last 10. They’ve dominated the Browns to the tune of 12 straight wins, and 18 in 20 games overall. The defense has to find their legs in a hurry as Quinn and the Browns have shown an ability to get into the end zone lately. However, the Cleveland defense couldn’t stop a high school team, and even with the possibility of Hines Ward and Rashard Mendenhall being out for this game, the Steelers still have Roethlisberger, who has a 97.1 rating in 10 career games against the Browns.

NFL picks: Steelers -10

NFL Betting Odds – Cardinals try to slow explosive Vikings

The NFL betting odds for Sunday’s matchup between Minnesota and Arizona are backing the Vikings, as the Cardinals may be without their No.1 quarterback once again.

Vikings vs Cardinals betting – Sunday, December 6, 8:20 PM ET

The Vikings (10-1) had their way with Chicago in a 36-10 thumping, racking up 537 yards of offense while holding the Bears to 169 yards. Brett Favre strengthened his case for the MVP award by going 32-of-48 for 392 yards and three touchdowns, making up for a subpar outing by Adrian Peterson, who had 85 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, but he also fumbled twice, losing one. The Vikings managed four sacks and even more pressure on Jay Cutler, picking the Chicago pivot off twice.

The Cardinals (7-4) suffered one of the biggest gut punches of the season, falling 20-17 at Tennessee thanks to a 99-yard touchdown drive by the Titans’ Vince Young. Matt Leinart, who was 21-of-31 for 220 yards, had seen the heroics of Young before: before they were top NFL picks, Young led Texas to a thrilling win over Leinart’s USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl, which is regarded as a modern-day classic. Leinart was starting in place of Kurt Warner, who is still battling post-concussion symptoms, but he said that he feels better than he has lately. Still, with a 7-4 record, the Cardinals would do well not to rush Warner back. Their NFL betting odds for the Super Bowl won’t suffer with Leinart under center for one more week.

NFL betting odds in your online sportsbook have the Vikings as a 3-point favorite in Arizona, and they’ve won three out of four against the Cardinals since 2000, including a 35-14 romp in the desert last year. The way that the Vikings are playing right now, it’s tough to bet against them, especially if Leinart is in the lineup. The Vikings lead the league in sacks, and Leinart was sacked three times by the Titans. Led by Jared Allen, Minnesota could double that this week. The Arizona secondary was lit up by Young, which must have Favre salivating.

Football picks: Minnesota -3

NCAA Football Betting – Florida/Alabama Pick

NFL odds will take a backseat for a change this weekend as Florida and Alabama clash for the SEC title in what many people feel is the biggest football game so far this season. Time to choose a winner; hopefully our previous football picks prepared us for this one.

(1) Florida Gators vs (2) Alabama Crimson Tide

Saturday, December 5, 4:00 p.m. ET

Florida Alabama line: Florida -5-5

Is the pressure on Alabama this Saturday? Arguably, no; the Crimson Tide are clear underdogs. Then again, they’re trying to reach the BCS title game and avenge last year’s heartbreaking 31-20 loss to these same Florida Gators.

For Alabama to have a chance, it has to run the football effectively. In theory, it has the horse to do that in Heisman Trophy hopeful Mark Ingram. He’s been a beast this season, amassing 1,429 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.5 yards per carry. If the Ingram that showed up last week against Auburn returns, however, The Crimson Tide are in trouble; Ingram ran 16 times for just 30 yards. The Florida Gators hope to bottle up Ingram and force the ball into quarterback Greg McIlroy’s hands. McIlroy isn’t bad but he’s not an elite field general either. Against the Gators’ top-ranked defense, he could struggle. With linebacker Brandon Spikes leading the way, the Gators will probably stack the box to stop Ingram and make McIlroy beat them.

Even if Alabama manages to score on a defense that didn’t allow more than 20 points in a game this season, Florida’s offense represents a tough test too. Tim Tebow is a dominant dual threat; he threw 17 touchdown passes versus four interceptions and ran for 796 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Alabama has an excellent defense too – cracking the top five against the pass and the run – but Tebow challenges every defense because he makes plays in so many different ways.

The Crimson Tide obviously won’t go quietly but the Gators are so tough on “D” and have more solid offensive contributors – guys like Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez. Expect history to repeat itself this Saturday.

Online sportsbook pick: Florida -5.5

NFL Odds – Underdog Bills Could Take Down banged-up Jets

Warm up for Saturday’s Florida vs Alabama picks with some NFL action on Thursday night, as Buffalo “hosts” the New York Jets in Toronto. The Bills come into this game as the underdog, but they could take advantage of an ailing Jets quarterback who had a nightmare the last time he faced Buffalo.

Jets vs Bills odds – Thursday, December 3, 8:20 PM ET

The Jets (4-7) fell 16-13 in overtime at home in Week 6 to the Bills, and Sanchez was a major culprit, going 10-of-29 for 119 yards and five picks in the worst game of his career to date. This overshadowed a career day for running back Thomas Jones, who had 210 yards and a score on 22 carries as the Jets ran for 318 yards. The Jets also committed 14 penalties on the day, and they’re not good enough to overcome that many mistakes, even after a 17-6 win over Carolina last week.

In that win over the Jets, Ryan Fitzpatrick took over for the injured Trent Edwards, going 10-of-25 for 116 yards and a touchdown, along with a pick. Now, Fitzpatrick is entrenched as the starter and he’s built a good connection with Terrell Owens, who has averaged 126 yards over the last three games. The Bills are coming off of a 31-14 pasting of Miami in which they exploded for 24 points in the final quarter, and as NFL odds has made them an underdog, they could even more motivation.

NFL odds in your online sportsbook have the Jets as a 3-point favorite, but they’ve dropped six of their last 10 against the Bills overall. Even though their defense was on fire against the Panthers, it’s tough to put the Jets in your NFL picks until Sanchez gets his head back the game, throwing seven picks in his last three games with only a pair of touchdowns. Also, he left the Carolina game with a knee injury and even though he says he’ll be fine, you may want to check out the news wire after Wednesday’s practice. If he’s at less than 100%, even the New York defense can’t save them on Thursday.

NFL picks: Buffalo +3

NFL Week 12 Weekend Betting Parlay

If the NFL odds for Thanksgiving Day games burned you, don’t worry; you can redeem yourself on the weekend. Give these picks a try.

Bills (+3) over Dolphins

I like the Bills to pull off a minor sportsbook
surprise here. They’re playing in their chilly home, hosting warm-weather Miami, which has to make a long road trip up North for the game. The Dolphins’ run defense should be weakened with defensive tackle Jason Ferguson out due to a torn quad. Terrell Owens also exploded last week, catching nine passes for 197 yards and a touchdown – coincidentally in the Bills’ first game since Dick Jauron got fired. May he and Lee Evans get behind the shaky Dolphin pass defense?

Colts (-3.5) over Texans

While it’s true that the Colts are coming “closer” to losing their first game in this NFL betting season – they’ve won their last four games by a combined 10 points – everything about Sunday’s game at Houston still favors them. The Texans have just 13 sacks in 10 games, meaning Peyton Manning should have lots of time to throw the ball on Sunday. Houston really struggles to stop the run, as the Titans showed on Monday night, and Joseph Addai is hitting holes like it’s his rookie season again. Indy is 14-1 all-time against Houston. Even though Matt Schaub, Andre Johnson and the Texans offense will score, Houston won’t keep Indy off the board. Go with the Colts, whose Super Bowl odds are climbing rapidly.

Jaguars (+3) over 49ers

Sure doesn’t feel like the Jags are 6-4 but they are. Maurice Jones-Drew is running like a mad man and he may keep doing so against San Francisco. The 49ers can only ride Mike Singletary’s reputation for so long; the truth is that they’re not playing great “D” at all right now, ranking 30th against the pass and 22nd in total defense. Even if they stop MJD, David Garrard and Mike Sims-Walker could burn them. Since Alex Smith hasn’t been too effective when not operating out of the shotgun, I like the Jags to squeak past San Fran.

Rivalry Week: Title Contenders Texas, Alabama will Cover

A lot of football fans are focused on NFL betting right now, but that's no excuse to ignore Rivalry Week in college football. There are some lopsided spreads but, as well all now, hated enemies have a knack for defying the odds and derailing their rival's bowl hopes. Let's take a look at a few of the bigger games on this week's NCAA football odds.

Texas at Texas A&M: Texas -22

Thursday, Nov. 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET

The Longhorns (11-0) need one more win to make the Big12 Championship, and they're so close the BCS Championship game they can taste it. A&M, meanwhile, has been very mediocre at 6-5. Texas has the advantage pretty much across the board. Colt McCoy leads an offense that can hang up a lot of points in a hurry, while the defense has surrendered 20 points or more in just two games all season.

The Aggies' offense looked very sharp last week, racking up 375 yards on the ground, but they can't be expected to do that every week—especially against the tough Longhorns. Even if they do, it won't matter; A&M's defense has been shoved around all season, including 65 points to Oklahoma. That should be a good barometer of what Texas will do this week. Take the Longhorns on Texas Texas A&M betting.

Alabama at Auburn: Alabama -12

Friday, Nov. 27 at 2:30 p.m. ET

The Iron Bowl is especially important for 11-0 Alabama, which is ranked second in the nation and driving toward the BCS Championship. Auburn, on the other hand, suffered a meltdown after winning its first five games; the Tigers have lost four of six since then.

Offensively, Auburn can probably hang with 'Bama—assuming it brings its A-game. The Tigers have cooled as of late, particularly on the road (Ben Tate, the team's leading rusher, has rushed for 100 yards just once in his last four games). Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram is a Heisman candidate and has racked up 1399 yards and 15 total scores this season.

The difference-maker in this game? Defense. Alabama has the top defense in the nation, including the second-ranked rush defense and fifth-ranked pass defense. With Tate struggling to get going, that's trouble. Ingram, on the other hand, should have plenty of room to run—Auburn is 88th in rush defense and allowed 169 rush yards in last week's loss to Georgia.

Alabama is ranked second in the country for good reason—this is an excellent football team. The Crimson Tide will run the ball early and often so the scores may not pile up quickly. Don't fret, however; they'll cover the 12-point spread by the end of the game on Alabama Auburn betting.

NFL Week 12 Betting Parlay – Thanksgiving Edition

NFL odds for week 12 are getting some early action at sportsbooks this week. Why? Gobble gobble – it’s Thanksgiving week. That means we’ll see three games this Thursday. No time to waste in our NFL picks, is there?

Packers (No line) over Lions

Due to question marks over Matthew Stafford’s clavicle injury, the sportsbook line isn’t posted yet for the Packers/Lions game, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make up your mind yet. Even if the Lions get Stafford back in the lineup, even though Green Bay just lost cornerback Al Harris for the season, Detroit still faces the NFL’s No. 3 overall defense. The Packers have battled tougher foes than Detroit and survived. Though the Pack got caught looking past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this season, I think they’ll win this reason for that exact reason; they’re unlikely to make the same mistake twice. Look for Aaron Rodgers to have an even bigger game than normal, as the Lions don’t pressure the passer very well.

Raiders +13.5 over Cowboys

Tony Romo and the Cowboys offense are entering the time of year when they often tank – especially Romo. He could barely get anything going against Washington last week and the Raiders actually have a respectable pass defense. While I don’t see the Raiders totally shocking Dallas the way they did Cincy last week, I think they can keep this game within two touchdowns. Over the last three seasons, the Cowboys are 3-6 against the spread when favored by 10 or more points.

Giants -6.5 over Broncos

The Broncos’ ship is beyond sinking right now. They’ve dropped four straight games, their quarterback is battling injury and their skill players are getting into sideline spats. NFL betting players need to crunch the numbers carefully to understand why Denver isn’t recovering from its slump any time soon; the Broncos have allowed 174 or more rushing yards in three straight games. Their stout run defense isn’t stout anymore and the Giants’ power running game can exploit that problem. While the Giants may not totally romp at home, they’re a good bet to win convincingly.

NCAA Football Odds – Golden Bears aim to slow down Cardinal

Sports betting players didn’t expect Stanford to challenge for the Pac-10 title, but the Cardinal are still right there as they head into their Saturday night clash with California, who are looking to end a disappointing season on a high note.

California vs Stanford odds – Saturday, November 21, 8:00 PM ET

Cal (7-3, 4-3) bear Arizona 24-16 at home by scoring nine points in the final 4:46, and Shane Vereen stepped in for the injured Javhid Best quite nicely, running for 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Kevin Riley was 13-of-22 for 181 yards, a touchdown and two picks, while Giorgio Tavecchio added four field goals for the Golden Bears, who were supposed to be one of the top teams in the conference before midseason beatdowns at the hands of USC and Oregon.

A week after blowing out Oregon at home, the Cardinal (7-2, 6-2) went to Los Angeles and throttled USC 55-21 in a result that no one in the world of NCAA football odds saw coming. Toby Gerhart was having a great year before, but people are taking notice after he lit up the Trojans for 178 yards and three scores on 29 carries. Andrew Luck was 12-of-22 for 144 yards and two touchdowns, while the Stanford defense forced four turnovers.

The Cardinal are 81st in the nation in defense, but if they keep getting performances like that, they may overcome the NCAA football odds and reach the Rose Bowl for the first time since 2000.

NCAA football odds in your sportsbook have the Cardinal as a 7.5-point favorite at home, where they are 5-0 this year. The Golden Bears have a 6-3-1 record against Stanford in their last 10 meetings (they tied 30-30 in 2000 at Cal), but they fell 20-13 in their last trip here in 2007. This looks like it’ll be a shootout as neither defense cracks the top 70 nationally, while the offenses are in the top 35 in terms of scoring.

The running backs will be the story as Vereen and Gerhart open up the field for their quarterbacks. With Stanford averaging 53 points in their last two games, go with the Cardinal.

Bet on sports: Stanford -7.5

NCAA Football Betting – Ohio State/Michigan Pick

The sportsbook world will be abuzz this weekend with rivalry week arriving in full force. Though Michigan isn’t the power it once was – not even close – it still always seems to give Ohio State an interesting run. Interestingly enough, the Wolverines have more to play for this week. Ohio State is set to play in the Rose Bowl while Michigan is fighting for its bowl-game life.

(9) Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan Wolverines

Saturday, November 21, 12:00 p.m. ET

Sports betting favorite: Ohio State -12

We at least know Michigan has an emotional advantage on Saturday, playing in the Big House and with much bigger motivation. But does it have the personnel to hang with Ohio State?

It’s hard to know what we’ll see from the Wolverines this week. Freshman pivot Tate Forcier made decent strides early in the season but took a step back at Wisconsin last week, throwing for just 188 yards. Meanwhile, Michigan’s usually-potent rushing attack, which entered the Wisconsin game averaging 200 yards per contest, fell flat with just 71 yards. Simply put, Michigan’s offensive starters just have to be better to have any chance against a stout Ohio State “D” on Saturday. The Buckeyes have stymied much better teams – they shut down Iowa in overtime to earn their Rose Bowl berth – so they won’t be intimidated by Michigan’s attack.

Ohio State’s offense isn’t the driving force behind its success but quarterback Terrelle Pryor is improving, making more plays with his feet than he did earlier in the season. His scrambling ability will keep Michigan honest; the Wolverines got embarrassed by Wisconsin last week, allowing 45 points – their most ever against the Badgers.

On paper, the natural edge goes to Ohio State, but this isn’t the week to pick the Buckeyes. They had a huge emotional high with their overtime win last week. Rivalry or not, how can we expect them to bring it in a game that has no bearing on the rest of their season? Michigan should get fired up on front of the home crowd and overachieve. It’s just another game to the Buckeyes but it may as well be the Super Bowl odds for the Wolverines. Bet on Michigan to at least beat the 12-point spread.

College football betting pick: Michigan +12

Brian Westbrook Injury

Brian Westbrook has always returned from various injuries throughout his career, a second shock could not leave on this occasion. Westbrook's status is uncertain even after the All-Pro running back for his second concussion in three weeks during Philadelphia's 31-23 defeat in San Diego last Sunday.

Westbrook played back after being rested the previous two duels with a concussion suffered on October 26. Was injured in the third quarter on a screen play in which he was trapped in the block by Eagles receiver Jason Avant and deep Chargers Eric Weddle.

Head Coach Andy Reid of the Eagles said the team would take precautions with Westbrook, and it was too early to decide at what point would return if it does.

"Football is not the most important for Westbrook at this time," Reid said. "Rest assured that is being analyzed, tested, and we're watching, then we will see from where. There is nothing we have not done before. "

"We have experts checking their condition and be sure that the previously heard and as we did. First, here is your brain health. "

Westbrook was not available to reporters Monday. His agent, Todd France did not return calls made to his mobile phone.

Westbrook 30-year-old suffered his first concussion of his career when he hit his head on the knee of a defender during Monday Night Odds against Washington last month. Westbrook lost consciousness briefly, but walked off the field under his own power.

He was inactive for Philadelphia's victory over the New York Giants on November 1st and got the green light to face Dallas last week, but again remained inactive for precautionary reasons after experiencing headaches. Westbrook had no trouble in their game against the Chargers.

"We will leave this to doctors," said Reid. "There was a chance to play a week earlier and kept him and symptoms because of evidence presented."

The eight-year veteran participation has been limited this season because of ankle injuries, knee, and commotion. Westbrook to carry the ball 47 times for 225 yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry, with 1 touchdown in his credit. He also caught 19 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.

Westbrook has never played a full season, has lost 16 games by a variety of ankle injuries, knee, ribs and triceps. Before last season, Westbrook signed a three-year contract worth $ 21 million, including $ 13 million guaranteed the first two years. The Eagles have the option of not renewing his contract for 2010.